Alternate Outputs
January 18, 2008
Chris Anderson has been compiling a growing list of media business models. Included is “Alternate output (pdf; print/print-on-demand; customized Shared Book style; etc.)”.
Obviously this model is near and dear to our hearts [does that phrase refer to the lungs?]. Postful makes it easy for sites to add in a print and delivery system for their online content.
But it’s not just about providing a monetization mechanism, it’s about expanding your audience. There are still billions of people worldwide who aren’t online much or at all (including over 100 million people in the US alone). Providing a mechanism for reaching those people is not just a way to earn an extra buck, it’s a way to establish your brand for the next wave of internet expansion.
More, it’s a way to allow your users to interact with your content as they prefer. The expansion of choice is one of the fundamental strands in the modern web. It’s becoming one of the minimal standards to be considered credible and useful (the convergence of those terms in an information economy is perhaps a topic for another post).
Keep letting us know how you’re using us to better serve your patrons (and earn money for yourself in the process)!
