One of myOC.com’s closest competitors, literally, says it’s plodding along even as other consumer sites shift gears or even fold.
Rancho Santa Margarita-based OCnow.com, which offers local news, entertainment, traffic and more hasn’t expanded beyond its means, according to Keith Greer, Cox Interactive Media’s regional general manager. OCnow is unit of Atlanta-based Cox Communications Inc., which provides cable TV to much of South County.
“The Internet moves fast and we’ve changed people’s titles and what they do, but it’s been pretty consistent as far as staff size goes,” Greer said. “We look for ways to keep our expenses in line, but for the most part we’ve kept to our business plan.”
OCnow competes locally with Freedom Communications Inc.’s myOC and ocregister.com sites as well as Yahoo! Inc. and Ticketmaster Corp., which offer personalized home pages, local weather, traffic, news, airport information, dining guides, classified ads and message boards.
Greer insists that OCnow goes further, offering a place for visitors to debate local issues”We’d rather have people talk about local issues, whether its El Toro airport or electricity blackouts,” he said. “We want to build a community around OC and issues that are on people’s minds.”
OCnow is looking to increase visitors and is advertising to get its name out. The site, which has 150,000 unique visitors each month, spends “a lot of money” touting its site, Greer said, though he would not disclose exact figures. OCnow pushes its name on the radio, online and in billboard campaigns.
The site gets revenue from advertisers. Like other sites, though, OCnow.com has yet to turn a profit, Greer said. Sponsors include Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Corona del Mar nursery Roger’s Gardens and Land Rover of Mission Viejo.
OCnow is upgrading its site and recently unveiled a cleaner, more functional look,its fourth and definitely not its last upgrade, according to Greer. That look is set to cross over to the more than 20 sites run under Cox Interactive Media, with two of the most recent launches being the SanDiegoInsider.com and LAInsider.com. Those sites also employ 15 people each.
Even as bigger media and consumer sites struggle, Greer said he is optimistic about Cox’s bid.
“Cox never believed it was big as it was with all the hype,” Greer said. “And, they don’t believe it’s as depressing as it is with the fallout. Consolidation will ultimately be good for the industry. The strong will survive and we will be one.” n
