How to create an "Online Community Magazine"?

When you say "magazine," I'm assuming you mean you want something more like a traditional magazine only online instead of print.

A lot of times, people say "magazine" and they're not referring to a magazine at all. Usually they're referring to those little things that look like a magazine (or a mini-magazine) but they're nothing but ads.

I think you'd be better off setting up your own deal in WordPress using one of the StudioPress templates rather than using this Online Community Magazines thing.

It's a biz opp and you have to pay them.

Plus they'll probably have some level of control over what you're doing.

Why not spend the money that you would have spent on their biz opp and set yourself up with something better from the start?

The key is -- just like with an offline magazine -- to keep people coming back to your site by providing quality content. If it's nothing but ads, why come back?

In all the years I've worked in the media, I've seen SO MANY people start a traditional publication and then they're puzzled about why it isn't doing well. It's always because they've treated it like an advertising machine, with them thinking, "What can I sell to my readers next?" when they should be thinking, "What would my readers enjoy reading?"

Along with providing some good, quality content, you'll need to keep yourself in front of the readers. Along with driving traffic to your site, you'll need to have an opt-in box to build your list and then build a relationship with your readers through that list.

What you're talking about doing sounds an awful lot like what several Warriors have done very well in the niche of marketing offline businesses online and also local portals or local directories.

Do a search here in the forum for those phrases and you'll find many posts. Spend some time reading them and visiting those Warriors' sites and you'll start to see the possibilities beyond this Online Community Magazines thing.

I really, really think you could set up something much better than what she's offering.

loving the keywords in those links (refering to first post) If anyone is on the same wavelength as me?

Hi Rachel

There is a local newspaper where I live that is done totally online and I have looked at the software behind it a bit. It can be set up as a collaboative community in a few ways and is super cheap when you host it with their recommended host - $25/mth or something like that.

The fellow here has successfully monetized it so those features are likely built in. I believe the entire thing is managed by a cpanel type interface which should reduce your webmastering costs considerably depending on your skills.

I do know that you can buy the entire software for use on your own server for $750 if that is the way you want to go.

Check out the versions and features. I think it could be what you are looking for.

Stonebreaker Designs - My Websites (not affiliate link)

Hope that helps and if you would like a link to his site just PM me and I will send it.

Regards
Vince

A good book about this topic is:
Design for Community
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0735710759/

Table of content:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0735...07#reader-link

A bit old (2001), but still relevant.


Didier

Rachel, I am currently working on a how-to project that is essentially a local portal blueprint that is very much about what you're discussing, but it's not quite there yet.

So, in lieu of that, I would be happy to answer any questions or offer any advice that I can here on WF.

What I can tell you is that getting advertisers to simply pay for a directory listing is an old business model that is hard to sell and doesn't really do a lot.

But advertisers WILL pay for a direct response solution that drives traffic through their front door and helps them to build their own marketing lists.

I suggest doing some surveying of your prospective customers to find out what they would be willing to pay for, then construct a product around that.

Thanks to all of you for your responses- I appreciate the time you took to respond. Jillian, I agree with you completely & appreciate your honesty. Vince- I'm checking out that link now...that looks like it might be just what I'm looking for.

Many thanks!

Rachel