I got ripped apart !!!

15 years ago

Did you want opinions on how to make money out of your violin lessons blog because that could be a really cool money maker.

Or did you just want general advice on how to sell clickbank products from a blog.

Either way niching the blog tight and them promoting related products and services is usually the most effective method.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Thanks

Signature

Old School Copy Like This Is BACK & Converting Like Crazy!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890411].message }}

ken_p

15 years ago

Hi there,
I just took a look at your wesite, and you got some pretty content there, but the page is a bit boring. Maybe you could so something about that. And maybe add a picture of yourself, so we would know who we are dealing with.
newbies pov.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890415].message }}

Mary Green

15 years ago

I would start out with a theme that shows a pic of a violin. Then put some images that pertain to music. That theme is just awful. The content is fine, how deep are you linking them when they get to your site? To specific articles, or just the home page? I agree it looks boring, spice it up a little bit. Throw some categories in the side bar, with some small banner ads for the product. How are you getting traffic? Are you getting traffic? If so, link them to specific articles, change that theme, and add images to each post if you can.

Thanks

Signature

Free Guide- 52 Time Saving Social Media Tools on Social Media Fuze

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890427].message }}

innovator

15 years ago

search for forum related to music. and add nice violin images to your site. It will make it more lively.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890618].message }}

Scott Ames

15 years ago

You are doing the right thing and asking for advise. It's kind of sad that some call you an idiot for doing the very thing that lets you learn and improve.

[ 1 ] Thanks
2 replies

Signature

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890621].message }}

washoutinc

15 years ago

I agree that you need to upgrade that theme and make it alittle more pretty. People who play violin to me would seem to like a pretty site... but then again I really don't know.

BUt...

I would also do some research on your market and find out who searches this stuff. Is it parents who are interested in getting their kids started or is it people who are already playing and looking to get better... or... is it people who are older but want to play and don't want to pay for real lessons?

Then I would also see what you could give away to build a list. Then you might be able to strike up a deal and sell leads to local businesses who give violin lessons... something like that.

I hope that helped though. Also make sure you are targeting and trying to get ranked for specific keywords.

Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890645].message }}

Linda Van Fleet

15 years ago

What is the best way to sell CB stuff with a blog or landing page ....
Basically i wanna know should i can my blog and use a landing page or use a really simple stripped out blog ...

There is no "best way" to sell your product - either will work if done correctly. A lot of people make good money using review blogs. Since you have put so much work into your blog you might want to pursue that method.

For your blog I would do the following:

1. change the theme to one that is music related (or customize a generic theme to make it music related)
2. put the recent comments and recent entries in the side bar
3. use pictures - not large ones that take a long time to load - just small pictures to break up the content.
4. Place music related ads at top of side bar, or perhaps a banner at the top of the page (just above the content)
5. Consider creating a static *review* page for your main product and use that as your front page (this is done in the WP admin section).

Best to you!

Linda

Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890733].message }}

rosetrees 15 years ago

I would change to a sales page.

If you are going to use a blog - it needs to be about something. By that I mean it needs to be about the violin. Post your experiences at concerts, your favourite violin recordings, comparisons of different violin makes, how to restore violins, different violin methods, etc.

If you don't know anything about violins, stick to a sales page. If you do know about violins then post about it. At the moment the blog is full of "off the shelf" articles which it is obvious that you didn't write.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890800].message }}
bgmacaw 15 years ago

Your blog would be almost perfect for Adsense or eBay EPN. It's boring, plain, kinda ugly with good keywords to pull in traffic provided you promote your site through external SEO (aka linkbuilding). It would make it easy to make a clickable ad the star of the show.

However, you're wanting to sell or pre-sell a product. This means making the page not boring. It means selling the product.
- Thanks
Signature
Product Reviews | Earn Online Cash | Free HTML Templates
Free WordPress Themes: Boring Memo | Dateless Mini-Site | Info Magazine | 100 Twenty-Ten Niche Headers
Discount Templates, Graphics and Scripts: Templates for Website
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890815].message }}

Courage 15 years ago

Thanks for the replies everyone

i am looking for general advice on how to sell clickbank stuff with a blog. I agree the theme is terrible and i am going to change it (can anyone recommend me a good free theme)

i plan on writing a report to start a list in the future

I get around 10 - 20 hits a day if i'm lucky (i have a 100 EZA which is where i get most of my traffic) I am finding it really hard to get traffic. I have bookmarked my site several 100 times for backlinks but that hasent seemed to help (i dont even know if i'm doing it right or if its working)

Bascially the idea is that i would build up a loyal readership which would eventually want to buy violin products from me. I am trying to provide value with my blog. I wanna try provide good content instead of just covering it with banners and adsense

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think i will keep my blog and just change the theme / try make it look better addd pictures and also add more obvious links and banners on the first page
- Thanks
Signature
My Blog
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890782].message }}

marketersva 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Scott Ames

You are doing the right thing and asking for advise. It's kind of sad that some call you an idiot for doing the very thing that lets you learn and improve.

Wow, is that nice to hear! Glad to see some support going on.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[893783].message }}

OnlineMarketingSys

15 years ago

I would use a traditional landing page, your site is very difficult to navigate. I see that you are trying to sell violenmasterpro , but your links are deaply hidden in your page. If you link to them, I would encourage you to make a strong call to action such as: For more violen techniques from a master violinest click here, or something to that extent.

Thanks

Signature

*WSO* Last Chance over 150++ Copies Sold -The Secret To $8,318.96 In One Month Without Paying Google ONE CENT!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890633].message }}

bc3447

15 years ago

Don't give up. My daughter is wanting to learn to play the violin and we can use any information we can find. You have a good start and lots of potential.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[890811].message }}

Brad Callen

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Courage

What is the best way to sell CB stuff with a blog or landing page

Yesterday i asked for opinions of my blog www(dot)violinlessonshq(dot)com on another forum, responses were extremely negative. I was told i would never sell anything was making it impossible was an idiot etc.

Basically i wanna know should i can my blog and use a landing page or use a really simple stripped out blog

Please be as honest and brutal as you want i have sunk 100's of hours writing articles and working on this blog the last four months and still havent gotten any sales. I want to know if i am doing the right thing

Please give me some honest advice and direction

I'm sorry you got ripped apart. Don't take it personal. ALL forums tend to be full of people like that, which is why I typically try to stay away from them for the most part. You just need to try your best to filter out the negative people and focus on the positive... as hard as that might be.

I would go with a landing page that has 1 "call to action" instead of a bunch of random articles. I would essentially take the article you've written and compile them into a 5-7 day email mini-course. Use your landing page to give away the mini-course. Have an eCover designer for your eCourse. Then go from there :-)

Good luck.

Brad

Thanks

Signature

iWriter.com - The Original Content Creation Service. Now with over 350,000 active writers. Let us write or re-write your articles, eBooks, blog posts and more... for as little as $1.25! 3,711,814 articles written to date!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891177].message }}

CDarklock

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Courage

on another forum, responses were extremely negative. I was told i would never sell anything was making it impossible was an idiot etc.

Some forums suck.

There's a certain culture on the internet that thinks nobody should be making any money. There is a related culture that thinks nobody should be making money except THEM.

If you're in the middle of a culture like that, you're not going to get good responses from people.

Thanks

Signature

"The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891224].message }}

Harry Behrens

15 years ago

Courage... read this thread: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...w-website.html

It will give you may ideas as well as a nice blueprint of the kind of thing needed to be successful with clickbank affiliate "review" type websites. I can attest that it really does work and it really does sell when you do what's in that thread. Hope that helps you a bit.

Thanks

Signature

- Harry Behrens

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891231].message }}

Charles Washington

15 years ago

I had a violin site that I sold. I created a simple one page landing page, but put a blog on the subdirectory. In the footer of the LP, I had a link that said "Articles."

Then, all my article marketing had links to the LP and the blog in the resource box. It worked very well

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891264].message }}

Don Schenk

15 years ago

Hi Courage,

You're close. Please pay no attention those who would try to steal your dreams. Usually they are envious, or they say to themselves, "I would never want to do such and such," and therefore they try to tell you that you shouldn't do such and such either.

Ignore them.

And you are on the right track. If you can shorten the initial blog posts so it leaves the reader hanging and wanting to read more, you can pull people in better.

For example, "How to practice violin effectively...
Practice is a science and art. In this article I will reveal four easily overlooked tips that will improve your playing instantly. There is one thing that most beginner players overlook when they practice violin, what is... " To read more click here.

I taught music for 13 years as a self-employed music teacher, and I do know for certian that people who wish they could play do look up to those who can.

Just because we can play and teach music doesn't mean we know a thing about writing good advertising copy. That too is a learned skill.

A very good place to start is with an inexpensive book by Dan Kennedy titled, "The Ultimate Sales Letter." Get it at a bookstore near you or from Amazon.

You need to (as in MUST) start collecting a list. These will be people who are interested in learning violin or interested in becoming a better player. Then you can sell all kinds of courses to them. It usually takes multiple times seeing your sales message before people will order. Emailing to your list solves that problem.

You are on the right track. You need a squeeze page and a sales letter/salespage.

:-Don

BTW I'm still trying to figure out what Brad Callen has growing out of his left shoulder. Is that a spare head? :-)

Thanks

Signature

Studies prove happier people have massively more success. It has worked for me. Use this one trick too... Click Here

Total Competition Stomper - Simply the most powerful tactic your IM or Offline business will ever use... See it here!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891293].message }}

OSContent

15 years ago

I think your site definitely has potential. As others noted, you might want to try a different theme. But I definitely wouldn't recommend giving up on the content part of it--at least not yet. Instead, create the sales page on a subdomain and test it out with some PPC traffic to see how different products convert. You might also try sending traffic to a different sales page through your articles. But make sure you can make the distinction between sales from each page, so you don't confound your results.

As far as the comments go on the other forum--I'd ignore the people who say you're an idiot or you've got no chance. There's really just not much those comments can do to help you. Nonetheless, if someone who could be a potential buyer says something like "I would never buy from you because...", it may be useful to read what follows, even if it's painful to look at. From there, you'll have to evaluate whether you think the person is just being a jerk or whether his comment is actually representative of what the average buyer in your niche might be thinking.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891309].message }}

Christa_Regalado

15 years ago

I checked your website. You gotta change your theme. And if you're selling violins, where's the photo of the violin?

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[891733].message }}

Kevin Caldbeck

15 years ago

Howdy

I will have to agree with the others and say the theme has to go. The content looks good, and I think with the changes mentioned here, you should see some results

Kevin

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[893133].message }}

WendellC

15 years ago

Hi.

I'd like to pitch in with some suggestions that I hope can help.

First of all, I think on the good side is that you have a ton of content on EZA. I'm guessing you have around 100 articles posted which is the bulk of your 124 backlinks as shown in Yahoo.

Unfortunately, a lot of your backlinks from your EZA are not quite optimized. While you have 35 links using "free online violin lessons" you also have a whopping 28 links with "click here" as the anchor text. Let's chalk that up to the lessons learned category for now...

I agree with many others that your site should be a little more sales-oriented. After all, at some point you are trying to persuade people to buy the CB product so I think it would be good to have that revealed somewhere on that front page.

However, I think the bigger problem is a lack of keyword focus. I feel that is the reason why with all your articles you are only getting 10-20 hits.

The same lack of keyword focus is on your website as well. Even though you have some very good articles, they are not focused on a particular keyword.

So what keywords should you focus on? The affiliate site already gives you a head start.

ViolinMasterPro.com: Affiliate programs | Music affiliate programs

Learn To Play Violin
Master the violin immediately
100 video lessons by the master
ViolinMasterPro.com: Violin Lessons Online | Play Violin | Learn Violin
violin lessons
learn violin
violin teacher
learn to play violin
how to play the violin
violin lesson video
violin teacher online

You can check on Google to get a rough idea as to how much relative traffic to expect from each keyword. After that, you can use a competitive analysis software to see which keywords you might have a chance at getting to page 1.

I use Jon Leger's WebCompAnalyst although someone might be able to suggest a free one.

So here are my specific recommendations:

1) Change your WP theme to one that will have a more product focused layout. Here are some sources you can try:

Free WordPress Themes, Templates, Skins, and Layouts | Theme Lab
100 Amazing Free Wordpress Themes for 2009 | Developer's Toolbox | Smashing Magazine

2) Add the All-In-One-SEO plugin. This will allow you to customize the title of each article as well as add tags. Be sure they are all consistent with the particualr keyword you are focusing on for each page.

WordPress › All in One SEO Pack WordPress Plugins

3) Add a signup page. It looks like you like to write content so write a 7-part report as your free giveaway in exchange for an email address. You can use either aweber.com or getresponse.com for your autoresponder. Should cost less than $20 / month.

Continue to send your list original violin information and they will love you for that. And people who love you tend to buy from you.

4) Spin your articles and submit to other article directories. This will give you a chance to fix up some of the unoptimized article titles and resource boxes you have on EZA. Make sure the title and resource box focus on one keyword.

I would suggest changing / optimizing the title, the first paragraph, and the resource box before submitting them to other directories. Some of the popular ones are GoArticles, ArticlesBase, ArticleAlley, Buzzle, iSnare, ArticleDashboard.com, ArticleCube, Amazines, etc.

For the ultimate resource on EZA check out Tim Gorman's post here. http://www.warriorforum.com/mind-war...ges-again.html

If submitting the articles to other directories seems like a lot of work, check out the Warrior WSO or Classifieds. There are lots of people who can do this kind of work for you while you focus on writing and updating your articles.

Hope this gives you some ideas. You are headed in the right direction. Just stay focused.

Good luck!

Wendell

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

List your no opt-in product here for free: No Opt In Required

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[893601].message }}

discrat

15 years ago

Originally Posted by clickguy

Hi.

Unfortunately, a lot of your backlinks from your EZA are not quite optimized. While you have 35 links using "free online violin lessons" you also have a whopping 28 links with "click here" as the anchor text. Let's chalk that up to the lessons learned category for now...

Wendell

You can just go back and re-submit those Articles and change the Backlinks to good Anchor text Keywords. It will go in Modified for a day or two at EZA ,then get back in circulation. I have done this before.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[893782].message }}

WendellC

15 years ago

Originally Posted by discrat

You can just go back and re-submit those Articles and change the Backlinks to good Anchor text Keywords. It will go in Modified for a day or two at EZA ,then get back in circulation. I have done this before.

That's good to know!

Thanks -

Wendell

Thanks

Signature

List your no opt-in product here for free: No Opt In Required

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[896949].message }}

kkrueger

15 years ago

Hi There,

You will do fine...just need a couple of tweaks...Artisteer has a very basic website software that is like 35 to 40 bucks, and you can design your own theme very easily.

Get some nice pics of Violins...and then I would space out your header title, and put a tag line. Then I would recommend recent posts widget, so people can navigate your posts.

Artisteer is really easy to use, and you can customize it very easily. But I would find
some affiliate programs for Violins, and put the ebook cover or products page. Maybe
an amazon page with violin listings. PM me, and I would be happy to do something for you to get you started.

You will do fine...just need to add a few things, and make it more visual on the home
page.

Hope this helps.
Karen

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[893198].message }}

Daniel A

15 years ago

BUILD A LIST!!!!!

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[893525].message }}

MrCruzin

15 years ago

update the theme. I would also say do some research on keywords so you can get some organic traffic to it.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[897048].message }}

Zack Lim 15 years ago

Hi Courage,

Just ignore those people that wants to give you negative comment to destroy your dream. Everybody started from the 1st step and it is inevitable that people will make mistake.

You are definitely not an idiot as you are smart enough to ask for comments on how to improve your website and your online business.

Do not let these "Emotional Vampire" suck out your positive energy and enthusiasm. This forum is a great place where you can get lots of comment.

For me personally, I will make that blog as a content site and my main page will be a opt in page. The visitors that comes to the website will have to opt in to join the list before they will be redirected to the blog. You can build your list and provide them with quality content at the same time.

Do keep on going and don't be affected by these "Emotional Vampire"

Zack
- Thanks
Signature

FREE Affiliate Marketing Mini Course Reveals The Fastest And Honest Way To Make Your First $1000 Online

Click Here To Get FREE Instant Access
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[897160].message }}

I got ripped apart !!!

Trending Topics

Are Solo ADs the Most Cost Effective Way to Promote your Product?

How do I effectively build and nurture an email list for affiliate marketing purposes?

Been a while! Any of you Old Timers here?

Are billboards still effective in driving customers?

How much does the rebranding affect CR ?