A nice case study of using the technology to create a content library with multiple monetization models.
Steven Haimowitz, President & CEO,
Healthology, Inc.
- Vision was a platform for doctors to provide health education, so chose the Web to maximize reach. Company started in 1998.
- Focus on video content, rather than other formats: transparent credibility, video more exciting than writing, higher sponsor interest, stay up with technology.
- Improvements in formats from panels to news magazine format. At each stage, upgraded library of content to the new formats.
- Chose syndication business, turnkey multimedia health content, focusing on on expansion of library and integration into the search engines.
- Yahoo, CNN, ABC are major partners, among others.
- Integration tools have greatly improved over the years.
- Focus on production of original content, not aggregator or repackager of content, and produce content optimized for the Web.
- Developed internal production resources, by developing in house medical team, medical producers, video editors, to control and produce high quality content.
- Success by diverifying revenue streams and creating new product lines on an annual basis: CME for health professionals, customer content, production services, pre-roll advertising. Can produce custom work. Syndication has been successful, with over 5,000 distribution partners. Interest in cable VoD.
- Dedicated team to work on distribution deals, not ad sales, not sponsorships. Three people to handle in-bound inquiries, not actively seeking new partners.
- CME has regulatory requirements, and partnering with an accredited institution, i.e. John Hopking is a partner.
- Full transcriptions are available. Model lends itself to derivative works. such as articles, guides, patient guides and handouts. Transcripts are outsourced. Realplayer has capability to provide read along transcript along with video itself.
- Started with 3-5 people, went to 70, down to 35 with dot com bust, now about 50. Purchased by iVillage.
- Maintain tight control of content.
- Looking at podcasting for small programs. Already doing it for customers, but have not done this for Healthology content.
