One Month at WA (Things I have achieved & learned, mistakes I have made, plans for the future)
It is exactly one month since I upgraded to premium on WA.
Prior to this I was very suspicious of the whole marketing affiliate thing. A friend had signed up to an alternative affiliate training program, which had cost him £2000.00 lump sum and a $98 dollar a month fee!. He told me I should do it, it was perfect for me. However, I just couldn't justify the cost, it just didn't sit right with me. It sounded like a complete scam.
When I was introduced to WA I viewed it with the same suspicions. But the seed had been sewn, I wanted to write, to build websites, to help people, to find an outlet for all the research and writing skills I had learned at University. So I signed up for a free trial!
It took less than a week for me to see how amazing Wealthy Affiliate was. Don't get me wrong the first week of training and building my first website were tough but the training, and the community here, got me through it.
So what have I achieved in one month (for the bargain price of $19)?
- A website that is built and ranked in google
- A website that is complete at the foundation level. (this is my greatest achievement, as I had no experience and I am a complete technophobe! If I can do this anyone can!)
- I am affiliated to Amazon and one other company and have multiple affiliate links on my website.
- I have written 14 posts and 4 pages for my website. All of this is now ranking in google. (OK not high, but it is out there)
- I have Facebook, Instagram, twitter, and pinterest all set up and filled with my posts.
- I have reached the beginning of level 5 in the WA training
- I have a plan for my website, what to write, research and an aim to write 100 articles in 6 months.
- I am ranked 330 in the Wealthy Affiliate Community
- I have made truly wonderful connections with some truly wonderful and inspiring people here at WA
- I HAVE REDISCOVERED MY PASSION for life
I am incredibly proud of what I have achieved so far! and I couldn't have done it without the training, and structure and community of Wealthy Affiliate!
What have I learned so far (for the bargain price of $19)?
- I love writing and designing
- I love researching and learning
- How to set up a website from scratch
- How to research and find KEYWORDS and where to place them into my post.
- About Google ranking and the skills to build on to get my material onto 1st pages of google searches
- How to set up and connect and fully utilise the social media channels
- How to add affiliate links, Affiliate carousel advertising and adsense
- That it takes hard work, patience and persistence to succeed
- That there is always a person or a place to get the answers to what you want to learn, or difficulty you are having.
- That there is a wonderful network of generous people who will share how they have been successful.
- That I am passionate about reaching my dream of financial freedom
What are the mistakes I have made?
- I tried to go too big too soon. Day one I wanted the best designed (and most complicated) website. And it caused 3 days of stress, frustration and tears. Advice to new starters GO SIMPLE to begin with.
- I went through the training too quick. I did the training in blocks instead of 1 or 2 lessons a day or every other day. So I got through multiple lessons very quickly (over a weekend). This was great however it meant my website was being built at breakneck speed and did not have the organic time to develop and grow. Advice to New starter - Go slow. Take each lesson one at a time. Follow it exactly don't try to rush ahead.
- I tried to affiliate far too quick - Advice to new starter - many affiliate programs will want to view your website and if it is not finished or does not have quality content they may decline you initially. Follow the training and fill your site with amazing content, before rushing to affiliate.
- I didn't read the rules of my affiliate programs and wrote 5 posts of over 2000 words which all had to be rewritten - Advice to new starter - Read the rules of every company you affiliate with and abide by them. They will not think twice about banning you for a breach of their rules!
- I worried far too much about no traffic and no sales and I was only 2.5 weeks in! Advice to new starter - focus on doing the training and writing content. The views and sales will follow.
What are my plans for the near future?
- I'd really love to get some visitors to my humble website
- i would love to get ranked well by google (not 100 and something as I currently am)
- I would really love to be posting about my first sale
- To keep researching and writing quality content
- To keep connecting to the wonderful community here at WA
What are my plans for the longer term future?
- To be earning enough money from my website to pay my living costs
- to have no debt and have financial freedom
- To be free to spend my time and energy however I like
- to climb some more mountains
- to travel some more of the world
- To build a foundation of financial security for my two children, where their Mum is free to be with them and be there for them anytime.
In one short month and for the bargain price of $19, the lessons I have learned, the things I have achieved, the mistakes I have made and my ambitions for my future are all the solid foundations of my business and my brand. These foundations have now built me a solid base, to build up high, and to hopefully fulfill my dreams of freedom.
Recent Comments
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Isn't it amazing how much we learn in here? We tend to forget when the new thing we learned has just replaced the last one, but there are many more of these new things that we figure out after being here a short while. It is a totally awesome platform.
I know, we learn so much, and everyday we organically learn more. I have learned so much, just from seeing a post or reading some of the chat and questions. Yes it is an awesome platform!
Very inspiring.
And I absolutely agree that what really we need to focus on , is content. Content is what readers are looking for , they need answers to their questions, I'm writing a post right now and been a week on it , lol. It's too much , not full time though , just 30 mins a day , but I want the content to be helpful , not perfect.
Great job Sara, and remember a quitter never wins and a winner never quits
Thanks Rudysafi, yes it takes a little while for the realisation the content is everything!
It's a wonderfully inspiring post Sara. It's epitomises all that WA stands for, not just in the training, resources and community but in the fact that you are passing on your knowledge and experiences, so others can benefit. True 'Paying It Forward'.
Solid bases are easily overlooked in the race to build, taking the time, however long it may be, will enable you to achieve your dreams.
Thank you. I have had to have a reality check this week. Along with a big pat on the back for what I have achieved. I hope that some will benefit from my mere four weeks of experience.
Thank you for this! I absolutely needed it! Only been in this for a month & want that immediate gratification of traffic & sales! Slowing it down & gona focus on content!
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Oh my golly, Thank you for this post,, I am very new to anything of this nature but you have pointed out two very big mistakes I am making,, 1 worrying when the money will flow, 2 trying to move ahead to fast,
Thank you , Peter S