Random Nerds Offers Tip System to Niche Writers

Random Nerds has a different take on what a media company ought to be. The media site is relaunching today with a zero pay-per-click revenue stream. That means that the content published doesn't include pop-up ads, sponsored articles, and meaningless content created solely to increase traffic to the website. Instead, Random Nerds will rely on their one-of-a-kind Patronizing system.

Random Nerds' founder, Joe Corbett partnered with Friendly Design Co. to create a place where writers can share their viewpoints and stories without the influence of ads and sponsors.

So at the end of every article on Random Nerds, readers have the option to support a writer by Patronizing them with $1 – $9,001. The money received is then split 49/49 between the writer and Random Nerds, with the remaining 2% going to a rotating selection of causes and charities (that 49% split the writer receives is in addition to the industry-competitive compensation that all Random Nerds writers receive to produce content).

According to Corbett, the quality of the content becomes the only relevant factor. Really, it's a win-win for everyone.

“The tipping is on top of paying the writers,” Corbett said. “We want the focus to be just on great stories, nothing else.”

Rather than inundating readers with paid for articles, Random Nerds align them with writers whose work they believe in.  Audiences are able to get content that actually resonates with them and writers are able to get the money they deserve. Maybe this is a step towards a society driven to content that is smart and genuine, rather than easy content corrupted by corporations desperately trying to fit in.

Image Credit: Flickr/ Ritesh Nayak 

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Camila has been heavily active in South Florida’s tech startup community, where she is a co-host of a local radio show called pFunkcast. Camila previously worked at Greenpeace International and the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in various communication roles. A proud Brazilian who spent most of he life in Peru, she is passionate about traveling and documentaries.
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