Getting Through The Ghost Town Phase: A Quick Survival Guide
What's the ONE thing that stops those determined to succeed from actually making it online?
It's not the money because at WA you get everything you need to earn $10,000+ for less than $50 a month...
It's the time - that's the real barrier to entry. And whether you make it or not depends entirely on whether or not you can weather out what I like to call "The ghost town phase."
We've either all been through it or are still going through it. It's when you pour your heart and soul into your website wondering if anyone is ever going to read what you wrote.
Those old doubts creep in...
- Am I good enough to do this?
- Can I really trust the training?
- Am I just wasting my time?
Why is the ghost town phase so hard?
I think it's because it's when you've already invested a ton of time and energy but have yet to see much in terms of reward...
There's no traffic or sales yet, no positive reinforcement telling you you're on the right track. You're acting on sheer faith that you will see your breakthrough.
It's a whole lot easier to motivate yourself to take action when your Google traffic spikes and the money starts rolling in. And of course, going through it on your second or third site is easier because you've gone through it before and come out the other side.
And sometimes I think saying "Just persevere!" isn't enough, so here are some practical tips you can ((hopefully)) use to push past the tumbleweed, survive the ghost town phase and get to the promised land.
#1 Tip: Create Daily, Actionable Goals
We all set monthly income goals when we join WA, and they're great for giving you something to shoot for, but here's the problem:
You don't actually have direct control over how many people visit your website or how much money you make. What you CAN control is what action steps you take today.
So instead of setting goals like:
- Make $1,000 a month
- Have 30,000 pageviews a month
- Replace my full-time income by the end of the year
Set actionable goals like:
- Publish a 1,200-post
- Upload a video onto YouTube
- Find a higher paying affiliate program
- Research next week's keywords
That way, you can track your progress and you're focusing on the right steps that are going to get you to where you want to be!
#2. Read Real-Life Success Stories
If this is your first time building out a site you don't have your experience to fall back on... not yet! And this is where community support steps in and carries you through.
So read compelling and inspiring success stories. Stories of beginners just like you who broke through and achieved what you want to achieve. Stories like these:
- https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/kingshopper/blog/3-1k-in-sal...
- https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/eartha/blog/woke-up-to-a-782...
- https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/mikebeatty/blog/6-600-revenu...
- https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/coraliej/blog/its-starting-t...
- https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/jude81/blog/there-it-is-my-v...
If your aim is to make your first sale, search Wealthy Affiliate for "first sale". Same if you're looking to get a million YouTube subscribers or breakthrough to $30,000 a month.
Better yet, send whoever shared the success story a message explaining exactly where you're at and ask if they have any advice. You'll be amazed at the golden nuggets you get back and who knows, it could just be the ticket to spur you on!
#3. Celebrate Your Small Wins
We all want big-time 6-figure success (and you'll get there!) but please don't overlook the smaller milestones along the way. Milestones like:
- Creating your first ever website
- Getting 50 posts on your blog
- Hitting 100 pageviews
- Getting your first organic comment
- Making 10 sales in a month
And celebrate those small wins! Take a break and treat yourself. Self-care is important!
Work in a coffee shop for a day. Order in a pizza. Go for a walk in the countryside and reflect on how far you've come. Go for a motorbike ride. Take a weekend away with a loved one.
Or do what I do and spend a whole day by yourself in any one of Bangkok's cigar lounges with an audiobook and no distractions #PureBliss
Small Actions Compound Over Time
I finished listening to Atomic Habit the other week; a cool book about how small actions massively change your trajectory over time.
And how true that is! The longer you stick at this, the more hours you put and the more work you do, the easier it gets. It's the same with lifting weights, learning a language or mastering any skill.
I remember when getting to 500 words on a blog post was such a chore! Now I find it impossible to write less than 1,200 words. I literally can't do it.
I remember thinking I had exhausted all the keywords in my niche, now I have more keywords than a know what to do with and keyword research just comes second nature. Heck, I just do it for fun sometimes.
So switch your focus. Instead of refreshing commission stats on repeat, focus on getting good at what you do and becoming the person you want to be!
Do that and all the other good stuff will surely follow! :-)
Final Thoughts
The ghost town phase is a tricky one and not many people make it through, but it's definitely something the amazing community here at Wealthy Affiliate can you help with.
There are literally 10,000s of other members here who have been exactly where you are now. So if you're struggling, know that you are not alone. Let us know, and we can help.
What Do you Say?
I'd really love to hear from you on this one. How did you survive the ghost town phase? What help, advice or tips could you share with us that will help newer members get through it?
Cheers guys! : )
Recent Comments
37
Very motivating post! I can definitely relate to being stuck in the ghost town phase as my website page views are constantly dropping to 0.
I always keep my head held high and I am always sticking to goals that I know make all of the work that I put in worth it.
Even though success takes time, it's always great to know that all the work that is put in now will eventually pay off later.
Thanks for the inspiration! :)
It will absolutely pay off for you Terence! Getting used to "delayed gratification" is a tough one, especially when we're used to work now, get paid now but looks like you're making great strides. Keep going! ☺️
Hi Simon,
My key takeaway was to define goals as actionable steps you can keep track of, instead of $$$. Money is important, but that part comes after as a result of doing the work consistently.
My original website after three years was going nowhere. During the first year, I wrote posts that were very similar. In the second year, I slackened off. I didn't give up.
Finally, after making a concerted effort I noticed my Authority factor was dismal so I shelved that first site to start on another path using the knowledge and skills I had accumulated, I will still support the referrals I got on my first site, but most of them just don't interact. They are invisible.
This time I am going to focus on traffic first. And building an Email list. All without selling. Only when I have the traffic momentum I will start using affiliate links strategically. Quite the opposite of how I approached my first website. No wonder it has languished.
That's where I am right now, Full speed ahead on a brand new vehicle.
Thanks for the valuable tips. I will bookmark your post to return often.
Cheers.
Edwin
That's great Edwin! And the time you put into that first site is surely not wasted because you've developed so many skills you'll now carry over to your next project:
Designing your site, choosing keywords, creating content will all be second nature.
Sounds like you've learned a lot and you're in a great place. Can't wait to see how you do! You got this! 💪
Good morning Simon,
Thank you for an excellent blog post, I'm sure many members can relate to your post.
You make some great points, it's far too easy to make impossible goals with good intentions. I like the idea of small goals which are realistic.
I think we all enjoy a success story, I certainly do. I have many success stories that I have bookmarked, I will bookmark your post for future reference.
It's great that you have worked hard and are now enjoying the fruits of your labour, well done!
Has a great day.
Roy
Exactly Roy, absolutely aim big, reach for the sky, but it then has to be broken down into practical daily steps because we don't get to where we want to be in one fell swoop, but rather in a series of small, daily steps that accumulate over time.
Step out in faith! The evidence looks straight at us! If they can do it so can we. Education is the key factor. Having a mentor who has experience and the is a bonus. But you can do anything if you put your mind to it! Keep going you get better as you go along.
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Thank you for that insight.
It's ok using that analysis because that's the way it has always been time and time again but who knows if this is now going to be the way or not because we simply do not know.
I have certainly seen a number of let's call them "Time-served" marketers showing their concerns and would appear this time it is so much different.
I know for me that traffic has been CRAP and going right downhill since February.
Off course this could be part of the "Google" plan to cut down on the number of people entering the online world.
Who knows!
But what this is not good for are people coming into this world when all they are wanting is to "try" and make, not even a living but to help in their finances.
Many people would not even attempt to ride out this "so-called" storm and they will leave in their droves.
Thanks and much appreciated.
Mick
Not sure what to say Mick, I guess you're a "cup half empty" kinda guy...
Ignore the naysayers mate. They've been declaring the end of blogging/affiliate marketing every year since I started in 2014.
The more people online, the more Google (and you and I!) make money so I wouldn't worry about that either.
The good news for people who stick it out through the ghost town phase is that they win the spoils of everyone else who quit along the way - more for us!
Anyways, have a good one.
I hope what you are saying Simon is right then