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Guide to Licensing Web Site Content

How to acquire or add the right content without controversy

By Mindy Toran

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Few business owners have the time or energy needed to create all the content posted on their Web sites. The solution? Licensing content that's already been produced by someone else. Because so many Web sites need a constant stream of fresh content, online content syndication services have emerged to simplify the process.

In most cases, you simply pay a monthly fee, and the content feeds you want are delivered to your Web site. There are also several providers who offer content for free.

Keeping your Web site updated with content that's relevant to your target audience can:

Keep visitors coming back to your site.
Build your relationship with your customers.
Encourage customers to spend more time on your site.
Enhance your company's image.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

News feeds

Keep customers coming back with updated news feeds that are geared to the interests of your visitors.

I recommend: Major syndication services, such as YellowBrix, Feedzilla and Syndic8.com, offer news feeds on hundreds of topics. YellowBrix and Feedzilla will let you customize a news feed using keywords that relate to your business. Industry-specific news is also available from more traditional syndicators such as CNN RSS, the Associated Press and Illumen Web Publishing.

Broadcast feeds

If appropriate, enhance your Web site with video and audio content.

I recommend: Get access to more than 35 channels of broadcast video with Moreover, which also offers access to news and features from thousands of sources and access to millions of Weblogs.

Weblogs

Blogs are quickly gaining popularity. Featuring blog content that speaks to your customers can encourage visitors to spend more time on your site.

I recommend: Feedzilla and Moreover offer access to the best blogs on the Web.

Sports scores

If you sell products or services related to sports, consider adding a sports feed.

I recommend: Major providers of sports feeds include ESPN.com and CBSSportsLine.com. SportzNetwork.com offers free sports news tools for your Web site.

Don't pay for more than you need

If you don't need a constant content feed on your Web site, you have options. Reduce your costs by handpicking content on a piecemeal basis.

I recommend: Mochila allows you to acquire only the content you want with an "a la carte" option.

Free content

If your budget can't handle the fees of a major syndicator, tap into free content for your Web site.

I recommend: Find a host of free Web site content, including news headlines, games, sports and weather, at FreeSticky.com. For free feature articles and news, go to E-Zinez.com. TheFreeDictionary.com offers free content, such as a word of the day, article of the day, quotation of the day and in the news. SportzNetwork.com offers free sports news tools for your Web site.

Budget for content

The price you'll pay depends on how many content feeds you want. Licensing fees can be as low as $5 a month for a single feed but can shoot up to a few hundred dollars per month for an unlimited number of feeds.

I recommend: Check out pricing options at Feedzilla.com and

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

Make sure the content you want can be delivered in the format you need.
License agreements should spell out how long you will be able to license the material. In many cases, the licensor will agree to a specified amount of time, often with renewal rights.
Payment for use of the material and termination issues should be determined and put in writing.
As the licensee, you must agree to operate your Web site in a professional, legal manner and ensure that the licensed content placed on your site has the proper acknowledgments that the content is the copyrighted work of the licensor.

The official source of Licensing Web Site Content is
the Web Based Electronic Publishing page at Business.com

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eLicense: E-Commerce Product Licensing

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Consus Group: Content Licensing

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Mochila

Provides instant access to a massive inventory of high quality, relevant content from leading magazines and newspapers and websites.

Best Sites to Learn More

Yale Library: Electronic Licensing

Links to websites about electronic and digital licensing.

Hieros Gamos: Intellectual Property Resources

Licensing is the act of transferring certain intellectual property rights to others. It is not a separate body of law but merely a concept integral to intellectual property law.

Harry Fox: Digital Licensing FAQs

FAQs on digital licensing.

Association of Research Libraries: Electronic Licensing

Focuses on the principles beneath electronic licensing.

European Southern Observatory: Electronic Content Licensing

Guide to licensing electronic content.

Offers some key points to consider with digital content licensing.

Content-Village: Digital Content Licensing

Learn about digital content licensing.

BitPipe: Electronic Licensing Definition

Definition of licensing.

EContentMag: Digital Content

Provides articles on digital content.

Marketing Sherpa: Site Licenses

Practical advice on how to price, market, and sell site license subscriptions to your electronic content.

Best Blogs and Forums

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Electronic Rights Blog

Blogs on legal rights of bloggers.

Paid Content: Blog

Blogs about paid content issues.

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