Why Do You Develop?

[sashas]

I've been reading up about development lately and hope to get into it big way this year.


But then, I look at the majority of sites on the net, in the signatures of members here, and then I think: whats the point of making the same old website with the same old idea over and over again?

Social Networking is big. So everyone wants to make a social networking site that basically does nothing that Facebook doesn't.

Gaming sites are popular. But everyone makes the same gaming sites offering the same games. Whats so cool about that?

Video sites are hot too. But I don't see the point in offering the same content across the board to the same users.

I see many members advertising their domaining blogs here. Almost all of them have the same things to say, the same drop lists to look at, the same industry trends to predict.

I thought that unique content and ideas were the king.

Adn then there's minisites. Why would you want to spend 10 hours of your life making a site with copy-pasted articles and content worth 8 pages, only to see it make a couple of bucks each month. Sure, enough of these sites and you might be able to quit your job in an year, but thats besides the point.

The point is: the internet is THE greatest development to have hit us in the past 100 years (yes, movies and recorded music don't come close). Its the BIGGEST platform out there. I thought the best performers reserved their best shows for the biggest stages.
The internet offers VAST opportunities to impact and influence people from all over the planet.
And we're still relatively early into it.

So why would you want to develop the same old recycled sites over and over again? Its the biggest stage. Shouldn't it be mined with the freshest ideas and all the effor you can muster?


Sometimes I feel like the guy with the pickaxe before the California Gold Rush. There's SO much to explore and create. And we don't even realize what we're sitting on. We come to the Gold Mine with a hammer and a chisel when we should be armed with a bulldozer and a mining crew.

[Tia Wood]

So why would you want to develop the same old recycled sites over and over again? Its the biggest stage. Shouldn't it be mined with the freshest ideas and all the effor you can muster?

Sometimes I feel like the guy with the pickaxe before the California Gold Rush. There's SO much to explore and create. And we don't even realize what we're sitting on. We come to the Gold Mine with a hammer and a chisel when we should be armed with a bulldozer and a mining crew.

I totally agree. I approach development like a mini-business instead of what's popular right now. It's worked for me so far.

[draggar]

I found a niche. It is based on a "product" that is one of the most recognizable products in the world and has been around for over 100 years.

I'm willing to bet the majority (by a landslide) of the people on this site would recognize this product on site and either owned, or knows someone directly who has owned one of these. This is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and is very popular in 6 continents (OK, I don't think it's popular in Antarctica).

You'd think something this big would have a significant web presence, but it does not. It's all personal production websites with extremely few overall / informative sites and most of the ones that are out there are full of the wrong information. I became friends with one of the country's (world's?) most knowledgeable people on this item, he's literally written the book on them and together we're building up a series of ethical, unbiased, and truthful sites promoting the real product. He knows noting about computers, let alone SEO (although he's a natural with SEO), web devolopment and domaining.

Most of everything has been done. Instead of a slice of imported Swiss cheese (big holes all over) that the internet was a few years ago, it's now a slice of Lorraine swiss, more full but many more smaller holes). Find a hole and fill it. New holes are popping up all the tiime, you just need to know where to look.

[leo]

I develop sites cause i love making them its as simple as that..i have made websites for many people over here and many others. It was fun and nice to help people out who don't know much about developing..maybe there are a few domains which don't really have buyers..and you love the domain..no money off parking best bet develop..i bought so many .info developed almost each one of them..out of the bunch only a few survive but i made back the money i invested in each and every one of them..now i let them drop..the thing for ME is that i love making sites I had some beginners luck with domain without development though :-p

For me the key is having sites in bulk..many others can make much more with just 1 site I honestly didn't have that luck till now..but i will keep developing everyday..i just love it..kind of a passion if i put it right.

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."

Frank A. Clark

[noncompare]

There are many reasons why people develop the same sites over and over again. Like

1. They like to follow or can't make something original
2. It works.
3. They just have different goals (like commoditizing sites or traffic), and being original isn't one of them.

Think of all the proxy sites out there. Most may not work but a lot of them do.

Sometimes, they get lucky and their sites work better. Just take domain name (or for that matter, Hosting or designer forums, etc.) for example. On the outset the sites in this space are very similar. And in a way some of the same people populate them. But they also don't duplicate much and are in fact complementary catering to their own user base.

There's no point in making another one but who knows, maybe there's an interesting twist that can make it work, or

[DDC_Cyn]

Like LazyLeo, I develop because I love it. I'm a writer by trade so finding a new way to express myself is terrific. It's become my hobby to build sites that I enjoy - they may not be moneymakers, but I like pulling them together, seeing which ones fly and which don't. Putting my spin on something and if it takes off - then that's a bonus.

[tetrapak]

To have a stable income stream and be able to reinvest it in domains for example. I currently have 38 sites, all of them 100% unique (both graphics and the text). It is a shame but i will have to sell many of them as it is a large portfolio and i'm not able to advertise them, and they deserve much more.. Wish i didnt have emotional attachment.

[Melly]

I create the same thing over and over and resell for a profit. The only reason to do this is to use the money to invest other projects that are more important to me. Theres always someone out there who is either a blog/site network owner whos looking to add to their collection so no matter what the type of site is finding the right home for it is the key.

Now I do think that creativity and being unique is very important. I take any profits from my small sites and put towards my main goal which is creating that special site that is fresh and new to everyone.

[DDC_Cyn]

. Wish i didnt have emotional attachment.

A very true statement. I have an older domain that I dismantled, had planned on re-developing and I keep almost putting it up for sale - but I just can't do it. It was my first big project and I hate to let it go.

I'm attached! That's all there is to it.

[krossat]

Adn then there's minisites. Why would you want to spend 10 hours of your life making a site with copy-pasted articles and content worth 8 pages, only to see it make a couple of bucks each month. Sure, enough of these sites and you might be able to quit your job in an year, but thats besides the point.

Well for me, the minisites i have made are nothing but a template with some content to give an "idea" to your prospective buyer about the possibilities he could have if he purchased it. Also there is this incentive of receving the free template in order to develop his own content onto the website once purchased.

Its like a preview to what he can do with the domain. Its been an advantage doing business with small companies for me.