SI should package the site out to brokerage houses like an ASP model. There are many brokerages or financial sites that would like to add more value added features to their sites but unfortunately their client base is too small to get a real 'community' going. SI can provide the Message Board to the brokerage houses and other financial sites, except that instead of seeing SI's look and feel (logo, etc) they would brand it 'broker name' but 'powered by SI' something like that along with the appropriate disclaimers which i'm sure brokerage compliance will want.
So basically, if you're using E*TRADE or Ameritrade or whatever, you can access 'their' message boards which will have their 'look and feel', advertising etc, BUT, the content, threads, posting is from SI community. Of course, users can also log on to SI directly.
I'm not a techie but what i'm suggesting is that people accessing 'different' message boards, will actually be reading and posting on a common platform and accessing a common platform. Is this feasible? Then the brokerage houses will pay or their clients pay and SI will have additional revenue. Basically other sites or brokerages would outsource the message board features (including content) to SI. Content is King and SI should not waste the valuable content that it already has. To start a message board from scratch would be so difficult - not only from cost perspective, design, but more importantly critical mass to build up the content (posts). I know there are other sites and service providers out there that provide 'Message Board' products but they don't provide or have the content or community that SI has. SI posts are for the most part QUALITY when compared to Yahoo or Raging Bull or any other broker's message board (if they have any). I still believe that brokers want to keep their clients 'on their site' as much as possible. Only problem is compliance (in my opinion) but there is always a way around that.
Just my 2 cents worth. I've been a member for 4 years and although the markets condition has caused me to be a less frequent user, i'd sure hate to see it go...
good luck SI, hang in there! |
