They have definitely been trying to diversify from banner ads for a long while now. Sponsored communities, sponsored mood themes, sponsored layouts, sponsored Writer's Blocks and other contests, partnerships that involve kickbacks such as Peanut Lab Surveys or this thing with Google Ads on paid journals that generate referral fees. The Russian side even has a discount club shopping page thing!
The interesting thing about the CSI contest is that instead of creating a sponsored community, LJ had the existing maintainer of a large and popular community post about the promotion. It's a lot more savvy and effective, I imagine, than when they create sponsored communities from scratch and try and get people to join them.
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mmmag
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Date: 2009-11-09 10:04 am (UTC)The interesting thing about the CSI contest is that instead of creating a sponsored community, LJ had the existing maintainer of a large and popular community post about the promotion. It's a lot more savvy and effective, I imagine, than when they create sponsored communities from scratch and try and get people to join them.