Funtober

Project Overview

Funtober is a seasonal event directory and costume store launched in 2012, focusing on fall-related activities such as festivals, Oktoberfest, haunted houses, and pumpkin patches. The project saw significant growth, reaching 1 million website visitors in October 2016 and anticipating 2 million visitors in October 2017.

SEO and Market Positioning

The project offers insights into seasonal niche marketing, particularly around the “reset” period in search rankings. While the creator initially believed this reset could level the playing field, they found that established players still maintain significant advantages. Breaking into competitive seasonal markets like Black Friday can take 5+ years of consistent effort.

Key Challenges and Observations

The creator noted that successfully competing in seasonal niches requires:

• Continuously updating content
• Developing deep, specialized information
• Patience in building market presence
• Monitoring potential competitors like Everfest

The primary ongoing challenge is not maintaining current rankings, but continuously producing superior content to prevent displacement by new competitors in the rapidly evolving seasonal event directory space.