Get Paid to Watch Videos

ByNalts

cash.jpgThe online video era has entered into its second of what I'd suggest will be three phases:

Phase 1: People are thrilled to watch videos online easily and for free. YouTube owns this, and this is the prevailing model. Viral video makers are currently motivated by fame not money. But as I mentioned in a previous post, they're leaving money on the table.

Phase 2: Good content owners want to be compensated for their work– or at least share in the ad revenue. Several start-ups have entered here, and Revver has my favorite offering here. Other companies (like LiveDigital) use "points" that will eventually equate to something for people that are active on their site (mostly because they posted content that gets views, comments or ratings).

eye.jpgPhase 3: People get paid to watch videos. Sounds weird, doesn't it? But I see two potential models emerging. Free videos with very polite, concise ads (15 seconds every third video seems right). Alternatively, what if a site gave its viewer something for sitting through more ads? Call it "pay for eyeballs." Maybe it's not money but "points or credits" worth something. Have you noticed how most online video sites track how many videos you've viewed? That number equates to revenue for a site that sells ad space by view, click or time.

As proof that I'm not "off my rockers" for phase 3, let's look at this recent story about Virgin Mobile exchanging free talk time for participation in advertising or surveys. Terrific idea- we can be bought. Times are a changin' for interuption advertising as we move into online videos and videos on demand. Contextual ads are the first step- don't waste your money trying to sell me a car because I'm not on the market. But send me an ad for a new technology toy <$100 and I'll consider that a gift. But the New World of Advertising will likely require intermediaries to share advertising income with the target. In my day job I buy online ads, and I know I'd be willing to pay a premium to interact with people in my target audience.

Save this post. Maybe I'll be embarassed about it in 12 months. Or maybe I'll look like a friggin' futurist.

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17 Comments

  2. Before you go calling yourself a futurist, know that it’s already being worked into my model which you’ve had a brief look at – http://www.Jeukersz.com. Coming in August will be a points system which will be redeemable for free items like DVD’s, CD’s, comic books, t-shirts as well as some bigger ticketed items in more limited quantity for those who wish to save up their points. One item will be an actual Centipede/Millipede arcade game market value of $2500. Probably will throw up some pinball machines as well.

    Points will be:
    1 point for watching a video(that resulted in a billable click-through to the client – clickfraud will not result in billable clickthrough or points)
    2 points for putting up any ad on our classifieds section($2 per ad for up to 28 days)
    5 points for any new members reffered by you.
    25 points for any new websites that sign up and link to a video that you reffered.

    In the meantime, I am actively seeking video’s to post and advertisers to link in preparation for the points giveaway(need stuff to watch and advertisers to make giving free gifts away worthwhile). By next week, I should have the few bugs still in the website worked out. I will email you then.

    Thanks, Aaron Denenberg/ CEO Jeukersz

  4. Aaron- keep it up. You’re definitely onto something. Let me know when you hit milestones so I can alert folks. BTW- I liked the original name better. What does Jeukersz mean and how many people can spell that! 🙂

  5. Hey, Revver rock and even if you sounded like an advert, it’s the kind of ad I am willing to tolerate…

    Btw, where the hell did you get that photo! It’s creepy, I want to use it in my presentations about how advertising sucks and is all about eyeball worship! 🙂

  6. Nalts, both the original longer but easier to remember name www. Milliondollarvideojukebox.com and the shorter but more difficult name http://www.Jeukersz.com are operable. They will both direct you to the website.

    Jeukersz was chosen intentionally to be a new word no one would recognize like Ebay, Google, Skype, Sconex, Altavista, Wikipedia, etc. Two years from now, hopefully, everyone will automatically know how to spell it.

    Jeukersz is juke from Jukebox turned into a plural noun (Jukers) meaning people who incessantly post video’s, however the above spelling already exists from the music industry(almost the same meaning) hence the newer unique spelling – Jeukersz (just add the first e and the z)

    Thanks, Aaron

  9. that picture is SICK and I found it by searching my screen name in google.

  12. I’m interested in watching videos and getting paid.
    What are my responsibilities if I do this? How do I sign up and
    get started. Call me @: 773-517-3405 – call after 3:30

    Can you e-mail me your reply ASAP!

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