My past "experience"
I was just talking with someone via a private message, and thought, "I should share this on my blog - because who knows, maybe someone else would want to know more about what my profile says". So, here goes!
I started on my journey to making money online in 2011, while I was stuck at home with my special needs son. I ran across a sales pitch one day (while working on an MTurk task) and even though the sales video I watched raised all of my mental alarms, my curiosity about making money online was tickled. So I found the Warrior Forum.
I spent a couple of years trying one thing after another, with ZERO funds to start with. I learned a heck of a lot about organic, free traffic and social media (but all the rules have changed since 2011 when I started, time to learn it all again!) and had some success. I wrote a product that I used as enticement to sign up for my email list, which was all about effective and white hat ways to get backlinks. (It was called "White Hat Backlinks - so obvious!) Turns out I probably should have offered that one up for sale.
I got some excellent feedback from that - and also ended up being invited to take over an hour slot on the (now defunct) internet radio show "Talk Marketing Now". Good times!
Honestly though, without being able to learn about and do paid traffic, it was a constant uphill battle. That, and there were some pretty major shakeups in my marriage and with my son, and I had to devote time to that. It's really hard when you are coming from a place of emergency need with nothing to start with. It gives you a heck of an understanding about how to do things yourself, the hard way, but it's nearly impossibly to taste REAL success that way.
I still get small payments from sales I made that have recurring setup but I don't have any of my websites up anymore. I still make an occasional commission from Amazon from links left who-knows-where.
My first site was an authority website chock full of content I wrote, and it made some small adsense income - but I needed paid traffic. I also experimented with one page (well, besides the TOS and Privacy Policy pages) that took a low search low competition, laser focused longtail keyword URL approach, and made some sales that way. That actually worked like gangbusters- considering I invested literally less than $10 and 2 hours on each one - a domain name, hosting which I already had, some research, and quick (but amusingly effective) sales copy. (One was in one of those "embarrassing niches" and I laughed so hard while setting it up - even harder when I got my first "market health" paycheck!) But again, without being able to do paid traffic, the time to profit ratio wasn't good enough.
I used to do email marketing, and made some income there- but no longer have my list. I couldn't take the "make money online" niche affiliate email marketing gig anymore. Trying to shout above the noise of hundreds of marketers pitching the same products wore me out. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the make money niche itself- it's just email marketing in that niche was difficult for me personally.
But I have had enough payments come in to know that this CAN work. (There was one email promotion that I only made one sale from, but it was a several hundred dollar sale- OH MY GOSH that feeling!)
Now that I am ready to come back, I am starting from scratch, but this time not from a place of desperation. I know a little, but much like tech itself, the internet changes constantly, and a lot of what I learned, that worked before, isn't the same. So, I'm coming at it like a total newcomer. This time I intend on taking my time, and enjoying the ride!
Recent Comments
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Jennifer,
I already knew some of your story because of your profile but hearing more of the details here in your blog was really fascinating. You've achieved some things that most newbies and marketers dream of! I'm excited to see what you do this time around because you do have more breathing room. You have a lot of real world experience that is going to still apply again in this journey.
Right off the bat you make sure you build your list and nurture it. It's your lifeline against any Google funny business and can always be leveraged even if you don't have money for paid traffic. I value my list so much more now and treat totally differently than I did in the past with my current and other sites.
So build your list right from jump and nurture it with good content which obviously you know how to build. You're going to do big things Jen! I can already feel you're going to be one of my big success stories. But no pressure. LOL
No pressure - hahahah :-D
I will definitely build a list - it will be really interesting doing it outside of the money niche. I feel like my approach is going to be much different. MUCH more conversational and connected, I hope (given the subject of my first website that I am building this time around.)
I'm also going to end up with more of a positive, community focused social media presence. I want to actually connect and build a relationship with the people who visit my site. (I wonder, if there is a plugin to have a forum type feature on a website, that is powered by Facebook comments / posting /group setup - hmm sounds twisty and complicated but if there isn't, someone could make a bundle building one!)
Anyhoo, it's the content that I have my most concern about. The first site I made, I did so much research, wrote so many articles / informational pages. I mean, it was a REALLY good site - but the effort was time, energy, brain power consuming. I also spent some time as a freelance writer for hire - a space crowded with people willing to work for peanuts. I had a hard time demanding what I deserved for the quality of my content (well, not the demanding part, but the part where people weren't willing to pay quality rates for quality work!) and kind of burned out on the grind of it.
I have a Lot more interest in the topic of this website. I have the capability to do an excellent job - I just have to DO it. I know it will turn out ok.. I'm just kind of dreading starting (though once I do it will be fine). But! This is another reason I am glad to be going step by step through the training. It's allowed me to go slow, to get ready and not try to do everything at once (wearing myself out in the process). :-)
Jen,
I've always thought it was a good idea to be conversational and trying to nurture your audience. Afterall they are people like you and I so it just makes sense. It's not even a marketing ploy. Once I started just viewing my audience as if they were just my friends and family it had a huge impact on my business. So I think it will work well in any niche. It probably worked so well for me here because so many people in this niche are so grimey. So when people read my stuff it's like a breath a fresh air because you can tell that I'm just a real guy that may want to make money but not at the expense of shading you.
So I think your direction regardless of any niche will work well. I wouldn't use any social media integrations. Try to keep everything built on your platform that you control. Let all the socializing happen there. By nature that's why blogs work so well. People can interact via the comments. You don't actually need another platform. But if you do just google wordpress forum plugins. There are many out there I believe. But don't build any of your core business around social platforms. They can change on you for the worst in a heart beat.
Ask people that built businesses around myspace, squiddo and recently pinterest banned affiliate links. Keep your focus on your site and everything you control.
In terms of your content I think its great that you put that much effort and energy in it. I do too and it people appreciate it. Obviously you don't want it to become a burden. You just need to find a nice balance. Where were you when I was looking for a freelance writer to write my reviews. I've hired a great guy here on WA. But I can always use more content on my site. You should read my post here and see if it interests you later on: I Want To Pay You in 2015 to.... In any event, I think you're going to do great because of all your past experiences and the new niche. Take your time. You already know what needs to be done. So there is no rush either way!
You are absolutely right - I didn't think of that. I would much rather have a forum plugin, and I *have* seen (firsthand and from friends / business associates) Facebook and other social arenas cause a LOT of havoc.
I found your website back in 2011, I believe you are the place I heard about MTurk (and Swagbucks too haha) and I definitely appreciated that you were calling it like you actually saw it. Lately, I have enjoyed reading your posts much more - and I actually do read your emails as well :) Your approach is definitely why I am here at WA. I'm just sayin' - your approach works and I am all ears to your advice :D
*Gives herself a stern look and shakes her mental finger* Just realized I'm stalling. Back to work I go! hahah :D
I know a little something something. lol
Definitely don't build any major part of your business around any social or external sites you can't control.
Damn I didn't realize you've been following me this long. And you're probably right about Mturk and SB. I was really big on those sites back in the days. I wonder why you like reading my posts more now. Did I suck more back then? LOL
I'm glad you read my emails too. I've tried to improve them so there are a lot like my articles in that they're more conversational. It took me a while to realize I should write my emails the same way I write blog posts. It was like a duh moment. Seems to work better doing it this way. Thanks for trusting in me and giving WA a shot. Now get back to work! We've babbled enough. LOL
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Thanks for sharing jbarron! Seems like with all your prev experience and calmer circumstances now you are in the right place at the right time! God bless!