Any Gamers? WoW Membership Site Idea

Nato76 · #1 02-16-2007, 05:07 PM

I'm not a gamer but after watching an MTV show about the game WOW I got this idea. These gamers are really passionate and I think there is a market for something like this.

I researched some of the Wow guides from Clickbank and they are selling well. I'm a marketer and I have made money from several niche markets that I was not familiar with before. After talking to an ex Wow player, he said that it was not a good idea specially since I did not play the game. Well, here is my idea:

Create a Wow membership affiliate site where players get 50% commission for every person they refer.

Initially I would get experienced Wow players to join free and offer them 75% commission if they post content or are moderators to the forum. This would be done before any regular members would join so that there is already content.

The site will have guides, videos, and a forum all created by the members. I will start off with a low membership price and increase as members increase.

I have several membership scripts and can outsource to have the site built. I know how to market and get traffic to the site. Everything technical I can handle myself or can outsource. I could even outsource some initial content for the site.

My issues:

I will need someone that is familiar with the game to help with new ideas. Finding Wow players to join and create content.

Suggestions? If there are any gamers that are interested in this project let me know.

HankHill · #2 02-16-2007, 05:28 PM

How would you know who referred each new member.

Or are you talking about from clickbank?

Nato76 · #3 02-16-2007, 05:31 PM

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How would you know who referred each new member.

Or are you talking about from clickbank?

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No not from clickbank. I have the membership software that handles all the affiliate and referals. Like I said the technical part is not the issue.

KidLifeCrisis · #4 02-16-2007, 07:16 PM

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I researched some of the Wow guides from Clickbank and they are selling well. I'm a marketer and I have made money from several niche markets that I was not familiar with before. After talking to an ex Wow player, he said that it was not a good idea specially since I did not play the game.

[/ QUOTE ]
I would have to disagree with your friend about it not being a good idea. One guy I've been talking to online has been marketing WoW guides through CB for a month now, and has made a good amount of money. His sites are here and here, and you can check out his blog for info on his current stats.

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The site will have guides, videos, and a forum all created by the members. I will start off with a low membership price and increase as members increase.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think you'd have to have some content already existing to get members. I personally wouldn't join a site if it offered nothing to start. I especially wouldn't pay for the site if it didn't have anything to offer.

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I could even outsource some initial content for the site.

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I think this would solve my above issue with the plan. Also, you might want to offer an incentive to members to provide video and guide content, perhaps getting a month free if they meet the video/guide submission criteria that you create, and if you think it's good and doesn't overlap with content that's already on the site.

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My issues:

I will need someone that is familiar with the game to help with new ideas. Finding Wow players to join and create content.

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I doubt this will be a big problem, being as it's such a popular game. But I agree that you'll definitely want someone knowledgeable who can contribute to forum discussions and offer input to members and the site itself. Since the site sounds like it's intended to be a community, it would be good for the site admin(s) to show a presence here as well, which would make this important in that regard.

Sounds like you have an interesting idea. I'd see if there are any similar sites like this out there (whether free or subscription), and see what's good/bad about them. Try to make your site better in the areas where the other sites fail or are weak.

Nato76 · #5 02-16-2007, 07:28 PM

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I think this would solve my above issue with the plan. Also, you might want to offer an incentive to members to provide video and guide content, perhaps getting a month free if they meet the video/guide submission criteria that you create, and if you think it's good and doesn't overlap with content that's already on the site.

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Yeah I want to recruit several members that will have Free Lifetime memberships with 75% commissions referals. Most of these members will be moderators and will have to contribute something daily, weekly, or monthly. These are the guys that are going to build the site so I want to give them plenty of incentive.

I will probably have some kind of incentive for the regulars users on top of their 50% commisions if they submit a guide or a video.

scotty M · #6 02-16-2007, 07:35 PM

Nato,

Go to the WoW boards at gamefaqs.com, and simply write a post asking if anyone would like to help on a WoW related project, and that there's money in it for them.

I guarantee you'll get more volunteers than you need.

Good luck with the site.

KidLifeCrisis · #7 02-16-2007, 07:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think this would solve my above issue with the plan. Also, you might want to offer an incentive to members to provide video and guide content, perhaps getting a month free if they meet the video/guide submission criteria that you create, and if you think it's good and doesn't overlap with content that's already on the site.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I want to recruit several members that will have Free Lifetime memberships with 75% commissions referals. Most of these members will be moderators and will have to contribute something daily, weekly, or monthly. These are the guys that are going to build the site so I want to give them plenty of incentive.

I will probably have some kind of incentive for the regulars users on top of their 50% commisions if they submit a guide or a video.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh okay, I kind of misread/misunderstood your commission plan in your original post. I think it sounds like you have a good idea though, and I'd be interested to see how it goes if you decide to move forward with it. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Nato76 · #8 02-16-2007, 07:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Nato,

Go to the WoW boards at gamefaqs.com, and simply write a post asking if anyone would like to help on a WoW related project, and that there's money in it for them.

I guarantee you'll get more volunteers than you need.

Good luck with the site.

[/ QUOTE ]

I did this on another Wow forum and got some good responses but the thread was deleted. I posted no links or anything. I just ran a poll.

I would like to get someone that is already a respected existing member of Wow forums to help with recruiting. I will definitely need some help with this project.

Sniper · #9 02-16-2007, 09:51 PM

Nato, since you haven't played WoW, it might be worth your while to find a local cybercafe, and chat it up with some of the gamers hanging out there. Maybe get them to give you a tour of the game, and might provide you with some ideas and assitance, as well.

dc_publius · #10 02-16-2007, 11:38 PM

I don't know much about games either, but even I have heard of WoW and it seems like it's been around for a while now. This means alot forums and support is already established, and the growth for that game has already occured. (I'm speculating here)

Why not focus on the next big game that will come out from one of the big software companies that make these games? You will enter the topic early and it will be easier to drive traffic if you make yourself an authority on that given game... Just an idea...