The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Online: My 2018 In Review

It's been a roller coaster ride since I joined this platform in late February this year.

I have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows all in the space of 10 months.

It seems like the right time, at the end of 2018, to take stock of how far I have come since joining WA and share the good, the bad and the ugly online that I have experienced so far.

Hopefully my small success will give hope to newbies and perhaps my monumental mistakes can save someone from heartache in 2019.

I have jotted down the achievements and mistakes I have made that I think will most benefit those new to affiliate marketing. It's in no way a complete review of 2018 (that would be a 5000 word blog!).

So here goes, no holds barred, my warts and all recap of my foray so far into becoming an online entrepreneur.

So Much In 10 Short Months ...

I can not believe how much I have learnt this year! When I entered the hallowed halls of WA I knew absolutely nothing, I had not even heard the term affiliate marketer! And now:

Niche Site (The Good)

I have a niche site in an area I am passionate about - teaching new horse owners how to be better people and providers for their equine pals.

• 60 posts and the mandatory pages
• $84.45 in Amazon sales and $6.95 from Ebay
• From 128 users in March to 865 in November
  

Local Marketing (The Good)

Without even wanting to I have waded into the local marketing space. I have built two business websites - one for a local pest control business and one for our local recycling depot.

I have also designed logos for local businesses and I am running a social media Facebook campaign for a local Bistro/Bar as well as the Recycling Depot.

These side jobs have so far proven to be the most profitable and I have earnt $1270 through my local marketing efforts. This is an area I would like to pursue but finding the time for clients is difficult when I am still working full-time at the moment.

I didn't think I had the skills to do this, but WA has taught me enough to know a lot more than your average Joe on the street. It has been interesting and has paid for my Black Friday membership as well as premium themes for my clients sites and my own, with a bit of pocket money to spare.

Bootcamp Site (The Bad)

Once I'd finished the Online Certification I started Bootcamp and thought well I need a second site for my Bootcamp training.

I love this site but I put it in the bad column because it has taken my focus away from the niche site, and while everyone tells you, you can make money in the make money online space I have found it tough going!

Posts seem harder to rank in the early days, you often need to be more creative with keywords and you need A LOT of content to even get Google to glance at you sideways.

When the experts tell you, you only need one site to make a great living, and to concentrate on one niche site to start off with until it is making you the money you want - BELIEVE THEM.

Two sites means two lots of content to write, two lots of social media channels to maintain, two lots of site updates to keep onto.

My recommendation - don't start a second site for at least 12 months, maybe closer to 2 years, or perhaps never!

If you put enough heart, soul and effort into one site you can truly create an authority site that will rival all others - and you will make money faster and easier.

Social Media (The Ugly)

Well so far I have been banned from Facebook and just recently suspended on Pinterest for my Bootcamp site.

Don't use your WA affiliate links on any social media platform, even if you cloak them using Pretty Links - they will find you and you will get slapped!

The only way to stay within their terms and conditions is to link the URL's to your own blog posts.

Don't jeopardise what you are creating on social media by being silly enough to "just try" an affiliate link, learn from my mistakes - it doesn't work.

I have also been called a Scam on Facebook, you can read all about that little episode here.

Write Ban here at WA (The Ugly)

Yes I did get a write ban for a little over 5 weeks! I got a little carried away with a new shiny object and even though warned by a more experienced member that I was skating on thin ice I did not remove the post and was subsequently, and rightly so, reported for spam.

Do the crime you do the time. Simples!

I did not beg to be allowed back, not that that makes any difference I can tell you, as you will not get a response back from WA if you receive a write ban. You are on your own, out in the cold to wait it out. You are not told how long that may be just to add to your woes.

Believe me being cut off from your support group is tough. I missed you guys so much. I could see what you were all doing but I couldn't talk or help anyone. It was a looonng 5 weeks!

There is some good in this story too though. Some wonderful friends here at WA went in to bat for me after 5 weeks and encouraged the powers that be to allow me back. You know who you are and I am very grateful for your thoughtfulness.

The moral of the story - even if you think whatever you've found is the best thing since sliced bread and that every member on here will benefit and should know about it - if it smells like spam, if it looks like spam, then it's spam.

Don't do it, it is not in the spirit of WA and you will get caught. Lesson learnt!

Chasing WA Rankings (The Bad)

As the Write Ban continued I would see my ranking slip from my all time best of #61 right back up to almost 900.

I was devo, I had worked so hard and was on the cusp of being in the Top 50 and now it was all for nothing.

This made me realised that I was putting too much weight in the WA ranking and spending way too much time chasing it.

Yes it is wonderful to pay it forward and that is what this community is built on, I have made some wonderful friends and I love to help out when I can.

BUT not to the detriment of my business and the very limited time I have to devote to it.

Don't worry about your ranking here at WA, it will go up and it will go down. Give of yourself and your time freely, be a worthwhile member of our community just don't chase it.

It's Been Fun

So all in all I have had a great year with, as I said, many ups and downs. The learning curve has been huge. I have made many mistakes but I have learnt from them and I feel I am a more rounded affiliate marketer for having made them.

I have high hopes for 2019. I am not going anywhere and my biggest wish is for all newbies is to know that this stuff really does work. Don't doubt yourself, anyone can do it if you follow the training and apply yourself.

My apologies for the long blog if you've got this far I applaud you.

If you would like to share your good, bad and ugly from 2018 drop your comments in the box below. We can smile and commiserate together.