What Kind Of Site Should I Make For <Insert Advertising Network Here>?

A question I often come across is what kind of site to make for <insert advertising network here> (usually Google Adsense or Yahoo Publisher Network).

The answer to this is … "None! Design a website that has unique and original content. Design it for visitors. Design a site that will interest people and keep them returning."

There are many turnkey sites out there with the same content and same (or similar) design. And they just don’t work: they’re not updated frequently (or ever), the content is the same as people have read many times before, and the sites have no personality of their own. It’s important to show in a site you design that you genuinely care about the topic.

So choose a topic that interests. Choose a topic that you know about. Ensure that you regularly update the content. Ensure that your site is easily navigable. Ensure that there are notifications on your index page about updates, new stories, articles, or whatever kind of content you choose to publish on your site.

Add interactivity to your site. The opportunity for visitors to comment on news articles or post topics in a forum will keep them returning for updates. And it makes visitors feel involved.

If your site is interesting, offers original content and you show through your efforts with the site that you’re genuinely interested in the topic then people will return to look for updates. Your site will be recommended to people by "word-of-mouth", or naturally linked to as an informative/interesting place to read up on <X> topic.

Natural promotion is the best kind of promotion.

Don’t expect instant results. Success requires time and effort. But with the time and effort put into a site then visitors will come, your audience will grow and rewards will be received.