4 Website and Blog Monetization Models – Part 2

In my previous post I discussed the pros and cons of fast money making sites. Now I’m going to write about an online business model that is quite the opposite of the latter: visitor-oriented sites.

1. What is this monetization model about?

Sites built for long term results. They tend to be heavily based on informative, entertaining or otherwise helpful content. Developing and maintaining a good relationship with the audience and with peers is essential.

2. Examples

• Content-oriented blogs
• Fan sites
• Web projects that depend on user-generated content (like social bookmarking and social networking sites)

3. Traffic sources

• SEO
• Networking with peers
• Forum posting and signatures
• Relevant comments on blogs
• Guest posts on related blogs
• Link exchanges
• Social media
• Paid ads (especially for branding)
• Links and recommendations from other sites
• Leveraging existing clients or readers

4. Typical content

• Informative and/or amusing articles
• Images and videos (often inserted within articles)
• Online tools and widgets (this type of content varies widely depending on the niche)

5. Where does the money come from?

• Direct ad sales (banners, in-post ads, RSS ads, text links)
• Affiliate links
• Reviews
• AdSense (less effective when the audience is tech-savvy)
• Products and services provided by the webmaster (consulting, books, web design, courses, prints etc.)

6. How it works

Building strong relationships is the key factor for success with this online business model.

You deliver useful web content to your readers on a consistent basis. They get to trust you more and more as time goes by. Consequently, they feel inclined to support you by purchasing products that you recommend and/or create, and also by visiting your sponsors (which they see as sites that you endorse). You also make them subscribe to a RSS feed and/or newsletter, to ensure that your visitors will be constantly exposed to your content — or at least that they won’t forget about you. Additionally, you network with other bloggers and webmasters within your niche and in related ones. You exchange favours with these fellows as much as possible, expecting that they will eventually recommend you to their own readers.

7. Advantages

• Solid, down-to-earth business model
• Reputation building and self-branding (in a positive way)
• Real possibility of leveraging your current relationships when you launch new projects (your readers and peers become your advertisers)

8. Disadvantages

• Significant results — i. e., profits — may take several months or even some years to be achieved
• Lack of relationship skills is not acceptable
• Outsourcing tasks — notably content creation and site promotion — is a necessity if you lack the skills and/or the time they require (this leads to more expenses)

What would you rather do: slowly build a site aimed at long term results, or go down the quick money path? Leave your comments and tell me your choice.

The next monetization model in this series is somewhat related to the visitor-oriented one, as you’ll see tomorrow.