This is a long beast of a post. Grad some coffee, have a read and learn from my mistakes.
When I first got my start in this online jungle, now approaching 5 years, I was green as green could be. I knew how to surf the net and find information. Other than that, I knew nothing about Internet Marketing and all the other fun stuff we have to know that goes along with this IM game.
Social Networking – My Internet Marketing Journey Starts
You see, I kind of came at this from a round about way. I bought Max Steingarts course that focused on building relationships using MySpace and just being a friend to people. Well, his concepts that he talked about back in the late 90′s and into 2000 still apply today. The amazing thing I have seen, like most IM people is that social networking is bigger today than at anyone point in time. Thanks in part to Facebook, now boosting over 500 million users and growing.
OK, so I started using MySpace and it was the big Kahuna in social networking and still is a good place. I met some great people online and what was interesting to me at the time, I met a fellow that introduced me into a complete internet marketing system. He didn’t vomit all over me to try and get me involved. He followed Max’s advice and build up a rapport and helped me whenever I needed help.
That is the key to being successful online, no matter what you do. Helping people and offering good information will always be the better way to go. Don’t try and scam people out for a quick buck. If you want long term success, then you need to have that mindset from the beginning.
The key thing about the buzz around social networking if you listened to so called guru’s, they all have the secret formula on how you can tap into this huge potential group of people. I will make this as simple as I can. While technology has certainly changed big time in the past 10 years, being social is essentially the same as it always has been.
Sure, you might need a couple of tutorials on how to set up a Facebook page and all the associated aspects, but you can easily find that for free from people like Chris Farrell – who sends out all kinds of goodies each week showing the newbie how to add a video, how to set up the basics of Facebook etc. He has a membership site and I think its one of the more legit ones out there. I think you can look at his membership back office for like $5 for 7 days. After that its around $33 per month or around that price.
Here is a link Chris Farrell (affiliate link by the way).
He has all kinds of cool information, but the one thing with Chris is that, he has structure to his program. If you are new to this wonderful world of IM and not sure where to get started, but want a step by step program, then I can say his would be an ideal place to start. It doesn’t mean you have to stay with his program for the next year. But, if you do decide to join his program, you will learn some valuable information on all the basics to the advanced. He breaks it down into bit size junks of information.
Social Networking Secrets Revealed
Just be a helpful friend and the rest will take care of itself. Don’t try and sell people anything. If you participate and offer advice when you can, people will eventually look at your information and will in time, buy what you have.
Internet Marketing Systems – Choose Wisely
I eventually signed up into a system called Veretekk based on my friend’s recommendation at the time from MySpace. I thought at first, I can’t learn all this complicated stuff on how to register a website, how to build one and then how to rank it for keyword terms on the top of the search engines.
I studied for hours on all the various aspects and went to numerous trainings by Veretekk trainers and thought, here are a group of people out to help me become successful. Finally, a place where there was a common goal to share the insider information to us newbie internet marketers.
I did learn various aspects of internet marketing that I needed to learn. So, is Veretekk right for you? If you are looking for an all in one system and place, then its definitely one viable option for your internet marketing needs. Here’s my affiliate link – Veretekk – click here
My advice to you when you are just getting started or even if you have been online for awhile without success, ask lots of questions and check people out online. Its OK to do that.
Short Term Pain vs. Long Term Gain
I personally believe that where most people are going wrong is they look at the internet differently from a regular brick and mortar business. They think or believe that because someone else made tons of money online and brags about how easy it was, that they can do the same. The problem is, most of the times when someone tells you its easy, they are likely telling you a lie. Its not easy and I am being honest.
Part of the other issue for me, many people take advantage of newbie’s online because they really don’t know where to start their online business. They have so many people giving them all kinds of information, they simply don’t know who to believe anymore.
The other issue with the internet, is some people actually believe you can make a full time income with a part time effort. I will tell you here and now. If you believe that, then stop reading this website now and leave. You are simply naive and will never get it. I really want you to understand that yes you can make money online, but there is always a learning curve involved and the big part is actually putting in the effort.
Here’s an inspiring story: Something that I would encourage my readers to have a gander at some time, but only after they have done some actual work for the day on their internet business.
Dave, over at make money on the internet, talks about his story when he first got started just over 2 years ago. Here’s a guy, who along with his wife were essentially broke, scraping by on rice and beans looking for change in their home. Dave tells us, that during a 3 month period when his wife went back to work in the UK, he sat down and wanted to figure out this internet marketing stuff. He fumbled around for about 6 months and then found a guy named Griz who talked openly about the internet game and sticking to the basics.
You see, this is where most people get lost in the forest. They think it has to be really complicated to make tons of money. When in reality, they just need to keep things simple.
So, getting back to Dave’s story. He and his wife got to work. I mean the kind of work that most people won’t even do in their full time paid jobs. They only had 1 old computer, lived in Spain in the mountains. He or his wife would get up at 6 AM and write keyword rich posts for their websites around the terms they were ranking for. Then they would spend most of their time back linking to their website. They each took turns and worked from 6 AM until 6 PM 5 and 6 days a week.
So why am I telling you this story?
Dave and his wife, he calls her wifey is one of the best IM stories I have read of late. Due to sheer determination, getting really serious and most importantly, willing to put the effort into their business, they are now making a full time income and much more. It was not some secret underground system they were using, but one of pure work. They did this day in and day out until they started to make a couple of thousand dollars. From there, they went further and kept going.
My Approach – Keeping it Real and Simple
So, many people want to know how I make money online and what do I specifically do. Well, like I have mentioned on many other pages here at this website. I like to keep things simple. Some people like to baffle others with complicated systems, making it seem like, oh that must be the answer to their problems. The less complicated you make it online, the easier it will be in time for you to make money. Sounds contradictory doesn’t it?
I focus on 3 areas when building a website. There are thousands of ways to make money online and you can learn those as you gain some knowledge and experience.
Who’s Ultimately Responsible For Your Success?
You…
At the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your life and success online. Sure, everyone needs help and that is fine. But, you really can’t keep blaming other people for your lack of success.
Some important questions to ask yourself as you journey through the online world.
What have you done today to move your business in the right direction?
How many hours do you read forums and responding to questions? Hint – If you are spending more than 1 hour max per day, you are really are wasting valuable time on your own business.
In straight talk – stop screwing around and start getting serious about your business. Treat it like a business and work it consistently every week. It doesn’t mean you have to put in 30 hours each week to have success.
What’s Next and Some Suggestions
I am currently working on a number of projects, but I have also cut down on the number of websites I tried to work on in the past few years. In fact, I recently got rid of about 20 websites because I knew more was not better. Oh sure, you will here people talking about micro sites etc and building 100 of them. I will tell you this and hopefully you don’t do this. Build up large authority sites that offer real value to people looking for whatever it is you are going after.
Some people want a number when it comes to an authority site and there really isn’t a set number that makes you an authority. You can have a 5 page site that is an authority in your particular niche because other people say so.
Some people will tell you an authority site has hundreds of pages and this can also be true.
So here’s a plan for you to make some money.
1. Start with learning the basics – that includes how to register a domain name, how to install wordpress and set it up. There are tons of free information online for wordpress.
2. Once you know the basics, its time to get busy and productive. Decide on the general niche you are going to focus your time and energy into. I don’t mean learn a few things and call yourself an expert. I mean, read about that area for a few days to learn all that you can. Once you feel comfortable, then get busy with writing some keyword rich posts and that offers real quality information. The internet is plagued with lots of junk content. You really don’t need to add more to it.
3. Keep adding and building up your site and think long term here. Too many people are trying to cut this important step out and eventually it will bite you in the ass IMHO.
4. Start sending some back links to your site, but not so many when you first get it live. Some people will argue that it doesn’t matter and I partially agree. But, why chance it. Start building up back links to your site and make sure you deep link. That means you send links to your inner pages and not just the home page.
5. Do this every day until you feel like vomiting. Then rinse and repeat.
6. Some suggested areas to focus on is Amazon. I think its a great way to diversify your income stream. Hey don’t forget about affiliate marketing too. The main suggestion here is not to put your eggs into one basket.
7. If you plan on doing Adsense, then make sure you have only quality information on your site. I personally don’t use adsense right now and I am not sure I ever will again. Its like putting a big red circle on your site. If you start making serious money per day, like the 100 dollars per day, then you can be sure, the people from Google will visit your site. If they deem your site as spam, you get the boot. Plain and simple. It happens all the time.
It doesn’t mean Google is some evil entity because they are not. But, from their perspective, they want to rank the best information for their readers. If you have it, over time you can rank for your terms if you keep things simple.
8. Keep it simple, focus on the tasks that need to be done today and most importantly – do the actual work. In time, you too can have success, but only if you truly want it bad enough.
Cheers everyone and have a great day.
