Would You Rather Have An Authority Website Or E-Mail List In The 100,000s?

Yo Jason...

I just hit e-mail list, an although I am not entirely sure.. I do think I would want the list... that would be 3 times the amount of all my lists combined, so if I built the list on my terms then I would be very happy with it..

Peace

Jay

Jason,

I'd want both lol.

Seriously though, I'd take the authority site over the list first. Then I can build a list with it in the end anyway.


Mary

i will take the list..

I can build a authority site just by leveraging the power of contact in my hand..

Lol it's like the chicken and egg thing. Or is it better to get sales or more important to get traffic that converts to sales.


Mary

Depends on how the list was built and what the authority site is (how much traffic it gets and so on).

There was someone giving out a list of 100K as a bonus, and that list wasn't worth much.

The good thing is you don't have to sacrifice one for the other.

This forum is a nice proof of that.

If it's an Authority site then I should be expecting relevant hits that would potentially generate income. If it's a responsive list, then again, I would be expecting to earn from it.

If it's a large email list that has a very low percentage of participants' activity and responsiveness, then it might not even be worth the cost of maintaining. The bottom line question for me would be how was the list built and in particular, what sources/methods were used to build it.

Going back to the theme of the thread - an Authority website should be attracting new visitors as well as repeat visitors. So one could build a list on that basis. A large 'already built' list however, may mostly have in active members and will be continually built using the same routine techniques. Thus generating more in active members.

So the Authority website would probably be my first choice (after proper research) but if the members on the large list were active (again after due checks), then I might be tempted to go for the list.

In sum, if you have a spare Authority website that is not performing to your expectations, and/or list in the hundred thousands that you don't want, please PM me and I will be delighted to take it or them off your hands free!

Regards,
Jeff Henshaw.

Definetely a responsive list in the 100,000s. Unless the authority site was in a niche that would make it attractive to be bought out by a large company.

For example - the finance blog that just got bought by BankRate.com.

As posted, this is a tough one to answer.

A six-figure list of mooches, freebie hunters and people filtering my messages into the junk folder is worse than useless, it's an expense.

Hence, most of the people who picked the list added the qualifier "responsive" to their answer.

An authority website on a subject with no commercial viability is also simply an expense.

So the folks who chose "website" added the ability to monetize as a qualifier.

So, to answer the 'chicken or the egg' question, sort of, I pick an authority website on a subject of intense interest to people willing to spend big bucks on something they are passionate about. Given that, I can build the list myself.

I would rather have an authority site that made me a 100,000 member list.

I would choose a responsive list of 100k. You can create money on demand. With an authority site it could take a long long time to generate traffic, brand it and then you have to wait for someone to take notice enough to buy it.

If i had to chose one it would be the list, assuming its reasonably responsive.

Once you have a list of that size you can drive traffic to any site and make it seem like an authority site.

Lists are great ways to drive traffic as well as sell products.

Just my humble opinion.

List....easier to maintain.....no one can trump me competition wise....and instant communication to all.

Authority site that i can sell would be amazing though......Facebook.....noe that would be ideal!

I would think that an authority site would be better, over time that is. I don't want to make a quick buck. I'd rather make money so that I can truly retire without worry about money.

An authority site can build long term trust. With a 100K email list, subscribers can easily opt out.

I'll take the site and build a list of course.

Assuming the list contains members in the same niche I would take the list.

Then use the list to make an authority site.

I would take the authority site. You can build the list. And expand from your original site.

My gut instinct says the 100,000 list.

But that could simply be the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence".

I already have the authority website, but I tend to think that the big list would have made me more money over the long haul, because it would have allowed me to keep in touch with those people who used to visit my authority website.

Yet it could be argued that not everyone opens your email either -- I have heard most lists only have a 20% to 40% open rate.

I run in circles trying to decide which is best.

I have started building a list finally after ten years, so ask me this question in ten years, and I will tell you which is better...

Funny... I posted this in 2008.

Back then I said I would want a list in the 100,000s instead of an authority site.

I think now I would like to have an authority site because that's all I'd need to build a list of 100,000 subscribers and get ad cash at the same time.

With an authority site you can make the list

At first, I would take the authority site that helps me build a list. But the ultimate goal is the list, hence I chose that option :-)

It depends.

If you are gonna give me an authority site in the "how to teach your dog to rap" niche market then I would take the list.

If you would give me an authority site ranking for "lose weight" and all other major keywords then I would take that

That's like asking if I'd rather collect rent from one big house or a dozen apartment buildings.

I'll take the apartments, thank you.

For me...

Authority website!! so I can then build a list of 100,000 that way I can have both and control both and know exactly what and who and why they are on my list :-)

Danny

Unless we are given more specifics on current statistics and the niche for the authority site and the list, it'd be hard to make an informed decision based just on what has been given.

If the niche for the authority site is one that has widespread appeal, lots of pre-existing traffic and could be easily monetized (preferably with very lucrative options), I'd take the authority site any day because the monetization would be very lucrative and fairly passive, AND also because its authority status and pre-existing traffic would make it a cinch to accumulate new subscribers in short order.

Ok,

Lets assume all things equal.

If I get to have an authority site we can assume that it comes with the perks that an authority site should. High quality content, targeted traffic, etc. etc.

So we will also assume the 100k list is also highly targeted, responsive, etc. etc.

So I think the list is far better because its a print money on demand situation, its a drive traffic to any site I want on demand situation.

Also, you can't really build a relationship with a web site, but you can with a list.

I think the list has more leverage then the site in regards to making money and driving traffic at will.

And as I mentioned before the list can make a site in the niche an authority site so you've effectively leveraged the list for that as well.

Also you can't build a relationship with a site like you can with a list, because the list is comprised of people.

I agree that with one, you could build the other, but ideally, you want both anyway. You can easily build both as part of the same mechanism. If you're giving me one for free, I'd take the site because I don't know the quality of the list. If it's a hot list though, I'd take the list and leverage them to create the authority site for me.

I tend to assume I could build a reasonable income with either.

So I'd choose authority site, because I think I'd be seen as cooler that way.