As you know, no one is really sure how to make money from the Internet. Most people aren’t interested in making money online. Other people get by with advertising, subscription-based websites, and product sales, but no one has found the be-all, end-all solution for generating revenue.
A few trailblazers have been thinking outside the box and finding new ways to make money by offering content like news and editorials. The Nieman Journalism Lab always offers interesting blog posts about intelligent media innovators who are testing new online business models.
Bloggers like Julia Allison are using their websites to find business opportunities offline. She is the co-founder of NonSociety, a Tumblr blog. Julia and partners Meghan and Mary also host TMI, an online television show.
(Pictured at left: Julia with Zappos, by magnifynet)
As far as I know, Allison and her business partners are having trouble turning NonSociety into a profitable venture. I don’t blame them! Like I said, a lot of people are having trouble making money with content these days. And, to be honest, the NonSociety content has not been that interesting or unique lately.
However, Sony recently announced a new marketing campaign that counts Julia Allison (in addition to Justin Timberlake, Peyton Manning, Amy Sedaris, and more) as one of its spokespeople. A recent blog entry on SonyInsider.com reveals: “‘All talent were chosen for their high public profiles, and because like Sony, they are leaders in their respective fields…’”.
Most of my friends don’t know who Julia Allison is, but Sony thinks she’s well-known enough to hire her as a spokesperson. Julia has found a way to turn her blog into a tool for attracting unrelated business opportunities.
In this video, Julia shares her opinions about niche media and targeted advertising. I don’t think she’s really figured out how to apply her theories, though. I’m personally pretty stubborn about keeping advertising off the Too Shy to Stop website, and I’m curious to see how Julia will be able to use her blog as a way to make money in ways that don’t necessarily involve the Internet.