Websites using LiveJournal

Okay, let s break down LiveJournal, covering its overview, revenue (or lack thereof), alternatives, pricing, and customer care.

LiveJournal: Overview

• What is it? LiveJournal (LJ) is an early social networking and blogging platform. Launched in 1999, it was hugely popular in the early to mid-2000s. It primarily focuses on personal journaling, community creation, and social interaction. Users can create journals, post entries (text, images, videos), comment on others posts, and join communities centered around specific interests.
• Key Features:
  • Journals: Personal blogs for sharing thoughts and experiences.
  • Communities: Forums dedicated to specific topics or interests.
  • Friends Lists: A system for following and interacting with other users.
  • Profile Pages: Personal pages displaying a user s journal, friends, and other information.
  • Comments: Interactive commenting system on journal entries and community posts.
  • Privacy Controls: Options to control who can view your journal and interact with you.
  • Customization: Users can personalize journal appearances with themes and styles.
• History:
  • Developed by Brad Fitzpatrick as a personal blogging site, it became popular with young adults and internet users.
  • Went through ownership changes, notably being acquired by Six Apart in 2005, later Russian company SUP Media, and finally now managed by Rambler.
  • Experienced a decline in popularity after the rise of other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
  • Currently, LiveJournal has a stronger presence in Russian-speaking countries than in the Western world.
• Current State: LiveJournal is still operational and has a user base, however it s much smaller than in its prime. It s retained its niche user base particularly in some parts of the world.

Revenue

LiveJournal s current revenue model isn t as transparent as it used to be, especially with the platform being owned by a Russian company. But historically:

• Advertising: At one point, LiveJournal generated revenue through display ads, however advertising on the platform is now much less prominent or perhaps non-existent.
• Paid Accounts: LiveJournal has offered paid accounts with extra features, which might be the primary revenue stream at present.

It s important to note: LiveJournal s current revenue is likely modest compared to its past. It s likely primarily sustained by its core user base and is not aggressively pursuing monetization.

Alternatives

If you re looking for alternatives to LiveJournal, consider these options, categorized by their similarities:

• Blogging Platforms (Similar to Journal Features):
  • WordPress.com/WordPress.org: A highly customizable platform for blogging and websites. Great for personal journals and longer-form content.
  • Blogger: A free blogging platform from Google. Easy to use, good for simple blogging.
  • Medium: Focuses on publishing and reading. Good for longer articles and thought-provoking pieces.
  • Substack: Similar to Medium, with a newsletter feature, good for content creators.
• Social Networking/Microblogging (For Social Interaction and Short Updates):
  • Twitter/X: For short posts, discussions, and news.
  • Tumblr: A visually-focused blogging platform with a strong community. Good for sharing images, GIFs, and shorter text posts.
  • Facebook: While broad-reaching, it offers personal profile spaces, groups and pages.
• Community-Focused Platforms:
  • Reddit: A platform for communities (subreddits) organized around different interests.
  • Discord: Primarily for online chat communities.
  • Forums (like phpBB, vBulletin): Traditional internet forums can be used for specific communities.

Pricing

• Free Accounts: LiveJournal still offers free accounts with basic functionality. However, features are limited.
• Paid Accounts: LiveJournal has offered several paid tiers which include benefits like:
  • Increased storage
  • Enhanced customization
  • More user icons
  • No ads

Specific pricing plans will vary and the site should be checked for the most up-to-date information as it is not always transparent.

Customer Care

• Help Documentation: LiveJournal has help documentation available to users who need assistance with its tools and policies. The documentation is often lacking and out-dated, though.
• Community Forums: LiveJournal communities can help for general user issues and may offer unofficial support.
• Ticket System: In the past, LiveJournal has offered a ticketed based system for users that require specific assistance, though the wait times are very long. This may still be available, but is no longer prominently mentioned.
• Support for Premium Account Holders: It s expected that more direct support may be provided for those who are premium account holders. However, many report that even premium customer service is not good.
• General Note: Customer care is generally considered one of LiveJournal s major weakness. It does not have a reputation for a good customer service department, especially for users on the free plan. Response times are frequently very long, and the site is not frequently updated, so many issues may not be addressed.

In summary:

LiveJournal, a once prominent blogging and social networking platform, now operates with a smaller, niche user base and a less clear financial model. While still providing a platform for journal-keeping and communities, alternatives offer more modern features and are more popular in current internet culture. Customer care and the user experience is a point of contention and should be carefully considered by anyone looking to join LiveJournal.