How to get revenue from this site?

[Pix3x]

Guys, I need you advice how I can get money from my flash ecards website. I can't finance new ecards design anymore and users ask for new ecards but they don't want to pay for the service. The service is currently free and it's getting 1000 new members monthly with total over 30000 members.

Some ideas are:
- charge yearly membership subscription for $10
- put a PayPal donation button
- increase site pageviews and put a banner
- make customized ecards for fee

I would appreciate any ecommerce ideas that will help my site to survive. Thanks!

[edited by: lorax at 2:18 pm (utc) on April 2, 2005]
[edit reason] No URLs please TOS [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[ScadSense]

First - what is your primary goal right now? To make money, or get new card designs? It's not 100% clear.

PayPal donations could work - try it.

Offer a link or other arrangement for people who can design e-cards for you in exchange for your link(s). Flash programming sites have forums, etc. where you could look for talent/designers. Ask them what they want (links, recognition, etc).

Try and sell links on your "exit pages" since you will lose the visitors at that point anyway. I'm not saying do a link exchange, but a one-sided link or some affiliate links for joke books, gifts, etc.

Investigate what your competition is doing as well, and use ideas that make sense, or use any other idea you find, such as a monthly newsletter with paid ads. You could even do a joint venture to co-market with a non-competitor's site in the same focus areas (humor, greetings, etc.).

[kodaks]

Welcome to Webmaster World!

PayPal donations could work - try it.

I agree, you should start there.

Also, you may want to introduce an advertising network such as Adsense to raise the revenue lever.

BTW, URL's are prohibited on WebmasterWorld:
[webmasterworld.com...]

[onlineleben]

put a banner

put content specific affiliate programs on the pages.
E.g. when having ecards for birthdays, valentine day etc do something with flowers or when having xmas cards, put links to amazon.

[HughMungus]

PPC. Paypal haven't been great for a free service I run. I say PPC because if someone doesn't like your ecards (especially since you can't make new ones) then they're likely to go looking for newer ones or custom ones via the ads.

[Pix3x]

Thank you for your ideas. I will try them and let you know what will work.