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byDubbedWrite

252 followers

11 years ago

OR-WHAT LED ME TO THIS POINT, AND HOW MUCH EASIER IT WILL BE FOR YOU!

I have been blogging and creating websites for the past nine years. UNSUCCESSFULLY.

I made my first website back in 2004.

Here's the process I went through back then: I used a web site creator, a wysiwyg (stands for: what you see is what you get) drop and drag program that worked a little like a word document. Once I created the website, I had to get and use an ftp software program to upload my content. Even before that, I had to obtain a domain name and web hosting to upload the files to.

I learned a lot, and I'm glad I did it, it came in handy at a job I recently had, and I was able to impress my boss a little.

BUT IT DIDN"T MAKE ME ONE RED CENT. I suspect I didn't get any visitors either.

My first website was only a couple of pages which directed people to my ebay store. I had no clue about content and keywords at the time.

Shortly after that time, while looking for an easier way to create a website, I found Blogger. But at the time blogging itself was not that old, and it was a brand new concept to me.

I thought it was an online diary that you tell the world your deep personal stuff (Eek! I thought.) I never thought of a blog as a website or that you could use a blog to make money.

About a year later I really wanted to make a website to offer my digital scrapbooking graphics. I found WordPress and fell in love with it, and so went on to make a website called Scrapbrush. I bought a domain name an bought hosting once again.

I had begun to notice a lot of personal blogs that had Ads on their sites, and wondered what that was all about. So I found out about Google Adsense, signed up right away and within a couple of months was making some good beer money each month.

After reading dozens of articles, I was still lost in all of the numbers Google had when researching keywords, and really had no idea if I was doing anything right.

The only thing I knew for certain was that my website was all free graphics, and free things get attention. (my original ScrapBrush site is no longer up-I now sell graphics on Etsy)

From that point on I made all of my websites (mostly experiments) with WordPress. I didn't see any drawback in using WordPress and believe me when I say I've looked at it from all angles. (One exception, I use PrestaShop for my personal store, but I still run the blog portion of the same website on WordPress-and it is possible to run a good store from WordPress.)

However, no matter how many ideas I had or websites I created, I would get lost in Google's keyword tool trying to figure out how NOT TO BE LOST to my would be readers.

Even though I understood keywords a little I would always end up being totally overwhelmed.

I went through this cycle so many times, that it is such a relief to have found Wealthy Affiliate.

I knew I needed help all along, I was just too skeptical of all the affiliate networks out there. It seemed like most were spammy, pyramid schemes, just out to make a buck and overcharge for their services, and the services never seemed to end. Which meant more and more money as you went along.

So a couple of weeks ago like I mentioned in my last entry, I was searching the jobs on Craigslist and came across yet another of those types of affiliate networks, but I was trying to be open minded about it, and checked into reviews, when I came across a blog which pointed me here.

Though I've had little time with which to work with in the past week, the WA website so obviously gives clear direction.

Yesterday I signed up for WA and Jaaxy because they clearly solve the problems I've been having for years now.

Wealthy Affiliate is my roadmap to making website creation (using the best-WordPress) as simple as a couple of clicks. Jaaxy is my keyword and idea planner.

If feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders and now I'll be able to concentrate on my content.

I know I won't make money overnight, but I'm confident I'll be making more money online within the next few months.

I'll keep you updated on my progress, I'm about to (re) start one of my websites!

~Crystal, aka GoodGirl