Am i missing a trick?

[Freeman1974]

(sorry ive not posted for a while - been spreading myself a bit thin with several projects on the go at the moment!)

Hi

Monetization help please....

One of my sites is kentfind.co.uk. Its a local business directory for Kent, UK which gets around 11,000 UV each month.

Ive got adsence all over it and of course it earns money from selling 'Premium Listings', but im wondering how else i can make it earn a few £ extra!

If i cant make it earn a few more £ then i'll probably sell it off!

Any tips? Thanks

[Andy]

Hi Freeman,

I see to primary approaches here - remote (you do from where you sit) and from the trenches. I'm going to focus on the trenches here.

IMO what you've got to offer is access to your visitors - visitors who are searching for what those businesses in your directory have. Help those visitors find what they want and help the businesses provide what those visitors are searching for and you stand to do quite well.

Build a list of subscribers who are interested in exclusive weekly deals. Then make it available to businesses to offer such deals.

Rent ad space on your popular pages.

Offer to build "full page ads" for businesses in your directory - something that can be updated whenever they choose. Even if all they do is post their hours of operation, what they have to offer, etc. they are far ahead of the game.

Add a restaurant guide with weekly reviews - this could be another list.

Help your businesses build lists o their own.

These are just a couple of ways you can profit from this site. You've done the hard part by building a very nice looking site with traffic. Don't give up.

Andy

[Clinton]

Local sites seem to be best monetised by contacting calling local businesses and getting them to sign up to advertising and premium listings. The cold calling is often handled by contract staff paid on commission. Don't forget local authorities, quangos, colleges etc., who, despite the state of the nation's finances, still seem to be spending generously on promoting themselves (sorry, "serving their clients").

<added> Andy seems to have some good ideas too.

[Freeman1974]

Andy, Clinton - thanks for your replies.

I actually read your replies yesterday and have been having a think about what to do for the best.

Im sure that if i had the experience/time/motivation to impliment even half of your ideas then the site would do very well, but i just dont!

Im thinking i will start a new post (in the right forum) so i can get a rough idea of how much i could get for the site/domain (and the best place to sell it)....at the moment i have no idea.

Thanks again

[BritishARMY]

What Clinton said is good - I know of somebody who earns a large amount of money from local businesses for listing their contact details on his site. Contact local places (phone, email, letter) and ask them if they'd like a spot of advertising on your site... of course you need to make it sound good.

Just my 2 cents... 1 cent came from Clinton.