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A comment on Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten messages a day on the front page). Parent comment

Re:Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten mes... by bprater on Tuesday July 15, 2008 @02:06PM (#246904)
Agreed, you are missing an important element. There has to be an overriding reason why I should point my browser to your page or grab an RSS feed (assuming you have one). Can I win $100 a day by visiting your page, etc.? Find a hook.
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Re:Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten mes... by thaumaturgy on Tuesday July 15, 2008 @02:42PM (#246936)
No, I think they've got it right. All they need is one hit, one winning message, that'll drive traffic to their site. Once that happens, other people will want a chance to get some exposure there.

The one thing I would suggest is that they add an RSS feed and some syndication tools, and broaden their distribution on the net.

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Re:Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten mes... by bprater on Tuesday July 15, 2008 @03:20PM (#246983)
"Drive traffic" is still the problem. If 10 people a day visit and a person gets 2 hits out of getting their link on the page, they won't be back.

If 10,000 people visited the page each day, and having a link on the page guaranteed 1,000 visitors, you give motivation for people to relist their link.

Another part of the problem is targeting: bad marketing is all about trying to get everyone's eyeballs, great marketing is about selling the guy who is starving for Mexican food a taco.

The current model is unsustainable.

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Re:Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten mes... by r7000 on Tuesday July 15, 2008 @02:16PM (#246911)
I could never figure out why people were visiting the million dollar home page either.
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Re:Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten mes... by nostrademons on Tuesday July 15, 2008 @02:28PM (#246922)
Because it was a new and interesting idea with lots of chutzpah.

Million dollar homepage is the kind of idea that can only work once. Its draw was that it was novel - anyone who tries to copy it is no longer new, and so people don't care. Same goes for Leah Culver's etched laptop: she got sponsors because she got publicity, and she got publicity because what she was doing was new and interesting.

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Re:Feedback on our new site (users bid to put one of ten mes... by r7000 on Tuesday July 15, 2008 @02:57PM (#246957)
Yes, I agree. I meant that with a touch of sarcasm. This idea reminded me a little of that. I offer no opinion on any possible success.
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