Forum > Blogs > Expanding as a site
Expanding as a site
next >>
avatar
Country: US
Comments: 6468
News Posts: 413
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:38:13
0
The VG Press as it is started November 2, 2008.  Since then, we have increased 725% in unique visitors from 476 in November to 3931 for September, and 429% in bandwidth usage from 2.62GB in November to 13.87GB this month, though podcasts play a factor here.  This is not a sudden change or anomoly; in fact, it has been quite steady.

MonthUnique visitorsNumber of visitsPagesHitsBandwidth
Jan 200971331981893993270103.60 GB
Feb 2009192547282578684702174.45 GB
Mar 2009155658373042285396534.63 GB
Apr 2009209964913677206643505.40 GB
May 2009135081962434764262658.77 GB
Jun 2009171479641050572521129.90 GB
Jul 200916716610883152043469.16 GB
Aug 20093312986512193328158711.51 GB
Sep 200939311038313534931734213.87 GB
Oct 200900000
Nov 200900000
Dec 200900000
Total18271632721813345348288271.30 GB




While optimizing has played a role in improving performance and handling the increased load, as was the top concern from the start, there is still the issue of growth going forward.  Obviously the goal here is not to become a huge massive Internet power or anything silly like that, we would like to build the community.  We can do a lot of thing to attract new users here, but it doesn't do much good if we cripple the site in the process.


So what is this all about?  Well, I'm looking at trying some simple text ads on the site just to see what the result is.  Looking to further in the future, the ideal here would be to get around $20 in ad revenue per month, as that would cover the cost of much better hosting that would essentially eliminate any server concern.  If it's insignificant, then they will disappear.  If they're obtrusive, they will disappear.  If there's any harm to the community in any way, they will disappear.  And if in some bizarre happenstance there should actually be profits, it will go back to the community.  This is everyone's site, not mine.  This is an experiment I think is worth trying, because honestly I have no idea how this will work.


Just a heads up on what you may see something you may see in the near future.

---

Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobile
avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 17214
News Posts: 2806
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:32:44
0
Sounds good to me.

The VG Press

avatar
Country: US
Comments: 15561
News Posts: 479
Joined: 2008-07-03
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:48:18
0

It must have been the arrival of Kaz and Iwata that brought them. Nyaa
avatar
Country: US
Comments: 47
News Posts: 2
Joined: 2009-08-31
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:06:07
0
For now on, Travo, when referring to me and Kaz in the same sentence, you should always mention my name first.

Iwata >>> Kaz

avatar
Country: US
Comments: 15561
News Posts: 479
Joined: 2008-07-03
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:14:26
0

Go back to Japan!!  Go release SMG 2 already, BITCH!
Edited: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:15:52
avatar
Country: US
Comments: 47
News Posts: 2
Joined: 2009-08-31
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:20:29
0
I like America, so I'm going to stay here a while longer.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 has been done for over three months now. I've been playing it at home, and it's fantastic! It's even better than the original. Unfortunately, I cannot ship it out until next year due to there already being a superb Super Mario game coming out this year: New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Also, I am not you're bitch. However, Kaz is mine.
Edited: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:27:44

avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 16234
News Posts: 1043
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:02:05
0

WE'll all have Porsches in no time!

Fuck you Pachter, I can ride in my own.

avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 19284
News Posts: 9320
Joined: 2008-08-18
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:22:28
0
Take ads. No question.

There is about 20 of us right? The other route would be to use PayPal to fund the site, which I'm more than happy to do.

We do need more users though, there are hous at a time when there is no new content -- how can we get more active users?


avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 654
News Posts: 6
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:09:02
0
I am both amazed, and at the same time extremely weirded out, that nearly 4,000 people are creeping on the site while only about a dozen regularly post (or have posted at all.) Aspro has a point... we need a way to convert thousands of stragglers into active members. I'm not sure what kind of initiative we could undertake to do this... maybe if the advertising revenue is wildly more successful than anticipated ($50-$100 per month), you could do a monthly give-away like a game or a book or something to new members. Maybe have some sort of "MVP" system, where a new member of the community who has contributed the most will get a prize.

Alternatively, you could make some content such as reading blogs or downloading podcasts only available to members who are signed in. Keep the news and stuff accessible to everyone, but just have some "premium" content that requires at least the commitment of signing up. I don't know if this would drastically cut down on visitors or not. Do you have a number for how many accounts have actually been created?
Edited: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:11:04

avatar
Country: US
Comments: 17931
News Posts: 770
Joined: 2009-02-25
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:20:11

I'm all for the ads.  Just as long as they're not any funky flash ads that for whatever reason never get along well with my computer.  And congrats on the growth of the site.  

avatar
Country: US
Comments: 6468
News Posts: 413
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:35:05
I am both amazed, and at the same time extremely weirded out, that nearly 4,000 people are creeping on the site while only about a dozen regularly post (or have posted at all.)
I have been watching the stats closely for a long while trying to understand exactly what the real traffic of the site is outside of the posters, and just haven't been able to make sense of it.  We have ~150 podcast downloads per month as well, according to the site stats.  I'm willing to try this because I'm simply baffled.

The only thing that would be valuable enough to flaunt as "premium" would be GG Weekly, and that would just be impossible to explain without using anyway.  The podcasts are on iTunes, so that's another no-no.

In the site's history, there have been 75 accounts made.

The other route would be to use PayPal to fund the site, which I'm more than happy to do.
In terms of the site as it is, we're well covered so that won't be necessary.

I'm all for the ads.  Just as long as they're not any funky flash ads that for whatever reason never get along well with my computer.  And congrats on the growth of the site.
Definitely a nay on anything obtrusive.

---

Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobile
avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 48381
News Posts: 59781
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:36:54
The site didn't start in November 2009. I know this as its only October 2009 now Nyaa

avatar
Country: US
Comments: 6468
News Posts: 413
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:40:26
^Ah, well-played, good sir.

---

Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobile
avatar
Country: CO
Comments: 11520
News Posts: 1163
Joined: 2008-06-24
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:27:55
Wow. Those numbers are impressive, although I lack the understanding of how these things work to put them on context.
avatar
Country: EU
Comments: 9423
News Posts: 9625
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:38:53

Here's your context Steel. We are awesome and we have manass!


The VG Press
avatar
Country: EU
Comments: 9423
News Posts: 9625
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:40:09

So Yoda, if we get our own server, can we has porn? Nyaa


The VG Press
avatar
Country: US
Comments: 6468
News Posts: 413
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:53:19
^That would go a long way toward getting more members!

(pun intended WinkWink)
Edited: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:53:37

---

Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobile
avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 16234
News Posts: 1043
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:23:26

I think I may know why people go straight to the prses room to download podcasts and what not, and don't join.

"In don't understand, there's a vulva shaped one, an anus one, a mouth one, but then there's one with just a tiny slit in there. What's that one supposed to represent?"

avatar
Country: CO
Comments: 11520
News Posts: 1163
Joined: 2008-06-24
 
Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:26:52
Hey, that was a fair question! LOL
avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 31773
News Posts: 1717
Joined: 2008-06-22
 
Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:24:29

Being American I say make as much money as you can! Ads wont kill anyone. Maybe we can be moneyhated. LOL

How big do we have to be before we can be sent review copies of games? That would be my dream, I would love to do reviews of unreleased games.

And people actually listen to the podcast?!?!?!?!? Scary.

660896.png
next >>
Log in or Register for free to comment
Recently Spotted:
aspro (9m)
Login @ The VG Press
Username:
Password:
Remember me?