How many pages and/or articles to begin with

[efjay1018]

Hi everyone. I'm about to put up my very first website. I'm thinking of using Adsense and Affiliate Marketing as my monetization models at the same time.

How many web pages and/or articles is recommended when first publishing your website? I know for a fact that the SEs prefer steadily growing content-rich websites. Is 10 pages good enough to start with and then slowly build it up to maybe 50 or even more?

Thank you very much in advance. :)

[Marcia]

Ten is a fine start, it'll get the site indexed, up and running, and might even get some decent MSN rankings that start bringing in some income right off, depending on the niche and target audience.

But - have the site architecture and structure thought out and planned in advance, so that as growth takes place it's within the framework of logical, effective, crawlable navigation that's user friendly. If you build the site to scale well, the initial time spent will save time down the road and make for a better, more effective site in the long run.

Sure, you can soft launch with even less than ten, just so the pages are indexed and presentable enough to start getting a couple of IBLs and look decent to site visitors - who may be buyers if luck is with you.

[efjay1018]

This is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Thanks a lot Marcia.

[Marcia]

You're most welcome!

Now let me ask you this: Are you intending to do a "general" mall type site, or a niche site geared toward a particular target audience and/or topic?

[efjay1018]

Definitely geared toward a niche site; eventually, multiple niche sites.

[Marcia]

Definitely geared toward a niche site; eventually, multiple niche sites.Good! That way not all the eggs are in one basket, and the variety keeps it from getting boring. Also, certain niches are hot during certain seasonal peaks, so while one may be down for a quarter, another can fill in and take up the slack if it's a hot niche for the quarter.

I love niche sites, but I do have a mall type that's a bit broader (subdued, not spammish) that gives a way to test out certain niches and merchants - and also provides a way eventually to see seasonal fluctuations. On that site, if something hits with decent conversions and payouts, it's a good sign that it could be a good niche to pursue with a dedicated site.

[efjay1018]

I see. I would love to see one of your sites and find out if I can learn a thing or two. :)

[vayapues]

But - have the site architecture and structure thought out and planned in advance, so that as growth takes place it's within the framework of logical, effective, crawlable navigation that's user friendly. If you build the site to scale well, the initial time spent will save time down the road and make for a better, more effective site in the long run.

Amen. I started a children's astronomy website about 10 years ago. At the time, I gave little consideration for site architecture. Now the site is many many thousands of pages, and maintaining it is a nightmare. Not so much anymore, as I have spent a lot of time cleaning it up, but there are a lot of hacks.

Since that time I have launched a number of other children's sites. These are all much cleaner. It has made a big difference.

A couple tips if I could
1. Use a header, a footer, a lefter, and a righter, or even better, use a design wrapper.
A header is a page that only contains the stuff that appears at the top of every page. You than use php, javascript, asp, or a frameset to include it at the top of every page. In the future, if you need to change the links, logo, or whatever, you can change it in one place, and it will change throughout the site. Same goes for a footer, a lefter and a righter.

10 pages is a great start, but don't stop there. Don't stop at 50 either. Add a few pages as often as you can. In 10 years your site will be huge, and you will be rewarded with income.

Don't give up. It took my first site a couple years before I made a single cent. Now, I am doing quite well with them. Sites tend to grow geometrically, as they take on a life of their own. For many months nothing will happen, and than one day it will balloon. It won't happen over night, but if you stay with it, you will succeed in the end.

[efjay1018]

Hi vayapues,

Those are definitely words of wisdom. "Patience indeed is a virtue." Thanks so much! :)

[Wilksy]

Slow and steady always wins the race :cool:

Regarding includes for common page elements and ease of maintainance.

You can also use simple text file includes as well

ie. <!--#include virtual="file.txt" --> in your html and upload file.txt (containing the html for a navigation menu or something) in same folder level.

nice and easy + it will be indexed just fine.

[efjay1018]

Slow and steady. Got it! Thanks Wilksy. :)