We expect to see many sites head in the direction of user-based payments or subscriptions. But we believe that users will be more likely to pay for social spaces and services providing interaction with others, as opposed to paying for content. This would give our users a strong degree of self-determination, while allowing us to develop those services that are most valued and generate a more secure and scalable revenue stream for the company. Nothing major, other than raising a little more money last year while the financing markets were more receptive. And we believe that staying the course in the consumer space, offering a highly customizable and personalized product, actively working with our users, maintaining the highest level of customer service, and moving to a user-based revenue model are all sound decisions that will be rewarded.
Online communities are the core of social spaces of the future.
As the Internet grows, people will be inundated with more choices. The disintermediation of information is great - people are no longer willing to let entertainment and media companies decide what is popular or cool. Social spaces provide that - you and your trusted peers make those decisions in your own personalized space. I believe that the history and trusted relationships that make up online communities will become more important over time to people and the companies that want to do business with them. Also, future services such as people matching and file sharing will become a big component of these social spaces.