business models | Internet Marketing Blog

The Daily learns that tablet-only isn't a publishing strategy

Mobile-first, or web-first? Neither alone is a real strategy for success.

For Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., learning that has proved to be an expensive experience as the media giant has decided to abandon its iPad-only publication, The Daily, after less than two years.

by Patricio Robles 04 December 2012 15:09pm 2 comments

Did international expansion kill Groupon?

Groupon's eclectic CEO Andrew Mason is fighting for his job, and his company is fighting for its life.

One of the fastest growing companies ever, the daily deals behemoth's decline is happening faster than its rise, creating an interesting spectacle that will one day be ideal fodder for MBA students, if it isn't already.

by Patricio Robles 03 December 2012 14:17pm 3 comments

Pinterest cozies up to brands, launches Pinterest for Business

Pinterest is one of the hottest and fastest-growing social networks in the world, and therefore it's no surprise that a growing number of brands are making the image-centric service a part of their social media strategy.

But up until now, their activities on Pinterest have technically been in violation of the service's rules, which forbade commercial usage.

by Patricio Robles 15 November 2012 13:53pm 5 comments

Can Foursquare compete with Yelp?

Foursquare has been on the list of candidates for the 'next big thing' for some time, but the location-based service's future seems uncertain.

Last week, reports surfaced that the company, which has already raised upwards of $70m in funding, was looking for investors to provide an additional $50m to $100m of capital at a valuation of $700m-plus. According to TechCrunch, investors aren't exactly rushing to check in to a deal.

by Patricio Robles 06 November 2012 14:54pm 6 comments

Can China's Twitter thrive with paid premium features?

Despite speculation that it might have the opportunity to develop a revenue model in which users pay directly for their use of its service, Twitter has made it clear in the past couple of years that it's going to make its money with advertising.

Only time will tell if that proves to be a wise move, but for those of us who wonder about what might have been, a similar service in Asia may provide an interesting case study.

by Patricio Robles 20 June 2012 21:31pm 0 comments

Can Google take on cable with paid YouTube subscriptions?

Google's acquisition of YouTube may prove to be one of the savviest in internet history. Although some believed it appeared rich at the time, ask any of the companies that could have purchased Facebook for $1bn-plus less than a decade ago, and they'd probably tell you that sometimes, eleven figures is cheap.

But a big part of the reason YouTube has been so successful following its acquisition by Google is that the search giant continues to invest heavily in its development. The company is working with Hollywood to produce original content, and has made great strides over the years in inking licensing pacts with content creators.

by Patricio Robles 15 June 2012 20:31pm 5 comments

Twitter seeks testimonials with offer for £1,000 in free ads

Twitter may have taken the development of a business model slow, but its efforts to monetize its 140m user strong audience are in full swing.

Earlier this year, it opened up its long-anticipated self-serve ad platform, and offered US businesses $100 in free advertising credits to businesses in partnership with Amex.

by Patricio Robles 13 June 2012 17:04pm 2 comments

Foursquare looks to merge check-ins with coupons

Thanks to supportive venture capitalists with deep pockets, some of the most prominent startups in recent years have been able to put off the 'making money' part of creating a new business.

But no business can survive forever without a revenue model, and for Foursquare, it looks like it's time to make money.

by Patricio Robles 09 May 2012 16:08pm 3 comments

Alibaba.com focuses on quality, sees net profits drop 25%

Doing the right thing long-term isn't always easy for companies. Just ask Alibaba.com, China's ecommerce giant.

Last quarter, the company made some strategic changes to its business model, and focused in on improving the quality of its marketplace. The result: slower growth which, combined with higher expenses, contributed to a 25% drop in net profit.

by Patricio Robles 23 April 2012 16:53pm 4 comments

Note to entrepreneurs: sometimes "free" sucks

When comedian Louis C.K. decided to produce his own event and sell video of it to consumers directly online for $5, little did he know that his experiment would spark a trend. But then again, little did he know that his experiment would produce hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit in a matter of days.

Louis C.K.'s ability to profit significantly while retaining creative control over his event, ownership of his content and the relationships with his fans is, not surprisingly, of interest to other established comedians.

by Patricio Robles 24 February 2012 18:12pm 9 comments