Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic - Valleywag Comments

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

ceokhan — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:02:35 PDT

In some ways this is a genius idea which will encourage bloggers to post exclusive stuff.... yet on the other hand, the sites might be flooded with posts that are yearning for views... But nonetheless i think this incentive creates a positive desire for the writers!
___________________________________________________________
KicksOnFire.com - News & Updates on Air Force Ones, Jordans & Nike Dunk

ceokhan

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Doomstalk — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:06:38 PDT

Well, the scheme's already ruined Kotaku. I've been posting there for 2 years, but it's taken just a week of this for me to quit. Pay more for quality, not for controversy.

Doomstalk

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Seanibus — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:11:45 PDT

Looks like the rules to Fizzbin. And look, Paul, you just got a Royal Fizzbin. But, oh, too bad, it's Tuesday, when that's a losing hand.

Seanibus

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Owen Thomas — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:11:37 PST

@raincoaster5: Oh, it's a requirement for Valleywag hires. Can't speak for the other sites.

Owen Thomas

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

JeremyBrijit — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:24:37 PST

I'm skeptical. Yes, there's something to the idea of relationship-building IF the bloggers in question are sticking around for years. But is that really the universe we're talking about? What's the average tenure for a writer with a blog network gig? And will this mythical writer actually put more money in his pocket doing an extra-special good job then he might have churning out commodity volume-filler posts?

Of course it's important to have a strong relationship with one's readers. But in the end it's the editor's responsibility to make sure that the blog owns that relationship -- I visit Gawker, not Owen Thomas. Individual voices are eminently brandable, and can become great businesses. But the biggest content businesses brand businesses, not bloggers.

JeremyBrijit

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Seth — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:54:49 PST

@Joe Clark: You don't think we've figured that more >>

Seth

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

raincoaster — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:18:06 PST

@Owen Thomas: why the hell are you hiring people who don't even know how to use alt tags?

raincoaster

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

KindlyButDumb — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:49:54 PST

Huh. "The view count ... can overstate the value of cheap items with superficial appeal, but which damage a site's reputation. Nevertheless, it's the best measure we have, so we're going to use it..."

Reputation, schmeputation. Go low, people. Go really, really low.

KindlyButDumb

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Owen Thomas — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:02:28 PST

@schvitzatura: By the way, I'm a fan of humorous alt tags, too. Former Wonkette Ana Marie Cox and I learned to insert them at the same place: Suck.com.

Owen Thomas

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Owen Thomas — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:01:48 PST

@popsocket: Agreed. Salespeople, whose output is supremely measurable, have long been paid this way. Now that writers' output is equally measurable, it seems inevitable.

Owen Thomas

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Owen Thomas — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:00:55 PST

@schvitzatura: I think that has more to do with a changeover in editorial talent, with the new hires simply being unfamiliar with the art of alt tags. Ken Layne, I hear, is returning to Wonkette, so you may be welcoming your alt tags back.

Owen Thomas

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Pop Socket — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:10:50 PST

Commission against guaranteed draw. What a novel concept.

Pop Socket

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

schvitzatura — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:05:07 PST

@Owen Thomas: Vwag sister site, Wonkette employed copious use of image alt tag editorial comments; that all seems to have gone within the last two weeks of 2007, replaced by simple "click here" relinking to same stories.

The last three sentences? Crappy Star Wars references...

schvitzatura

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Owen Thomas — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:48:06 PST

@rebump: Gratitude has no CPM.

Owen Thomas

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Owen Thomas — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:47:54 PST

@schvitzatura: An intriguing question. I'd answer it if I had even the slightest idea what you were talking about.

Owen Thomas

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

rebump — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:24:25 PST

What do tipsters get for a good tip?

rebump

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

SandHillSnobbery — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:19:23 PST

Paying for performance. More follow Associated Content's model!

SandHillSnobbery

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

schvitzatura — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:11:40 PST

Is the disappearance of snark-a-licious alt text from all Gawker Media blogs and going with purely SEO-friendly "click here" dreck also a part of the Denton year-end edict?

The last remnants of the Old Gawker editorial system have been swept away. Fear will keep the core contributors in line.

Fear of Imperator Denton!

schvitzatura

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

T. — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:52:46 PST

that actually sounds like a great idea.

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Stawker — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:29:12 PST

@scalawag: How quickly people forget. The Luke Skywalker to Denton's Darth Vader is, of course, Peter Rojas.

Stawker

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

carlfish — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:26:17 PST

From now on, I resolve to always click on the "most clicked on posts" post. The stats robot is obviously the hardest working Gawker employee, and most deserving of a bonus.

carlfish

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

gzino — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:09:26 PST

Like the rationale but the same factors cited argue for a direct revenue share between Gawker and your bloggers? Do we need the intermediate steps?

gzino

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

joeduck — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:48:08 PST

NICK! You're my father!
But I'm still not sharing the Brit-Lindsay Lesbo romp pictures until you start paying $13 per post.

joeduck

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

marcfiszman — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:04:47 PST

Were Noah and Nick getting paid by the word for that memo thing?

'Cause that's some long-assed shit.

marcfiszman

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

sample032 — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:54:04 PST

@ScalaWag: I did always think the relationship between pictured and his master a bit homo-erotic, but I have no idea where the kid came from.

sample032

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

Joe Clark — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:37:30 PST

Note to writers: Among the many ways you're being scammed, any post that can be mostly or entirely read on a "front page" will never earn you a cent.

Joe Clark

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

ScalaWag — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 12:01:33 PST

Remind me, whose father is Nick Denton (pictured) ?

ScalaWag

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

OaklandTechie — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:10:12 PST

Time for Gawker writers to brush up on their click fraud skills!

OaklandTechie

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

0x6772 — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 09:11:26 PST

Gee, that's a great idea. I'm sure no one would ever once consider using zombie PCs to increase their monthly bonus.

0x6772

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

clarked — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:36:05 PST

Can the dark one rescue us from the writer's strike while he's at it? Gawker executions are the only reality tv i can stomach.

clarked

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

categorically — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 07:58:51 PST

Ah so it is all just a pyramid scheme. Brilliant Nick!

categorically

Denton to pay bloggers based on traffic

theodp — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:08:47 PST

Time to make nice with the Famesource guys, eh?

theodp