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Sponsorship 2.0: The Next Big Thing in Social Networking?
12.08.2006
By Ronald Lewis | var a = 0; if(a == 0) {document.write('Leave a comment');} else if(a == 1){document.write('1 comment');} else {document.write(a+' comments');}
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If you are a blogger, podcaster or developer who's presently seeking a major corporate sponsor to support your passion, then you already know how difficult it can be to secure a deal. So I began thinking, "What if we had a social solution to sponsorship?" The ideal model for this would be similar to Prosper, a social lending site for American borrowers.Like Prosper, there would be groups of sponsors pooling their financial resources to sponsor projects of interest, whether online or off. These groups would have the choice of inviting people for sponsorship, or accepting inquiries for evaluation. Each group would have their own set of criteria for granting sponsorship and other things unique to their goals or requirements.
Don't forget to read 7 Tips to Get Your Blog or Podcast Sponsored
Because this model is purely based on sponsoring someone (rather than investing or lending), the dynamics of social sponsorship are drastically different and would require a fair and balanced system for both parties. Traditionally, sponsorship does not require a "stake" in the project, organization or person being sponsored. However, given the nature of social sponsorship, we'd have to figure out a way to make sure there's equal benefit. This would require more than just citing your sponsor during your online promotions, but maybe even kickbacks on future ad revenue generated by the sponsor -- hey, it's just a thought, because there aren't any experts in social sponsorship.
So, there are many questions to ponder and much brainstorming to do. The greatest thing I see about social sponsorship is that on a social level, everyone wins. No more red tape, egos, or all the other things which make sponsorship today a grueling task.
However, the billion dollar question remains: Who is willing to start this project? Let me know, as I'd like to be the first to sign up!
Labels: Internet, social networking, sponsorship, Technology