2012-05-01 07:27:58
City Events Website
In case you didn't see my Facebook post (http://on.fb.me/JyZ5Pj):
I recently became frustrated while reading the May issue of Johnstown Magazine (being frustrated with the magazine itself is another issue, this is different). While perusing the articles I found many instances of people speaking about concerts, shows, etc. that have happened in and around Johnstown during the past couple of months. My first reaction was that I had no idea about any of these. My second reaction was that of anger because I would have liked to have attended many of those events.
Why is it so hard to advertise properly? I don't know the answer to that question, but what I do know is that Johnstown has a problem with too many "event posting" websites. The newspaper, the local news station, dozens of personally created websites with the sole purpose of advertising local events. If you're trying to promote an event where do you list?
The easy answer is to list on all of them, right? That's stupid. No one wants to waste their time posting the same thing 20 times. While it's a pain for the promoter, it's an even bigger pain for the consumer. How does one hear about local events? As it stands right now, the only way to stay current on local entertainment is to:
- Read the Tribune
- Read OurTown
- Read that other Alleghenies paper
- Watch the local news on TV
- Read the Tribune's website
- Read the local news website
- Read literally 6+ websites that list local events
Are you kidding me?
Johnstown needs one website. Scratch that... Every city needs one website where anyone can come to post and read about local events. But it will be difficult. To get the necessary adoption this site needs to be amazing. The UI needs to be beautiful and the UX needs to be flawless. If it's not people won't use it.
Here is the sketch of my current vision.
Thoughts?
Back
5 comments
2012-08-07 09:50:48
B.A. says...
Great idea, but easier said than done; namely, because you are still 100% dependent on dozens of entities to provide/update that information. How certain is it that, for instance, JAHA, War Memorial, Pasquerilla Arts Center, Arcadia Theatre, Aces, Jtown CVB, etc. will consistently and continually provide information?
2012-08-07 10:29:50
slonkak says...
That's a good point, B.A. But seeing as all of them already do provide information to the random websites/magazines/etc. that we have now I am counting on the appeal/ease of use/etc. of the new website to lure them in. I'd operate on the premise that if you build the best product the masses will use it. Especially if they start seeing returns, which would follow because of the mass adoption. So everything goes back to the UX and UI. If they're not perfect the whole thing fails. Of course, should they not participate as often as we'd like, I'd have to write scrapers to get the data from where they _do_ post it.
2012-08-07 22:19:45
Ryan L says...
Steps to making money and informing the general public on area events:
1. Build a kick ass aggregator/crawler
2. Also, provide an interface that allows people to publish events
3. Build a great UI that people want to use
4. Possibly add mobile features
5. Advertise it like mad
6. Put ads on site
7. ???
8. Profit
2012-08-07 22:20:36
Ryan L says...
Steps to making money and informing the general public on area events:
1. Build a kick ass aggregator/crawler
2. Also, provide an interface that allows people to publish events
3. Build a great UI that people want to use
4. Possibly add mobile features
5. Advertise it like mad
6. Put ads on site
7. ???
8. Profit
2012-08-07 09:30:35
Chad says...
Kevin, as someone who works part-time with the arts and entertainment, I couldn't possibly agree more! Each summer, I have to go to 8 different websites and post the events of all of our upcoming shows on EVERY one of them! It's so time-consuming and frustrating! And yes, people in the area are constantly complaining about not having anything to do. That's obviously not the issue. The issue is that nobody knows how to find out what's going on! I think the city page is a MUST. Great idea!