My Takeaways from 19 Months of Learning at Wealthy Affiliate

blog cover image
115
5.7K followers

I've been at WA now for 19 months--almost 20. I hit the ground running and I've been going back to remind myself of my journey.

I came here in the middle of a very hard time for my family. My son was going back and forth to the hospital, medical bills were stacking up, I had been freelancing from home, but I was feeling a deep need to pivot: from building a service-based income to an asset-based income.

I was having a hard time balancing hospitals and doctor visits with client deadlines. I wanted something that was more time-flexible, so I could use my spurts of productive time, batch produce, and reap from that later.

I knew about affiliate marketing and how you could use it to build a website that was an asset and earned with passive components, but I didn't know how to do it. Since I joined, this is how things worked out for me...

I joined WA 1/25/2018

I made my first commission within 1 month of joining using PPC - You can read my post about that here.

I had the goal of posting at least one article daily my entire first year and I concluded the year with 250 articles on my primary site, but I had spread myself across others. In total, I had published 343 posts and 585,637 words of content, but only 250 were on my primary site. I learned to focus on one site in my first year. You can see the post with my 1 year learning lessons here.

After one year, things started picking up for me. I hired Jay as a coach, and I realized some SEO mistakes I had been making that was stopping my site from ranking. I talk about my mistakes and how I was correcting them in this video training on Optimization here.

In my 13 month, I was still struggling with SEO and getting things to rank, but I was starting to get consistent referrals. I had alot of content, so even though it wasn't performing as well as I'd like in search, it was still getting results. You can see my 13 month post here.

At 13 months, I was getting consistent results from 1 traffic channel, but I knew I needed more in order to grow my traffic and income. I was optimizing old posts, but I knew it would take time for those rankings to change. This is when I mustered the guts to get started on Youtube. I decided to start Youtube the same way I started my blog: head first doing as much as possible. You can see my Youtube challenge posts here.

I posted 150+ videos to my Youtube within the first 90 days of committing to my channel. You can see my exact results of binge-Youtubing in my video training here.

After 90 days, my subscribers wasn't amazing, but my views and watch time was pretty interesting (considering it's free!). I decided to keep going with Youtube and creating content on my website.

From there, I scaled back a bit on my site so that I could place more emphasis on Youtube. I set the goal of experimenting with 3 posts on each, but I enjoyed video so much that I was posting more video than blog content. By 6 months, this is what my Youtube growth looked like.

Both, my website and my Youtube channel grew.

Things started to get really interesting to me in terms of conversions in my 15th month. I started to feel like I had control of what I was doing and I knew how to grow my business. In other words, my confidence started to really take form at 15 months. You can see my 15 month learning lessons in my video training here.

15 months is also when I decided to share my monthly takeaways in video with you all, so I've been doing monthly video training with my income growth, traffic growth, and learning lessons.

  • 16th month - I started to pay closer attention to having high ticket sales mixed into my promotions
  • 17th month - I was mass producing here and mass producing outside of here. Plus, I passed $1k/mo with flying colors
  • 18th month - I started taking social media and PPC more serious
  • 19th month - I continued with social media and PPC, and started working on my own courses and community

WHAT A JOURNEY IT'S BEEN!

My 19th Month Learning Lessons

In my 19th month, I learned that I love affiliate marketing, but I love creating my own products too. I've known this for awhile. Prior to coming here (to WA), I had published 15 books. I enjoyed creating those products and I enjoy the process of creating. I didn't know how to market them as well as I do now. I look forward to creating, marketing, and selling my own products.

I sell other people's products very well. Let's see how I do with my own. Hahaha.

I've really enjoyed creating courses here. It helped to boost my confidence and to prove how much I'm capable of across what period of time. I learned that I really enjoy teaching and creating courses, so I plan to do more of this going forward on my site.

Creating my own products is not passive at all. I know I have to make the product and provide backend support, but I feel ready for that now, so that's going to be my new journey.

The Online Business Strategy I've Learned Over 19 Months

In addition to learning alot of things about myself over the last 19 months, I've also learned a strategy. I start out every new venture knowing nothing.

I create a hypothesis and give my best. My first hypothesis was "What if I create a Entrepreneurship website and publish content on business". I did that. I tweaked that to "What if I create content that's valuable for entrepreneurs, but I choose smaller niches, master them, get them to rank, and expand out."

Basically, what I'm suggesting is experiment, test, test, test, pivot, and keep going. For some of us, our early experiments will take off. For some of us, our early experiments will be flops. There are alot of experiments on the road from $1 to $1k, and from $1k to $10k, and so on.

Training programs, coaches, and role models help to guide, but there's going to be some things you have to experiment with on your own. Don't be too scared to experiment. It's a must.

Plans and Actuals

I've seen alot of people who go from experiment to experiment without really looking at the results of each closely. As a result, they could be getting results, but since the results aren't HUGE "slap you in the face results", then they miss them. I used to do this.

It's been really important for me to make a plan. For example, "I'm going to publish one Youtube video everyday: rain or shine". When the plan is in place, I take action, but I also go back, look at the actual results, and tweak the plan for better results.

Conclusion

It's been interesting for me to go back and recap my 19 month journey and some milestones from along the way. I'd love to hear more about yours, and see what you think about mine.

My Questions for You

  • Do you record your journey?
  • Do you experiment or do you find yourself scared to experiment? Why or why not?
  • Where are you in your journey and what's your biggest learning lesson?

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core “Business Start Up” Training

Recent Comments

128

I must say, l had a fluctuating rush of emotions-if there’s such a thing-while reading your post. First I empathized with you when I read of everything you were going through. The way you came up with a creative solution to your problems and the sacrifices you made to keep the plans you made, l think it’s amazing. Because you utilized your time in the most efficient way you now reap financial rewards and the quality time you desired with your family.

When I read that you made your first sale within the first month of joining WA, my cheeks burned with jealousy 🥴but when I read of how hard you had to work to accomplish your goals, I was humbled. I have deep respect for you!

Thank you for the recap, I’ll remember your journey thus far, treasure your advice and I’ll plan, tweak, implement and check off my list!

All the best to you, can’t wait to hear of your future endeavors!!

It's so funny how you had that emotional roller coaster--a little love and a little of other stuff as well. Hahaha. I agree, I have worked quite hard. It hasn't been a walk in the park, but I love what I'm doing!

I haven't arrived yet to my big goals, but I can see how to get there. You can achieve your goals too! Just focus on # of people helped, and aggressively expand that. It'll happen.

you will get there!

You're right. I'm committed. I've noticed commitment is the #1 ingredient. It takes time but if we're committed, it'll happen.

Amazing. You have my attention and this post with its links, I will for sure be reading. You're all heart.

Thanks.

Thanks John. Best wishes in your business!

You're a good example to follow.

Wow! Thanks. I have some rough patches I'm working on, but I try my best.

If it was easy everyone would be doing it!!!! You are an awesome teacher! Keep up the good work!

I agree. There’s some people who exaggerate about the ease for sure. Thanks again for your compliments!

This is very awesome, you journey that much more than a year and very proud and happy to hear it.

I was almost 2 months here and saw a lot of success achieved so quickly.
Always success for you.

Best regard,
Intania

Thanks. Best wishes for your success Intania!

Hi, just like you too like to experiment. I always reflect back to know how it turns out. I usually write a report where I outline my thoughts and experiences. Some times you actually learn more from failure. Everything has principles it's like the skeleton or wire frame model of the plan. once you master it, you just tweak it to make it work for you.

I agree! I learn a lot from failed experiments. I like the analogy you gave.

Thanks for sharing your journey with us! I give monthly reports in my blogs as mostly a way to stay accountable and keep a record of each months achievements. I DO experiment, too! I also study results.

My biggest learning lesson is NOT to be scared to screw up. I did that and created a practice site instead of building my true passion and wasted 6 months. So experiments are definitely not going to be scary for me. :)

It's good to hear from you. I haven't seen your monthly reports! Where do you put them? I'm glad you're pursuing your real passion now and you're taking risks! You'll see results like that.

Hi, Tiffany! I usually post a blog here at the beginning of each month with a quick list of what I've gotten accomplished, any successes, or failures, and what setbacks I've had. They're not as in depth as your studies, but it's a simple way to Chronicle my progress from month to month.

I think it's also useful for people who feel frustrated at lack of progress in the first year to see someone else Chronicle failure and success. That said, I always own up to why I'm behind on success (wasting 6 months on a practice site and things that are MY fault, not WAs) and what real life setbacks happen, more excuses than valid reasons like my job and health issues, but I like including those to give myself congratulations when I suck it up and lose sleep or take a pill and keep on working instead of caving to back pain or anxiety or exhaustion from working 7 days a week on my normal day job. Or when I'm overwhelmed by cat issues or whatever.

I really need to get back into organizing my schedule that I let go when I started traveling for work and the like. I of course started to really invest in affiliate marketing at the same time I've been struggling with a mysterious depression or tiredness that we can't solve yet because I don't actually have clinical depression, so it's like these monthly reports keep me accountable and help me to see how much progress I am making despite the lack of epic results yet. That said, my new site just started a little over 3 months ago, I've made great progress. :)

Oh! And congratulations on YOUR progress and focus!

I saw the progress! You're doing a great job.

Thanks!

Hey Tiphany, this is amazing information! Congrats on your success so far, and thanks for laying it all out there.

I do record my journey, it's actually one of the biggest pieces people forget...to document the process. Whether that's in the health and wellness, Dating/Relationships, MMO, among many, it's the process to document if you truly want an actual following.

When it comes to experimentation, I do it all the time, and I believe everyone needs to, internet marketing alone is all about testing at every stage from your website to a lead conversion funnel, to sales, email marketing, copy, sales message, offers, etc.

We all need to apply the 80/20 principle, are you familiar with the 80/20 principle/rule by Richard Koch?...

We have to ask ourselves what is that 20% that will drive the other 80% of the results? It could be our blog which is what we're focused on here but...

There could be other strategies out there to focus on in the meantime that can move the needle. And it could be something we're not comfortable with but it could very well be that activity that helps drive the results your seeking. And then just going deeper into that.

I'm at the moment working on more social media strategies and presenting more of my blogs/YT channel with them.

Thanks,
Michael

I agree. Experimentation is key. I have heard of the 80/20 rule. IT works great once you realize what's the 20% of most important tasks. Prior to figuring that out, it's all about experimenting. Hahaha.

What kind of things are you doing on social media?

Hey Tiffany,

Exactly! Ofcourse that becomes more evident throughout our internet/affiliate marketing journey.

I'm doing activities like interacting more frequently inside Facebook groups, my news feed, going back to IG to channel people to my FB or bridge pages, and so on.

-Michael

That’s great! I wish you the best on your efforts.

I guess I have one word for you - WOW!
Great success and congrats.
Joe

Thanks Joe. You're doing big things too. I can see you're heart is to really inspire people--that's a great attribute. Hopefully, more people inside and outside of WA can get your reminders about how to stay grounded.

Thanks
Joe

This is now on my desktop, with the intention of going through the links, one by one. This will need to be done with no distractions so I can absorb.
I remember when you started your YouTube challenge, it was scary to even think about 'a' video, let alone one a day (and more)
I am constantly experimenting with 'posts', changing styles, length, subject matter. Also with social media and traffic generation.
I'm eight months into my journey. Year one is 'finding my feet' time.
My biggest learning lesson is actually realising how little I know and how much there is to learn.

Hahaha. I think I learned how little I know my first year here too! Now, I have a better idea of how huge this industry is, but it still seems endless.

Since you'll be looking more into the links, I guess I can expect to hear more from you soon then, huh? Hahaha.

Good to see you Twack!

Likewise Tiffany, big respect and admiration for what you've achieved and continue to strive for.

Thanks Twack!

Wow...Wow...did I say WOW!

I've not had time to read fully your post or the links to your other posts but I do intend to in the near future.

Very inspirational and I look forward to reading and following your journey to continued success.

Wishing you the very best of Irish luck along the way! Julie Anne

Thanks so much Julie Anne! I look forward to getting to know you better and seeing your success as well.

Congratulations on what you've accomplished so far. What an inspiring journey! Here's to lots of continued success.

All the best,
Judy

Thanks Judy! I hope the same for you.

See more comments

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core “Business Start Up” Training