I am setting up an online photo gallery and would like to know what you think. I have 2 options: 1: its a free gallery and i make revenue through AdSense/publisher networks or 2: its a paid to download photos site with no advertising and i make revenue on photo sales. What would you do and why?
You could do both, offer a premium members area with no ads, for a fixed fee and an unlimited number of downloads, and a free section with not as good quality photos and ads.
I'd do both. Offer the free version with a ton of paid ads (if you can get them) and promote the paid version not only ad free, but with special photos that can only be gotten on the paid site. Show the special photos on the free site, but without download capability. Be careful though, if the free site starts making more money from ads than the paid site does from photos, don't play one against the other. Make a decision and promote the high return site exclusively. Don webforcesolutions.com bizbuildsoftware.com turbomaxsoftware.com
Good advice Don. I've heard of a company that will pay you everytime someone downloads a photo of yours, so you might want to look into that. Also, I'd throw in some CPM ads and some affiliate programs related to photos and photography. You have to diversify as much as possible.