A Better Way to Monetize Content

Today, online content creators, authors and publishers have limited means of monetizing their content. The popular formats are using advertising networks, affiliate programs or some kind of subscription model.

These monetization models are sometimes intrusive and at times irritating for the users. Most users hate advertisements but many of them can't afford subscription and hence are filtered by pay walls.

But one thing is certain, whether directly or indirectly, users pay for the cost of content in cash or kind.

Here I'm talking about a new project that makes earnings possible for both authors / publishers as well as readers / consumers. This de-centralized blockchain based innovation is called Gath3r.

Gath3r makes use of spare computing power of the content website visitors and monetize it to re-distribute it to publisher, visitor and some share to Gath3r.

Gath3r does that through in-browser web-mining of cryptocurrencies in a completely transparent way.

Any website owner, blogger, streaming website, mobile app can host a small code provided by Gath3r and that will enable in-browser mining of multiple cryptocurrencies using spare computing power of visitors. The process of mining is very transparent with visitors expressly opting-in with their willingness for their participation.

Gath3r rewards authors and content publishers with their own GTH tokens or Bitcoin. Fiat payments in USD and other currencies is also possible wherever permitted.

Here is an official intro video for the same:

Publishers have the liberty to offer a portion of their earnings to their visitors. So visitors get a share of pre-decided percentage by the publisher for participating in the mining activity along with getting free access to the valuable content.

Publishers can also embed this mining system on their website or app along with other existing revenue models like advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content etc.

Unlike other projects like CoinHive that mines only Monero or JSECoin that mines only JSECoin, Gath3r offera a way to exchange GTH coin to other cryptocurrencies or fiat. Gath3r also charges a very low fee which keeps lowering with higher userbase of a website or an app.

Highly recognized organizations like UNICEF and PirateBay website are using Gath3r to mine cryptocurrecnies. According to the CoinDesk report UNICEF has launched this website called The Hope Page where its visitors' computing power is used to mine cryptocurrencies. These are then converted to fiat to donate it to UNICEF Australia.

With these innovations, Gath3r is also helping wider de-centralization and reach of several blockchain projects by distributing its hash power.

Its Merged Mining also allows low hash powered cryptocurrencies to increase their hashing power by bootstrapping on other popular cryptocurrencies.

If you're interested in this project, they are also coming up with an IEO within a fortnight. To know more about this project, head on to its official website or blog here. Other social contacts: Twitter, Telegram and Bitcoin Talk

Overall, I find it an interesting and additional way to monetize content and putting the world's spare computing power to some good use in the interest of decentralizing and securing blockchains.

Alas, Steemit.com doesn't have any option to host such a code or widget for bloggers so that they can capitalize on spare computing power of their visitors too!