Amazon Wins Rights for Used Content Marketplace, Twitter Buys Bluefin

The Strategist picks the day’s most relevant and interesting stories about the world of content from around the web. Here’s what you should be reading today:

Amazon’s Used Digital Content Patent Approved

According to Paid Content, Amazon has won a patent that allows the company “to create a virtual marketplace where users could resell digital content like apps, songs and ebooks.”

The legality of this is “muddy” but the patent claims that there will be a system to “maintain scarcity” of the types of content offered. The company filed the patent originally in 2009.

Twitter Monitoring TV Chatter

The New York Times reports that Twitter will be buying Bluefin Labs, a business that analyzes chatter about television on the internet and sells the findings to other companies.

The purchase will set Twitter back $100 million, which will make it the largest acquisition online ever.

In a blog post, chief operating officer of Twitter Ali Rowghani said, “We believe that Bluefin’s data science capabilities and social TV expertise will help us create innovative new ad products and consumer experiences in the exciting intersection of Twitter and TV.”

Content Marketing Versus Branding

Chris Brogan writes on CopyBlogger, content marketing does not mean that it is branding.

He says that the goal of content marketing is to advance the business. It can come in the form of storytelling, posts that gently nudge consumers towards an action, content that is for selling, or some that are off topic all together.

To write as a marketer is to try and sell something: “My take, and it’s quite succinct, is that if you’re going to call something ‘content marketing,’ you’d be better served by marketing something.”

Liberty Acquiring Virgin Media

First Bluefin, now Virgin: According to the Wall Street Journal, Liberty Global, an international cable company, will be purchasing Virgin Media for $16 billion.

Virgin is the second biggest pay-TV operator in the United Kingdom. The deal will mean that combined, Liberty and Virgin will be saving $180 million in costs.

Amazon Creates Interactive Map Called “Love Stories” 

According to Mashable, the company has launched “50 Great American Love Stories,” an interactive map that portrays how love transforms lives in every state.

Click Georgia and “Gone with the Wind” pops up, while Arizona contains “The Host,” a modern day alien love story. If readers don’t see a particular story, they can email in their recommendations.

Stratego Now Available Online

ClickZ reports that Keesing Games has introduced an online version of the board game Stratego on a website, a paid iPad app, and through a Facebook page.

The game is a mix of chess and capture the flag where “each player’s pieces are hidden and become revealed through attacks and moves on the board.” The beta became available in October and gathered 18,000 users, and the official app came out last week.

Freelancer Flaws

According to Allena Tapia, freelance writers should want constant stimulation and excitement. Freelancing is a great fit for night owls. She warns, however, that “your clients’ needs trump your circadian cycles, and you’ll have to be able to bend a little if you want to be successful.”

Independent writers should yearn for the rush (thanks to deadlines) and, of course, they are probably shut-ins. She also writes that it’s important to have some social skills, because these are also business skills.