How does mefi make dough. April 5, 2010 6:26 PM Subscribe
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive? Ostensibly it takes moneyz to run this huge thing (though I will admit I have absolutely no concept of how much) and I'm assuming the $5 start up fee doesn't cover it. I know there are ads, but do people really click on them?
Again, I could totally be wrong about this, but aren't the kind of ads that you see in a post the kind that only pay the host if they're actually clicked on?
Should I be clicking on ads to support my dear metafilter?
Again, I could totally be wrong about this, but aren't the kind of ads that you see in a post the kind that only pay the host if they're actually clicked on?
Should I be clicking on ads to support my dear metafilter?
It stops talking about the ads or it gets the hose again.
posted by Pragmatica at 6:29 PM on April 5, 2010 [29 favorites]
posted by Pragmatica at 6:29 PM on April 5, 2010 [29 favorites]
I think most of the ad revenue comes from non-logged-in viewers who find a post through Google. Building a giant database of useful advice turns out to be a good business model. But that's just an outsider's guess.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 6:29 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 6:29 PM on April 5, 2010
People who are not logged in see ads. I do not understand the economics of the entire thing but yeah that's the main income stream. And people pay Google to put them there and Google pays mathowie. I can't recall if clicking does anything revenue-streamwise. MeFi supports the four of us and keeps mathowie in bicycles. Thanks!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:30 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:30 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
How Ads Really Work: Superfans and Noobs
posted by anotherpanacea at 6:30 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by anotherpanacea at 6:30 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
The Shadow Government pays Metafilter to further the Liberal Socialist New World Order Agenda. Also, one of the mods is a reptilian, but I'm not telling which one.
posted by qvantamon at 6:33 PM on April 5, 2010 [22 favorites]
posted by qvantamon at 6:33 PM on April 5, 2010 [22 favorites]
You know, I never realized until just now that I only see ads when I'm not logged in. I guess that goes to show how much attention I pay to them in the first place ... which is probably the reason I found it hard to believe people actually click on them in the first place.
posted by kthxbi at 6:40 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by kthxbi at 6:40 PM on April 5, 2010
Doesn't MeFi get some revenue sharing from Amazon purchases made via links posted here, too?
posted by hippybear at 6:44 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by hippybear at 6:44 PM on April 5, 2010
I can't recall if clicking does anything revenue-streamwise.
Depends on whether they're CPM (cost per thousand impressions) or CPC (cost per click) ads. In Adsense you can get either kind (it's up to the advertiser which model they use). Both image and text ads can be either CPM or CPC in Adsense. So sometimes clicking will generate revenue and sometimes just the ad load will.
posted by wildcrdj at 6:45 PM on April 5, 2010
Depends on whether they're CPM (cost per thousand impressions) or CPC (cost per click) ads. In Adsense you can get either kind (it's up to the advertiser which model they use). Both image and text ads can be either CPM or CPC in Adsense. So sometimes clicking will generate revenue and sometimes just the ad load will.
posted by wildcrdj at 6:45 PM on April 5, 2010
So, because I love Mefi (and especially ask.mefi) and I already have an account, is there anything I can do to kick a little back to the mefi-five, other than non-fraudulent ad-clicking?
posted by tayknight at 6:52 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by tayknight at 6:52 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Buy 200,000 sock puppets accounts.
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:57 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:57 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
is there anything I can do to kick a little back to the mefi-five
I bet food would be good. In some cases, probably beer. I do my small part by not trying to act like an asshat and making more work for them. Subsequently, I don't have a whole to say most of the time.
Not suggesting anyone in this thread is being an asshat.
posted by marxchivist at 6:57 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I bet food would be good. In some cases, probably beer. I do my small part by not trying to act like an asshat and making more work for them. Subsequently, I don't have a whole to say most of the time.
Not suggesting anyone in this thread is being an asshat.
posted by marxchivist at 6:57 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I mean, trying NOT to act like an asshat. That didn't come out too well.
See, I told you.
posted by marxchivist at 6:57 PM on April 5, 2010
See, I told you.
posted by marxchivist at 6:57 PM on April 5, 2010
Why not include an opt-in option in our preferences that would allow dorks like me the option to turn ON adds even when logged in? Because I would. I might even click on them from time to time. Just a thought.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:03 PM on April 5, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:03 PM on April 5, 2010 [7 favorites]
I don't have a whole to say most of the time.
I went back to look at my history. I've been almost 10 years (!) and I've only made a few posts, questions, or answers. Best $5 I would have ever spent if I hadn't been grandfather-ed in :)
Matt, jessamyn, cortex, vacapinta, pb, thanks for the work. If any of you are ever in West Texas, the beer is on me (or if you're in San Francisco next week, cause I'll be there :) )
posted by tayknight at 7:05 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I went back to look at my history. I've been almost 10 years (!) and I've only made a few posts, questions, or answers. Best $5 I would have ever spent if I hadn't been grandfather-ed in :)
Matt, jessamyn, cortex, vacapinta, pb, thanks for the work. If any of you are ever in West Texas, the beer is on me (or if you're in San Francisco next week, cause I'll be there :) )
posted by tayknight at 7:05 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you're ever in Fayetteville, I'll make you biscotti. ;-)
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:07 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:07 PM on April 5, 2010
I would honestly opt-in to viewing some sort of advertising if it was an option for logged in users.
Not sure if the possible financial gain would be worth the effort on your end, but you might consider it - I'm sure there are other members who would willingly do so as well.
posted by davey_darling at 7:09 PM on April 5, 2010
Not sure if the possible financial gain would be worth the effort on your end, but you might consider it - I'm sure there are other members who would willingly do so as well.
posted by davey_darling at 7:09 PM on April 5, 2010
There's no need to get more accounts to give money to Matt. Every so often, I go to Paypal and send some money towards Metafilter's existence. Given how much enjoyment I get from the site, it's cheaper than spending the money on other hobbies.
posted by birdsquared at 7:14 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by birdsquared at 7:14 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Matt has a part-time gig stripping, so that helps.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:16 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:16 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
What's the breakdown on revenue between Ask Me and the blue? I bet Ask Me ads are a lot more valuable.
posted by empath at 7:29 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by empath at 7:29 PM on April 5, 2010
I, for one, sacrifice a fatted calf to mathowie every year around this time.
posted by lukemeister at 7:32 PM on April 5, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by lukemeister at 7:32 PM on April 5, 2010 [3 favorites]
Oh man that's rich. I can't believe you think only one of them is a reptilian.
posted by Babblesort at 7:38 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Babblesort at 7:38 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
If you're ever in Fayetteville, I'll make you biscotti. ;-)
THE NICE THING ABOUT BISCOTTI IS YOU CAN MAIL IT IN THE MAIL
posted by infinitywaltz at 7:39 PM on April 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
THE NICE THING ABOUT BISCOTTI IS YOU CAN MAIL IT IN THE MAIL
posted by infinitywaltz at 7:39 PM on April 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
Of course the main dough expense is giant doughnuts for Cortex.
posted by Babblesort at 7:40 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by Babblesort at 7:40 PM on April 5, 2010
I will help by continuing to make fascinating posts for Google to find that mathowie can put ads on.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:50 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:50 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
If you're ever in central Illinois, you're probably lost.
posted by Sailormom at 7:57 PM on April 5, 2010 [11 favorites]
posted by Sailormom at 7:57 PM on April 5, 2010 [11 favorites]
All I can say is that I am so glad that Matt was able to turn this into a career. It's the coolest site on the internets, and the most egalitarian to boot. A whole bunch of other folks with cheesier business models started making big dough earlier and it is nice to see MeFi finally becoming a good business as well as a labor of love awesome site. AskMe was that big brilliant idea that put it over the top I am guessing.
posted by caddis at 8:00 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by caddis at 8:00 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
THE NICE THING ABOUT BISCOTTI IS YOU CAN MAIL IT IN THE MAIL
unless it is mooncake
going to Australia
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:02 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
unless it is mooncake
going to Australia
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:02 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
+1 for opt-in ads to logged in users. It would be a simple way for mefites to show they care without the effort of laying down some of that cold cash. It never even occurred to me that by being logged in constantly we could be stunting the revenue stream that continues to let good things flow our way (too much metaphor? I'll stop).
posted by Night_owl at 8:12 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by Night_owl at 8:12 PM on April 5, 2010
There can never be too much MetaPhor! Or hyperbole! Never!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:14 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:14 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Nothing says "thank you" like a nice single malt, fwiw.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:15 PM on April 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:15 PM on April 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
I've been thanking myself all night.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:16 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:16 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
If you're ever in Portland, I'll buy you a nice single malt.
OH SHIT YOU LIVE HERE NOW I HAVE TO DO IT
posted by maqsarian at 8:18 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
OH SHIT YOU LIVE HERE NOW I HAVE TO DO IT
posted by maqsarian at 8:18 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
And as for the opt-in logged-in ads, it's a very kind thought but it's really not something that I gather would have any real impact on our revenue. The logged-in userbase couldn't really hope to keep up with the giant incidental swarm of non-member google traffic and such that makes the whole thing work.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:18 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:18 PM on April 5, 2010
You forget, sir. That I am legion.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:19 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:19 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
+1 for opt-in ads to logged in users. It would be a simple way for mefites to show they care without the effort of laying down some of that cold cash. It never even occurred to me that by being logged in constantly we could be stunting the revenue stream that continues to let good things flow our way (too much metaphor? I'll stop).
Don't think of yourselves as consumers. Think of yourselves as a vast army of freelance writers that paid 5 dollars for the privilege of creating content for Metafilter to slap ads on and sell.
posted by empath at 8:21 PM on April 5, 2010 [20 favorites]
Don't think of yourselves as consumers. Think of yourselves as a vast army of freelance writers that paid 5 dollars for the privilege of creating content for Metafilter to slap ads on and sell.
posted by empath at 8:21 PM on April 5, 2010 [20 favorites]
I think of myself as an unpaid intern. Wait... which thread is this?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:22 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:22 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
I work in advertising, and more and more I have been using Google Adwords. I have seen Metafilter in the list of Content Network sites and I have been tempted to send a bit of revenue over to help fund this great place.
However, I still retain a core - or at least a nugget - of integrity (for myself, my clients and our media partners). While I doubt that any of my clients would question the inclusion of Metafilter (what's that? one of those blogs?), I still can't seem to subject fellow Mefites to irrelevant advertising - even if most dedicated users will never see the ads.
I dream of the day when a trifecta will occur: benefit to myself, my client and Metafilter. On that day I will happily place ads on this site.
If only I could get a manufacturer of beans or at least Miracle Whip as a client...
posted by mephisjo at 8:26 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
However, I still retain a core - or at least a nugget - of integrity (for myself, my clients and our media partners). While I doubt that any of my clients would question the inclusion of Metafilter (what's that? one of those blogs?), I still can't seem to subject fellow Mefites to irrelevant advertising - even if most dedicated users will never see the ads.
I dream of the day when a trifecta will occur: benefit to myself, my client and Metafilter. On that day I will happily place ads on this site.
If only I could get a manufacturer of beans or at least Miracle Whip as a client...
posted by mephisjo at 8:26 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'd also opt-in for ads. However, if I'm drunk when I click the opt-in checkbox, I may make a MetaTalk post saying, "When did you turn on ads for members you money-grubbing pig!" when sobered up. Just close the thread if that happens.
posted by dobbs at 9:01 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by dobbs at 9:01 PM on April 5, 2010
unless it is mooncake
going to Australia
Or plums.
Because some jerk ate them right out of the icebox.
I was saving them for breakfast, but probably would've mailed you one. They seemed so delicious and cold.
posted by inigo2 at 9:14 PM on April 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
going to Australia
Or plums.
Because some jerk ate them right out of the icebox.
I was saving them for breakfast, but probably would've mailed you one. They seemed so delicious and cold.
posted by inigo2 at 9:14 PM on April 5, 2010 [5 favorites]
unless it is mooncake
going to Australia
No way, really? Wow. You can buy mooncake here at chiense grocers etc. I mean it's just lotus paste, sugar and dough - what could our customs have against it?
posted by smoke at 9:14 PM on April 5, 2010
going to Australia
No way, really? Wow. You can buy mooncake here at chiense grocers etc. I mean it's just lotus paste, sugar and dough - what could our customs have against it?
posted by smoke at 9:14 PM on April 5, 2010
How many clicks does it take to get to the center of town? (Or $5, whichever comes first)
posted by iamkimiam at 9:18 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 9:18 PM on April 5, 2010
I don't know, but there are special mooncake laws.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:19 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:19 PM on April 5, 2010
Pulling the strings of the international mooncake trade is in fact a very lucrative sideline that supplements the ad income & ponzi schemes.
posted by the Cabal at 9:31 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by the Cabal at 9:31 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
$20 Same as in town.
posted by carsonb at 9:46 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
$20 Same as in town.
posted by carsonb at 9:46 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
They lose money on every page view, but they make it up with VOLUME!
posted by blue_beetle at 9:49 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
They lose money on every page view, but they make it up with VOLUME!
posted by blue_beetle at 9:49 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Matt has a part-time gig stripping, so that helps.
That's just silly.
Now if it was cortex well...
posted by The Whelk at 9:54 PM on April 5, 2010
I don't know, but there are special mooncake laws.
Don't forget about the special currency laws.
I used to work for an eBay resale shop, and we once ran an auction of several coins. The winning bidder was from Australia, so I dutifully fill out (in triplicate) all the required customs forms and pack everything up to ship it out. I dropped it off at the post office with several other packages, but the postman singled it out with some sort of postal spidey sense. Noting the customs declaration, he immediately clucks his tongue and tells me to hold onto the box. He ducks out behind the counter, and comes back with a blue book that appears to be just slightly smaller than the English/French edition of War and Peace. He sets the book down, and in one swift motion opens the book to the requisite page and turns it around for me to read.
"Australian Postal Code. FORBIDDEN ITEMS" was how it started out, and half way down the page it went on to explain in great detail how one should not dare to even consider mailing numismatic items over to Oz, lest..well, I honestly don't know. I didn't care to read the next five pages of microscopic type.
But rest assured that the great continent of Australia remained safe from the threat of tiny metal discs for for yet another day, thanks to the uncanny memory of an anonymous Midwestern postal employee.
posted by niles at 10:00 PM on April 5, 2010 [17 favorites]
Don't forget about the special currency laws.
I used to work for an eBay resale shop, and we once ran an auction of several coins. The winning bidder was from Australia, so I dutifully fill out (in triplicate) all the required customs forms and pack everything up to ship it out. I dropped it off at the post office with several other packages, but the postman singled it out with some sort of postal spidey sense. Noting the customs declaration, he immediately clucks his tongue and tells me to hold onto the box. He ducks out behind the counter, and comes back with a blue book that appears to be just slightly smaller than the English/French edition of War and Peace. He sets the book down, and in one swift motion opens the book to the requisite page and turns it around for me to read.
"Australian Postal Code. FORBIDDEN ITEMS" was how it started out, and half way down the page it went on to explain in great detail how one should not dare to even consider mailing numismatic items over to Oz, lest..well, I honestly don't know. I didn't care to read the next five pages of microscopic type.
But rest assured that the great continent of Australia remained safe from the threat of tiny metal discs for for yet another day, thanks to the uncanny memory of an anonymous Midwestern postal employee.
posted by niles at 10:00 PM on April 5, 2010 [17 favorites]
Every time you want to kick back money to the site, just buy another sockpuppet, named after the thing you hope Mathowie will buy with your five dollars. You know, like "A Five Dollar Sandwich" or "Five Things At The Dollar Store" or "One Fourth Of Whatever Is The Same As In Town."
posted by davejay at 10:08 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by davejay at 10:08 PM on April 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
How many clicks does it take to get to the center of town?
4?
posted by special-k at 10:36 PM on April 5, 2010
4?
posted by special-k at 10:36 PM on April 5, 2010
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
I just drop a quarter into my dvd drive every time I load Mefi.
posted by special-k at 10:39 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
I just drop a quarter into my dvd drive every time I load Mefi.
posted by special-k at 10:39 PM on April 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
So I don't need to feel bad about using AdBlock and NoScript? Because sometimes I do.
posted by Some1 at 10:48 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by Some1 at 10:48 PM on April 5, 2010
Prohibitions - In addition to items prohibited by Dangerous and Prohibited Goods & Packaging Post Guide and ECI International Courier Regulations, Australia prohibits:
Articles of leather, or animal gut; handbags, travel goods and the like
Bank notes
Coins
Ceramic products
Currency notes (paper money)
Edible vegetables
Firearms, guns, gun parts
Fruit cartons (used or new)
Goods bearing the name "Anzac."
Goods produced wholly or partly in prisons or by convict labour
Inorganic chemicals
Jewellery and other valuable articles are prohibited however costume jewellery is permitted
Live trees and plants, bulbs, roots and the like
Miscellaneous chemical products
Mineral fuels, mineral oils
Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances
Optical, photographic, cinematographic, surgical instruments
Platinum, gold, and silver (manufactured or not)
Precious stones
Edible vegetables
Paper and paper pulp
Printed articles; books, newsletters, brochures
Perishable infectious biological substances
Radioactive materials
Registered philatelic articles with fictitious addresses
Securities of any kind payable to bearer
Seditious literature
Silencers for firearms
Soap, washing preparations
Traveller’s checks
Tanning or dyeing extracts
Used bedding
Damn, and I just bought myself a nuclear reactor on eBay. Actually, it was a job lot - thrown in as a sweetener for a container load of used mattresses.
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:52 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Articles of leather, or animal gut; handbags, travel goods and the like
Bank notes
Coins
Ceramic products
Currency notes (paper money)
Edible vegetables
Firearms, guns, gun parts
Fruit cartons (used or new)
Goods bearing the name "Anzac."
Goods produced wholly or partly in prisons or by convict labour
Inorganic chemicals
Jewellery and other valuable articles are prohibited however costume jewellery is permitted
Live trees and plants, bulbs, roots and the like
Miscellaneous chemical products
Mineral fuels, mineral oils
Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances
Optical, photographic, cinematographic, surgical instruments
Platinum, gold, and silver (manufactured or not)
Precious stones
Edible vegetables
Paper and paper pulp
Printed articles; books, newsletters, brochures
Perishable infectious biological substances
Radioactive materials
Registered philatelic articles with fictitious addresses
Securities of any kind payable to bearer
Seditious literature
Silencers for firearms
Soap, washing preparations
Traveller’s checks
Tanning or dyeing extracts
Used bedding
Damn, and I just bought myself a nuclear reactor on eBay. Actually, it was a job lot - thrown in as a sweetener for a container load of used mattresses.
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:52 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
no wuckers
posted by mlis at 11:39 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
no wuckers
posted by mlis at 11:39 PM on April 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Also, one of the mods is a reptilian, but I'm not telling which one.
posted by qvantamon at 6:33 PM
Here's a hint: which on has a tail and is not a pony?
posted by Cranberry at 11:39 PM on April 5, 2010
posted by qvantamon at 6:33 PM
Here's a hint: which on has a tail and is not a pony?
posted by Cranberry at 11:39 PM on April 5, 2010
To the original question, readers don't have to click on ads for them to make money, although it helps. Ad impressions make good money. Cost per ad impressions can run from a few cents to maybe a buck per thousand views for each Google text ad depending on the advertiser bids. Metafilter should enjoy prime bid figures based on its level of web traffic. When I just checked MetaFilter without being logged in, I saw six Google text ads on one AskMe page, checked another and got four, checked a third and got a banner ad.
Banner ads here are $7 or $23 per thousand impressions depending on size, and that's from a current link on this site.
Metafilter traffic is pretty well documented, I think it's even been stated by admins here in the past, all I remember is that it's nicely in the millions per month and Alexa stats seem to agree. Advertising rates are public knowledge. Sum it up, cross-verify with similar sites with public revenues, and it totals to a decent stream. I appreciate that Metafilter isn't going to, and shouldn't, open its books to the viewers, but the basic advertising information is all public and even with very rough estimates it's easy to see they have the costs of their servers covered.
posted by mdevore at 11:39 PM on April 5, 2010
Banner ads here are $7 or $23 per thousand impressions depending on size, and that's from a current link on this site.
Metafilter traffic is pretty well documented, I think it's even been stated by admins here in the past, all I remember is that it's nicely in the millions per month and Alexa stats seem to agree. Advertising rates are public knowledge. Sum it up, cross-verify with similar sites with public revenues, and it totals to a decent stream. I appreciate that Metafilter isn't going to, and shouldn't, open its books to the viewers, but the basic advertising information is all public and even with very rough estimates it's easy to see they have the costs of their servers covered.
posted by mdevore at 11:39 PM on April 5, 2010
Everyone that's asking for ways to opt-in to ads is missing the point completely. We the users create the content which is the only thing that makes ad space valuable. Without users answering AskMe questions intelligently and soberly there would be no fat AdSense check in the mail. So if you want to make Matt more money, go find an obscure question in AskMe and answer it with a thorough well-researched response that calls on your personal specialized experience base.
posted by Rhomboid at 12:30 AM on April 6, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by Rhomboid at 12:30 AM on April 6, 2010 [6 favorites]
The biggest contributor to this site prefers to remain Anonymous.
posted by gman at 4:32 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by gman at 4:32 AM on April 6, 2010
i need to buy a few sock puppets - so its just email paypal wiht my bank account ?
oh and here's my best guess for the reptilian... its not a lot of snow
posted by infini at 4:58 AM on April 6, 2010
oh and here's my best guess for the reptilian... its not a lot of snow
posted by infini at 4:58 AM on April 6, 2010
Goods bearing the name "Anzac."
That's my girlfriend's name! What do you mean we can't come in together?!
posted by backseatpilot at 5:24 AM on April 6, 2010
That's my girlfriend's name! What do you mean we can't come in together?!
posted by backseatpilot at 5:24 AM on April 6, 2010
I guess my friends in Australia won't be able to order my novel "The Adventures of Anzac and the Radioactive Mooncake."
posted by thivaia at 6:15 AM on April 6, 2010
posted by thivaia at 6:15 AM on April 6, 2010
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
Ever been to Tijuana?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:36 AM on April 6, 2010
Ever been to Tijuana?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:36 AM on April 6, 2010
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
It doesn't - you're reading ZombieFi.
posted by owtytrof at 7:05 AM on April 6, 2010
It doesn't - you're reading ZombieFi.
posted by owtytrof at 7:05 AM on April 6, 2010
If you're ever in south-east Wisconsin, look behind you. You see that pale guy watching you? Wave! It's probably me.
Then run.
Because it's probably me.
posted by quin at 8:02 AM on April 6, 2010
Then run.
Because it's probably me.
posted by quin at 8:02 AM on April 6, 2010
you're Sting?
posted by infini at 8:04 AM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by infini at 8:04 AM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
So if we direct some non-MeFi friends to various threads that they might find edifying, and these non-MeFi friends click on some ads, we are helping the cause, albeit in a small way.
Cool.
posted by Danf at 10:25 AM on April 6, 2010
Cool.
posted by Danf at 10:25 AM on April 6, 2010
Building a giant database of useful advice turns out to be a good business model. But that's just an outsider's guess.
Just a point of anecdata: twice in the last month, I've found an AskMe thread on the first page of Google results where the query is phrased as a question. Yay us!
posted by dmt at 11:12 AM on April 6, 2010
Just a point of anecdata: twice in the last month, I've found an AskMe thread on the first page of Google results where the query is phrased as a question. Yay us!
posted by dmt at 11:12 AM on April 6, 2010
That's my girlfriend's name! What do you mean we can't come in together?!
Sure you can, only you'll land in the wrong place by mistake, get bogged down & go nowhere fast for nine months, then return home again having achieved sweet fuck all.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:58 AM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sure you can, only you'll land in the wrong place by mistake, get bogged down & go nowhere fast for nine months, then return home again having achieved sweet fuck all.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:58 AM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sweet, sweet fuck all! How I've built my life around you!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:00 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:00 PM on April 6, 2010
Wait, you can't send paper to Australia? How does that even qualify as a mail service?
posted by echo target at 12:44 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by echo target at 12:44 PM on April 6, 2010
Goods bearing the name "Anzac."
I read that as 'Gods bearing the name "Anzac"'. Feel the wrath of Anzac!
posted by qvantamon at 1:59 PM on April 6, 2010
I read that as 'Gods bearing the name "Anzac"'. Feel the wrath of Anzac!
posted by qvantamon at 1:59 PM on April 6, 2010
Also, one of the mods is a reptilian, but I'm not telling which one.
This is appreciated.
posted by Lizard People at 3:46 PM on April 6, 2010 [5 favorites]
This is appreciated.
posted by Lizard People at 3:46 PM on April 6, 2010 [5 favorites]
How does metafilter make enough money to keep itself alive?
Mathowies a pimp. The only reason I haven't been banned from the site is that I'm his biggest moneymaker.
posted by jonmc at 4:40 PM on April 6, 2010
Mathowies a pimp. The only reason I haven't been banned from the site is that I'm his biggest moneymaker.
posted by jonmc at 4:40 PM on April 6, 2010
Granted, you don't get as many dollars per snark as you used to, what with the recession and all, but the exchange rate's still pretty good.
posted by djgh at 4:48 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by djgh at 4:48 PM on April 6, 2010
By the things on the Aus list, you'd think the place was populated by criminals!
posted by five fresh fish at 5:10 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by five fresh fish at 5:10 PM on April 6, 2010
Mathowies a pimp. The only reason I haven't been banned from the site is that I'm his biggest moneymaker.
No backtalk! Get back to work!
posted by graventy at 6:26 PM on April 6, 2010
No backtalk! Get back to work!
posted by graventy at 6:26 PM on April 6, 2010
No way, really? Wow. You can buy mooncake here at chiense grocers etc. I mean it's just lotus paste, sugar and dough - what could our customs have against it?
That's the cheap kind - the more expensive kind of mooncakes have whole eggs in them. Some mooncakes have as many as four whole eggs in them. Other have some kind of weird pork.
Anyway I'm guessing that's why they are prohibited from being sent to Australia - a blanket ban is easier to administer than a selective ban, especially when the tins often don't have anything in English on them to give the customs staff a clue as to the type of mooncake.
posted by awfurby at 6:47 PM on April 6, 2010
That's the cheap kind - the more expensive kind of mooncakes have whole eggs in them. Some mooncakes have as many as four whole eggs in them. Other have some kind of weird pork.
Anyway I'm guessing that's why they are prohibited from being sent to Australia - a blanket ban is easier to administer than a selective ban, especially when the tins often don't have anything in English on them to give the customs staff a clue as to the type of mooncake.
posted by awfurby at 6:47 PM on April 6, 2010
a blanket ban is easier to administer than a selective ban
Is there a blanket ban on all mooncakes, though? All that page mentions is a prohibition on mooncakes containing egg or meat. Considering the myriad varieties of mooncake, that seems fairly selective.
posted by maqsarian at 8:11 PM on April 6, 2010
Is there a blanket ban on all mooncakes, though? All that page mentions is a prohibition on mooncakes containing egg or meat. Considering the myriad varieties of mooncake, that seems fairly selective.
posted by maqsarian at 8:11 PM on April 6, 2010
Oh well, there you go then - you can send mooncakes to Australia.
(Didn't see that page before you mentioned it maqsarian.)
posted by awfurby at 8:48 PM on April 6, 2010
(Didn't see that page before you mentioned it maqsarian.)
posted by awfurby at 8:48 PM on April 6, 2010
So, like, a falling-asleep-somehow-thinking-about-this-thread-thought:
1. Matt should sell shares in MeFi to the user base. Could be limited to users with certain number of years/participation.
2. Matt would then have a big pile of cash.
3. Matt can use the cash to implement improvements, hire more staff, etc.
4. Profit? Or, small anual dividend to the user/shareholders.
4b Litigation!
Just kidding about 4b.
posted by Mid at 9:32 PM on April 6, 2010
1. Matt should sell shares in MeFi to the user base. Could be limited to users with certain number of years/participation.
2. Matt would then have a big pile of cash.
3. Matt can use the cash to implement improvements, hire more staff, etc.
4. Profit? Or, small anual dividend to the user/shareholders.
4b Litigation!
Just kidding about 4b.
posted by Mid at 9:32 PM on April 6, 2010
No books (or paper, as noted) or soap to Oz. Or cash. OK, so how did you lot get things rolling down there, anyway?
posted by mwhybark at 11:45 PM on April 6, 2010
posted by mwhybark at 11:45 PM on April 6, 2010
How to send live bees through the post in Australia. Or maybe this is just a bad attempt at flowchart humour.
posted by plant at 2:39 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by plant at 2:39 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Matt should sell shares in MeFi to the user base. Could be limited to users with certain number of years/participation.
I'm sorry but that's a terrible idea. Shareholders would feel entitled to have a larger say in site policy, or would feel like they had the right to demand features. I mean, sure, you can declare that shareholders have no greater say but people will still claim it. Over the years in various MeTa policy discussions people have variously claimed their membership time (i.e. user number), posting frequency, number of contacts, and number of favorites as reasons why their opinions matter more, even though the community consensus is that none of those things mean jack shit; owning shares would just be another rhetorical club.
The contentiousness of those policy discussions (favorites, comment editing, AskMe question window, disparaging sexist/racist/misc-ist language, etc.) would increase from an already tense level to an even more hair-pulling experience. It would create a de facto class system that would separate users with the money to afford shares from those that don't, and there would be tons of resentment on both sides. The moderators have worked very hard over the last decade to develop a delicate system of defining site policy and feature development that is based on both the wishes and needs of the moderators and the input of the community as a whole, and this would completely topple that sensitive balance. I'm not even going to try to comprehend the legal issues that this might entail, but I'm sure they are vast.
Besides, it's trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist: the site makes enough money to pay the bills and salaries as it is.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:31 AM on April 7, 2010
I'm sorry but that's a terrible idea. Shareholders would feel entitled to have a larger say in site policy, or would feel like they had the right to demand features. I mean, sure, you can declare that shareholders have no greater say but people will still claim it. Over the years in various MeTa policy discussions people have variously claimed their membership time (i.e. user number), posting frequency, number of contacts, and number of favorites as reasons why their opinions matter more, even though the community consensus is that none of those things mean jack shit; owning shares would just be another rhetorical club.
The contentiousness of those policy discussions (favorites, comment editing, AskMe question window, disparaging sexist/racist/misc-ist language, etc.) would increase from an already tense level to an even more hair-pulling experience. It would create a de facto class system that would separate users with the money to afford shares from those that don't, and there would be tons of resentment on both sides. The moderators have worked very hard over the last decade to develop a delicate system of defining site policy and feature development that is based on both the wishes and needs of the moderators and the input of the community as a whole, and this would completely topple that sensitive balance. I'm not even going to try to comprehend the legal issues that this might entail, but I'm sure they are vast.
Besides, it's trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist: the site makes enough money to pay the bills and salaries as it is.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:31 AM on April 7, 2010
In addition to that, it's illegal to mail securities to Australia.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:16 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:16 AM on April 7, 2010
Matt should sell shares in MeFi to the user base.
Smells like capitalism and I'm against it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:22 AM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
Smells like capitalism and I'm against it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:22 AM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
yup the next thing you know if new reader numbers drop the shareholders would try to replace the mod team :( no sale
posted by infini at 7:13 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by infini at 7:13 AM on April 7, 2010
Even though MetaFilter shares have yet to be issued, I would like to announce that as of this morning, It's Raining Florence Henderson Industries is offering futures derivatives on the 2020 trading value of ponies, beans, and cameras. All your favorites are belong to us.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:26 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:26 AM on April 7, 2010
I don't know about MetaFilter, but I would totally buy shares of It's Raining Florence Henderson Industries.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:52 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:52 AM on April 7, 2010
I wasn't serious. It is sort of interesting to think about a membership-owned MeFi, though, precisely because of good and bad potential results.
posted by Mid at 9:59 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by Mid at 9:59 AM on April 7, 2010
I wasn't serious. It is sort of interesting to think about a membership-owned MeFi, though, precisely because of good and bad potential results.
We will seize the means of production and send self-linkers to be reeducated in the countryside!
posted by The Whelk at 10:06 AM on April 7, 2010
We will seize the means of production and send self-linkers to be reeducated in the countryside!
posted by The Whelk at 10:06 AM on April 7, 2010
If Matt & Co really want to bring in the bucks, they should start charging for relationship questions that are longer than 2 paragraphs. Each extraneous detail ('but we're going to be separated for the summer', 'we were technically broken up at the time', etc,) beyond 2 paragraphs should then cost the asker a quarter.
posted by 8dot3 at 11:18 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by 8dot3 at 11:18 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Great. Relationship AskMe's formatted in one big run-on paragraph.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:52 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 11:52 AM on April 7, 2010
Great. More Relationship AskMe's formatted in one big run-on paragraph.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:59 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:59 AM on April 7, 2010
oh bloody wonderful, relationships as big run on paragraphs
give me a break!
posted by infini at 1:43 PM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
give me a break!
posted by infini at 1:43 PM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
That was a really bad pun and you should feel bad for making it. :P
posted by iamkimiam at 1:55 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 1:55 PM on April 7, 2010
tries her best to feel terrible because she likes iamkimiam
FAIL
;p
posted by infini at 2:05 PM on April 7, 2010
FAIL
;p
posted by infini at 2:05 PM on April 7, 2010
That was a pretty poor return on your efforts. Maybe you should take some space.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:08 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:08 PM on April 7, 2010
And as for the opt-in logged-in ads, it's a very kind thought but it's really not something that I gather would have any real impact on our revenue. The logged-in userbase couldn't really hope to keep up with the giant incidental swarm of non-member google traffic and such that makes the whole thing work.
As someone who has actually bought ad space on this site for clients, and who has also included this site in targeted media plans, I guarantee that that is not true. CPM is always going to be better for the publisher than CPC, and Metafilter is the only premium content site I can think of that favors CPC text ads over CPM image ads, even though the option is there.
posted by bingo at 3:32 PM on April 7, 2010
As someone who has actually bought ad space on this site for clients, and who has also included this site in targeted media plans, I guarantee that that is not true. CPM is always going to be better for the publisher than CPC, and Metafilter is the only premium content site I can think of that favors CPC text ads over CPM image ads, even though the option is there.
posted by bingo at 3:32 PM on April 7, 2010
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posted by mathowie (staff) at 6:29 PM on April 5, 2010 [7 favorites]