Take a Web page, put in a blank image of 1000 x 1000 pixels, and suggest who wants to buy every available pixel at a price of $ 1. Congratulations, you have just created a business that could earn you a million dollars, to be called, logically, "The Million Dollar Homepage". A business man opaque profile? Questionable company? Not at all... His name is Alex Tew, and it was a British 21 year old student when he was a genius idea looking for a way to finance his studies. He created, in 2005, a simple web page showing a blank image divided into 1 million pixels. The idea is to sell $ 1 each pixel to advertiser’s web with the link to the website. The minimum space may be purchased was 100 pixels, a small square of 10 × 10 sold $ 100. Of course, those who wanted to buy bigger had the chance. Alex first started selling the first 1000 pixels to people around him who agreed, given the low investment, becoming its first customers. Then reinvested that money in marketing and press releases. So far nothing special you ask? No indeed.. except that the press and media have decided to talk .. and what was the effect of a buzz. Results: BBC News, The Guardian or The Register has published articles on the same day sending the press release. At this time the page did not exceed $ 2,000 in sales. But to show that it was possible to generate money with this simple idea has helped generate a lot of interest. Alex had to quickly hire staff to process requests for new Customers and a charge of public relations ... People who bought space therefore makes good business sense, traffic and returns were enormous. The latest available pixels were then auctioned on Ebay eventually be sold U.S. $ 38 100.. Alex has collected 1,038,000 U.S. dollars.. He pledged to keep its page online at least 5 years and if possible life so
that their advertisers owners have a piece of internet history.. “Ownapiece of internet history! "Can be read on the homepage. Price of fame, this simple idea though apparently had the effect of causing jealousy and envy of many webmasters. He was attacked on all sides by hackers around the world that had the effect of significantly slowing the display page (see not display at all). Hackers claiming thousands of dollars to stop their action. Regardless, the concept has endured. There is still today, even though 80% of links on the page no longer exists. Subsequently, a lot of people have tried the same project, often by copying it to the name. But as all copies of an original idea, success was never to go. Alex himself, tried to repeat the experiment by introducing a similar concept for some time after a charity project, this time, there has been less success ... From his point of view, this kind of idea can only work once, because the force of such a project lies in its originality.
Today, Alex Tew graduated and started a new project : Calm.com a web application that provides telephone services meditation service. Specifically, the page offers relaxing music and images, accessible to all and at all times. Some content is free, the rest by purchasing a subscription. At 21, this entrepreneur has realized the dream of many people, namely to become rich in a short time with a good idea. To be continued... Jean Marc Henry