[Drewbee]

Hello everyone, I have been thinking of ideas of what I want to make a website about (I have full programming/database background). However, I tend to get an idea, create it, then dump it because it gets to intense to do. I keep trying to make something so extrodanary and extremly technical that the feasability never comes close. My goal is to keep it simple now.

My next idea is of the idea is a remotely hosted link trader manager. Meaning webmasters can exchange links with other webmasters, and use the manager to make sure they keep the link on each others website. Of course the hole notifications, time without a link etc will be the features and items that come with the account.

Before I even get started on this project, does this seem like a good idea, or should I try something else?

[ZeeApprentice]

good idea but please elaborate more

[Drewbee]

heh, sorry. After reading that it doesn't really make much sense, I guess.

I will assume you know what I mean by link trading between webmasters.

Account
- view who has exchanged links with
- search directory of websites already joined to request link trade
- private message board between users who have exchanged links for terms and whatnot


Link trader
- Checks specified webpage for required link, if none exists will tell the owner of the link that their link has been removed, and keep a count of how many days it has been removed.
- user can specify links (including images or link/image combo) that they require the person they are trading with to use. If the code is modified in any way, it will default to non-existant link.
- user can specify the exact page(s) that they want on the other persons website to appear on. (will be discussed through private message board).

This will just be the basic setting for it. I am sure I can come up with some advanced features that will require a paid membership fee, who knows. I am not sure how I want this to go, whether it be a "pay for membership", or "free service with ads" type of deal.

[mxer210]

This seems like a good idea in theory, but do you have the resources to execute?

[akula]

Originally Posted by Drewbee

Hello everyone, I have been thinking of ideas of what I want to make a website about (I have full programming/database background). However, I tend to get an idea, create it, then dump it because it gets to intense to do. I keep trying to make something so extraordinary and extremely technical that the feasibility never comes close. My goal is to keep it simple now.

My next idea is of the idea is a remotely hosted link trader manager. Meaning webmasters can exchange links with other webmasters, and use the manager to make sure they keep the link on each others website. Of course the hole notifications, time without a link etc will be the features and items that come with the account.

Before I even get started on this project, does this seem like a good idea, or should I try something else?

http://www.text-link-ads.com/ was a hit...compared to a lot of free link exchange bullshit scenarios..so you might also be a hit...

..but even with paid text link exchange nowadays, there is a lot of competition and it doesn't sound like you have a clear competitive advantage. google text link exchange...and if you don't have a competitive advantage, then you shouldn't compete.

That said, I personally would use a link exchange service, so would everyone else I know...so there is demand.


I urge you to do primary market research and send me a survey, so you can better qualify and execute your ideas.

[Drewbee]

Originally Posted by mxer210

This seems like a good idea in theory, but do you have the resources to execute?

Yeah, this is just a matter of spending the little free time I do have programming it. This project is about 70% easier to do then what I was doing last time.

The last project I was working on should have also had atleast 2 or 3 more programmers, someone to run the business itself etc., and technical support peeps. The last one I was creating was very similar to http://www.adspeed.com. After googl'ing around and finding that site, I decided that I had nowhere near the resources to run that business. Not to mention they already had an awesome setup! It was so weird when I ran across it, because it was basically a "live" version of mine, save the templates/grahpics etc.

Anyways Back to the point, Yeah I have the ability to do this, and as akula pointed out their is a demand. However, I am most certain this will be one of the "free for ads" type. Although almost anything has profit related to it, as long as their is a way, because their is definatly a will.


Oh, Akula, either I am misinterpreting your reply, or you are misinterpreting what I am trying to do. I used the wrong word when describing "text link trader" as well. Perhaps "recipricol links" would give a bit clearer picture for you. Hope that clears it up!

[akula]

Originally Posted by Drewbee

Oh, Akula, either I am misinterpreting your reply, or you are misinterpreting what I am trying to do. I used the wrong word when describing "text link trader" as well. Perhaps "recipricol links" would give a bit clearer picture for you. Hope that clears it up!

No no, I read you right. This is what I am saying to you.... I know of successful paid text-link exchange startups. They are doing very well. I don't know any successful free reciprocal link exchange startups.

So, logically....if you want to be a successful startup, do you want to do paid text links, or reciprocal link exchange?

[Drewbee]

def. paid links, eh? the link you provided text-link-ads looks very interesting. Same concept as adbrite, sort of, only with text ads. And you pay for a month rather then for CPC/CPM.

[akula]

Originally Posted by Drewbee

def. paid links, eh? the link you provided text-link-ads looks very interesting. Same concept as adbrite, sort of, only with text ads. And you pay for a month rather then for CPC/CPM.

OK...lets discuss how you can finally have a successful run at this whole internet startup thing.

Yep, text-link-ads is good. why is that? because there is a quality product and ease of use.

Compare that to some reciprocal linking shingding, or a link farm; a) you have to be a tech savvy webmaster to use the stuff b) you get bullshit, contextually irrelevant, 3PR splogs as the kind of websites that wanna do the link exchange with you and c) the whole thing is hard, and time consuming.

My advice:

a) Approch a minimum of 100 prospects to find out if b) is wrong.

b) Start something like http://www.onewaytextlinks.com/ ...but without the reciprocal crap.

Have an online application where I can pay $XX and buy xx number of inbound links pointing to my website. That's it. Keep it simple.

You've just gotta be very clear about your target market. Text-link-ads became successful because they targeted non webmasters, when their competitors just assumed (and still do) that everyone on the internet is an egghead. Don't think this doesn't apply to you.

Take it from some without a bias: your current mindset will lead you to design technically sophisticated software, which you'll then try to sell to non technical users. No points for guessing how that's gonna turn out.

Do the surveys. Ask your self why you've been failing. Then make a change. Promise your self that you're not gonna let this project turn out like your other project. Do something different, if you want diffrent results. Do the surveys.

[Drewbee]

Ok, so obviously at this point I have switched over to a pay-for-placement mode of thinking. I will come back at you while I think about this for a while.

I am really starting to see a way to combine my old project (ad server, removing alot of the bulk though, just using the ad delivery logic), along with the ideas of adbrite.com, and text-link-ads.com.



If a service could be designed with the idea in mind to help people (x) that are not webmasters, that could offer ad management (text ads, ease of creating image based ads) that so said (x) could go to this site, make the ads they want to display, then search for sites from publishers that meet exactly what they want to display on, and for how long (via clicks,impressions,timeframe etc) then let the system do all the work from their on out. The publishers would have to be approved of course, and the advertiser would be putting ads on sites ONLY that they want to put them on, which they would think to be the most relavant. Easy to manage is the key here though. The advertiser would need to know absolutely nothing about html.

I know this may sound complex, but it is really very simple to accomplish, given enough time.

Ideas or thoughts?

[djexelta]

http://www.linkexchanged.com/