Content: The Next Generation
By AZAM on March 4, 2008There are a number of interesting business models being developed that are spreading the way content is formed online. These new models of content generation are allowing users greater channels of expression. Users are having the ability to discuss any wide variety of topics and interact with the user generated community directly as well as the public. The models are also being developed to monetize the content and pay users as publishers of the content based on advertising page views. A number of companies are developing a number of different interactive methods that are quite simple and innovative. The new channels will create a new level of user experience in online publishing that will enhance the way we communicate and express ourselves in the online world.
Most of us are familiar with blogging and widespread adoption of blogging application. There are a number of types of bloggers and level of participation. A certain few number of blogs online have very high viewership and have become as popular as some media outlets in traditional journalism of dead tree kind to their online cousins. On the other hand personal blogs or blog feature on a social networking site allow individuals to express themselves to other in their network.
There are some taking a different approach and creating an interesting “content ecosystems” and adding social networking aspects around the user generated content. These are exciting business models that are taken the content to the next level online realm. The biggest issues facing the internet today is organizing the web in a systematic way that it becomes more useful and increases the value of the latent knowledge embedded coded in digital manner. The semantic web that Tim Berners-Lee mentioned of what he would do to make the web online experience better is starting to get there. The companies such as associate content, demand media, and citizen journal now are some examples of the new model of content generation
Beyond MySpace, Demand Media is a very interesting company that is run from veterans
of the intermix group that are the ones built up MySpace into the widely popular social networking sight. Demand media is a very exciting company that understands the online publishing and advertising industry and has built up an impressive ecosystem that will incorporate aspects that will increase the utility of the network and gain further exposure for users of the network.
Content
The content on demand media is organized and will lead to an organized in subject and more easily searched. Also, social aspects can be developed based on the subject content. The user and reader of the subject of interest would be able to form social connection for greater interaction. The content is able to take advantage of the advertising platform of demand media and users are able to monetize their content and share revenues with the company. Demand future plans include directing content generation to the relevant domains.
Domains
Demand media has amassed a large number of domains that would be of interest. The company purchased eNom which is one of the leading domain registers itself as part of its strategy. The domains become a valuable asset that has very low variable cost involved. Some domains of interest are proving to be valuable in having user generated content hosted on the domain of interested based on subject matter. The company has its own domain registration service and at the same time is accumulating a number of domains to have content built around. Demand media sees the domains as thematic media verticals and is busy accumulating and acquiring a number of domains: airliner.net, trails.com, answerbag.com, expertvillage.com, eHow, etc
Demand Media sees an opportunity in content that answer basic question of interest such as “how to” question that people search on the net. The founder Rosenblatt has written an article on how to make the perfect Margarita which makes about $200 in advertising revenue. Another is how to cut an onion without crying which generates roughly $300 a year. Also, Demand media is the largest publisher of video content on Youtube with videos on “how to” items. The beauty of the opportunity is myriad number of questions and topics can be covered in an endless Long Tail, and the search engines can actas the perfect distribution channel covering the wide range of niche topics and interest.
Demand Studios
Demand media has turned the .tv domain a ready to go social networking platform that installed value add to the domain from the start. The .tv domain is linked into a network to participate in that would be able to drive traffic based on interest. The .tv domain will open up the number of channels that content would be covered through niche topics and would be able to distribute the Demand Media network. Demand Media plans to direct content based on relevant topic of interest and have users develop and submit content produced.
Ad Network
The network of content sites with relevant ads would be able to monetize the content generated. The network becomes a publishing platform with a targeted user based on content theme. The user has the ability to join the network and retain owner ship of content independent of the network. The company aggregates the content and distribute on various channels in their network to monetize the value of the content.
Associated Content
The simple ability to post content on a user friendly site of likeminded number of users is very attractive proposition for users to share content and participate in the social network of content. Associated content allows users to post content into the network and share advertising fees based on traffic popularity of the content. The content gets associated into groups based on subjects and users have the ability to participate in social interactions with each other. Associated Content also requests media to be published on subject matter of interest.
The appeal of this model is that user can publish anything of interest and have the potential ability of being heard in a audience with well trafficked network. The low variable cost of acquiring additional content based on interest is quite powerful for a publisher. At the same time the publisher is able to build the advertising network to monetize the content being developed. The model also lends itself to the content syndication model based on subject content.
Associated Content recently launched Call for Content application to produce content of interest. The company now issues specific requests for content on a variety of topic and various formats. The company offers content producers ideas and topics to build content library to generate income and exposure on the network. Associated Content through the network of content producers offers a powerful platform to target specific newsworthy or relevant content from network of content producers from various locations and specific knowledge that expands around the world. The attractiveness of the model is Associated Content ability to leverage the unique environment of pre-qualified and targeted audiences for advertisers, content partners, and publishers.
“We have thousands of Content Producers earning income from the work they are producing, simply out of a passion for their subject. Now through Associated Content they find an instant audience and community to support them.”
NowPublic : Citizen Journalism
NowPublic describes itself as is a crowd-sourced, participatory news network that mobilizes an army of reporters to cover the events that define our world. NowPublic takes citizen journalism to a new level by creating a platform for individuals to contribute journalism pieces. As disruptive technologies proliferate with camera mobile phone and digital movie cameras grow ubiquitous, Internet users worldwide are becoming citizen news reporters on the scene worldwide.
Participatory journalism is influencing traditional news media operations as reporters get tips or source ideas and stories from people online or respond to news broken by people in the right places at the right times. Traditional News is incorporating new from individuals through individual contributions that are used in news reporting segments.
Partnered with Reuters
Contributions to the AP news report from NowPublic’s network of participants could take many forms over time, said AP Deputy Managing Editor for Multimedia Lou Ferrara. “They could range from simple eyewitness accounts to originally produced content.”
In the early stages of the relationship, AP bureaus will work with NowPublic communities in selected locations on ways to enhance regional news coverage. National AP news desks also may tap the network in breaking news situations where citizen contributors may capture critical information and images. NowPublic also will help AP extend its coverage of virtual communities, such as social networks and contributed content sites, Ferrara said.
The company currently uses volunteers to produce content in the news network. The company plans to syndicate the news generated and share revenues from the syndicated content. The company has attracted an army of reporters around the world to break news.
The NowPublic Network
NowPublic is clearly attracting contributors (119,000 of them in 140 countries), money ($12.5 million in total), and partnerships like with the Associated Press).
The Next Generation Media companies have arrived and are growing fast as the companies mentioned. The impact is clearly being felt and traditional media companies are adjusting to the new ways content is being produced and consumed. The traditional manner in which users’ access media has changed with the changes in technologies and resulting in new habits being formed. Wireless technologies will only lead to further changes in consumption patterns. The main difference is the users and consumers are more involved in the creation and consumption of content.
Categories : Media & AdsTags : Associated Content, Demand Media, Now Public