Paid Content In 2012 And Beyond

Geekend Roadshow is coming to DMA2011 in Boston next week.

DMA is “the global event for real-time marketers,” and Geekend is DMA’s hot young date. It’s also the Savannah-based conference that my friend and former colleague, Sloane Kelley, is co-producing (and my former employer, BFG Communciations, is sponsoring).

I’m traveling to Boston to speak on the future of paid content at 1:30 pm on October 4. This is how my talk is billed:

The Honeymoon Is Over And The Bill Is Due: Paid Content In 2012 And Beyond

Everyone from large media organizations to the loneliest blogger has been providing free content in this first decade of push-button publishing, but the tide is changing and media businesses, small and large, are now working round the clock to develop paid content models. This session will explore the thinking behind free content, touch on the benefits of free and then tear free a new one. After re-adjusting the score, we’ll take a look at emerging paid models and I’ll discuss my own battles with moving from free to paid content.

I’m actually going to be deconstructing free, versus the more hostile “tearing” mentioned above. Hopefully, the audience members won’t feel shortchanged.

The prep work I’ve been doing for this event has been good for me. One of my biggest hurdles is making the written material come to life in a presentation setting. I’m comfortable as a writer, but effective public speaking is a different skill with a different set of challenges.

I’m also looking forward to meeting people in person. For instance, Bob Knorpp of The Bean Cast is hosting a DMA panel, and as I look through the list of Geekend speakers, and through the DMA speaker’s blog, it’s clear that many smart, interesting people will be gathered in Boston to learn and share.

DMA is offering a Geekend Only pass for $299, if you want to be there too.

The original Geekend will be held from November 10-12 at Coastal Georgia Center in Savannah.

Previously on AdPulp: Rich Man, Digital Man | Guest Post: Savannah Unleashes The “Geek”