New Twist to Spot.Us

[David Cohn]

Hello Community Funded Reporting Folks!

I want to throw this out at the group to get feedback. Please check this new feature out we are calling "community centered advertising."

Check out Spot.Us' new button "Earn Credits." Simply log in, take a three question survey from our sponsor and earn $5 in credits which can support the reporting of your choice. (Go directly to the survey here.)

By taking this quick survey you can generate real money to support the reporting topic of your choice. And you'll help us re-think and re-invent advertising along the way. If you've ever wanted to help Spot.Us out more but couldn't bare reaching for your wallet - now is your chance to get involved!

If you know other sponsors that might want to try this - please send them my way. It's a bit of an attempt to bring transparency and control for the reader about where advertising dollars go. Do you think this is sustainable? Could I have luck finding more sponsors or should I give up now? Am I compromising what Spot.Us was originally about?

Try taking the survey - it'll take you about 20 seconds (if you've already registered) and it will mean a LOT for Spot.Us - and it'll mean even more for the reporter that you decide to support.

If you find the process painless - please spread the word.

Thanks!

--
David Cohn
http://Spot.Us
http://twitter.com/digidave
(310) 365-3600

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[Colleen Belcher]

I really like this idea. I think news consumers are well aware how big of a part advertising plays in paying for content and I love how transparent you are being about it.

The fact that the survey is short is also great. It's a very minimal investment in time. By putting in a box for people to check if they want to be contacted by the advertiser narrows down the people who would be interested without spamming the rest of us.

I'm all for this way of paying for reporting and $5 is a decent increment and grabs attention.

If you were to grow this concept I would recommend tailoring the advertisers by area so that people are shown local advertisers. 

I'm curious to hear other feedback.

Colleen Belcher

-- 
Colleen Belcher
Managing Editor
The Sacramento Press
431 I Street Suite 107
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-443-5403
www.sacramentopress.com
Follow us on Twitter @sacramentopress

[Panthea Lee]

I think this is a fantastic.

The survey was easy, painless -- almost surprisingly so; I imagine other sponsors could be more demanding about querying, say, demographic details, etc -- and immediately receiving/using the credit was gratifying.

As Colleen mentioned, many readers have a good grasp of the news media ecosystem and would, I believe, welcome the chance to play a more critical role. If advertisers and reporters are both, ostensibly, trying to serve readers through the media, then allowing readers to choose a) which advertisers they pay attention to, and b) which topics then benefit from that attention is greatly empowering.

I love the idea of earning advertisers' dollars and using it to influence the reporting process rather than idly watching advertisers influence my news channels with their dollars.

Great work. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Panthea

--
Panthea Lee
UNICEF
Director's Office, Innovation Unit
Supply Division, NYHQ
3 UN Plaza, E44 Street, NY 10017
Phone: +1 917 265 4559
Mobile: +1 347 879 0083
Fax: +1 212 326 7768
pl...@unicef.org
www.unicefinnovation.org

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