Comments on: Web Entrepreneurs: Why an Ugly Website May be More Profitable for You http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/ Blogging Guides, News, Tips, Resources Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:14:47 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Yuwanda Black http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-259036 Yuwanda Black Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:35:34 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-259036 @fds: Sorry to burst your bubble, but not only is Craigslist a profitable site, it's one of the most profitable on the net. Read all about it in the article, <a href="http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-craigslist-poised-for-81-million-in-08-revenue-could-top-100-million-re" rel="nofollow">Craigslist Poised For $81M Revenues In ‘08; Could Top $100M: Report; Facebooks vs Craigslist</a> A quote from this article: "Craigslist stands to bring in $81 million in revenue in 2008, according to a report by researcher Classified Intelligence. If that comes true, it would represent a 47 percent gain over Craigslist’s $55 million revenues for 2007." While it started out as a hobby site for the founder -- no profits intended -- it didn't stay that way for long. Yuwanda @fds: Sorry to burst your bubble, but not only is Craigslist a profitable site, it’s one of the most profitable on the net. Read all about it in the article, Craigslist Poised For $81M Revenues In ‘08; Could Top $100M: Report; Facebooks vs Craigslist

A quote from this article: “Craigslist stands to bring in $81 million in revenue in 2008, according to a report by researcher Classified Intelligence. If that comes true, it would represent a 47 percent gain over Craigslist’s $55 million revenues for 2007.”

While it started out as a hobby site for the founder — no profits intended — it didn’t stay that way for long.

Yuwanda

]]> By: fds@dfslk.com http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-259018 fds@dfslk.com Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:13:33 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-259018 Since when is Craig's List a profitable site? They site and creator are famous for not making a profit or wanting to. Since when is Craig’s List a profitable site? They site and creator are famous for not making a profit or wanting to.

]]> By: Yuwanda Black http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-249113 Yuwanda Black Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:13:02 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-249113 @Eric D: Thank you for clarifying the purpose of the article, which, as you sum up so nicely is to ". . . do what you can with what you got and start where you are." Everyone commented on site design, but this is just a side point to highlight the main issue -- don't let anything stop you from starting. So, if an "ugly site" is where you have to start, then so be it! And to all of the webmasters of the "ugly sites" mentioned in this post, no disrespect was meant. On the contrary, I'm impressed by all of your hard work and wish my sites had 1/10th of your "ugly success." Yuwanda @Eric D: Thank you for clarifying the purpose of the article, which, as you sum up so nicely is to “. . . do what you can with what you got and start where you are.”

Everyone commented on site design, but this is just a side point to highlight the main issue — don’t let anything stop you from starting. So, if an “ugly site” is where you have to start, then so be it!

And to all of the webmasters of the “ugly sites” mentioned in this post, no disrespect was meant. On the contrary, I’m impressed by all of your hard work and wish my sites had 1/10th of your “ugly success.”

Yuwanda

]]> By: edwin http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-248079 edwin Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:58:26 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-248079 Hi, thanks for your post. Very valuable for me because my site just used free template with html coding only because I can't to build with another scripting language. After ready your article, I know I'm at the right way. Thank you very much. Hi, thanks for your post. Very valuable for me because my site just used free template with html coding only because I can’t to build with another scripting language. After ready your article, I know I’m at the right way. Thank you very much.

]]> By: Missy http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-247412 Missy Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:32:50 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-247412 Interesting how many jumped on the "Google is not ugly" wagon. I too don't find it an ugly site, but a bare one. And bare doesn't equal ugly. I just totally contradicted myself. LoL. I have several blogs which are in mid planning stage, such as the one i linked to above in my comment. But like you said, just get going with it. Over time, as i have more money to re-invest, i can have a better (or custom) theme in place. I really plan on turning the above blog, into an affiliate blog. But i would venture to say, that content trumps design. Take Maki of Dosh Dosh, he re-designed his blog a few months back, and there is nothing spectacular about it. But his content is so good, the design barely matters. http://www.doshdosh.com Interesting how many jumped on the “Google is not ugly” wagon. I too don’t find it an ugly site, but a bare one. And bare doesn’t equal ugly. I just totally contradicted myself. LoL.

I have several blogs which are in mid planning stage, such as the one i linked to above in my comment. But like you said, just get going with it. Over time, as i have more money to re-invest, i can have a better (or custom) theme in place.

I really plan on turning the above blog, into an affiliate blog. But i would venture to say, that content trumps design.

Take Maki of Dosh Dosh, he re-designed his blog a few months back, and there is nothing spectacular about it. But his content is so good, the design barely matters.

http://www.doshdosh.com

]]> By: Bags deal http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-247018 Bags deal Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:09:40 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-247018 I would prefer a nice blog design to a poor one...you know, although the profit is attractive, nice blog can be also a successful one. I don't want my visitors have bad impression. I would prefer a nice blog design to a poor one…you know, although the profit is attractive, nice blog can be also a successful one. I don’t want my visitors have bad impression.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-246982 Kevin Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:36:36 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-246982 Hey Yuwanda, I'm really interested in seeing the site you are working on. It sounds like you are excited about it. Congratulations on finally taking that first step. You have to start some where and you're well on your way! I recently dropped a post on the best freelance marketplace sites for hiring web designers and developers. Thought you may find it helpful if you are shopping around for someone to help with some coding for your new site. Best of luck with your new endeavor, keep us posted! http://tomuse.com/2008/09/18/top-10-freelance-markeplaces-hiring-web-designers-developers Hey Yuwanda,
I’m really interested in seeing the site you are working on. It sounds like you are excited about it. Congratulations on finally taking that first step. You have to start some where and you’re well on your way!

I recently dropped a post on the best freelance marketplace sites for hiring web designers and developers. Thought you may find it helpful if you are shopping around for someone to help with some coding for your new site. Best of luck with your new endeavor, keep us posted!

http://tomuse.com/2008/09/18/top-10-freelance-markeplaces-hiring-web-designers-developers

]]> By: Reveiw Online Dating Sites http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-246591 Reveiw Online Dating Sites Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:40:20 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-246591 It's really amazing. Thanks for the article. I'm always wondering how much different websites make. Natalie <a href="http://www.reviewonlinedatingsites.com/top_dating_sites.htm" rel="nofollow">top dating sites</a> It’s really amazing. Thanks for the article. I’m always wondering how much different websites make.

Natalie
top dating sites

]]> By: Eric D http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-246382 Eric D Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:22:40 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-246382 I dont think ugly is real issue here. What I get out of this article is to do what you can with what you got and start where you are. Then grow from there. I have had problems with that in the past. I have two websites that are nothing fancy. They make about 600 a month now. They are plain html done in Dreamweaver because at the time that is all I knew. Now I have ideas for other sites and have purchased domain names but I say to myself I need to do php and mysql and automate and this and that and keep putting it off. Those sites make zero. So in the end putting up a basic site and making a couple hundered to start is better than no site and nothing at the end of the day. Thanks for this article.............kind of got me kick started again.......cheers..eric I dont think ugly is real issue here. What I get out of this article is to do what you can with what you got and start where you are. Then grow from there. I have had problems with that in the past. I have two websites that are nothing fancy. They make about 600 a month now. They are plain html done in Dreamweaver because at the time that is all I knew. Now I have ideas for other sites and have purchased domain names but I say to myself I need to do php and mysql and automate and this and that and keep putting it off. Those sites make zero. So in the end putting up a basic site and making a couple hundered to start is better than no site and nothing at the end of the day.

Thanks for this article………….kind of got me kick started again…….cheers..eric

]]> By: Links: 2008-09-19 | Meryl.net http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-246271 Links: 2008-09-19 | Meryl.net Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:19:11 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-246271 [...] Why an Ugly Website Might Be More Profitable for You: Sage advice from Yuwanda. Wish I had an idea in the first place. [...] [...] Why an Ugly Website Might Be More Profitable for You: Sage advice from Yuwanda. Wish I had an idea in the first place. [...]

]]> By: Josh @ Tempe AZ Real Estate Listings http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-246069 Josh @ Tempe AZ Real Estate Listings Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:27:09 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-246069 Dude! Google is not an ugly site. In terms of an ugly site, ugly is sometimes advantaegous because it makes the pretty advertisements all that much more appealing! Plenty of fish is pulling in 10K in adsense a day? Adsense looks pretty gosh darn appealing. Nice blog. Josh Dude! Google is not an ugly site.

In terms of an ugly site, ugly is sometimes advantaegous because it makes the pretty advertisements all that much more appealing! Plenty of fish is pulling in 10K in adsense a day? Adsense looks pretty gosh darn appealing.

Nice blog.

Josh

]]> By: ceblogger http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-246028 ceblogger Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:36:16 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-246028 the design of the sites you mentioned are not that bad. They're just too plain-looking and simple, and may oftentimes, underestimated. It's their marketing method that's effective, something that is invisible to our eyes. the design of the sites you mentioned are not that bad. They’re just too plain-looking and simple, and may oftentimes, underestimated. It’s their marketing method that’s effective, something that is invisible to our eyes.

]]> By: Kit Kat http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-245368 Kit Kat Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:28:02 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-245368 I think it is all about selling,marketing and most of all hard works. Ugly guy can have beautiful wife also, cause they know how to sell themselves. I think it is all about selling,marketing and most of all hard works. Ugly guy can have beautiful wife also, cause they know how to sell themselves.

]]> By: sean http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-245219 sean Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:50:49 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-245219 I also disagree with google being ugly but this article has prompted me to get my idea up and running. i've also been slowly working on a site but I think I need to get it live so it start can growing. Still keep working to perfect it but not obsess over it being perfect before i put it up. I also disagree with google being ugly but this article has prompted me to get my idea up and running.

i’ve also been slowly working on a site but I think I need to get it live so it start can growing.

Still keep working to perfect it but not obsess over it being perfect before i put it up.

]]> By: SIMB Melbourne Web Design http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/09/17/web-entrepreneurs-why-an-ugly-website-may-be-more-profitable-for-you/#comment-245152 SIMB Melbourne Web Design Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:13:32 +0000 http://www.bloggingtips.com/?p=2936#comment-245152 I agree with Kevin - a good design should improve the overall sales potential of the site (i.e., customers are likely to believe the business behind the site is professional if the site looks professional). That being said, some graphic designers are not sales oriented, and do not properly grasp how a site becomes an effective marketing tool. If the site looks pretty but there is no strategy behind the visuals and the text, then the whole point is lost. I agree with Kevin – a good design should improve the overall sales potential of the site (i.e., customers are likely to believe the business behind the site is professional if the site looks professional). That being said, some graphic designers are not sales oriented, and do not properly grasp how a site becomes an effective marketing tool. If the site looks pretty but there is no strategy behind the visuals and the text, then the whole point is lost.

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