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Want to Copy MySpace?

I get numerous emails from people who want to build sites like MySpace. Sounds like a great idea right? After all, MySpace is one of the popular community sites on the Web, and probably cleans up on advertising dollars alone.

I see one major problem with this, though...

MySpace is a very well established brand. So unless you've got the money to advertise your site and compete with them, you will have a difficult time getting enough traffic to make your site popular.

There is also a lot of money and resources that go into creating a community site like this. First of all, you need a huge amount of web space for all the data. So you'll have to invest in a dedicated web host (not some cheap, $5 per month host).

You will also need to hire some programmers who can create the functionality (unless you can do it yourself). There's no MySpace Software you can buy, or some HTML code you can just copy and paste to just put up a site like MySpace.

Am I Trying to Discourage You?

Yes, I am. MySpace is very popular, but it took lots of money to produce, and there's no reason to try to copy what's already been done unless you have the money and ideas to beat MySpace at their own game.

Let's face it. The average person won't be able to compete so there's no point in wasting your time, energy and resources trying.

So What Can You Do?

Make it easier on yourself. If your goal is to make money, simply build a niche site on something you love. That's what I've been doing for years, and I didn't have to hire any programmers to help me. Sure, I don't make nearly what MySpace makes, but I make enough to live comfortably and not have to go to a boring 9 to 5 anymore.

What are your interests? Football? Cars? Music? Cooking? Skin care? Build a "how-to" site on a topic of interest that helps people in some way. Then make money by referring them to companies that sell products related to the theme of your site. That's what I've been doing for years and my sites earn a full-time income.

Are my sites as popular as MySpace?

Nope. Not even close.

But I earn enough to live quite comfortably, and all of my sites are very low maintenance and contain nothing but useful content targeted to a specific audience.

Save Your Money

Building a MySpace-like site would not only be complicated, but it would be very expensive to setup due to all the programming involved. If you build a simple content, "how-to" site you can get a domain name and web host for cheap at a site like WebsitePalace.com.

So rather than trying to compete with the big dogs, just keep it simple and build an informative site on a topic you are interested in. You can still make a lot of money, and without all the programming headaches it would take to create a community site like MySpace.

Don't waste your time and money competing with the monster sites. Carve out your own niche and build your brand of one. Produce great content and you'll soon develop a following. Finally, recommend products and services that will appeal to your audience, and watch those commissions roll in.