AOL seems to be finding success in launching sites that do not have the letters “AOL” in their names. The company will look to continue the trend with the launch of WalletPop.com, a personal finance site.
Following in the footsteps of TMZ.com, Asylum.com, and BigDownload.com, WalletPop.com will be launched by AOL without any noticeable affiliation with AOL in the site’s name. The site will focus on consumer and personal finance, and will be an extension of AOL’s Money & Finance channel.
TMZ.com attracts about 9.2 million visitors each month, and added 35% more users in May, according to comScore. Asylum.com had an audience of 2.7 million unique visitors in May, while BigDownload.com, a site for PC gamers, was launched earlier in the month.
This is another move in AOL’s attempts to completely shed its old business model and reputation. Sites without the rather sullied and “old” AOL name will allow the company to attract fresh audiences who may or may not be aware of the company’s past.
To see its AOL affiliation, visitors to WalletPop.com will have to look at the favicon or scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN1446384620080715