So it is that time … when I give you a little update on what we are doing at GigaOM. Given it is the weekend, and most of you have little patience for a long boring post, I am going to keep it short.
The bad news first: we are putting GigaGamez on hold. With our current focus, it was one of our blogs that just didn’t catch fire. That blog struggled to get out of first gear. Some might suggest three months wasn’t long enough to make that site work, but the numbers were telling us: hasta la vista baby. So we are now back to the drawing board, rethinking and re-tweaking the focus of the blog, to see if we can bring it back.
Ironically, when we publish the very same pieces by the very same talented team of bloggers led by Wagner James Au on our main site, the page views go through the roof. So it’s not about the quality of the writing, which is superb. But there was a lesson learnt: don’t be a me-too player in whatever category you pick.
Now for the good news: out with GigaGamez, and in with Found+READ, a new blog devoted to the start-up life. The new blog is edited by Carleen Hawn, a friend of mine from Forbes days. (Full details here!) It is a new project, and it is the first time we have not used WordPress as our blogging platform. Instead, we are using PublicSquare, a new CMS that has thus far been used on the very popular Boxes & Arrows. I want to take a moment to thank the PublicSquare team, EastMedia, and the GigaOM team especially Joey Wan who helped pull together this site on such a tight schedule.
And one more bit of good news: Kevin Kelleher, a seasoned journalist who has been involved with some of the top tech publications (Wired, Business 2.0) is going to write a column for us, whenever his schedule permits. He currently is a columnist for TheStreet.com. I hope you enjoy his fresh perspectives on technology as much as I do. His first column on Google is just an appetizer of what’s to come.
Here is what some of what TechCrunch & Thomas Hawk have to say about Found+READ launch.
All the best Om.
Always enjoy reading your blog and looking forward to some more interesting articles and insight.
Awesome
Kevin Kelleher – Please make your columns “Sensible Money” – not “MAD MONEY.”
Hey, the RSS feed on Found+Read (please lose the caps on the actual site’s READ) seems to be only the titles. I’d appreciate it if you at least add the first paragraph.
Cripes! Have to edit my bookmarks, again.
Knox,
that has been fixed. it should now be full feed, not just headlines.
From one Om to another Om, perhaps your blog will have a new lease of life if you introduce art and gorgeous engaging imagery to accompany your text?
š
Carolom
http://carolom.wordpress.com
Yeah, three months seems a short period to decide. But I go with your judgement.
dude, gigagamez blew out because gamers do not frequent sites like gigaom or techcrunch…this is NOT their kind of site…get carmack to write for you and maybe you’ll draw some readers in that category…
as for the new site, sounds interesting but why isn’t it just part of your other sites which all cover startup issues? why keep putting up new url’s instead of just keeping it simple with tabs?
maintaining the veneer of ‘media dynasty’ is going to kill you, sorry to say, you should stick to portal, single site, multiple tabs with easy access to content filters for subjects via tags and tabs…that’s easy, and adding tons of new urls is not…
otherwise, i do really like this site, here and reading it every day (either via rss or via a click through to see more and poke around…but i am soooooo very upset when i see you constantly wasting blog space on one giga blog to promote another, that’s jsut insulting, as in “check out what’s on giga(x)..”)
Dave,
you nailed the issues we were having with gigagamez.
on the separate blogs, i think it is a question of properly segmenting the content and giving other bloggers room to develop their own following. I think a lot of people in the past have complained about new authors over here, and want the content to be highly focused. I am trying to find a happy medium and see what works best.
Hopefully the content on all sites doesn’t insult you. You know we work hard to make it worth your while.
thanks again for your feedback. I deeply appreciate it.