Then they can better tailor the content, and, more important, develop a deep database about their customers that will have advertisers drooling. CNET has latched onto this. The company started out four years ago offering technology news and product reviews, making money through advertising. But in October, after rethinking its strategy, CNET began piling on new revenue streams by playing to the tastes of its audience. That's paying off.
Content companies have plenty of ways to avoid the mistakes they made early on.
They can add services like E-mail or personalized Web pages, mimicking the strategy laid out by the portals. Many are doing this, including iVillage and SportsLine. But, again, it's not enough. Those tactics may glean some interesting data about the audience. But all too often the information is voluntary and, as a result, iffy.