It seems like marketers are starting to explore the possibility of using the Fediverse as a paid media and advertising platform. Recently, Martin Pagh Ludvigsen from an advertising agency, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, shared his ideas on the subject during a Digiday podcast.
The appeal for marketers and advertisers to consider the Fediverse can be traced to centralization issues they have faced in the past. Last year, brands were negatively impacted by a decision made by Elon Musk, which made Twitter toxic to advertisers. As a result, there is interest in exploring other options, like the Fediverse.
It goes without saying that advertising on the Fediverse is a controversial topic, as many people are attracted to the platform precisely because it doesn't have advertising. However, we should also note that running a Fediverse server can be costly, particularly when there are thousands of users on a server. While profit may not be the motivation, many Fediverse servers may need support to stay afloat.
If we want to prevent advertising from taking over the Fediverse, we can either crowdfund servers or run our own. Ultimately, it is up to all of us to ensure that the Fediverse remains financially sustainable without advertising.