Hi there, We run several large free hosting services. We don't want to put ads on user pages. However, we have come up with a (maybe) good idea for a way to make money. We already have co.cc affiliate ads on Error 404 pages (when a user uploads a site with broken links, and their visitors try to click the broken links, they are taken instead to our Error 404 page), but of course it only pays $0.10 per signup. We are thinking of posting Web hosting-related articles on our Error page, along with several AdSense blocks. These blocks would, therefore, be related to Web hosting and probably pay pretty well. And of course, these would be in addition to text stating that the page cannot be found. What do you guys think of this idea? Does it sound like a good way to monetize? Some days, up to 10% of all our network traffic goes to the Error 404 page, so it will get a lot of traffic. But is there some subject other than Web hosting which might get more attention on that page? Thanks in advance for any advice!
ya.......it is good.......keep it up......but i think google will ban you for having no content on that page.......i think you are talking to redirect a 404 page to other url saying all this.......ri8 ?
Yes, that is what I mean. It wouldn't just be ads, though. There will be many articles on Web hosting, etc. ---- here is an early sample: http://www.freei.me/htaccess-page.php (we do plan to make it look better before making it public).
Why do so many visitors end up at 404 pages (seems like it would be a small % of total traffic)? This is a great idea but an even better one might be to mitigate the 404 pages and just funnel them to a money part of your website. The OOPS page might instantly turn someone off and have them closing the page. It's a pretty ingenious way on capitalizing on the broken links but maybe not allow uploads of sits with broken links (if possible) and simply funnel the traffic a different way. I don't see many visitors coming back if they are constantly being taken to 404 pages with adsense on them.
It's amazing how many user upload pages with broken links - that is why there are so many Error 404 views. Of course, it's impossible to not allow users to upload a page with broken links, and I think it would turn off less experienced users as well. The current system seems to work, and we really haven't gotten any complaints (yet!).