On making and running fan sites part 1
This little essay/rant has been running around in my head in bits and pieces for almost a year and a half. It's a collection of things I've learned and observations I've made in my more than 5 years of running a moderately successful fan site. I'd love some feedback as I post the various parts, especially from the web masters of fan sites and the writers on my flist. Thanks in advance :)
On The Making and Running of Fan Sites
One thing any fan will learn quickly upon entering the massive entity known as online fandom is that fan sites exist by the millions - some wonderful, some good, and many absolutely horrible. I've been running a moderately sized Star Wars fansite for over 5 years and like to think I've learned a few things about what goes into making a good site and what it takes to run one.
I've seen many sites come and go - sites rise to quick popularity only to have an equally quick crash and burn, some simply parish before they even get going and others die because of lack of interest. There are some key factors in all of these various demises; things to be avoided if you want your site to last.
So you're a huge fan and you want let the world to know by creating your very own fan site dedicated to your fandom. Wonderful! But do you have what it takes? Do you have the drive, commitment, and passion to keep it up and going long term? Most people don't. There are several key time periods for a fan site, the most critical being the first two weeks followed by the first six months. Most fan sites die before the six months is up. Many a web master starts out with huge amounts of enthusiasm only to be daunted by the time required and the seeming lack of appreciation for the time spent.
The most important thing is to do this for yourself. If you want it to last you can't depend on others to gratify you with their praise of your site. It takes time to build up a good, solid group of regular visitors and sadly, many will never comment on a tag board or sign a guestbook. I now get an average of 130 visits per day and only get an occasional comment on the tag board, maybe an email or two a week and someone signs the guestbook about once every three months. I don't have people patting me on the back all the time telling me what a great job I'm doing. Don't get me wrong - some sites have the type of audience that gives frequent feedback but that's more rare than you might think. I'm extremely proud of my site, I believe I've done good work, learned a lot about web design and provided a great experience for my visitors. No matter how much or how little feedback I get I'm still happy with the site and dedicated to keeping it going.
Secondly - do you have the time? Web sites take time and lots of it. From learning HTML, CSS, and the ins and outs of graphics and layouts to updating on a regular basis: running a web site is a serious commitment. I've had to put my site on several extended hiatus' during my college education because that was more important and left me little time for the maintenance the site requires. If you don't have the time - don't make the commitment.
To be continued in Part 2: You need a great idea
On The Making and Running of Fan Sites
One thing any fan will learn quickly upon entering the massive entity known as online fandom is that fan sites exist by the millions - some wonderful, some good, and many absolutely horrible. I've been running a moderately sized Star Wars fansite for over 5 years and like to think I've learned a few things about what goes into making a good site and what it takes to run one.
I've seen many sites come and go - sites rise to quick popularity only to have an equally quick crash and burn, some simply parish before they even get going and others die because of lack of interest. There are some key factors in all of these various demises; things to be avoided if you want your site to last.
So you're a huge fan and you want let the world to know by creating your very own fan site dedicated to your fandom. Wonderful! But do you have what it takes? Do you have the drive, commitment, and passion to keep it up and going long term? Most people don't. There are several key time periods for a fan site, the most critical being the first two weeks followed by the first six months. Most fan sites die before the six months is up. Many a web master starts out with huge amounts of enthusiasm only to be daunted by the time required and the seeming lack of appreciation for the time spent.
The most important thing is to do this for yourself. If you want it to last you can't depend on others to gratify you with their praise of your site. It takes time to build up a good, solid group of regular visitors and sadly, many will never comment on a tag board or sign a guestbook. I now get an average of 130 visits per day and only get an occasional comment on the tag board, maybe an email or two a week and someone signs the guestbook about once every three months. I don't have people patting me on the back all the time telling me what a great job I'm doing. Don't get me wrong - some sites have the type of audience that gives frequent feedback but that's more rare than you might think. I'm extremely proud of my site, I believe I've done good work, learned a lot about web design and provided a great experience for my visitors. No matter how much or how little feedback I get I'm still happy with the site and dedicated to keeping it going.
Secondly - do you have the time? Web sites take time and lots of it. From learning HTML, CSS, and the ins and outs of graphics and layouts to updating on a regular basis: running a web site is a serious commitment. I've had to put my site on several extended hiatus' during my college education because that was more important and left me little time for the maintenance the site requires. If you don't have the time - don't make the commitment.
To be continued in Part 2: You need a great idea