How to Post Images to Internet Message Boards or Forums

Most Internet message boards allow users to post images, but figuring out how to do it can be frustrating. I hope that this brief tutorial may help.

Finding a place to host your image

Very few message boards will allow you to host your image with them. This means that before you can post an image, you have to find somewhere else to host it. If you already have a website, you can simply upload the image file to a directory on your server, and link to it from there. If you don't have a website, though, or if you have limited bandwidth, you'll want to use a site such as www.photobucket.com or www.flickr.com to host your image. These sites allow you to upload digital photos for free (though you can also pay for additional storage space and bandwidth). Read the terms of use carefully, though. Some sites limit the types of images you can store with them (Flickr, for instance, specifically bars you from hosting icons at their site, and prefers that you not upload anything other than photos), and they may also require that you link back to the site if you post photos elsewhere. Also find out how much bandwidth you're allowed to use. Because everyone reading your post will be loading your image, you can quickly use up your bandwidth allowance on some sites, and your image will be replaced with a notice that you've exceeded your allowance.

A note about hotlinking