Niche Sites, Clickbank, Amazon FBA (which is better to start?)

I typically don't like to give an answer like this but ...

It really depends on what you want to do. Amazon FBA is a good way to go if you like the idea of having a physical product business. If you go this route you'll really want to study up on SEO and the like. If you don't know much about this then you're going to probably want to become part of Mike Long's thing.

Niche Sites and Clickbank are really the same type of deal. If you're new to making money online honestly this is the route I'd take. I have a fairly detailed post on how to get started with affiliate marketing here:
http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post9876010

The reason I like going this route to get started with is because you can get something actually put up and running with traffic and everything else and actually EARNING much faster than the amazon FBA route.

That's my opinion anyway.

I agree with th post above. This is a hard question to answer as there are many factors and opinions. Someone else's opinion may not be right for you. My suggestion is to start learning lots about various online methods and make an infomred decision that suits you best. This forum is a great place to learn about many topics.

For me I sort of fell into FBA a couple of years ago and it is the best thing I have done online to date. For me affiliate marketing has not been so great but that is due to my efforts in that field. Learn what is required in the various online marketing systems and you will know what direction you want to go.

Yup, as the other said, it is up to you and what your skill set is.

... as well, two of the above kind of go "hand in hand." Build niche sites to promote ClickBank products, for example. However, do not "live and die" by Google with your niche sites.

My best practice, and one that works pretty well for me, is to do lots of guest posting. Most blog owners (even ones with high traffic) are more than happy to allow you to put a link to your squeeze page and/or blog at the end of your post ... they do not mind; it is high-quality content for them at a very, very low cost (that is: your link).

In my case, I have that link go back to my squeeze page where people opt'in to receive daily fantasy baseball tips (holy crap ... somebody actually divulged their niche on WF? Gasp!). And, through my daily e-mails, I will every now and then promote a high-paying affiliate product. Been doing pretty well for me so far.

... and it is a very, very basic marketing medium. That is about as simple as it gets.

If you can write and have just a bit of tech-savvy, there is easy pickings in some niches.

I also agree with the others. It is really going to come down to your comfort zone and level of investment. For Clickbank with a niche site you can start building a solid business with a low investment in terms of $$ but a lot of time.

I also fell into FBA with Amazon and was able to really start making a full-time income from it rather quickly. However, it does take a lot more $$ to invest in to get started.

As for the SEO for FBA I would say is way more simplistic then doing SEO for a niche website with clickbank products. Just understand when I am talking about Amazon I am talking as selling your own products rather then as an affiliate.

If an Amazon Associate it would be similar tactics to clickbank and building a Niche Site around your topic of interest from which SEO is long and grueling.

There is a proven sequence of steps you can follow to guarantee your success when you’re starting a small business online.

I’ve seen thousands of people start and grow successful businesses by doing the following:

Find a need and fill it.
Write copy that sells.
Design and build an easy-to-use website.
Use search engines to drive traffic to your site.
Establish an expert reputation for yourself.
Follow up with your customers and subscribers with e-mail.
Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling.
Anyone, from newbie to seasoned online entrepreneur, can benefit from this process in learning how to start a business online.

Step 1: Find a need and fill it
Most people who are just starting out make the mistake of looking for a product first, and a market second.

To boost your chances of success, start with a market.

The trick is to find a group of people who are searching for a solution to a problem, but not finding many results.

The internet makes this kind of market research easy:

Visit online forums to see what questions people ask and what problems they’re trying to solve.
Do keyword research to find keywords that a lot of people are searching, but for which not many sites are competing.
Check out your potential competitors by visiting their sites and taking note of what they’re doing to fill the demand. Then you can use what you’ve learned and create a product for a market that already exists–and do it better than the competition.
Step 2: Write copy that sells
There’s a proven sales copy formula that takes visitors through the selling process from the moment they arrive to the moment they make a purchase:

Arouse interest with a compelling headline.
Describe the problem your product solves.
Establish your credibility as a solver of this problem.
Add testimonials from people who have used your product.
Talk about the product and how it benefits the user.
Make an offer.
Make a strong guarantee.
Create urgency.
Ask for the sale.
Throughout your copy, you need to focus on how your product or service is uniquely able solve people’s problems or make their lives better. Think like a customer and ask “What’s in it for me?”

Step 3: Design and build your website
Once you’ve got your market and product, and you’ve nailed down your selling process, now you’re ready for your small-business web design. Remember to keep it simple. You have fewer than five seconds to grab someone’s attention–otherwise they’re gone, never to be seen again. Some important tips to keep in mind:

Choose one or two plain fonts on a white background.
Make your navigation clear and simple, and the same on every page.
Only use graphics, audio or video if they enhance your message.
Include an opt-in offer so you can collect e-mail addresses.
Make it easy to buy–no more than two clicks between potential customer and checkout.
Your website is your online storefront, so make it customer-friendly.
Step 4: Use search engines to drive targeted buyers to your site
Pay-per-click advertising is the easiest way to get traffic to a brand-new site.

It has two advantages over waiting for the traffic to come to you organically.

First, PPC ads show up on the search pages immediately, and second, PPC ads allow you to test different keywords, as well as headlines, prices and selling approaches.

Not only do you get immediate traffic, but you can also use PPC ads to discover your best, highest-converting keywords.

Then you can distribute the keywords throughout your site in your copy and code, which will help your rankings in the organic search results.

Step 5: Establish an expert reputation for yourself
People use the internet to find information.

Provide that information for free to other sites, and you’ll see more traffic and better search engine rankings.

The secret is to always include a link to your site with each tidbit of information.

Give away free, expert content. Create articles, videos or any other content that people will find useful. Distribute that content through online article directories or social media sites.
Include “send to a friend” links on valuable content on your website.
Become an active expert in industry forums and social networking sites where your target market hangs out.
You’ll reach new readers. But even better, every site that posts your content will link back to yours. Search engines love links from relevant sites and will reward you in the rankings.

Step 6: Use the power of e-mail marketing to turn visitors into buyers.
When you build an opt-in list, you’re creating one of the most valuable assets of your online business.

Your customers and subscribers have given you permission to send them e-mail.

That means:

You’re giving them something they’ve asked for.
You’re developing lifetime relationships with them.
The response is 100 percent measurable.
E-mail marketing is cheaper and more effective than print, TV or radio because it’s highly targeted.
Anyone who visits your site and opts in to your list is a very hot lead.

And there’s no better tool than e-mail for following up with those leads.

Step 7: Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling
One of the most important internet marketing strategies is to develop every customer’s lifetime value.

At least 36 percent of people who have purchased from you once will buy from you again if you follow up with them.

Closing that first sale is by far the most difficult part–not to mention the most expensive.

So use back-end selling and upselling to get them to buy again:

Offer products that complement their original purchase.
Send out electronic loyalty coupons they can redeem on their next visit.
Offer related products on your “Thank You” page after they purchase.
Reward your customers for their loyalty and they’ll become even more loyal.

The internet changes so fast that one year online equals about five years in the real world.

But the principles of how to start and grow a successful online business haven’t changed at all.

If you’re just starting a small business online, stick to this sequence.

If you’ve been online awhile, do a quick review and see if there’s a step you’re neglecting, or never got around to doing in the first place.

You can’t go wrong with the basics.

Andrew,

I am not going to recommend anything and give you specifics in this post but I am going to recommend you do this DAILY:

Since you are coming from a job atmosphere and job mentality, I would recommend that you do one thing before you jump into any of the business ideas that you just mentioned in your post. That one thing is to start reading business and motivational books on a daily basis. That way, you learn what it takes to start and succeed in a business.

The first 2 books that I recommend that you start reading are

Think and grow rich by Napoleon Hill

The magic of thinking big by David J. Schwartz.