How to Build a Content Website

This article is a summary of my own business model. I am a website publisher who runs a network of content websites. To build any of these websites, refer to our 'Build Your Website' section.

The following content website models are most popular:

E.g. http://www.dotcomwomen.com

A Portal or a 'Magazine' site as it is called will target a broader range of subjects and visitors instead of focusing on just one niche. My site DotComWomen.com has content in various categories like beauty, business, decorating, crafts, pregnancy, parenting, cooking etc. Content for such a website has to be gathered from various sources, purchased or written which is a lot of work. Also, the website has to be regularly maintained and updated.

How You Can Earn Money From This Website Model:

You can either make it a membership access site i.e. you charge members for allowing access to the content or you can (as I do) keep all content free and earn through advertisements.

A membership site works only if you have exclusive content which is not available anywhere else. If you are telling visitors how to cure a certain disease and want them to pay a certain amount for accessing that info, they will prefer to get that info from a dozen other sites giving it to them free of cost. Remember, internet is an 'information super highway'.

It will be safer to keep your content free and monetize your website with ads. You can also sell some related products which might be of use to the visitors you are targeting. You can sell your own products or services or join an affiliate program. For the different ways in which you can monetize your website, read our Earning from your website' section.

2. Information Site

E.g. http://www.vintagecraftpatterns.com

An information site focuses on a niche topic or a few related or un-related topics and provides free information on them. The example above gives pure information on crafts and provides free patterns. Once the content is added to this type of website, it is not necessary to update it very often. This reduces your work to half.

How You Can Earn Money From This Website Model:

Once again, you can either make it a membership access site i.e. you charge members for allowing access to the content or you can (as I do) keep all content free and earn through advertisements. For the different ways in which you can monetize your website, read our Earning from your website' section.

3. Community

A community will usually be some kind of Forums, Bulletin Boards etc. where people can interact. If you intend to develop a community, you will save time gathering content for your website because community members will automatically post new topics and your website will get content. Many people (myself included) prefer to have communities attached to the main site. E.g. http://www.dotcomwomen.com/forums and http://www.momtycoons.com/forums

How You Can Earn Money From This Website Model:

Similar to the above models, you can either make it a membership access site i.e. you charge members for allowing access to the content or you can (as I do) keep all content free and earn through advertisements. For the different ways in which you can monetize your website, read our Earning from your website' section.

4. Blogs

E.g. http://www.latatokhi.com

Blogging has recently evolved as the latest type of content websites. In simple words, to blog means to write a diary or a journal online. This website model has a lot of advantages. A typical website needs to be built for weeks or even months before it can be published, but a blog can be started immediately and grows with every post you add to it. Blog softwares are easily available and there is no hassle of designing a website. You get a turnkey, automated blog website ready for you to start posting. Blogs are also very search engine friendly.

How You Can Earn Money From This Website Model:

You can earn by selling advertisements on your blog. For the different ways in which you can monetize your website, read our Earning from your website section.