Philip John, freelance consultant and part of the team behind local, independent news site the Lichfield Blog, discusses in a post on his blog how some hyperlocal and niche sites are using all the opportunities available to them to make money.
His top recommendations:
1) Advertising
2) Business directory
3) Estate agent listings
4) Job listings
5) Selling content
6) Print version to be sold in shops
7) Classifieds
8) Eating out guide with restaurants given opportunity to enhance their listing for a fee
9) Entertainment guide with a similar option for venues
10) Sponsorship – for example, the sponsor of the local football team may sponsor all the posts about the club
11) T-shirt range
12) Gifts & novelties
13) Lead generation for local businesses
14) Targeted affiliate stories/advertising features that relate locally, e.g. to the local football team
Are there other means by which niche and hyperlocal sites are supporting themselves?