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I'm Starting Over - Looking For Sound Advice From Seasoned Warriors

by JROC777
9 replies
Hey Warriors,

I'm starting over and wondering where to go from here after the dirty bird (penguin) kicked me to the curb. Quick back-story, I got started about 6 years ago in IM unfortunately back then being completely new meant buying a work at home program that really only explained how to promote the product you just bought as an affiliate lol.

Long story short I had eventually learned how and built several affiliate websites promoting clickbank products in the work at home niche. I kind of got caught up in this specific niche and am aware of the irony of it all but that said I have done ok pulling in 1 to 2k a month but not been able to scale it. About six months ago I went looking for another means to build my online income. I started building product review sites that started doing ok and making some sales that had me really excited as perhaps being a way for me to move forward.

But As I mentioned I just had my ass handed to me by Google with the last update. I believe over optimization using anchor text back links as well as over doing it on page is what caused my newer sites the rankings loss and I also probably had some fishy back links from just not knowing any better early on with my older sites that tanked.

Anyway I'm searching for a new way forward to get my broke butt back on track and was hoping I could get some sound advice from those with more experience and success rather than just trying to rebuild what I had that wasn't earning the income I desired anyway.

I had committed full time to IM almost 2 years ago, I've been suffering form information overload and the well has run dry. I've been just making it paycheck to paycheck before my sites got wiped out. (queue the irony I mentioned above)

My question goes out to any seasoned warrior willing to pass along some advice and guidance.

I would like to know your suggestions and how you would go about starting over with little to no budget in 2012. Where to start and how you would plan to scale it in the future.

Thanks in advance to all who take the time to reply.
#advice #seasoned #sound #starting #warriors
  • Profile picture of the author quercus5
    Sorry to hear about the Penguin troubles. Your best bet might be to start a mega-authority website. This is something my partner and I are planning on doing now. Basically we are each going to pick a topic we are passionate about and create a huge site about it. So we will be putting up hundreds of articles over the course of a few months. For traffic we are going to rely more on long tailed keywords as well as social media type stuff. To monetize the sites we plan on building our own products like ebooks or video series and really build a large brand. Its easier than you think to create your own products, especially when you know the topic really well. This model provides a way to create a sustainable business without replying on SEO and the frequent Google changes. Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author lifesofree
    Before someone can help you, you have to set yourself goals.

    1) How do you want to contribute to the world with your IM work? What kind of value do you want to create - and for whom?

    2) How do you want to spend your time day in and day out? What do you love doing? What topics are you fascinated about?

    3) What are you good to great at?

    4) How much money do you want to make per month (be SPEFICIF!) - in 6 months, in a year and in 3 years? Why do you want exactly those amounts?

    Guess the Google updates have brought you to think more about stability. And value, real value ist the only way to create such stability.

    Looking forward to your answers.
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    • Profile picture of the author brettb
      I think 2012 could be the year I start something massive.

      Here's what I've done:

      In 2010 I wrote some Lenses about red widgets. Wow, these Web 2.0 sites are great for testing niches. So I found out red widgets were kinda popular. More importantly, writing about red widgets made a few bucks.

      So I expanded this into a niche site. The site looks awful (it's still using a free design I found in the War Room!) but Google LOVES IT. I still don't know why.

      So I expanded this niche site into about a dozen sites (green widgets, blue widgets). I've done well on AdSense but business growth has flatlined. Article writing is no longer worthwhile. And I've not done so well with green widgets - really I should have stuck to red widgets.

      So I've used my programming experience to build a membership site. On Tuesday I opened the site. 24 hours later I had 2 members. 48 hours later I had 12 members . Today I got my first Facebook Like and Twitter follower. These are REAL fans - not fake fans you can buy on Fiverr.

      Because I've built the site myself AND I'm an authority in the niche I've designed what could be the best site in this niche. My competitors have been sleeping.

      One more thing - my niche isn't anything to do with making money online. Just stay well away from that one!

      And another thing. This is a niche I am totally passionate about. I own this widget, and I have 2000+ original photos of it. My membership site is free - people think I'm out of my mind, but when I hit 1000+ members then the cash will start rolling in.

      Beyond that, you need to work a 400 hour week, not a 4 hour week!
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    • Profile picture of the author eguinan
      Originally Posted by lifesofree View Post

      Before someone can help you, you have to set yourself goals.

      1) How do you want to contribute to the world with your IM work? What kind of value do you want to create - and for whom?

      2) How do you want to spend your time day in and day out? What do you love doing? What topics are you fascinated about?

      3) What are you good to great at?

      4) How much money do you want to make per month (be SPEFICIF!) - in 6 months, in a year and in 3 years? Why do you want exactly those amounts?

      Guess the Google updates have brought you to think more about stability. And value, real value ist the only way to create such stability.

      Looking forward to your answers.
      GREAT advice!!!
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      • Profile picture of the author JROC777
        I appreciate everyone who took the time to reply, gave me a new direction to think about especially all the eggs in one basket senerio
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  • Profile picture of the author Thrazgard
    Did you put all your eggs in one basket? That's a very valuable lesson learned.

    I'm not a seasoned warrior by your terms (I think), but I've been kicked in the groin by life a few times so I'm going to offer my advice.

    The Internet is actually in its infancy. Its going to get harder, the penguin is only one sign of that. But if you get in the game now, you will grow up along side the internet instead of after it.

    Make a plan. Get a huge piece of paper and a pencil, and draw the **** out of it. Arrows, lines, bubbles, words. Make it a plan you understand and look upon, instead of a thought in your head.

    Get another piece of paper, and write down everything you need to do in order to get to where you want to be.

    Sort your list, and then start on the first line. If you don't know how to do something, find someone to teach you.

    Never give up, and always always always BELIEVE in yourself and what you are doing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
      I would suggest spending time studying the SOGR forum, in the part of the forum I've linked you to.

      There are some amazing members there; Phil is one of the best, Rebecca is the owner (also WF member).

      Spend some time perusing around; there's a membership part too, into which you can pay what you think it's worth to you, from $10 upwards I think.

      In terms of IM, check out this guy View Profile: Zeus66

      and this guy is pretty good too John Thornhill Coaching EXPOSED! | PlanetSMS Mentoring Program

      Both either/or offer mentoring that provide a road map. Be prepared to work hard though!

      hth
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Rule #1. Don't put a lot of eggs in a basket you can never control, like Google. I'm not trying to rub it in but continue to see marketers try to adjust to every one of their changes. There are better, more sustainable ways to drive traffic.

    It should be clear by now that Google is deliberately trying to eliminate the hit and run tactics employed by many marketers. Expect their efforts to continue. Do a search on the main board on article syndication. That's where the traffic is.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Neale
      My view going forward.

      Never engage in any Internet business model that is dependent on free search engine traffic period.

      This will rule out a lot of WSO's and strategies talked about on the WF but I believe it's the right thing to do business-wise.

      If you can't make a profit either paying for traffic or using things like social media to drive people to your offer or money site then you need to rethink what you're doing.

      Once you can make that work ONLY THEN worry about SEO as a supplementary form of getting traffic.

      PS: that INCLUDES building an "authority site" that hopes to "rank well".
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      David Neale

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