Some of us are planning to build, have started to build or have already built "industry sites".
I believe in the idea of domain credibility and/or domain integrity: That you start off with a certain amount of credibility simply by virtue of having the right domain name for the purpose of website address. Having that benefit you would want to build upon it, not blow it.
So, in part, the issue for this thread is "How to build upon domain credibility?"
For example and for openers, IF the industry was the "Example Industry" and you owned Example.org or Example.info DO you put up a website masthead that says to the visitor "This is the website of the World Example Organization" or "This is the World Example Information Website"?
IF it's not much of a website to start do you start off losing credibility? Kill off the likelihood of a repeat visit?
OTOH do you play it low key and humble, at least in the beginning? Just start building your website and take on "the bigness issue" later - when you are in fact big?
Do you give up the benefit of the appearance of authority of the web address by not asserting something larger?
Do you employ "domain mystique" - let the domain do the heavy lifting and promotion, but stay low key at first?
Does a big assertion "This is the World Example Information" site undermine credibility?
Does a "big website claim" (future plans, etc.) insert some interest into the visitor's mind, such that they may be inclinded to check back later or keep an eye on the site?
The question is: If you've managed to register a big domain - one that holds the promise of something big - do you rise to the occassion by making some form of "We are or will soon be big" - or something like that?
When building a website how would you OR how have you approached the issue of maximizing the benefit of a solid identity domain?
1. Make the big claim but make it obliquely. Let the masthead said "World Example Information" but don't state a big claim on the "About Example.tld" page.
2. Put up enough information to start to at least have the appearance of the intention to be an authority.
3. Minimize the compromise of such domains once construction begins: No "Whack the Monkey" banners, for example.
4. Yes, I'd rather not park them but . . I'd also rather not autogenerate the websites.
5. Small credible steps.
6. Maximize the value to the end user visitor from the outset: What is the most valuable information to an early visitor? Put it up.
In the early stages you could get positive spin out of something like, "It's our goal to be the best site anywhere about Example." It would have the ring of truth. As you grow, you can claim more, but if you're good others will do it for you, too.
I think one of the most important things to consider is structure especially the your top level categories for the site. They need to be broad enough to cover the subject in its totallity and ideally mutually exclusive. The problem that then arises is the sheer size of the site to poplutate all of the sections at a depth sufficent to be considered an authority in keeping with the expectations of the name and isn't covered better elsewhere.
There are however many components that once written can be re used for other sites, if they have a similiar style.
For example the control for moving between pages in a technical report, or the login/registered user bits, or cookies etc. without going the template route.
Once the first site is done it should get a lot easier. :)
