Creating a network of content - niche sites

As you can see the general consensus below is one at a time - the one major benefit of taking this approach is the benefits of learnings...as with all new endeavors - there will be a steep learning curve...so rather that make the same mistake across 15 sites...start with one and avoid it on the rest...

the other benefit is you'll find the next ones are faster to web (your learnings will speed up the development and launch process)...after the first one - if you're motivation is still there - you can scale out faster...

While i recommend starting with one, if you're serious about the portfolio...make sure you secure your domains and get some search engine exposure now...that'll ensure you secure the site names you want and will help with search profile later...remember site/domain age counts...

Hi ClickHerald,

Don't think you're a dreamer - but you should focus on content that you're passionate about. Look at this community as an example. It was launched yesterday by a bunch of people who are passionate about online marketing. Yes the technology does a good job to support that enthusiasm but it is the "focus" of it's early user base that is powering it on.

If you love Formula 1 then start there - real enthusiasm, passion and an ability to produce compelling content is more important than the publishing tool.

I wish you luck.

If you are truly a n00b, you should bring your goals down a bit.

The last thing you want is to have 15 shit sites clogging up the internets.

I would suggest, in order to increase your overall success rate, focus on your top 5 niches and move forward with as simple a technology as possible (go with wordpress). Select them based on your personal interest and the amount of passion people in the space seem to have towards that vertical.

Once you have the 5 wordpress blogs up and running, focus on creating great content, social media and building relationships with other blogs and forums in each market. You will learn a ton from your exploits within those first 6 months and your ideas on how to support each of your 5 communities with additional technology will be well informed and your chances for success will also increase.

If there is anything I have learned from online community building it is that there is no replacement for informed and conversationally engaging content. Start there and make sure you take time to listen to your readers all along the way.

Why go wide when you can master a more narrow strategy, particularly if you're new. Start with one, build it with original and compelling content, and then move into related verticals from there. A full blown spammy content network can work for some, but unless you're doing really big numbers (ie thousands of sites) you're never going to get rich from it. Be really good at a few sites rather than be shit at a lot of them :-)

Hey, clickherald!

From your question I would call you a dreamer... but that's not a bad thing unless all you do is dream and fail to act on those dreams.  Sounds like you're ready for action.

Here's my $.02:

1.) Don't pay for a CMS when there are plenty of OpenSource CMS apps out there (www.OpenSourceCMS.com).

2.) I'd suggest getting one set up and "paying for itself" and then reinvesting the profits into the next one.  After 2 or 3 successful ones you may have enough to start hiring people to build the rest for you.  This is where true leverage begins.

3.) Plus, setting up one at a time gives you 'focus'.  Trying to be all things to all people will only leave you running around like a dog chasing its tail.  You'll be moving but when you stop you're still in the same spot... and dizzy.

4.) Find a hungry niche that desires information, search forums to find exactly what they are asking for, give it to them, profit.  Focus on adding value to those people.  Be sure to collect email addresses so you can build a relationship with them - not just a drive by relationship.

I think Wordpress or Blogger or Squidoo or Ning, etc. would be fine in the beginning testing phase - to see if you have a successful niche.  No sense in spending 3 months building a massive site only to find out you can't get any traffic or the traffic is all freebie seekers you cannot monetize effectively.

Use a free platform, write some articles on your subject (or use pay-per-click if you have money to spend) and TRACK THE RESULTS.  If you're seeing success then build it out.  If you're not then move on until you find a successful niche that works for you.

Remember an Overnight Success happens after years of failures behind the scenes.  Sorry, there is no shortcut for success.  It's work.  But it should be work that is so fun it doesn't seem like work to you.  The last thing you need is another 'job'.

Find something you love and Enjoy the journey!

I hope this helps.

Scott

Vids,

I must have been writing my answer at the same time you were writing yours. Had I seen it I before hand, I would have most likely just seconded it. 

So. . .  I second your comment.

Well said.

Right back at ya'! 

Your reply was right on the Money (pun intended).

Can't wait to read more of your posts and articles.  I checked out your site and definitely would like to keep in touch as we roll out our site strategy in 2008.

Welcome clickherald - I just joined today a couple of hours ago. I set up maybe two or three to start, get them seeded in search BOTS. Register the domain names, offer as much quality contantent as you can, and do plenty of testing before going live. Best wishes - Ron

Clickherald, I am almost done building a CMS that has exactly what you want. It even has a social network that can work between all the sites (i.e. a member is a member of all the sites, and then there modules u can put on, say, your homepage of each site that show the most "recent" or "active" visitors, and visitors can check out their profiles, which will be on each of the related niche sites). All users have a blog, and it's all aggregated  on all sites (if you want). There is CMS tools to create pages, and sub pages. Tools to create contact forms, and other forms. There's a couple other tools, and then there's a store creator too. It's all there. The only thing is I won't be selling it for cheap. But if you have 15 sites that you would like me to set it up for, then we can definitely work something out...In general though, the idea is that all you need to do is skin each of your 15 sites, and it will take a couple days to skin my CMS with your designs...O, and one last thing, we host all on Amazon's scalable EC2/S3. All the database for users are connected, and, you only pay for the bandwidth you use due to Amazon's scalable architecture. Otherwise, we're also working on features like the ones behind this site. Let me know if you're interested.

Jamesgillmore@organicincentive.com