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What do we take for granted?

by ZachWaldman
10 replies
Whenever I think about how much easier IM was in the early days of the Internet, I wonder what we take for granted now.

What do you think is easy about this business now that is going to become much harder in the future?

I remember the Overture days when people didn't even know the difference between the sponsored links and the organic results.

Actually, I remember telling friends and family about Overture because I was able to bid on Los Angeles Magician for .1 a click. I only had one other competitor and we made a deal to take turns being number one instead of costing each other a bunch of money with a bidding war.

When I told people about Overture, they always said the same thing, "Oh, THOSE listings are what you're paying for? I never click on those, and I don't think anybody else does either!"

Wow, how times have changed. Every magician I know spends money on Adwords and most don't see a positive ROI. Meanwhile, I sit happily in the organic results and pay nothing.

Anyway, back to the question. What is super easy and profitable now that we'll be lamenting in the future?
#granted
  • Profile picture of the author NiallR
    Ahhhh the days of IM nostalgia have finally arrived! lol

    Good question though. I think what has made life easier is software tools that work in terms of automating rank checking, keyword research etc.

    What's going to become harder is gaming the system with tactics and loopholes. I don't think niche marketing is dead but I think anyone who wants to build a longterm income from working online will need a lots of eggs in a lot of different baskets and focus on building a service based business as well as say authority sites etc

    Right now I don't see anything as being super easy or super profitable I'm afraid - I try to avoid any marketing "tactic" that has the word "easy" attached to it. It always means short term and I won't invest time in short term.

    Anyways nearly 4am here. Time for bed! lol
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    • Profile picture of the author nickv
      The Internet...
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    • Profile picture of the author ZachWaldman
      Originally Posted by NiallR View Post

      Right now I don't see anything as being super easy or super profitable I'm afraid
      That's my point! Eight years ago it didn't seem easier, but it was.

      I'm wondering in ten years if we're going to be saying, "Remember when you could use Market Samurai for your on-page and off page SEO info, but now it's all invisible."

      That may not be the best example, but you see my point.

      It's only going to get harder, so we may as well bask in how easy it is now.
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      Zach Waldman - Los Angeles Magician
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  • Profile picture of the author cripperz
    Well i personally think if you are offering services in real life, offline web promotion is as is as important. Things like name cards. This will put your investment in the long run. Keeping your site updated with most recent event and portfolio is as important to so that people will talk about it.

    Traditional adword campaign and seo is just enchancement nowadays. No more being the key for ROI.
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  • Profile picture of the author sscot
    It means IM industry is growing its population rapidly. The future will be good for how to make money online type products.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ofthemix
    Most likely, I forsee on page SEO having a continual struggle for stability. Or rather, Google will eventually change their algorithm enough that today's on page SEO methods will become obsolete. It will probably be the same for how back links are valued.

    I also forsee Amazon Kindle becoming a lot more strict about the ebooks that they publish, which is already starting to happen.

    I also forsee more businesses moving online, which, while not IM related, will mean that more people will be working from their computers as opposed to commuting to work (also currently on the rise).

    And probably also an increase in demand for make money online products as the internet marketing industry booms due to the economy and the general fact that so many people are now realizing that there is a living that can made online without working for someone else.
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    • Profile picture of the author ZachWaldman
      Originally Posted by Ofthemix View Post

      And probably also an increase in demand for make money online products as the internet marketing industry booms due to the economy and the general fact that so many people are now realizing that there is a living that can made online without working for someone else.
      Now, that's good news! If things do get harder, at least we have a head-start on most people in this business.

      Right now, trying to explain to people what we do is difficult.

      Sometimes, when I'm talking to my offline clients, I have to remind myself to slow down and explain everything very carefully. There have been times when I'm so excited for the client, that I catch myself rambling on about everything I'm going to do to help them.

      When I finally take a breath, I realize I may as well have been speaking a different language altogether.
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      Zach Waldman - Los Angeles Magician
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Johnson
    I would have to agree with nickv....the internet
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    • Profile picture of the author Giftys
      Originally Posted by Michael Johnson View Post

      I would have to agree with nickv....the internet
      nickv was banned. Maybe not the best person to align yourself with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Giftys
    Originally Posted by ZachWaldman View Post

    Whenever I think about how much easier IM was in the early days of the Internet, I wonder what we take for granted now.

    What do you think is easy about this business now that is going to become much harder in the future?

    I remember the Overture days when people didn't even know the difference between the sponsored links and the organic results.

    Actually, I remember telling friends and family about Overture because I was able to bid on Los Angeles Magician for .1 a click. I only had one other competitor and we made a deal to take turns being number one instead of costing each other a bunch of money with a bidding war.

    When I told people about Overture, they always said the same thing, "Oh, THOSE listings are what you're paying for? I never click on those, and I don't think anybody else does either!"

    Wow, how times have changed. Every magician I know spends money on Adwords and most don't see a positive ROI. Meanwhile, I sit happily in the organic results and pay nothing.

    Anyway, back to the question. What is super easy and profitable now that we'll be lamenting in the future?
    If you don't think you take what you do for granted, try to start something brand new now, as opposed to years back when you got started. It's like night and day!

    A lot of things that used to work don't work anymore. Hell, in the old days you could simply buy a keyword-rich domain and it would shoot straight to the top in a matter of no time. Talk about the good ole days!

    I think we will move on to newer SEO methods that work according to today's times. They're not as readily available as they used to be but they're still out there. You've just got to get creative. And yes, keep diversifying!
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