The intention of this article is to teach you about the Microsite asset included in ventures acquired from me.
Houses are built on land like microsites are built on servers. Houses have addresses like microsites have domain names. When you acquire a venture, you get the land and a house. Make this house your home.
- Introduction
- Operating Model
- Components
- Feedback Loops
- Ask Me Anything
- Venture Evolution
- Mitigation Risk
- Venture Portfolio
Introduction
Microsites can evolve into ventures that operate autonomously when you strategically embed a business model represented by digital assets into the microsite.
Operating Model
I created the sketch below to illustrate that which I refer. I start with paper to sketch first because I am downloading what I currently see in my mind onto the easiest format as a first step. Using paper allows me to work through several iterations quickly while also spinning up the live microsite where you are reading this article. The diagram shows my current perception of how to design the operating model of the venture I aspire to launch by integrating elements of it into the technology of the microsite.
There are several components to one of my microsites. A few other elements that are not included in the sketch: the exchange of the value proposition (the way value moves between you and I), a section that describes partnerships and how to partner with me, a resource library, and anything else a business model needs.
Components
The intention of the list below is to briefly explain the elements you see in the diagram I sketched in the picture above.
- Microsite: this is the base installation of WordPress that comes with the tools you need to launch your Podcast Venture.
- RSS feed: this is the mechanism that signals to Spotify when you publish new episodes to your microsite that now need to be published to your Spotify show.
- Support: the Ask Me Anything feature is a feedback loop that invites your community to ask you questions about your Podcast Venture 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Pages: as with any WordPress site, you can create and modify as many pages as you’d like. I include a drag and drop page builder with acquisition.
- Forms: in addition to the forms I already created for the Podcast Venture, you can also create as many new forms as you’d like using the drag and drop form builder.
- Blog: there are two templates included for you to have one page that lists all of your blog posts, and a second template is included for you to show one blog post at a time. Blog posts are an example of organic marketing that increases traffic to your microsite, and, perhaps, retains existing listeners with new content.
I will dive into the features listed above in upcoming articles. For now, I will speak into the support feature, Ask Me Anything, and the way it is applied to the Podcast Venture. I can use the same Ask Me Anything support functionality I discuss below on any of my ventures, and you can too. First, I will share a bit about the concept of feedback loops.
Feedback Loops
The intention of online support is to provide your community with a channel to communicate with you and your teams regarding any issues, questions, and requests for new features. This is known as a “feedback loop”, and is a helpful element to launching, managing, and growing your venture. Here’s an example of how I am applying the feedback loop concept in the Podcast Venture.
Ask Me Anything
I built this feature for myself so that I could offer a space for you to ask me questions about the Podcast Venture. Additionally, this is the place you will go when you have any question related to your venture’s technology, marketing, and design. I also built this feature to use on the Podcast Venture with you because now you can also use the feature with your community.
Until now, I managed this process manually and did my best to make myself available to everyone I worked with through phone calls and in-person meetings. I am learning that I can provide better support through online spaces such as this one.
My thought process: As my needs evolve, I can add additional features. For now, I intentionally hold back features except for the one single feature we need to maintain a steady and consistent flow of communication as we move through the iteration process together.
Venture Evolution
I create the microsite in such a way that, once the beta version is built, it can operate autonomously. That means, the microsite runs (most of) the venture by itself. This increases the value of the Podcast Venture by removing friction in the process of launching new ventures, or, placing bets.
Mitigating Risk
Change is the only constant. I know what worked yesterday, and, even this morning, it’s likely already going out of style. In order to future-proof myself, stay ahead of the curve, and figure out how to serve you in serving myself I must have the capabilities to place many bets. Such bets are things like the Podcast Venture. It doesn’t cost a lot to create, and it has a potential return. The way to get there is through validated learning like I began to discuss in yesterday’s post about using the scientific method to launch ventures that make an impact.
In the Podcast Venture, for example, I am always learning something because I am listening, watching, reading, observing so that I can get a sense of what is happening. Situational awareness is helpful for me. The learning provides the data for which I pull insight from which then drives my next decision in how I will shape the venture.
Venture Portfolio
This microsite is built as a subdomain of my virtual estate: podcast.danieldalonzo12-23-2021.tempurl.host. I cloned an existing venture to start with the right tools faster and for less than all the other platforms I would need to start a business.
Once this venture is operating autonomously that means I can continue qualitative research methods to identify (1) how and why I will make changes to the Podcast Venture, and (2) what and why to build the next venture for your acquisition based on your evolving needs.
The process never ends. It’s a lifelong learning journey.
That’s all for now. I will continue documenting my process of launching the Podcast Venture and the steps I am taking along the way.
– Daniel D.