Posted on by Leslie

Micropayments as an option

I bet I got your attention with that title! 🙂

 

Thing is, I’m not being sarcastic. Time magazine this week has some interesting ideas on how to save the newspaper industry and I think some of the thinking might (note: might) be worth investigating for photography. That is, micropayments for content.

Now, don’t flip–this is, essentially, pay-per-view so while the individual payments may be tiny, the aggregate total may very well be more than photographers make now. Let’s say, for example, that a photographer gets .1¢ per view of an “interior” image…yes, one-tenth of a penny…that would be, for the 3 million subscriber base Time claims, $3,000. 

This is the sort of thing I was talking about when I said photographers should share the risks (and the rewards). Maybe your image’s story doesn’t get read by everyone…you’ll make less…or maybe that story will catch fire and you’ll make a lot more. 

I’m sure the technology exists to give accurate reporting for this sort of system. And it would work for advertising as well–if the ad gets viewed, you get paid. More views, more $$. Maybe in the case of advertising, there can be a bonus for consumer action–that is, if the online ad results in a click-through, the photographer gets a “bonus.”

New technology requires new thinking…

3 Replies to “Micropayments as an option”

  2. In your informative post “How not to get a consultant”, item #2 is I’ll pay you a cut from a big project that you bring me!”

    Seems to me, this is sort of the same thing. In other words, you’re paying for “use”. It’s the way google runs their ads and it works like a dream. Why should advertisers pay for ads that never get clicked? Why should online newspapers get paid for content that never gets read? Why should consultants get paid for suggestions that don’t generate business?

    Now I’m sure there are reasons why these two comparisons aren’t the same. And consultants will freak over the idea that they should only get paid if a client gets paid. But why not, just for a minute or two, consider this idea? Is it possible that you would get even more business? Make even more money? Well, not if you’re a crappy consultant, you wouldn’t. And then I can see why you would balk at such a suggestion.

    (By the way, Leslie, I’m not suggesting you are a crappy consultant. I think what you do, providing this blog and podcast are a good example of how much you care about the industry.) But you know, if the shoe fits, wear it.

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