Finally Broke $100 mark this month! Should be Happy but very STRESSED!! Anybody been here??

[derh]

Ok...

This is going to be an odd post as I don't really know were to start.

Well...first...after several months of struggling...with ups and downs...I finally broke the $100 mark...I think I'll make around $150 this month...

Issue....I thought I would be farther along by now!

I've been working 7 days a week since October!

I started this gig right after I obtained my MBA---(WHICH REALLY WORE ME OUT---)

Then...I started this game.

I love Internet Marketing as I truly know that this is the only way I can make a great living for my family (four kids ---just had a baby girl to make fourth---).

I'm just really tired and I'm at this point where I don't know were to turn.

I'm testing about 3 different business models....Amazon, Clickbank, and I'm about to build a couple of CPA sites...

which ever makes me the most money....I'll through the other models to the side and scale up.

I currently have about 13 sites...All have there own unique systems.

The only sites that are making any real money are AutoBloging Sites...I hate these sites as I know Google HATES them...as google keeps kicking them all over the place...

My more solid sites (with unique content) are making sales here and there but nothing big yet.

My sites rank okay...some pages on page one of google...some on page 2.

I just need all of them to be on page one and within the first 5 spots.

I just need something to happen here...I need SOLID, Consistent sales from one of my biz models so I can go with it...


Anybody been here....WHAT HELPED YOU???

[priyankeshu]

it is easy to get distracted and confused...

that's the most difficult part of IM. You never know what will work out for you and what will not.

One of my friends who makes around $30,000 a month told me that he had 100 websites

And the funny thing is that he makes most money from sites he never expected to make good money

And then there are some sites he thought are going to be big money makers. Worked hard on them but resulted into flops.


Its about trial and errors
You just cannot avoid trial and errors because of ever changing internet world. Just create more number of websites and include both affiliate marketing and adsense ads in it.

Everyone will tell u what works and what does not but no one would give exact details on how much they earn from what kind of websites.

Also learn the art of reverse engineering other sites success. Just keep learning and trying and u will reach there!

Your probability of success would definitely increase.


PS:
The idea is to try to calculate the risk and take it. don't Try to fool google as "you won't be able to!

my advice is to play it safe.


Auto blogs are a big no no for me personally as i don't want to take any risks and need good sleep in the night

[John Williamson]

Outsourcing and automation proved to be much more valuable than I realized. They definitely decrease the stress.

[Torreylee]

Re-invest the money into another project and use the knowledge you've gained to build quality sites. Your sites should be seen as equity, keep building them up and building equity and get tons of backlinks as well.

It was a slow and steady climb for me as well and I still have setbacks but the knowledge your are gaining will make you nice income if you keep grinding hard and re-investing in what works and is sustainable.

Congrats on breaking $100, next year $1000!

[kimberly Aita]

I have been working 7 days a week for over 6 years so don't feel bad. You should be excited about increasing your income. It rarely happens over night and if you stay consistent your income should continue to increase.

I had finally gotten close to $200 with amazon and adsense combined last April when the may day thing happened and I started from scratch and yet to make $100 again.

I finally started seeing an increase in my adsense and amazon sales and now amazon is pulling the illinois affiliate program so I have to start from scratch again.

Be happy you are making headway and I am happy for you. Some of us have been struggling to just make back the $1000's that we have already spent and it's like running on a treadmill going nowhere.

I for one have no intention of ever giving up and am grateful for the few pennies I am starting to see but believe me, I am not happy about having to figure out how to redo all of my sites with different affiliate links.

Good luck and please stay positive because you really are doing a lot better than most.

Kim

[Mly2000]

hey man don't get discouraged, thats GOOD!

for the sites that are not making anything for you, scrap em, the hosting can be better spent on one making money for you.

try making a page with ALL the offers on it, amazon, clickbank, adsense.
write or outsource your articles, as far as i have learned, google will randomly BOOT you if you use auto bloggers.

[derh]

Thanks Guys for all the uplifting words...that's why I love this community!!!

This is a tough game....and it's good to be a part of a group that understands the crap that one must to go through to make a living with IM!!

Pushing Forward!!

[InTheMaking]

Derh - I know how stressful it can be, even though I'm only a month into this game lol

My point being is that I think we expect too much right off the bat, for instance last sunday I made 87.90 or something off 3 sites I started.. and I expected to see it everyday, and it doesn't come. I get frustrated, and then get lazy and maybe think about doing something else.

You just have to stick with it, and keep working. I would suggest outsourcing the backlinking part because that can be the difference in a #10 spot and a #2 spot. It all depends.

Luckily for me my best money maker just went to #1, and I'm only learning.. if you need to know anything I'll tell you everything I know even though were going through the same process together.

Hope you have success soon,

Jeremy

[Natlex]

$100 in 6 months is not too bad, it took me 4-5 to break $100 but I suggest you focus more on the long term now, it's what helped me reach $100/day within a year. Doing autoblogs and stuff like you said might give you money right now but not for ever... And their potential for growth is weak imo, better to focus in a niche you enjoy with a lot of potential keywords to target that you'll start ranking for and make a lot of money 4+ months from now.

[derh]

Originally Posted by Natlex

$100 in 6 months is not too bad, it took me 4-5 to break $100 but I suggest you focus more on the long term now, it's what helped me reach $100/day within a year. Doing autoblogs and stuff like you said might give you money right now but not for ever... And their potential for growth is weak imo, better to focus in a niche you enjoy with a lot of potential keywords to target that you'll start ranking for and make a lot of money 4+ months from now.

Thanks.....

I've been thanking about going after keywords with a higher number of searches a month.

I've been going after KW's that are getting anywhere between 250 to 1300 exact searches a month....

I'm thinking about going for words that are 10k, 20, 30, 40k EXACT searches a month....


Is this NOT wise or is IT DOABLE???

Thanks again....

[aulia]

how do you monetize your autoblog ?

adsense/clickbank/amazon,etc....

[4morereferrals]

Originally Posted by derh

Thanks.....

I've been thanking about going after keywords with a higher number of searches a month.

I've been going after KW's that are getting anywhere between 250 to 1300 exact searches a month....

I'm thinking about going for words that are 10k, 20, 30, 40k EXACT searches a month....


Is this NOT wise or is IT DOABLE???

Thanks again....

Ive got some page 1 terms for 18K - 20k exact loacal terms all with cpc's over $2.00 - for adsense stuff - and they dont do all that much better than sites with far fewer exact local searches.

Seems like it might be better to go after KW's that would be easier to get on page one than the ones you are currently after.

Seeing some of the sites the guys proclaiming to be making a full time income off adsense - makes me shudder. Their sites are simple - low content - not a lot of links - yet they are getting clicks and $10- $15 a day in clicks!!!

Not because of killer exact local search volume or cpcs in the 10's ... its the weirdest thing! frustrating to no end.

After playing this game for about 6 mths ... seems like its a LOT of perspiration - a system - outsourcing - investment all rolled up with a lot of luck too. As if its better to go after the easier kw phrases to get onto page one as quick as possible then build a lot of them like it in other niches.

Cut loose of the duds that dont get to page one or make clicks/sales and the ones that do ... build out around them - for more long tail traffic and higher serps via better links for the best performing kw's.

[kimmer551]

I would stick with the websites that make you money, and ramp those up a notch. Rinse and repeat those, you will see more money coming in.

[GeorgR.]

Originally Posted by derh

Ok...

This is going to be an odd post as I don't really know were to start.

Well...first...after several months of struggling...with ups and downs...I finally broke the $100 mark...I think I'll make around $150 this month...

Issue....I thought I would be farther along by now!

I've been working 7 days a week since October!

I started this gig right after I obtained my MBA---(WHICH REALLY WORE ME OUT---)

Then...I started this game.

I love Internet Marketing as I truly know that this is the only way I can make a great living for my family (four kids ---just had a baby girl to make fourth---).

I'm just really tired and I'm at this point where I don't know were to turn.

I'm testing about 3 different business models....Amazon, Clickbank, and I'm about to build a couple of CPA sites...

which ever makes me the most money....I'll through the other models to the side and scale up.

I currently have about 13 sites...All have there own unique systems.

The only sites that are making any real money are AutoBloging Sites...I hate these sites as I know Google HATES them...as google keeps kicking them all over the place...

My more solid sites (with unique content) are making sales here and there but nothing big yet.

My sites rank okay...some pages on page one of google...some on page 2.

I just need all of them to be on page one and within the first 5 spots.

I just need something to happen here...I need SOLID, Consistent sales from one of my biz models so I can go with it...


Anybody been here....WHAT HELPED YOU???

Welcome to the club of HARD WORK but low/mediocre earnings..i know that feeling just too well.

Giving general advice might be difficult, so i can only talk from my very own perspective.

What work(s) for me is "relatively" constantly sales from 2-3 year old sites where i spent A LOT of time ranking them in Google for micro niches.

FORGET AUTOBLOGS, SCRAP THEM PLEASE..unless you have some very sophisticated system in place you simply wont get far.

1) Keyword/Niche research
2) Pick (+ Trial/Error, LOTS OF IT!) product from clickbank for that niche
3) Make site, UNIQUE CONTENT
4) SEO, Link building, articles
5) Patience

As to your question about ranking....there is exactly TWO factors for ranking

A) You need perfect on-page SEO which is the fundament for possible high Google rankings. Without the perfect on-page SEO you simply has less chances to rank well

B) LINK BUILDING until you are blue in the face. Incl. article submissions, bookmarking etc. Sites simply wont rank "on their own".

Add:

"Rank #1" doesnt mean a lot if its some niche which hardly gets 200 searches a DAY. Take 1:100 conversion rate...and think about that IF YOU ARE #1 IN GOOGLE you will get about 40% of the traffic...then you can calculate that even with 200 searches/day you will hardly make a sale per day.

So...its important to know what niche/keywords you go for and what search volume to expect. If you make a site and rank for "natural acne scar remedy" (EXAMPLE) and you KNOW that only 150 searches a day would happen...its already clear that such a site would never be able to make a lot of money, some occasional sales,yes, but thats it.

Is this NOT wise or is IT DOABLE???

Yes i see you addressed that already. ABSOLUTELY!! More search volume is key.

[Craig McPherson]

Originally Posted by 4morereferrals

Cut loose of the duds that dont get to page one or make clicks/sales and the ones that do ... build out around them - for more long tail traffic and higher serps via better links for the best performing kw's.

Great advise.
I went from managing 35 sites and worked on blocks of 3 at a time and my income went north immediately.

Take emotion out of the equation. I know you picked a domain with a gazillion local exacts a month blah blah blah but let go.

Get 3 sites to where you want them then pick another 3 and work on them till they are done. As for longtails, one of my sites went from being found for 78 search terms one month to over 780 the next.

Once again, great advice 4More

[0b1]

Originally Posted by derh

Ok...

This is going to be an odd post as I don't really know were to start.

Well...first...after several months of struggling...with ups and downs...I finally broke the $100 mark...I think I'll make around $150 this month...

Issue....I thought I would be farther along by now!

I've been working 7 days a week since October!

I started this gig right after I obtained my MBA---(WHICH REALLY WORE ME OUT---)

Then...I started this game.

I love Internet Marketing as I truly know that this is the only way I can make a great living for my family (four kids ---just had a baby girl to make fourth---).

I'm just really tired and I'm at this point where I don't know were to turn.

I'm testing about 3 different business models....Amazon, Clickbank, and I'm about to build a couple of CPA sites...

which ever makes me the most money....I'll through the other models to the side and scale up.

I currently have about 13 sites...All have there own unique systems.

The only sites that are making any real money are AutoBloging Sites...I hate these sites as I know Google HATES them...as google keeps kicking them all over the place...

My more solid sites (with unique content) are making sales here and there but nothing big yet.

My sites rank okay...some pages on page one of google...some on page 2.

I just need all of them to be on page one and within the first 5 spots.

I just need something to happen here...I need SOLID, Consistent sales from one of my biz models so I can go with it...


Anybody been here....WHAT HELPED YOU???

Hi I understand how it feels! My first few months back in late 2009 I couldnt even make a single dime online we are on the same boat here, but.. I am making about $400/mth using black hat methods which I know wont last long( I'm not proud of it!) but I will use it as long as I can make money for now.

Anyways I decided that I want a normal business model involving building micro niche sites and SEOing them to the top, I know this is the way to go for long term business. I started a Challenge to myself last February building 5 micro niche sites and started SEO-ing them only recently and good news I got my first sale 3 days back and i was so happy and overly excited. Although i've made quite a large sum of money using various short term methods, the feeling is different when you make a sale online with your OWN website. It is the best feeling rly! It is the best business model IMHO.

I cant wait to see my results in 3 to 4 months time.

Wishing you the very best! Keep updating us with your progress , it motivates everyone here in the forum!

-Brandon

[alzack]

Congratulations!!!

I have been there to in 2008. My income was not stable. But then, I earn every month. However, the main challenge now is to earn massively. I need to make 4 figure per month...Not being able to make that consistent yet.

I hope this year i can do it. you too...

[WealthWithin]

Congrats on hitting the $100 mark!

It took me 9 months for me to go from 0 to $100/month. But from $100 to $1000 it took me only 6 months.

They say it's easier to make your second million than the first one. You can do it again because now you know how. Treat it as a real business and get rid of those auto blogs. I used to throw a bunch of xfactor template sites, but one day I realized I'm just wasting my time and money. Now I focus on building decent quality sites only.

Good luck!

[TryBPO]

Originally Posted by priyankeshu

it is easy to get distracted and confused...

that's the most difficult part of IM. You never know what will work out for you and what will not.

One of my friends who makes around $30,000 a month told me that he had 100 websites

And the funny thing is that he makes most money from sites he never expected to make good money

And then there are some sites he thought are going to be big money makers. Worked hard on them but resulted into flops.

Lol, that's so true! When I'm doing KW research on the sites each week I always have one or two that I just "know" is going to be a winner. 2-3 months down the road I'm looking back with wonder as to just why that site isn't paying me like it's supposed to! And that other site...the one I almost didn't setup becomes a true money maker...go figure.

I seem to be doing pretty well at picking niches OVERALL...but I definitely have losers. I tend to stay away from the big, heavy cpc and search volume areas, focusing instead on other people's throwaways and that seems to work pretty well. I have low-cost labor though, so those sites that make $6 - $8 per month might still be worth it to me and not to you.

[derh]

Thanks Guys....I think this month I will top off at around $170 profit. last month I only made just over $50. So that's not a bad jump...

Success in this game IS NOT....I REPEAT...IS NOT (newbie's take heed) a fast ordeal not EVEN a walk. Rather...I find it to be a SLOW CRAWL!

I knew this...but...I expected to be making $800 a month by now.

I've also added some cpa, and clickbank sites to my mix...PAY SHOULD BE BETTER!! (I Hope)....

Then, I want to learn how to add list building to my mix as well.

So much to do....so much!!

[jacked]

Originally Posted by John Williamson

Outsourcing and automation proved to be much more valuable than I realized. They definitely decrease the stress.

Lol this......

[derh]

Originally Posted by aulia

how do you monetize your autoblog ?

adsense/clickbank/amazon,etc....

I have some sites that are amazon (these make all my money now as I started with amazon...though I will be getting away from Amazon...too little pay for the aggravation)

and I just started to add other HIGHER PAYING affiliate programs to the mix 1 CB, and a couple private Affiliate marketing programs as well...

Also..a have a few CPA's

Trying to mix things up...(not too much as I can easily get pulled in to many directions)

I find that my mix is close enough related that there's a lot of "mix and matching"

[LiamP]

Maybe build a site that sells stuff you already buy and enjoy. Your enthusiasm and interest in whats being sold might just make a difference.

Maybe build an authority site. Authority sites have the downside of not leveraging an EMD, but the upside is the work you put into them now can benefit you later on as you are adding content and SEO to a larger whole. You are building a long term asset that can hopefully withstand movements and trends. Plus it's easy to test more sub-niches.
e.g. Kitchen tool site that includes knife block sets.
Needs a longer term view though.

[JSProjects]

Keep plugging away and turn that $100 into $200, $200 into $400, $400 into $800, etc. It's an old cliche, sure.

Congrats!

[derh]

Originally Posted by JSProjects

Keep plugging away and turn that $100 into $200, $200 into $400, $400 into $800, etc. It's an old cliche, sure.

Congrats!

Thanks,

I think that I'm at that frustrating stage where I'm still TESTING EVERTHING. I've made a few dollars but I'm still waiting to find that WINNING FORUMULA that I can DUPLICATE.

I want to find what works then scale up....I'm still not there yet.

[dadamson]

Great job on your success so far Derek!

An improvement from when I was chatting with you late last year!

Well done. Stick with it mate.

What you have done works. All you need to do now is replicate the process 20 times over while implementing faster ways of doing things.

Hire people to help you so that you can replicate your system 20 times over.

Now that you have the key to making money it will be a lot easier for you.

[derh]

Originally Posted by dadamson

Great job on your success so far Derek!

An improvement from when I was chatting with you late last year!

Well done. Stick with it mate.

What you have done works. All you need to do now is replicate the process 20 times over while implementing faster ways of doing things.

Hire people to help you so that you can replicate your system 20 times over.

Now that you have the key to making money it will be a lot easier for you.

Thanks...

And I still think you have one of the BEST SEO services on this forum!

Still haven't forgotten
And things keep going in the right direction...then we'll talk.

Cheers Man

[dadamson]

Originally Posted by derh

Thanks...

And I still think you have one of the BEST SEO services on this forum!

Still haven't forgotten
And things keep going in the right direction...then we'll talk.

Cheers Man

Thanks buddy I appreciate it!

Looking forward to a chat sometime in the future

-Dave

[sasai]

Originally Posted by derh

I've been working 7 days a week since October!

Great man, you will be very successful

[Billy Rey]

dont get discouraged because its definitely a long road. Just try to give yourself days off, schedule them.

The stuff youve learned the past months will never be replaced or understood by newbies that try to bite more that what they can chew.

This is a never ending learning experience and its makes the ride fun. You already have the right mindset and the right direction. It's just you vs time now.

[derh]

Thanks guys...

I think a lot it for me is PRESSURE!!! I just graduated with a Masters Degree in Business...but don't have a job...and my wife JUST gave birth to our Fourth (yes...#4)
child.

So...in essence, this gig HAS to work...it doesn't have an option...

The great thing is...I love doing this...I'm a bit of a workaholic...but if I can make this IM business work...I can be a workaholic while being at home with my wife and kids...

NOW THAT HEAVEN TO ME!!!

[minisite]

Wow, you've got a big family. Well, the nice thing about working at home is that you get to spend a lot of time with your wife and kids. Just as long as they don't drive you nuts once in a while I think you'll be OK. LOL. BTW, congratulations on your accomplishment. Keep up the good work.

[Bryan V]

Originally Posted by John Williamson

Outsourcing and automation proved to be much more valuable than I realized. They definitely decrease the stress.

Lol, I desperately need to decrease the stress...

Originally Posted by derh

Thanks guys...

I think a lot it for me is PRESSURE!!! I just graduated with a Masters Degree in Business...but don't have a job...and my wife JUST gave birth to our Fourth (yes...#4)
child.

So...in essence, this gig HAS to work...it doesn't have an option...

The great thing is...I love doing this...I'm a bit of a workaholic...but if I can make this IM business work...I can be a workaholic while being at home with my wife and kids...

NOW THAT HEAVEN TO ME!!!

You are a lucky man (seriously)--FOUR KIDS!

Congrats on the progress dude. I'm in the same boat as you--failure is not an option.

[GeraldGigerl]

I agree that focus on one specific task is the key in any business. However, you might want to consider going with two different business model and here is why. Should one of your income streads fall apart, you might not have an income anymore. Multiple income streams help you to sustain residual income, even if you should lose one income stream. It´s not smart to build everything on one source.

You could continue with you money sites and start coaching people. Or, you might want to start putting more energy into Adsense, creating ebooks etc. I would do it 50/50. I want to be protected from one income source if it should fall apart.

[Captain Dynamo]

Originally Posted by derh

Thanks.....

I've been thanking about going after keywords with a higher number of searches a month.

I've been going after KW's that are getting anywhere between 250 to 1300 exact searches a month....

I'm thinking about going for words that are 10k, 20, 30, 40k EXACT searches a month....


Is this NOT wise or is IT DOABLE???

Thanks again....

I understand your pattern of thinking... but my thought would be that pretty much all 10k or 20k exact keywords would have WAY too much competition to make it easy to rank on.

I'd go middle of the road and go for say a keyword with say 2k or 5k Exacts per month with easy competition.... if you get on the top 5 within 3 months, you may get upto 50% traffic.

If its 5k, then 50% is 2.5k per month from one keyword = 83 per day x 10% conversion = 8 clicks per day on Adsense x $1 per click = $8 per day = $240 per month from 1 site.

Fantasy figures... but simply my 2c worth.

[The Blueprinter]

You're not alone my friend. I have been an internet marketer for about 2 years now and I am making around 500-1000$ every month. Don't get my wrong, this is really good money but I have worked around 5-6 days a week in 2 years time...

It will take som time...

[InternetMarketingIQ]

People who obsess about SEO usually are missing 90% of the picture.

If you want to make money do your SEO for sure, but stop dumping time into it. Make your plan and outsource it.

THEN... figure out if the programs you are promoting are actually worth promoting. I see affiliate jump on the highest commission offers and never make any money. Why? Lots of reasons, but one reason is the price of the products they are promoting to earn their imaginary profits are too high. The Affiliate company is being kicked in the teeth by their competition. People shop certain niches to death, if the price point is wrong you never make any sales.

Next are cookies. Amazon has a 24 hour cookie and emails your referrals to death as soon as you send them. So where is the residual? How do you earn money from a one off at 4-8%.

Man... you don't need an MBA to figure this out... the most successful online marketers just "get it".

You have to find niches that solve problems, you have to get people to take action, you have to make residual customers... on and on.

If you think you are going to make it by being in the "Top 5" all the time you are mistaken.

You need to figure out your customers, where they go, who they are, what they want, and then just get yourself in front of them. If they use SEO great, but the reality is the real conversions come from a whole lot of sources not just SEO.