Repost.Us launched today in beta with a new, one-button platform that instantly monetizes digital content and automates online syndication.
The feature extends the reach of original content, keeping an eye on the integrity and proper attribution of online assets.As such, the startup removes the need to call for permission every time you want to republish an article. When the Repost.Us button is clicked, it generates an embed code for the article that can be used on all common web publishing platforms.
When a reader loads an embedded article, their browser requests the content from Repost.Us, and the site delivers a current copy of the article reformatted transparently to fit the republisher’s site.
By loading the article via an embed code, instead of copying and pasting, Repost.Us guarantees the content integrity, automatically generates updates and corrections, and ensures that search engines continue to see the original publisher’s site as the primary content source.
In doing so, it also opens up a significant and currently untapped market for content. The potential money at stake is huge — the company says an increase in page views of just 10 percent would conservatively generate an additional $300 million annually.
The Fair Syndication Consortium reports that over 75 percent of sites that copy content from other sites would be willing to pay for that content. The same study found that more than 75,000 websites have used unlicensed content at least once, with around an average usage of three times per month.
The company has plenty of competitors, including Copyright Clearance Center, the Associated Press, Vertical Acuity, Publish 2, and Amplify, all of which are looking to cash in on that same market.
But Repost.Us says it offers something those other companies don’t, saying that while wire services and rights clearance centers are available, they ignore most small- to medium-sized publishers, which represent a big chunk of the market.
The new platform, from Free Range Content, is the brainchild of CEO John Pettitt, founder of Beyond.com and Cybersource.com.
