In a post yesterday, Graeme Thickens reminds the blogeratti that they (I’m not yet sure I should include myself in that category, but I’m certainly guilty, too) “missed the point” in the debate about Alltop, Guy Kawasaki’s new blog aggregation site. While journalists, analysts, and bloggers argued about the value, audience, and innovation in this site, few if any of us talked about how Alltop makes money.
I put that question to Guy, as I always do with new entrepreneurs, when I first talked with him about the site. And I failed to mention it in my initial post. Not surprisingly, the business plan is simple and common: attract a lot of users, then deliver targeted advertising based on the content visitors read. Because of the broad base of topics covered at Alltop, the site has potential to connect a much broader range of advertisers and consumers. That content range allows Alltop to play in very niche markets without the expense of developing niche audiences. In affect, the breadth of coverage at Alltop appeals to the niches within us all. Read the rest of this entry »
