grrr re: basic account decision

[danahboyd]

::groan::

While offline this week, I learned that LJ has changed its account levels. Needless to say, Brad's pissed. I'm pissed. Not only because we both vehemently disagree with this change, but because they made such a change without consulting us. Or rather, we were both at a lunch a while back where they asked us what we thought and we

Comments

[qfemale]

Hi, random person here.

I'd love to see the tag-limit disappear. For me tags are the best thing LJ has to offer! I wouldn't mind paying for a certain amount for tags like you pay for addition icons or storage space. (Honoring of course that perm accounts always get the highest amount free).

[radven]

"Given that the current monetization structure is not working..."

Why isn't it working? I'd love to hear more about what works, and why the current state of the universe doesn't.

Maybe the ideal solution is lower expectations. As long as enough income is being generated to pay for the servers and the bandwidth and a few engineers to keep it all working - why does LJ need to make massive amount more money? MySpace envy is not a way to run this business.

LJ's major competitive advantage is the established community, and that it is one of the few places you can go online without advertising. I fear that the current path LJ is on has been one of undermining itself. Piss off the community and eliminate the ad free culture that make LJ unique, and what do you have left?

I know I am having second thoughts about renewing as a paid member. I never paid up for the features, I did it to support the community and culture of LJ. What reasons will I have to keep paying in the future?

[radiantsoul]

I think that it is because it is a business people will expect a return on their investment. I don't see that as necessarily a bad thing as the only way a business like this can grow is by continuing to meet its customers expectations.

[brock_tn]

"Given that the current monetization structure is not working..."

Translated -- "LJ's owners aren't making the massive profits that they expected to make."

[msilverstar]

Thanks for letting us know what it looks like from your side.

As for business issues, I don't think LJ can become MySpace or Facebook, not without really deep pockets, some kind of easily-demoed killer feature, and luck. The problem is that 6A/SUP seems to be going in that direction by cannibalizing the user base. And it's not like MySpace or Facebook are turning a profit yet.

I don't know if the opportunity's been completely lost, but building on a steady stream of income from paying customers seems like a refreshing change compared to the hot air and nonsense coming from some of the other sites. It would depend on making customers really happy though.

[kethryvis]

I don't think LJ should try to become MySpace or FaceBook. We're all here for a reason. LJ does things that MySpace and FaceBook do not. I hate MySpace. It's so cluttered. LJ isn't. Well.. it didn't used to be. The way I use it (ignoring all everything that's not my friends page, my profile page and my journal) it's not. For other folks? I can't say

[serenadesha]

Just agreeing with what you said - this is something the folks at LJ need to hear and consider.

[danahboyd]

::wave:: Say hello to G for me.

As for getting an anthropologist on board... I'm not quite an anthropologist but I interface well with them and follow the research on LJ - it's why I'm on the advisory board. They wanted someone who understood the research, the community, and business. The key is to get the folks at LJ to listen to me/us. And I'm definitely trying.

[shikou_mori]

I intuitively feel that a modular system providing a high level of features will be a good way for livejournal to generate revenue.

For example, as with your icons, involve an option for a highly-competent directory or long-tail (amazon) based interest/friend finder, and grant access for $2 a year.
and maybe $2 for another 10 icons, or something.
hire some real designers to make some layouts, give access to a group of 3 for $2.

Make them like shopping for crap for your cellphone.
I could have a "core basic" account with 10 icons for $2 and then the "winter" theme pack of $2 and then the 100% customizable moodthemes for $5 a year.
Total cost would be about $8 for things I use, enjoy, and reflect my personal usage.

Or hold Russia hostage for a large sum.

[shikou_mori]

Thank you!
I think that a modular system that allows users to take ownership of their features are the way to go.
Individuality and free choice (whether they exist or not--an argument for another day) are what drive the internet marketplace, in successful places like Gaia Online, MapleStory, and similar things, there is an idea of lifestyle that can be bought for small amounts.
The trick is to take that same principle and apply it to user experience. If it is small amounts of money over a long period of time, you're more likely to get things happening.
the second thing that I have to stress about that, though, is that you have to get professional quality work

[brownstudy]

I heartily second all of cacahuate's suggestions. Additionally

[tsukikage85]

Mmm... I can't say I like the idea of ENTIRELY deleting inactive accounts. Maybe putting them in some kind of lower-cost standby mode that takes a couple days to re-activate?

[brownstudy]

I think that'd be fine, too. :) I just want the higher-ups to stop complaining about server costs when then don't have any sort of visible space conservation method in place.

If they did go the delete route, I'd want the account owner to be notified by e-mail and comment beforehand repeatedly, and given the chance to undelete their journal for at least a month.

[dementedsiren]

Sorry to butt into the comment thread here, but I agree with this. I believe hotmail.com does something very similar to this. Free hotmail accounts with no activity for a certain period of time are inactivated. This sucks, because you lose messages/contacts/etc. that were saved there however should you choose, you can go back and reactivate the account.

It's not an ideal scenario, but it would do a lot towards conserving server space/freeing up resources. And if they weren't to outright delete content upon inactivation, there could be a policy that after X amount of time (2 or 3 years maybe) all content would be deleted, and after X additional time the name would go back into the "available" list.

Not only would this help on the resource side - it could also very easily be codified in an official, straightforward, policy. Given the state of current affairs on LJ, that is a major plus in and of itself.

My 2 cents =)