Forum Moderators: skibum
The site started to crash because it was using MS Access as backend database for my ASP based site and Access has limitations on the number of concurrent users(11 users?). After a few crashes I had to exclude Inktomi(Yahoo) Slurp through robots.txt to reduce the number of visits by Slurp. (I thought the culprit was Slurp hitting too hard the site). After a few months, Google started slow down the traffic due to algo changes and server downtimes. I decided to include Yahoo Slurp back again but turn off the member sign up page so that there will be not too many concurrent users to the database.
My questions is what to do with the site?
I put up the Adsense and used to make $300-400/month in 2004 but now it makes only $100-150/month with 350-400 unique visitors a day. The site is a dynamic site with 3-4 parameters after .asp?
To make this site work, I need to move the MS Access to MS SQL or MySQL, because MS Access cannot handle more records on the members table in a stable manner. I will also have to use mod-rewrite to make the dynamic site static to get better SEOed site. Most of all, the site needs update on the content. Due to the things I need to do to make the site work, I haven't updated the site over a year now.
I tried only a little bit of Affiliate links but didn't spend much time to figure out what Aff links work or how to change the site to accomodate them.
I started a new web site(totally different industry) about 9 month ago and I love working on it. It is related to my full time job and I know what to do with it (because I knew what to do with it before even I had started the site :)).
So, what to do with the site? Sell it off? Last year one guy offered $4000 for the site when the site was pulling $400/month. Now it is making $100-150 only from Adsense. I don't want to spend too much time on it to make a successful site, because I have another site that I'd love to work on.
Just putting Aff links without updating the contents wouldn't work. A site requires a "care". It has still good traffic from Google(70%), Yahoo(7%), and MSN(15%).
Considering that I don't have too much time to put into it, what should I do? I am open to any suggestions for this site. Anyone?
with that many members you can probably quit your job and use the member list to sell specific computer equipments related to laptop... ok here goes...
say you send out 1 newsletter each month for a specific product that let's you make $5 a piece... if say about 1% of 75K users buy the item... how much would that be? hmmm... maybe about... $3750/month? For just 1 item.
What if you have 10 different items per month to promote that can bring you $5 a piece? using the same 1% conversion you can get $37500/month? or let's say your conversion sucks for 10 products... say only 0.5% conversion... you can still make $18500/month?
Here's the sample Computation:
At 1% conversion
75000 x 1% = 750 users
750 x $5 = $3750
$3750 x 10 items = $37500
or only .5% conversion
75000 x .5% = 375 users
375 x $5 = $1850
$1850 x 10 items = $18500
Crazy numbers? yes... is it possible? with 75000 users... hmmm... maybe? trying this approach will let you answer this question...
Anyways, in my book $4000 sounds cheap if the buyer gets 75K users with all email addresses intact.
Remember: The money is in the customer list!
Disclaimer: Just an idea so it might not work... but then I again... I would try it to find out... :)
any other thoughts?
There are a few things you have to know.
The members signed up for the last two and half years from all over the world. Most of them are accepting "newsletter" by leaving the "do you want to receive newsletter from us?" field checked. (Yes it is not double opt-in. But they signed up with the field checked. I have never sent any email newsletter to the members, even once with fear of irritating some members with commercial emails. And I didn't also have time to write nice newsletters.
Many of the email addresses are intact but some of the old ones may not valid any more. (because as I mentioned, I haven't sent any email to the members yet for the last two and half years!)
It takes time to build the good affiliate program relationships and have a nice affiliate program site. I don't have such time...
I am already swamped with my fulltime job and another site. The other site is only 20% done...and I decided spend most of my extra time into this site.
You've closed the pipes that bring water in, eventually the well will dry (ok, bad analogy), but basically you're giving your site a slow death.
BTW, Tsinoy's idea isn't so bad - if you tried and found out you can bring in that much money $3000+, you may rethink how much effort you would be willing to put into the site, regardless of how much you like your other site or not. (and you may even start considering quitting your job too :))
