Web Moves Blog

As promised, today I’m going to write about an online business model that has a certain resemblance to the visitor-oriented sites. Let’s call it client-catching sites.

1. What is this monetization model about?

Sites and blogs that are used to attract potential clients for service providers. Mainly used by small businesses, freelancers and consultants.

2. Examples

• Small businesses’ homepages
• SEO sites
• Freelance writing sites and blogs
• Portfolios (photographers, designers)

3. Traffic sources

• SEO
• PPC
• Paid ads on related sites (preferably on pages visited by potential clients)
• Off-site promotion (business cards, conventions, t-shirts, print advertising)
• Leveraging current clients (contacting them by email or phone to tell them about the site)

4. Typical content

• Informational articles on topics related to the products or services provided
• Image galleries and/or videos (either as stand-alone content or inserted within articles)
• Product or service pitching

5. Where does the money come from?

• Product or service orders
• Indirect profits via branding
• AdSense and private ad sales (not recommended though, since it can make you look too desperate for money and also distract from your services)

6. How it works

You show your expertise by creating content that is interesting and relevant to your prospects. You also expose samples of your work/products/services. Clients learn more about you, realise they can trust you and therefore hire you.

Moreover, you can use your client-catching blog or site to keep in touch with existing customers and to manage and resolve conflicts.

7. Advantages

• Reputation building and management; branding
• Improved relationship with clients
• Can be attached to a visitor-oriented site, derive from it or evolve into it (increasing profit potential in all cases)

8. Disadvantages

• Doesn’t work as a passive income source; if you don’t promote your site, you won’t get any orders
• You must divide your time between clients’ orders and site maintenance and promotion
• Besides your usual business-related expenses, you’ll also have to deal with the site-related ones

If you are a service provider, leave a comment sharing your online experiences. Do you use a website to reach more clients? How well does it work for you?

The next site monetization model in this series has little in common with the topic I discussed today. Come back tomorrow to read more.