Newbie here needing advice from WF members!

16 replies
Hey WF members,
I was wondering if there were any WF members that are experienced in e-commerce and IM, that wouldn't mind helping a newbie out with some advice and steering me in the right direction? I'm very passionate about this..Ive been making forums or groups every since middle school and now Im wanting to start a Internet business and make money. I'm just looking for a little advice or help. I'm now 22 yo and I feel like now is the time! If anyone could help me out by giving advice etc. out of the kindness of there heart this would be great! Please send a PM if this is you . EDIT: Here are a few questions that I have to get started.

1. Is it best to start out with a free blog/webhost like blogger/wordpress or to pay? Which is easier to use?
2. Which sites would you say are the best to host a blog/site for free or for a fee?
3. Not knowing specifically what niche I want to choose, whats the best way of finding different niche's
4. Is it best to choose a niche that has low competition and low searches to start out being successful?
5. What is the best way to get traffic to your site?
6. Best way to get your website viewed and entered into search engines?
#advice #members #needing #newbie
  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    Read the forum. The whole point of it is to provide advice and discussions for newbies like yourself to absorb. If you are looking for free coaching, well that is a different matter. Don't get your hopes up, as you haven't provided anyone with a reason for sacrificing their time to specifically help you.
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    • Profile picture of the author brandonj
      Well thanks for the reply, I have added a few questions I was hoping someone could answer . Just my curiosity
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      • Profile picture of the author Yoyok179
        PHP Code:
        1. Is it best to start out with a free blog/webhost like blogger/wordpress or to payWhich is easier to use?
        2. Which sites would you say are the best to host a blog/site for free or for a fee?
        3. Not knowing specifically what niche I want to choosewhats the best way of finding different niche's
        4. Is it best to choose a niche that has low competition and low searches to start out being successful?
        5. What is the best way to get traffic to your site?
        6. Best way to get your website viewed and entered into search engines?
         
        6. Best free way to 
        1. I suggest to you to buy domain and hosting, it helpfull
        2. same answer with above
        3. adsense is good for starting, but you can earn money from CPA easily
        4. yes this is common methode, find high volume search and low competition
        5. Using SEO of course, or combine it with social media
        6. This is SEO Journey, you can learn SEO

        I cannot send you via PM yet, but if you willing to watch video training for free that I made, than you can go here, hxxp://bh.cm/training

        but please this is for nubie only
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        • Profile picture of the author brandonj
          Thanks for your reply ..I was wondering though. Doesnt Google Adsense cost? Or am I wrong? Is there a way I can search keywords and find out how many websites exist or how many people are searching for free..I did that on Google Adwords or whatever but im not sure what I was looking at..
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          • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
            Banned
            Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

            Thanks for your reply ..I was wondering though. Doesnt Google Adsense cost? Or am I wrong? Is there a way I can search keywords and find out how many websites exist or how many people are searching for free..I did that on Google Adwords or whatever but im not sure what I was looking at..
            Adsense is free to put on your website. If that has changed it is certainly news to me. You are thinking of the Google Keyword tool for scoping out searches/possible competition with keywords.
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            • Profile picture of the author brandonj
              Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

              Adsense is free to put on your website. If that has changed it is certainly news to me. You are thinking of the Google Keyword tool for scoping out searches/possible competition with keywords.
              How would I put Adsense on my site? Do you create your own layouts Joe or do you just purchase them? For someone that kind of knows how to use html codes and such but not really. What is the hardest thing about editing a layout and tweaking things on your own? Can you do that with ones you have downloaded or purchased?
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              • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
                Banned
                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                Thanks for the reply Joe,
                I believe I'm going to start out paying for a blog or webhost.
                Will I have to pay separately for the domain or will It come with?
                You can purchase the domain and hosting together if you choose, or separately if it is an easier financial situation for you. Shop around and figure out what is best.

                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                Can you tell me whats the difference from the free hosts and the ones that cost?
                Overall, not too much. You are still getting the same thing basically, just the level of your service changes really.

                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                What more can you do on one that you pay for vs a free one?
                Paid hosting usually offers higher bandwidth (speed), better/larger servers (more space), and more control over what actually goes on your website. A lot of free hosting services will want to put ads on your site to make up for lost revenue.

                You need to analyze your personal needs and ability to pay before deciding if free or paid is better for you.


                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                Is there a way I can search and see how much competition my niche has and how many searches, like almost in exact numbers..for free?
                You can find out how many searches a keyword in your niche gets by using the Google Keyword tool and limiting the results to exact match only. That will tell you how many people searched for that specific term.

                The competition stat in the tool is more geared towards how many people are using Adwords, so it is not the most accurate measure when it comes to organic result competition. Use your own discretion.

                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                Also, I have another question? What is article syndication marketing?
                I'll give you the basic overview: It is a traffic method by which one gains relevant traffic to their sites by having it posted on relevant niche sites, blogs, ezines, and newsletters.

                The basic steps go like this:

                1. Write an amazing piece of content that others will want to publish (because it is useful to users in your niche)

                2. Publish said article on your site, let it get indexed by Google first. This is very important.

                3. Give the article to your syndication network so that they have the ability to index it next (at first you won't have a network. You build it passively through article directories and actively by contacting people in your niche).

                4. Drop the copy on a few directories such as ezinearticles or articlebase. Note that this is not for backlinks or traffic. It is to make it available to niche members who might want to syndicate your work.

                5. Take that traffic, let them into your sales funnel, rinse and repeat.

                That is just the basics. Article syndication is a deep rabbit hole to go down. Find and study posts from people like Paul Meyers, MYOB, tpw, JohnMcCabe, and Alexa Smith to find people who are doing it right.

                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                How would I put Adsense on my site?
                If you are using a blog platform such as blogger or Wordpress there are plugins that make Adsense easy to install. You can then rearrange where the ads go and all that fun stuff. Personally, I don't use Adsense; but that is just because I want readers focusing on my content, not a way off my site. If that is your chosen income method though there is nothing wrong with it.


                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                Do you create your own layouts Joe or do you just purchase them?
                For the two niche sites that I have, I had to purchase the layouts that I use. Web design is an area that I am still weak in; but I am making the effort to learn. I intend to design my next site myself.

                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                For someone that kind of knows how to use html codes and such but not really. What is the hardest thing about editing a layout and tweaking things on your own?
                I haven't even tried to edit my layouts so far. I play around with the third site I am building (it looks horrible right now ) but I wouldn't risk it on a "money" site.


                Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                Can you do that with ones you have downloaded or purchased?
                I believe so.
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                • Profile picture of the author brandonj
                  Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

                  You can purchase the domain and hosting together if you choose, or separately if it is an easier financial situation for you. Shop around and figure out what is best.



                  Overall, not too much. You are still getting the same thing basically, just the level of your service changes really.



                  Paid hosting usually offers higher bandwidth (speed), better/larger servers (more space), and more control over what actually goes on your website. A lot of free hosting services will want to put ads on your site to make up for lost revenue.

                  You need to analyze your personal needs and ability to pay before deciding if free or paid is better for you.




                  You can find out how many searches a keyword in your niche gets by using the Google Keyword tool and limiting the results to exact match only. That will tell you how many people searched for that specific term.

                  The competition stat in the tool is more geared towards how many people are using Adwords, so it is not the most accurate measure when it comes to organic result competition. Use your own discretion.



                  I'll give you the basic overview: It is a traffic method by which one gains relevant traffic to their sites by having it posted on relevant niche sites, blogs, ezines, and newsletters.

                  The basic steps go like this:

                  1. Write an amazing piece of content that others will want to publish (because it is useful to users in your niche)

                  2. Publish said article on your site, let it get indexed by Google first. This is very important.

                  3. Give the article to your syndication network so that they have the ability to index it next (at first you won't have a network. You build it passively through article directories and actively by contacting people in your niche).

                  4. Drop the copy on a few directories such as ezinearticles or articlebase. Note that this is not for backlinks or traffic. It is to make it available to niche members who might want to syndicate your work.

                  5. Take that traffic, let them into your sales funnel, rinse and repeat.

                  That is just the basics. Article syndication is a deep rabbit hole to go down. Find and study posts from people like Paul Meyers, MYOB, tpw, JohnMcCabe, and Alexa Smith to find people who are doing it right.



                  If you are using a blog platform such as blogger or Wordpress there are plugins that make Adsense easy to install. You can then rearrange where the ads go and all that fun stuff. Personally, I don't use Adsense; but that is just because I want readers focusing on my content, not a way off my site. If that is your chosen income method though there is nothing wrong with it.




                  For the two niche sites that I have, I had to purchase the layouts that I use. Web design is an area that I am still weak in; but I am making the effort to learn. I intend to design my next site myself.



                  I haven't even tried to edit my layouts so far. I play around with the third site I am building (it looks horrible right now ) but I wouldn't risk it on a "money" site.




                  I believe so.
                  Thanks alot Joe! I was wondering though. Ive been checking out the keyword tool on google and when I do my search, I use around 10-20 keywords relating to my future site and when the results come up. I see that most of what they post, it shows that the competition is low. But when you combine all the searches, global and locally they range from very low to in the millions? What does this mean exactly? When they get more specific with like one of the keywords though it has really low searches but the competition can be either medium or high? At the end of the day, what I want is is to create a website that will generate alot of traffic or modest traffic I guess but In the end im looking to start selling products, advertising other sites and or their products and make money.

                  As far as my domain name..Do you think it would be best to put an entire keyword in my domain name? How would that help me get more traffic or whatever I'm looking for? It seems like when I do a domain search all those sites are taken no matter how i twist words around. Does this really matter a whole lot?

                  My site will be about a specific thing, that a lot of people like a lot..I plan on putting different recipes, videos, facts, info on different types, etc. etc. then eventually add a shop and sell accessories and things, then maybe t-shirts etc. So this really shouldn't be set up as a blog do you think? I'm not really interested in blogging. but im sure it will have a blog section or i dont know.

                  Would you say the best thing to do would be to just purchase the host and domain, find a good layout, then start adding content and videos and such and such and such??
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                  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
                    Banned
                    A piece of advice real quick (and keep in mind this is not meant to insult you in any way, just help you) when you respond to a post, you don't have to quote the whole thing, especially if it is a long one. You can just say the name (like you have) and quote the relevant parts that you are responding to. Anyways, on to your questions...

                    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                    Thanks alot Joe! I was wondering though. Ive been checking out the keyword tool on google and when I do my search, I use around 10-20 keywords relating to my future site and when the results come up. I see that most of what they post, it shows that the competition is low. But when you combine all the searches, global and locally they range from very low to in the millions? What does this mean exactly?
                    You lost me a bit with how you worded this; but let's see what I can do. The fact that all of your results are marked low competition means that not many people are bidding to have their Adwords ads placed for that keyword. It means one of two things really, marketers don't see value in the niche/keyword or you have found a relatively untapped market. Do your due diligence to figure out which one it is.

                    Your "very low to in the millions" comment is where you lose me. Does that mean searches per month? If so, keep the big keywords, drop the ridiculously low ones (this is assuming that we are talking about a niche that isn't crap, see above paragraph).

                    If you mean that the number of pages in search results is either very low or in the millions, it just means that those are the number of pages you are competing with for rank. If you can provide better content and a greater user experience than the top sites, then they are nothing more than a number to be overcome, really.


                    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                    When they get more specific with like one of the keywords though it has really low searches but the competition can be either medium or high? At the end of the day, what I want is is to create a website that will generate alot of traffic or modest traffic I guess but In the end im looking to start selling products, advertising other sites and or their products and make money.
                    OK, so you were talking about searches. Disregard my last paragraph above then. The keyword tool is just one of many tools Brandon, and while its information can be helpful, it is not the be all, end all. You are seeing that with the fact that you are getting data that is confusing to you. You are going to have to use your best judgement as far as figuring out your competition and make an objective decision about whether or not you can put the work in to succeed in your chosen niche.


                    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                    As far as my domain name..Do you think it would be best to put an entire keyword in my domain name? How would that help me get more traffic or whatever I'm looking for? It seems like when I do a domain search all those sites are taken no matter how i twist words around. Does this really matter a whole lot?
                    This is an area that I am not very well informed about, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable with choosing domain names can bail me out. I would guess though that having a keyword domain name is helpful; but having a niche wide domain name would be better. That way you are not putting all your eggs in one keyword basket, right?


                    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                    My site will be about a specific thing, that a lot of people like a lot..I plan on putting different recipes, videos, facts, info on different types, etc. etc. then eventually add a shop and sell accessories and things, then maybe t-shirts etc. So this really shouldn't be set up as a blog do you think? I'm not really interested in blogging. but im sure it will have a blog section or i dont know.
                    You can customize your blog so that it is not just the classic post/comment platform. Customize to your hearts content. You can also go the other way and have a website designed from scratch. As I mentioned in an earlier post if you have no idea what you are doing a blog can be a great way to start. If you feel you want and can handle something a little more advanced then by all means go for it.


                    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

                    Would you say the best thing to do would be to just purchase the host and domain, find a good layout, then start adding content and videos and such and such and such??
                    To start out, yes it would be a solid way to start off. Start putting great content out there, and attracting relevant readers to your site. When you are ready, set up an auotresponder and start adding your readers to an email list. (Oh boy that is a can of worms to explain on its own lol).
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                  • Profile picture of the author tritolito
                    I really enjoyed this post as it helped me answer some newbie questions i had too. Thanks guys
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    There ya go. Now questions, we can work with:

    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    EDIT: Here are a few questions that I have to get started.

    1. Is it best to start out with a free blog/webhost like blogger/wordpress or to pay? Which is easier to use?
    If you don't have money to invest into building your own website then a free blog can be a good way to start. Just bear in mind that if you are hosting it on their domain (i.e yourblog.blogger.com or yourblog.wordpress.com) then all of your content is subject to their rules and regulations. This usually means no affiliate marketing or the like.

    The work around for this is to shell out the small amount of money for a domain and hosting and place one of these blogs on that domain. If you want a personal opinion, I would say to go with Wordpress.


    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    2. Which sites would you say are the best to host a blog/site for free or for a fee?
    I use Hostgator, and have been happy with the service, ease of use so far. I would recommend it to others.


    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    3. Not knowing specifically what niche I want to choose, whats the best way of finding different niche's
    Pick something that interests you. If you are going to be starting a blog, you are going to need to create content. There is no use in forcing yourself to craft articles about a topic that you loathe.

    Don't worry about whether or not your niche will "work". Any niche can be monetized with just a bit of creativity.


    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    4. Is it best to choose a niche that has low competition and low searches to start out being successful?
    It is one route to take; but personally I still go for a niche that appeals to me on a personal level more than anything else. Competition may make the work harder; but if you are an expert on your topic and willing to provide quality competition doesn't matter much.


    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    5. What is the best way to get traffic to your site?
    Now this will vary from person to person. Anyone else who answers this thread could have a completely different traffic strategy. If you have the ability to write engaging, useful content though I would recommend article syndication marketing. It is my main traffic strategy, and it is working well so far.


    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    6. Best way to get your website viewed and entered into search engines?
    Search engines such as Google are all about providing an excellent end user experience these days. Focus on that, and the rankings will come naturally.
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    • Profile picture of the author brandonj
      Thanks for the reply Joe,
      I believe I'm going to start out paying for a blog or webhost. Will I have to pay separately for the domain or will It come with? Can you tell me whats the difference from the free hosts and the ones that cost? What more can you do on one that you pay for vs a free one? What are the benefits? Non benefits?

      Is there a way I can search and see how much competition my niche has and how many searches, like almost in exact numbers..for free?

      Also, I have another question? What is article syndication marketing?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5941577].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author gasman
    Originally Posted by brandonj View Post

    Hey WF members,
    I was wondering if there were any WF members that are experienced in e-commerce and IM, that wouldn't mind helping a newbie out with some advice and steering me in the right direction? I'm very passionate about this..Ive been making forums or groups every since middle school and now Im wanting to start a Internet business and make money. I'm just looking for a little advice or help. I'm now 22 yo and I feel like now is the time! If anyone could help me out by giving advice etc. out of the kindness of there heart this would be great! Please send a PM if this is you . EDIT: Here are a few questions that I have to get started.

    1. Is it best to start out with a free blog/webhost like blogger/wordpress or to pay? Which is easier to use?
    2. Which sites would you say are the best to host a blog/site for free or for a fee?
    3. Not knowing specifically what niche I want to choose, whats the best way of finding different niche's
    4. Is it best to choose a niche that has low competition and low searches to start out being successful?
    5. What is the best way to get traffic to your site?
    6. Best way to get your website viewed and entered into search engines?
    1. Buying a domain is normally best, try to use an exact keyword domain name and a .com or .net. These usually rank better than using a free domain.

    2. People's opinion on this will vary greatly. I use Hostgator and Bluehost for most of my sites.

    3. Try to find something that has a lot of traffic, but isn't too competitive. It also helps to find something you are interested in to take away some of the boredom.

    4. If possible it's best to find a high traffic, low competition niche, but you also want that nice to be profitable.

    5. This is another one that will vary by person, but I would say SEO because it's free.

    6. SEO
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  • Profile picture of the author Cathylynn
    I'm new to the site and am looking for some advice on how to make 50,000 in 6 months. I want to pay off my daughters student loan for her graduation gift. I know that you don't know me and owe me nothing, but I would be eternally grateful for such a kind gesture.
    Thank You in advance.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Cathylynn View Post

      I'm new to the site and am looking for some advice on how to make 50,000 in 6 months. I want to pay off my daughters student loan for her graduation gift. I know that you don't know me and owe me nothing, but I would be eternally grateful for such a kind gesture.
      Thank You in advance.
      Cathlylynn,

      I'll point you first to this thread, where someone asked a question along similar lines:

      $60,000 in 30 Days!

      As the thread full of sarcastic and humorous responses will show you, it is probably not going to happen. I love the reason you are doing it though, I wouldn't mind having someone like you as a parent . Your best bet is to read up on some different techniques here, find a method you like, and implement it to the max. You won't hit $50,000 in 6 months (unless you are a prodigy at this kind of stuff) but you can be well on your way to paying off that loan in a couple of years, depending on how much time and effort you are able to put in.
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    • Profile picture of the author salegurus
      Originally Posted by Cathylynn View Post

      I'm new to the site and am looking for some advice on how to make 50,000 in 6 months. I want to pay off my daughters student loan for her graduation gift. I know that you don't know me and owe me nothing, but I would be eternally grateful for such a kind gesture.
      Thank You in advance.
      Follow the yellow brick road.
      Not trying to be an a## but too many people seem to think that IM /online business is some sort of magic shortcut to instant wealth.
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      Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

      ― George Carlin
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