Name of your website?overberginfo.com
Your name?
Vanessa Alberts
Your Location (city, etc)
Southernmost tip of Africa (Hermanus)
Please give us a short summary of your website?
The electronic gateway to the Cape Overberg region. A portal that provides comprehensive information for residents and visitors about what is happening, available and possible on the southernmost tip of Africa.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
The lack of information about the region.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
This was my first website which was lanched 7 years ago.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
Information about the Overberg - overberg + info - the .co.za had already been taken and wasn't being used effectively - decided to create strong brand instead.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
The site is updated daily. Our brand is strong and instantly recognisable. The site is PACKED with information - so it is a site that is really "alive".
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
The site has a life of it's own and over the years we adapt and change to meet the current needs and trends. I guess our goal is to keep up with what is needed effectively and to be the best marketing tool and source of information for the people of the Overberg.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
It is starting to pay off - but has taken a while. Our design services have essentially subsidised the site for many years.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
Give it my undivided attention. I'd take the time to go through it with a fine toothcomb and make sure that every single page is the best it could be.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Have already - I think ;)
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
Photographers reneging on terms of us of photographs = legal fees and beligerent people. Training staff only to have them go off and try to do the same thing on their own (unsuccesfully!)
What has been your biggest challenge?
Educating people about the value of the Internet and overberginfo.com - as it is "intangible" people have taken a while to realise the impact the good use of these tools can have on their business.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Word of mouth and sponsoring non-profit/event web development.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
I didn't expect to spend more time developing other peoples sites in order to subsidise the continuation of overberginfo.com.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
The site has been in existance for 7 years, has good traffic, steadily increasing income and is loved by those who visit it - so as long as that continues - so will I.
What is your website address?
overberginfo.com
