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Check out this Idea! Learn German

by Thorick
19 replies
I've been having a real problem trying to think of a topic to blog about. I want to start up a blog and have a real passion to write about the topic I choose. There are millions of things I could write about, but If I didn't want to write about it, the process will really not motivate me to achieve my dream as an internet marketer.

My problem is really trying to find something I'm interested in, and having proof that I know what I'm talking about when I write about it. I'm a younger person, I do have skills, but I've grown up learning things kinda forced on me as work required. I grew up on a farm. I was taught that we must work. So I learned skills that let me work, but nothing I was really passionate about. I have always wanted to learn german. I used to know enough to speak with friends as I grew up, but it's been a while since I have used it and have almost all but forgot it.

So check out this idea, it might be a solution to my problem. Say I start a blog that is all about me learning how to speak german. as I learn the language, I teach my readers what I'm learning. So they learn and get value from my blog. This way I actually don't need to have proof that I know what I'm talking about, because obviously my readers know I'm learning myself.

Now to monetize, I can use adsense, amazon to promote books about how to speak german, and donations.

Now I also need to learn to speak quebec french because being in the Canadian Military it will be something I eventually have to learn if I want to rank up faster. So I could do german or french.

BUt how does this sound. It might also help any of you out there who are having the same problem as me. You don't really have any skills you are passionate to write about. So why not pick a skill you have always wanted to learn, and write about it as you learn it, providing value that you can monetize.

Let me know what you guys think?
#check #german #idea #learn
  • Profile picture of the author timelessreader
    I think it's a great idea.

    However, I have doubts that you'll make any serious money from it.

    I too had dreams at first to make money blogging about my primary passion. So I blogged about philosophy and classic books. Though I built up a small following over time, I discovered that it's not the kind of readership that are itching to pull out their credit card.

    I still do it because it's fun for me, and I make a buck here and there.

    The easy money is in three major categories:

    health (diet, fitness, beauty)
    money (IM, stocks, finance)
    relationships (parenting, boyfriend/girlfriend problems)

    If you have a passion somewhere in those three categories where people have a problem they desperately want solved, you are in a better position to get them to take out their credit card if you offer a solution.

    It's not that I don't think you could make some money blogging about learning German, but if you want to make a living online you'd be better off if you can stack the deck in your favor.
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    • Profile picture of the author Thorick
      Originally Posted by timelessreader View Post

      I think it's a great idea.

      However, I have doubts that you'll make any serious money from it.

      I too had dreams at first to make money blogging about my primary passion. So I blogged about philosophy and classic books. Though I built up a small following over time, I discovered that it's not the kind of readership that are itching to pull out their credit card.

      I still do it because it's fun for me, and I make a buck here and there.

      The easy money is in three major categories:

      health (diet, fitness, beauty)
      money (IM, stocks, finance)
      relationships (parenting, boyfriend/girlfriend problems)

      If you have a passion somewhere in those three categories where people have a problem they desperately want solved, you are in a better position to get them to take out their credit card if you offer a solution.

      It's not that I don't think you could make some money blogging about learning German, but if you want to make a living online you'd be better off if you can stack the deck in your favor.
      Thanks, this is great advice. I know this is what people will pull their credit cards out for. My biggest obstacle is finding the motivation to write about these things. But it is good advice, and I might just have to will myself to jump into a few of them.

      Thanks again.
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  • Profile picture of the author terryd
    I think thats actually a cool idea myself!

    It would also hold you accountable and motivate you to learn even more. There are a couple of languages that I would like to speak so I might give something like this a go one day!

    Good luck if you do decide to go through with it!
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  • Profile picture of the author Avo19
    Have a look at this blog, may give you some inspiration. Can't post links yet, so copy & paste it is fluentin3months.com
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    • Profile picture of the author Thorick
      Originally Posted by Avo19 View Post

      Have a look at this blog, may give you some inspiration. Can't post links yet, so copy & paste it is fluentin3months.com
      This is a great website you have shown me. I might do some research and try to see how much traffic this guy makes and if he monetizes just so I can see for myself how successful something like this can be.

      Thanks, this is awesome
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      • Profile picture of the author Magix
        Eine gute Idee! Hast Du beabsichtigt die Produkte die Du als "Affiliate" anbietest als Lernmaterial zu verwenden?

        Viel Glueck!
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        • Profile picture of the author Thorick
          Originally Posted by Magix View Post

          Eine gute Idee! Hast Du beabsichtigt die Produkte die Du als "Affiliate" anbietest als Lernmaterial zu verwenden?

          Viel Glueck!
          From my past experience with german this is how I translate what you said: "A Good Idea! Have you considered promoting products as an affiliate as you learn the material?"

          Thats as close as I got.

          Anyways, I do believe that would be a great approach. I could pick a product that teaches german and learn from it, promoting it at the same time. I also thought about using amazon and promoting products through that, and adsense. I believe that monetizing won't be tough. But getting enough traffic might be difficult.

          Cheers and thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
    wundervoll
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    Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

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  • Profile picture of the author randalblanchette
    Ick bin einer amerikaner...lol. Or however it is schpelled ~grins~
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    • Profile picture of the author Thorick
      Originally Posted by maxsinclair View Post

      Ick bin einer amerikaner...lol. Or however it is schpelled ~grins~
      Ick bin einer Kanadien. lol. I have no idea if that is how you spell Canadian in german or not lol.
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      • Profile picture of the author Thorick
        Anyways, I did some research, and I switched the language I will learn to dutch. Just because where I'm from, there are way more dutch people, and I'm friends with a lot of dutch people and it is another language I'm interested in learning. So I'll start my website off learning dutch.

        Here is my plan. I already registered a domain. ilearntalk.com I'll use this as a main site. Each language I learn will have it's own blog on a subdomain. I'll start with dutch. People can follow me as I learn dutch, and I'll teach my readers what I learn. Starting at the basics. I'll also research and have a section on culture and other facts. Maybe travel tips for those wanting to travel to the Netherlands. But the main focus is learning dutch.

        Once I got that down, I'll move onto another language. Probably German next. Then Quebec French as that is another language I need to learn more as a job requirment- I'm in the Canadian Military- and I need to learn quebec french if I ever want to get up higher in the ranks. And there are lots of Quebecois in the canadian military as well so it will be helpful in communicating with new members to the military who don't speak English yet.

        After that I'll move onto russian- another language I've always wanted to learn.

        I think that if I dedicate myself to this website, learning the languages, providing the resources and instruction so others can learn the languages as well, I'll develop a really valuable skill set- multiple languages- and also provide a website worth lots to its readers. Enough so that I will make decent cash off it.

        How will I monitize. Amazon, adsense, affiliate products, list building, and maybe at the end of each language, I can produce my own product to sale that people will be interested in buying and promoting.

        This may not be as valuable as health, relationship, or making money niches, but I believe it is something Im interested in enough to actually contribute a lot of time to and enjoy that contributed time.

        I've also liked the idea of one day moving to europe or visiting for long periods of time. With this skill set I could always go over to europe as an english teacher which would pay for the whole thing. As well, if I can make this website as good as I want and make a decent amount of cash, that will really help out a lot as well.
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        • Profile picture of the author timelessreader
          Wow, that sounds awesome.

          Learning languages definitely will help you in life and make you think in different ways.

          I just reread my post and wish I could delete it because it sounds negative and discouraging.

          Check out the product on this site (I have no affiliation with it whatsoever):

          How to Get By in Spanish

          I came across that site a few days ago, and it stuck with me. I don't even want to learn Spanish but I want to try that product!

          If you can find products like that one for other languages you could probably monetize really well. Or make your own.
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        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by Thorick View Post

          Anyways, I did some research, and I switched the language I will learn to dutch. Just because where I'm from, there are way more dutch people, and I'm friends with a lot of dutch people and it is another language I'm interested in learning. So I'll start my website off learning dutch.

          Here is my plan. I already registered a domain. ilearntalk.com I'll use this as a main site. Each language I learn will have it's own blog on a subdomain. I'll start with dutch. People can follow me as I learn dutch, and I'll teach my readers what I learn. Starting at the basics. I'll also research and have a section on culture and other facts. Maybe travel tips for those wanting to travel to the Netherlands. But the main focus is learning dutch.

          Once I got that down, I'll move onto another language. Probably German next. Then Quebec French as that is another language I need to learn more as a job requirment- I'm in the Canadian Military- and I need to learn quebec french if I ever want to get up higher in the ranks. And there are lots of Quebecois in the canadian military as well so it will be helpful in communicating with new members to the military who don't speak English yet.

          After that I'll move onto russian- another language I've always wanted to learn.

          I think that if I dedicate myself to this website, learning the languages, providing the resources and instruction so others can learn the languages as well, I'll develop a really valuable skill set- multiple languages- and also provide a website worth lots to its readers. Enough so that I will make decent cash off it.

          How will I monitize. Amazon, adsense, affiliate products, list building, and maybe at the end of each language, I can produce my own product to sale that people will be interested in buying and promoting.

          This may not be as valuable as health, relationship, or making money niches, but I believe it is something Im interested in enough to actually contribute a lot of time to and enjoy that contributed time.

          I've also liked the idea of one day moving to europe or visiting for long periods of time. With this skill set I could always go over to europe as an english teacher which would pay for the whole thing. As well, if I can make this website as good as I want and make a decent amount of cash, that will really help out a lot as well.
          Fewer people may want to learn dutch and i'm not sure about germany but, last I knew, the netherlands REQUIRED long studies in English. Maybe you should have tried this 11 years ago! Philips, a large DUTCH company got TIRED of all the foreign workers speaking English(as I understood it, but maybe it was just the other people), and told them to learn dutch or they would be FIRED! Philips - History

          But hey, I have seen a number of people do that. I thought of doing it myself, though I always expand on it such that it is daunting. If you can do it a step at a time, GREAT!

          Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Lothar Evers
        Originally Posted by Thorick View Post

        Ick bin einer Kanadien. lol. I have no idea if that is how you spell Canadian in german or not lol.
        "Ich bin Kanadier!"
        I guess it is a great idea, as long as you really start. It does not have to be your only blog.
        Viel Glück!
        and greetings from Cologne (Germany)
        lothar
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  • Profile picture of the author A.Green
    I've worked offline in this market for about 10 years and am just starting with it online...and it's looking promising. There is money in the language learning market if you go about it right.

    Broadly speaking, people are willing to spend money to make more money and a language is often seen as a career booster or business asset that can make you more money. Some people *have* to learn another language just to stay competitive.

    If you're in such a position (eg. losing business deals because you can't communicate with potential clients or can't find a job in your field because most positions require a second language) and you're having trouble learning, then learning that language does because a "desperate problem."

    Consider: Pimsleur German Comprehensive Level I (16 CDs) sells for $345 and RosettaStone German Level I is $300. A Living Languages Comprehensive course is $80. So, if you're going for aff. commissions, there are valuable items to sell.

    One thing I'd suggest is setting a specific end goal, such as passing a particular language exam, with little milestone goals along the way to make following you more interesting.

    Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay F
    This sounds like a great idea. And, it looks like there could be some great affiliate commissions.

    I suppose you would have to be very detailed about how you benefited from each product as you are a learner yourself. Otherwise, why would someone take your advice?
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    I'm working on some new things. So, nothing to promote just yet.

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  • Profile picture of the author Thorick
    Thanks everyone. You have giving me lots of great advice and information.
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  • Profile picture of the author irishpolyglot
    Thanks for the mention in this thread
    I am making a great living just from selling my one product (The Language Hacking Guide), and my site gets a tonne of traffic because of my advice and stories. Let me know if you have any questions as I pretty much own this niche
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    • Profile picture of the author Marty S
      If you want to get some REAL traffic to a blog like this, I would seriously look into making videos for this with a humorous twist. Not just showing your struggles but also frustrations in the learning process.

      For example:
      • Doing the same line over and over again with new mistakes every time.
      • Adding some of your own swear words into the mix to show your frustration.
      • Making a story of your video blog saying you NEED to learn German by this date, for this reason - then showing your FAILS along the way.
      • Showing a kid learning it much better than you, and you getting jealous.

      Just some ideas, but one of these things (or similar) can go viral for you on Youtube. Trust me from personal experience, humorous FAIL videos (even if scripted) can create YEARS of steady traffic.

      For example search "How to Play JJ" on Youtube, which is one of my funny poker videos.
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