AOL Launches AIM Money for Web Developers

AOL today announced the availability of AIM Money, a new-revenue-sharing program that lets developers make money from Open AIM applications.

AOL also announced AIM version 6.8, the latest version of their popular instant messaging software, which features new modules for the Buddy List and a new open API for developers to build their own mini-applications to upload and share in a library.


AIM Money was first introduced in March as part of Open AIM 2.0, an expanded developer program that gives developers greater flexibility to integrate AIM into their applications and websites in their own ways. To use the Open AIM 2.0 tools, developers must incorporate at least two of five popular and valuable AIM features, one of which is a display ad to appear alongside AIM, into their Web-based or downloadable AIM software and mashups.

There are no fees to participate in AIM Money and payments are issued via PayPal. All advertising served through AIM Money is handled by AOL’s advertising business, Platform-A.

“Our goal is to facilitate the world’s online, real-time conversations anytime and anywhere,” said David Liu, Senior Vice President, AOL People Networks. “To that end, we’re not only giving developers more opportunities and incentives to create meaningful instant messaging-based applications for our millions of users, but we’re also bringing more requested features and innovation to the AIM platform to satisfy user needs.”

When Open AIM launched in 2006 the goal was to help developers create innovative applications integrating the AIM service. Since that time more than 295,000 third-party developers have signed on to this mission to create everything from plugins that allow users to send money to their buddies to bots that send users notifications when their friends post new pictures and videos.

AIM and ICQ are part of AOL’s recently announced People Networks business unit that includes social media network Bebo, widget technology company Goowy Media and social search question and answer service Yedda. People Networks’ collection of community platforms reach 80 million users worldwide.

Info: soft32.com