Long Term Strategies Other examples of vertical networks include the TechCrunch (http:// techcrunch.com) family of blogs, the Tuts+ network of educational blogs (http://tutsplus.com), and the GigaOm group (http://gigaom.com). Other examples of horizontal networks include b5Media (http://b5media.com) and SplashPress (http://splashpress.com).
How to Launch and Manage Multiple Blogs Here are some tips on launching and managing multiple blogs: Blog Management Systems While you can simply run multiple installations of a blog platform such as WordPress, a better solution is to use a system that supports multiple blogs. The upcoming WordPress 3.0 will offer this support, as does WordPress Multiuser, Expression Engine, and MovableType. Of course, a custom blog management system would theoretically also work! Replicating a Concept If you hit on a successful formula for a blog, it can often work well to duplicate the same formula into different topic areas. This can mean duplicating everything from staff structures to design, as well as generally sub-branding a single overarching a brand. By creating a successful formula and then duplicating it out over and over again, you have the benefit of building on a successful system and with each successive blog you build the brand to become bigger and stronger. Moving Between Sites As mentioned above, it’s good to think about how your sites will crosspollinate each other. One important aspect of this is how users switch between sites. This might be through a list of the available sites in your sidebar, a network drop-down menu ,or a tabbed structure. The more prominent and clear it is that they are multiple sites that are part of a single network, the more likely you’ll get cross-overs. Deciding When to Grow An important decision in building new blogs is deciding when it is a good time to grow. If you have a large store of capital, this decision is much more flexible. However, if you are bootstrapping, it’s important not to overextend