How can I monetise this site?

[JJMcClure]

www.PrimeSolarPanels.co.uk

I could do with some help/suggestions on this (and I think this thread could be very useful for people in a similar boat to me, looking to get started with IM), I'm a website designer looking to move into IM full time (to avoid the need for sourcing new clients ad infinitum) and I have this 12v Solar Panels site that just ticks over, makes next to no money and causes me a bunch of hassle but is established, has some good rankings and could be improved I think.

It gets 500-600 uniques per month for the phrases "12v solar panels" (2nd on Google) and the singular of that, and a bunch of 'lesser' rankings, all achieved with little actual work on my part (might as well be honest) so the numbers are low but there is targeted traffic. Stock is drop shipped so profit margins are slim and I don't see the point of continuing the current model.

So... I'd like to monetise it but don't know where to start, Adsense? New product line? Turn it into an information site? What things spring into the minds of you out of the box ideas guys?

I'd like to use this site (if possible) as a stepping stone to/bit of practice in monetising sites, any suggestions are of course appreciated!

[QualityNonsense]

While you're working out how to monetzie it, be sure to start collecting email addresses so you can contact those people *after* you've cracked it. Aweber makes it dead simple - could use an overlay on page load to collect emails.

[mgallone]

Adsense seems the way to go whilst you build traffic, but I see that (traffic growth) as the most important step here. Perhaps challenge for some higher traffic keywords. Once you have some decent traffic, it might be worth getting in touch with some manfacturers and seeing if you can sort out some kind of advertising deals.

[Clinton]

How you monetise is going to depend on where your skills lie and in what area you wish to develop new ones.

You could, for example
1. Go the ebook route, jv with someone, master CB
2. Go the Adsense route and experiment with placement, colours and ad sizes
3. Go the ecommerce route and sell a wide range of products or arrange drop shippers, master PPC
4. Go the awards and grants route and find some UK or EU quango that'll give you large sums of money for promoting their green agenda

That's just for starters

[JJMcClure]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Regarding Adsense, how well does it integrate with ecommerce sites? Aren't I just sending traffic away from your own site for a few cents when I should be doing everything I can to sell them something from my own site? Should a site just make money in one way and not try to use two methods to monetise?

I'm thinking at this point that since most of the sales are low ticket items like solar toys, I should somehow redesign the site to sell those whilst still maintaining the solar panels aspect because ultimately that's what the domain says and what the rankings are for (and maybe look at new rankings/traffic sources as suggested). I guess I'm swinging towards keeping it as an ecommerce site because at this point that's all I know. Maybe with a different site I can move in a new direction but it's hard to take that first step when I'm not sure what it is.

[delta4]

I would invest in a small collection of articles to explain benefits, how technology works and so on. That way you have more content and you gain more positions on search engines and more visitors.

I would also use aweber or similar to start building an email list. To me it´s one of the most important things. Send only once a month but with links to new articles published on site and new products or special promotions.

With this strategy you may increase sales but at same time you are preparing site to place ads if you decide to go that road.

[hooperman]

You could test Adsense for a while to get an idea of how much you can make per x number of visitors. Then project forward based on the kind of traffic you'd expect to get after adding more content. Are there high search volumes for this kind of thing?

I like delta4's idea about building an email list (only because that's something I've started to do!).

[crabfoot]

I have to preface my comments with a disclaimer - I make "peanuts" from the www, and I joined this forum hoping to learn how to make more.
OTOH I can see ways forward that may help.

The big point I would make is that you appear to be working comfortably with your supplier, to the extent that you are not looking for other suppliers. But you want more sales. Those visitors who come to your site and do not buy are going elsewhere - why not link them to somewhere that also makes money for you?

Regarding Adsense, how well does it integrate with ecommerce sites? Aren't I just sending traffic away from your own site for a few cents when I should be doing everything I can to sell them something from my own site?

You are probably right about this one - but if you have Adsense on your site for a very short time, it might lead you to new suppliers that are actively touting for business in your line, and want to pay less than £3 a click. Of course, you can't click on your own Adsense, so if you want to try this idea you can use my code, if you like! Sensibly, you can go to an Internet cafe or park up at Macdonalds to use their free WiFi from your laptop - if you only have the one computer, download a copy of Firefox Portable, use that so you are less detectable - saves having to flush the cookies out of your normal browser. Different IP and browser will let you click on those ads, they will not chase you as long as you don't overdo it.
You have to be very careful with Adsense - if they ban you, it is sine die.

If you find a supplier, you know what the margins are for dropshipping the things you are already promoting, so you can steer them towards the commission they should be paying you.

Should a site just make money in one way and not try to use two methods to monetise?

I don't see any harm in selling other things that compliment your main sellers, and maintain the focus. The point is to expand the range of ways you can monetise in one way or another. If you have an article about something "related but off the main subject", like autoelectricians that specialise in rewiring camper vans, running Adsense on that page would probably be a good idea.

I'm thinking at this point that since most of the sales are low ticket items like solar toys, I should somehow redesign the site to sell those whilst still maintaining the solar panels aspect because ultimately that's what the domain says and what the rankings are for (and maybe look at new rankings/traffic sources as suggested).

You could set up another domain to sell those, advertised on the panels site, and link to it. A front page display saying "popular items on our sister site" will take the traffic through, and you might be able to expand that site by using it as an eBay Affiliate site whilst running your existing products alongside. There are "free to register" domains that would suit your purpose.
For that matter, you may find people selling complimentary products on eBay may want to deal with you direct. Whatever eBay says, it is usually worthwhile approaching an eBay vendor with a view to getting him to supply you.

I guess I'm swinging towards keeping it as an ecommerce site because at this point that's all I know. Maybe with a different site I can move in a new direction but it's hard to take that first step when I'm not sure what it is.

It looks good as it is - but it does little to inform the buyer. A few good and helpful articles will keep the punters on site longer, and inspire confidence that you know a bit about the subject. That should translate to improved sales ...

[Clinton]

Sensibly, you can go to an Internet cafe or park up at Macdonalds to use their free WiFi from your laptop - if you only have the one computer, download a copy of Firefox Portable, use that so you are less detectable - saves having to flush the cookies out of your normal browser.

That's what I don't like about Adsense. I want to be able to click ads on my site. It's my own site for crying out loud, I should be able to see where those links lead! Why can't they setup some system where they discount the clicks made while I'm logged into my Adsense account? That way I can click and they can ignore those clicks.

I've not heard of this Firefox portable, I'm going to check it out, it seems like a great idea.

I like your tip: Adsense advertisers (and advertisers for the keyword in the SERPS) are a good place to start if you're looking for a merchant.

[Kay]

That's what I don't like about Adsense. I want to be able to click ads on my site. It's my own site for crying out loud, I should be able to see where those links lead! Why can't they setup some system where they discount the clicks made while I'm logged into my Adsense account? That way I can click and they can ignore those clicks.

That really annoys me too. It's MY site. I want to know what I'm advertising. Also, it geographically targeted so I get stuff for, say, Hong Kong hotels. I have to go and beg my pals to look at certain pages and tell me what ads they're seeing. It's not helpful. As a website owner I think I have the right to know what I'm advertising.

I don't ask my friends to click, I just ask them to give me an idea of what the adverts are about - and some of the ads are pretty darned weird. But it's Google and I can't bite the hand which feeds me so I don't complain.