Rubel asks is the long tail killing paid online services?
I have begun to notice a real shift in my online
habits...
I unsubscribed from Webshots Premium because I
find there's even richer artwork for my desktop
(not to mention an array of awesome services) on
Flickr.
I unsubscribed from Audible because I can get
much more interesting spoken word content by
downloading podcasts through the iTunes Music
Store.
I spend much more time reading blogs than I do
the Wall Street Journal Online, so I am
considering letting my subscription lapse. The
Journal put the nail in their own coffin by
making the best chunks of their content available
for free for bloggers.
I still pay for and use Backpack - and I love it,
but I also see there are great free alternatives
like Tiddlywiki that are getting stronger every
day.
My frustrations with TypePad's comment moderation
tools and slow performance are encouraging me to
take a hard look at WordPress - a free blogging
tool.
What's next? I think my T-Mobile Hotspot
subscription could be in danger if Google has its
way. Anyone else been dumping paid online
services? It's very difficult to survive as a
paid service in a Long Tail environment. One
reason is that it's now easier to discover free,
open source alternatives.