Monetization of a personal finance website

**Ctash** · 12-12-2009 07:12 PM

I have a solid website concept in development, however since I am not selling a service, the question arises of how will it be profitable? I've done some research and the only methods I find are Google Adsence, affiliate marketing, and advertisement banners. I'm not a fan of these three means of monetization. Anyone have any suggestions?

**richkid** · 12-12-2009 08:52 PM

If you are not selling a service the only options you have is to sell someone elses product or service (adsense/affiliate marketing and ad banners) or to create your own product and promote it through your website.

**dslackman** · 12-12-2009 09:02 PM

Here are 3 alternatives.
You can sell memberships/subscriptions for your site or you can sell information about your members. Neither of these is likely to be lucrative.

Third alternative, is build the web site until it is huge, then sell the site. This alternative will take a while.

**Hall302** · 12-13-2009 02:25 AM

You could write an ebook and sell it from your site

**Wayne Liew** · 12-15-2009 02:40 PM

I guess you need to be clearer with us about what kind of website are you developing. If you are not selling a service, my guess will be it revolves around content (either useful or for entertainment) or you are bridging it to some existing services (add-on). Anyway, we need to know more in order to provide you with better suggestions.

Originally Posted by dslackman

Here are 3 alternatives.
You can sell memberships/subscriptions for your site or you can sell information about your members. Neither of these is likely to be lucrative.

LinkedIn is selling memberships and they are running on a freemium model. There are a lot of membership sites out there, big and small that are actually profitable.

Facebook sells information about their members as the advertisements can be targeted at private information such as location, interests, etc.

**Ctash** · 12-20-2009 03:52 PM

I apologize for being unclear on the website. Generally it would be a mix of greensherpa / mint. The key difference is that greensherpa charges a membership fee, mint does not. Both however do not have quality information on them. I have found a niche market that would benefit from the site I am developing. The problem is the market I am going after would not pay a membership fee(following a conservative business model.) Instead a membership fee, I was thinking about an Iphone app that adds value / enhances user expernience to the web site. As for the size of the market, it is roughly 35 million. Gaining one percent a year presents an opportunity.

**Ctash** · 12-24-2009 11:30 AM

Anyone have any ideas?

**Mega B** · 12-24-2009 11:38 AM

Why are you not a fan of adsense or affiliate marketing as that would seem to be one of the biggest revenue earners going for your site.Is the site up and running yet so that people could take a look at and advice you on the best way to earn revenue ???

**Ctash** · 12-24-2009 11:59 AM

I feel that it would bring the quality of the website down. If you look at any personal finance website, such as Greensherpa or Mint there is neither. The site is not up yet. It is research/development phase.