One of the biggest challenges in operating a community-based web site also happens to be one of the age-old mysteries of the Internet: how can you monetize the site? You’ve got great content, and a growing base of members, but where is the cash? In this article, I’ll describe a rather unique method I patterned loosely after the Priceline.com model.
Building a successful online community is no easy proposition. However, there are some proven strategies that can be employed to help ensure your online community gains enough traction and solidifies its position over the long-term.
When building an online community from the ground up, you have to set your growth and adoption expectations accordingly. To do so, it is important to understand a bit about the lifecycle of a community.
What do Atlanta-based MFG.com and upstart RFQWork.com have in common? One is highly capitalized, the other is not. One has a robust transaction platform, the other does not. One is the proverbial Goliath, the other his potential David. Both have communities behind them, but as you’ll see in this article, a “community” can mean a …