Need help starting an information website

[kimbers1701]

I'm starting an informational website, but I'm not sure how to go about it. If anyone can tell me how much content did you have when you started and could give me some direction, I would appreciate it.

What was the initial layout of your site? How many pages did you have? I'm just trying to figure out how much I need to have ready to get the site started.

I understand that every site is different, but I would like to know how you all started.

[hollyck]

Hi Kimbers

I started with about 15 pages of content I think. As you get more traffic, it gets MUCH easier to get content. When you can tell someone that you get x amount of traffic, people are happy to write articles for you in exchange for getting free exposure on your site.

I would say definitely go for quality of content, and not just quantity. Also make sure it's all or mostly original...the search engines DO NOT like content they find elsewhere on the web and so it won't likely index your page anyway.

Hmmm, not sure what else to say. Please feel free to email me at holly@fussybaby if you have specific questions. I'm certainly no expert but hopefully I could help in some way.

Holly
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[fancyart]

Hello there!

Your best bet is to sketch it out on paper first. The key is to make it easy to naigate through and for it to have continuity.

I also find that people will not read through too much text - so breaking it up with images is important.

Good luck!

Jacquie
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[lauriestroupe]

My first site was mostly informational (http://www.thenaturetrail.com). I started with just a few pages and kept writing and writing and writing. Truthfully, though, I re-designed my site three times because I didn't look ahead and figure out the main categories that I would write about.

And make sure you have a BLOG.
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[NappyKitchen]

Hi kimbers, I'll just touch on few things regarding planning:

1. Decide what interests you.
ON PAPER:
2. Explain why you are interested in your topic.
3. Who is your audience? (don't say 'everyone' )
4. Why is this you audience? (don't say because you want to 'help people')
5. What do you want them to get from the information you provide?
6. Create an outline of how you want to present the topic.
7. Bounce this outline off someone else. Try to use a combination of people who are in and out of your intended audience (2-5 people, if possible. You are trying to find out if your outline has clarity, among other things).
8. After perfecting the outline, draw out how you want your website information to be organized
9. Repeat Step 7 with the outline.

Other things to consider: Is the information relatively easy to obtain or develop? Will you allow you visitors be submit content? If so, how will this be handled? Will you eventually want to monetized the site? If so, how?

Number of pages to start? 15-20 unique, quality pages might be fine to start
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[Leanne]

Hi Kimbers. I know of a site that sells websites on what you;re looking to accomplish. Its called Your Work From Home Place .com. I bought their book and its been nothing but a great help for me ever since. There are so many companies out there and not enough real ones, but this one is on the straight and narrow. Hope it can help you find what you're looking for. If you know of any other places or find any please let me know! Thanks.
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[Kenna]

Hi Kimbers,

I understand your frustration when you have great ideas yet not sure exactly where to start. I bet you can see your end results but are stuck on how to get there.

I strongly suggest, since there can be too much information out there and you may easily fall into the paralysis of analysis syndrome, that you follow a step by step process from someone who has actually been there. Right? You want to mimick the process of someone who has already been there and is successful.

There is no such thing as an overnight success. This takes time but it is so much fun and it is achievable. My mentor is absolutely the best and was voted the #1 Internet Marketer on the IM report. He is genuine and very trustworthy and I believe that is key.

If you need more details. Feel free to pm me.
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[alpacamom]

I have a very interactive and full of information website that is ever changing with sales of animals, products plus information. Too many pages to count. It is a very complex site but easy to maintain with Adobe Contribute. My site is aussiehillalpacas.com. I used a company called bwd-graphics.com. He is a great, honest man who does work for a lower price than I found elsewhere and is easy to work with and has great ideas. I just found that trying to make a website that keeps up with today's expectations is too complicated and takes up too much of my valuable time so I leave it to the experts but one that doesn't nickel and dime me to death. I have done several website changes over the last 8 years to keep it current. Hope this helps.

[omrishabbat]

I started with about 5 pages and now i have 1200+ pages. There is no exact number for how much pages you need but keep in mind that the search engines like big websites (big website=a lot of information).
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