Paid Content

With paid content (Eng. paid content ) of the fee-based electronic sales and trading of digital content (Content ) is referred to in purely digital media.

Examples of digital media such as the World Wide Web ( WWW) or Mobile / Cell media (apps, SMS, WAP, mobile phone logos, ringtones ). Different output devices, such as PCs, mobile phones, or PDAs, etc. can be used in relation to paid content and paid services. Paid content is to be distinguished from paid services.

A major difference between paid content and paid services is the interaction of the customer. If a one-time download of a product carried out charges, we speak of paid content. Thus, the customer retrieves digital goods that can be understood as products delivered. Paid Content has to be connected, especially in the context of newspaper articles (see paywall ) and downloading music. Online auctions, trading platform as such, by contrast, for example, a paid service that may be used free of charge. The entire service online plays and user interaction is given. The auctioned goods is not to be considered as paid content, since this in turn is an acquired, physical products. Paid Services thus provide services supplied dar. In Paid Content is intangible real goods.

Concept

Paid content is another way to refinance website & especially online content from publishers in addition to online advertising, sponsorship and the sale of physical goods. Hosting, creation and maintenance of web pages cause high costs for the operator, which can not be covered by the classical refinancing options in many cases.

Applications

Paid content is currently experiencing, especially in the field of publishing, with varying degrees of success, increased application. Likewise, the music industry takes advantage of the pecuniary supply of digital goods. In Germany, the recent earnings have not yet reached the desired level in many industries. Especially in the private sector users are rarer still willing to pay for content on the Internet. For professional development, ie in the business-to -business ( B2B) sector, Paid Content enjoys an increased popularity.

Acceptance in Germany

The main problem for the enforcement of paid content is mainly due to a still low customer acceptance.

It has long been maintained by providers of a website following cycle. Sites should refinance primarily by advertising revenue. To attract advertisers for his side, but had appropriate numbers of users can be presented. To achieve this, in turn, the provider had to publish high-quality and exclusive content. Customers are therefore until today accustomed to high quality content for free. So often titled as a free mentality attitude of Internet users emerged. In addition, many customers argue that as journalistic content are almost free in the "Print World." Here are the additional costs for eg would only printing and the paper paid. Moreover, it is not possible or difficult to justify to make in hindsight previously free offers with costs. Especially not when the competition continues to offer similar content for free.

Meanwhile, the media move from this position now and for good reason: According to the regular surveys ( W3b ) of " Fittkau & Maass " are in June 2013 almost 50 percent of German Internet users willing to pay for online content. Paid Content is also used by more and more newspapers. Currently one of the Federal Association of German Newspaper Publishers ( BDZV) 74 items that have set up payment models on their websites. In the magazine business, the Foundation Warentest on her porch test.de on since the year 2000 paid subject tests. Experiments with paid content there is, for example, at Focus Online with Google One Pass.

Requirements

To successfully introduce paid content should be considered and taken into account some aspects of product development. Following Fehr (2003 ) result in summary form the following aspects:

• The competition situation: Provides direct competition similar or the same content for free, as this can be the first hurdle for the offer of paid content on your own site.

Nevertheless, it may be that the client do not show a willingness only after a free competitor to search because it of the time required seems too high, for example.

• Individual added value for the customer: The pricing of content should be understandable by the customer and merely confined to innovations or innovations that offer customers added value or benefit.
• Use of current standards: It is advantageous to use the current standards of the Internet media for his offer. These are eg the timeliness, interactivity and availability.
• Pricing: The pricing of products or content, in any case is a separate statistical advantage. Surveys of third parties should apply at this point only as a guide.
• The billing model: The most common are pay- per-use, pay- per-click, point account, the classical subscription or special packages ( ' bundle ').
• Payment options: Various surveys show that payment abortions most commonly take place because customers the payment process is too complicated, too time consuming or too insecure appeared. See micropayments.

Alternative: Social Payment

An alternative to traditional paid content models are the so-called Social Payment on services like Flattr or Kachingle, partly through PayPal. Here, the user still has the possibility to consume the goods in question free of charge, but asked for a voluntary contribution. Social -payment systems are still in their infancy but are in the media and blogosphere hotly debated and growing phenomenon.