Mahalo 2.0 is a Wiki reference site that, unlike Wikipedia.org, compensates contributors to a column (only users who “claim” a column) with 50% of the ad revenue generated on that column.

I’m a big proponent of experimenting with ways to pay for content – it’s the only way to find a model that will support high-quality content creation – but, I do not think the small amounts of revenue generated for the contributor will be a big incentive. Contributers may be able to tie together multiple “claims” to begin aggregating revenue, but without massive traffic increases to pages that, by their nature, interest a very small niche of users, it’s just not going to equal a BigMac a month. It’s certainly not going to be a  greater incentive than the passion for the topic and vanity boost from connecting with a larger audience that a contributer gets on wikipedia.

I actually hope I’m wrong and this model becomes wildly successful. But, in this case, I don’t see it happening. Decide for yourself; visit Mahalo.com or read CNet’s recent column.

I love my Moleskine. I use it daily to keep track of lots of randomness that I seldom refer to again, but are nonetheless things I want to pluck from my brain and save.

If you don’t know what Moleskine notebooks are, they’re those little black books (now available in multiple styles and sizes, because Americans like choices) that you’ll see artists, writers, tech geeks and other crafty folk carrying around to coffee shops. Or, more likely, you’ll see folks like me using them – not so famous or interesting artists, writers or tech geeks. Dare I say, wannabes.

As hailed in the brochure included with the thing when you buy it – tucked away in the neat little pocket in back (a pocket that’s perfect for storing your used Europass ticket stubs or other proofs of your worldly travels) – Hemingway and other artsy types sat scribbling in them at every cafe in post-WWI Europe, recording the great works of our generation while still unknown and untouched by fame. Exactly what modern-day Moleskiners want to do – when they have time between trips to Target and Starbucks.

I thought that my treasured Moleskine and my chosen profession of interwebs interlocutor were relatively unconnectable, exactly the way I liked it. Our world is so filled with technology advancing every pursuit at breakneck speed that a bit of real-world interaction keeps you grounded (old cars, bikes, fly-fishing, Moleskines are the ying to my techno-yang).

But alas, Moleskine (the company, not my notebook) is asking me to go beyond paper. It’s clear that Moleskine is no longer a tiny, niche product; but rather, it’s a big brand with venture capital behind them and a “circle R” behind every usage of the name. Those marketers have recruited a social media posse to reach out and take its community online, creating all kinds of “synergies” and “positive brand experiences” for Moleskine lovers.

I usually dig these efforts – because that’s what I do. But this one seems at odds with the brand, ironically asking users to you join the community so that they can upload and share scans of cool things recorded in their private Moleskines. It’s also a bit narcissistic to take all this time to journal away in your book, with the intention of posting it publicly. That may just tap into the dirty little truth that the unstated intention of the modern Moleskinista is to create something that just might give them fame when their scribblings are found years from now – whereas current readers might just see them as…well, doodles.

Would Hemingway do this? Of course not. But then again, he probably wouldn’t have a Facebook or a computer for that matter.

In any case, give it a shot. Share your Moleskine scribbles by creating a “MyMoleskine” account.

The constant punditry about Facebook, Twitter and blogging is dizzying, and, even if you agree with it – and love it, you’re likely just too tired to make it work for your organization. I’ve tried to capture a few of my guiding principles from my own experiences and other folks much smarter than me that may provide some guidance:

Conversation is what matters. Conversation is two-way, old-school marketing is not. Ignore the conversation or fight it at the peril of your business. “Markets are conversations,” decreed The Cluetrain Manifesto, the seminal work of the internet age, in 2000.

Authenticity is key – it makes your side of the conversation work. No one talks to an ad. Know your audience and entertain or educate them. Don’t sell to them. Pay attention to your “voice”.

Focus on the niches. Get specific and demand results.

Conversation can’t exist in a perceived vacuum. Technology can show the user that there’s a human on the other side of the connection.

Content sharing and social distribution can massively increase audience at virtually no cost. Don’t restrict either or you limit your chance for success.

The value of the middlemen is in rapid decline. Syndicators no longer exclusively control their distribution, publishers no longer exclusively control their audiences. Web 2.0 and social media have made it easier to get content directly to an audience.

Success is equal to the degree you adopt openness. Services that enable the creation, sharing, distribution and monetization of content add value.

Don’t build Web sites, build networks. If you’re authentic, focused on the niches and open to openness, you’re in a position to build the network.

Large social network platforms are where your users are, go there. Platforms see the value in the network and extract as little value as possible so they can grow as big as possible. You can extract value for your business at very low cost.