backpackers.com.au

[enjoi]

Hey guys im in the process of developing Backpackers.com.au.
Im trying to work out how much money to put into the development...

My question is to all of you domainers with premium domains with a legitimate business behind it not just a mini site - How much would you put into the development?

Backpackers.com.au will be offering:
Hostel bookings
Tours bookings
Travel insurance
Guides
Australian travel visas

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated

Cheers
Jono

 

[snoopy]

Sounds a very good name. Personally would be starting with a poll to really try and figure out what people are after and what areas they are travelling to.

As far as development goes would be doing something home made to start with then spending on it once it is producing revenue, otherwise the risk is spending in areas that may not work or might need big changes.

 

[asantha]

add a forum too...

 

[AlexBailey]

Sorry to sidetrack here Enjoi, but very nice domain.

How do you 'premium domain' guys find forums go? Difficult to monetize?

 

[snoopy]

Sorry to sidetrack here Enjoi, but very nice domain.

How do you 'premium domain' guys find forums go? Difficult to monetize?

There is very little money in them, generally a distraction to finding a good business model.

 

[enjoi]

Thanks for the responses; Snoopy good point, ill start the development with an offshore developer until the site builds momentum and has steady revenue.

Ive never ran forum and i dont think a forum would fit well in Backpackers.com.au just yet.
In time i will add a Job section for backpackers - Hoping for Backpackers.com.au to be the one stop site for all backpackers in Australia

Thanks for the compliment AlexBailey!

 

[BenWalker]

H
Im trying to work out how much money to put into the development...

Hi Jono!

Very nice name!

What are your intented revenue streams? This will determine how much you spend on the design.

- Are you charging Hostels to list? Or is it free? etc etc
- Is it an affiliate model or direct advertising?etc etc

My personal opinion is you have a category killer name. So spend a bit making it look nice. I think it will definitely pay off in the long run.

Once again my personal opinion (others can/may disagree) Forums are really hard to get going. I think you are better off having like a review/rating section under each Hostel etc.

 

[enjoi]

Hi Jono!

Very nice name!

What are your indented revenue streams? This will determine how much you spend on the design.

- Are you charging Hostels to list? Or is it free?
- Is it an affiliate model or direct advertising?

My personal opinion is you have a category killer name. So spend a bit making it look nice. I think it will definitely pay off in the long run.

Once again my personal opinion (others can/may disagree) Forums are really hard to get going. I think you are better off having like a review/rating section under each Hostel etc.

Hey Ben! Thanks for the comments;
I have access to Hostelworld.com API, I will receive a commission per hostel booking. A rating system is built into the API as well as descriptions/maps/photos/etc
The tours API is with Viator.com, similar set up as my Hostelworld.com API

These two along side travel insurance will be my main source of revenue

 

[FirstPageResults]

Hey Ben! Thanks for the comments;
I have access to Hostelworld.com API, I will receive a commission per hostel booking. A rating system is built into the API as well as descriptions/maps/photos/etc
The tours API is with Viator.com, similar set up as my Hostelworld.com API

These two along side travel insurance will be my main source of revenue

Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (http://www.atdw.com.au) is another option. They have good data, but you have to pay for access..

Sent you a PM

 

[fcdoms]

I like the potential Jono.

You're obviously looking at all the options. I'd like to suggest a social component. Perhaps not a forum but a sign in with FaceBook or a Ning or Diaspora type social thing. I think backpack travel would work with that - esp. on the cat.killer domain. Backpackers could be able to hook up with others to organise their travel (partner with the transport companies) and they often like to share costs which they could pre-arrange on the site.

Fantastic domain and best of luck making it into a wow website!

 

[fcdoms]

Also I'd recommend taking it mobile as a priority - people in transit will connect mostly by a device. Web on the desktop isn't dead - but this domain calls for a fully mobile app experience IMO.

 

[findtim]

HOWD YA GET THAT ! i remember @ 2004 i tried to get it but someone in perth who i thought owned it never answered my email? was that you?

anyway, great domain name and the answer to your question of how much money to invest is NOTHING, get a good business plan and strategy and you will have people knocking at your door to give you the money.

i'm from byron bay so i do not think a backpacker comes to australia without visiting byron.

you have soooo many major tour companies and accoms available to you.

if i owned it i would most likely dip out of everything else i am doing to concerntrate on it

if you want a venture capitalist then PM me, i know a few very rich blokes that have in the past approached me about this type of thing and i am currently developing an accom site for the goldcoast commonwealth games for them.

i'd be using the "total travel dot com au" business model which sold a few years back for $20 MIL, stayz dot com .au is another great example and roamfree dot com au would LOVE to talk to you ( 2 guys from byron now millionaires)

its not a 20mil domain but it could be a $100k net revenue p/a site

stuff forums go the directory path and charge for listings $500 + a link for 12 months

ooooh, oopps, i'm writing the wrong post ! ahhhh, thats a shit domain but i'll give ya $50 right now for it OK?

tim

PS: its gotta be a mobile ready site as well FROM THE START

 

[enjoi]

Thanks for the boost in confidence Tim!
I purchased this domain almost a year ago now but never had the time to get the domain developed so it definitely wasnt me.

Hrm im still deciding if i should focus on Australia only to start with and bring in worldwide at a later date? any thoughts?

 

[snoopy]

Hrm im still deciding if i should focus on Australia only to start with and bring in worldwide at a later date? any thoughts?

Base it on the statistics. For the people searching for "backpackers" in Australia where are they intending to go? There may well be a large % going one way or the other (overseas versus local).

 

[findtim]

i don't think this is a "domain name" i think its a "brand" , having done ALOT of backpacking myself both OS and OZ i can just here someone saying "what do i do when i get to cairns" ? and someone replies " just go to backpackers.com.au....... "

go local, then join some good affilaite programs for flights outbound, alot of BP's don't have onward flight tickets as they stay 12 months and the tickets would expire or they come here then choose their next leap, maybe NZ and back then onto thailand?

but your MONEY is in local directory sales

tim

 

[Blue Wren]

but your MONEY is in local directory sales

tim

@enjoi. Well done on a great domain.

Hi Tim.

Could you expand on what "MONEY in local directory sales" means please?

Thank you

 

[findtim]

do you want me to spend time on a marketing strategy?

put simply, if i had this domain it would become a directory, capital cities and KEY backpacker locations eg: byron, whitsundays, cairns, noosa, ayers rock, etcc

THEN sell advertising space to the nationwide backpacker hostels eg: koalas, yha, nomads, vip etcccc,

flights, buses trains car hire !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then sell LOCALISED adverts to the bars, clubs, car rental, tours etcccccc for all locations

i happen to know you can as a bonus get booking kickbacks of up to 20% + of reef trips, sailing trips etc in major qld locations .

local local local,

************its gotta also be a mobile phone ready website.

qr the free entry to the woolshed cairns, from your noosa backpacker accom so when you get to cairns you get in free !! and qr the woolshed to get a free beer at the noosa backpacker accom etcccccc

you have a BUNCH of people with a 100% disposable income, how many websites cater to that???? and these people all they do is eat, drink, tour, sleep and F%^K,

YOU COULD simply pay off the site buy advertising in the header ( LOL ) a great brand of condoms !!!, thats all you would need to do. I'd do it "ultrathin" ... ohhh, i meant the advert !

i'm sorrryyyyyyy, but i just have sooooooo many ideas for this domain its frustrating me i don't own it so i need to spend time on my own businesses, is that rude????

sorry

.... but i'll give ya $50 bucks for it right now , LOL, yeh... terrible domain... worth nothing !

tim

 

[AlexBailey]

A regionalised subdomain search-engine optimisation and marketing strategy would definitely do nicely.

Definitely keep us updated on how it all goes, eager to see your strategy

 

[findtim]

A regionalised subdomain search-engine optimisation and marketing strategy would definitely do nicely.

Definitely keep us updated on how it all goes, eager to see your strategy

i don't think subdomain localisation works any more BECAUSE its not working for me ! LOL , i think googles gone "folders"

stayz dot com au is a good example of this, she developed the domain on that strategy YEARS ago made a motza and sold it to fairfax who have since chnaged the whole structure.

http://www.stayz dot com.au / about-us

she was only 21 i think and walked away with millions, also won some young business person of the year award, great story just can'tnd a link for you right now

tim

 

[Blue Wren]

do you want me to spend time on a marketing strategy?

put simply, if i had this domain it would become a directory, capital cities and KEY backpacker locations eg: byron, whitsundays, cairns, noosa, ayers rock, etcc

THEN sell advertising space to the nationwide backpacker hostels eg: koalas, yha, nomads, vip etcccc,

flights, buses trains car hire !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then sell LOCALISED adverts to the bars, clubs, car rental, tours etcccccc for all locations

i happen to know you can as a bonus get booking kickbacks of up to 20% + of reef trips, sailing trips etc in major qld locations .

local local local,

************its gotta also be a mobile phone ready website.

qr the free entry to the woolshed cairns, from your noosa backpacker accom so when you get to cairns you get in free !! and qr the woolshed to get a free beer at the noosa backpacker accom etcccccc

you have a BUNCH of people with a 100% disposable income, how many websites cater to that???? and these people all they do is eat, drink, tour, sleep and F%^K,

YOU COULD simply pay off the site buy advertising in the header ( LOL ) a great brand of condoms !!!, thats all you would need to do. I'd do it "ultrathin" ... ohhh, i meant the advert !

i'm sorrryyyyyyy, but i just have sooooooo many ideas for this domain its frustrating me i don't own it so i need to spend time on my own businesses, is that rude????

sorry

.... but i'll give ya $50 bucks for it right now , LOL, yeh... terrible domain... worth nothing !

tim

Understood now.

Thanks Tim.