Revver

Where's the money?

Storytelling is in our genes, just as much as sex is. We need to tell stories and learn through stories just as much as we need to procreate. Yes, Virginia, the computer and TV have become our digital campfires. The lesson to learn here, however, is that stories told around a campfire are most gratifying when there is more than one person at the event! And on some of the social media outlets, it feels like you're talking to yourself!

As video matures both on the social-networking front and in the commercial marketplace, that will change. The cream always rises and it's doing that now. Blip TV is scouring the social sites for the best and brightest. Revver is able to place advertising on the best and most popular. And that trend will continue, guaranteed!

Television Week's first "Viral Video Awards" gave legitimacy to this genre of video entertainment that has grown explosively in the past 12 months.

Revver

Revver intrigues me.

"Revver is the first viral video network that pays. We believe in your talent and your right to share it with the world on your terms. Set your video free." So they say.

Both web publishers and the video producer share in the ad revenue. That philosophy could grow to be a reasonable economic model. The sharer gets 20% and the remaining cash gets split 50/50 between the creator of the video and Revver.

YouTube rival Revver upped its challenge to the video-sharing giant's economic model, offering creators another avenue to make money off their clips: text-messaging fees. Revver and BSkyB have made a pilot project deal for Revver's videos to populate a user-generated channel on the service called Fame TV. Users in the United Kingdom will vote for their favorite videos via text messaging. Revver video-uploaders can choose to participate in the broadcast program. ...maybe the second-tier US market will get the program soon....:-) (Come on folks--Europe seems to be leaving us in the dust with technology innovation!)

Revver kicked off their pilot project with the popular YouTube stars "Lonelygirl15", video blogger "Ze Frank" and the Diet Coke-Mentos video.

Revver CEO Steven Starr, hoping one-upsmanship YouTube, is focusing on developing ways for amateur video creators to make money.

Who are the Players?

• Break.com often ranks as the most-used independent video site on the Web
• YouTube took home a Viral Video Award as the most influential site affiliated with a larger company,
• Revver was recognized as the most influential independent site.

What are the trends?