Giving back to writers on the web

For some time there has been a little browser bookmarklet which goes by the name of Readability, a simple tool which de-clutters web pages by stripping them down to display just the content of the page allowing for distraction-free reading.

Early today (UK time) the team at Readability launched the new service which offers a reading experience users of Instapaper will be familiar with but on a subscription based service. The idea is to pass 70% of the subscriber money directly to the writers and site owners who’s content passes through the service. As a registered user you can see how much of your subscription fee is spread across all the sites you have saved for reading.

As the service builds up a user base, it could help site owners earn a snippet of money for their trouble and willingness to post great content on the web. As a registered publisher, you are also be privvy to information about the articles which are being saved most allowing you to better understand which posts and topics are more popular.

It’s early days yet and they’re yet to announce more info on their partnership with Instapaper but if it builds up some steam, it could be interesting to see how people utilise the service to earn a few dollars from their articles.

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