What should a Parking Program include?

[Donny Simonton]

What would the perfect parking system include? If somebody were to create a brand new one today, what would be available and what shouldn't?

Donny

[sags]

I think a "perfect" parking program would be one where you could pick your own site template. Perhaps one which had the basic information set but you could tinker with some add-ons etc. Ongoing news, articles and links which would be relevant to your domain name would be interesting as well. A parking program which meant your page opened to one specific advertiser who paid you for referrals (similar to affiliate programs) could be an option. For example: if your webpage was mechanictools.com perhaps it could open to the snap on tools website and you get paid for the view and if people buy something etc. Just some thoughts.

[datat]

I've been looking for a program with add-ons for ages - but have found none that suit - so far. News feeds (custom pickable) and being able to ad text would be nice.

[fatter]

The ability to put your own keywords in

[Donny Simonton]

The ability to put your own keywords in

Do you mean if you have the domain dnforum.com, you could put in 'domain name forum' as your keywords? Or do you mean you could put in 'car loan' for dnforum.com? Definitely a big difference.

News feeds (custom pickable) and being able to ad text would be nice.

Adding text, I agree with that to a limit, but news feeds? For what? Are you looking for a news site, where you can actually make a few bucks on?

Donny

I think a "perfect" parking program would be one where you could pick your own site template.

I agree, for example, let's say you have car-wash.com and one of your friends has carwash.com. Both of them are parked in the same place you don't want both of them to look the same. At least that's my opinion.

Perhaps one which had the basic information set but you could tinker with some add-ons etc. Ongoing news, articles and links which would be relevant to your domain name would be interesting as well.

This is just as confusing as one of the other ones. This sounds like a blog with adsense ads on it. Have tried that?

A parking program which meant your page opened to one specific advertiser who paid you for referrals (similar to affiliate programs) could be an option. For example: if your webpage was mechanictools.com perhaps it could open to the snap on tools website and you get paid for the view and if people buy something etc. Just some thoughts.

Definitely an interesting idea, the only problem is if I were you I would do this myself. The reason is if I were to go to snap on tools, and signup to be an affiliate, then you send them traffic from a parked page you have with me.
1. How do you know if you would ever really get a sale or not.
2. Then I take a cut which could just as easily be yours.

Donny

[fatter]

I mean keywords relative to domain names, I have some that auto optimized systems just cant figure out, but I no exactly what they mean

[datat]

The reason I would (and do on some hosted landing pages) would like to see news feeds, is because I find for some domains you need more than ads to stop people clicking the close window button. If they have some new and semi relivant to draw there eye, there is a lot more chance of them staying a few moments and clicking an ad.

On the whole most parked pages look very much the same with a bunch of ads, many people just close the window on entry - a few click an ad - this I feel (I see others disagree), would help keep more people long enough to click an ad. Which at the end of the day is what we all want.

[Donny Simonton]

I mean keywords relative to domain names, I have some that auto optimized systems just cant figure out, but I no exactly what they mean

Do you have an example of what you are talking about?

The reason I would (and do on some hosted landing pages) would like to see news feeds, is because I find for some domains you need more than ads to stop people clicking the close window button. If they have some new and semi relivant to draw there eye, there is a lot more chance of them staying a few moments and clicking an ad.

The whole reason behind a parking page is so a surfer can find what they are looking for and you can make some money. Having news feeds will only allow a surfer to find other stuff and then off they go to some other site to make that owner some money. I personally don't think the problem would be solved of people not clicking out by adding news feeds. Just my opinion.

On the whole most parked pages look very much the same with a bunch of ads, many people just close the window on entry - a few click an ad - this I feel (I see others disagree), would help keep more people long enough to click an ad. Which at the end of the day is what we all want.

I think the problem is more of how the parked pages are designed, not that the surfer wasn't interested. So many of the parking companies offer one template only. So once surfer A has seen one domain they have seen all of them.

[datat]

I think the problem is more of how the parked pages are designed, not that the surfer wasn't interested. So many of the parking companies offer one template only. So once surfer A has seen one domain they have seen all of them.

Good point, I still stand by my other concept of having content for the eye - but admit you could loose on click outs. I still think there is a gain from page closing. I will see if there is an easy way I can measure the difference.
Last time I done this I must say that cash in, was a little down. But that was over a year ago.
Just a case of getting the time to do some shuffling.

I've not seen any parking programs offering a choice of several temples, that might be an angle - but I think a lot of surfers a fed-up with parked ad pages. Although it could just be me using it as a reason (in my own head) why income is down.

[Donny Simonton]

Good point, I still stand by my other concept of having content for the eye - but admit you could loose on click outs. I still think there is a gain from page closing. I will see if there is an easy way I can measure the difference.

I'm not sure if you are automatically showing search results or just showing keywords, but I'll tell you mine just on keywords alone. From landing page to result page is currently about 20%. Then from search to click is about 50%. So 1 out of 10 people click out to an advertiser. Is that good or bad, who knows. But we don't complain.

I've not seen any parking programs offering a choice of several temples, that might be an angle - but I think a lot of surfers a fed-up with parked ad pages. Although it could just be me using it as a reason (in my own head) why income is down.

Actually for us right now we have already surpassed what we did in January and it's only the 25th. So I'm not sure why your income is down, it depends on some many things. And even the people who think they are in the know, don't really know that much.

Until Marchex or one of the other two players looking to buy people right now call you, and offering you a large amount of cash, you still have a long way to go.

Donny