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Is the Xfactor still viable for a newbie?

by CaptainCowPie
7 replies
  • SEO
    • |
I have been reading a lot on the forums recently about IM, trying to decide what would be best for me to concentrate on. I am new to recent IM, although I did SEO for years a long time ago (around the time Yahoo had a 65% market share). I also used to do web design before CSS became big.

I liked the idea of the micro niche site that Xfactor wrote about, and think this would be a good place to start. It seems that a lot has changed since the course was first offered. So I am wondering if it is still a good idea to purchase the course to jump start my efforts with a step by step plan, or have things changed too much to make it a worthwhile investment?

Also, if I end up doing micro niche sites, what other tools/courses do you recommend that I invest in? I am using a Mac if that has any bearing on specific applications.

I am looking at all of this as a long-term business, and will be spending a lot more time in the forums trying to learn as much as I can. It is a little overwhelming now, but a lot is starting to slowly sink in. As with others new to this business, I am trying to jump start things in the best manner possible.

Thanks in advance for the help.
#micro niche #newbie #viable #xfactor
  • Profile picture of the author Dellco
    Well, X-Factor has 3 main problems as I see it.

    1) Unreliable search volume data from Google (probably done on purpose). Check out the numerous threads complaining about this now. It will be extremely discouraging to make sites, rank them, and then find that they get little traffic, or that it doesn't convert too well. Keyword research forms the backbone of this and other similar systems. And you need it to be accurate.

    2) It relies on exact match domains in .com/net/org for the site to gain rankings and leapfrog much bigger ones. I don't need to see numbers to wager a guess that many suitable domains are going, or have gone, in the past year alone.

    3) Google may change their algo and drop many of them. Example would be the May update which did dump many out in the cold. So basing an entire business on this model is quite risky in the long term.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cosmo Demopoulos
      Actually Xfactor has nohing to do with exact match domains - he doesn't go into that. That's just the way many people have pursued that. And as you mention, 1) is a problem with keyword research and not just the Xfactor method.

      Yes, it still works. I'd suggest however you build out your sites further (more than 5 pages) and keep building links beyond just 15, at least for anysites that show promise.

      Some sites will be big winners, some will not.

      Originally Posted by Dellco View Post

      Well, X-Factor has 3 main problems as I see it.

      1) Unreliable search volume data from Google (probably done on purpose). Check out the numerous threads complaining about this now. It will be extremely discouraging to make sites, rank them, and then find that they get little traffic, or that it doesn't convert too well. Keyword research forms the backbone of this and other similar systems. And you need it to be accurate.

      2) It relies on exact match domains in .com/net/org for the site to gain rankings and leapfrog much bigger ones. I don't need to see numbers to wager a guess that many suitable domains are going, or have gone, in the past year alone.

      3) Google may change their algo and drop many of them. Example would be the May update which did dump many out in the cold. So basing an entire business on this model is quite risky in the long term.
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      • Profile picture of the author FredJones
        I suppose the method is still promising. As pointed out, it will still work with not-necessarily-exact-match domains - but you may need to build a higher number of links. Offer value to your reader, that's going to be detected by Google's smart algorithms to a fair extent and if they do detect that then you shall be rewarded.
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      • Profile picture of the author scrapgirl42
        Personally my Xfactor type sites are doing well and growing each month. However, of all my sites only a couple have the ugly green/black design. I may or may not change that - right now those sites are doing okay the way they are

        All my other sites have simple, yet flattering designs - nothing ugly. Just simple. I made it my goal to build them all out to 10 pages, then 15, 20, etc. For each page, I am trying to submit 2 articles to Ezine and then to other directories.

        In addition to using Adsense above the fold, I have installed the PHPzon plug-in. It keeps a current list of Amazon products for the particular keyword that show on my site (below the content). I am currently averaging about $70-80 in Amazon commission each month in addition to my Adsense income.

        I only do this part time - a few hours a week, but it is paying better than a part-time job would.

        So - in answer to your question it IS a viable method. Just build out your sites with quality content and add quality backlinks. That is a good business plan for anyone
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  • Profile picture of the author CaptainCowPie
    Thanks to everyone for the help. Sounds like it is worthwhile to buy the course, which I will do today. Building higher page counts with quality content, and adding backlinks seems to be the way to go.

    My assumption is that I will start in this area, and probably diversify over time into who knows what to keep the multiple streams going.

    Thanks again to everyone for the help on this.
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    • Profile picture of the author yic17
      Thanks for making this post and thanks for all the tips in it.

      I am half-way through reading Xfactor's book and this topic definitely helps assuring that the method is still good =)
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  • Profile picture of the author jhonsean
    X Factor is still effective as i observed as well as you do quality link building process and still patience efforts will do as a new SEO. It will determine on how you implemented it in your field.
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