It didn't seem like much of an idea, at first glance, really. Monday, Gabe Rivera announced a new sponsorship model - what amounts to the latest post from your RSS feed on the front page at Techmeme. That's right, all you get is your latest post on the Techmeme home page.

It's brilliant.

No, seriously, it is. I get Techmeme on my RSS feed, but like the entire internet, most people still use the main page to read the new stories. This sponsorship model will generate significant revenue (over $100k) and will target readers who will see the content from that other site as a trusted partner. The Techmeme audience gets a targeted message, telling them to read something else.

For years, the recommendation model has been the best seller. People tend to buy from the same place, again and again, because they build a relationship with the dealer. One would think the same thing would work with recommended stories.