Is it still possible to start online marketing in 2018 and be successful?

No way. Definitely not dead.

Pick a business model and lazer focus on it. Don't get shiney object syndrome.

Ecommerce/Shopify
CPA
Affiliate Marketing
Email Marketing
Personal Branding
YouTube
Amazon FBA

I'd pick one and try to master it.. then use the capital to invest into other business adventures.

Go ahead give it a try. You never know what can turn up and you will never know unless you have tried it.

Hi Jake,

Of course, you can start online marketing, but you will need to focus which marketing do you want, is it:

Email marketing
Internet marketing
Affiliate marketing
Amazon
Ecommerce
Digital marketing
SEO/PPC
Remote marketing
App marketing etc

There is a lot of marketing online, it's up to you to choose and focus just on one. Let's say that you want to open a new site for Amazon affiliate, you would need to think about the domain, hosting, GREAT content, backlinks, YouTube video promotion, Social Media promotion and the greatest of everything, you would need to choose the niche with the lowest competition and biggest compensation. You need to balance between how hard is to get to the 1st page of Google and how much you could potentially earn.

There are a lot of factors in every aspect, but try to focus just on one and be persistent.

Maybe. It certainly has changed.

Is a myth, unless you have a rich benefactor who sends you a check every month, just because.

Something that never existed cannot die (see above reference to rich benefactor).

If you have what it takes you can earn a comfortable living working online. Be aware that 95-98 percent of people who think they have what it takes find out the hard way, they don't.

The only way to find out is to start.

Brent

Everything still works good. But 2018 may be the best time for video marketing.

E-commerce is very fast growing industry many online sellers making their own website. Because of this digital marketing is needed for branding, marketing.

Depends on how much time and work you are committed to give. Many people try something out and then give up after not seeing the results in a short time. Working from home and working online needs time, just like any other business.

Happy New Year!

Personally I don't believe in "passive" income...the market always moves on and you need to change to not just keep up with but get ahead of the times.

What you see successful people do over and over again is make some money in a fast way...then put it into real estate where it makes them money slowly. Why do they do this? The fast way is high work, high risk; the real estate is less work, lower risk. That's a lot more "passive."

Could you set up a funnel for an evergreen niche, something that's intrinsically tied into human nature (eg. dating, basic money management, how to have a fulfilling life)..."set and forget"? I guess you could. I can visualize that funnel. Like any funnel, it has to have Traffic, which means you need to be pumping a steady flow of money into the advertising. But what happens when your ads get saturated? Their effectiveness drops off. What happens when your target market moves like a school of fish (as they often do) to a new platform? What happens when the platform, even if your ads are doing well, suddenly changes the rules (oh they would NEVER do that--YouTube :-O )?

That's why I say passive income is a myth. Oh, I'm sure people will come on brandishing their examples of making a few bucks here and there but are you surviving off that? I doubt it. And "passive"? The funnel breaks. The market shifts. Toilets overflow and piping needs fixing. Whatever field you're in, you're going to have to do some work. Are there ideas you have to do less work in than other ideas? Sure. But the idea of "set and forget", zero work, I sit on a beach and collect the check?

You wanna do that?

Invent something millions of people want, license production, marketing and sales out, and THEN maybe you can sit on your butt collecting checks. Ah, but what will you end up doing then? That money has to be managed. You have to invest it. Probably in low risk, reasonable rate of return investments...and where will you find those? Who are you willing to trust your long term financial stability to? Really? Nahh. Not some "advisor" who probably has less in the bank than you do. Oh look: you're back at work again.

There is no escape. One way or another, you're gonna have to work.

Statistically, most fail at making a living marketing online, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Some will succeed and maybe it will be you.

IMO, you want to learn to drive targeted traffic and build responsive email lists. Everything else you can optimize and improve.

As everyone has stated there really is no such thing as passive income. You could build a business that has employees or VA's and you can just oversee it or eventually replace yourself.

Good luck.

I actually think 2018 could provide more opportunity than ever, as each year more and more people and business go online.

Also you could argue that newbies have an advantage. Your coming in with a blank canvas and fresh ideas rather than others who have perhaps tried and failed and are not mentally in the right place and dont have the right attitude.

"Is it still possible to start online marketing in 2018 and be successful?"

I am amazed and flabbergasted that someone would actually ask this question.

The last time I checked a lot of people, more that ever, are buying things online. This is increasing dramatically and is projected to continue to increase.

To be successful you need to do your research, set up an intelligent marketing program, plan it properly and execute it correctly.

With all due respect Jake, you've been a member here for 4 years and you shouldn't be asking questions about whether people can succeed online if you've spent time on the forum and paid attention to what is going on. You should be an example (by now) of someone that has started a business and is making money at some level.

If these questions you're asking are for you, I can tell you that the longer you wait to get focused and going on something . . . anything . . . the harder it's going to be for you to succeed. It's not too late. You can build some income streams ("passive" is largely a misnomer) if you will apply what you have learned and move forward.

Online business is all about you and less about your environment and timing. Immerse yourself NOW! If you continue wondering if success really is possible, it's always going to remain "the impossible dream" for you.

Good luck in 2018!

Steve

For something to be declared dead, it once had to have actually been alive.

There is no such thing as passive income in the way that you more than likely envision it. Best to look for something that will give you recurring income with little effort going forward, once the initial blood, sweat, tears and hard work to get in in place are behind you. Even that is most difficult and attained by not as many people you would like to think, or that claim to have done so.

Good luck.

If you are willing to work your tail off, then it is not impossible! Do your research and have a plan and you can succeed.

Don't give up hope, find a Internet Guru and get some 1 on 1 coaching! That is the best and Quickest way to start making some passive income.

It's not becoming more difficult. Pick a small niche, make sure it's rabid, create products for it, throw in a high price ticket item, and repeat. The *magic* in the process is NOT what you sell. It's all about the starving crowd, and there's alot of starving people out there.

Hi Jake,

Nope, it is not more difficult than it ever was. It is challenging though.

But success comes to people who are online for the right reasons. Meaning if you want to earn a living - aka get money to the full time level - you need to spend years doing the requisite giving - aka studying and learning and practicing and creating and connecting - and backing that giving with a generous, largely detached energy, to become a full time online entrepreneur.

The passive income dream is a skill, and you must develop that skill over years, to become pro.

Do you believe it'd be difficult to become a pro basketball player or pro baseball player? Of course; it takes years to develop sufficient skills to outshine most of folks, to become a pro. Ditto with being an online entrepreneur.

Ryan

It's not impossible to make money online for newbies.

They just have to decide which revenue stream they want to learn.

It will take some work so, they'll have to decide what type of work they are willing to do on a daily basis.

If they want passive income they'll have to create a product that people will purchase.

If that product (software, book, app, etc) is valuable then others (people, websites, etc.) will promote it for them which makes the passive income a reality.

Back in the day I sold Web design only, that was easy, now not as easy, but still very busy, why because I offer things that people need, so I only sell what people need, that is what works.

So you need to sell what people need, not what you like, but try to sell something that you know about, helps a whole lot, also this business is not easy, only 1% of all marketers make real money, and the rest just post stuff, and never work on anything. So get to work, build something, it's fun

Jake, I've been an affiliate marketer for 14 years and I would advise you to forget affiliate marketing and focus on starting a real business. You have more chances of becoming a successful Amazon seller than an affiliate marketer.

If you really want to go down this path, then focus your effort on creating a website that will attract natural traffic and user generated content. When you have traffic you can always use it to make money. Just don't build a content filled website solely for promoting affiliate links. Those days are gone.

Also, most of the people on this forum are selling products and services that they want to sell to newbies like you. So be cautious about optimistic opinions here.

The "passive income dream" is alive, well and booming bigger than ever.

The reality? Not so much.

You want truly passive income?

Follow Jason's suggestion and invest in real estate, then hire a competent property manager.

Invest in bonds, dividend securities, or some other investment that pays based on investment level rather than effort.

Buy an annuity that pays monthly for life.

That's how you make long-term passive income.

Someone mentioned Android apps. Short term, sure. But those apps are only one OS upgrade away from being useless. Same for any other software that depends on a resource you can't control. Ask all the people who built apps based on Google's Adwords feed. When the feed changed, the apps no longer functioned.

Could you recover from such a change? Maybe, but then it would no longer be passive.

Is online marketing more difficult in 2018?

In some ways, yes. There's more competition, especially in the traditional "evergreen" niches. But doing business online is way, way, way easier than it was when I started out.

So, not "more" difficult. Just "different" difficult.

Is it still possible to start in 2018 and still be successful? Yes, I believe so, as a general rule. It's as possible for any given individual to succeed in 2018 as it was in 2008 or 1998. It's also just as possible to fail for any given individual.

Heck, back in the real Wild, Wild West, some people crossed the continent on foot pulling a cart behind them. (There's a rest stop along I-80 in Nebraska where you can still see traces of the wagon ruts.) Now you can cross the continent in a few days by car or a few hours by plane. Just don't try checking in your pull cart as luggage...

Yes and you will find a way if you hang in there.

No
The internet is full
Sorry



(ask better questions)

...couldn't resist...

I will never understand why anyone would think
it's too late to make money online. I mean,
have we reached the end of the internet or
something?

People start and quit their online business
like it's nothing. With such high attrition, there's
always going to be room for someone else.

Lets tell you something everithing its in the mind and nothing its imposible in this world ,i think IM its not more dificult but its more competitive because many people go in this field .And lets tell you something this its not an easy field ,if it was all people would make IM in this domain succed those who are willing to die for theyr succes . This its a huge mountanin who has the gold very deep inside him and only the people who never give up they arrive to gold . There re also people who just dig a little and they give up and say : **** this dont work and they have right its not an easy task

Providing we have The Internet ... And People on the Planet ... They will always need products and services. And (considering the same value of exchange) ... There will always be opportunities to make money. In 2018 and beyond.

You need to invest and pick what business are planning. Because there alot of businesses out there. If you need help I am here willing to help you.

My skype is nivlare

Thanks
nivlare

It's possible to be successful in 2018. I just think there are a lot of people who thinks it's 'easy money' which is bit truth. Like in any other business, you have to work hard to be successful

I don't believe in 'passive' income online. Make money online is a process that involves learning skill sets, honing the craft, following through and having a long term plan.

Money will always be made online (but by only those who have learned how to do it).

Social Marketing Never gets old. All you have to do is stay in the flow or if you are new, make sure you are updated.

It's very possible. The only difference being that internet technologies keep changing every year just like any other industry. You just need to adapt your skillset to these changes. Not to mention the fact that you also have to pick a marketing strategy that works for you.

There is millions upon millions of people online. There's more than enough room for anybody wanting to create a business online. There is no better time than to start now. Go take action!

Jake,

yes it is still possible, it keeps getting a little easier all the time and more and more sales are being done online. Find a need an fill it!

Chris

It may seem like it is becoming more difficult but I believe it is due to changes in the way we have to market today. Just adapt to the changes.

Yes, anyone with no experience has a chance to succeed making a living off of passive income.

No the passive income dream lifestyle is not dead!

It's only late if you're not willing to work hard, focus and be committed to providing extra mile service. All the easy money is pretty much gone, especially if you're new. Otherwise As Kay said, it's full. Lol.

Of course it is possible to start Online marketing in 2018 & be successful. There is no doubt about it. If you know how to work here, you will be gain. On the flip side if you do not know how to work here, you will fail. So success or, Fail depends on your skill. I think I make you understand.

Being successful in 2018 won't be rocket science, but it won't as easy as falling off a log, either; otherwise, we'd all be swimming in dough.

Did you notice there's so much information all over the map? It may help you get started more easily, but you have no competitive differentiation SINCE everyone has access to it. So, starting a business on readily available information may be easy, but success will be hard, really hard, especially in 2018. Look for other routes i.e. schooling, mentoring and real-world experience; they may be hard, but they make success that much easier.

Hayle no!

Passive income is well and alive. And I completely agree with what mostly everyone has said here.

Might I add that it's also a good idea to really dig deep into one very profitable "SKILL."

If you notice, a lot of the industry giants / gurus / leaders / #whateveryouwannacall them has a level of mastery in this skill.

It's useful no matter what field in the online business community you wanna engage in, and dominate!

And it also pays the bills... and them some, when you're starting out.

Get into the top 10% of this sorta-exclusive-club and you could retire early.
Be in the top 2%, and you can command six to seven figure fees!

Anyway... no matter what happens, having "Copywriting" as a core foundation as you build passive income, is a good idea.

Another upside is, you can use this SKILL as you build your passive income online asset - thingamajig.

Go for it. You have lots of options, that's why it can be confusing sometimes.

But dig in and do the work. It's always worth the effort!

Rock on!!!

My experience is that it is difficult to get started making money online initially.

There is a lot of training out there that doesn't teach up to date methods. I think a lot of people get overwhelmed with information overload and lack a direction to go in or a plan to follow.

You also have to factor in that many people do not have the tenacity to stick at something until they find out how to do it well.

Those who are prepared to seek out the best training, to absorb it and then to take massive action on what they have learnt can definitely make it happen. That is the case even with zero experience.

What you have to do is learn from those who do have the experience. Get the best training you can and network.

If you work hard over time you can build passive income, but some upfront work is needed.

My opinion is that passive income supports new affiliate marketing activities - you will need to continue to spend a few hours per day maintaining your business, keeping up to date with new methods and finding new ways to advance your business. You cannot just set it up at the outset and then sit back and do nothing.

The best way through to success for 2018 is probably video marketing. I think that it may well be the best way to make passive income online at the moment. Paid traffic to YouTube videos which promote affiliate products seems to be the current hot way to earn.

Not sure how long it will last but for now, it seems to work well.

Sorry to disappoint everybody but success online
officially finished on Dec 31st 2017.

They've run out of everything, ideas, products,
people wanting to learn online....the whole kit
and kaboodle. If you didn't make it through the
door before new years day....you've had it.

Stop trying. Go git a job. Us who got here before
you have got started, have got it all sewn up....
standing room only, sorry you've missed the boat.

There are some fantastic people out there that offer great affiliate programs and there's those that are out to scam you to line their own pockets.

The passive income dream is definitely not dead.

What are your goals other than passive income?

Do some digging around and learn as much as you can about whatever it is you want to market and get obsessed with it.

Nah Jake you can't say this, it's not dead, everything is still possible, you just have to learn on the right things that will be helpful for you to handle this out, but moreover chose the right niche to work with, set your campaign very well, not forget to learn about the tools that could be helpful to you to handle the campaign properly, and for sure with some hard work you could make it dude. Good luck!

It will never die.

Well customers these days are difficult to engage and that is the reason eCommerce owners are struggling to address issues like cart abandonment. And on top of it, if it is a new eCommerce store, which often operates on a low budget, eCommerce marketing becomes a greater challenge. Driving traffic to eCommerce store is a costly affair and one often gets confused as to which among digital marketing, SEO and other marketing channels will give them the desired outcome.

New comers and also small business owners should find creative ways to do marketing. I strongly recommend them to check this article. It listed some brilliant tips.

Its better to give it a try at least...

Just pick ONE thing and focus only on that for 6 full months to a year. Then ask this question...or better yet you wouldn't ask this question if at any point over the past 4 years you focused on one thing for over 6 months.

Stupid question everyone successful marketer started with zero experience including me.

I've been on this forum since 2003... online years before that. I started marketing
online in the old usenet newsgroups... I doubt you know what that is... LOL

Anyway... every January for all those years this very same question is asked
by someone thinking about dipping their toe in the water.

The answer is simple... no, it is not becoming more and more difficult
to make money online as the years pass. Quite the opposite. There are
exponentially more opportunities now than ever before.

As for people with zero experience... nothing has changed about that. People
with zero experience have zero chance of making serious money until they get
some experience. You have to fail a few times in order to ultimately succeed.
Those who understand that have a small chance of succeeding. Those who don't
understand that have no chance of succeeding.

The passive income lifestyle is not dead but it is largely a myth.

I think in a sense for a newbie starting out it is easier to make money online, than for an experience person.
As a newbie you are like a clean sheet, you don't have any biases towards what works and what doesn't, you just go for it. This makes it easier to experiment, try new methods, new techniques.
As opposed to an experience marketer (no all of us course), who might be too fixated on the methods he learned long time ago.
It is more difficult to change when you have all that baggage.

No. This is a myth.
Since I've started, I've been hearing this and it's been wrong since then and is still wrong.

Things are always changing but there are still tons of ways to make money.

Yeah it's possible .

Find a system that works and stick to it till you get postive results.

Model the successful Entrepreneurs you look up to and follow their guide.

Because, if you do what other successful people do, over and over again, nothing can stop you from eventually enjoying the same rewards that they do. But if you don't do what successful people do, nothing can help you.

So stick to what works and model the successful entrepreneurs you look up to.