I have seen this already in some newspaper sites I visit and with newspapers companies seeing their bottom line shrink daily, and you will see more of it in the near future. Further searching I came across an article on Tim Armstrong, the somewhat still new AOL CEO, on how he sees the game of content.
I am still researching more on this, but the one thing we know and have known, is there will always be a demand for great content. Not so much product reviews, but how to articles and more deep rooted informational articles related to whatever niche. If you can write this yourself or outsource at a good price, the only barrier then is making money from it. If you have a stronghold on a niche and are somewhat an authority on it, it could present an opportunity to start charging for it. Is that far off? Hard to say, because so many people offer great content for free. On the flip side, there are several memberships that I have related to making money online that I pay for. That market will always be around so it is fathomable that it could cross over to more mainstream as well and be accepted.
Bottom line is the content should be great. Not just spun for the search engines. Readers know good content when they see it and great content should be able to be monetized with supported ads or affiliate product links for the near future. I think major media outlets may be jumping the gun, but can visualize it being what most do in 10 years or so. Just keep making great content as their could be a shortage of free content soon and readers will be starved.
3 comments:
Good reads! Certainly makes you think at least. I am scared to think how fast technology moves over the next 10 years. I think the internet will be completely different as well. You have to be able to adapt fast.
Rupert Murdoch, owner of FoxNews and Wall Street Journal, as well as other communication outlets, complains about the "free" content and has raised the monthly fee at WSJ more than once at WSj, and is now planning pay to play at FoxNews.com in the very near future.
One thing he said is people are "stealing" content from credible journalism (I suppose that still exists at WSJ) and they must pay.
WSJ has added content in new areas to draw other groups and interest in and expanded the Weekend Journal.
Murdoch's success can't be questioned. But his content is different than mine as I write original content to draw people in to eventually click out on an ad.
I hope they enjoy the read and enjoy the ad placements more.
Here is what Mr. Murdoch has to say:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2009/tc2009121_423109.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/06/rupert-murdoch-website-charges
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/rupert_murdoch_lets_charge_for_online_content_again.php
Happy New Year Soggy!
There will always be those willing to do the same thing for less. This is so true for any business where the cost of entry is near zero. Business models online had better prepare to adapt and carefully move into premium payment options, otherwise they will need another bailout. :P
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