Associated Content is “The People's Media Company,” an online publisher and distributor of participatory media. Associated Content enables everyone to publish their content in any format on any topic and then distributes that content through its website (www.associatedcontent.com) and content partners.

Associated Content has its own online community of "Content Producers", who can share expertise, network and collaborate with others, or voice opinions on any subject matter.

Content

Content on AC is submitted by a Content Producer (CP), and can be accessed through the CP's page, as well as through searches and directories. Content can refer to anything published on the Associated Content website, and can be about nearly any topic. Content may be submitted for upfront payment consideration, and can earn a performance bonus based on the number of views it received. AC can be used at no charge to submit fiction, poetry, and some other topics, providing an outlet for aspiring writers to create an online portfolio of their work.

Articles are often short, and even front page subjects tend to be only 400-500 words. Plagiarism is not tolerated by the site.

Associated Content guidelines and a group of vocal Content Producers direct new CPs to create keyword-heavy short articles that will rate high on Google searches and will attract Google Adsense advertisements. The focus of content-creation seemingly is on creating a medium for ads, with each article serving as a platform for specific ads appropriate to the subject. Articles that can't prove effective as an ad-platform are discouraged, according to site participants, as they will not get cash payment offers or good placement on the site.

Still, Associated Content maintains a highly diverse content collection. Its instant publish option available for content producers with over three published articles, encourages publishing of everything from poetry, popular recipes, complex political analysis, college thesis papers or celebrity interviews which often are comparable in quality to more traditional media websites. Indeed, one need only browse through Associated Content's categories to find exclusive chats with respected entertainers like R&B singer Chaka Khan, comic actor Patton Oswalt or British action star Clive Owen. Associated Content's open model and honesty on encouraging ad related articles is a clear example for other websites struggling with their own content value or identity. As nearly all corporate websites increasingly seek to monetize their presence in a more competetive Internet, Associated Content has struck a balance between a necessary financial structure and freely encouraging citizen journalism amongst its thousands of content producers.

Payment

Immediately after registering, Content Producers on AC have the option of submitting their work for payment consideration to AC, that can opt to pay the CP for their Content if AC chooses. After an article, or other content is submitted, a Content Manager will email the CP either a payment offer or a rejection notice within whenever they decide. CPs are free to accept the offer, decline and resubmit improved Content, or resubmit with no changes or decline the offer entirely. Articles that a CM (Content Manager) rejects can also be published without pay (although CPs have the option of publishing instantly if no payment is desired). Articles are typically made payment offers based on quality and keyword optimization, and will typically be offered payment ranging from $3 to $10. Associated Content pays Content Producers via PayPal on various days of the week, although payments may occasionally be made on extra days when the volume of submissions is very high. Some content producers complain that they do not receive cash offers after their first few articles, and that some Content Managers are slow in reviewing articles.

Non-Text Content

In addition to text content (articles), Associated Content also has categories for video and audio content, and payment consideration for these types of content is also available to Content Producers.

Language

Associated Content caters only to US citizens or permanent residents, who are the only users (Content Producers) who can receive payment for their Content due to tax law considerations. International Content Providers (non US citizens/residents) can provide content, but are eligible only for performance payments.

Marketing

Associated Content bills itself as "The People's Media Company" and uses visual materials linked to the early avant-garde Prolekult phase of the Soviet Union and the U.S.S.R. Communist Party, but it is not a progressive organization in terms of politics. One is more likely to find an article based on a report from the libertarian Cato Institute than one is in finding actual progressive political views as the focus is on creating short individual articles that are Google Adsense-friendly advertising platforms. The schema is merely a marketing strategy linked to its idea that Content Producers are "Citizen Journalists." Rather than the progressive, Associated Content aims for a "populist" point-of-view as accords a truly mass appeal in the United States.

History

Associated Content was started in November 2004 by Luke Beatty. Based in Denver, Colorado, with business development offices in New York City.

Associated Content uses contextual advertising and other advertising methods and relies on page views and ad clicks as its primary source of revenue. Additionally, Associated Content may sell reprint rights to articles submitted by Content Producers, as well as contract with other businesses to give content for their business needs. Investors have put in well over $5 million after eighteen months of operation.

On 24 April 2007, Fox & Friends (a morning television show on Fox News Channel) mistakenly reported as fact a news story parody published on Associated Content.

As of June 2007, Associated Content had approximately 80,000 registered Content Producers. Technical upgrades, which began in November of 2006, are streamlining the article submission process to allow Associated Content to handle that volume of producers more efficiently.

On August 1st 2007, Associated Content announced its series B of venture capital funding adding another $10 million to enhance its publishing and distribution platforms. The investors of this round included Canaan Partners, Softbank Capital and Tim Armstrong