So you’ve got a blog.  Great.  You have readers.  Even better.  And you’ve slapped the obligatory contextual ads in strategic spots around your blog, looking to turn your little gems of postings into, well, real gems… aka money.  Just like the California Gold Rush of the 1850’s, where many regular folk turned to gold prospecting in hopes of becoming rich; today, many regular folk became passionate bloggers, looking to mine the internet for gold.  Whether your gold is a loyal reader base or a steady flow of income, or both, everyone wants to strike it rich, but not everyone becomes rich.  Let me explain how VibeFire can turn your luck around and grow your little hamlet of a blog into a boomtown, by monetizing your content, engaging your readers, and expanding your reach.

First off, what is VibeFire?  Simple.  VibeFire is a downloadable service that allows users to stay connected to your content by receiving desktop updates every time you make a post.  The user can click on the update to be brought to your blog.  (Pssst… go to www.vibefire.com and give it a shot).It’s not easy to turn your blog into a mountain of gold.  Squeezing money out of display ads is tough; it’s conventional and perhaps a little stale.  In fact, with the downturn economy, display advertising is expected to take a nose dive to the tune of 30%-80% estimated drops in revenue over the next three months.  VibeFire does something unique by leveraging a different way to monetize.  It turns your blog into “downloadable content”.  By including your blog’s feed with VibeFire, we leverage our InstallIQ platform that displays bundled software recommendations prior to the install of VibeFire.  You get paid every time one of your users downloads VibeFire with your feed pre-installed.   It’s as simple as that.But wait; don’t get rid of those display ads just yet.  VibeFire aids in your rush to riches by increasing reader engagement.  As I said before, every VibeFire update a reader receives links back to your site.  Instead of visiting a few times a week, get your readers visiting multiple times per day.   With click through rates averaging 5%, and as high as 10%, you’re sure to get more traffic back to your blog.  Not only is VibeFire helping to increase reader loyalty, but you’ve now increased your ad impression, which, in turn, increases ad revenues. Lastly, every good prospector knows that panning for gold in streams will heed meager results; you need to get industrious and go large-scale to cure gold fever.  You’ve got the same problem:  how do you get your content in front of the most people to increase the chances of attracting new readers?  VibeFire has the solution.  VibeFire extends your reach by allowing access to your content across the entire VibeFire user base.  So even if you didn’t source the user, they have access to your content via our Feed List.  In our beta phase alone, thousands of feeds have already been added by users.Eureka!  You’ve found it:  VibeFire.  I know what challenges you face as a blogger; I know that in unconventional times, you need to leverage new and exciting ways to reach and monetize your user base.  VibeFire can help to turn your blog into a cascade of shimmering yellow rocks, whether it be money, readers, or both.

Eric Montag, Product Manager, W3i Holdings, LLC
Eric uses his experience in graphic design, mobile, and internet marketing to lead the charge in product research, planning, and execution, from both a consumer and business standpoint. 

I have read countless privacy policies and terms of use. I have to in my role as General Counsel. They vary as they must, but generally terms and policies fall into one of three categories: 1) No consumer protection; 2) Business need driven; and 3) Consumer need driven. Regardless, most policies and terms are not meaningful documents for users. Consider whether anyone reads Amazon’s privacy policy when deciding which digital camera to buy.

To earn user trust then, e-businesses must design their website from a user’s viewpoint. Here are eight questions you should consider when designing your website:

1. Do you need personal information (name, address, telephone number)?
2. Can users navigate freely between web pages including disclosure screens or are navigation options limited?
3. Are there easily accessible links to more information and are the explanations in plain English?
4. Is the buttoning and navigation used intuitive and consistent throughout the site?
5. If there are several offers, does the site disclose this up front?
6. Are the sites landing and main pages designed for easy review including appropriate font sizes and color contrast for easy reading?
7. If downloading software, does the site utilize the typical browser protocols including confirmation that you want to receive a specific file?
8. Does the site limit the use of pre-checked boxes?

If you answered no to one or more of the foregoing questions, you may be causing users to navigate away from your site.

Hayden Creque, VP and General Counsel, W3i Holdings, LLC
Hayden counsels W3i on intellectual property, Internet law, privacy, and employment law issues. W3i strives to meet or exceed industry best practices.To learn more, click here.

The Cardinals are competing for the NFL title for the first time in over sixty years, by winning one game at a time, as they strive for the Super Bowl title. Software Publishers utilize Micro-Licensing one user at a time to increase conversions and revenue for their software. The same diligence is important for survival in this weakened economy.

Micro-Licensing can improve your bottom line. Familiarize yourself with What Micro-Licensing Is, Who Will Benefit, and How You Might Proceed, and your franchise too can experience unprecedented results.

1.   What Is Micro-Licensing?

a.   Definition

• �
  i.     A licensing solution supporting small, by the minute, incremental�
         licensing allowing the user to gradually commit to a software or
         digital media product conversion.

b.   The Players

• �
  i.     Early Lead – Double Trump (http://www.DoubleTrump.com)
         Recently I spoke with Assaaf Monsa who is a Co-Founder of �
         Double Trump. Double Trump has multiple clients, specifically
         in the casual game space, which are already up and running
         with Micro-Licensing as a purchase option for accessing their
         downloadable games. The case study they published
         (http://www.doubletrump.com/CaseStudies.htm) showcases a
         significant improvement from an A/B test which was completed
         by one such game publisher, increasing revenue by 220%!
         Using Micro-Licensing as a purchase option triggered people
         to spend three times more per year.

  ii.     Mid Stage – Microsoft Files Patent for Pay-As-You-Go      Computing  �
         (http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nf/20081230/tc_nf/63774):�
         Evidence that even the big guys are taking notice. The principles
         of Micro-Licensing are clearly more widely assumed as part of a�
         successful Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. However, I
         would be that Microsoft is not thinking of limiting this to the web
         and will also incorporate it with desktop software.iii.    Long Term – Digital River: As the worldwide leader in digital
         software licensing, you have to expect that they will be quick
         to adopt or find a similar model to exploit.

  Download Page:
  

  Upsell:
  

  a.    Most Costly – Integrate Micro-Licensing into your own proprietary
         licensing platform. Double Trump has an API for which you could
         consider leveraging. This approach will, without question,
         require development resources from your company.b.    Dive Right In and Begin Testing – If you are brave enough,
         Double Trump offers a full service licensing solution.c.    Moderate Cost – Leverage Double Trump’s full service solution,
         or a comparable solution, by which you outsource your entire
         licensing so as to limit the implementation costs up front and can
         begin testing for yourself.

  d.    Conservative Approach – Wait for more evidence of the
         success of Micro-Licensing and formulate a plan for how you
         will maximize the potential. Stay tuned to the W3i blog as I plan
         to continue updating with new information on this topic as I
         discover more.

c. Screenshots Taken From A Double Trump Powered Client

2. Who Will Benefit?

a.    FREE or Paid Doesn’t Matter

i.     Whether you are a software publisher leveraging ad-       supported services, such as those offered by W3i’s
       Download Network, a paid software provider, or a
       hybrid of both, you can benefit by providing flexible
       incremental licensing options with your software.
       With W3i’s Download Network you can double-up
       on increasing your revenue.

b.    Software Publishers will generate more revenue from
       casual users that would not otherwise convert.

c.    Users will benefit by being able to tip-toe into software
       commitments when they are unsure as to the amount of
       use or unsure as to the value of the software they are
       about to consume.

3. How You Might Proceed

Feeling overwhelmed? If Kurt Warner and the Cardinals can do it, so can you. Remember the basics about what Micro-Licensing Is, Who Will Benefit, and How You Might Proceed; and you will be on your way for impressive growth in software revenues.

Ryan Weber, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Co-Founder, W3i Holdings, LLC Entrepreneur and pioneer of Internet marketing focusing on increasing revenue and distribution for digital downloads.

By offering your online games for free, you can increase revenue. Sound like an irony? If 2% of your users actually convert to paying for your game with a trial offer, you left money on the table. You can earn revenue from a larger portion of your traffic by re-thinking your offer. There are alternatives to the try-and-buy model for game marketing.

As the economy continues to slide, consumers are holding on to their money. They want the entertainment value of online games, but they don’t want to pay for them. Alternative business models allow you to offer your games for free, removing some of the risk of development and marketing. Don’t end up in the video game dead pool—in the past five years almost 100 game developers and publishers have gone out of business.

Alternative business models for online games include: in-game ad model, ad-supported installer model, and the alternative-payment model.

In-game advertising is becoming an acceptable business model as big brands are testing it as a way to reach elusive markets. In-game advertising spending was $295 million in 2007 and projected to grow to $650 million in 2012. IGA Worldwide research showed 82% of consumers feel the games are just as enjoyable with ads and 66% feel that the ads are not intrusive. The top in-game advertising companies are:

1. Massive Incorporated
2. Double Fusion
3. JOGO Media
4. IGA Worldwide
5. NeoEdge Networks (casual games)

Although in-game advertising is growing, it can be difficult to execute and has a long payment cycle. For it to work, the creative must fit seamlessly with the game theme and not deter from game play. Additionally, users must spend considerable time playing the game for your ad revenue to build up.

An second alternative is the ad-supported installation model. The W3i Download Network (WDN) is a new revenue stream worth considering. WDN is a network of companies with downloadable content—including downloadable games. A unique Windows installer, Install IQ (certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program), is used during the installation process to offer the user a value-add of additional software—like the Yahoo! Toolbar or the WeatherBug weather widget. WDN requires minimal in-house resources, and you can start earning quickly once Install IQ is in place and new users install your games. The user only sees ads during the installation of your game so they have no interruption during game play. Additionally, since all of the revenue activity happens during the installation, the actual game play itself is not impacted.

A third option is the alternative-payment model–companies like Trialpay. With Trialpay, a user can purchase your game by completing one advertising offer. TrialPay can boost sales from your current traffic by giving your customers an alternative way to pay. This has its drawbacks as the user must commit to another offer before he/she receives your game; therefore, it is not technically “free”.

Use creativity in your marketing plan by reviewing alternative business models. You can earn significant revenue by promoting your game for “free” while earning revenue from an alternative source.

About the Author:
Josh Fiedler is the Business Development Manager at W3i, a provider of integrated desktop and browser marketing solutions. His expertise is in increasing revenue and traffic for downloadable games and utility software.

About W3i:
W3i, owner of Freeze.com, delivers proven, integrated desktop and browser marketing solutions.  With solutions tested and optimized on over 200 million installs–currently 4.2 million installs monthly, W3i can increase revenue and traffic for downloadable software, applications and digital content or provide a receptive consumer base for customized, targeted distribution programs.  W3i’s solutions utilize Install IQ, a proprietary Windows installation system and download manager developed by W3i. Install IQ is the first installation system to be certified in the TRUSTe Trusted Download Program.  To learn more about W3i, visit www.W3i.com.

Contact:
Deborah Manthei
Director of Marketing Communications
320-257-7571
deborah.manthei@W3i.com