Regarding business model..
Hello,
I joined only a few months ago, and was greatly impressed by the capabilities. Recommendation engines on streaming platforms are limited to the content they have, while movielens is not limited this way. I wanted to offer a few suggestions:
Monetize!: I don't mean from the users, but you can provide links to watch the movie from streaming services, and monetize from them. I think the users will actually appreciate the convenience to start watching a recommendation right away, rather than look at it as an ad. You can still remain non-profit and reinvest the revenue in marketing and reach more people. This can also open doors to embed your recommendation bar on a few streaming platforms.
Leverage the network effects more strongly: If you integrate with a social media platform, you can create a strong community of movie lovers, who can actually quantify and celebrate their veteran status with a movielens badge. I also think the movies you watch can affect what kind of person you are. People who rate same movies similarly should get the opportunity to meet.
I really think monetizing will allow more people know about movielens and benefit from it. There's a limit to how much word of mouth can spread, and as someone who has lived more in movies than in real life, I think you guys can do some real good by expanding. I'd be happy to talk more if you think its worth pursuing.
Best,
Balu
We’re unlikely to change this feature of our service for various reasons. Most notably: We’ve strongly committed to our user that we are not a for-profit monetized service. Some users view this as important to our appeal.