Ok, here is the background: I have been working with directories for almost 5 years now. I was in early and built up a few decent directories that had monthly income and I sold them all off when Gooogle started unfairly penalizing the industry. After selling off my general directories I started a few niche directory projects but never put much time or effort into them. Now I am sitting with a few niche directories that don't make any money because they have been abandoned. I don't want to sell them off for peanuts but I don't have much time to devote to them. I have been thinking about taking in a partner on some or all but not sure what type of arrangement would be suitable so we can both profit in the future. Open to all type of suggestions and ideas. Here are the niches: Health Fashion Music Travel Real Estate Webmaster Entertainment
I'd just do what works already. Hire an editor to fill them; Build links to rape in the search traffic; Monetise the targeted search traffic; Keep adding articles etc to bring in more and more traffic; Sell if you no longer want it.
i wouldnt suggest working with a partner. However, if you need cash, you can find a sponsor that would take monthly flat fees for a initiral budget that he provides.. i guess you can call him a partner. But when you get into making decisions and who did more or less work or what new mod to install or not and so forth, its wayyy too much headache to handle
I am working full-time in an in-house SEO position so I don't really have the free time to devote to even doing the basics. I don't really need a partner to invest money in any of the projects, really just need someone to help build links and fill the directory with useful sites.
@jg123: What Mikey wanted to say was 'hire' a directory editor who can help you build and maintain the directory. I think he has mentioned Naresh Shah in past (matrixsoftwarez on this forum, correct me if I am wrong).
Jay, all can be outsourced. Few people including myself have time to fill a directory, so we pay people to do it for us. You can hire someone for link building, template design etc. It's the way most professionals work these days.
ya, i have been outsourcing for years!! I guess I was thinking along the lines of a partner having a stronger motivation to help the site succeed. For example, one is a music portal (portal4music.com) and I think I have a nice template and a good setup with a blog a few articles and an amazon page but I could really use a partner with an interest in music, someone that spends time on music forums and could promote the site directly to folks that have an interest (and websites) in music.
I think the advice given to not get a partner is exactly the rite one, there are to many complications and is like a marriage, to many wrong ways to go, hire people to do what you can not do your self, any partner per say who would have the talent to make the site a success would just go out and do it themselves anyway so you would only be dragging some hopeful with stars in their eyes. would not touch the partner game with a barge pole, you can work and support others in a mutual way but not linked at the hip unless it was a very close and long term based on many years trust, but even then it;s best to retain your own identities.