Websites using Kinja

Okay, let s break down Kinja, focusing on its overview, revenue (or lack thereof for the core platform), alternatives, pricing (mostly free), and customer care.

What is Kinja?

• Platform: Kinja is a blog-publishing platform. It was originally developed in-house by Gawker Media (now G/O Media) and has been used to power their network of websites.
• Core Concept: Kinja focuses on community interaction, user-generated content, and article commenting. It allows for a blend of editorial content and reader contributions. Users have the ability to create their own Kinja blogs, post content, and engage in discussions.
• G/O Media Network: It s the backbone for sites like Gizmodo, Kotaku, Jalopnik, Deadspin, Lifehacker, The Root, The Inventory, and others owned by G/O Media. These sites leverage Kinja s features for articles, discussions, and community building.
• User Accounts and Blogs: Anyone can create a free Kinja account and start their own blog. This blog resides within the Kinja platform and is separate from the main editorial sites (although content can sometimes be featured).

Revenue

This is a somewhat complicated area:

• Kinja Platform (Core, User-Generated Content): No direct revenue generation for users. Kinja itself as a platform for individual user blogs doesn t typically generate revenue for those users. G/O Media does not directly share ad revenue with individual Kinja bloggers.
• G/O Media Sites (Gizmodo, Kotaku, etc.): Significant revenue. The G/O Media sites built on the Kinja platform generate revenue primarily through:
  • Advertising: Display ads, native advertising, sponsored content. This is the biggest revenue source.
  • Affiliate Marketing: Links to products where G/O Media earns a commission on sales (e.g., through The Inventory ).
  • Subscriptions: Some sites have explored subscription models or premium content options, although this isn t the primary driver.

Alternatives

If you re looking for platforms to publish content and build a community, here are some alternatives to creating a Kinja blog (outside of the G/O media network):

• WordPress.com/WordPress.org:
  • Pros: Highly customizable, huge ecosystem of plugins and themes, strong SEO capabilities. WordPress.org (self-hosted) offers full control. WordPress.com offers easier setup but more limitations.
  • Cons: Can be more technically challenging to set up and manage (especially self-hosted WordPress).
• Medium:
  • Pros: Simple, clean interface, built-in audience, easy to get started, focuses on writing.
  • Cons: Limited customization, less control over branding, revenue sharing program can be inconsistent.
• Substack:
  • Pros: Newsletter-focused, easy to monetize through subscriptions, strong for building a direct relationship with your audience.
  • Cons: Limited design options, less emphasis on broader web presence.
• Ghost:
  • Pros: Open-source, focused on professional publishing, fast and clean.
  • Cons: Requires some technical knowledge, less beginner-friendly than Medium.
• Blogger (Blogspot):
  • Pros: Free, easy to use, integrated with Google services.
  • Cons: Limited features, less customizable, not ideal for serious publishing.
• Tumblr:
  • Pros: Great for visual content, large community, easy to share and reblog content.
  • Cons: Less focused on long-form articles, can be less professional.

Pricing

• Kinja Blogs (User-Created): Free. Creating a Kinja blog is free. You get a subdomain (e.g., yourname.kinja.com).
• G/O Media Sites: Free to access the content (supported by ads).

Customer Care/Support

• Kinja Blogs (User-Created): This is a weak point. There s very limited official support for individual Kinja blogs. You re largely on your own. You might find help in Kinja s community forums (if they still actively exist), but don t expect dedicated customer service.
• G/O Media Sites (for readers): You can usually find contact forms or email addresses on the individual G/O Media websites (e.g., Gizmodo, Kotaku) for reporting issues or providing feedback on their content. However, response times can vary.
• For Advertisers/Business Inquiries: G/O Media has dedicated sales and marketing teams. Contact information is available on their corporate website.

Key Takeaways

• Kinja is primarily a platform powering G/O Media s network of websites.
• Creating a Kinja blog is free, but don t expect revenue or significant support.
• Consider alternatives like WordPress, Medium, or Substack if you want more control, monetization options, or better support.
• G/O Media makes money from advertising and affiliate links on its flagship sites, which are built on the Kinja infrastructure.