Returning After an Abscence, Question About Community Site

Originally Posted by Marty K.

Could you or others suggest how I can promote the site (low cost and big time) and then convey that to owner?

If I was the business owner you came to with that site full of nothing but ads, I'd want to know what's in it for me. You get the bucks for the ad, but what do I get?

The only answer that's going to make me write a check is, "Your ad will be seen by at least 800 Henderson residents every day. Here, look at these web logs and you can see the local traffic the site gets everyday."

I suggest you put up a forum where locals can rant and rave about practically anything that affects them and their town. People love local chat, as proven by the Topix forums. Here's a Topix example from my town.

Then you just have to let the locals know there is a place they can go to express their opinion about the new mayor, or the latest scandal with the school board. Tell somebody that knows somebody, and keep telling until the traffic builds. "Hey Mary, did you see the comments on the Henderson site about the city councilman caught with his hand in the till?" "Henderson site? What's that?" So you tell her about it and how to find it...and she tells a few of her friends. Few times of that, and you'll have some traffic to sell against.

Then, place the business ads in amongst the various threads.