Comments on: The Cost of “Free” : Smashing Mag’s Freemium Model http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:39:47 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: What to Do With 30 Million Extra Blogs | Fuel Your Blogging http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-23911 What to Do With 30 Million Extra Blogs | Fuel Your Blogging Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:15:49 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-23911 [...] Wordpress is awesome and has a phenomenal, but mysterious business model and has epitomized the freemium model. [...] [...] Wordpress is awesome and has a phenomenal, but mysterious business model and has epitomized the freemium model. [...]

]]> By: Nikki May | Web Content Writer http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-20964 Nikki May | Web Content Writer Sat, 11 Sep 2010 03:46:41 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-20964 Hi Dan, I recently "discovered" your blog - and I absolutely love it! Very valuable info here. I think there are pros and cons to freemium. One of the cons is that generally, if there is too much free stuff on the web, people will tend to expect things for free. So, it may be harder to sell stuff – depending on your niche and service, and also depending on whether there are free products similar to what you’re selling. Hi Dan,

I recently “discovered” your blog – and I absolutely love it! Very valuable info here.

I think there are pros and cons to freemium. One of the cons is that generally, if there is too much free stuff on the web, people will tend to expect things for free. So, it may be harder to sell stuff – depending on your niche and service, and also depending on whether there are free products similar to what you’re selling.

]]> By: Your Website Needs to Have a Business Model | Site Sketch 101 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6401 Your Website Needs to Have a Business Model | Site Sketch 101 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 09:06:24 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6401 [...] the mind that a website of this size can be struggling to make money. I have to agree with the comment Scrivs made on Dan Denneys article about the whole thing. He noted: I have seen mentions they make [...] [...] the mind that a website of this size can be struggling to make money. I have to agree with the comment Scrivs made on Dan Denneys article about the whole thing. He noted: I have seen mentions they make [...]

]]> By: The Curious Case of Smashing Magazine | Inspiring Pixel http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6368 The Curious Case of Smashing Magazine | Inspiring Pixel Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:25:44 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6368 [...] Cost of Free: Smashing Mag’s freemium model [...] [...] Cost of Free: Smashing Mag’s freemium model [...]

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6165 Dan Denney Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:28:00 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6165 I am confused as well. The new message doesn't correlate with the original message and tweets. I think that there is plenty to be learned from this series of events for anyone looking to change models. I am confused as well. The new message doesn’t correlate with the original message and tweets. I think that there is plenty to be learned from this series of events for anyone looking to change models.

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6163 Dan Denney Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:46:16 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6163 Thanks Ryan! Yeah, I just need to find someone that wants to pay me to do tutorials and check out css galleries. :) Thanks Ryan! Yeah, I just need to find someone that wants to pay me to do tutorials and check out css galleries. :)

]]> By: Scrivs http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6162 Scrivs Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:37:02 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6162 They have now added this to their original entry. <blockquote> Smashing Magazine is not in serious financial difficulties and it doesn't need to be saved. This article was not supposed to be a call for donations or free services. We didn't communicate our intentions clearly enough, and we sincerely apologize for that. In the future we will be more careful about our statements and formulations. </blockquote> Now I'm really confused because the initial splash page made it sound as if they were in financial difficulties and might need some saving. Now they don't. The article wasn't supposed to be a call for donations, but they wanted people to buy the book to help them out. I really don't know what to make of the situation. Actually I do know what to make of it, but I will hold that opinion to myself. I just think before they were sending a confusing message to the community and now they just made it even more confusing. They have now added this to their original entry.

Smashing Magazine is not in serious financial difficulties and it doesn’t need to be saved. This article was not supposed to be a call for donations or free services. We didn’t communicate our intentions clearly enough, and we sincerely apologize for that. In the future we will be more careful about our statements and formulations.

Now I’m really confused because the initial splash page made it sound as if they were in financial difficulties and might need some saving. Now they don’t. The article wasn’t supposed to be a call for donations, but they wanted people to buy the book to help them out.

I really don’t know what to make of the situation. Actually I do know what to make of it, but I will hold that opinion to myself. I just think before they were sending a confusing message to the community and now they just made it even more confusing.

]]> By: Ryan Cowles http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6090 Ryan Cowles Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:30:15 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6090 I have been noticing the Freemium Model more and more lately. It makes sense, and can be a good model, so long as both the Free and Premium products are good products, and the Premium product offers significantly more that makes it worth the purchase. This can be really tough to accomplish. I have also thought about the "Time=Money" over and over again. If only I could get paid for the time I put into my own websites and blogs, haha. Thanks for the post Dan, it made me think, and that's a good thing! I have been noticing the Freemium Model more and more lately. It makes sense, and can be a good model, so long as both the Free and Premium products are good products, and the Premium product offers significantly more that makes it worth the purchase. This can be really tough to accomplish.

I have also thought about the “Time=Money” over and over again. If only I could get paid for the time I put into my own websites and blogs, haha.

Thanks for the post Dan, it made me think, and that’s a good thing!

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6070 Dan Denney Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:11:16 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6070 I'm really glad that this came in at a good time. As you can see, there's lots to think about besides just producing "awesomeness". Good luck and be sure to share once you're up and running. I’m really glad that this came in at a good time. As you can see, there’s lots to think about besides just producing “awesomeness”.

Good luck and be sure to share once you’re up and running.

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6069 Dan Denney Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:10:03 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6069 Great example. It will be very interesting to see how things play out from here. Great example. It will be very interesting to see how things play out from here.

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6068 Dan Denney Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:03:51 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6068 You make some very valid points, though all of the numbers that we can come up with are speculative. I'm sure that they have recognized a need to evaluate budgeting and structure at this point. I'm sure that they would not want to have to go through anything like this again. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have in development. You make some very valid points, though all of the numbers that we can come up with are speculative. I’m sure that they have recognized a need to evaluate budgeting and structure at this point. I’m sure that they would not want to have to go through anything like this again.

I’m looking forward to seeing what they have in development.

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6067 Dan Denney Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:59:23 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6067 Glad to hear it! Glad to hear it!

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6066 Dan Denney Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:55:42 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6066 I can't really add to either of these comments, but they are great! Thank you for contributing :) I can’t really add to either of these comments, but they are great! Thank you for contributing :)

]]> By: Dan Denney http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6062 Dan Denney Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:48:27 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6062 Hmm, I'm not sure where their data came from. That is the highest group of numbers that I've seen. They are a private company and I haven't seen any official revenue numbers released from them, so I'd take anything you see with a grain of salt. Hmm, I’m not sure where their data came from. That is the highest group of numbers that I’ve seen.

They are a private company and I haven’t seen any official revenue numbers released from them, so I’d take anything you see with a grain of salt.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/the-cost-of-free-smashing-mags-freemium-model/comment-page-1/#comment-6005 Ryan Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:08:32 +0000 http://www.fuelyourblogging.com/?p=1625#comment-6005 Great post and great conversation. I find this discussion interesting and quite helpful as I am working on creating my own content site(s). I am in the planning stages. So, this discussion is extremely helpful. Great post and great conversation. I find this discussion interesting and quite helpful as I am working on creating my own content site(s). I am in the planning stages. So, this discussion is extremely helpful.

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