Cheddar creating online courses to expand brand

Millennial business news channel Cheddar is developing online courses as a way to expand its brand, reports Max Willens of Digiday.

Willens writes, “The program is an example of the variety of ways publishers are trying to make money outside of traditional display ads. A spokesperson for Strayer said its outlay on the videos is comparable to previous amounts it’s spent on sponsored content, but wouldn’t share a hard dollar figure.

“Steinberg sees the deal as a step forward into a future where Cheddar could sell a wide variety of products. Today, Cheddar has a three-person branded content team and in addition to brand sponsorships, also makes money from licensing and direct user subscriptions. ‘I want us to be in the learning business,’ he said, adding that Cheddar could one day be involved in a textbook or documentary. ‘This is going to open up new revenue streams for us.’

“The lectures are for a digital entrepreneurship course that’s part of Strayer’s MBA program. They were shot on Cheddar’s sets and run 12 to 15 minutes each. Steinberg won’t be grading papers, but he’ll participate in virtual classroom discussions with students in a private Facebook group. The course will eventually become a certificate course in digital entrepreneurship.”

Read more here.