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IM reality that no one tells about

by cookingdiva
33 replies
I have been blogging for about 1.5 years, a first year I mainly blogged for family, a small private free blog to keep them informed and sharing news with friends and family. I blogged when I wanted and it was fun, money never was in my mind.

Then I started reading other blogs and realized I could make money writing things I know. Reading things like "make money on auto pilot", "earn while you sleep", "make passive money doing no work" sells many noobs in to buying digital and coaching products.

Problem with reading "pro blogger" or IM forum and money making niche is whenever someone saying "I made 3K in one month without any money spent and so can you", it leads to disappointed for many newbies in market. While I am not saying it is not possible, but very rare for someone with no experience in IM to achieve that.

I have been reading this forum for long time and been member for shorter time and I have seen

1. People down on luck looking for make money with IM

Reality: IM takes time to build, if you have lost job and can not pay bills, doing odd job and services are best way to go first. I have friends and know of many good people who have lost jobs rightnow, so I understand where they are coming from. Making money through IM takes time.

2. Giving up IMing

I have been seeing these posts and you know what? I have written one myself almost a few days ago. I have been focusing on making money in my passion cooking (yeah I know I did not do keyword search), everyone wants free recipes, not many want to spend money on it (very few if any). I have done all white hat techniques because I do not know any BHW or money to buy links yet my site is sandboxed.

Yesterday something happened and I lost all my data (yes, back up people, I did not). Luckily my bluehost was able to retrieve most of my data back up. I lost very little.

I am way too confused everything despite reading and getting help from people here. I have one great tool (gift from a friend) but I have no clue how to use it or ask right question.

I am always spending my every free moment on computer, ignoring my friends, family and not even making money, lose lose situation for sure.

Conclusion?

I suck at IM? yes, it is obvious. But, I want to share that IM is not easy, it is hard work, as you work on providing value, doing something you believe in that has possible buyer and keep at it and it will work. With time we will learn new techniques to help and many who are doing right thing will survive. Do not worry about what google wants, as they keep changing things.

Have a some paying job to keep you afloat and do this on side without ignoring your loved in real life. Take a step back and see for every "I made $5K in 2 days post" there are many who are not posting "I am blogging for one year and I have made 40 cents" because that is not cute to write but it is reality for many.

Do not give up just yet. Many hard working people are finally making money after 2-3 years and some lucky ones may make quick success but they are far and few in between. Just wanted to share a perspective from noob who has been blogging for sometime.

You are not alone, we are all in same boat, some have learned how to swim, some of us are learning, some of us are in boat and a few are in luxury steamer. Many people are here to point you in right direction, providing you are willing to work for it. I wish 2011 brings much success to all of us newbies and experts alike.
#reality #tells
  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    Nothing worth having will every be easy!!!

    Work hard, but try also to work smarter, by learning what you need to learn to go to the next level.

    Just because you have not yet succeeded, does not mean that success is not in your blood. You just haven't gone where you need to go just yet.
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      IM, IMHO, is all about building systems. The problem is, many people are intimidating by "systems"....either they don't know how to set them up, or they are just technologically intimidated by setting them up, and managing them. The "hard" part for me was learning how to set them up. In retrospect, I spent ALOT of time time simply trying to figure it out. If someone's course can teach you how to build these systems, and the person is a really good teacher, it could be worth it....and, the automation behind everything DOES make things somewhat "auto-pilot", to some degree.

      Right now, I have hundreds of articles all over the internet, that all point to things that benefit me somehow: from affiliate links to my own websites. I wake up and have sales and email list sign-ups, etc. It REALLY is possible...it's just all about building those automated systems.
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      • Profile picture of the author cookingdiva
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        IM,
        Right now, I have hundreds of articles all over the internet, that all point to things that benefit me somehow: from affiliate links to my own websites. I wake up and have sales and email list sign-ups, etc. It REALLY is possible...it's just all about building those automated systems.

        You know I actually have followed through, through Pat's blog and your success story in IB, I am quite impressed. I think you are right, I right now do not have a system that is working. I was following a system (mostly white), by article marketing and blog commenting and my site is in sandbox, my data was deleted almost 2 days ago and I have yet to make money.

        I think I am following what supposed to work but it has not worked for me. I like to believe, I write well with passion and my posts are 1000 words or more on my blog. Things have yet to click for me. The final light bulb moment has not happened. So far it is all laundry list, with no connection. I am waiting for the final light bulb moment. I hope it comes one of these day.
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        • Profile picture of the author sunnygal
          Originally Posted by newnoob View Post

          You know I actually have followed through, through Pat's blog and your success story in IB, I am quite impressed. I think you are right, I right now do not have a system that is working. I was following a system (mostly white), by article marketing and blog commenting and my site is in sandbox, my data was deleted almost 2 days ago and I have yet to make money.

          I think I am following what supposed to work but it has not worked for me. I like to believe, I write well with passion and my posts are 1000 words or more on my blog. Things have yet to click for me. The final light bulb moment has not happened. So far it is all laundry list, with no connection. I am waiting for the final light bulb moment. I hope it comes one of these day.
          I think you have the basics for a sound system, but possibly you just didn't do enough keyword research/market research to make sure that your efforts were being directed towards a profitable niche.

          If you take a step back, do some good research, and then start afresh in a more profitable niche, then you should be able to do it.



          As regards, your initial post, I think Landon got it right about why many newbies fail, in particular

          Originally Posted by Landon Walsh View Post

          IMHO, There are four main reasons why Internet marketers fail:
          Unrealistic goals & presumptuous shortcuts.
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        • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
          Originally Posted by newnoob View Post

          You know I actually have followed through, through Pat's blog and your success story in IB, I am quite impressed. I think you are right, I right now do not have a system that is working. I was following a system (mostly white), by article marketing and blog commenting and my site is in sandbox, my data was deleted almost 2 days ago and I have yet to make money.

          I think I am following what supposed to work but it has not worked for me. I like to believe, I write well with passion and my posts are 1000 words or more on my blog. Things have yet to click for me. The final light bulb moment has not happened. So far it is all laundry list, with no connection. I am waiting for the final light bulb moment. I hope it comes one of these day.
          1. You were/are doing article marketing and blog commenting.

          Site is sandboxed? How old is the site; sounds new or did a lot of backlinking out of the blue. How do you know it is sandboxed?

          2. I understand what you mean about waiting for a final light bulb moment, but that is not really the best way to look at things.

          3. One of the biggest mistakes people make is they try something and the results are not what they were expecting. So then some of them move onto something else they think will work. Perhaps the results are the same, and they do the same thing again - move on.

          4. Troubleshoot why your current marketing is not working. There are lots of possible reasons why you have not made money. I'll say your situation is probably due to a collection of little things that could have been done better, more accurately, etc.

          5. You have had a light bulb moment, and people in here are turning on more for you. One such moment occurred when you realized business is not easy. It can be much easier, but you have to get to the point where it's like that.

          It's like people watching a musician play, and they think that it looks so easy. The person playing is so good and makes it all look easy to those who do not know. But that musician spent years getting to that point. Knowledge and practice.

          6. Be careful about your mindset. Your comments about waiting for a moment to arrive, some final piece of the puzzle - that last light bulb... can set you up for extreme frustration. None of those things really exist.

          Sure, you can find a problem with an article; the way you write; your blog usability and other factors. Then you fix that and something better happens. But that is not the final piece of any puzzle.

          There will be other things you will need to figure out along the way.

          7. I would recommend you stick with article marketing and figure out why things are not working. Change your mindset from "not making money" to a more systematic approach to troubleshooting.

          Start at the beginning and ask what your most desired response is. If your results are not good, then start there and analyze possibilities.

          If you are not sure about something like under-performing articles, then you need to start there and stay there until you figure that out. You can find all you need to fix that one here in this forum.

          8. You have to increase your knowledge base so you will know what to do; how to do it right, what should be avoided, etc.


          Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author cookingdiva
      Originally Posted by tpw View Post

      Nothing worth having will every be easy!!!

      Work hard, but try also to work smarter, by learning what you need to learn to go to the next level.

      Just because you have not yet succeeded, does not mean that success is not in your blood. You just haven't gone where you need to go just yet.
      Bill,

      I know one thing that I do not know enough to know what is working smarter right now.

      I am working on it and each day is getting better slowly. I am not giving up. I also want to share with others newbies that IM is hard work and takes time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Landon Walsh
    Agreed. IM'ing is glamorized to something it is not. There is money to be made, but it does take alot of work and plenty of knowledge. Blogs are my least favorite way to finance your life. Unless you are creating AWESOME unique content like the "Oatmeal" does then you might as well look elsewhere for direct blog financing.

    IMHO, There are four main reasons why Internet marketers fail:
    Unrealistic goals & presumptuous shortcuts.
    Lack of relevant knowledge or Larger understanding of marketing.
    Horribly made content, marketing, and websites.
    Early outsourcing without required experience.

    If you ever want to get back into it I would suggest focusing on becoming an expert at some skill and then outsourcing it and building a reputation.
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    • Profile picture of the author BloggingPro
      Originally Posted by Landon Walsh View Post

      Agreed. IM'ing is glamorized to something it is not. There is money to be made, but it does take alot of work and plenty of knowledge.
      And so is making movies... or being the best car salesmen on the lot... or starting your own business. I'm not arguing with you, but just trying to make a point.

      I'm not even sure why anyone would think that creating an online business would be an easier than doing it offline. Overhead costs are lower yes, but the bottom line is that just because you are online doesn't mean things are going to be any easier. More simple and more accessible? You bet. Easy? Hell no.

      For beginners, IM is just like any other kind of job or business, which means its going to take time for you to learn the ropes, or juice yourself in. If you want easy then you need to keep going to your J.O.B. That's easy. Running your own business online is not.
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    • Profile picture of the author cookingdiva
      Originally Posted by Landon Walsh View Post


      IMHO, There are four main reasons why Internet marketers fail:
      Unrealistic goals & presumptuous shortcuts.
      Lack of relevant knowledge or Larger understanding of marketing.
      Horribly made content, marketing, and websites.
      Early outsourcing without required experience.

      If you ever want to get back into it I would suggest focusing on becoming an expert at some skill and then outsourcing it and building a reputation.
      Landon,

      I guess my problem is lack of relevant knowledge to know technical know hows and how to do things easily. It is same way cooking is to me, it seems so easy for me but I know a few friends that find it very complex. I am still learning IM so its feels overwhelming.

      I am not outsourcing anything and have not bought any products to keep my little money last as long till I make some here! I like to think my content is not the problem generally speaking. All others things are work in progress.
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      • Profile picture of the author Landon Walsh
        Originally Posted by newnoob View Post

        Landon,

        I guess my problem is lack of relevant knowledge to know technical know hows and how to do things easily. It is same way cooking is to me, it seems so easy for me but I know a few friends that find it very complex. I am still learning IM so its feels overwhelming.

        I am not outsourcing anything and have not bought any products to keep my little money last as long till I make some here! I like to think my content is not the problem generally speaking. All others things are work in progress.
        PM me so I can remember to send you my new WSO to you when I'm done. I'm choosing a select few to give my new WSO to and review my E-book and spread the word when im done.

        I don't know how much money you have left or how much longer you can last in IM, but I'll bet you money that my book can help you out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
    IM is a business (an online business). Whatever made you think that running your own business was an easy task?
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

      IM is a business (an online business). Whatever made you think that running your own business was an easy task?
      You hit the nail on the head there. IM is still a business (as opposed to a lottery or get rich quick scheme) after all, and just because you're building a business on the internet does not make it easy (though it may be relatively easier in terms of lower expenses and less barriers to entry in comparison to an offline business), and it is going to take focus and consistency to build it up.

      Just hang in there, and don't give up. If you want it badly enough and you work hard and intelligently at it, you'll definitely be a success in this arena.
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      • Profile picture of the author cookingdiva
        Thank you everyone,

        I guess my post might have been bit misunderstood. I am begin to realize that IM has steep learning curve and yes I might be overwhelmed with information overload. I had some success at making money (like $10, I know it is not much but it was great site), my blog is about 8 month old (non personal one) and was in first page for #7 spot, now it is no where to be found (still indexed) on first 100 result.

        My other blog personal one is for my enjoyment and does not make money. I really appreciate everyone's comment and suggestions.

        I am not saying IM is easy, it sure made to look that way by some people selling those digital products but it is hard work and like many of you say, hard and smart work. Many things becomes easier with experience.

        What I wanted to share is why many newbies feels like giving up because it seems like everyone is making money except themselves which is not the case. Success in IM takes time and know how to work smart and doing things right.
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  • Profile picture of the author Maayan Gordon
    I think the number one reason that people fail online is that they don't have any proper direction, so it's impossible for them to succeed.
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  • Profile picture of the author ajetayo
    You are very right about IM, when I started off, I thought it was all going to be sweet and rosy, a lot of things has happened to me as well. For Instance, about this time last year, I lost my blogger blog (the one that makes about $200 every month) I was already NO 1 in google search for that local niche. As little as the money was, I was devastated and pissed off.

    Few days later I got my "seemed to be" last check from that site. I self hosted two sites and started off again and with the help of other bloggers sharing their experience and the help of peeps in WF I've learnt a lot and these are the most important

    1. the greatest secret to success in IM is "Keyword Research" esp if you are marketing amazon products or even adsense. you might never understand it fully until you are successful using it

    2. the best way to rank a site is getting links from HIGH PR sites and the best way to get those links is by dropping "anchored text links" comments. a PR 5 backlink is better than 20 PR 0 backlink which is what we get from posting articles on ezine

    3. you may not make money blogging from your own topic interests but you may do it to make you feel happy. most times, the best niches are areas you may not even think of. My first blogger blog was about "how to make money online" like most people, I never got a search engine visitor for two months, all I had was visitors and followers from blog catalog (NO MONEY) until I learnt what Keyword research truly means.

    I'm still a newbie but I've learnt a lot of important stuffs about IM. IM is not HARD work, it's Smart work. the most inspiring thread I read from WF was that of someone (a newbie) who started IM three months ago, had just 2 hours of work every day, Had 2 kids and a demanding job but he has been learning and reading a lot, got some amazon product niche and registered six domains. In the third month alone, he made close to $1000. - His was smart to register a domain for an upcoming product before it started selling.

    -Used google trends to find out about search trends
    -used adwords keyword tool to find out total number of search and so on

    Forget about the hard work, It's more of smart work!!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Parkin
    Originally Posted by newnoob View Post

    1. People down on luck looking for make money with IM
    Reality: IM takes time to build, if you have lost job and can not pay bills, doing odd job and services are best way to go first. I have friends and know of many good people who have lost jobs right now, so I understand where they are coming from. Making money through IM takes time.
    I hate it when I see people in this spot - you just know where its heading
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  • Profile picture of the author E. Brian Rose
    Originally Posted by newnoob View Post

    Reading things like "make money on auto pilot", "earn while you sleep", "make passive money doing no work" sells many noobs in to buying digital and coaching products.
    I can assure you that if you put in the right kind of work, these things are a reality. The key is having a plan that leads you there and sticking to that plan.

    1. People down on luck looking for make money with IM

    Reality: IM takes time to build, if you have lost job and can not pay bills, doing odd job and services are best way to go first. I have friends and know of many good people who have lost jobs rightnow, so I understand where they are coming from. Making money through IM takes time.
    It is naive to think that there is a magic fairy that sprinkles fairy dust on your computer, making you an instant mogul. If you can't understand that any business takes time and hard work to build, then you should not attept to be in business for yourself.

    I am way too confused everything despite reading and getting help from people here. I have one great tool (gift from a friend) but I have no clue how to use it or ask right question.
    Don't attempt to use tools if you have no clue what they do. That's a waste of time. You shouldn't be considering shortcuts unless you know what you are shortcutting. What I mean is that you must first learn the ropes, then you will know what tools will help make life easier.

    I am always spending my every free moment on computer, ignoring my friends, family and not even making money, lose lose situation for sure.
    You hear the same things at an alcoholics anonymous or gambleholics anonymous meeting. Moderation and life balance is the key to everything. Work on that.

    I suck at IM? yes, it is obvious.
    How do you know? It seems t me that you haven't attempted real Internet marketing. You are stuck in information overload and predetermined failure mode.


    Have a some paying job to keep you afloat and do this on side without ignoring your loved in real life.
    Good advice.

    Do not give up just yet. Many hard working people are finally making money after 2-3 years and some lucky ones may make quick success but they are far and few in between.
    I hate hearing people say that successful people are lucky. Hard working people create their own luck. Some just do it quicker than others... and they are not few and far between.

    we are all in same boat
    I don't think so. Your boat seems much different than mine. I don't ever remember boarding the S.S. Depressed Cuz I I Ain't Learning the Right Stuff.

    My advice to you is to build a business plan and then ask somebody for help tweaking it. Once your plan is solid, follow it to the T. Work hard, but don't overwork. You'll be surprised how "lucky" you will start to become.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Sorrell
    The problem is that online marketing is portrayed as an easy money option by the guru's and so that gets the newbies on board, but in reality it can be very frustrating and long winded. I am personally of the opinion that IM is an industry where 'smart' work will get you much further than 'hard' work. Use your brain and delegate rather than wasting time grinding away to make a few ebook sales.
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
      I think it might depend on a person's definition of what is hard work and their own individual frame of reference.

      I have had some jobs I thought were hard, morgue attendant in a psychiatric facility and roofer come to mind. To me, those were hard work. But not everyone has my frame of reference and I don't really expect them to.

      Many of the MMO products sell the internet version of the "be your own boss" dream from the old bizopp magazines. But they don't work much better than doing something like sharpening saw blades in your spare time worked then.

      In internet marketing, you kind of have to sell stuff to get anyone to give you any money. Maybe you don't have to sit down with them and talk with them face to face, but you do have to sell them something. Even if you are using Adsense, you have to an environment on your site that is conducive to making them click your ads, without telling them to. And many MMO products are sold with the vague promise that you will not have to sell anything to anyone.

      And that is so, not the case.

      I think part of it too, is that there is a big difference between "hope" and "belief"

      Someone saying to themselves," Well, maybe I can try this and I hope it will succeed because I am so desperate" is a whole different thought pattern than "Hmm, I could try this out and see how this impacts the bottom line of my business"

      OP has already figured out one of the most important part of running an online business. I think you deserve a different forum nickname than the one you've got.
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  • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
    Hi!

    So..... I won't give you a long response. Ever hear of Ron Douglas?

    Go get on his list,"the secret sauce" check out his site and see what it is that he does within your niche. Ron has made millions on this exact niche he is a friend and I highly recommend you follow him. He has a site where you can submit recipes. if the recipe is great it gets mentioned.
    http://rondouglas.com
    Don't try and do this on your own branch out and get in with like minded niche professionals.

    You can do very well We have spoken a few times and you are not dumb,or unlearned, the steps you have taken are very good so don't get overwhelmed as I said before one step at a time but this will help you.
    cheers
    -Will
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  • Profile picture of the author mikemcmillan
    Newnoob,
    You're a good person for sharing your insights! I think it will help many.

    No one has a magic bullet for success. Even when you look at places like Amazon, well--they operated at huge losses for a long time. But the business model was sound. Sometimes it isn't a matter of being brave, it's a matter of being brave just a little bit longer than the competition.

    I feel for those starting out. l especially feel for those in genuine financial trouble who are desperate and perhaps susceptible to the swill passed off in the name of instant, hands-off, get-rich-quick offers out there. It's easy to get sucked in, unfortunately.

    Sometimes it's helpful to ask where you want to be in say a year from now. Then work backwards. To make that goal a reality, what has to happen along the way? Then attack those "plot points" one by one working back to where you are now. Like anything else, success isn't usually a matter of one big obstacle--it's more a matter of attacking a sequence of little things over a period.

    The biggest thing is to work out a business model ahead of time. A business model is more than, "I want to put up a site and start selling, selling, selling." That doesn't work no matter what you read in the hype-bloated ads. A business model involves pre-planning. The very last thing in a good model is the question of what will I create or promote to sell.

    A good model involves finding out if there are people interested in what you will provide. And then the big question: Where are these people and how can I position my product or service in front of them? If one cannot answer that question all else is moot. And then there is the matter of being able to generate traffic, and not just any traffic but highly targeted, high octane traffic that is in a buying mode.

    And of course there is the matter of building trust with your visitors/subscribers. That involves providing content of genuine value. I sent an email to one of my lists last week and got a total of 67 comments back from subscribers. The one that struck the biggest chord with me was the shortest one...

    I'll never miss another one of your emails. :-)
    Cheers!
    Bob

    So when you get all of the emails from the guru types that are nothing but impersonal tripe filled with -->Get it here affiliate links, just remember, the vast majority of their subscribers never open their emails and their unsubscribe rates are huge.

    My point: Take care of your people--AND TREAT THEM LIKE HUMANS, not just walking credit cards. Build a quality cadre of followers. Over-deliver to them. Treat them with respect (which they deserve) and generally the rest takes care of itself.

    Not a magic bullet. But maybe it helps. Build your own loyal customers, don't try to chase them down. Good luck with it bud! --Mike
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  • Profile picture of the author KristofferIM
    As a newbie you probably won't be making $3K your first month no money down. However, when you've been doing IM for a while, it's not THAT hard to take new projects to this level within the first month.
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  • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
    Mike:

    This is very sound what you are telling newnoob.
    Thanks for taking the time to reply. You are right there is no magic bullet.
    Business =work.it requires,dedication,perseverance,research,testing and a never give up attitude.

    A lot of times I have seen people with potential squander it trying to find that magic potion to drink to make them super rich. It exists in the same way anti aging formula exists-in a dream.

    That is how some build their business around selling the dream only problem is people dream.they wake up,usually cannot recall what they dreamed, is there any actual point to selling it if it is so clear that a dream is the furthest thing from reality-people buy it so they continue.

    A vicious cycle that only will stop when people stop buying it. That unfortunately is not going to happen. In the meantime It is the people who are trying that end up feeling like a failure because they are comparing their efforts to what has been presented.
    I know you have a hard stance on integrity in the business place and that is how you conduct yourself, but it is so hard for people to discern things when they continue to look at the promises and claims of others.

    -Will
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay D
    If you know what you are doing it's not hard...trust me. I made over 2k in my first month.
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  • Profile picture of the author LauraJames
    Without question, the process of online marketing is often difficult. I often talk with others who just keep trying one theory, or system, after the other. One woman I met told me she has purchased 11 different programs, but has implemented none of them. Like others, she has many good intentions, but is spending too much time being a "perpetual student."
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    • Profile picture of the author marcuslim
      Why does a small number of internet marketers succeed when so many others fail? It's cause they are willing to put in that bit of hard work that gets them two steps ahead of the competition. Something that is 'that little bit harder' is worth doing because not many are willing to do it, and so the person doing it will have a competitive edge.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ken Leatherman
    Any one that takes the time to read this thread will find some good advice and a little not so good advice IMO.

    OP, application of what you have learned so far is where your focus should be. Go back and look at the site/blog where you were #7 in Big G and then dropped to under the top 100. Did you change something on the blog/site? New header, new graphics, new keywords, stop sending backlinks, stop posting new content, slap up a bunch of unrelated PLR and of course the list goes on.

    Then figure out what got you to #7 and go back to do the same thing. Of course leaving out the things, which may have affected your ranking. However there may come a time when you have to ask yourself the question, "Am I whipping a dead horse". Frankly I suspect all of us at one time or another have had to make that decision on more than a few occasions.

    Obviously these comments are good business sense and they don't take a rocket scientist to pick up on them. I wish you well in your endeavors.

    Ken Leatherman

    The Old Geezer
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  • Profile picture of the author sweetgal
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
      Originally Posted by sweetgal View Post

      When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
      I have a magnet that says this and has a little man looking so desperate
      True nonetheless
      Signature

      "As a man thinks in his heart so is he-Proverbs 23:7"

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  • Profile picture of the author cookingdiva
    Wow, Thank you everyone. Let me see if I can reply to all of you here;

    Bloggingpro: Making money online is made to look easy by many people selling these digital products. I am saying that sets up many newbies in to wrong mindset. I agree, nothing is life is free and easy, almost nothing.

    Sunnygal: That is I am going to do, step back and see what I have been doing, what is not working and go from there. Thank you.

    Anon Aff: I never thought making money online was easy, lately I am seeing lot of giving up post so thought of writing one as I am one of those people who also have not made it and I know it takes time.

    Paulie888: Thank you, I am planning to stick around and learn more and focusing on what works.

    Maayan Gorden: You are so right about that!

    Kenthompson:     My site is approx 8 months old, all white backlinking, I only had 350 links in 8 months, all done via blog commenting and article mkting. I do all my writing myself, no plr. I have used youtube cooking videos on a few recipes for additional resource. I will follow up on your suggestion, thank you.

    ajeyayo: I am sorry that you lost one of your blogger account. Yes, I am learning a lot about IMing, following passion is one thing and making living out of is another. I wish I knew what smart work, I should be doing. -) feeling clueless. I think I am doing bit of hard work that is not targeted maybe.

    Mike Parkin: Yeah, me too. I know plenty and heard of plenty of unemployed folks right now.

    Brian Rose: Thanks for suggestions but I am not depressed! I was sharing to other newbies who are feeling frustrated that they are not alone.

    Sorellaff: I agree with you. Do you have some suggestions or ideas that works with you?

    WD Mino:     No, I have not yet heard of Ron Douglas but I will sure to check it out and be on list. Thank you for compliment (was it?) I am taking it as one. I felt comfortable with few people on forum right away and one of them is you. Thank you Will.

    Mikemcmillan: Thank you for kind and detailed response. I do not have a list, a few subscribers so far. I agree providing value may be more sustainable, and I hope to achieve that. Thank you!

    KrisofferIM: I agree and I am not expecting to make $3K in my first month or 8th month yet. It is slow progress right now.
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    • Profile picture of the author cookingdiva
      WD Mino: I too liked Mikemillan's advice very well, and I too am glad to read it. Dreams can not be bought, they are built with our own passion.

      JMichealZ: Hard work that pays us honest money is always good. I am taking your advise and changing my nickname as I do not know if I can change my ID though.

      Landon Walsh:       I am doing okay right now with my frugal lifestyle. I wish you well on your WSO.

      Jayneel D: Congrtulations! I for sure do not know what I am doing yet so I have yet to make it! Want to share what is working for you?

      LauraJames: Yes, I do feel like that woman, allthough I am frugal enough to not spend money that I do not have yet, I find grasping and understanding all these wonderful information is keeps me occupied from doing real work. Note to self: do not spend too much time on forum :-)

      Timyang: I agree with you 100%.

      Ken Leatherman: I used all my own written content, I did not change much except to add an adsense account (only thing I can think of) and it went off the serp (about a month now), I am also thinking how long I keep adding links and new content before giving up. I am going to try for a few months more though before giving up on it.

      Sweetgal: I like that short and profound sentence! Thanks.

      WD Mino: Wow, I did not know there were magnets with that written, I should get out more. How cool is that.

      Thank you again all.
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      • Profile picture of the author tiga
        Yeah , IM is not that easy, it is hard work. basically in order to success you need:
        1. visitors
        2. Good website layout and contents to improve CTR or what ever ..

        to achieve those (especially #1) will take a lot of hard work and strategies ..

        my 2cent
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  • Profile picture of the author rody
    You can't fail if you don't ever give up
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    Costa Rica All Inclusive Resorts
    Emergency First Aid Kit
    First Aid Kit Contents
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  • Profile picture of the author Ken Leatherman
    NewNoob,

    Must say your user name makes it hard to feel like I'm
    communicating with a real person. But each to their
    own.

    You posted:
    Ken Leatherman:
    I used all my own written content, I did not change much except to add an adsense account (only thing I can think of) and it went off the serp (about a month now), I am also thinking how long I keep adding links and new content before giving up. I am going to try for a few months more though before giving up on it.
    I think if you will check around here in the WF you will find others that have had their site drop in the serp and then bounce back as much as six months later. I have a couple of sites do that also.

    I also believe the reason the bounce back occurred for myself and others is we continued to do the right things, as you have indicated you are currently doing. But I also have a couple of really smart SEO folks, that haven't done a thing other than what they first did for SEO (inluding backlinking) and their sites have come back without additional work.

    You have a plan of continuing to work with your site for the next several months and I think its wise for you to do so. However, I would also consider taking on another project to work with on the side without it interfering with your current site. By doing so you will be a step up on it, if and when you should decide to drop the first project.

    You have a unique ability to be persistent in your work and to question what is right or wrong with it. Most folks that are new to IM do not realize it is imperative for them to be persistent and to examine their results with an open mind.

    So you need to start seeing yourself as someone who is a lot further along than when you started. You keep up the good work and you will get there.

    Ken


    The Old Geezer
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