Web sites compete to be next Internet hit

The competition to be IU’s next big Internet sensation is on.\nHowever, it’s a competition that many IU students aren’t aware is happening.\nJuicycampus.com and IUPlanet.com are just a couple Web sites that cater to IU students. JuicyCampus is a site that allows students to anonymously post entertaining stories and news on its forum, while IUPlanet reports campus news and offers forums students must register to use.\n“(JuicyCampus) was created as an entertainment site,” said Matt Ivester, the chief executive officer and founder of JuicyCampus. “Every group of friends has these funny things going on. Let’s let them share it.”\nIUPlanet co-owner Steve Presser said his page was created as a way to get IU students involved in campus.\n“We created the site to give the students a voice and to get Hoosiers involved in a Web site and to be a one-stop resource,” he said.\nMany students said they have never heard of JuicyCampus or IU Planet.\n“Usually I just use the Internet for e-mail,” freshman David Boze said. “I don’t use the computer that much. Maybe a little for Facebook.”\nFreshman Alexa Milkey said she doesn’t seek sites such as JuicyCampus or IU Planet.\n“I don’t go to the Internet for news about campus,” she said.\nOther IU students said they have heard of these types of Web sites, but don’t use them. Freshman Courtney Crouse said she has heard of JuicyCampus but has yet to visit it.\n“I don’t have the time and I don’t really care,” she said.\nPresser said he is not satisfied with the amount of traffic IUPlanet is getting and hopes to see more students visiting the site in the near future.\n“Right now we’re getting around 50,000 page views a month and we’re hoping to grow that significantly,” he said. “I’d like to see a much bigger improvement.”\nIvester, however, said he is pleased with the amount of traffic JuicyCampus is receiving.\n“We haven’t had to do much selling,” he said. “It’s a Web site that sells itself. It seems that thousands and thousands are joining the site. We just completed an upgrade so it works much more quickly. There were so many people trying to log on that we couldn’t keep up with it.”\nSome IU students who have visited Juicy Campus aren’t impressed with its content. \n“I personally just think it’s kind of trashy,” said freshman Kristen Leef. “It’s pretty much an excuse for people to talk bad about other people anonymously.”\nIvester, however, said students should make their own judgments about the site.\n“I would encourage everyone to go on the site and judge it for themselves,” he said.\nPresser said he’d like more students to get involved with contributing regularly to IUPlanet.\n“I’d like to use this as a way for students to get involved in something bigger than a regular job,” he said. “I see a lot of potential, and I hope that other students see the same thing.”