About US Cities Network

Updated 05/98

Becoming an Associate Publisher

Our expertise:

We do our work with:

Every Major VRML Editor
BRender & Every Major 3D package
Clay Works & Every Major CAD package
PhotoShop & Every Major Graphics package
2400 dpi Industrial Commercial Scanner
We do PERL and JAVA scripts

This page is for people who wish to become an Associate Publisher (AP) and own their own business with un-limited potential. You can actually build your pages up to become the Online Publisher of your city and county. Own your own Online Newspaper on the US Cities Network!


WANTED: Associate Publishers (APs) for most cities in the US. Check for your city, and if it is not on our site, or does not have a local contact person, then this city is most likely still open. This is an excellent opportunity to make money on a full or part-time basis. Be the first in your area to get in on this ground-floor opportunity now !


Questions & Answers on becoming an IAP:

  • What does it cost ? Very little. The setup fees have been waved. There is a small $25 monthly maintainence fee, that is waved after you have sold just $300 in monthly ads. Remember- you keep 70% of this $300! You would need business stationary, of course, such as business cards, etc. For maximum profits, we suggest a good laptop computer, so you can actually show your potential advertisers what the US Cities site looks like, and they can see real ads on the screen.


  • What do I get ? You get access to a demo section on our web site with samples of advertising available to the businesses in your area. You also have the exclusive right to the area(s) you contract for.


  • What is the monthly account fee used for ? A small percentage is used for site expenses, but the majority of this is used for advertising and promoting the uscities.net site. This is advertising on the Web and in print media. Think of the U. S. Cities Network as a co-op. Promoting and advertising uscities.net helps you, the AP, as well as all other APs, and the Network.


  • What do the ads sell for ? This is set by you with advise from us. Larger cities charge more for ads than smaller ones. To sponsor a city's Home Page you may charge anywhere from $70 to $400 monthly. Currently, the sponsors we have now are $100 monthly with year's contract, and we have to problem getting this amount. Smaller ads, and ads in The Mall Area (your local county Mall Pages) may be from $30 monthly to $100 and more.


  • What determines the cost of an ad ? An ad may simply be a small mall listing with just name, address, and phone number, and may sell for only $30 monthly, paid quarterly. Or there may be a URL in this listing going to a half page, full page, or larger ad. These ads go for $50 and up, depending on size.


  • What do I make ? The AP keeps 70% of all ad fees. Keep in mind, of the percentage U. S. Cities Network receives, up to 70% is spent (invested) in advertising and promoting the site. The actual percentage the Home Office nets is very small. We operate similar to a co-operative!


  • Why shouldn't I just rent space on a local server for this purpose ? You could. But, being on a "no name" server in an "unknown location" with an "unknown Domain Name" does not really provide quality advertising to a large population. We founded the U.S. Cities Network to provide a National Frame Of Reference for local cities. This is why we own both uscities.net and uscities.com Domain Names. This is also why we get visits to our site from people all over the world. Also, it is easier for a group to afford advertising, than a single individual. Magazine ads are expensive.


  • Do I own my own business ? Yes. You can name it any name you wish. You do all the marketing of the ad space locally, using your own business cards and location. You collect the ad fees and then remit our part to us at least weekly, or when submitting the ad material(s). You collect and pay any taxes required by your local and state governments.


  • How do I promote my business ? You do this locally through press releases, local newspaper ads, and by giving free pages to the Chamber of Commerce (subject to our approval in advance), and giving out brochures and business cards. If a local Chamber of Commerce or Business Federation does not yet have an internet presence, this is an excellent way to promote your business by giving them a page or pages.


  • How much can I make ? This is a new business in a fairly new media. What you earn is up to you. In a small city of 12,000 or so, it would not be unreasonable to expect to net $500-$800 monthly, and in cites of 30,000 and more, $1,000-$1,500 and up. But, like in any other business, it takes time to build the business.


  • What determines ad rates on internet sites ? The number of "hits" or visits to a site, help determine the rates that site can charge. Even though we have only been active since December 1995, we are (as of May 98) averaging 160,000 hits a month and we expect this to double soon. Many other sites that have been active several years, are only receiving 200 to 800 "hits" a month- or are closed down.


    • We recently read about one web site that was owned by a magazine with 260,000 subscribers, and 60% claimed to have an email address. A year and $400,000 later, this site was receiving 7,000 hits a week. So..... we must be doing something right! Local ISPs (Internet Service Providers) brag about receiving thousands of hits a month... but remember- these so-called "hits" are the result of every user loging onto the service many times daily. Our "hits" are true visits from people all over the US and the world.


  • How do I increase "hits" (visits) to my local pages ? By press releases, small ads in local newspapers, giving out brochures, business cards, and other forms of local promotion. And by promoting your pages over the internet.


    • What Do I Need To Be An Associate Publisher?

  • A 486 or better computer.
  • A connection to the internet.
  • A color scanner or access to one.
  • Be able to email ads and photo attachments.
  • Note: This page is changed and updated from time to time.

    • For information about becoming an IAP, contact: Gagle Communications, P.O. Box 1685, Crystal River, FL 34423-1685. You can send us e-mail to: business@uscities.net . You may call or fax : 352-563-1217.

    Web Page Services/Internet Consulting
    ( Gagle Communications)

    Placing Ads Here

    Merlin Gagle, BS, MPS: Founder