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COMPASS MAGAZINE, March 2003.

Online Content: Can It Stay Free? By Darby C. Doll

       Nearly everyone loves the fact that the Internet offers loads of free stuff ¡V articles, games, pictures, music, videos, etc. But most people agree companies that offer content online need to generate revenue somehow. The good news about the Internet today is that many companies have found ways to put the two together: providing free content (or at least some free content) and making money.

      While advertising revenues alone have proved challenging for many online content providers, advertising is still a key way that websites can put food on the table. In fact online marketing has come a long way since the early days of simple banner ads. New attractive ad styles, dynamic interactive ads, text links, online surveys and more have all proved effective for marketers to reach highly targeted audiences.

      That¡¦s good news for sites that provide a vast array of different kinds of content. Portals, news, entertainment and gaming sites have all been able to stay in business and begin turning profits because of a new era of digital marketing. And it¡¦s also good news for web surfers who can continue to visit many of their favorite sites without having to part with their hard-earned dollars.

      Other sites have turned to a mix of free and paid-for content to generate revenues. Many content sites provide a fairly extensive amount of content for free to keep traffic flowing to their sites. Much of this content is supported by advertising. Such sites then charge for exclusive or highly desirable content to increase their bottom lines. Some of the more well-known examples include CNN.com, MSN.com and economist.com. Even such famous revenue-generating gaming sites as sportingbet.com and sb28.com offer many free options to attract visitors.

      Gone is a completely free Internet. But what has emerged in its place is a highly dynamic offering of some free and some paid-for content that keeps surfers happily engaged and web companies in the black.

      Darby is a consultant for Upstream Asia, a public relations/marketing consultancy which provides communications, brand development and events management to tech-driven companies in Asia Pacific. For more information on Upstream Asia, visit www.upstreamasia.com.