Just came home today and had a random thought “How does Digg make money?”. Almost any unanswered question that I have I usually bounce against my friend Google. Even if I know the answer, I like to go there to see if there if there is any additional info. However to search information about Digg is quite hard, due to the reason that most of the Google search queries match to some Digg article that somebody posted, and not the real info about Digg. So, today, Google did not answer my question.
Try to enter How does Digg make money in Google, and all you will see is “how to make money with Digg”, “10, 40, 250… ways to make money online” from Digg, “Digg effect” links, but no real answer to my question about Digg.
So here, I am thinking on my own…
There is a definite income from Google Adsense, but it does not seem all that much according to sources it is only $250,000.00 per month, which I am sure is cigarrette money for Digg boys. (do they smoke?)
There is another annoying source that probably brings more than Google Adsense, since that big rectangular thing in the upper left corner of digg.com is blinking pretty hard every time I am on Digg. I am not sure how much that brings, but that is a definite “plus one” source.
Now ads on Digg even talk “Congratulations, you have chance to receive … two iPods nano” – it might come from that blinking thing (flash), but also might be something totally different, so I guess it also may be counted as an independent source.
When you click “more” on a story, you’ll see a banner from (http://clk.atdmt.com) guys, hence “another one”.
How about that “http://media.fastclick.net” colorful banner on the right hand side of all the comments? “one more”.
At the very bottom of a Digg page there is “Advertise: You can buy advertising on Digg through our advertising partner Microsoft“, hence some of the above also goes to Microsoft. (just a note)
But my question is still unanswered, I still do not see the full picture. If all Digg’s revenue comes from blinking ads, it’s just boring – it is Digg after all, there should be some other cool hidden/not as obvious way they are getting that cash flow – don’t you think?
