How do I go about this? The population is approx. 20,000. Do i still use adsense? Do I start the site as free? Require payment later after I get a lot of members? Require payment always? Always free? Suggestions?
I would use some sort of advertisements, not necessarily Adsense but it would work and allow a free and paid option for the site, ie. basic account is free or sign-up for a premium account "x" amount each month. As far as marketing, the local newspaper would probably work well, maybe some postings in Craigslist for the area.
I'd agree with Patrich. Fortunately for you, if it's a local dating site -- you should look into Search Engine Optimization so you can target people just in that particular area. If you are interested in learning more about local advertising - you can actually read one of our blogs on the subject. Tons of these blog postings will be able to help you. I am unable to post live links but Google "Local Advertising Journal" and it will come right up.
One thing I've seen local people done to promote their local websites is pass out fliers in mall parking lots or ad the road signs in high traffic areas. Just find a way to brand yourself as soon as possible with a catchy site name and theme. Many of these sites build up with word of mouth. So if everything goes well, it can become so viral where you will not have to do as much promoting. Love2Write
With only 20,000 people there, yes, stick with simple ads, like Adsense, and other such Networks. Did you have your site critqued? You can do all the advertising you can, but if the site looks like shit.... To keep these and other visitors coming back, which, in turn, can mean more money for you, you should put dating and sexual health articles, and other free stuff in there. Have them come back, time after time. Have your visitors submit their HOTTEST pictures of themsleves. Or find pictures of attractive women and men and create a album of such. Example: http://www.thelist.fm/Picture-Gallery.shtml. Then put in a sales pitch on some of the pages. "Can you imagine meeting someone like her this weekend!..." Scan dating boards for ideas on starting a poll, writing articles and quick tips, or other ideas to put in your site. (If you aren't much o a writer, there are plenty of Webmasters who will gladly give you their articles, providing they can pitch their site at the end of them.) PlentyOfFish and Askmen are two such boards that have plenty of good stuff in it. Set aside say, one hour each day looking for such info. For such an article, you could put in: "The 6 BIGGEST, Dumbest, Unbelievable Mistakes Men Say Women Make In Online Dating." Then have one for men a few weeks later. For such a poll, you could ask your visitors if it is really important to get that first-date kiss. For something totally different, http://www.prontocondoms.co.za/ If you can, or if you can hire someone, put the video in your site. Pass along all your stuff to DIGG readers, and other such bookmarking sites. Also submit them to article directories, and content sites, like online magazines. Don't forget offline, either. Newspapers, magazines, radio stations.... Example: xx.com Has The 6 BIGGEST, Dumbest, Unbelievable Mistakes Men Say Women Make In Online Dating. Use such titles for ads in search engine ads. There's Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask, AltaVista.... Get an advertising campaign going! The only two ways to be successful out there is to advertise and get word of mouth going. Have others critique the ads. Would they go to your site??? If not, improve, punch up the ads. Send off short letters with such info to radio stations. They are always looking for stuff to talk about to fill their air time. There are, who knows how many stations out there! Send off your poll results! And also advertise them! Put a "send to a friend" form on your pages. Start the site as free. There is way too much competition out there, and since you are starting out....