Do micro-sites work?

10-15 Articles?

[zulufox]

Currently I spend my free time working on one huge project, it is up to 300 articles right now... going for 1000... that doesnt include a HUGE link directory, 2 custom made databases, 1 store, and a massive photo gallery. It is HUGE.

However, I stumbled on a reasonible "how to" niche that I thought about making a little site on. This site would only be 10-15 articles, just simple tutorials (maybe grapical). Then I'd just slap on a few CJ.com and some Adsense and be done.

Won't be big buck... but it could pay maybe a nice dinner every month.

I was wondering, so micro-sites with only a few articles work?

[figment88]

10-15 articles

I'd call that a medium size site.

[Essex_boy]

Ive webdeveloper mate who swears by these things. Never tried them myself give it ago

[SEOMike]

I've gotten great results from a 5 page site that has rich targeted content, optimized links and images, and great metas. It's such a small niche, so maybe that's why it's so well positioned.

You should be able to do farily well with a small site if the niche isn't too competitive.

[ILLstyle]

I would think it would work, but it all depends on how competitive the nitch is.

[oldskool79]

The size of the site is really irrelevant. There are 50,000 page sites that don't earn a dime and single page sites that earn thousands per month -- and vice versa.

Make the site as big as it needs to be. If you can get all your content into one page great. If you need 500 pages, that's fine too.

Most search engines evaulate on a page by page basis, so the size of the site is irrelevant.

[Lovejoy]

I could never see the sense of these sites with hundreds of pages. My site has less than 20 pages total and has been paying all the household bills for over three years now. I've always believed that selling very specific information and simple tutorials are the way to go.
I know when I look for information I want it quickly and
to the point without having to wade through acres of links.

[zulufox]

"My site has less than 20 pages total and has been paying all the household bills for over three years now"

Wow... thats just amazing, I wish I could see what your site is.

[Teshka]

I actually love small sites, both as a surfer and as someone who builds them. The main reason is they are small enough that you can list all of the articles on the front page. That makes it very easy for the user to scan through and see if the site has what she needs. No need to bother with search boxes or complicated link trees.

5-10 pages might be limiting it more than necessary, unless your site is focusing on a single product, but most of my sites run in the 30-40 page range and do very well in the search engines and in earnings.

[cyberair]

However, will these micro sites depend more on search engines than large ones? Because when you have a large site with tons of information, people tend to add it to their favorites for reference and to continue exploring it.

Will a micro site survive from repeat visitors if it got dropped of its search engine position?

[zulufox]

"Will a micro site survive from repeat visitors if it got dropped of its search engine position? "

I wonder this too.

Generally mini sites only work in niches. For example my 10 page site on web development isnt going to compete with WebmasterWorld.

But niches generally have less reciprical links. For example my 10 page site on how to choose the best olive oil for a meal will not have very many sites linking to it. Certainly not as many as a site with 100,000 custom recipies with video instructions.

Therefore, since a larger sites will have more links to anchor it in the listings, I believe you will be more stable over time.