New Online Media Sharing Service, New Model, Same Problems
The video wars are coming, the video wars are coming!
Okay, fine, it’s probably not worth invoking the spirit of Paul Revere (but, hey, it’s the Fourth of July). These video wars won’t equal Beta versus VHS battle, much less a fight for a nation’s freedom. In this day and age, the wars are over viewers of user-created content. Even before YouTube has managed to fully define what YouTube can be, sites are vying to become the next YouTube.
Eefoof.com (still in test mode) is trying to raise the stakes in the online media sharing game. They want to pay creative folks for their efforts — something I applaud. I am long on record as supporting the right of artists be paid for their work, and absolutely hope this endeavor takes off. The challenge facing eefoof, and other
eefoof’s compensation model is a variation of the “popular pages versus net revenues earned” idea. It’s simple and classic (though the actual formula hasn’t been revealed). Once you hit the $25 threshold, you get paid via PayPal. You must, naturally, own the material you’re uploading. Sorry kids, you’re not gonna get rich from uploading scenes from Lost. Though the Star Trek re-enactors might have a shot.
Just a quick glance at the site shows a lot of the same old, same old when it comes to content. While this is a reflection of the user base, it will encourage audience fatigue. Let’s just say that seeing a scantily clad blonde on all fours when I click on the “video” page isn’t an encouraging sign. While it probably doesn’t violate the site’s “no pornography” rule, I’m getting the message that finding new and cool stuff will be a challenge. I don’t have time to be challenged.
In fact, the challenge facing all media sharing sites is the question of how to find things. Popularity is a good tool, but it also reflects the tastes of the core audience. Casual surfers might have a different reaction — someone stumbling across a site for the first time might become overwhelmed and decide it’s not for them. This is not a problem exclusive to eefoof.
What’s good:
- People will earn money for their work - though like in all entertainment media, do it for the art, not the riches.
- The community-based approach encourages audiences to stick around.
- Easy-to-use interface.
What’s bad:
- Domain name is going to require a lot of marketing to stick with users.
- Meaning the “eefoof expenses” in the royalty calculation could be higher than expected.
$25 is a bigger number than you think. - The “Funniest Home Videos” model is growing old fast. Real success is going to come from those who stand out from the pack.
Technorati Tags: eefoof, youtube, online video sharing
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1 Comment(s) so far
1. The Daily Loper - November 1, 2006 | Medialoper wrote on November 1st, 2006 at 6:00 pm
[...] New Online Media Sharing Service, New Model, Same Problems | Medialoper7/4/06 - It’s official… the video war has begun! And eefoof is fighting! Okay, the name may be different (and weird) but these guys have it going for them and for the artists they support. By Lopy The Loper | posted in The Daily Loper Tag at del.icio.us | Incoming links [...]