undefined | Better HN

0 pointsMz13y ago0 comments

I run several websites that provide free information. They take donations. I am trying to figure out how to get traffic and effectively monetize them. Sounds to me like Soma needs to work on their business model.

0 comments

bmelton13y ago

Not to sound glib, but it sounds like you need to work on your business model. Soma has been 'in business' as a community supported operation for over 10 years now. They have the occasional shortfall, wherein they blast to the community and usually make it up.

It should probably be pointed out that they have more than one employee, and donations aren't their only source of revenue, and they're still able to operate their service without commercials, which would ordinarily be their entire source of funding. Simply put, they've found their business model in spades, and if they absolutely had to, I'm sure they could fall back to a commercial-supported endeavor, though I don't know if they would be willing to.

I'm sorry for you and your situation, but I don't see any reason that should begrudge you their continued success.

MzOP13y ago

I am working on my business model (and not posting a begathon). That's why I feel entitled to say they should work on theirs.

I don't begrudge them continued success. I just don't think this is the appropriate way to go about it.

bmelton13y ago

Their appeal is that they are community supported, which allows the radio programming to be commercial free and basically allows them to play whatever they think is good. It's a vast departure from mainstream radio programming.

That it seems offensive to you is frankly baffling me, but to each their own I suppose. Regardless, this is exactly the model that's worked for them for the past however many years and assuming this isn't a harbinger of things to come, will hopefully continue to work for them.

They provide a service that they could easily charge for (as evidenced by their success for this long) but choose to allow their service to run as cheap or free as they can get away with. They obviously aren't in it for the money, and knowing that, I should think it would take some of the distastefulness away.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

bmelton13y ago

I'm sorry for you and your situation, but I don't see any reason that should begrudge you their continued success.

MzOP13y ago

I am working on my business model (and not posting a begathon). That's why I feel entitled to say they should work on theirs.

I don't begrudge them continued success. I just don't think this is the appropriate way to go about it.

bmelton13y ago

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse