Three Months Mark

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Hi everyone, hope your days are going well! I just realized the other day that I have passed the 90 day mark - which means I could start doing trainings myself. But what to talk about? My mind just whirls around with ideas.

So, for now, at least, I'm going to give my site a little recess. I'm not getting the traffic I'd hoped for, and I blame myself for choosing a niche that is difficult to monetize. This makes me think I need to start all over with something else. And I'm not sure what that will be.

One idea I have is to make a site about small-acreage hobby-farming. I had a 2.5 acre property with a small house and a detached garage (which had been used as a mechanic's garage) some years ago. When we moved in, it had no fencing anywhere at all. I transformed that garage into a 2-stall barn with a tack room and STILL a garage space to park a car.

I learned a tremendous amount about fencing, too - did the entire property, put up dividing fences so I could rotate pasture, and have a paddock with the barn serving as a run-in (but also had dutch doors so it could contain an animal.

We had chickens, too: I built a chicken house out of an old wooden jungle gym type of thing that my kids no longer used.

I was surprised to see that there were hardly any sites out there dedicated to starting up a small hobby-farm - so perhaps that's the way to go next. My husband grew up on a 40-acre cattle ranch, and he knows quite a bit, too - so perhaps between us we can be expert helpers for people who want to have such a place.

Other than that, the winter is settling in, and I get the blues and the blahs at this time of year, and I'm feeling discouraged - but, I WILL NOT QUIT. I'm in here on an annual membership, and I'm going to learn everything I can, and help others as much as possible.

As for success, my site is nicely filled out, and indexed on Google. The sitemap has something like 250 urls! How did that happen?! lol Well, it did happen. I also have earned a few cents from Adsense and Shareaholic both - but that's it. Although GWT says I have 500 hits per month, I know that's next to nothing. And the clicks are single digit for the most part.

Still - with this foundation I feel I can come up with something more lucrative, and as I get further in I might even do a WA site. It almost feels like we're competing against one another when we do that - but I get that we are selecting a narrow slice of readers from our particular 'perspective.' I've seen some amazing sites that Bootcampers have made, with brilliant technique. I applaud you all.

I'm also thinking of dumping Amazon. Today I contacted them, and learned that they "have ways" of figuring out if people shopping through my site are people I know - maybe they spy on our activities, and if we are marketing on FB, that would disqualify ALL of our friends from helping us earn. That sucks, to be honest.

Anyway, yes, so - this is my three month update. I know it is at this point that many give up, and I understand why. But I'll keep going - and see what the next 11 months bring.

Thanks to anyone who bothered to read this far. I am proud to be a part of this community, and proud of myself for learning so much in such a short time - and being able to 'talk shop' with Mr B58 is a bonus, too! He even bought me a couple of books on Wordpress. Awww.

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Recent Comments

26

You go girl!!!

Great to hear you are still enthusiastic:)

Wondering if a more focused site just on for example raising chickens for the hobby farmer might be an idea I know there are a lot of people giving that a go.

I am glad you are not giving up. This is something that does take time. I can relate to questioning the niche, my niche is homemade dog treats and there was a time a few months ago that I took a break from it. That actually helped me. After that break I got more into it and could come up with more content ideas. While it hasn't made me any money yet it is gaining in rankings and traffic I am hoping with more content the money will come in later. Thanks for sharing that tip about Amazon, I did not know they could do that.

I hope so, too - and you ALL are right - it does take time. Thanks very much for your support, everybody!

My 90 day mark passed too without me noticing! Like you I've realised my first site is not so easy to monetize so I've started another, what should be more lucrative, second site.
It's a good idea you have for your second site, more and more people want to set up a hobby farm, (small holding in the UK). Good luck and I look forward to seeing it up and running. :)

Hi Kathy - I'll remember that - a small holding. I'd love to have one again - we were even thinking of having mini-horses here in our suburban lawn - we have 1/3 of an acre....much larger than some plots!

Mr keeps saying "market lambs", and I keep saying "no." lol .

Not being a meat eater I found hens the most useful. I loved their characters, they ate all the slugs and provided me with fresh eggs daily!

They are a riot, aren't they? Such personalities!!

Keep it up, all the best. I think the trick to success in this field is not to GIVE UP.

Yes just signed up for year so we will ride this together! We have to give it our best shot!

Hang in there! At the very least, we will all learn perseverance and patience - not to mention 'code' and 'analytics' and 'metrics' and so on and so forth. It's a pretty wild ride sometimes!

aww, that was sweet of him. :)
Congrats on the anniversary! Mine is coming up too.
I have enjoyed working with you and am glad to be 'stuck' with you for another year! :)

You, too Angela! Thanks for your warm welcome, ever since I first got here....
and all of your help. Going to watch your training this morning!
(If we don't write an article every day, or temporarily run out of ideas, we can always watch trainings on here, right?)

Hi Vicki. :) I'm so happy to know that you are locked into a year, we wouldn't want you going anywhere! If you think about it, 3 months is not that long of a time frame in respect to getting a business really going. Keep plugging along and doing your thing.

I do like your idea for a second niche, it is getting more popular I think.

Michelle

Hi Michelle! You're right. Three months is nothing in the grand scheme of things - husband keeps sending me links to these really advanced tools that developers use. I try to remind him that I'm still a 2nd grader - in all this stuff!

I certainly can identify with your ups and downs. I know you will hang in there and do great. I love the idea about the small hobby farm! I Do not understand why Amazon would have a problem with friends shopping through your site. We all have friends who check out our websites! Why wouldn't they be supportive!? Sounds like Big Brother to me! I may dump them also. They need to concentrate more on accurate pricing some items, especially their food. (i.e. $16 for a 32 ounce jar of mayonnaise!!)

Take Care and Happy Holidays!

$16 dollars?!! Wow. Made from golden goose eggs, I guess?
Thank you for your support - yes, that thing about Amazon was pretty deflating. I don't understand it - and I told her that. "Well, that's lame," I said. "You're still getting the referral."

Oh well, I guess when you own everything in the world you can pick and choose who to give a measly 4% to. Brother. *shakes head*. Oh well, whatever.

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