Free Content -vs Paid Content!

What kind of content is this person charging for?

Well, actually I think that you can get all the content you need (if we are speaking about internet marketing) for free. There are tons of great websites and communities that are sharing content for free. A good example is this forum. You can find plenty of valuable information that will help you start your internet business guaranteed - all you need to do is take action and USE that information.

Free doesn't mean lower quality. There are tons of PREMIUM quality information given away in this forum for free or for your email address

Why? Big list, tiny monthly fee will equal big profits on an old catalog of information that is becoming less useful and valuable every day as the market and marketing methods change.

Undoubtedly, this person will continue to release big ticket items to reap the big bucks, but the strategic move he has made will give him a nice residue income for work he has already done.

I understand where your confusion comes from and I know the email you are talking about.

It can be very confusing when someone you have been listening to, who has been touting the benefits of free and has long been an advocate of "moving the free line" now writes an email stating:

Is it any wonder why people who follow a "guru" closely get confused?

Frankly, it is just a business decision on his part, and I would bet it's a numbers game.

Based on how many people he gets to join his list from his blog, and how many people he get's buying his products from blog articles, I would guess the numbers show, based on estimates, that it is more profitable to charge a small amount than to...

...keep coming up with free content that you give and give and give...and then you wait and hope and hope and hope....that the people who visit the blog and read and view the free content will....eventually....like him and trust him and then...hopefully....buy something.

It is a simple concept.

To make money, you have to sell something. Whether that something is a product (your own or someone else's), or advertising space (be it sponsored ads or contextual ads such as google adsense) if you don't sell something you don't make money.

The blog you talked about did not have any sponsered ads on it, and no contextual advertising. There was not much affiliate marketing on it either. So it's no surprise that a better way to monetize the content that is already on the blog and that will be added was simple - charge for it.

I had a very successful information publisher tell me that he thought the whole "move the free line" concept was nonsense. And most of the people touting it, did so because they want you to perceive that the free material they were giving had incredible value, but most of what is being given away as free was "What?" material not, "How To?" material. And there is a big difference between "What?" and "How to?"

As an exercise for yourself...Look at many of the big names who are huge advocates of "moving the free line" and see if you can find blogs with consistently updated content.

If you look at many people who are successful with blogging, they will tell you that much of their income comes from the sale of products. If they had a big jump in monthly income, much of the time they will mention a new product they started selling that provided the big jump in revenue.

The basics never go away. To make money, you have to sell something.

Yes...I saw that same email. At some point you have to get a plan and follow it and make alterations as you move your business forward. Remember it is your business and you will have to determine what works for you and what doesn't....

At any rate, if blogging is your game...

1) Get in a Niche you can stand. Some folks can get in one they don't love...I had to love...well OK...at least like it, but at least you can stand it. I know folks say that there is still money to be made in "how to make money" but don't do that...unless you really love it...go into something else...

2) Go head on and Blog in it to show your expertise. No one knows who the hell you are...You have to show them who you are if you want them to buy something from you. Free material is an easy way to demonstrate expertise and build up a following. They will find out who you are and want to stick around...

3)Build your own email list. Get the people who like what you do to join an email list. It's old school, but I sell way more products to my list than through my site directly. Get an email list!!!

4) Send traffic to your site. There are a number of ways of doing this from buying it straight (hey I don't do it but you may want to), press releases,articles, social media, etc....

5) Monetize by re-purposing your blog content into ebooks, reports, audio podcasts, audio CDs, webinars, and whatever that you sell. You ain't gonna make squat unless you selling something.

Go head on and put ad-sense on your site but it will be a small percentage of your game as you will soon find out. Make a product!!!

Keep at it by making it better...

That's the plan I basically followed...Now I ain't making tons...but it is consistent and growing...