Hack Something
IDEA: Site Devoted to Unusual Theme “Hacking”
Hacking or being a hacker isn’t really a bad thing, regardless of what the geniuses in the movie industry and general media have mucked it up to be. But still, over the years, hacking has come to mean many different things (usually black hat); for our purposes, however, we’re sticking with its original, pure definition — hacking is figuring out new and ingenious ways to use something.
And not just computers. Anything.
The idea is to build a site or blog with regularly updated content of “hacks” focused on a specific unusual theme or logical grouping of whatevers that are not usually associated with being hacked.
You can, of course, write every single ”hack post” yourself if you are so inclined. But I have a feeling a much better approach (and likely more valuable to your audience) would be to build content through regular submissions from the resulting community of like-minded folks you’ll be building, your base of contributors.
If you’re still unclear on the idea and stuck on “computer” hacks (you’ve got to learn to think out of the box, Grasshopper!), a few examples should do the trick: One’s already being done, and the other just came to me a few minutes ago and may (or may not) be already out there.
Example #1 (Real World Site): A site devoted entirely to hacking IKEA furniture. Yes, hack furniture, and yes, that IKEA. Go to IKEA Hacker and this whole “hacking” concept will become crystal clear to you.
Example #2 (just thought it up; could already be out there): eBay hacks. As in hacks of cheap items purchased through eBay (or specific categories of eBay, which actually may be a better thing, drilling down to more focused interests, assuming there’s enough of a potential audience).
No, not hacking eBay itself, although there’s more than enough potential in that for at least two book editions (eBay Hacks 1st ed. and 2nd ed.)
Really, I think once you get going and start thinking of possibilities, there are tons of possible directions you can take this “hacking” idea.
Monetizing It
There’s Google AdSense advertising, of course.
And affiliate program advertising and/or content links. Aff program content links have the most potential, where your affiliate code loaded links are embedded contextually and naturally in your posts. This depends entirely on your subject/theme of course. Take the eBay idea (which is why it came to me in the first place) — each eBay item mentioned can (and sbould) be aff linked directly to its eBay listing and category. The site should also be peppered with invitations to join and sign up for eBay (big payout) for those wandering in for whatever reason.
On top of these fairly obvious methods, there’s another that will probably be a big incentive for you writers:
Publish and sell anthologies. Depending on how much content you manage to generate, you could publish regular anthologies/collections of “hacks” you’ve already posted. Self-publishing is an obvious and easy route, but heck, if your site becomes the site for hacks in your particular special interest, and assuming there’s a large enough audience, I have no doubt you can get a book picked up by one of the big boy publishers.
Lots of potential with this one. Let me know if you pick it up and run with it. Have fun!
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