Busines Idea - Is this viable and could it generate an income?

[Lynn 007]

Hello

My apologies up front for the length of the e-mail but I want to try to provide you with a clear picture to offer your comments.

I'm nearly ready to charter the waters of the online business world and have come up with a number of ideas but I keep coming back to one that I believe would offer value to readers, be sustainable and is something that I would enjoy but I'm so new to this I'm not sure how to make money from it.

I love my neighbourhood. It offers everything within a 15 minute walking distance. It consists of old money living in estate homes, new money living in newly constructed condos, retirement homes, and rentals. It has some of the finest restaurants in the city but also a few diners that are known for their greasy breakfast. It is home to decent sports bars, one or two which are home clubs to premier league soccer clubs (ie - manchester united), a number of nite clubs some geared towards the 20+ crowd and others for the over 40 crowd, comedy clubs, dinner theatres, ethnic restaurants. It also has any a variety of health food stores, at least 5 yoga studios, boutique shopping, day spas, fresh fruit markets. Along with a small mall that has a number of chainwide stores and two large chain movie theatres (I believe 8 theatres in each complex). We also have quite a few parks. For me, my neighbourhood has everything.

Because so many people live here and we have quite a few tourists I was thinking of starting a website on my neighbourhood. I could research and write about different types of yoga and where they could take classes, where you and a group of friends can go and cook your own gourmet meal in a private dining room under the watch of a professional/celebrity chef. I could write about soccer matches coming up and the best place to watch the sports game in the neighbourhood. I could write an article on the health food stores and information sessions they have. I could include a shopping site and include any sales' of local businesses or special events for new moms (mommy and me movies). Any festivals that are coming up. There is so much to see and do here; there is always something going on.

Can you see a website such as this being useful or is it too broad? Also, since this would be my first website, how do I make money if I prefer not to have a website full of advertisers on my page. e-book? donate button?

Before I jump in with both feet and get this started or move on to another idea, can you offer any fedback?

Thanks

Thanks
Lynn

[Brutha]

Can you see a website such as this being useful or is it too broad? Also, since this would be my first website, how do I make money if I prefer not to have a website full of advertisers on my page. e-book? donate button?

If you make a site like that you make money by letting someone pay you a small price to specially promote local events.

[MattMacola]

Hi Lynn,

Go for it! This idea has been used so many times before and works. Just get some content... a bit of traffic and start selling advertising. You'll not get rich doing this but if the city is big enough you could do a few thousand a month for sure if you got enough traffic and advertisers. You could sell advertising to local shops, hotels, events ect.

[Lynn 007]

Thanks for your comments.

My ultimate goal with an online business is to generate enough of an income to live on a boat in the caribbbean for a few months a year.

I'm going to do more research and decide.

[ssandra]

I'd say go for it.

It sounds like you are extremely enthusiastic about the idea, so that is always a good sign.

I agree with what has been said before, once you have the site up, you can start by selling advertisement. Just have a side on the right or top where you put the banners of the local advertisements.

Even if you wouldn't make that much money with this site, you will learn so much that you can use in a next project or website. It will not be a waste of time.

Besides, you love writing about your neighborhood, so even if it brings you only a little money, you still get it while doing what you love. What can be better then that?

[Manomanman]

Local business advertisements could make you some money.

I don't see this site going intergalactic, but it would be a good way to get experience working online.

[MattMacola]

You could make some nice money if you think about this with a business mind. The big problem with this whole business model is that your limited to just your city... but if you could do sites for different cities too if the first is successful you could really go intergalactic with this.

You could easily expand this in the future if the first is successful by making a bunch of sites for different cities. If you could make a couple of hundred bucks a month from one site for your city then why not make sites for 10 other cities? Simple! First your city... then the world!!