The Past 4 Years Have Flown By So Fast - Wealthy Affiliate Anniversary Time!

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Thank you Wealthy Affiliate for educating me so well on how to build an online business over the past 4 years. This has and continues to be one of the best experiences of my life. I will be telling my story on how I joined Weallthy Affiliate and the progress I have made further down.

But first, I want to make some comments about the new direction that is taking place within Wealthjy Affiliate right now.

The New Direction Of Wealthy Affiliate

I am so happy about the new streamlined direction WA is taking for starter members. I feel the outcome will be a higher conversion rate for our referrals. But we have to do a good job in our WA review as well as our messaging campaign for new referrals.

Eric Cantu has started a series of 4 classes that introduces these changes as well as steps to promote WA effectively.

This will be easier now since the starter platform is simplified and focused. I like leading with the annual membership for referrals who decide to upgrade and offer the monthly option only if they cannot come up with the annual amount.

Getting rid of the $19 upgrade bonus was a fantastic move. I felt that was a disservice to referrals. It made it seem easy to upgrade but created an issue if they couldn't pay the $49 for the following month. I truly believe that membership attrition will drop.

Lots of great things here that I feel will help us attract more members to WA. Onward with my story.

Searching For Online Solutions For The Solar Niche

I had been searching for courses to unlock the mysteries of how to use the Internet to create an online business. My first foray on creating a website was using the free WiX program.

At that time I was a sales consultant for a Solar Electric System company. I got all my customers by knocking door to door. It was hard work, but the commissions were awesome. The least amount I got as commissions for a sale was $1500. The most was $4000 from a neighbor across from where we live.

Selling solar electric systems was very hard work. Since my sales area was located in the high desert, it was very hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. In any case, I didn't like the idea of knocking on doors.

Hence I created a website to help me reach potential customers and collect the data I needed to give them a quotation.

If you want to see it you have to click the URL below as the link function on the Blog Editor doesn't work.

https://yourlifeplan.wixsite.c...

It was a free and is still active even though I am no longer in that business.

It Didn't Work!

I lost the motivation to knock on door to door and decided to see if this would work using the above free website. It didn't. For many reasons a few listed below:

1) Everyone could see this was a free website and not professional looking

2) I had no concept of online or email marketing to build traffic

3) Keywords? SEO? What was that all about?

Enough said. This was back in 2012 to 2016. Before I left the company, I became my last customer and made a commission of over $2000 on selling to myself! How cool was that?

The pictures of the solar panels above are on the roof of our home, overlooking the San Fernando Valley. I climbed onto the roof to take these.

Since we installed these panels 93% of the electric energy we have used has been generated by these solar panels. The 7% that was provided from the utility company is at their lowest rate.

We paid nothing to have them installed, and incur a modest monthly payment towards the cost. Our savings have been substantial. The panels will be ours in 12 more years at which point our electricity will be almost free.

For this reason alone, I was glad to have dabbled in the solar industry.

Maybe I Needed To Get Some Training To Do This

My biggest regret was not discovering Wealthy Affiliate back then to learn the ropes on how to use the Internet to reach people.

I started to explore online training courses to build an online business. Most places were set up to suck you in at a low cost, only to tell you the real secrets would cost much more through expensive modules. I joined a few but canceled when I realized what their game was.

Then I came across one that seemed to provide value for a $50 a month subscription. It's main purpose was to help members find leads. And I needed leads for solar customers.

However, if you wanted to learn how to create a website and build an online business, you had to purchase several modules that cost several thousand dollars. Plus, you had to continue the $50 monthly subscription.

Wealthy Affiliate Found Me

About that time when I was researching investment companies online, a Wealthy Affiliate member noticed I had asked questions on a forum. He responded and asked if I would be open to a better way to earn money online. I said yes, but was skeptical. He asked for my email address and sent me the link to the free starter membership.

This was on November 30th 2018. After I started taking the OEC training, I felt this was just what I was looking for. Wealthy Affiliate had everything necessary to build an online business in one place at a price I could afford. $49 a month.

I became a free member right away. Just before my first week was up, I upgraded to Premium for $19.

How Much Have I Paid Wealthy Affiliate In That 4 Years?

I was curious about the answer. Hence, I reviewed my account and added up all my subscriptions. Apart from the first few months, I had moved up to annual. Then last year I took advantage of the $499 Premium Plus upgrade.

When I looked at how much I paid in those four years, I was astounded how little it was. It averaged $382 a year!

This consisted of a combination of a few monthly payments, some annual regular premium payments combined with the $299 Black Friday sale a few years back. Finally, I upgraded to Premium Plus at $499 last Thanksgiving.

This was the best deal in town.

How Did I Implement What I Learned?

Not as well as I could have. I started off by writing a lot of content. That then faded downward as I started to spend more time writing blogs on my WA dashboard. Sad to say these blogs have exceeded the number on my three websites.

I have talked about the importance of being disciplined and following a plan rigorously and consistently. Sadly, I have not done a good job here either.

Although I am earning a monthly income, I can do much better.

It's Time To Change!

I love the changes that Wealthy Affiliate is in the process of implementing. My main focus is in the Make Money Online niche.

Only recently I realized that this is a very broad niche. I need to narrow my target market down into chunks.

Then to create posts with this narrow focus until I attract new affiliates. And then move to other areas in this niche.

There are a lot of classes on how to do this in Premium Plus and I am taking them.

I also have a budget to use PPC and I will be using this in parallel with building the organic way.

What Do You Think About The New Changes?

As I mentioned above, I love it. I am raring to see all the details that will be unfolded in December so that I can update my Wealthy Affiliate review and use it in new campaigns. Both organic and PPC.

I am convinced that 2023 is going to be a banner year for many members. It's going to come down to working hard and smart.

Are you willing to do that to take advantage of the new changes?

I wish you much success in your affiliate marketing business.

Edwin

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Recent Comments

41

You can improve your MMO niche by focusing only on your user experience here in WA. Eric talked about that in his class last night, which I watched LIVE. I agree with you about the starter and the new strategy regarding gaining referrals. I hope your leg is healing well. Get productive and stay well. Thanks for sharing your story.

Hi Brenda,

Thanks so much for asking about my injury. It has improved dramatically in the past few days. I had just run out of antibiotics so they must have been doing their magic.

I watched the recording of Eric's class and found it very helpful. This is going to factor into my strategy. Thanks for bringing it up.

Cheers.

Edwin

Excellent. I didn't want you to give up that MMO hope, keep it streamlined, as Eric stated. We all are here for each other.

I feel the same way. Quitting is not in my vocabulary. It’s all a learning experience.

Cheers Brenda.

Edwin

Happy 4 years Edwin, and I agree time has flown by! It has been a pleasure getting to know you during this time.

And yes, we are definitely streamlining the platform here and this has come with a lot of recent changes. Sometimes we have to really go heads down on our technology, and then the marketing needs time to catch up. We offer so much here now, and sometimes we need to bring that to the surface with design & marketing side updates.

I look forward to working with you in the year ahead, and beyond Edwin. Exciting times are ahead!

Hello Kyle,

Thanks so much for your kind wishes. I appreciate so much your offer to work with me. I have so many directions I can go right now that are making me think this out carefully. I am using Jay's Pillar method to chart out new posts and I will share my matrix with you for your thoughts.

When there are so many choices, it is easy to get into paralysis by analysis. I have to pick a direction in the MMO field and be decisive. There is one fact that is constant. It is to bring as many people to benefit from what WA has to offer. This is my ultimate niche. I prefer this direction to sell products as a one-time deal. Not that I will overlook that process. But it will be secondary.

Thanks once again for all your help Kyle.

Cheers.

Edwin

Happy 4 year WAnniversary, Edwin!

What a compelling post, my friend! WA has come a long way since I have been here too, and I will need to take the plunge and deep dive some now!

Best success for you going forward!

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Congrats on your 5 years. It has been loads of fun being here. All the best to you too.

Edwin

Thank you very much, Edwin!

Best continued success in your endeavors here!

Jeff

Hi Edwin…

Happy 4 year anniversary!

-Mike

Thank you so much Mike.

Cheers.

Edwin

You are welcome sir!

-Mike

Awesome journey so far, Edwin
Happy 4 years Wanniversary
Wishing you continued success on your journey

Thank you so much Simone! You are so kind.

Edwin

No worries, Edwin
Have a blessed weekend ahead

Excellent work, Edwin! Good luck in your new endeavors.
Regards, Matt

Glad to get to know you Matt. Thanks for your kind words.

Edwin

Happy four years here at Wealthy Affiliate, Edwin! Here's to many more!

Cheers!

Myra

Hi Myra,

Thanks so much for your good wishes. I wish you much success in your endeavors.

Cheers.

Edwin

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