Perhaps you’ve noticed the google ads plastered around the site. Don’t start leaving nasty comments about layout issues just yet, it’s still a big experiment, and there will be some tweaks as I try to figure out the best balance. Put it aside for now though, there’s bigger stuff to tackle at the moment.
As for why it’s worth cluttering up the page with an ads from a network of questionable value, it’s simple: I am sick of other people getting huge cash payouts on the backs of “user created content”. (I am also sick of that phrase, especially when it manifests itself like this but that’s for another day). If my time, effort, eyeballs or thoughts are going to be padding anyone’s bottom line, shouldn’t it be mine? Hell, I work hard all day so other people can reap bigger benefits for my work, why should I let that permeate things I do for fun, or to relax?!
The You Tube billion dollar buyout is a good posterboy to kickstart the discussion. We’ve all seen the breakdowns of typical online communities- you’ve got a shit ton of lurkers, a smaller group of active participants, and much, much smaller core that drives the community. if you take pirated content out of the equation, and think for a minute about the people who actually upload the stuff to you tube as opposed to office workers who find it funny and pass it on- how many people really helped make You Tube into the 1.6 billion dollar wunderkid that it is today? I know this much: more than 2, and less than the 20 million unique users they claim. My hunch is it’s far, far closer to the former.
What did the core group of attention whoring nerds get in return for making You Tube’s founders hundreds of millions of dollars richer? 96 seconds of the guys going “I’M RICH, BITCH”.
I’m not trying to be a hater, and sure, the guys created a phenom and deserve their solid gold houses and rocket cars, but it’s also a story we see over and over. Think of idea. Watch community make it take off. Collect a payout as you sell your “community” to google, Fox, Yahoo or whoever.
It’s a major reason why I started posting the blog regularly. I’ve participated in a highly active message board for years, and it recently started carrying ads. I don’t wish the guys any ill will, but if I am developing and providing content, I want to collect the spoils, not them. Period. And I encourage you all to do the same.
Let’s be a bit more entrepreneurial in our thinking. I am not suggesting everyone turn themselves into paid shills, or starting shitty “make money now” stes covered ina myriad of crappy ads and affiliate links. But if you participate actively online and contribute things of value, think about ways to funnel it into your pocket and not the guy who has admin powers on the message board (or whatever). If you review the shit out of video games, there is no rule that says you can’t conveniently link off to amazon as an affiliate. If you help people with computer shopping or upgrading because you’re a nerd and that’s what you love, why not be a newegg affiliate? Hell, they are prolly gonna buy the crap there on your recommendation why SHOULDN’T you get 4%?
Finally, if the phrase “Sell Out” ever leaves your lips, grow up and come back in a couple years. Fact of the matter is, you’re being sold out constantly. It’s just now we have the tools to do it on our own terms and collect a piece of the action. Embrace it, or someone else will- and they probably wont even have the balls to release a gleeful video celebrating it.