| Link: |
http://www.ChildrensBookMall.com
(opens a new window) |
| Objective: |
A categorized directory of
children's book and literacy website links displayed as billboards |
| Development status:
|
Fully functional beta release with over 1500
active links to hand selected children's book related websites, each
with its own custom 400 x 135 pixel 'Billboard' to promote the website
"brand". |
| Categories: |
Mall links are displayed in categories and nested subcategories
(all subcategory links are also displayed in their parent categories).
View the category list in outline form
here (opens a new browser window). |
| Unique Features:
|
- Custom graphic Billboards can also be a member's "Billboard-Avatar",
which builds a member's 'brand' sitewide (wherever they post content)
- Members can submit their own Billboards or have one custom built
for a minimal charge (actually free during our start-up phase)
- Billboards can be sorted by category (and subcategory), newest,
most hits today, most hits total, and highest rated.
- Any sorting of the Billboards can be viewed in Detail format (full
size Billboard with description), Gallery format (two across), or
Thumbnail format (three across)
- Members can submit "Affiliate" bookstores and earn commissions
affiliate commissions from sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
- Members can tag (and un-tag) their favorite Billboards and view
them as a group for quick reference
- Members can rank the Billboard links to boost their ratings.
- Hit counters track daily and total hits (click-throughs) for each
Billboard in every view.
- International links include country flag icons
- Billboards/links are searchable by keyword, category, submitting
member, city, state, and country.
- Links can be placed in up to four categories (additional fees may
be required).
|
| Planned Updates/Features:
|
- Search Engine Optimization (needs a full time staff with a budget)
- Add more subcategories
- Add 'Country' to the advanced search.
- Add 'Common Keyword' function for better search/browse results
|
| Revenue Streams:
|
- Member Subscription Fees (see our Fee Chart - subject to change)
- Banner Advertising
- Custom Mall (Link Directory) Billboard design services
- Mall Ad Enhancements (Featured Listings, Multiple
Category, Bold, etc.)
- Non-profit, literacy, and other qualifying educational content
links are free.
- Blog, newsletter, and certain other qualifying links can be free
with a reciprocal link or write-up
|
| Promotion strategy:
|
Promotion activity will be limited until we get a
staff, however we have a
detailed promotion ready to begin as soon as we get help. The
first step in this promotion will be to contact the
owners of the 1500 custom Billboards we have created and placed on the
Mall. Over 500 of these Billboards are links to children's book related
blogs, who will be offered a
free year's subscription in exchange for a mention of ChildrensBookMarket.com. Billboards
have also been built for publishers, booksellers, gift merchants and
others who will find the Mall to be a very inexpensive way to advertise
their websites (literacy and other non-profit Billboards will not be
charged any fees, but will be contacted for possible partnership
offers).
Contact us for more detailed information on this and the other steps in
our planned promotion. |
|
