In the end...it's about the people.

Well even in strategizing on improving your rankings this mentality is the most important of all...How you could really help...

When it comes to search engine rankings and improving SEO, one should really start by looking at the site from the perspective of the user searching Google. You have to ask yourself Does your site provide the best, most relevant information for a given search term and if not, what can you do to fix it?

Four your site, services or product you have to analyze it from the client's point of view.

I don't have any stories to share but I will say that having the "how much money can I make" mindset is really a setback. Providing to other people is always what matters most.

This is the reason everyone should have HIGH QUALITY, UNIQUE content. Not just throw stuff together to make money.

Hi suaveymcsuave,

I noted that you mentioned this early on -

...but then switched the emphasis onto these -

My point is that the first one and the second two are different, but most people replying will focus on the second two. They are all important, but the distinction needs examining further, I believe, because your first point is too important to ignore because I think that it holds the key to overcoming the roadblock.

Some people find it very hard to adopt an almost altruistic approach (such as the last two) or alternatively a 'giving value' based approach in a very cut-throat business environment, therefore they just forget about these things and soldier on focussed on profit and ROI etc.

I realise that for many people, the 'make money and that's all' approach is ideal for them, which is absolutely fine, but I'm not addressing them.

For those who I am addressing, it might be helpful (if the 'pure profit' approach doesn't work) to think about the first one, because it's entirely possible to approach things from an 'it's all about improving myself' angle, while maintaining a kind of selfish (it's all about me) attitude and by adopting this mindset, they won't feel so exposed going into a cut-throat market.

I hope it's clear that what I am suggesting is purely an approach, possibly a 'mind-trick' that allows a person to enter a market and compete, rather than feeling stuck - as opposed to adopting this as the long-term approach. Instead, I'm suggesting it is a 'road-block beater'.

Ultimately, one would hope that the majority of people, once they found their feet, would realise a value-based approach in the long-term anyway. I'm just talking about getting over the initial 'hump' and getting started.

So in summary, to answer the question -

Yes.

I too hit that roadblock myself some time ago. Simply chasing the money didn't work for me, because I had no real purpose except to become more wealthy, which isn't anywhere near enough for me to stay motivated and content.

I simply realised that my business and my own personal development were completely and utterly interlinked and that this is why I had felt so unfulfilled in the rat race - the rat race offered no opportunity for me to make a positive contribution to the world in general. It offered no opportunity for me to create something that would be seen as genius or 'ahead of it's time' once I was dead. It offered no opportunity for me to truly express myself or to find out new and worthwhile things about myself.

In short, it pretended to offer self-development, but it actually didn't and it instead offered self-chosen-enslavement for the enrichment of someone else.

So once self-employed, to simply chase money was to make myself feel like a slave to the system, exactly as I did in the rat race. That would be illogical.

Over time I analysed what I really wanted. I discovered many things, way too many to list here. But some examples -

1) it staggers me just how many people I know who are bored if they are not being entertained, or being spoon-fed something interesting from others. With an internet connection, I could not find myself bored in a million years. There is just so much to learn which can help me to grow as a person, which in turn can be shared with others along with my own unique interpretation. This is so much fun. As you can see, making conversation is never an issue for me! Even without the internet, the gains I have made mean that I am still never bored, regardless. There is a whole world of people and things to explore and understand out there. Effectively, I have become addicted to new experiences and new knowledge. This replaced my previous 'hobbies' which were less constructive and fulfilling and much more like following someone elses path.

2) it also staggers me just how many people do not savour the opportunities that every new day presents. Unless I have a good reason not to (company), I leap out of bed each morning excited about what it will bring, whether it's new delights or huge challenges. I never knew this way of living until I found true freedom. This came along with self-employment, along with IMing (to a degree) and a desire that means that if I do nothing else, I want to at least learn something new each day, experience something new and grow as a person. In the rat race, these things barely ever crossed my mind.

I could honestly continue this list all day, but it would be skimmed and ignored by many as a wall of text comprising of incoherent blathering.

So to keep it short, this approach hasn't yet sky-rocketed my income. I don't own a yacht, an island or some other suitably impressive asset. But I have absolutely no doubt that it will, because I am virtually unstoppable and becoming more happy, satisfied, fulfilled and positive (not an exhaustive list) every day.

How could I possibly fail?

Apologies for the length of reply, but I hope that it helps.

ExRat, that was very uplifting. I enjoy your quote by Dan Kennedy in your signature as well.

There is no easy way to happiness and fulfillment in this world; especially when the emotional maturity of the human race is still heavily tarnished by an unmerciful and exploitative past. It is great, suaveymcsuave, that you've found reciprocity as a means to your happiness and wealth instead of exploitation.

Thanks for sharing

Hey excellent post mate,

Yes providing value is of immense importance. I would say the whole business of internet marketing is built on quality information. Let it be any niche. From digital products to physical you need to provide good information so that people begin to trust you.