Comments on: For HotOrNot, betting on free is paying off http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:25:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Zoltan http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-287580 Zoltan Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:19:31 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-287580 <p>The revenue will definitely drop but it is a way to get more visitors and members. I assume profit is not that important for James now...</p> The revenue will definitely drop but it is a way to get more visitors and members. I assume profit is not that important for James now…

]]> By: LonelyBloggers http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-285702 LonelyBloggers Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:45:01 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-285702 <p>They'll do fine. The brand is strong enough to survive the transition and perhaps with some additional functionality the revenue won't drop off.</p> They’ll do fine. The brand is strong enough to survive the transition and perhaps with some additional functionality the revenue won’t drop off.

]]> By: Top Posts « WordPress.com http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-281180 Top Posts « WordPress.com Thu, 28 Jun 2007 23:59:19 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-281180 <p>[...] For HotOrNot, betting on free is paying off It was three months ago when HotorNot, a San Francisco-based people-ratings-and-dating site, decided to drop its […] [...]</p> [...] For HotOrNot, betting on free is paying off It was three months ago when HotorNot, a San Francisco-based people-ratings-and-dating site, decided to drop its […] [...]

]]> By: anon http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-280558 anon Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:05:18 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-280558 <p>Jim and James are free to do whatever they want but clearly the better call is to let a $5m/year cash cow run itself. 98% of the US workforce works for dollars, not equity. How hard could it possibly be to find an employee or two to answer emails and reboot servers?</p> Jim and James are free to do whatever they want but clearly the better call is to let a $5m/year cash cow run itself. 98% of the US workforce works for dollars, not equity. How hard could it possibly be to find an employee or two to answer emails and reboot servers?

]]> By: Markus http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279654 Markus Thu, 28 Jun 2007 17:21:59 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279654 <p>James is right a good ad sales force may be able to make him a bunch of extra money.</p> <p>Google adsense is pathetic these days, if I hired a decent ad sales staff I figure I could make $30 million off ads pretty easilly with Plentyoffish.com. But turning a hobby site into a actual business is going to be hard for me.</p> James is right a good ad sales force may be able to make him a bunch of extra money.

Google adsense is pathetic these days, if I hired a decent ad sales staff I figure I could make $30 million off ads pretty easilly with Plentyoffish.com. But turning a hobby site into a actual business is going to be hard for me.

]]> By: Om Malik http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279564 Om Malik Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:51:39 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279564 <p>tim,</p> <p>good question.</p> <p>the revenues could have vanished, and the whole move would have a massive disaster.</p> <p>but they are slowly making up lost revenues with ads, and it is still keeping them profitable. as they grow their sales force, hong thinks that ad revenues will ramp.</p> tim,

good question.

the revenues could have vanished, and the whole move would have a massive disaster.

but they are slowly making up lost revenues with ads, and it is still keeping them profitable. as they grow their sales force, hong thinks that ad revenues will ramp.

]]> By: Andy Arnott http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279513 Andy Arnott Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:37:43 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279513 <p>I'm glad to see that free sites like hotornot and plentyoffish are getting the respect they deserve, though neither one is revolutionary. I am trying to change the way singles interact online... though until I start posting a million dollar adsense check you will have to take my word for it. "No respect I tell ya, no respect"</p> I’m glad to see that free sites like hotornot and plentyoffish are getting the respect they deserve, though neither one is revolutionary. I am trying to change the way singles interact online… though until I start posting a million dollar adsense check you will have to take my word for it. “No respect I tell ya, no respect”

]]> By: tim http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279410 tim Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:17:46 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-279410 <p>Revenues tanked and now dependent exclusively on Google Ads. How is this a step in the right direction?</p> Revenues tanked and now dependent exclusively on Google Ads. How is this a step in the right direction?

]]> By: Dave McClure http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-277485 Dave McClure Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:23:34 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-277485 <p>cheers to james for taking on more risk & super-[re]charging the business.</p> <p>he's a great entrepreneur, and a great person, and he deserves all the praise in the world for disrupting & reinventing himself & HotOrNot.</p> <p>you go girl!</p> <ul> <li>dmc</li> </ul> cheers to james for taking on more risk & super-[re]charging the business.

he’s a great entrepreneur, and a great person, and he deserves all the praise in the world for disrupting & reinventing himself & HotOrNot.

you go girl!

  • dmc
]]> By: LA Entrepreneur http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-276952 LA Entrepreneur Thu, 28 Jun 2007 05:10:34 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/06/27/for-hotornot-betting-on-free-is-paying-off/#comment-276952 <p>I think switching to a free model is an excellent idea. HotOrNot actually invented an entirely new class of sites, and its their constant adaptation and innovation that has helped them survive so far.</p> I think switching to a free model is an excellent idea. HotOrNot actually invented an entirely new class of sites, and its their constant adaptation and innovation that has helped them survive so far.

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