How do I get my website idea to catch on? (Feel free to be brutally honest) | Hacker News Reader

How do I get my website idea to catch on? (Feel free to be brutally honest)

7 pointsbmilesp5 comments

Explanation: So our site is gaiareport.com. It is based on the Drudge Report which I discovered recently--except that our site's content will pertain to environmental issues and hopefully appeal to the large and environmentally conscious populace. Drudge Report rakes in 3,000,000 unique visitors a month, using a very simplistic design. I figure there's potentially similar audiences to be tapped in other areas. I've assessed that Drudge's audience may not be the most tech savvy (or at least less savvy as people here. Or they'd be here, right?) but I could be wrong—Drudge readers please chime in! So now that the fruits of our labors have materialized we're a slightly at a loss from where to go from here, since we're lacking in marketing experience.

In what ways can we reach and retain the largest environmentally conscious audience possible with the goal of making gaiareport.com(a plug, I know) a reliable and appealing environmental news source?

Please share thoughts! Thanks.

The Drudge Report established itself as a player early on by breaking major stories like the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. I think Drudge's success has more to do with the fact that they are a tier one news source versus the simplicity of their design. Also, keep in mind that Drudge built that audience over a period of nearly 15 years.

I'm not a fan of the design myself, and I'm surprised how effective a good design is. I think you can do better.

I'd also hope that you could offer more than just links to the articles.

Maybe take a note from HackerNews, I'm sure there is tons of discussion that goes on regarding the topics and articles as the issues are extraordinarily complex. I think that would be a solid value add.

What I think you have failed to do (or failed to tell us) is why people would visit your site over say TreeHugger.com, or others (I'm sure they exist, but I'm not super enviro-guy, so I don't know them all).

I'm under the impression that drudge focuses on slightly out of mainstream news coverage, but I could be wrong.

No doubt there is a huge market for what you are linking too, but from what I see, you are not yet offering me enough reason to come to you as a source.

Just my 2 cents.

The Drudge Report's biggest selling point is its immediacy.

Unfortunately, the awesome level of immediacy that Drudge reaches isn't needed away from the general news, celeb news, and politics theater.

the other thing is that it needs to be constantly updated.

Cool site man, as an environmental guy myself I dig it. The format is clearly a rip-off of drudge, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. we specialize in environmental regulations in canada so i know the feeling of trying to find your audience (www.nimonik.ca), I'll post a link on our blog.

maybe allow up voting of stories that would change their heading size?

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