I read earlier that the New York Times will start charging readers to access their website. Previously, though you had to register to log in, reading the online content was unlimited and free.
http://www.slate.com/id/2242085/
Suddenly changing that situation is probably not going to change their fortunes in the way that they hope.
Now, I don’t know the newspaper industry very well, but this got me thinking about the information marketing industry that we’re in, and I think you’ll start to see this here, too.
After all, paying for a newspaper subscription IS information marketing, right? Newspapers are losing money right along with other businesses, and I understand the need to try and come up with a way to make a profit.
The problem is, if you’ve been giving away your product for free, and then you suddenly put a pricetag on it, all people see is robbery.
Bait and Switch!
Why does it cost something NOW, when it was FREE before?
If there’s no added value to go along with the cost, get ready to lose a LOT of readers. And it’s going to be even more of a problem since what they sell (News) is still available everywhere else for free.
The Times doesn’t really elicit enough brand loyalty from me to make it more worthwhile to pay than to just go read a different news site. I’m guessing I’d be in the majority there if you took a public poll.
So what’s this got to do with OUR businesses and the way WE market?
Well, as someone who has been known for “moving the free line” as a marketing tactic, I have to say to the NYT: “You’re doing it WRONG!” 
I think it’s really underlining the way that the internet has completely changed the way information flows in our society. The old mainstays of advertising are disappearing as technology allows people to get what they want while essentially SKIPPING the ads.
Big Media simply doesn’t know how to cope. They have HUGE overheads, and need to hit HUGE targets to please their shareholders.
And this is part of the reason that even in this economy, the internet presents a TREMENDOUS opportunity for the average Joe to make a living online.
How?
It’s reported that the NYT site network has 40 MILLION unique users, yet they can’t seem to make enough money to support themselves without charging?
I literally CHOKE thinking of what kind of marketing and sales I could generate with that kind of audience. I know people who regularly generate millions of dollars in sales with a mere fraction of that traffic.
With 40 million visitors I could make enough to buy a pony! Or a yacht! Or a yacht big enough to ride my pony on! 
NOT-A-DUMMY NOTE: I know that a newspaper has all kinds of journalistic guidelines and ethical interests to look out for. It’s not like they can start publishing affiliate promotions and compensated product reviews or anything. I get that.
The point is that big business continues to struggle to use the web, while advances in things like video, PPC, local search, etc. – These things all level the playing field for smaller buisinesses to carve out the same kind of REACH that newspapers USED to have.
The advantage is OURS and it’s GROWING.
And you can do it all on your own with a computer and some elbow grease. I mean, some effort. What you do with grease near your computer is your own business. 
Viva la Revolution!
Until next time,
Andy
P.S. Just out of curiosity, how would you feel if a free site you frequented suddenly started charging? Would you stick around and pay?
If you were the New York Times, what would you try to do to get more money coming in, rather than start charging readers? Let me know on the blog comments!
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