If U were just starting out . . .

I would use the search function here and read the dozens of threads
where the same question has been asked.

I would go with affiliate marketing.

Then I would learn how to market online. There are many great ways to market your affiliate marketing business. You just have to go through trial and error to seek which technique work best for you.

Never giving up is also the key to success with affiliate marketing or internet marketing in general. Learning from each setback and also knowing that he will have many setbacks along the road.

Start out with what you think will be best fitted for you...If you have a ton off friends or are a very good looking girl/guy, social media may be a good option... If your good at writing understanding how to get traffic, blogging may be a good option.


Almost all aspects of internet marketing depend on knowing people and understanding data.

You mentioned that your Nephew is graduating... "In What?"
I would say, always work to your strength and having an interest or knowledge in a Niche gives you a starting point to build upon.

The process, ie CPA, Affiliate. Own Product/Service comes next.. but the first step is to decide in what Niche.

Buyers are everywhere... Give them what they are looking for!
If you have acquired a skill or knowledge base, then start there, it helps!

You can research the mechanics of how afterwards.

Example:

You can make money in CPA
You can make money as an affiliate
You can make money making your own product/service
You can make money working for someone else
You can make money by studying further as an Intern

... You get the idea!

What ever you do build a list... AND START DOING SO FROM DAY ONE!

I recommend 'Affiliate Marketing' as a starting point.

It's a great way to master ''Traffic'' and ''Email Marketing''

Plus, huge income potential

I did not know that "Internet Marketing" was a career one could pursue.

I am aware that one can start and run a business, and sell products or services in a certain field/niche (the chosen career or profession ), and use the Internet as one of many means to market or advertise...

But yes, I guess there are people that make a few bucks "driving traffic"
whether that is by earning a percentage of sales as an affiliate for other peoples products,
or via cost per action, etc.

So if he wants to pursue a career in "driving traffic", then I hope he has either the funds to do so, or the smarts to start with a limited budget. (just graduating and all).

I'm saddened to find out that this virus is not limited to this forum.

The answer to a "what should I do" question, when it comes to someones path where he will be investing time, energy and funds, is not that simple for someone else to give, and really shouldn't be given that freely.

But for some reason people feel qualified to say, "this is what I do, thus, so should he". Thus leading a poor soul on a dark path of confusion and failure.

Why? Because you heard that's a cool thing to do? Like using "U" instead of "you" in your title?

Without any numbers of your own to back it up, why advise him on that?

My prediction is that once you go to him with some of the feedback given here,
he is going to be even more confused.

He may say: "Ok, Social media sounds good......

but then he'll ask: NOW WHAT??

That's the part where you come back in here and ask:

What niche should he get into?

Please don't do that!


Tell him to pursue his real dreams and go for it. Not someone elses advice on what he should do with his life.

Really, that's my answer!

My advice...

Become an affiliate. It covers a multitude of sins, all of which can then be applied to other online business models.

To get his feet wet:

1. Decide on the right market.
2. Research the right offers.
3. Identify a problem.
4. Solve the problem (and related problems) via blog posts.
5. Create a freebie to encourage opt-ins.
6. Grow social platforms (pages, groups, etc).
7. Syndicate information (articles, images, videos) with the intention of growing website traffic to promote offers and the newsletter.

A basic business model, but a solid, tried and tested one. And something any college kid (and any intelligent person) can pull off.

Tom

I recommend starting from affiliate marketing. More specifically from Clickbank Affiliate marketing. It is one of the easiest ways to make money in the start. You just need to promote your clickbank affiliate links. There are no restrictions. Just spread them at right places like facebook, blogs, twitter, emails and earn commissions.

IM is not a destination. It is a vehicle to get to that destination.

The path he is going down will more than likely keep him frustrated until he quits.

Instead of researching IM, have him research business. Once he identifies a real, human problem that needs solving, THEN is the time (maybe) to bring in the internet.

The question you should have asked in this thread is "How many people make a full-time living off of IM?"

Since most people lie, the much better question is actually "How many people here make any money at all doing internet marketing?"

Unfortunately, you would not get many takers on either approach, at least not honest ones.

The future is the same as the past. Business is about solving problems. "Internet Marketing" money detached from that basic premise is unstable at best.

I listened to an interview, this morning, with the founder of Evernote.

When asked what advice he would give to young people interested in starting a business he said, "Get a job. Starting a business generally means working long hours with little to no pay for years."

It made perfect sense to me.

You can hear the interview on NPR.

i would start with affiliate marketing, i think that's the easiest way for newbie

I don't understand why some people is so negative. You nephew is young and this is a great benefit. If only I had started before......
Having a personal product is the best thing to make money, is possible earn million every years, anyway
he could start with affiliate programs.
The important things are:

- 1 study with passion to create a step by step system to sell product and

- 2 never give up! I mean, it could be hard for the first times but after few months you could get great results

Good Luck!!

I'll say this, build a list but instead of building an email list build a Skype and Linkedin list. One of my most valuable assets in the digital marketing arena are the many relationships I have built up over the years, once you start talking to people in what I would call the 'corporate' affiliate marketing scene, life changing opportunities just seem to come your way.

My advice to him would be to INTERN at a digital media agency.

Pay your dues first.

Learn the basics.

Then scale up.

I agree with J50. I wish I had networked more when I first started. It can be a bit lonely doing this stuff. And it can also be as boring as real job. Never, ever forget that.

I love all of this advice! It's so helpful especially since I am a newbie also.
I'm learning everything through trial and error and hoping to fix any and all mistakes I make.

First build blog,
Two sign up google adsense,
Three promotion.
anyone can do it.

First - find a business idea and business model.

Social media marketing for what??

Unless you mean he wants to learn social media marketing to where he can consult or teach the subject - then ok, otherwise he needs to develop a business AFTER which social media marketing may be a solid part of the marketing model.

People constantly confuse things like CPA, social media marketing, affiliate marketing, advertising with BUSINESSES - they are not.

Social Media Marketing is a marketing method. CPA and affiliate marketing are monentization methods - but you still need to identify target markets, get the traffic, and have a business plan for how you will scale your prospect's spending over time to grow your business.

I would suggest that he study the different types of business out there - services, products (tangible versus digital) as well as potential target markets where he uncovers demand. This will guide him to the type of business he wants to operate and provide the foundation for a) How he will market that business b) How he will monetize it (which products and services and from where and c) Operational setup of that business from blog/social/websites/sales funnels to payment processors, affiliates and publicity

Jeff

You should tell your nephew to join the warrior forum, it's the best advice you can give him. Nobody can tell him what he should do, it's him that needs to decide for himself.

I would advise that you let your nephew get started by simply reading related forums and blogs on affiliate marketing. There are a lot of free lessons about affiliate marketing online.

The bottom line to this is, you do not get to learn affiliate marketing or internet marketing without applying the things you read. Experience is still the best teacher.

So rather than over thinking where you need to start, which is industry to pick, etc, you need to start reading forums and blogs online and then make sure that you get started right away by applying the things you learn.

Robert, I've read with interest many of the reply's to your thread Many are valuable, but they all omit the most important element. First, Network Marketing is a people business, Your nephew must acquire those all important communication skills or failure is assured..

Your nephew is in the cat birds seat. He has two important things going for him One, time. Two, no pressure to generate an immediate income. My suggestion, find a mentor who can teach those necessary skills, ie: Dale Calvert, Mark J, Worlds Laziest Networker. There a many others, but whomever he selects,his future success is totally dependent upon learning the skills necessary in this industry.