Blogger storage space tips... Updated
I updated this post after finding some new information :) The changes are in bold.
I have seen several Facebook posts lately with people explaining that blogger wants them to start paying for storage space because they have used up all of their free space (you get 1 GB of photo storage when you upload your photos through blogger. Your photos are then saved online on Picasa web albums). So many people are really frustrated with this (and I can't blame them, I didn't know for a long time that there was even a limit), and a lot of people didn't even know they could run out of storage space. I thought I'd post a few tips on how to save storage space and also what to do when you have used up your free space. Some of these tips are my own, some I found on Google and some are tips that I have seen other people suggest on Facebook.
1. Size down your photos before you upload them to blogger. Photos sized 800x800 and smaller will not count toward your 1 GB of free storage. This is how I blog my photos and I am so glad that I do, it's the reason why I have never had to deal with running out of free storage space.
I typically have my original photos saved on my computer along with a COPY (don't re-size the original!!) that is web sized in a separate file. When you upload a smaller resolution this won't count towards your free space (as I said before) and it will speed up the uploading process as well. I would not suggest this if you want to use blogger as your online photo backup. With the photos sized down they are only good for online sharing... not printing.
In the above link I also learned that if you max out on your free space, and don't pay the fee then anything uploaded later will be automatically resized to 800 pixels by blogger. So if you don't pay the fee and continue to load photos, be aware that they will not be at their full resolution.
2. You could always just pay the cost of the photo storage. It is always nice to have your photos backed up online and this may be a good option for you.
3. Start a new blog with a new account after you max out on storage space that way you can continue to load photos at their full size without having to pay.
4. Open a new Google account and then add it as a second admin to your original blog. Someone posted this idea on Facebook and I thought it was brilliant. This is so much better then having to start a whole new blog.
5. Use a different photo host rather than uploading your photos through blogger (Photobucket or Flickr for example). Upload your photos to their site, then copy and paste the URL and use the photos on your blog. Just be aware that these sites will also have a limit to your free storage. If you aren't worried about backing up the photos that you blog, I would suggest just to size down your photos and continue to upload through blogger for free (#1).
If you have any questions on how to do any of these things I can help you out, just let me know. I am crazy busy this month, but after the holidays I will have more time on my hands. You can also use Google and YouTube to find tutorials on how to do some of these things.
Just a couple more things I want to add in...
Do not delete the photos from Picasa web albums if you still want them on your blog. If you delete them from Picasa web albums, they will also be deleted from your blog. I also wouldn't suggest deleting posts or pictures from your blog just to save money. First try one of the above tips before deleting anything. You may later regret not saving those blog posts and pictures.
I hope that this wasn't a crazy boring post... and that it helps at least one person!
