A feeble poll I set up on this very blog a few days ago ended yesterday. It asked: Can blogs turn into viable businesses? Only four people cared to vote and three of them said yes.
Now comes the news that GigaOM a blog-based content network founded by Om Malik in the Silicon Valley, has made its first acquisition...actually, the acquisition is by his venture-funded blog company, Giga Omnimedia.
In simple terms, the word blog can be misleading. Though its origins lie in the word web log, blogging tools are online publishing tools acquiring sophistication and method everyday. No wonder, quality blogs can and will -- as we see in this merger and acquisition of sorts involving GigaOM -- count alongside mainstream media.
Let's hear it from Om Malik on his deal:
"In the life of every company, there comes a time when it is faced with the choice of how to extend its reach: Either build a new product or service, or acquire the one that's already established itself as the best in its class. Larger companies face that question every day, but it is rare for a nano company like ours to have to make such a decision.
I am pleased to announce that Giga Omni Media, the company behind GigaOM, has acquired jkOnTheRun, a blog started by James Kendrick and Kevin Tofel that focuses on the wonderful world of mobile gadgets, including mobile phones and cloud client computers. James and Kevin will join GigaOM, but will continue to work from their respective homes of Houston and Telford, Pa., and jkOnTheRun will become the sixth blog in the GigaOM Network."
Congratulations, Malik Saheb!
3 comments:
Hi Madhavan, very pro blog with good content. U r from India, Namaste Madhavan. Right? Have u heard about new free blogging platform http://ideafry.com ?? Similar like Wordpress, but in IdeaFry u can also earn by Google Adsense (90% sharing) while blogging. If u have time check it out.
Best of luck with your career.
I was one of the four who cared to vote on the "Can blogs turn into viable businesses?" and mine is the vote that said 'Perhaps'.
Why 'Perhaps'?
1. Just because I have opinions and can express them using available technologies, I cannot take for granted that I understand business. A blogger does not, by default, become a business guy although the converse might not be true.
2. Blogs, current-state, are a combination of technology and individual (sometime collective or community) generated content. Sadly, content - even if it is intelligent - is far from being the only input needed to be a viable business. I could however design a business around blog content/technology/community, for which I would first have to create one or more value concepts.
Short take, blogging content does have value but must be contextualised in marketable terms for it to have the potential to turn into any viable business.
So the question should really be "What viable businesses can be built around/with blogs?"
My two bit ... :-)
@Nobel--thank you, very kind of you. yes. I am based in India.
@Sunil--Agree entirely with you, Sunil. Blogs can be the basis and need to address a community and create perceivable value. cheers!
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