CountdownCounty.com – Web Site Proposal Draft 1.03 The following description is a coloration of different ideas and more so a guideline for how the finished product is expected to be, rather then a blueprint. Final features, changes, the look and feel is all up in the air, the only thing written in stone is the site needs to be received from kids 15-25 something like this: “Daaaaaaaammmmn, this is a badass site!†So they can spread the word. The site’s only revenue will be generated off of ad affiliates like Google Adsense, Adbright, ect., and sponsorships from local business. Ad placement is key and needs to be incorporated into the site so the CTR is high and profitable however at the same time ascetically pleasing to our viewers. Except on the home page, Site wide I’d like 3 main banner ads. (Top banner, right side, bottom footer banner) Additional box ads for articles and section pages should be integrated as well. See AllhipHop.com for a great example. The home page needs to be like a summary page entailing the main key features and pages of the site, Wisely placed adds on the home page is extremely important to monetize traffic, it should be different from the rest of the site as it’s the first thing new users will see and they are likely to click all over the place. Again see allhiphop.com for an example I like. Additionally, the site needs to be based on a CMS system so that it is easy to update and maintain, especially in the areas of modifying ad banners, rotation, and placement. CountdownCounty.com will be a community portal and discussion forums/boards for Brevard county, Florida. It needs to be appealing to a younger crowd with cutting edge web development navigation and display technology, however still simple enough to be used by all ages, which means built around the national standard of a 6th grade reading level . Brevard county is home to the following main city’s and the site/forums will have individual sections for each city and its main points of interest (High Schools, Colleges, Hang out spots, ect, ect.) Cocoa Cocoa Beach Melbourne Merritt Island Palm Bay Rockledge Satellite Beach Titusville Viera The site can be broken down in to these two main parts, the site, and the forums. Some of the features the site could have are listed below, all these sections need to be able to have users “comment, tag, embed, link, ect so they can not only communicate and discuss whatever the section may be about but as well socially network the site out to other sites and networks: 1) A section for multimedia, photo’s/videos, we will have a camera team that will go around to different community events and take free photos which will be watermarked and hosted/displayed on the site for people to access and download to put wherever they like. These days, the photos are highly likely to end up on MySpace, Facebook ect., and that’s the plan, free advertisement and continuous traffic. This feature is twofold: An official section for site developed photo’s at scheduled events. And a section for members to upload their own media which should be automatically watermarked upon upload. 2) Community News and Rumors…pretty self explanatory. 3) Interviews, a section for interviews with local community leaders, entertainment professionals, athletes, star students, anybody who helps make our community shine. 4) Member Profiles, basically a section for a watered down myspace, 5) User/member register/Log-In, to be integrated with the site AND the forums. One log in for all. 6) Event calendar, broken down in to different levels (High School sporting events, local shows/concerts, so on) 7) Staff section, once the site is developed, it’s going to take a team of writers, photographers, volunteers, promoters, ect to make it successful, I want a page for the staff and all the people that put hard work into the site to be recognized and honored. 8) Store w/ shopping cart, secure checkout ect. (This does not need to be worked into the site right away, especially with the tight budget I have for the site, however the site needs to be developed with this in mind for the very near future. Matter of a fact the site should be developed in a way so that many features can come in the future, I want to always keep it fresh and give the people something new to play with so they keep coming back.) 9) Promotional tools, “Tell a friend†feature, promotional animated banners, forum signatures, avatars, cell phone backgrounds so on. The community gave Brevard County the name Countdown County, it’s used all over the place on myspaces ect, people love reppin’ where they are from so stuff like this pleases them and def. pleases me. I’m not sure if this will be a site feature or a forum thread as the site is targeted towards a small community, not all of the U.S. or world even. However, if the site is a success I may want to try and replicate that success in other city’s/counties and areas of interest. The forums are pretty easy, vBulliten, integrated into site look/layout/colors. Ad placement is key on forums as well as the forums will probably receive more than 90% of the overall site’s traffic as there is much more reloading, surfing, clicking, responding, reading, ect… Ads need to be found in the regular places corresponding with the rest of the site, and after every first post of each thread or something similar. I currently have a test forum up with all the sections I want on the forums to serve as an example for what I’m looking for as far as what topics will be discussed on the site, it’s located at: http://www.forums.countdowncounty.com/ In conclusion, CountdownCounty.com has a lot of potential if developed and marketed correctly, even though the target market of users is only but one county in Florida, this concept can be replicated and started for communities everywhere. In particular the feel of the site should be more appealing to the side of the “hip-hop†community as it’s going to be mainly marketed through local clubs, popular local street rappers, and high schools. Dark background; Blacks, greys, ect. with bright colored accents, links so on (red/blue/orange, ect.) The budget is tight, I’m a 19 year old kid fresh out of high school, however, I have been doing web sites and graphics since I was 12 and started my own my own web/graphic development and marketing business when I was 16, I’ve been around the industry for a few years so I know what I’m looking at however I am a businessman and will get the best bang for my buck. Id do it myself however the time, resources, and skills required and expected for a site of this magnitude is a little much for a mom and pop shop web designer in college with a part time job lol…id take me forever to get it finished if I didn’t’ already get frustrated and give up on it by then. I’ll throw all my savings at this project if that’s what it takes as I know the investment will reward me 10 fold, I already have local support from a reputable D.J. on the most popular local station, 3 rappers, and a bunch of bois in the hood to form a street team to promote at clubs/malls/schools. I can do my part, I need a web development company that can not only do the above but really show off with this project and shine …All the ideas listed like I said are a guide line…this is a draft, I know as a web designer myself I really hate having to figure out what some customers want as they are horrible at communicating their ideas and visions. However, although I think I have done a pretty adequate job explaining mine, I want it to be understood that all doors are open for any change, addition, or deletion of anything and everything as long as it’s in the best interest of the overall success and profitability of the web site and is discussed with myself first. I like to let the pro’s do their job. I hate it when people tell me to do the silliest things on their page with all disregards to my advice on doing it the proper way for the web. Apart from all that I think I’ve summed it up. Please understand I am very serious about this project and its funding, however I’d also be interested in some sort of fair deal if your company was interested. For now, take care, I’m looking forward to your companies’ feedback on this project as well as a “ball park†quote, and estimated time to take to complete it. (I know I hate that phrase too, but as a customer, you have to ask!) You may reach me anytime @: Phone: (877) HUS-HOLM : (877) 487-4656 Instant Messenger: Hustlin Holmes E-Mail: Sincerely, Chris “Hustlin†Holmes __________________________________________________________________________________ Admired Site’s of Influence (Showing dev. Quality and caliber site of that I am expecting): www.AllHipHop.com www.mtv.com www.GameBattles.com www.bet.com