OK, I'll say it First let me tell you about something I saw last night on National Geographic. It was about poor kids all over the world, with no parents, working on factories, and mines, and being sick, and whatnot. I got into the mmo thing because basically I need 10k (more, actually, but...). I don't need it NOW RIGHT AWAY, but I need it by the end of the year. I thought, these kids need the money more than I do, but I also have my issues to attend to... Now this is what i thought: I thought I could start another website like the million dollar home page, but for $0.01/pixel (which equals to a $1 minimum). That makes up for exactly $10,000. I was thinking I could start it as a fund raiser for the kids. I could then take $1,000 for me (which is far from my target, but I need as much cash as I can) and make it clear for buyers that I get 10% for myself, and the rest of the money would be distributed through child care charities. I already found a few good ones at charitynavigator.org - tells you which ones do their job well. Like the million dollar homepage, the ads stay there permanently. Because I don't know if I can pull something like this with success. I mean, it's a double sided deal: you pay for advertising, but that money is also a charity contribution. What do you say? In terms of technology and whatnot I can manage, I don't really need help in that area: it's the marketing and the success that worries me... (please be nice if it's a stupid idea)
I could offer proof of payment. Even better, I think Charity Navigator.org would be willing to let me place their trust badge on the site if they approve it. Maybe they can become advertisers themselves.
It wouls really help if you had their trust badge, but you have to understand that so many people ahve tried to do these types of sites and they have failed miserably. You would have to find some way to market it for success.
I already contacted them to see if they would provide me with their charity trust badge (they allow me to put these no matter what, though: charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=137). As for marketing, I don't know how I might pull it off... thats why I'm asking if you think this could work out. I was thinking that social media might be one of the largest sources of traffic, with bloggers, diggs, stumbleupons, etc.
I could make you a Facebook application to promote the concept and get traffic to your site. It's quite easy to gain thousands of new users per day with a Facebook application, which would also convert well I'm sure because you won't be charging much it seems like. Let me know what you think
I'm sorry to tell you this, but's already been done 100's of times over the copy cats of the million dollar idea never did too well, even Alex's second go at the million pixel idea didn't go to well and he had to close it as it quickly ran out of advertisers.
I understand that. The difference here is that 1. It's cheaper. Much cheaper, exactly 100 times cheaper. Also, it's a contribution to charity (except for that %10 of mine, I need some cash too). The only thing I have done concerning this idea is posting this thread. I know many other people have failed, but I think maybe people will convert if it is for a good cause...
Bad idea, it would never work. Pixel market is saturated and pointless now, even if you have a good cause.
Besides, you say you need 10k. So therefore you would need to run 10 of these sites, right? Or at least do this effort 10 times. But it's not fast selling these blocks as you think it may be. So you really think you can make 10k quick enough? With that in mind, wouldn't we be wary that you may jump with the funds you need?
Wonder how Google sees these pixel sites now .... is it classed as selling links ? Would Google penalize the site ? Would Google penalize all the buyers aswell ? Go and sell a Corn Flake on eBay for a couple hundred 1000 dollars - oh wait eBay pulled down that listing too .... DoH!
bad idea, first off who is going to believe you even if you have the badge thing. and second if you take 10% and then give the rest to charity well the charity's usually take around 20% them selfs or more... so if you think about it the kids are getting even less money if they are using your site... the whole thing seems to much like a scam to me
I need 10k in total (personal reasons). I just thought I could raise funds for charities and make 1k in the process. As for the trust issue, that's why I was contacting Charity Navigator.org to see if they could sponsor me. I wouldn't, under any circumstances, lie to someone just to scam them. Anyways, I'm not going to do it. Not only because everyone here told me not to, but because marketing it and actually getting attention to it is a pain.