Appreciate your advice on long term business

[David Marshall]

Hi all,

I am starting a longer term web business now and need to create a plan/structure. I would like some clarification on the benefits of having a blog verses web site v forum etc.

I have the time and enthusiasm for blogging but why would I blog rather than simply post onto a web site? Is it that a person has the ability to respond on a blog and therefor it makes good SEO sense?

I am also considering a forum for the fresh content and SEO benefits but it seems a great deal of work to moderate. (had to give up the last one owing to overwhelming spam)

I have seen a business model working of: website & forum, just website, web site & blog, just blog, blog & forum, and was wondering if there was any experiences that could help me before I commit to this longer term project.

I was also wondering about the area, my interest in in personal development which is a biigggg market but I have special interest in a particular aspect of personal development. From a reply I got a short while back it seems that being a big fish in a smaller pond is better than trying to become a big fish in a larger one: with that in mind would I be better going more focused and niche? I have site that is actually too niche (i think) so although I get top ten on google it does not give me the income that I want (or deserve of course).

I appreciate there are quite a few questions/ideas here but any input to help the formulation of my plan would be great to get some thoughts gathered.

I need a plan, man, so any help is very greatly appreciated as ever!

Dave

[Vasili]

Re: Appreciate your advice on long term business

Go Joomla.....it's open source CMS, so it's a free install (either via Fantastico and the one-click method, or manually from the Official site).

It includes a blog, forum, RSS feeds, and lots of other neat utilities in one package, and is not too hard of a "learn" for the serious minded.
Drupal is off the table, since it recently is going commercial and is no longer open source.

Blog vs. Forum?

Blogs....
Think of a blog as the best way to "publish" your own articles (read in here "develop high-value Content") and may or may not allow others to reply with comments: personally, I would not open up my blog for others to post comments or reply to, as that would be a two-fold threat (spamming, and negative stuff that would create an administrative "chore" out of keeping it clean). I would however, allow people to "register" with my blog, and I would set it at the lowest process, which is that as Administrator I would "approve" every applicant myself....most spammers and hacks won't bother to wait an hour let alone a day or two. And this way, I have control over what makes it to my board ---- the good thing is that in Joomla, I can approve applicants, and limit their activity: I would allow them to participate in Polls of my articles, but not "post" to them, for example.

Forums?
Again, different levels of "registrations" and overall functionality....and the dynamics of forums and "Communities" have high SE valuations, depending on how you configure them and allow them to progress.

Overall, Joomla has all the tools built-in already, and a huge assortment of add-ons that you can drool over all weekend as you pull your hair out trying to narrow your selection down from a 2 page "want list" to a handful of "need to implement" utilities.

You are starting out right.....in realizing you need a real PLAN. Make this one of the most detialed, cognizant, and reasoned outline you have ever undertaken (you are charting for both today AND tomorrow, so don't limit your future by your limitations of today).

IMO

[David Marshall]

Re: Appreciate your advice on long term business

thanks Vasili,

I am checking out joomla at the moment. I was also thinking about the market to be in and where to be within that market. Whether to go for a broader market or more niche, I am just thinking as I type here but as I want this business to be able to grow over say 5 years, I want to ensure there is enough growth potential.

I also need to find how to be different, I have looked around alot and there are lots of people doing lots of things and many are similar and just because they are on the net does not mean they are going to make money, right. The question is then, is the similarity because there is an obvious market that is growing or a market that has been fulfilled already?

There is alot to think about and lots of thinking going on as you can see, thanks for your feedback and support, great as ever,

cheers

dave

[Vasili]

All In A Day's Work, David!

[Vasili]

Re: Appreciate your advice on long term business

SPAM...........

[David Marshall]

Re: Appreciate your advice on long term business

yup..