

The Value of Attention - cwan
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/the_value_of_attention/

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briancooley
The value of having a guest editorial in the NYT goes far beyond whatever
payment one might receive. Just ask the Diaspora quartet. (I realize they
didn't have an editorial. Work with me. ;-) )

That component is so large, I'm not sure I can separate it enough to address
the spirit of SA's question.

There's a certain component of esteem that goes along with most of our
actions, but our desire to attain it can almost always be linked to a promise
of tangible gain.

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wheaties
I think Google with YouTube has already attempted to monetize the "pay
attention to me" phenomenon. Then there's Wordpress and a host of other
blogging services. However, I have to agree, pay-attention-to-me-as-a-service
is a good business model if you do it right.

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ruchi
Karma system for submissions and comments is already using it to some extent.

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pwhelan
ruchi -- ok ok ruchi I'll upvote you. I assure you ruchi that these desperate
pleas for us to notice you and your cool handle, ruchi, haven't gone
unnoticed.

I had never thought of this, but it clarifies why so many people on the
internet (and sadly some friends irl) seem not to be trolling but just making
relatively ludicrous statements. Ever since reading this I've been analyzing
everything everyone in the office is saying and the conversations they've
started. It's like a weird Heisenberg conversational thing.

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krmmalik
Great article, one of the best writing voices i've ever come across i have to
say.

Its possible i may have mis-understood the article, but arent Facebook and
Twitter in the best position to monetize this?

I mean "status updates" are exactly that, no? A cry for attention?

Obviously he's talking about paying someone to give you that attention, but
would Facebook not be in a very good position to work out who wants it the
most, in what way, and how much (roughly) they are willing to pay?

Just a theory

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logic
In a similar (but perhaps unrelated) vein, his hypothetical about amateurs
freely volunteering their words to the New York Times is precisely what has
been happening in the photography world for quite a few years, with a
resulting range of pricing: Flickr, vs. stock photography sites, vs.
traditional publishers like Getty.

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olliesaunders
Very much enjoyed this. Perhaps this adds even more weight to Dale Carnegie's
advice about listening to people. I have some friends who barely know anything
about me but are fond of me just because I let them speak as much as they
like.

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alexcharlie
Some brilliant dating sites monetize by creating an attention economy.

Fubar.com comes to mind. We tried to emulate some of this for Friends for
Sale.

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brandnewlow
Isn't he just talking about advertising?

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culled
No, he's talking about people's desire to receive attention. Advertising puts
a price on getting attention from others but it generally does so to try to
sell stuff not just as a self-esteem boost.

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CoryMathews
I'm to poor to pay attention...

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horseass
'Someday an entrepreneur will make a fortune by figuring out how to monetize
personal attention in the most efficient way.'

pimps

