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paulwalker71 View Drop Down
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Points: 215 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Thinking of starting a site - advice please
    Posted: September 09 2009 at 12:51
For quite a while now I've been thinking about starting a prog-related web site. It won't be challenging the might of PA - probably more of a blog for reviews, thoughts and stuff.

But I've been pondering whether such a site is interesting and worthwhile in an arena where we already have the meta-site that is PA, several sizeable prog review sites, plus sites like LastFM. Basically, I don't really want to put a lot of work into something that nobody wants to read!

I think that I've got a few ideas that are a little bit different to the regular sites that you see around the web - although I'd probably best keep them to myself for now Smile

So my question is really about whether people think there is a 'market' - even in a modest sense - for a prog music blog / site. Do people here bother with smaller, independent sites - or do we all just read stuff here on PA?

Any words of wisdom welcome Big smile
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Negoba View Drop Down
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Points: 5208 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 12:55
I read blogs on prog music sometimes, especially on new releases that are a little less known.
 
Usually what I look for in a site is what data is available for my learning and how easy it is to get and digest. PA really does well on that.
 
I'd personally start a blog here, where you're more likely to get more traffic and if it works expand it.
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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Padraic View Drop Down
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Points: 31169 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 12:57
Originally posted by Negoba Negoba wrote:

 
I'd personally start a blog here, where you're more likely to get more traffic and if it works expand it.


I think this is really good advice.
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Mr ProgFreak View Drop Down
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Points: 5195 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 13:25
Creating a music website is a lot of work ... or so I've heard.Wink

If you intend to post mainly reviews or comments/articles then a weblog sounds like a good idea. You could create one for free at blogger.com and post your texts there and in this forum (with links to the blog). With any luck, people might start linking to your blog.Smile
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darkshade View Drop Down
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Points: 10964 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 13:30
Jazz Archives Wink
My Last.fm
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Dean View Drop Down
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 14:46
You may have noticed that on the Internet there is generally one big catch-all site that panders to all tastes (MySpace, LastFM, Amazon, eBay, Google, etc) - other sites offering the same service seldom suceed, since users prefer sites that have a bigger catchment of users so they can find more people with similar taste to them - therefore the bigger you are the bigger you become.
 
The trick is to cater to the niche markets, which is why the PA can be popular and not be swept away by other bigger, more generic review sites like RateYourMusic etc.
 
At this niche level there is more room to manouever and expand, people will happily join more than one niche site, so other sites offering similar services (such ad Prognosis, GPER, ProgEars etc.) also prosper.
 
For a start-up I suggest going down to the next level - to be even more niche, more selective - in other words rather than becoming a general Prog site, which will pitch you up against the plethora of other general Prog sites, become a more specialised subgenre Prog site - for example a RIO/Avant site, or a Neo-Prog site, or being even more specialist like starting a site for Modern UK Prog or for a particular Prog instrument - like Planet Mellotron.
 
You won't get as much traffic as a general site, but this is an advantage because sites with large volumes of traffic are more time consuming to maintain and they require high-bandwidth (expensive) servers.
 
 
What?
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paulwalker71 View Drop Down
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Points: 215 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 17:15
Thank you for the replies thus far, some extremely useful comments - especially from Dean in the post above

The narrow niche approach makes a lot of sense, and fits in with generally received wisdom about blogging too. And as I said, I've got a few ideas for content that are a bit different to the usual reviews and recycled news - there seems little point in re-inventing the wheel anyway.

I confess that I hadn't thought of having a blog here. I've looked at the blog forum and - obviously - it isn't really a blog in the fullest sense of the word. Rather its an opportunity to have your own thread. What I think would be sensible would be to post some of my blog content as a blog here on PA, with links to more content. It would give people a 'taste' of things, and those interested to read more could go to the actual site.

Hmmm. Food for thought Cool

Any further comments more than welcome
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darkshade View Drop Down
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Points: 10964 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 09 2009 at 20:56
i cant see running a successful site that focuses on one sub genre of rock/prog/avant whatever.

i think a Jazz/Classical Archives would be the best way to go, since there isnt one around. And it would cater to people like us, not to mention there would be some albums that would overlap into this one.

there'd be plenty of avant-garde stuff there too, since the site would cover a lot of ground.

but im just spit-ballin'


Edited by darkshade - September 10 2009 at 01:52
My Last.fm
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