The Internet Marketing Bar is Raising in 2015 ... Are You Ready?

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2014 was an interesting year to say the least, we saw the economy shake off the last residue of recession. People are spending again. Companies are hiring, gas prices are low and online marketing is becoming the new normal for more consumers.

I predict 2015 will be a banner year for online marketers. But only those who can keep up with the raising bar. For example, the more demanding pace, the more skeptical and shrewd consumer and the crowd of sound-alike, look-alike competitors.

I have many, but here's my top 3 bar raising challenges online marketers face in 2015.

1. You'll Have to Find More Effective Ways to Stand Out ... More!


You may think so, but you're product or service is not really that unique. At least not to your general target market. In fact, at first glance, you probably look like dozens of direct and indirect competitors to them. So, you'll have to work harder and smarter to separate yourself from the crowd.


2. The Word Free ... Is Not What It Used To Be

I can remember the days you could slap the word "free gift" at the top of your web page and get tons of people on your list. 2015 will suck even more life out of the word free. So, you'll have to market your free gifts even harder.

For example, giving away a free book to get someone to join your list will be less effective. The topic will have to sell itself more, with or without the gift. The gift will be more like the gravy instead of the meal in 2015.

3. You'll Face A More Armed and Educated Consumer

You'll be dealing with more educated, informed and skeptical prospects.

That means more will contact you armed with more research, background information and expert opinions than ever (Thanks Google). Many may even know more about some aspects of your type of product, business or even market than you do.

So, it will be harder to wing it, fake-it-till you make it, or even rest on your laurels.

Those are my 3 bar raising challenges for 2015. Can you add to the list, any thoughts, predictions or hunches?

Or any thoughts on my list? Agree or disagree?
#2015 #bar #internet #marketing #raising #ready
  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    >The Internet Marketing Bar is Raising in 2015 ... Are You Ready?

    I'm getting a little too old to jump over higher bars...I think I'll just do the limbo.
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    • Profile picture of the author 1byte
      When I first read your headline I thought you were talking about a new kind of bar (i.e. drinking establishment, pub etc.) that caters to internet marketers -- which I'm wholeheartedly for, LOL!

      An "Internet Marketing Bar" sounds like a great way to unwind and have a few adult beverages and shoot the breeze with like-minded folk after a long hard day (or week) of work.

      All jokes aside though, I think 2015 will be like any other year -- ripe for opportunities for those who are willing to work hard and do what it takes to be successful. The marketing fundamentals remain the same though, even though the methods may change in the swiftly evolving online landscape.

      We "marketers" tend to make it difficult and convoluted, or make it sound like there is some "secret method" that we must find and implement to be successful online. But there really is no secret pathway to success. At its essential, it all comes down to finding a pressing problem that people have, finding a way to solve the problem, then delivering the solution to those who need it.
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      • Profile picture of the author shauntao214
        Originally Posted by 1byte View Post

        When I first read your headline I thought you were talking about a new kind of bar (i.e. drinking establishment, pub) that caters to internet marketers -- which I'm wholeheartedly for, LOL!

        An "Internet Marketing Bar" sounds like a great way to unwind and have a few adult beverages and shoot the breeze with like-minded folk after a long hard day (or week) of work.

        All jokes aside though, I think 2015 will be like any other year -- ripe for opportunities for those who are willing to work hard and do what it takes to be successful. The marketing fundamentals remain the same though, even though the methods may change in the swiftly evolving online landscape.

        We "marketers" tend to make it difficult and convoluted, or make it sound like there is some "secret method" that we must find and implement to be successful online. But there really is no secret pathway to success. At its essential, it all comes down to finding a pressing problem that people have, finding a way to solve the problem, then delivering the solution to those who need it.
        I totally agree. We ourselves(marketers) are the ones trying to make it sound complicated and hard but actually all will always fall back to the fundamentals. And as long as you now what are those and how and when to use those. You will be fine and better even maybe. It's just like Tim Duncan. Wine. It get's better you know haha.
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        • Profile picture of the author shmeeko69
          There's know doubt about it (sounds like the beginning of a song?), things are getting tougher in this business and you have to constantly think of newer ways to create income streams and that will certainly be the case in 2015 and beyond. Using your time effectively and being smart helps you get the most from your time.

          Working at home can be a rewarding and lonely job, but the alternative is going back to work for a boss you don't respect and after six years in both offline and online marketing I say a big NO THANKS!
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      • Profile picture of the author bkbkool70
        and persistence
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

      >The Internet Marketing Bar is Raising in 2015 ... Are You Ready?

      I'm getting a little too old to jump over higher bars...I think I'll just do the limbo.
      Ha, Ha. Don't say old Kurt, call it ... "seasoned".


      Originally Posted by 1byte View Post

      When I first read your headline I thought you were talking about a new kind of bar (i.e. drinking establishment, pub) that caters to internet marketers -- which I'm wholeheartedly for, LOL!

      An "Internet Marketing Bar" sounds like a great way to unwind and have a few adult beverages and shoot the breeze with like-minded folk after a long hard day (or week) of work.
      .
      You may have stumbled on the seed of a future idea. Hmm! But you'll probably have to B.Y.O.B.



      Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

      At its essential, it all comes down to finding a pressing problem that people have, finding a way to solve the problem, then delivering the solution to those who need it.
      I agree with your overall view. But I think to achieve those "essentials" you mentioned is where most of the changes will take place.

      For example, more efficient, quicker and economical methods, software and techniques to do those things you mentioned - is where the changes and profits will appear IMO.

      Those who can't keep up (with the rising bar) will have to step aside and make room for those who can. Because they'll have first dibs in 2015.

      Originally Posted by Kevin Wong View Post

      Well,it will definitely be interesting to see
      Yea, exciting for many, challenging for most and scary for those who resist change.

      Originally Posted by Ghoster View Post

      4. You will have to pay more for content.
      What type of content will go up the most in your opinion. Or what market?
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      • Profile picture of the author Ghoster
        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        Ha, Ha. Don't say old Kurt, call it ... "seasoned".




        You may have stumbled on the seed of a future idea. Hmm! But you'll probably have to B.Y.O.B.





        I agree with your overall view. But I think to achieve those "essentials" you mentioned is where most of the changes will take place.

        For example, more efficient, quicker and economical methods, software and techniques to do those things you mentioned - is where the changes and profits will appear IMO.

        Those who can't keep up (with the rising bar) will have to step aside and make room for those who can. Because they'll have first dibs in 2015.


        Yea, exciting for many, challenging for most and scary for those who resist change.


        What type of content will go up the most in your opinion. Or what market?
        I think prices in general will go up. Of course, there will always be $10 articles, but the quality at that price level will go down, I think. As long as the main search engines keep rewarding quality content, prices will go up.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Wong
    Well,it will definitely be interesting to see
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    • Profile picture of the author 1byte
      Originally Posted by Kevin Wong View Post

      Well,it will definitely be interesting to see
      Now that was an insightful comment... (sarcasm implied)
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  • Profile picture of the author Ghoster
    4. You will have to pay more for content.
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    On the whole, you get what you pay for.

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  • Profile picture of the author trustedmarketer
    Great post! I loved the 3 bars. I know for sure Ecommerce is going to hit the roof in 2015. It's one of the ways to go if you want to capture that rising market.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post


    3. You'll Face A More Armed and Educated Consumer
    I'm wondering how you arrived at this conclusion as I see little evidence it's actually true.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by The Niche Man

      3. You'll Face A More Armed and Educated Consumer



      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      I'm wondering how you arrived at this conclusion as I see little evidence it's actually true.
      Well, it's not that big of a stretch is it? Consumers across the board have more tools for making wiser buying decisions.

      Tools like Google and other search engines, review sites, review columns, smart phone apps, blogs for almost every conceivable product or service. And people can do it with a click of a mouse or smart phone.

      I'm not sure where you're looking not to see any evidence that you'll face a more educated and informed consumer. Or what market you're selling to who you feel will be less informed in 2015. Care to share?

      Anyway here's more evidence

      Study Highlights the New Consumer
      How to sell to the informed consumer
      Understanding the new consumer


      Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

      I definitely don't get the most out of my visitors this way of course but it works and that was my point really as OP makes it sound like you need to go through all kind of hoops to make money online these days which is simply not true when you focus on physical products that people already plan to buy.
      I agree wholeheartedly with your approach. Sell things people are planning to buy. But I'm not quite sure why you say, "I make it sound like you need to go through all kinds of hoops to make money online". That may or may not be true (it depends on your product, the market and your marketing ability).

      All my post did was point out how consumers across the board will be more demanding, informed and more skeptical. I didn't mention anything about marketers having to go through hoops. Or that marketers should even change what they're doing, that's a personal decision. The whole OP was consumer focused.

      And just to add to the discussion. "Sell things people are planning to buy" is a good starting point. But what do you do when 10,000 others are doing the same thing and half of them have more resources, money and marketing muscle than you do? That's the next reality many marketers are blind sided with. The competition. How do you stand out in the crowd?
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      • Profile picture of the author nik0
        Banned
        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        I agree wholeheartedly with your approach. Sell things people are planning to buy. But I'm not quite sure why you say, "I make it sound like you need to go through all kinds of hoops to make money online". That may or may not be true (it depends on your product and market)

        All my post did was point out how consumers across the board will be more demanding, informed and more skeptical. I didn't mention anything about marketers having to go through hoops. Or that marketers should even change what they're doing, that's a personal decision. The whole OP was consumer focused.

        And just to add to the discussion. "Sell things people are planning to buy is a good starting point". But what do you do when 10,000 others are doing the same thing and half of them have more resources, money and marketing muscle than you do. That's the next reality many marketers are blind sided with. The competition.
        High demanding customers require more effort to sell to, that's what I mean with going through all kind of hoops.

        If 10k people do the same I'd focus on other keywords to rank for.
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        • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
          Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

          High demanding customers require more effort to sell to, that's what I mean with going through all kind of hoops.
          .
          Yes, that's a good point, but that's the state of the market now, nothing you or I can do ... but respond.

          For example, if people were planing to buy green toasters I could target those keywords to bring people to my green toaster site, like you do.

          But they'll still demand more (according to current trends). More personal service, perhaps free delivery, installment payments or even a low price guarantee, etc. Especially if your competitors are doing it.

          You can call it going through hoops, I call it meeting market demand.
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          • Profile picture of the author nik0
            Banned
            Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

            Yes, that's a good point, but that's the state of the market now, nothing you or I can do ... but respond.

            For example, if people were planing to buy green toasters I could target those keywords to bring people to my green toaster site, like you do.

            But they'll still demand more (according to current trends). More personal service, perhaps free delivery, installment payments or even a low price guarantee, etc. Especially if your competitors are doing it.

            You can call it going through hoops, I call it meeting market demand.
            Yes and that's why I deal with Amazon, they take care of all that so that I can solely focus on sending traffic.

            It isn't something new for 2015 though, ten years ago it was same as now, people expected free delivery, bringing it up a few stairs in case of heavy items, low price guarantee, some even wanted the items assembled which I offered as well (at a more price), yes I ran a retail shop in a cheap marget segment so I know all about it.

            Reason I quit is that I was too small to box up against huge nation wide brands that started to import their selves and offer it directly to the consumer at even lower prices and all that is 10+ years ago.

            Could I enter that market again and make it profitable?

            Definitely with my current SEO knowledge and enough funds to import myself and for the rest it would be exactly the same as 10 years ago.

            People evolve at a much slower rate then you expect, there's one thing that changes quickly though and that is the way of advertising, i see a shift from forums to social media just to name something. Google will always remain the same though, at least that's what I expect, just more mobile users but they got that covered and we can easily cover that as well by using responsive websites.

            In case you're a vendor yourself it's also easy to go with the flow as the manufacturers will release new products to meet the demand of people.

            So those 3 points you mentioned are an ongoing process to stay in business, been like that for ages nothing new and definitely not just now.

            In business you can never stand still for long, once I had a customer complain that I changed my service too often, that was kind of funny in a fast evolving business like SEO.

            I think SEO is the toughest business to market now, and that's a very rare exception compared to most products / services. Main reason for that are all the Google updates, not easy to take fear away that has been build up over the years.
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      • Profile picture of the author myob
        The marketing "bar" has actually been rising for quite some time now. Even during the "Recession" there were wide swathes of the population who were not negatively impacted. And this is not going to change "suddenly" in 2015. Learning to adapt and leverage marketing assets within this landscape has always been the "razor's edge" for competing in the most lucrative arenas.

        A rapidly changing trend to watch IMO however, is online/offline media will continue to become increasingly fragmented as they focus on meeting the challenges of emerging technology. For example, the Hispanic market now has a purchasing power exceeding $1 trillion but until recently has apparently been marginalized by most marketers. Similar "hidden opportunities" can be found in nearly every socio-economic demographic.
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        • Profile picture of the author nik0
          Banned
          Originally Posted by myob View Post

          The marketing "bar" has actually been rising for quite some time now. Even during the "Recession" there were wide swathes of the population who were not negatively impacted. And this is not going to change "suddenly" in 2015. Learning to adapt and leverage marketing assets within this landscape has always been the "razor's edge" for competing in the most lucrative arenas.

          A rapidly changing trend to watch IMO however, is online/offline media will continue to become increasingly fragmented as they focus on meeting the challenges of emerging technology. For example, the Hispanic market now has a purchasing power exceeding $1 trillion but until recently has apparently been marginalized by most marketers. Similar "hidden opportunities" can be found in nearly every socio-economic demographic.
          You know here in Thailand we have Lazada, like Amazon, they also have an affiliate program.

          Interesting, but guess what? Google traffic is not allowed LOL, they truly dominate Google.co.th here for most products with literally 10 listings for many.
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          • Profile picture of the author myob
            Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

            Interesting, but guess what? Google traffic is not allowed LOL, they truly dominate Google.co.th here for most products with literally 10 listings for many.
            Google traffic never has been a major player in many of the more competitive markets and is actually becoming increasingly irrelevant compared to other more robust marketing strategies. The economics of SEO in terms of ROI is just not viable for the long term. LOL.
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            • Profile picture of the author nik0
              Banned
              Originally Posted by myob View Post

              Google traffic never has been a major player in many of the more competitive markets and is actually becoming increasingly irrelevant compared to other more robust marketing strategies. The economics of SEO in terms of ROI is just not viable for the long term. LOL.
              Wow really?

              Global Marketers Still Rate SEO, Email Marketing As Tops for ROI

              75% of global marketers (primarily from the UK) rate SEO as “excellent” (32%) or “good” (43%) in terms of return on investment, according to [download page] a new study by Econsultancy in partnership with Adestra.
              And here someone who made $1 million in 2 years time depending mostly on SEO (he wrote he didn't make much in the first two years).

              http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...omissions.html

              I also have this crappy affiliate site that has a manual penalty by now, it still makes $20/month and total earnings till date are $2100,-, the site cost me with link building included about $250,-, that's one nice ROI of 800 percent, and even better that ROI keeps on increasing as long as Google keeps sending me free traffic withour me lifting a finger, hard to beat that.

              It's funny to see so many seasoned marketers fail at SEO and give up the most profitable traffic source on the planet.
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              • Profile picture of the author myob
                Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                I also have this crappy affiliate site that has a manual penalty by now, it still makes $20/month and total earnings till date are $2100,-, the site cost me with link building included about $250,-, that's one nice ROI of 800 percent, and even better that ROI keeps on increasing as long as Google keeps sending me free traffic withour me lifting a finger, hard to beat that.

                It's funny to see so many seasoned marketers fail at SEO and give up the most profitable traffic source on the planet.
                IMO, it's a tragedy that so many marketers have been sorely misled by self-serving posts here on the WF over the years. It is quite apparent you are struggling with your own misguided monolithic SEO marketing misconception. You should have learned by now through Google's widely published announcements that "link building" is long gone as a sustainable business model except perhaps for low competition keywords. And seriously, your "earnings" posted as proof of such a tenuous position could be considered hysterically funny by many of the more seasoned marketers.

                The Top SEO Trends That Will Dominate 2015 - Forbes
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              • Profile picture of the author discrat
                Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                Wow really?

                Global Marketers Still Rate SEO, Email Marketing As Tops for ROI



                And here someone who made $1 million in 2 years time depending mostly on SEO (he wrote he didn't make much in the first two years).

                http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...omissions.html

                I also have this crappy affiliate site that has a manual penalty by now, it still makes $20/month and total earnings till date are $2100,-, the site cost me with link building included about $250,-, that's one nice ROI of 800 percent, and even better that ROI keeps on increasing as long as Google keeps sending me free traffic withour me lifting a finger, hard to beat that.

                It's funny to see so many seasoned marketers fail at SEO and give up the most profitable traffic source on the planet.
                Niko,
                I all due respect, this example that you give for your Site is no motivational factor for many of us to get back in the SEO craze that was so prevalent 5 years ago.

                Let me make it clear that SEO and Google traffic is still viable for many. If done correctly. Huge Corporations make Billions from Organic traffic as well as lower level businesses.

                But you might want to make your argument a little more valid with an example besides your Site that has negligible income

                Just saying
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                • Profile picture of the author nik0
                  Banned
                  Originally Posted by discrat View Post

                  Niko,
                  I all due respect, this example that you give for your Site is no motivational factor for many of us to get back in the SEO craze that was so prevalent 5 years ago.

                  Let me make it clear that SEO and Google traffic is still viable for many. If done correctly. Huge Corporations make Billions from Organic traffic as well as lower level businesses.

                  But you might want to make your argument a little more valid with an example besides your Site that has negligible income

                  Just saying
                  What do you think my 80+ clients make combined based on rankings as a result of my network?

                  And what do you think would happen if I allocated those resources solely for myself?

                  And what would happen if I spend all my time on ranking my own sites instead of bothering with clients?

                  Besides we were talking about ROI's, SEO provides an unlimited ROI, show me one other traffic source that does. Content marketing is as good as it gets but that's guess what? An SEO strategy.

                  Don't mention listbuilding as that's just a follow up which works just as well with SEO.

                  Nothing can beat the ROI of SEO, nothing can beat the scalability either.

                  Numbers are just numbers and I bet all my clients income combined as a result of the rankings I accomplished for them beat the income of you and Myob by far. Not so surprising when you see what lawyers, dentists and plastic surgeons charge which are just a few niches among them so stop bragging. What you guys accomplished in years I will accomplish in one single year with SEO and many others did that before me already.

                  Myob I even give the benefit of the doubt that he makes a decent income.

                  You? Lol look at your sig, enough said! Yes you can say the same about me but I don't make wild income claims besides the one from my main business. You really think I would still rely on free guides to build a list if I made $50k/month from Amazon sites? Maybe you should ask your friend Myob or Kilgore why they don't promote anything in their sig to build a list.

                  For me you are a big joke, like many of those pretending to be seasoned marketers here.
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                  • Profile picture of the author Tom B
                    Banned
                    Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                    Nothing can beat the ROI of SEO, nothing can beat the scalability either.
                    .
                    Say what? You can't be serious here.
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                    • Profile picture of the author overtheocean
                      that will be a big problem not only for legit marketers but for scam artist's alos
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                    • Profile picture of the author nik0
                      Banned
                      Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap View Post

                      Say what? You can't be serious here.
                      There are 1000's of niches you can rank in and make money from.
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                  • Profile picture of the author myob
                    Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                    I bet all my clients income combined as a result of the rankings I accomplished for them beat the income of you and Myob by far.
                    You're on. Would you like to wager say $2100 (the total earnings this year from your affiliate website)?:
                    Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                    I also have this crappy affiliate site that has a manual penalty by now, it still makes $20/month and total earnings till date are $2100
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                    • Profile picture of the author nik0
                      Banned
                      Originally Posted by myob View Post

                      You're on. Would you like to wager say $2100 (the total earnings this year from your affiliate website)?:
                      Hard to verify but your missing the point.

                      81 monthly clients don't keep paying me $12k+/month combined for over a year already if they wouldn't make a multiple of that. Add to that that most of my clients are in fact SEO companies (resellers) that charge 4 times more than me so based on that we're at $50k/month already. Obvious their clients wouldn't stick either if they didn't see any return of it so $200k+/month is not so far sought.

                      Quite a bit more than the current $2k+/month affiliate income that you guys considered so funny.
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                      • Profile picture of the author myob
                        Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                        Hard to verify but your missing the point.

                        81 monthly clients don't keep paying me $12k+/month combined for over a year already if they wouldn't make a multiple of that. Add to that that most of my clients are in fact SEO companies (resellers) that charge 4 times more than me so based on that we're at $50k/month already. Obvious their clients wouldn't stick either if they didn't see any return of it so $200k+/month is not so far sought.

                        Quite a bit more than the current $2k+/month affiliate income that you guys considered so funny.
                        Actually with all points included, you would have lost the bet. But thanks for all of the laughs.
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                      • Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

                        81 monthly clients don't keep paying me $12k+/month combined...

                        Obvious their clients wouldn't stick either if they didn't see any return of it so $200k+/month is not so far sought.
                        Honest question here: why do you rent your time away for $12/month if, as per your own admission, your SEO knowledge can generate up to $200k/month? if your SEO kungfu is so powerful, why renting it out for a monthly fee instead of unleashing it full time for your own sites?

                        Again, honest question, no pun intended.
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                        • Profile picture of the author nik0
                          Banned
                          Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

                          Honest question here: why do you rent your time away for $12k/month if, as per your own admission, your SEO knowledge can generate up to $200k/month? if your SEO kungfu is so powerful, why renting it out for a monthly fee instead of unleashing it full time for your own sites?

                          Again, honest question, no pun intended.
                          Short answer: Lack of time and/or money in the past

                          Ok, first I'm not a lawyer, dentist, surgeon, roofer or anything like that so I would never make the $200k/month from it so I'd have to do with a commission so let's reduce that amount to $50k/mo, which is quite realistic as I have a few clients that make about 4 a 5 times more then they pay me each month.

                          I started offering SEO services when I had no money to launch my own sites and this business increased steadily and my network grew as my customer base grew. So right now I can't say I ditch all my clients and use the network solely for my own purpose, neither would I want to as it's a steady and decent income for a long time to come.

                          In 2014 I decided to put full focus on my own affiliate sites but things didn't really turn out as expected. Many updates and a complete overhaul of my network consumed an awful lot of time. However now that I'm done with that I do have a lot of free time on my hands.

                          So the plan for 2015 is to focus on affiliate marketing for my own and build a second network that will be solely used for that, each 2 months I will build a semi authority site backed by 12 feeder sites and 85 PR3+ domains, which will cost me about $15k each 2 months and I expect each of those sets to bring in at the very least $5k/month so by the end of next year I expect to make an additional $30k-50k/month.
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      • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        Originally Posted by The Niche Man

        3. You'll Face A More Armed and Educated Consumer





        Well, it's not that big of a stretch is it? Consumers across the board have more tools for making wiser buying decisions.

        Tools like Google and other search engines, review sites, review columns, smart phone apps, blogs for almost every conceivable product or service. And people can do it with a click of a mouse or smart phone.

        I'm not sure where you're looking not to see any evidence that you'll face a more educated and informed consumer. Or what market you're selling to who you feel will be less informed in 2015. Care to share?

        Anyway here's more evidence

        Study Highlights the New Consumer
        How to sell to the informed consumer
        Understanding the new consumer
        I don’t think it will hurt you going forward assuming people are smarter but I still don’t see how you can say they are.

        SAT scores and average reading levels of Americans have been trending down for 50+ years. Every year Americans need to import more and more engineers, scientists and other high end professionals from overseas. There was a time, not that long ago when we were the world’s academic leaders.

        Millions upon millions of Americans consume dangerous levels of unhealthy foods, alcohol, tobacco and drugs believing the health care system exists to save them when their bodies break down.

        Consumers make MANY buying decisions based on vanity, greed, fear and guilt. Maybe this is because they believe that some commission or agency or bureau or elected person is going make good on their purchases. Welcome to the age of the “no responsibility required” safety net.

        People are consumed with the pop culture and have no idea what’s really happening. Have you ever seen Letterman or Leno out on the streets with a live mic asking “average” people simple questions about important current events, or who their elected representatives are? The answers are frightening.

        Not only that, but folks spend way too much time doing stuff that will never return any long term benefits. I know a guy who can boast that he has thousands upon thousands of hours at several video games and has become a master. Wow. Real impressive. And there are lots of people like him. And there’s fantasy football and mindless social media and celebrity worship and all kinds of stuff that wastes valuable time. And Americans are into this up to their eyeballs. Then later, when they get smacked upside the head with the stinky mackerel of reality they wonder where their lives have gone.

        This forum is an excellent example. People come here with big dreams. And that’s as it should be. Without big dreams we’d be nothing. They buy a few WSOs and become disillusioned. They believe the hype and the hollow promises. Take a look at some of the banner ads and their outrageous income claims.

        The problem is that people don’t think for themselves. If you buy a couple of dud offers the ‘reality check’ part of your brain is supposed to kick in and tell you something’s wrong. But we see posts here every week with people complaining that they “suffer” from information overload or that they “suffer” from shiny object syndrome.

        To me, using the word suffer is a bit overdramatized. This is self inflicted suffering that can stop when the individual decides it’s time to stop. But many keep right on with the pattern. And this forum is a microcosm of the population, believe it or not.

        Nope. People aren’t making better buying decisions. I’d agree with you that they have more tools at their disposal designed to help them but it’s the minority that uses these tools, not the masses. The masses are followers and they’re blindly heading for a cliff. They want someone else to be responsible. So it goes…
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    If things have worked for you in 2014 really well, keep doing it in 2015.

    You don't have to re-invent the wheel so to speak and if it ain't broken, don't try to fix it.
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    • Profile picture of the author nik0
      Banned
      You know what you can also do?

      Sell products that sell their selves instead of having to go all the way to convince your potential customer.

      Simple physical products that everyone buys at some point in their life.

      Nothing changes when you just stick to providing basic needs.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tom B
        Banned
        Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

        You know what you can also do?

        Sell products that sell their selves instead of having to go all the way to convince your potential customer.

        Simple physical products that everyone buys at some point in their life.
        Got examples of products that sell themselves?

        Nothing changes when you just stick to providing basic needs
        If you are talking products such as toilet paper or tooth paste, then why would I buy your offering when I could purchase many other brands?
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        • Profile picture of the author nik0
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap View Post

          Got examples of products that sell themselves?

          If you are talking products such as toilet paper or tooth paste, then why would I buy your offering when I could purchase many other brands?
          Plenty, think of rice cookers, hair dryers, lawn mowers, you name it, rank for buyer keywords, provide some basic info, push them to Amazon and they'll take care of converting the customer. Really not that hard.

          Ok ranking might be a problem for some, but that's more a matter of investing, money makes money.
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          • Profile picture of the author Tom B
            Banned
            Originally Posted by nik0 View Post

            Plenty, think of rice cookers, hair dryers, lawn mowers, you name it, rank for buyer keywords, provide some basic info, push them to Amazon and they'll take care of converting the customer. Really not that hard.

            Ok ranking might be a problem for some, but that's more a matter of investing, money makes money.
            Ah gotcha, so you're ranking for specific models that people have already sold themselves on. You had me confused with the no selling part which is why I asked.
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            • Profile picture of the author nik0
              Banned
              Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap View Post

              Ah gotcha, so you're ranking for specific models that people have already sold themselves on. You had me confused with the no selling part which is why I asked.
              I rank for keywords like "best hair dryer", "lawn mower reviews" and present either a number of reviews or a top 5 or top 10 list, the goal is to get them to Amazon.

              Reason I said it requires no selling is that I have some real crappy sites that are making decent amounts of money, when you read the content you'd think "what the hell is this", yes really that bad. If Google didn't require content I would just rank empty pages with only an affiliate link and it would still make money.

              I definitely don't get the most out of my visitors this way of course but it works and that was my point really as OP makes it sound like you need to go through all kind of hoops to make money online these days which is simply not true when you focus on physical products that people already plan to buy.

              Selling digital goods might be harder, I notice that with my SEO service, so in 2015 I go all the way with Amazon affiliate sites as it sells easy and it's much easier to scale.
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        • Profile picture of the author discrat
          Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap View Post

          Got examples of products that sell themselves?



          If you are talking products such as toilet paper or tooth paste, then why would I buy your offering when I could purchase many other brands?

          Join Amway they sell a ton of this
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    • Profile picture of the author ppceve
      Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

      If things have worked for you in 2014 really well, keep doing it in 2015.

      You don't have to re-invent the wheel so to speak and if it ain't broken, don't try to fix it.
      Totally agree! I have to continually remind myself to let go of trying to "fix" things, because they're working just as they are!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author MattBrighton
    I think it's incredible whats happening. Walking in shopping malls and high streets this year you walk around technology stores and see how still advance things are getting. Similarly to this industry, I think it's kind of 'the crap cleaning phase' and all of the crap created during the recssion will die off, and in it's place we will see quality products and services being sold by IMers.

    Atleast - I'd like to think we would see better quality set to a higher standard
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Linley
    I agree and hope I can raise the bar. I have been in the game for 5 years and it's getting tougher and tougher with more smart marketers entering every day.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

    2. The Word Free ... Is Not What It Used To Be
    I agree, but it still works amazingly well LOL. Who doesn't love free stuff that pertains to their situation? It depends on what niche you're throwing the "free" word in. In a business or market that Direct TV is in.... the word *free* could do something major. Obviously you can't promote the free offer everyday, but...

    ...imagine if DirectTV came out with a Christmas special and said you can watch any PPV movie for FREE for the next 24 hours only. I'd probably take the day off if they said that. I still haven't seen Dawn of the planet of the apes lol.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
      Banned
      Yeah it depends what you're offering for free. (People will never grow tired of a "great deal.")
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  • Profile picture of the author TopTier Profits
    3. You'll Face A More Armed and Educated Consumer
    Says who?

    I hopped back into the trenches the past few months and what I found after talking with literally thousands of new contacts is the complete opposite.

    People are LESS educated and MORE desperate (perhaps more desperate than I've ever seen).

    When it comes to the "Make Money"/"BizzOpp" space, people are so un-educated it's scary...
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by TopTier Profits View Post

      Says who?

      I hopped back into the trenches the past few months and what I found after talking with literally thousands of new contacts is the complete opposite.

      People are LESS educated and MORE desperate (perhaps more desperate than I've ever seen).

      When it comes to the "Make Money"/"BizzOpp" space, people are so un-educated it's scary...
      I said you'll face more educated consumers overall, I never said they'll all be that way. Plus, do you really want to market to the desperate,uneducated consumer? They're not that loyal, plus they're terrible repeat customers. Not a very solid long term plan.

      Note: Not everyone in the Make Money/BizzOpp space is uneducated. Maybe you're talking to the wrong people or looking in the wrong places - if you can talk to thousands of people without finding one as educated as you are.
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  • Profile picture of the author bryan lillard
    2015 is going to actually make people become marketers. Its true the world is getting more and more tech savvy. The whole make money online appeal is more widely accepted these days, it not just a fantasy anymore or some secret world. People actually see that it can be done and even at a younger age. I know kids in high school doing good numbers from just Instagram.

    2015 is the year your brand must stand out if you want that long lasting business. Can't hide behind the monitors screens anymore, you gotta get out there and actually market. Lets call this the you better be building a brand and trust year if you want to steam through the next year.
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  • Profile picture of the author MJG
    I think that the "digital consumer" demands more and shall continue to demand more. A website in 2015 will need to serve content quickly whilst providing a great UX to keep users on the website longer.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by MJG View Post

      I think that the "digital consumer" demands more and shall continue to demand more. A website in 2015 will need to serve content quickly whilst providing a great UX to keep users on the website longer.
      You make a good point, with readers shorter patience and attention spans, great UX design will get more importance and priority than ever.

      To stay competitive, it will also be more important for marketers to either understand it or know how to choose people to outsource it to.
      Like this example ... 10 Skills Future UX Designers Will Need To Know
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  • Profile picture of the author Pdomain
    Banned
    Of course, there is no other marketing method that converts better than SEO....

    Because, people go to Google or other top search engines if they want to buy, or want something...

    They search your website in Google, higher the ranking of your site, better the response you get from your customers and clients..


    And list building can't be effective if you don't take help of SEO.........

    And content marketing is nothing more than SEO....


    If you refer your website via social networking sites but you don't get the higher respect that you get from SEO... means if a customer find your site through search engine is better than what you promote through social media, network of friends, words of mouth etc..
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Pdomain View Post

      And list building can't be effective if you don't take help of SEO.........
      I hope it's intended as ironic, or sarcastic, but to be honest I actually have a sneaking suspicion that you genuinely believe this to be true?! Rarely, if ever, have I seen a more nonsensical and misguided statement made in this forum (and - believe me - that's really saying something!)

      Originally Posted by Pdomain View Post

      And content marketing is nothing more than SEO....
      Nothing could be further from the truth. Much content marketing (such as article marketing) is a way of completely bypassing, avoiding and transcending SEO: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post5035794


      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Wolfster
    I can't say I'm enthused or thrilled about things getting more and more difficult for marketers.

    But I'd be quite happy to see it get more and more difficult for all the con artists pretending to be legitimate marketers.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by Wolfster View Post

      I can't say I'm enthused or thrilled about things getting more and more difficult for marketers.

      But I'd be quite happy to see it get more and more difficult for all the con artists pretending to be legitimate marketers.
      He,he ...from your lips to God's ears. But the reality is when the bar raises "everyone" has to step up their game - or risk being obsolete, irrelevant or lost in the crowd. It's the price of admission to succeed or to con.
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  • Profile picture of the author overtheocean
    i also think that because a lot of scam products are going these days, consumers will search your product a hunderd times before they make a purchase
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Kontango
    where are you guys getting these things?
    I believe people are getting stupider by the minute, not more 'educated'
    watch the movie Idiocracy... you'll see what I mean
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    hmm

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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by Peter Kontango View Post

      where are you guys getting these things?
      I believe people are getting stupider by the minute, not more 'educated'
      watch the movie Idiocracy... you'll see what I mean
      Getting "stupider"? I think it all comes down to who you market to, focus on, or allow to influence you. Thinking everyone is stupid (but you) can sometimes be self-sabatoging.
      Most people is "one" fact, away from being smarter than you about something.

      Originally Posted by Legend Dude View Post

      I think there are definitely some new changes for marketing in 2015.
      And the new changes for marketing are?
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  • Profile picture of the author Wolfster
    Nearly everyone is smart about something. To say that people are or are not getting smarter is kind of meaningless. Which people? Smarter or stupider about what?

    I would say that no matter what SAT scores are, not matter what kind of formal education people are or are not getting, when it comes to marketing, "smarter" means having been exposed to a billion or so more marketing messages in the last year or so and because not all marketing is above board and ethical, getting more sophisticated, more critical, more skeptical and more cynical of those messages.

    In other words "smarter" in terms of marketing means having been burned and burned by over-hyped sales pitches and bogus product claims until at some point, the people who used to be impulse buyers have become increasingly wary, cautious and far slower and harder to convince to make a purchase.

    But as some say, there are always new marks being born and coming online, if (but hopefully not) that's where you think your market is ...
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    • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
      Originally Posted by Wolfster View Post

      Nearly everyone is smart about something. To say that people are or are not getting smarter is kind of meaningless. Which people? Smarter or stupider about what?

      I would say that no matter what SAT scores are, not matter what kind of formal education people are or are not getting, when it comes to marketing, "smarter" means having been exposed to a billion or so more marketing messages in the last year or so and because not all marketing is above board and ethical, getting more sophisticated, more critical, more skeptical and more cynical of those messages.

      In other words "smarter" in terms of marketing means having been burned and burned by over-hyped sales pitches and bogus product claims until at some point, the people who used to be impulse buyers have become increasingly wary, cautious and far slower and harder to convince to make a purchase.

      But as some say, there are always new marks being born and coming online, if (but hopefully not) that's where you think your market is ...
      I appreciate your optimism. It might not look like it, but I'm an optimist too. But I'm also a realist. The market is what it is. For years I tried to do business based on what I thought the market was, what I hoped it was or what I thought it should be. That's a recipe for failure.

      I agree that some people are becoming more skeptical about marketing messages. But these people represent the relatively small percentage of people who have learned to think for themselves. These people appreciate something that give them a bit more of a chance in a crazy marketplace. If consumers are truly armed with more analytical tools, as the OP correctly states, it's the smart ones, the people who actually use their heads rather than jumping on emotional impulse that are using them.

      As easy as it might be, I would never think of trying to trick anyone. Here's an example. People come here thinking it's a major chore to find something to market. I'm talking about the "How do I pick a niche" crowd. They go through an excruciating and unnecessary ritual that is centered primarily on SEO. It's all about keywords and ranking.

      That model is so old and outdated it smells bad. I could put together a short, two or three page report that gets right to the heart of picking a niche that makes sense and would be productive if followed. But I won't because it would be ignored in favor of an obsolete model. If I were a schumck I'd simply write a report giving them what they expect rather than what would actually work. But I can't do something I don't believe in, even if that something is an acceptable method and even if it's profitable.

      There's a lot of money to be made here and in the MMO market. But most often it's hocking methods that no longer work or never did work well in the first place, except for the gurus that pumped them. There's plenty of room in the marketplace for quality products and the people that actually appreciate them.
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      • Profile picture of the author myob
        Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

        ... People come here thinking it's a major chore to find something to market. I'm talking about the "How do I pick a niche" crowd. They go through an excruciating and unnecessary ritual that is centered primarily on SEO. It's all about keywords and ranking.

        That model is so old and outdated it smells bad....
        Although anything beyond the ubiquitous SEO mantra as seen so often here on the WF (mostly due to the dominant proliferation of self-serving posts by those providing such services) can be considered "advanced communication", real world marketing actually consists of multiple communication channels. The reality is that websites showing up in the top SERPs have almost no sustainable correlation to convertible traffic or profits.

        Going as far back at least since the late 1980's, advertisers defined a concept called "Integrated Marketing and Communications" (IMC).
        Source: Kenneth E. Clow, Donald E. Baack; "Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications", publishd by Prentice Hall. p. 108

        Models of the IMC approach typically stress the importance of blending various marketing tools to maximize the customer experience and value. All components of the model play an equally important role and a company may or may not choose to immediately implement any or all of the integration strategies.

        Using a "tactical coordination" of diverse marketing such as advertising (including SEO as appropriate), content promotion (including articles, blogs, video, podcasts, offline multimedia), email, social media, direct response, public relations, special events, etc., advertisers can maximize their brand leverage in an increasingly ad-weary and skeptical audience. This communication level focuses on delivering "one sight, one sound" through integrated marketing communications.

        Google itself (which is an advertising company that uses its diverse marketing prowess to sell advertising), has been using IMC (ie articles, blogs, video, free services, offline multi-media, direct marketing, etc) since its inception to sell what ... advertising.

        As emerging technologies become available, this core IMC concept is what will continue to evolve in 2015 and beyond. Expect to see highly targeted and "personalized" promotions that will be more about connecting, educating and engaging customers, and less about the "pitch".
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      • Profile picture of the author Wolfster
        Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

        I appreciate your optimism. [HUGE SNIP]
        Well, as nice as it is to be appreciated, I'm not sure what you mean. What optimism? That nearly everyone is smart about something? That's not optimism, that's just a fact.

        I can introduce you to a guy who doesn't know a thing about marketing, but he knows how to fix an engine faster than most professional mechanics while keeping most of his attention on some girl. I had a business partner that didn't know anything about either one of those matters, but he knew how to make almost anyone like him and feel comfortable around him within a matter of seconds.

        Several years ago, I knew a young woman who had kinesthetic intelligence. She could get her body to do amazing things, from dancing and yoga and acrobatics to playing sports to balancing on a high wire without a net like a circus performer. Otherwise, people took her for a dolt -- but she was astonishingly intelligent in her own way.

        I've also known a couple of people over the years who had trouble tying a shoelace or parking a car who nevertheless could talk authoritatively all day about the history of the Franks, or quantum superposition.

        I have an acquaintance right now who can't read or write and has brain damage who can still teach most people a thing or two about the very best way to season a gourmet meal.

        No offense intended, but the attitude that so many seem to have these days about being among the only intelligent folks in the room may be quite satisfying to the ego, but as often as not, it is based on assumptions and perspectives that are woefully myopic.

        There are a lot of different kinds of intelligence in this world, and nearly everyone is smart about something and one does not need to look at the world through rose-colored glasses to acknowledge it.
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        • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
          Originally Posted by Wolfster View Post

          Well, as nice as it is to be appreciated, I'm not sure what you mean. What optimism? That nearly everyone is smart about something? That's not optimism, that's just a fact.

          I can introduce you to a guy who doesn't know a thing about marketing, but he knows how to fix an engine faster than most professional mechanics while keeping most of his attention on some girl. I had a business partner that didn't know anything about either one of those matters, but he knew how to make almost anyone like him and feel comfortable around him within a matter of seconds.

          Several years ago, I knew a young woman who had kinesthetic intelligence. She could get her body to do amazing things, from dancing and yoga and acrobatics to playing sports to balancing on a high wire without a net like a circus performer. Otherwise, people took her for a dolt -- but she was astonishingly intelligent in her own way.

          I've also known a couple of people over the years who had trouble tying a shoelace or parking a car who nevertheless could talk authoritatively all day about the history of the Franks, or quantum superposition.

          I have an acquaintance right now who can't read or write and has brain damage who can still teach most people a thing or two about the very best way to season a gourmet meal.

          No offense intended, but the attitude that so many seem to have these days about being among the only intelligent folks in the room may be quite satisfying to the ego, but as often as not, it is based on assumptions and perspectives that are woefully myopic.

          There are a lot of different kinds of intelligence in this world, and nearly everyone is smart about something and one does not need to look at the world through rose-colored glasses to acknowledge it.

          My point is that we've seen a trend away from smart buying decisions for years and that trend is growing. The OP says that people have more "tools" designed to help them make intelligent decisions. I'm saying all the tools in the world won't help if an individual doesn't take the time to analyse a purchase beyond the emotional rush the advertiser has created.

          I've sited some fairly obvious stuff people do that contributes to the trend. For the most part they are allowing themselves to be used because most often they don't think beyond the impulse to buy. I certainly understand that there are plenty of people with profound intelligence outside of what we consider to be smart.

          What I don't understand is how that's relative to the topic. This has nothing to do with ego or being among the intelligent folks in the room. Nothing. It's far more about predictable behavior than intelligence, though intelligence is also a factor. I agree that everyone is smart about one thing or another. I don't agree that it matters a whole lot in this discussion unless it directly relates to how they make buying decisions.
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          • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
            Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post


            For the most part they are allowing themselves to be used because most often they don't think beyond the impulse to buy. I certainly understand that there are plenty of people with profound intelligence out.
            In general, I hear your point, but you keep saying "they". Who exactly is "they" or the people who only or always buy on emotion/impulse?
            Business owners? Single mothers? Seniors on fixed incomes? Investors? ... Everyone?
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            • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
              Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

              In general, I hear your point, but you keep saying "they". Who exactly is "they" or the people who only or always buy on emotion/impulse?
              Business owners? Single mothers? Seniors on fixed incomes? Investors? ... Everyone?
              The majority of the buying public.
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              • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
                Originally Posted by The Niche Man
                In general, I hear your point, but you keep saying "they". Who exactly is "they" or the people who only or always buy on emotion/impulse?
                Business owners? Single mothers? Seniors on fixed incomes? Investors? ... Everyone?




                Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

                The majority of the buying public.
                Interesting. Now is that a hunch, your opinion or is their actually a stat, research study or survey available (you can share) that verifies that.
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          • Profile picture of the author Wolfster
            Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

            My point is that we've seen a trend away from smart buying decisions for years and that trend is growing. The OP says that people have more "tools" designed to help them make intelligent decisions. I'm saying all the tools in the world won't help if an individual doesn't take the time to analyse a purchase beyond the emotional rush the advertiser has created.

            I've sited some fairly obvious stuff people do that contributes to the trend. For the most part they are allowing themselves to be used because most often they don't think beyond the impulse to buy. I certainly understand that there are plenty of people with profound intelligence outside of what we consider to be smart.

            What I don't understand is how that's relative to the topic. This has nothing to do with ego or being among the intelligent folks in the room. Nothing. It's far more about predictable behavior than intelligence, though intelligence is also a factor. I agree that everyone is smart about one thing or another. I don't agree that it matters a whole lot in this discussion unless it directly relates to how they make buying decisions.
            Okay. Marketers in particular tend to be egoistic and seem to believe everyone but them are fools. Maybe that's because we know lots of ways to manipulate people into buying.

            But all that really means is that they (the buying public) are fools in a very specific way, not that they're dumb altogether.

            The foregoing attitude is just a gripe of mine, and I went off a little bit.

            But you're right, that point had nothing directly to do with marketing.

            Still, I'm pretty sure I remember seeing some historic data that suggests that people who live amid lots of commercial messages do tend to become more sophisticated over time. And marketers tend to get more sophisticated, too, i.e., in the techniques they use.

            You can say it isn't so, but I've come across some very well established marketers who disagree with you, i.e., I've already seen warnings from some of the most successful marketers I know that something's got to give, that it is bound to get harder because more and more consumers are becoming more and more savvy to the techniques being used.

            Just extrapolating here, but it seems like common sense to me that there should come a saturation point where all but the most sophisticated techniques become less and less effective on most people.

            But what seems like common sense to me does not always pan out. So I don't know.

            But one possibility is that changes in consumer behavior are happening, but simply may not be all that obvious yet to you and some others in certain niches.

            And/or the folks I'm thinking about may be completely wrong. Or they may be right. Or you may be.

            I suspect it's largely guess-work at this point. Time will tell.
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  • Profile picture of the author yordanov
    Well, 2014 and 2015 what are they? They are only numbers. So if I am good writer in 2014 I will be good in 2015 too. The other things and jobs will be the same.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by yordanov View Post

      Well, 2014 and 2015 what are they? They are only numbers. So if I am good writer in 2014 I will be good in 2015 too. The other things and jobs will be the same.
      Be careful with that assumption. Because RCA, General Foods and EF Hutton, plus others (no longer in business) probably thought the same things. What you describe sounds close to "resting on your laurels".
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  • Profile picture of the author NeedBucksNow
    Good post & I will have to say that 2015 should be an interesting year. I believe that this may even be a bigger year than 2014 because as you said the economy is getting straightened out. This means that people will have more extra cash to use on things they want & it seems to me that more & more people are looking for even more income online. I used to have the feeling that it wasn't possible to make anything online because I skipped from product to product for several years & never made as much as I spent. It's been really nice using the forum & seeing that there are people making a great living online & it is all possible with your own website & alot of hard work
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  • Profile picture of the author Simextrades
    2015 is definitely going to be tougher than the previous years. The industry will forever alter as individuals become more aware or skeptical.
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  • Profile picture of the author C G
    Nice post.

    As usual, having the best product for your target market and doing a good job at marketing it will still work in 2015.

    Cheers,

    C.G.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Braswell
    Content & Advertising are the keys in 2015!

    I'm sure.
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  • Profile picture of the author markiz
    2015 is just a number. Don't think about numbers. 2015 is as good as 2014 and at the same time it's as bad as 2014
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  • For me the bar I'll be raising in 2015 is the same as the previous years...

    - Writing and distributing more content
    - Producing more videos
    - Providing more value on forums
    - Growing my Facebook fan pages
    - Getting more affiliates
    - Building more relationships

    And that's for all my niche sites.

    I'm sure I'll still be doing that in 2020.
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  • Profile picture of the author Leon Zykos
    I believe internet marketing is undergoing some major changes in the year 2015 and beyond. For the most part, most product vendors know that they must now produce quality products and good customer service in order to have repeat business.
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  • Profile picture of the author SomerNelson
    There is one guarantee in life and that is change! Times are changing and the way we do business online is definitely changing.

    I would like to add 1 more change to your list. Video!!!!

    Every business needs video.

    If you are not incorporating video into your business in 2015...you will be left behind
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by SomerNelson View Post

      There is one guarantee in life and that is change! Times are changing and the way we do business online is definitely changing.
      That's a good point. Change is one of the only things in life that's guaranteed. And he who adapts to change the fastest and most effectively wins.

      Originally Posted by SomerNelson View Post

      I would like to add 1 more change to your list. Video!!!!

      Every business needs video.

      If you are not incorporating video into your business in 2015...you will be left behind
      If you're not incorporating video in your business in 2015, you'll not only be left behind - you're not paying attention!
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      • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        If you're not incorporating video in your business in 2015, you'll not only be left behind - you're not paying attention!
        People have been saying that since 2009 (maybe sooner) and every year after. I kid you not.
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  • Profile picture of the author KelvinN
    Honestly..this just made me realize entrepreneurship isn't going to last forever, it may, but will have a whole new meaning and structure.

    Thanks for this post. I'm going to make the money I need to make online without having to work a 9-5 job and then I'm out of this business!
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by KelvinN View Post


      Thanks for this post. I'm going to make the money I need to make online without having to work a 9-5 job and then I'm out of this business!
      Well, if you're able to do that, don't just shut it down. At least sell it to me ... if I can afford it.
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  • Profile picture of the author nickjayuk
    A good read here, I was self employed as a singer/guitarist for the last 10 years. I saw an opportunity into network marketing, I know there are some people on this forum that are uneducated and think NM, MLM, Direct Selling is a Pyramid Scheme or Ponzi scheme and for THOSE people please educate yourself here before making a fool out of yourself:
    Anyways, I just wanted to add to this discussion about how marketing is changing, basically if you think about what direct selling was before the internet, it meant nagging your family and friends and doing parties and all that shit, there are still many MLM companies today still teaching the same old strategies but there are new companies with a complete curve ball on marketing.

    Its already started now but basically within 10 years everyone will be in different MLM companies like right now there are:

    Energy Companies
    Health & Nutrition
    Coffee MLM (Organo Gold)
    Phone Companies
    .. Just a few to list but hopefully some of you will understand just like "Eric Worre's - Rise Of The Entrepreneur"

    If you haven't seen that film which is endorsed by some of the richest and best business minded people in the world I highly recommend you check it out, it was free for a weekend but it was taken down, msg me if you want to see it.

    Back to the bone, marketing is 100% changing and with work getting more automatic like robots and shit, people less jobs, less people shopping in shops etc the only way out for people is to become an entrepreneur and make money for themselves.. It's getting to the point where people will only buy from other MLM's (Because the products are far more superior than anything you could ever get in a supermarket or shop).

    The future is good, stick with warrior keep learning, knowledge is power and power is money
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Karp
    Sounds like the perfect recipe for content marketing to make a massive push.

    More skepticism from consumers means they'll be turning to the brands, companies, stores, and local businesses that provide useful information to help people solve their problems.

    The difference between choosing option A over option B will be: option A has already helped the consumer through their free content, while option B has only tried to throw ads in their face.

    A combination of both inbound and outbound marketing is going to be the one-two punch for effective marketing in 2015, whether you're a fortune 500 company or a local auto repair shop.

    Content is going to be the driving force. It's going to be what improves people's lives, creates a bond between business and consumer, and leads to a reciprocal exchange of value that benefits both parties.

    It's a beautiful form of business.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by Michael Karp View Post

      Sounds like the perfect recipe for content marketing to make a massive push.

      More skepticism from consumers means they'll be turning to the brands, companies, stores, and local businesses that provide useful information to help people solve their problems.

      The difference between choosing option A over option B will be: option A has already helped the consumer through their free content, while option B has only tried to throw ads in their face.

      A combination of both inbound and outbound marketing is going to be the one-two punch for effective marketing in 2015, whether you're a fortune 500 company or a local auto repair shop.

      Content is going to be the driving force. It's going to be what improves people's lives, creates a bond between business and consumer, and leads to a reciprocal exchange of value that benefits both parties.

      It's a beautiful form of business.
      Those are good points Michael:
      But the challenge for marketers who want to stay in the cut is how to

      • Create
      • Distribute
      • Maximize
      • Analyze
      and
      • Manage
      ... The growing mountain of new information, to match the growing demand -- for a skeptical growing consumer.

      Plus, the growth of user-generated content (i.e, social media, mobile communication, etc.) has put control directly in the consumers hands now. Requiring many marketers to adapt (get more creative) or die, so to speak.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rory Singh
    I'm ready.

    What ever you focus on has to 'expand. It's physics not just spiritual mumbo jumbo.

    If you think it will be harder in 2015, it will be.

    If you are naive like me, it won't.

    When I was new to this industry one of my advisors was an EX-RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer) who was making $300K per year back then in IM.

    What he told me was priceless...

    He said "Rory. Success is 95% mental and 5% Marketing.

    It does not matter how well you set your self up or how well you stand out from the crowd, if you don't believe in yourself, you will [struggle].

    Sure not everyone will be able to 'believe' in themselves but luckily for us there is one thing that is more POWERFUL than belief...

    And that is your DESIRE!

    It will pull you through all the struggle, depression and heart ache (if it's strong enough!)

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    • Profile picture of the author Milesgeek
      Originally Posted by Rory Singh View Post

      I'm ready.

      What ever you focus on has to 'expand. It's physics not just spiritual mumbo jumbo.

      If you think it will be harder in 2015, it will be.

      If you are naive like me, it won't.

      When I was new to this industry one of my advisors was an EX-RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer) who was making $300K per year back then in IM.

      What he told me was priceless...

      He said "Rory. Success is 95% mental and 5% Marketing.

      It does not matter how well you set your self up or how well you stand out from the crowd, if you don't believe in yourself, you will [struggle].

      Sure not everyone will be able to 'believe' in themselves but luckily for us there is one thing that is more POWERFUL than belief...

      And that is your DESIRE!

      It will pull you through all the struggle, depression and heart ache (if it's strong enough!)

      Very well said!! You are right, If someone has the desire to succeed, he / she will surely succeed. It's all about doing the right thing at the right time.
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  • Profile picture of the author DevEdge
    Creating excellent content is still going to be apt in 2015 as will putting it in the right place but thinking out of the box (even more so) will be crucial for getting in front of target prospects.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Ogden
    Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

    2014 was an interesting year to say the least, we saw the economy shake off the last residue of recession. People are spending again. Companies are hiring, gas prices are low and online marketing is becoming the new normal for more consumers.

    I predict 2015 will be a banner year for online marketers. But only those who can keep up with the raising bar. For example, the more demanding pace, the more skeptical and shrewd consumer and the crowd of sound-alike, look-alike competitors.

    I have many, but here's my top 3 bar raising challenges online marketers face in 2015.

    1. You'll Have to Find More Effective Ways to Stand Out ... More!


    .........
    2. The Word Free ... Is Not What It Used To Be

    I can remember the days you could slap the word "free gift" at the top of your web page and get tons of people on your list. 2015 will suck even more life out of the word free. So, you'll have to market your free gifts even harder.

    For example, giving away a free book to get someone to join your list will be less effective. The topic will have to sell itself more, with or without the gift. The gift will be more like the gravy instead of the meal in 2015.
    ..........
    Well the first month of 2015 is drawing to and has anyone noticed any changes ? lets hear about them.

    I am looking forward to next month because of a product undergoing a phased launched and it is a game changer, not only that it is Free and could even in time rival the likes Facebook and LinkedIn. If you are interested you will need to wait just a little bit longer.but it will raise the the inbound marketing bar.
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  • Profile picture of the author QueenMelanie
    yes I am ready to work harder and smarter this year, and next year, raise it even higher once more
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  • Free is a very powerful marketing word..

    A little bit of topic, however our last split test shows that our landing page conversion rates increased by..

    1 - 1.5% for every time we wrote the word 'FREE' on it
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by selfdisciplineacademy View Post

      Free is a very powerful marketing word..

      A little bit of topic, however our last split test shows that our landing page conversion rates increased by..

      1 - 1.5% for every time we wrote the word 'FREE' on it
      I guess it all depends on what your Free gift is, who it's for, and of course how you package or present it.

      I'm not saying it's not effective still. I use it, but I have to raise the bar on my Free gift to get the same traction compared to a few years ago, that's all I'm saying.
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