AOL aims to make you money

AOL HAS ANNOUNCED the release of AIM Money, a revenue-sharing program that lets developers make money from Open AIM applications. The company also announced AIM version 6.8, the latest version of its 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.

"Through Open AIM we've empowered Web developers to leverage real-time messaging to enhance the way users interact with their products and services," said Joanna Shields, President, AOL People Networks. "AIM Money is now giving them a way to easily monetize their applications as they continue to develop new and innovative AIM-based Web experiences."

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 AIM features, one of which is a display ad to appear alongside AIM, into their Web-based or downloadable AIM software.

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." µ