A Review of Dripbook.com
Site: Dripbook
Members: ??
Features: Dripbook was a site that interested me right off the bat because it was private, the only way you can join the site is via an invitation code, which Dripbook extended me. (When you feel like you are joining something exclusive it makes it that much more interesting.) During the registration process the user is given the option of three different subscription levels available to the site: standard, pro, and premium. These three levels give you a different number of books, images, genres, private books, and the pro/premium plans offer an ad free experience. The premium service allows you to export your content to a your own website. (Please note that there is a 30 day free trial so you can test the site.)
When you register you can select from a wide range of mediums that you work in. Dripbook is set to cater to artists that work in multiple disciplines, allowing them to set up a professional portfolio.
Dripbook has a content management system for your work like no other site that I have used recently. A lot of these niche sites have rudimentary uploading systems but Dripbook is on par with Facebook and Flickr… sometimes the functionality on Dripbook surpasses that of either site. With Dripbook you can create your book, upload art, and manipulate your uploads by dragging and dropping it into the book you want. You have the ability to create a really clean looking, functional, and professional portfolio through their system.
All levels allow you to create and export widgets. (The options for the widgets increase depending on your plan.) The premium level allows you to export a professional looking site by giving you the HTML coding and the XML feeds to support your data.
From a social networking standpoint you have profiles, messaging, commenting, and you can add other members to your network.
Review: Dripbook really allows an artist to create a platform to display their content in a professional manner. I was really impressed by how the site functioned and the look of the final product. The site was easy to get around with quick navigation being supplied by a drop down box. My only complaint about that feature is that it doesn’t have a link to browse. In order to browse other profiles you have to go back to the home page or your profile control page. It would be nice if the quick nav had a link to the browse feature.
Other than that there wasn’t anything in my experience that was negative. While the site does charge money to use it (which usually I am against in the world of social media) I believe that the quality of the product it presents and the exporting ability it gives you make it worth the price. Most sites that have user-generated content make it very hard for you to get it off, they are walled gardens that don’t want you take your content or traffic elsewhere. Dripbook on the other hand gives you the tools to create a professional looking portfolio and the keys to get out of the garden which make it well worth the small investment to use it.
Check out my semi complete list of niche social networks
