Started building this site - what would you do?

9 replies
So I started building a new website for local brides a few months ago, but then got distracted with other projects so it currently isn't doing anything.

But now I want to start working on it again and I'm looking for suggestions.

The site is Pittsburgh Bride Magazine | Pittsburgh Wedding – The Number One Wedding Planning Online Magazine and it's an online magazine with wedding articles and such. My plan was to build up the traffic then start selling ads on it.

But I have a Chicken and Egg question. Here's a few thoughts but I'm not sure where to start..

1. I want the site to be very local and, in the perfect world, it would contain articles from various local wedding vendors. The articles could even be "sit down" interviews with business owners. Right now I mainly have articles that I wrote on there.

2. I want to monetize the site by selling ads to the local vendors.

So what's the best way to approach this? Do I try to load up the site with local vendor articles and interviews first. Then once traffic starts coming in try to sell the advertising?

Or do I try to sell the advertising when creating the vendor articles, but give them some sort of discount since there won't be much traffic yet?

Basically, if you had a site like this, how would you make money with it?

Thanks.

Mike
#building #site #started
  • Profile picture of the author bhuff85
    I have dealt with a similar dilemma. Only difference is my website is a local restaurant/bar directory instead.

    Here's what I did:

    I built everything up first, giving every local restaurant and bar their own listings page that had the basics (address, Google map location, phone number, website, etc). Once that was complete for both mobile and desktop versions, I started to advertise and promote it within town. I am currently using a number of advertising methods to generate traffic AND interest, both of which have been working great.

    The goal here is to get people to actively use the site, as well as subscribe to my email list to get updates on new listings and coupons/discounts (which will become available once I start contacting businesses). So far, so good.

    To me, getting that user interaction going and advertising your brand to create awareness is the most important step. That way I can approach these businesses and walk in there confident knowing that I have a host of people practically begging for local discounts, coupons and more. Ultimately, that will help them get results faster, which will turn them into customers for the long haul!

    Hope some of that helps. Good luck with the site!
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  • Profile picture of the author RexMapes
    Mike, I think I would approach it from the idea of your vendors will basically be receiving free advertising when they submit an article. You might offer all vendors a one time chance to be "front and center" in the ezine. Any additional submissions by them would need to be informative and not so self promoting.

    This would give them free advertising at a time when you're really not sure about traffic numbers. You get some articles, the vendors get the advertising, and the reader gets a chance to learn about a specific vendor.

    Give all vendors that participate a coupon for a rather hefty percentage off on advertising usuable anytime they choose during the next 1-6 months. This should encourage them to begin advertising with you and then you can justifiably charge more later without them thinking you raised your prices.

    This should help you get some cash flow without a lot of concern about the traffic numbers until after the traffic has picked up.
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    • Profile picture of the author 512 Designs
      Thanks for the replies guys. I'm still working on building the site and I added a free report for brides to download so I can start building a list. I will also be advertising in a local free magazine which has a distribution of 60,000 mags as well as doing some PPC.

      So while I've been setting those things up, I spoke to a bridal salon (I know the owner) about the site and how I want to not only incorporate written articles, but video tips as well. She loved the idea and I will be meeting with them in two weeks to shoot some video. So that will give me a good example of a video article on the site to show other vendors.

      While I'm there, I'll also shoot a video ad for her (I told her that the site will have ads too). I didn't give her a price because I'm not sure how to price ads.

      As you guys suggested, I'll be giving some sort of major discount in the beginning since the site is new and has very little traffic, but that will change once my advertising kicks in.

      But what's the best way to price online ads? Should I just come up with something out of thin air, or is there something more scientific which has to do with traffic?

      Also, I want to start doing some cold calling and was wondering if it's a good idea to lead in with "We want to do an article and video of your business for our site." and then hit them with the advertising opportunities once I'm there.

      Or should I mention the advertising during the initial phone call?

      Thanks for everyone's input.

      Mike
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      • Profile picture of the author Sys4
        Your site looks great. A lot of the, "look at my site," posts look horrible. Your site not only looks professional, but evolved too. BTW... I realize your post was about much more than "look at my site." Just saying... appearance is the first hurdle to overcome - nice site.
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  • Profile picture of the author TimD
    I agree. Great looking site. You might look at John Spangler's thread on how he started. He sold space on a directory site before the site was up. He just gave discounts. Worked great.
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    • Profile picture of the author 512 Designs
      Thanks for the kind words about how my site looks guys. It took me a while to find the correct template and make it look the way I wanted it to.

      Tim, I'll try to find the John Spangler thread....unless you have a link to it

      I'm thinking of designing some sort of direct mail piece that I can send out to various wedding vendors. And in that direct mail piece, I would promote some sort of "Grand Opening" deal on advertising.

      I have a print ad in a local magazine coming out on September 1st which will also jump start my adwords campaign. It would be nice to have more vendors, videos, and articles on there before that date, so I have a little less than a month to get it done.

      Any other ideas out there to help make this a success?

      Mike
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  • Profile picture of the author kebertt
    Definately discuss sponsorship opportunities with local businesses. Perhaps they could advertise the site and you can advertise their business
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
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      Mike...check out www.UtahWeddings.com

      These folks are HUGE now but....when they starrted, they published a Booklet giving each Advertiser (vendor) a full page.

      To get their booklets into the hands of people planning to get married they did something that was REALLY GREAT! They GAVE the booklets to JEWELERS to give to people who bought ENGAGEMENT RINGS! (I think they also gave booklets to photographers)

      They also sent booklets to people who registered for a Wedding License at the County Clerk's office.

      Now....one other thing that KEPT THEIR ADVERTISERS ADVERTISING; They had a "Discount Coupon Card" on the first page and....in order to be able to USE the Card....they had to go on their website and REGISTER their name, address etc. Then....they were sent a "Code #" they wrote onto the Card to be eligible to use the Discounts.

      Pretty clever.

      Don Alm
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  • Profile picture of the author Eddie Spangler
    @512 fyi, the sign up form is out of whack in firefox 14.0.1

    @don Great info, it will surely help to have some type of printed guide to help boost initial awareness.
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