Rocketboom and Andy Baron may have finally found a long-term strategy to monetize their video blog. Baron has struggled since its inception to find a consistent model to generate revenue with Rocketboom.
In an attempt to remedy that problem, Baron has made a deal with blip.tv - a web video hosting, distribution, middleman and revenue sharer for independent video producers.
Blip.tv will now host Rocketboom and syndicate it across the Internet. They'll also serve up its RSS feed as well.
The first sponsor resulting from the deal will be The Sarah Silverman Program. It'll be presented as a Quicktime video ad overlay and also has a post-roll video ad at the end of the Rocketboom video.
Blip asserts the Flash overlay placed on top of the video files is groundbreaking, with blip.tv co-founder and CEO Mike Hudack saying it was a “pioneering new technology," although that's challenged by Marshall Kirkpatrick on readwriteweb.com.
Either way, I think this will be a key to monetizing online video. The overlay ad appears quickly as the video begins, and includes a close button for the viewer.
The bigger issue will be tying up the right advertisers to the programming. In this case it's probably a good fit with Rocketboom and The Sarah Silverman show. That's important because of the value to sponsors in having people view the programming to the end to get a look at the post-roll.
Still, it's the overlay ad that should prove to be the most valuable in the times ahead. The post-roll, it if proves valuable, will be so because sponsors choose the right programming and demographic.
Hudack says so far the partnership is already benefitting as the viewership numbers are strong and there are good impressions also.
As Marshall Sponder at webmetricsguru says concerning Rocketboom, "I guess, better late than never."
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