Blog Insider – So, Where Will the Money Go? [$2 Challenge]

by Latoya Peterson

Totaling up the bills, I felt my eyes roll back into my head from shock. How could a cashless blog be so freaking expensive?

But hey, no one said expansion would be cheap. After the crew checked out the plan, we had to figure out how to make things happen. Carmen and I were both more inclined toward self-funding projects, so the original business plan I developed didn’t have a fundraising component. However, commenter @Buchanda urged me to reconsider sometime last May, noting people were inclined to help, and providing the initial idea for the drive.

“What if everyone gave $2,” BuChanda asked, “then how much would you have?”

Good question.

I looked at our traffic and the blog numbers, and filed the idea away for later. Soon, we found out about the Online Media Legal Network, and filled out their application. Then they requested a budget for the year. End total, before all the “oh this would be nice” extras? About $13,000.

Now, as much as I loved seeing Brandon’s comment…

I don’t think I’ve ever felt better about making an online contribution.

Keep up the great work. While I don’t know exactly how my contribution will be used, I know that it’s money well spent.

…most folks are probably wondering what we need the money for and how we are spending it all.

Expenses (Estimated)

Site Redesign

* WordPress upgrade and redesign of front page, graphics, logo, addition of back end donation system – $7,000

* Mobile App Development – $1,000

Incorporation Expenses

* General Business license in DC – $324.50

* Trademarking – $375

* Miscellaneous expenses – $300*

General Operating Expenses

* Hosting – $400 (yearly)

* Tech Support – $500 (yearly)

* Domain Renewals – $100 (yearly – 7 total domains)

Needed Equipment

* Business Phone, iPhone 4G, minimal talk plan, podcast coordinated apps- $300.00

o $50 per month plan x 12 = $600

* Podcasting Pro Kit- $315

* Adobe Creative Suite – $1899

Total

$13, 113.50

Now, some of these are wide and outside estimates. For example, I don’t expect the website to be more than $5,000 – finding a new backend and skin is fairly cheap, the expense comes from the accessibility upgrades, like making sure we work in multiple and specific browsers, and trying to marry all the multimedia upgrades with keeping a clean interface, which is more design than tech. But the app will probably run higher than $1,000, even with friends volunteering – since we don’t want a simple RSS app, it’s going to take a little doing.

Incorporation expenses are a bit hazy. OMLN has two different lawyers working with us. The quote I received for the trademarking is $350, which is a handy thing to do for your blog or business to keep things easy. Twanna talked about going through this at SXSW 2008, in her panel “How To Protect Your Brand Without Being a Jerk:”

You’ve already created content and a brand. Now, a copycat is making money pushing a product ridiculously similar to yours. Congratulations! Imitation is flattery. So, why are you pissed off? You’re upset because it’s unfair and, possibly, infringes on your rights. Learn how to protect your creative projects without going overboard…or broke!

Questions

Answered

1. I attended SXSWi 08, and I learned about creating a brand. What’s the next step? How do I protect it?

2. What is intellectual property law?

3. Help! Someone’s stealing content from my site. What should I do?

4. I’m a digital filmmaker. How does piracy relate to all of this stuff?

5. When should I file a trademark to protect my online content?

6. What’s the difference between a trademark, patent and copyright?

7. I know about Creative Commons, but I don’t get how it works. Can you explain it?

8. Where are the legal resources in my region (or country) that provide assistance with these matters?

9. You saw “Coming to America,” right? Someone isn’t copying me, but they’re the McDowell’s to my McDonald’s. Is that even legal?

10. Why does this stuff matter to my film / blog / website / music site?

Panelists Oren Bitan (Morrison & Foerster), Twanna A Hines, moderator (funkybrownchick.com), Corynne McSherry (EFF), Elena M. Paul, Esq (Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts)

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Interestingly, I later met Funky Black Chick (now fungkeblakchik) at a happy hour, and heard her side of the story.

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