If you, like over 95% of other domainers, want to develop some of your domains with minimal effort and expenses into a site that can bring revenue, here is one of the best and easiest methods: Set up a bidding directory.
What is a bidding directory?
It’s a regular web directory based on the auction system. Webmasters can submit their links and the links with highest bid will appear on the frontpage of the directory. For example here is one of mine: Casino Bidding Directory, as you may see the highest bid is $100, and the lowest bid on the main page is $60. So a bid of at least $61 is required to be listed on the front page. Minimum bid to submit a site to the directory is set to $9, and you can see that most bids listed in categories are about that amount, for example in advertising
The main advantage of a bidding directory is that its completely automated. Once you set it up no more involvement is required and you can just sit and watch the paypal payment notification emails coming to your inbox. Of course you’d need to get some links and promote it to spread the word out and start receiving submissions.
How to build it?
To buy the bidding directory script simply go to www.phplinkbid.com, the regular price is $29.95, but you get a discount of $5, by using this coupon code: 5BUCKS
phplinkbid is very easy to set up and there are clear instructions in the help files once you buy it. All you need to do is upload the files to your hosting, set up a mysql database and edit the options to fit your preferences.
I’ve tried dozens of hosting companies since I have large amount of different sites to host and the best one I’ve found is hostgator
How profitable is it?
Every site needs targeted SEO traffic and good rankings in google don’t come without links. So webmasters spend large amounts of money for their seo compaigns. Sites in main niches where the seo competition is especially high, like gambling and finance have high budgets for link building. For an experience gambling webmaster one active casino, or poker player can bring $500-1000 on average and up to thousands of dollar in recurring revenue! That’s why casino sites buy up every available link to help improve the rankings.
Bigger and more promoted directories receive high bids of over $500: bigweblinks.com, webdirectorybid.com, zorg-links.com, tigsd.com
How to get more submissions?
Once you set up your bidding directory it’s time to promote it. You need high pagerank and lots of links to get the bidders to notice you. The easiest way to buy bids on other bidding directories, or submit your new directory to some of the sites listing them, like directoryrate.com and directorycritic.com
Another way is to put your newly established directory in your signature if you post on forums or post about it in the advertising areas. You can also use the services of some of the people offering bulk submissions and links here
Whats next?
Now you get back to domaining knowing that at least some of your domains aren’t wasted displaying a parking page and bringing pennies per year 😉
Do you have any non-casino / gambling examples of these kinds of sites? There is so much competition in that space it would take a long time for a rookie developer to make any progress and get any customers.
Nice post!
>Quick Development Method 2
I can’t seem to find Method 1 anywhere?
thanks Jeff, consecutive numbers are boring, next up is method #5 😉
Mark, true the competition is high, so you can’t expect to get $1000+ bids too fast. But the key, as in anything, is to start small and grow it gradually. Even if it means setting the min bid to $1 and increasing it as the directory grows. Eventually you’ll have a directory bringing a decent additional income, which is 100% automated
Great INFO – MANY THANKS
where’s “ Quick Development Method 1 ” ? thanks , 2w
Great post. Michael, couple of questions
1- Do you think that a geo type bidding directory would work? such as a state directory for example.
2- Does this script you use allow for adsense?
thanks
Don
Hey Don,
1 – sure
2 – not directly, you’ll have to insert it into the templates. But adsense revenue on directories would be very low anyway, so it’s no use
Great article! I have about 10+ bidding sites all running on phplinkbid software. Most are general directories but I have a couple niche as well. It’s hard work like any other website venture but can pay off great. check out my site and look at all sites I run.
i love this site.a
Appreciate the info guys, thanks