Category: Web 2.0

  • Planning Medacity 2.0

    We’re over 3 months in with Medacity now, and although I still believe the focus and idea is a good one, without a round of funding and the ability to truly own the space, we’re not going well.

    I believe we’ve done well, and we’ve had some good hits. But the overall traffic hasn’t been great at all. At least, it’s not growing at a sustainable rate.

    It’s blogging: sometimes you hit well, sometimes you don’t. But when you don’t hit well, you know it’s time to change.

    The Inquisitr (my last site) had 4 different templates, covered new areas then dropped them, and ended up a very different site to when it started. But I do know when I sold it, it was doing 8m pv on over 1.8m uniques. Change was part of that process.

    And hence it’s time to change Medacity.

    I’m consulting with the writing team now, but I’m thinking broadly that we’re going to move into tech (while still covering New Media), particularly startups and broader tech, but not gadgets.

    I’m naturally disappointed the initial idea didn’t take, but when has any idea I’ve had (or many others for that matter) taken initially?

    I think of Loic LeMuer and Jason Calacanis as my inspirations: two blokes who keep changing to try to hit that ultimate win.

    It’s still early days, and I have the core of the same awesome writing team I had at The Inquisitr writing for me, a team that has already proved themselves from 1m to 8m page views.

    I’d welcome your thoughts as to the direction we should head towards as well.

  • Nichenet Announces The Launch of New Media News Site Medacity

    MELBOURNE, Australia, August 12, 2011 – Web content development company Nichenet Pty Ltd today announced the launch of its latest online property Medacity (medacity.com.)

    The new site focuses on the latest news from the new media sector, covering big content (AOL, Yahoo, Demand Media and similar companies), video, audio, blogging, hyperlocal, mainstream media (where those companies have new media properties), service providers and aggregators.

    The site will be headed by Nichenet CEO and Founder Duncan Riley, who has a long history in online publishing, having previously published The Blog Herald and The Inquisitr, written for TechCrunch, and was a co-founder of blogging network b5media.

    “The idea of Medacity came about after I realized that no one in the market was exclusively covering the new media sector as a whole” said Riley. “Medacity seeks to fill a gap in the market by providing comprehensive coverage of the latest news and views from across the new media sector.”

    “I started my online publishing career by establishing the very first site to cover the then new industry of blogging back in 2003 with The Blog Herald. In Medacity I have gone back to my roots with a site that seeks to chronicle the rise of the new media industry and age.”

    Joining the Medacity team at launch with Riley are two Inquisitr veterans, James Johnson and Kim LaCapria.

    “Medacity is an exciting project, it’s the first website to exclusively cover new media news and what new media could and should become in the future.” said Johnson. “With a team of new media veterans directing Medacity’s content I look forward to the industry being further explored, explained and exposed.”

    Kim LaCapria added “I jumped at the chance to write about the space exclusively-
    particularly during such a massive paradigm shift within the medium. The amount of relevant news on which to report seems to be increasing exponentially.”

    ENDS

    Contact
    Duncan Riley
    e: [email protected]
    t: +61 412844237

  • Nichenet Pty Ltd Press Release: Sale of The Inquisitr

    Note from me: this is our official press release today. Timed at 10am EDT US Time 23 May 2011 under embargo.

    As follows:

    Nichnet Pty Ltd is proud to today officially announce the sale, and final transfer of The Inquisitr (inquisitr.com) to new owners.

    As per disclosure by Flippa.com, the final sale price was USD$330,000.

    Nichenet Pty Ltd CEO Duncan Riley had this to say on the sale:

    “I had to sell for private reasons in the end, which weren’t related to the running of the site (indeed it ran itself) but you get to a point where you need a proper break (one I haven’t had for seven years,) and the site has gone into good hands at a good price.”

    “I do believe The Inquistr was worth far more, but the quality of the buyer and the fact that they kept on the writers, who are the real assets of the company (which they have proved time and again) was an important consideration.”

    “It was a clear cash sale (without conditions and with no clauses for me to stay on) which was the deciding factor in me accepting the offer.”

    “The Inquisitr has been my heart and soul for three years, and as much as it hurts me to be forced to sell it, I know it goes into good hands.”

    The identify of the buyer has been withheld at their request.

    Riley went on to say

    “Although it was a quick sale and I believe it was less than it was worth, the sale once again proves the viability of new media. The sale worked out at roughly 30x net monthly after writers, which is a good figure in the after market, and compares well to old media sales.”

    Riley said that he intended to take 2-3 months off before launching a new site that would not compete with The Inquisitr in any way, but would tackle a new targeted niche that he believes is not currently being met.

    ENDS.

  • Live Blogging The Royal Wedding

    Just a quick note to Inquisitr fans and royal junkies: I’ll be live blogging the Royal Wedding tonight on The Inquisitr.

    If you’re not near a TV, you can watch the royal wedding live online, or I’ll update this post later with the live blog link.

    Yeah yeah, hassle away. But it pays the bills 🙂

  • So I’m Writing A Food Blog

    RandomAltFood 2014 Adventures in Melbourne Dining, Cooking, and Occasional Misadventure

    RandomAltFood.com

    My first attempt (ever) of writing about food. It only has a few posts up now, but I’m slowly adding to it.

    It’s not a major attempt at creating a major food destination for Melbourne…yet, but more of a hobby and somewhere for me to write about food, given I have a tendency of tweeting about food on a regular basis.

  • Inquisitr August 2010 Stats

    Another great month with new record highs. Thx to the team for their work.

    Visitors Overview - Google Analytics

  • Another Month With Win

    Visitors Overview - Google Analytics

    My thanks to the team as always, without whom this wouldn’t be possible. Now lets not mention the ads though: July=northern summer= not good, but we’re getting closer to the good ad months now. If we can keep the traffic up coming into Oct/ thanksgiving/ xmas…. 🙂

  • Call for questions for Blog Traffic Book

    So I’ve finally bitten the bullet and started writing an ebook some 3 or 4 years after I first thought it would be a good idea.

    The topic will be blog traffic, and everything I know about obtaining it.

    But I have a small favor to ask: I’m looking for questions to go in the book. While a lot of the book will talk about technique and strategy, I want real questions from real people to break things up.

    If you have any question about generating blog traffic, be it with a particular technique or anything you might think is relevant, ask away in the comments.

    If I select your question for the book, your name and site will be featured with the question! (obviously you should include your actual name and offer your URL with the blog comment in the correct fields etc 🙂 )

    Well, presuming you have a site and want it. If you don’t want your name in the book, let me know.

    Also, if I have your email you’ll get an answer to the question as well, although will be in the next few weeks vs say the next day or two.

    I have ZERO idea how many people will be exposed to the book (obviously I’m hoping millions 🙂 ) but I’m confident that we should be able to get to maybe a few thousand minimum.

    Thanks
    Duncan.

    PS: if you’re interested in selling it, affiliate details will be ready hopefully in the next 2 weeks, stay tuned.

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    Good until Dec 31, 2010 for first order. Order must be min $20.

    Menulog Restaurant Delivery Guide
    Get $10 off on your first delivery order using this voucher code: 88D3F5
    Note: Available for participating restaurants only (which display the “accepts vouchers”) sign