Since the Internet works like a giant copy machine, Kelly
believes that creators need to focus on generating value in new
ways, rather than relying on simply selling copies. He
identi(es eight categories of value that can bring in revenue,
even when books, music, games, so*wareââ¬âanything digitalââ¬âis
available freely or nearly so:
- Immediacy. You can eventually get
anything you want for free if you wait long enough. But if
you want it as soon as the creator
or the artist has created it, you may be willing to pay
for the immediacy of it.
- Personalization. If raw music is
free, you might pay to personalize it to the acoustics of
your living room.
- Authentication. People will pay for
the ââ¬Åo+cialâ⬠version of so*ware to make sure they have the
most complete, robust copy
with guarantees, updates, etc.
- Findability. A particular piece of
content may be free or nearly so. But in a nearly in(nite
library, you may pay for a good way to
locate just what youââ¬â¢re looking for.
- Embodiment. The recording is free,
but youââ¬â¢ll pay to see the performer, the author, the
artist.
- Interpretation. The old joke in the
so*ware industry is that the so*ware is freeââ¬Â¦but the manual
is $1,000. Training, education
and understanding will cost money.
- Accessibility. Paying for the
ability to get something immediately, in your preferred
format.
- Attention. That is, patronage.
People will pay if the creator is giving them some
attention.