Create and Monetize Content Networks With Lijit

Lijit, the customized search engine company located in Boulder, CO has officially enabled users the ability to create their own content networks. These content networks function in much of the same way that the FeedBurner Networks once worked. Lijit’s Content Networks aggregate their content via RSS feeds from many individual sites into a single website that captures the collective perspective of all sites in the network.

Lijit created the Content Networks offering in response to publishers’ requests for a way to build dynamic topical communities that would promote their content and drive traffic to their individual sites. Lijit powers the infrastructure for the offering, which includes destination sites featuring the aggregation of content feeds, networked search, and display and search advertising. The offering also includes Content Network search widgets for network members to install on their sites, which provide not only excellent site-search capabilities, but also surface results from across the associated Content Network. This gives readers access to a wealth of information about a topic from the people who know it best – the influential and trusted experts in that field. So far, there are three Lijit Content Networks that have been created. The Cycling Bloggers Network, Venture Capital Bloggers Network and the Security Bloggers Network.

Not only is this a great way to boost traffic for yourself, but fellow bloggers within your niche also receive a boost if they are in your network. On top of that, Lijit will provide all of the parts needed to monetize the network. At first, I questioned whether network owners would be able to profit off of the work of others but it looks like the ad revenue is shared across your network to your contributors which is a good thing.

I’m actually going to create a Lijit Content Network for my new WordPress enthusiast site, WPTavern.com. I’m also going to give this monetization thing a try and report back my results. Stay tuned for that!

What are the benefits or perhaps, the downsides of creating your own content networks? To me, they are like a modern day site ring.