Dive Brief:
- A new social network launched Thursday—simply called 8—says it will differentiate itself from the pack by paying users.
- The network will allow members to sign up to include ads on their personal profiles and earn 80% of revenue generated from the content.
- Several celebrities have already signed up to be contributors, including Patricia Arquette, Jamie Oliver, and Usher—who is currently on 8's homepage.
Dive Insight:
When new social networks are introduced, they often seem like just another fad in a saturated market. What 8 is doing, however, is more of a broader social experiment. Will the draw of ad dollars convince users to switch? If the model is successful, other platforms will have a hard time competing with a social network that literally pays its members.