[Balgair]

Does anyone know how GD is funded? Is it ads or do companies pay somehow to be listed?

I ask, as the payment method is critical to understand it's reliability.

If it is ads, then yes, I think it should be reliable. 'You' are the 'product' in that case. More negative press will likely keep you clicking and searching about, therefore more money.

If it is the companies, then it it not likely reliable. Why would you pay a company to essentially bad-mouth you? You pay them for good press (the pizzeria in NY on Yelp being an egregious exception). I'd say this holds if the companies can pay in any way at all. If they can influence for dollar, even rarely, then the whole thing is suspect.

Anyone know the real answer?

[KGIII]

So far, it looks like they are supported by VC funds. I can't find any info on how they intend to become profitable but a few comments, drawn from memory, suggest they are expecting to fund with ads and a couple of people have suggested they will have a subscription service.

However, I can't find anything official about either and Wikipedia isn't very helpful. They do have some information about their existing funding:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glassdoor

A part of me thinks this type of thing would make a good not-for-profit enterprise. I'd even consider some sort of government backing. I'd say a service like that has good social potentials and can help society to make nformed choices.

[Balgair]

I'd think so as well! But as we have seen in healthcare and other sectors, regulatory capture is possible, if not probable. Though, to be fair, the credit bureaus are in a similar niche and they are frankly a catastrophe. It seems that any 'word of mouth' type business or board that is of any use will eventually become useless as they try to squeeze blood from turnips. Subscriptions/payment may be better, like The Negro Motorist's Guidebook of the 1950's.

[KGIII]

Yeah, I'd think it'd have to be a not-for-profit enterprise with some sort of forced independence and verification. I keep mulling it over and thinking that it's be simple to do, but each idea I come up with finds me also finding ways it can be abused. So, it's not really that easy, I suppose.

[itsdrewmiller]

They have a sales team for working with employers. In the pitches I've received it was focused on recruiting and there wasn't a whiff of any sleazy reputation management stuff.

[Balgair]

Good to know, thank you!

[TwoNineFive]

You can pay Glassdoor to become an "Engaged Employer": http://resources.glassdoor.com/contact.html?channel=homepage...

So yes, Glassdoor's intensive structure is aligned to make employers happy. They don't take any income from individual review contributors or readers.

[Balgair]

Hmm, though this is cause to doubt, it is still only one cause.

However, it seems that their business model is then catered, at this time, to employers and they have made themselves a niche area in the reputation management sector. Though not alarming at this time, I can see this going south quickly and without warning (Equihax for example)

[rqtaylor]

They are funded by Venture Capital, but their revenue comes from companies paying for "branding" on their company profiles and advertising jobs. If you choose not to pay to brand your company profile, other companies can advertise their jobs on your profile.