Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Do sites for kids pay well? I'm struggling with this because on one hand, I know my site will be unique in offering widget info for kids; but on the other hand, are kids going to be interested in ads?
For example, if it was a site about puppies care for kids, then you know that the household is buyig dog food, treats, etc.
That's not the niche I'm looking at but you get the idea.
If a kid wants to do the 'projects' listed on the site or get involved with the widgets, they will need certain things.
Or is it better to make it geared toward parents... such as make it a "Help your Kid do X" site instead of "Help for Kids" site....
Pregnant women with credit cards and broadband.
Shooting fish in a barrel.
Kids - Although they may not have credit cards, they can sure can create enough hell for them to be used. Why am I thinking of burgers?
Teens - shoot them and put them in a barrel.
Adults - Sell them what they couldn't afford as teens.
I think these electronic games/toys should have a high paying CPC. I have one dedicated to the broad subject of video games, it gets pretty good CPC, especially for the Apple IPOD related clicks.
Plus, when I was a kid, I'd find something I liked, then brought my Mom/Dad to come look at it. Perhaps you get two high paying clicks - one from the kid and one from the parent?
If you are aimed at kids, target parents (specifically moms).
If you are aimed at teens, target teens. Teens generally don't have credit cards but they have influencing power and they like to click interesting ads.
One of my sites is dedicated to a historical event that is the topic of many school projects this time of year. The site's been around for 7 years and it's often the starting point for students. Page views that dwell in the 1000 a day range over the summer, swell up to 30,000+ in the months of September and October. However, my AdSense revenue doesn't grow 30-fold.
That's because they're kids. The CPC and CPM tend to drop significantly in these peak periods, as opposed to outside of the school year when the site attracts a more balanced crowd of curious and research-hungry adults. I don't mind. I more than make up for it in volume. However, it's why I wouldn't start a new site aimed for kids if my intention was to make the most optimal AdSense-geared site.
Go ahead with the site if it's something that you're passionate about. Personally, I think the Web would become a very sad place if the Internet was nothing more than pages on credit card applications, Vioxx lawsuits and terminal asbestos diseases.
So in answering your question, no, a site targetted at a young audience is not likely to pay well. Yet if the site is quality stuff it will probably still produce a fair return on your investment of time (and an even greater intrinsic reward).
However, I have yet to see them click on a google ad. Just not attractive enough to a kid. But put a dancing monkey in front of them, they don't care if that click is connected to the gates of popup hell they HAVE TO CLICK.
As to whether those clicks are going to lead to buys... not in my house. As a parent (and I'm only a recent stepparent - believe me, it doesn't take long to learn this one)... as a parent you get so use to hearing "oooh look" "it's soooo cool" "ooooo I want" "oooo can we" that there's an automatic switch in your brain that clicks in and says "I will not respond to this behaviour with instant gratification, even though it's something we desperately need right now". So you make a mental note that that widget would be really good to have, and you'll make a point of picking one up next time you're in town.
The thing about impulse purchases (and a lot of net buying is impulse)... is that we love to satisfy our own impulses. We're a lot less keen to satisfy someone elses, even, or maybe especially, our own kids (but of course we're doing it for their own good in that instance).
I get to satisfy an impulse for myself. I'm doing good for my kid. That's a winning proposition.
This may not mean anything, but it's my 2 cents...
If it were me, I'd go for it. Create the site (especially if the passion is there!)
If it doesn't give you enough revenue, I'll pay you for your time and add it to my pile of great informational sites that don't necessarily make millions.
I've been thinking of hiring a writer to do almost exactly what I think you are looking at doing.
PM me if you want. ;-)
YM
I'll keep you in mind YM. :)
