Product strategy case: how Wikipedia could generate revenue

You are asked how you would monetize Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia written and maintained by volunteers. Lay out the ways it could earn money, decide which approach you would pursue, and explain how you would judge whether it is working. ```hint Map the value first Map everyone who gets value from Wikipedia, and for each revenue idea ask what it would do to the readers and the volunteer editors the site depends on. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is the revenue meant to sustain the nonprofit that runs Wikipedia, or should you assume a for-profit owner that wants to maximize profit? - Are ads on articles and limits on free reading acceptable, or is free, ad-free reading a fixed constraint? - Is there a revenue target or time frame to work toward? - Is the scope the encyclopedia alone, or also its sister projects and the structured data behind it? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A defined objective and the constraints the candidate commits to, including how revenue interacts with the mission - The groups that get value from Wikipedia, what each gets, and which of them could pay - Several monetization options compared on explicit criteria such as revenue potential, effect on readers and editors, and feasibility under the open content license - A recommended approach with a rough, labeled sizing - Success metrics with guardrails, and the main risks ### Follow-up Questions - Volunteer editors object that the plan sells their unpaid work. How do you respond? - The license lets anyone copy the content for free. Why would anyone pay for it? - How would your plan change if donations started to fall?