# Business Model



## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

My friends caused me to come up with a new website concept this weekend. The site can be found here. The site will eventually a pseudo-blogging network. Right now it is only 1 blog so that I can test the format. You can read more in the latest post or about page.

However, I am looking to make a profit here. How should I do this?


 A free service with ads
 A pay service (I don't know the legal implications of selling otherwise free products, such as WordPress)
 The user can choose between the two


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

What's the "service" going to be? If you're just going to resell WordPress that's a bit pointless IMO because you can get it for free anyway...


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

I don't see why anyone would pay for this, WordPress already offers a free hosted service where you get yourname.wordpress.com


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Currently its just a blog w/ plugins. Once I get the blog formula down it will be an interlocked forum/blogger/commenter communiy. Ignore the site now and evaluate it for what I theoretically want.

The difference with my service and WordPress's service is that the users don't need to know anything about maintenance, they can just write. Also, mine would have a more competetive attitude, with voted winners receiving some of the cash.


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## thecoalman (Mar 6, 2006)

I'll agree with the others. I don't forsee anyone paying for that. It's hard enough getting a community going even if you are giving the space away for free and ad-free. There's too many competing sites where they can find similar services. You can offer the same exact services as myspace but you'll never be myspace because everyone is already using that.

I'd suggest first building a community then gradually introduce ads.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I'm in no need of money. Currently it is just my friends using the site and I have a few more people lined up as well. I'm giving it to them for free. I have some strong word of mouth advertising going. I was suprised to see the number of hits on the site was over 100 before anything was posted. People from across the country have already seen the site.

My goal is to manually create a few blogs, score a few good writers to boost traffic, then open this thing up for public registration. I take it free w/ ads is whats being recommended?


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Well what would the pay for? I don't think they would pay you to write stuff. Build a community, get some traffic, put some AdSense ads on their, and then give away prizes and it might work.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Eriksrocks said:


> Well what would the pay for? I don't think they would pay you to write stuff. Build a community, get some traffic, put some AdSense ads on their, and then give away prizes and it might work.


Thats what I was leaning towards. Do you know what AdSense rates are? If I'm looking at a starting community of 500 views/day, what do you think I'd get per 1000 impressions? Is it worth it?

I have some people willing to invest a bit into this and pay my hosting/domain fees for a while, so I don't necessarily need a lot of money.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

What do you have to lose? 
Usually I'll get about $0.20 a click, but really I'm not earning that much at all because I don't have many visitors (I've earned $7 so far ).


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

So basically, my best option, to start out with atleast, is to give a free service with prize rewards, effectively paying people to sign up. I'll sign up for AdSense and depending on how much of that can offset prizes, I look to expand.


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## drdrew1469 (Nov 30, 2000)

covert215 said:


> Currently its just a blog w/ plugins. Once I get the blog formula down it will be an interlocked forum/blogger/commenter communiy. Ignore the site now and evaluate it for what I theoretically want.
> 
> The difference with my service and WordPress's service is that the users don't need to know anything about maintenance, they can just write. Also, mine would have a more competetive attitude, with voted winners receiving some of the cash.


soo, kinda like a digg/myspace/any-online-blog all rolled into one?...but with prizes!?! lol, i'm diggin' it [no pun intended, really ]

if you haven't already, take a look at zimbio, it sounds similar to what your doing (i think) they kinda have this going...somewhat (portals). [but no prizes  ]

i'm bookmarking yours, this sounds interesting and i'd like to see where you go from here. good luck!

drew


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

This too will pass, much like blogs, wikis, myspace and the like. It is the fad of the month and wont last long. To get people to pay for something you need to offer something unique that no one else is offering.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

At the moment, I'm tweaking the formula and rules for the site. To start, there will be 5 blogs or so. Each will have a different topic, like sports, music, tech, etc. Each blog will have 4 writers whose names wil lbe W, X, Y, and Z. Each week, there will be a vote on the best blogger. Winner stays on for the next week and receives a cash reward. The site will expand as more people want to write. Not just anyone will be allowed to sign up and write, however.

Would you check out a site like this?


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

Where is this cash coming from? And how are you going to stop people from using proxies or friends to vote themselves into winning?


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I said before, not just anyone can sign up and start writing. There is an application process. Also, the number of blogging positions will be less than the demand (so there will only be 3 or 4 at the start) so not everyone will be allowed to write. You also need to log in to vote, so proxies will not work.

I have some initial capital to work with. I working on ads right now. The amount of money paid will be directly proportional to the number of views that the site generates.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

I guess I just don't understand how you're going to stop people from signing up for multiple accounts to vote, or to increase page views to up the prize money.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

The page views will determine the prize money, not vice versa.

I can employ several IP logging measures. Also, I will likely have to insert a clause in the ToS that allows me to void votes and disqualify writers.

[edit] does anyone know where I can find Google AdSense rates? I want to compare them to some others. Currently I'm looking at AdBrite, but I'd be setting my own prices and I don't know what to charge.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

They don't publish rates like that. Good luck keeping out proxies though, they will not show up as the same IPs.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

You associate a user name with an IP, or you associate a user name with a vote. That way, only the user can only have 1 vote per week.

Also, email verifications for accounts will be used...There are many ways to keep out proxies. It doesn't keep all of them out, but it limits people from stuffing ballots. I expect atleast 100 votes per blog from the onset. The whole network won't be released for a few months, so I don't think 2 or 3 votes will matter too much.

i'm not retarded either. If I see a terrible writer winning 50% of the votes, they will be disqualified.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

I think you'll see how quickly people try to scam this. They can easily sign up for 100 free email accounts and 100 different proxy IPs if they need that to win.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I'll come back to this thread in a month or so.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I was about to go to sleep when I came up with a good anti-fraud method. I will require 15 forums posts before you are able to vote.

That way it will require a legit email account, an activation, and 15 forum posts for each individual user to be eligible to vote, along with clauses that allow me to disqualify them if I suspect foul play.

I consider those to be very extensive measures taken to reduce fraud.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Well, I'm not trying to find away around the fraud protection, but you should be aware that they could just use a system to post 15 times.

But anyway, I think it's a great idea, I would probably visit the site, but I wouldn't name the writers W, X, Y, and Z however. IMO, I would just use the first names.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

You set time limits between posts. I'm changing the names later this week. The site is not 'officially' up yet. The main audience comes from my school and the names would allow for some bias. As the audience increases, I'll switch the names.

I have another crew of writers ready to launch the next blog.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Check out the COMPLETE redesign of the site here

I have been working for many hours on it, but I'm sure there are still many errors as well. The official launch date for the site is January 1st of 2007.

What does everyone think? Feel free to sign up.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

ferrija1: Sweeping all the forums and online communites off their feet!
Covert whats your e-mail, I'm putting it in the Fake e-mail address box . Well I guess *[email protected]* will work.

The login button should be moved up a few pixels.

Inbetween the "Home" button and the "Blogs" button there is a space. You probably put it there on purpose, but I'm not too crazy about it.

I would make the "Blog Challenge" image in the upper right corner a link to the home page.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

The login button looks weird only in FF

The space is there on purpose. More things appear below Home when you log in.

I'll take a look at the link


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Honestly, I don't like the design that much.  I would recommend getting something different, I think it would greatly affect how many visitors you get. 

Have you looked at www.OSWD.org?


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

It is a little boring...


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Reminds me of M$!


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

AAAAAH!!! Better change it fast!


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

ferrija, how did you create a site account w/o creating a forum one?


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

I clicked the "You can log-in or register for a user account here" link then clicked "Register."

I see you have two places to log-in. Are they both the same? I think they're on different systems because I can log-on to the site but not the forums.

The site in IE is fine but the site in FF has just a header/footer:


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Thats because I was just screwing with the header. I leveled out the login button. Also, I deleted your account. 

Try signing up again


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I figured it out...I needed to patch my forum...if you sign up again, it should work


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Would anyone here be interested in writing the tech blog?

It will start in January and I will probably need 2 people. I'm still working on $$, so I'm not sure if prizes will be set up at that point. However, you will receive my eternal gratitude (ARV:$.00USD) and I will try to retroactively pay you.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

covert215 said:


> Also, I deleted your account.


Well, thanks a *lot*.  

I'll make a new account if you stop screwing w/ the header.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

Can you please put your site back up.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

its up as far as i know....


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

Oh. It works in IE but not in FF.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

That link works for me....

Anyone else having problems?


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

I would get rid of one of the log-ins.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

i'm using ff.....


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

The "You are now registered. You should receive your password at the e-mail address you provided." text is huge.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I still need to customize text sizes and a few messages it gives

i think the home page text is too small


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

It looks like the screenshot above in FF. I just registered in IE.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

....

that is very weird...

try clearing the login cookie for ff...maybe it thinks you are logged in in your messed up account


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

try it now...i'm messing with some permissions


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

It works. I cleared my cookies and it fixed it, and I lost all my log-ins for other forums/places.  oh well.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

you could have just deleted my cookie...

you can view the pages too?


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

It all works :up: .



covert215 said:


> you could have just deleted my cookie...


I know, but I had some that I never used anymore, so I thought I'd clear them all.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

So, does anyone here want to take the trial run on my site? you would be writing 1 technology entry per day. Depending on pre-launch traffic, money will likely be awarded. If you want more info, go to the site or email me at webmaster ----at--- - blog-challenge.com


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