From an idea, to a website, to potential earnings. Follow this thread. Learn, share, and watch two websites grow.

**CGM** · 02-20-2010 04:30 PM

So, this could be potential interesting or incredibly boring. Either way, I have purchased two new domains for two separate current projects.

The first one: KnowThisNews.com

My plans here are creating a news website, with a layout and interface similar to that of Digg.com in that news articles can be rated, commented on, and submitted by users. Its news that you find important, and that I find important for others to known. Cnn.com, Msnbc, etc all have good news buts its more or less the same from site to site. When big things happen, like the Haiti's earthquake, its all you hear/see on those networks, and other stuff goes without much notice. So its just another alternative news website.

I have a marketing plan set out, with features of the site itself to (hopefully) help out too. Examples: Facebook login. You can log in to KnowThisNews with your facebook credentials, instead of creating a new account. Benefit of this (for me) is their are features where news you report or rate can be posted directly to your facebook wall, meaning (hopefully) more clicks coming in to my site. Also, external links (such as original sources for news) are opened under a in-site toolbar, so you never have to really leave the site. The tool bar will have functions to comment on the article, and rate it too.

I have some other thoughts on bought advertising, on related sites where I can sponsor a forum (txt link: "Forum Sponsored By: KnowThisNews.com and banner ad on every page within that particular forum) for very reasonable prices.

Advertising spots could also be bought on this site.

Thats phase 1 for KnowThisNews.

The Second One: LandShuffle.com

This is a bigger project, in that it will take me longer to develop and get it where I want it to be. Owning land has been a dream of mine for a long time, and I feel like its within my grasps in the coming years. I want a place where I don't have to see neighbors, and they don't have to see me. I feel like the demand for land and acreage will only increase in time as people decide to move away from cities. LandShuffle will be a place where people can post land they have for sale, and where others can contact said listers.

How to market this? To begin, it will be a grueling process. My plan is to simply search all major Craigslist areas for rural land sales, contact the owners and see if they'd be interested in promoting their land sales on my site as well. I think I could get a decent ammount of initial listings on my site, which will all be offered for free.

Alternatively, premium listings cost $5 and they get displayed on the main page and first search result listings if someone searches for land in a particular area where they are selling it.

I would also sponsor a forum, as mentioned above there is very competitive and reasonable pricing when the right site is found.

Thats phase one for LandShuffle

So, why should you care?

If you would like, I can keep this thread updated with how things are going so you can see the process from an idea, to a website, to potential earnings over a period of time. I would be willing to share all information regarding these, as a way for those new to this to learn from me and as a way for me to learn from input within this thread.

If you have any questions, or comments, by all means post away.

Money Spent So Far Feb-20th, 20
Domains $7.67 X 2 = $15.34 after tax
Hosting: Currently free hosting as I develop the sites, will get paid hosting only after sites are created and tested.

**mtnjkwe** · 02-20-2010 04:41 PM

Why dont you create a blog?

**CGM** · 02-20-2010 04:44 PM

Thought about it, was just wondering if anyone here in particular would like to keep up with it. If so, its easier for me to just update this thread and answer questions then it is for me to manage a blog on top of it. I'm already here a lot during the day reading.

Thought it might be fun and/or interesting to follow.

**mtnjkwe** · 02-20-2010 05:08 PM

Okay, it does not look like a bad idea.
I will be willing to follow you during your journey.

**floatsam73** · 02-20-2010 06:32 PM

Nice...I am in a similar path but at the very initial phase of 'dreaming' about the website and it's potential. Following your thread might be a interesting/inspiring experience for me. Please keep posting.

**jake_russell** · 02-20-2010 08:31 PM

I would be very interested in continued posts on this subject and your experience.

Just as an aside, i worked in a real estate office for a while and we posted to alot of websites. I think most realtors would be willing to post on your site especially if it was free. If you wanted to get the word out to them there is a magazine released by the National Association of Realtors that you could advertise in.

**CGM** · 02-24-2010 02:07 AM

Thanks for the comments everyone, here are the updates.

KnowThisNews.com has officially launched. The content is rather limited right now, but I will now begin to add new articles daily. Also, as a community based websites I need to encourage visitors to submit relevant news as well.

As far as marketing goes, I really haven't had time to do anything. Four days ago I had just bought the domain, today I am adding content. I did submit my sitemap to Google using their Webmaster Tools and attempted to DMOZ it, however was getting a server error on their part. After this thread I'll tweet the link, include it in my signature on other forums, facebook it, and then sleep. Its been a long day.

With the script I am using to run the site, it makes it difficult to track properly the analytics and stats using Google Analytics which I enjoy using. Its a minor issue which I plan to resolve soon, and after that I will start sharing traffic information and sources, and ad revenue information when it becomes available.

LandShuffle.com is still currently being developed. This I can not rush, as this will actually provide a service and I need to make sure the features are in place that I feel I need to make it a success. And, I am going to have to put some money into it. I will share all money spent on this project and the outcomes, and thoroughly discuss it.

Also, I did add a link to a personal blog I started today, although I would still like to keep this thread up because I will post the personal information here, and I will probably post a link to this thread on my blog as a way for those who stumble upon it to just read the project information here.