Getting Others Involved?

So here is my dilemma. I am a web guy. I can create websites in no time and get all the SEO/linking/etc. done for a site. I have a number of sites in one specific topic area (because this topic is what I can write about!!). What is the best way to expand? I have a friend/friends who are VERY knowledgable in a couple topics and I think teaming up with them we could form a great website that produces good adsense results.

1) So my initial thought was to approach them with the site idea. Tell them i'd set up the site and do all the web stuff, if they focused on the content. We'd split the adsense earnings (or any earnings) down the middle. Obviously they wouldn't have an adsense account so it would all be tied to my account and I would pay them.

Then I started thinking about bad things that could happen... My "adsense account" isn't nearly as important to them as it is to me, and I could see them clicking the ads and telling all their friends to click the ads. This would be bad.

2) So another approach would be to set them up an adsense account and do some sort of revenue sharing on the site. Half my ads and half theres. Would this be better?

3) Another option would be to just pay them a flat fee per article written or something. But I'd love to keep them interested in the site by showing them that writing articles directly relates into more adsense income.

Thoughts on how to go about this?

Thanks.

 

Well,

A flat fee may be best if they do not know about adsense, since they could cause you to gain invalid clicks due to their lack of understanding of the TOS.

A revenue sharing system in the circumstances you described could still have them trying to generate clicks to boost the income... so it is hard to know what to do.

 

Forget about the idea on AdSense sharing its way to dangerous. Just give them money for every article.

 

The one thing I do have going for me is I use adlogger to limit the number of clicks from an IP and can ban certain IP's. So I would and am able to control click fraud somewhat.

I'm just afraid a "flat fee" per article won't be enticing enough for them? And how in the heck do I even go about giving them a price? I don't have a clue how much this anticipated site will make in the future?

 

The best way is to ask them how much they want for each article. And then you analyze your AdSense income and see if you can make profit.

 

Half the excitement for my friends is that thought that their writing could lead to more money as the site grows. Just dont think the appeal will be there for them to write on a flat fee... but maybe.

I'm just struggling other thoughts?

 

Well if there your friends then you should trust them and tell them not to click the ads by any means. You need to have confidence in them. Other then that there is no other way.

 

I think the best way to go is to do the revenue sharing with them, that way if the dont write good articles they will see that the revenue isnt that good, and you will not have to over pay or under pay them.

 

Yeah exactly. It's not just ANY article that will produce results. Needs to be good content, and they will feel that firsthand. I just need to drive home the TOS and get their committment to no fraud.

 

If it is set up right, and they are fully understanding of the situation then it can be mutually profitable.

Revenue sharing, or even adsense itself, is always a risk to some degree. The main thing is not to rely on it producing income, but it can be a nice bonus when it does.

If they understand that as well, then it can be motivational and help them produce higher quality material.

 

I think I would get them to write the articles for a fee rather than sharing. I think most people go it alone in adsense.

 

Share, but be sure to formalize things. Set up a legal partnership with a business name. Or a corporation. Get an AdSense account for the partnership/corporation, separate from your own. Then go to town.

 

In that case, I would share. I did not think about the corporation route.