Should You Make Your Valuable Online Content Totally Free?

Many in the meetings and events industry and association world know of my thoughts and concerns about MPI’s recent decision to charge for virtual attendance to their upcoming World Education Congress 2009, a departure from their free virtual attendance at “MeetDifferent 2009” conference in January. I’ve turned from MPI member evangelist to MPI member critic overnight.

My unscientific, biased Twtpoll shows that at least 68 people were going to purchase MPI’s virtual access pass which at $299 each comes to more than $20,000 to MPI’s revenues. [I'm sure MPI is happy about adding this to their bottom line.] That same unscientific biased poll shows that nearly 80% of 411 votes disagree with MPI’s decision.

Some of you agree with me. Some publicly and some of you have sent private direct messages to me in agreement afraid to publicly post your views for fear of retaliation. Some of you disagree with me. MPI leaders and board remain silent with the exception of Jeff Busch, VP of Strategic Communications who has sent tweets to me. I’ll be honest that my tweets to him have been curt and blunt, it is limited to 140 characters.

Regardless, the one sticking point is the word “free.” Everyone, including, MPI, agrees that they should be live streaming their event and offering online content. That’s a huge improvement from a year ago at this time. The disagreement arises when we discuss how and who will pay for it and whether it should be free. I argue that the costs are less then they say, especially if they were to use UStream or Qik. But they’ve chosen to use a supplier who I’m sure is insisting on splitting some of the revenue with them.

Interestingly enough, while this conversation was occurring, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) was streaming specific sessions from their 2009 annual conference online free for anyone to see. They’ve even provided 5 Ways To Particiapte In SHRM 2009 From The Office free! Interesting how the HR professional industry understood the gravity of this issue and the need to provide value for its members and the industry.

This is not a new discussion nor is it going away anytime soon. Newspapers and magazines are facing these same issues, some of which refrused to adapt and have since folded. Any content provider will have to deal with this issue of free content at some point in the future, or they will be left in the dust.

To further the discussion, I offer two perspectives from leading social media explorers: Seth Godin and David Meerman Scott. Read for yourself their views.

In Seth Godin’s June 30, blog post Malcolm Is Wrong, regarding free he writes:

The first argument that makes no sense is, “should we want free to be the future?”
Who cares if we want it? It is.

The second argument that makes no sense is, “how will this new business model support the world as we know it today?”
Who cares if it does? It is. It’s happening.”

He proceeds by stating: “People will pay for content if it is so unique they can’t get it anywhere else, so fast they benefit from getting it before anyone else, or so related to their tribe that paying for it brings them closer to other people. [No association holds a monopoly on such unique content that all members will pay for it!]…

Like all dying industries, the old perfect businesses will whine, criticize, demonize and most of all, lobby for relief. It won’t work. The big reason is simple:

In a world of free, everyone can play.”

Likewise, David Meerman Scott identifies the Six Rules Of the Rave in his book the World Wide Rave. Regarding two rules, he writes

Rule 2. No coercion required.
For decades, organizations of all kinds have spent bucketfuls of money on advertising designed to coerce people into buying products: Free shipping! This week only, 20% off! …[Purchase now and apply $100 discount to your attendance at a 2010 conference.] this product-centric advertising is not how you get people talking about you. When you’ve got something worth sharing, people will share it-no coercion required.

Rule 3. Lose control.
…You’ve got to lose control of your messages; you need to make your valuable online information totally free (and freely sharable); …

David proceeds to layout multiple examples of businesses and organizations that give away online free content which leads to success and purchases. He also tells his own story of how his publisher Wiley encourages him to give away content from his book World Wide Rave and how they’ve shown that it leads to people purchasing his books.

So, I ask again, why should I as a member that pays $375 for my membership dues, pay $299 for online content. All I want to see free, is similar to what MPI offered in January, the opening general session and power keynotes.

What do you think about Godin and Scott’s view of free online content? How do you think SHRM’s members responded to their willingness to offer five ways to attend their annual conference free?