Make Your Site Sell

12 years ago

Hi....

Yes, I remember that guide. I actually went in early for a few mornings at my then "regular" job in order to print it all out.

And you're right: it was PACKED with information. Not fluff but solid info. It was a great read that definitely furthered my motivation and education in internet marketing.

Much Success,

JoeMack

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Neil Morgan

12 years ago

Yep Joe, it was massive and I printed the whole thing out too!

I read it over and over and over and soaked up every word of it.

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abbe77

12 years ago

its almost 11 years old, is it worth to read in 2013? And why its in .exe instead of pdf?

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Neil Morgan

12 years ago

I was just having a look at it again (from the free download) and as well as the main PDF (802 pages!) there are 2 bonus PDFs in the zip. One is about creating your own product and the other is about traffic.

I'm going to have fun reading all of these again. I bet I can still find loads of things that I should be doing!

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Neil Morgan

12 years ago

its almost 11 years old, is it worth to read in 2013? And why its in .exe instead of pdf?

Selling is selling, right?

It's an EXE that self-extracts to a bunch of PDFs.

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Neil Morgan

12 years ago

I was just thinking a bit more about its relevancy in 2013.

I could cite 2 things that I learned from it and use every single day of my IM life that have given me a full time income for years.

So yes, at least some of it is relevant. Very relevant.

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KevinRB

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Neil Morgan

I was just thinking a bit more about its relevancy in 2013.

I could cite 2 things that I learned from it and use every single day of my IM life that have given me a full time income for years.

So yes, at least some of it is relevant. Very relevant.

Hi Neil

They might well have been inspirational reads back before Panda & Penguin, but having run several SBI sites ALL built following Ken Evoys Sitebuilding process & systems and having had them decimated by the Google algo updates, I would suggest that on the whole they no longer work!.

Regards
Kevin

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sreejish

12 years ago

Originally Posted by KevinRB

Hi Neil

They might well have been inspirational reads back before Panda & Penguin, but having run several SBI sites ALL built following Ken Evoys Sitebuilding process & systems and having had them decimated by the Google algo updates, I would suggest that on the whole they no longer work!.

Regards
Kevin

Could you please explain the part -"decimated by the Google algo updates" You mean - your contents were completely taken away? Why? Can google do that?

Could someone please explain what is this Panda and Penguin stuff?

(I am seriously contemplating using SBI to build my modelling web site)

Thanks
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markmcknight

12 years ago

Originally Posted by sreejish

Could you please explain the part -"decimated by the Google algo updates" You mean - your contents were completely taken away? Why? Can google do that?

Could someone please explain what is this Panda and Penguin stuff?

(I am seriously contemplating using SBI to build my modelling web site)

Go for it Sreejish! SBI still works.

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Will Edwards

12 years ago

Originally Posted by sreejish

Could you please explain the part -"decimated by the Google algo updates" You mean - your contents were completely taken away? Why? Can google do that?

Could someone please explain what is this Panda and Penguin stuff?

(I am seriously contemplating using SBI to build my modelling web site)

He means that his traffic - not his content - was decimated.

With regard to Panda & Penguin, they were successive updates of the Google algorithm that targeted low quality sites (Panda) and spammy techniques (Penguin).

Will

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markmcknight

12 years ago

Originally Posted by KevinRB

Hi Neil

They might well have been inspirational reads back before Panda & Penguin, but having run several SBI sites ALL built following Ken Evoys Sitebuilding process & systems and having had them decimated by the Google algo updates, I would suggest that on the whole they no longer work!.

Regards
Kevin

I don't think you can blame the SBI method of site building because many SBI sites still rank highly at Google. I had a few big, high ranking SBI sites with over 1000 visitors per day hit by the algo changes. The reason was my own fault for creating too many artificial inbound links and content that was low quality. I know many SBIers with the same problem. Their fault not Ken's.

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KevinRB

12 years ago

Originally Posted by markmcknight

I don't think you can blame the SBI method of site building because many SBI sites still rank highly at Google. I had a few big, high ranking SBI sites with over 1000 visitors per day hit by the algo changes. The reason was my own fault for creating too many artificial inbound links and content that was low quality. I know many SBIers with the same problem. Their fault not Ken's.

Hi Mark

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, my comments relate to sites that stuck religiously to the Action Guide and sitebuilding process and were still torched by Google.....as Icarus found to his cost sail to close to the Sun and you will get burnt!.

The "marketing bible" that the OP mentions I am sure is still a great resource for those starting out and who enjoy a good read.....the reality of the actual sitebuilding system that Ken subsequently built was great and worked for several years and was a gravy train of riches for many SBIers.....BUT....like it or not P&P put a halt to those practices which infringed upon Webmaster Guidelines, which many did.

Regards
Kevin

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Neil Morgan

12 years ago

I think SBI came later. I think I was off and running by the time it came along.

I'm talking really about some of the principles he taught rather than the technical details or tools which would inevitably change over time.

"Most Wanted Response" is the classic one that comes to mind and it transcends all technology, Google and even Steve Jobs.

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KevinRB

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Neil Morgan

I think SBI came later. I think I was off and running by the time it came along.

I'm talking really about some of the principles he taught rather than the technical details or tools which would inevitably change over time.

"Most Wanted Response" is the classic one that comes to mind and it transcends all technology, Google and even Steve Jobs.

It would be very interesting to compare the theories of his earlier writings to the actual sitebuilding business model he then built. It may well be that he compromised certain theoretical values to achieve practical success....

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sreejish

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Neil Morgan

Who remembers Ken Evoy's famous Internet Marketing bible from all those years ago, Make Your Site Sell?

It was hundreds upon hundreds of pages of solid gold Internet Marketing information for a mere $17. I still use many of those ageless techniques today. Under-promising and over-delivering at its very best.

Ken's offering it free now and new people could do a lot worse than making it their bedtime reading for the next few nights. Sure, things have moved on but the principles remain the same.

Thank you Ken. Your $17 MYSS started me on an IM career that has given me and my family a great life for over a decade.

Make Your Site SELL!

Cheers,

Neil

Hi,

I am going to start a modelling web site. For this, I thought using the Sitesell.com services. Have you ever used Sitesell.com to build your website(s)? If yes, how was your experience? Will you recommend Sitesell.com for me, who never made a dime in IM?

If you recommend not using Sitesell.com, why? If I am not to use Sitesell, what is the alternative you suggest?

Thanks a lot for your time.

Cheers!

Thanks
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KevinRB

12 years ago

Originally Posted by sreejish

Could you please explain the part -"decimated by the Google algo updates" You mean - your contents were completely taken away? Why? Can google do that?

Could someone please explain what is this Panda and Penguin stuff?

(I am seriously contemplating using SBI to build my modelling web site)

Cheers!

Hi Sreejish

You asked the question initially regarding sites being "decimated by Panda & Penguin" updates....by that I meant that just as Google had rewarded my SBI sites with great keyword rankings and free traffic, following each update my sites lost all keyword rankings and were left to die.....no traffic = no income!.

Before you decide on SBI I would recommend that you research first the benefits versus the drawbacks and then decide if it really is for you.

Regards
Kevin

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LastingLifeSuccess

12 years ago

Hi Neil,
That was very generous of you to direct us to this amazing resource. Thank you. I really look forward to its contents. I know understand that even though the times have changed, the principles are forever the same. Thanks again, Neil. . . . LLS

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ZOOM

12 years ago

Neil Thank you so much. just downloaded appreciate

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TravisO

12 years ago

Don't know that guy but as I based it on your experiences, this guy was surely able to state all the techniques because you were still using that technique up to this time. Hasn't become obsolete.

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novalj30

12 years ago

Does SBI Still works guys?
It's very seducing from there website that Their platform work because unlike other hosting company, they provide fantastico to built your site and lift you alone for traffic responsibility..and their site has big difference, they provide every thing for your business. Is it really a complete setup tools for a business? not just tool to make website?

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markmcknight

12 years ago

Originally Posted by novalj30

Does SBI Still works guys?
It's very seducing from there website that Their platform work because unlike other hosting company, they provide fantastico to built your site and lift you alone for traffic responsibility..and their site has big difference, they provide every thing for your business. Is it really a complete setup tools for a business? not just tool to make website?

I use SBI and it still works for building authority websites. Out of the pros and cons that various people can come up with, the most important for me is security. I don't think a SBI website has ever been hacked.

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sogeshirts

12 years ago

Thanks for the recommendation Neil I will be checking this out tonight.

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princessleia 12 years ago

There are some key functions missing from site build its block builder system that to me make the tool seriously limiting for building a business. The key problems being a lack of the save function, no access to 301 redirects (you can't rename pages without losing links and starting from scratch and you can't switch your domain name ever), no subordinate logins (making outsourcing a risky proposition), and no export function, lack of telephone support (You have to PAY if you want to call them), and the fact it's a proprietary system from a small company, which leads to longer wait times for improvements.

When you consider that the cost of each website is $30 monthly or $300 annually, and you can use a non-proprietary tool like Wordpress and hosting services from Hostgator that allow multiple domains at a considerably cheaper rate and will give you access to all the functions that SBI's platform doesn't provide, I wouldn't advised spending the money.

I used their platform to much success, however, having recently moved out of it, I was SHOCKED at just how much money I had left on the table for years by not having the functionality that is available elsewhere. And I'll be honest, most people ar SBI toil for years and never make much money. Many never even recoup the $300 annual investment after several years.

In addition, the templates available look unprofessional and dated out-of-the-box and are difficult to customize and their SEO tool, AnalyzeIt, is suspected to encourage keyword stuffing that has led to many customers losing lots of Google traffic post-penguin and panda. If you look at the number of people letting their domains expire or transfer away from SBI often exceeds the number of people flowing in, you can see that the trending is the company is losing business and has been for quite some time. (Sitesell.com - ns1.sitesell.com, ns2.sitesell.com )

By all means, download the free information, absorb what you think is useful, and apply that knowledge to a more open source platform such as Wordpress that will allow you to easily switch vendors should you ever be unhappy with the level of service you receive.

Because, the level of service that SBI/sitesell provides has seriously gone down hill lately, and if you "lock" yourself in and waste your time learning how to develop a site with them, you will be in for a rude awakening when you leave.
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princessleia

12 years ago

P.S. I forgot to mention that with SBI you cannot run PHP scripts and should you want to have an online store to sell merchandize, you will be forced to purchase additional hosting elsewhere (so why not just buy hosting elsewhere to being with?).

When you read SBI's marketing materials referring to Infin-It allowing all those options like having a store, hosting a blog, etc. They neglect to mention that you will have to BUY additional hosting elsewhere. (So again, why not buy hosting elsewhere to begin with?)

Thanks
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Toby A

12 years ago

Just out of interest... with SBI, is it possible to allow people to post comments at the bottom of your pages, like a Blog?

If I recall correctly, there is a system within SBI where people can post comments using their FaceBook account...
... However, I think there's a possibility for folks to be less willing to comment if their comments are linked to their FB account... I'd welcome anyone's 2c on this.

Also, I think there was a feature called "Content 2.0" which enabled some sort of comments, but they ended up on a different page (I think?)... which isn't exactly what I'm looking for.

Thanks for reading

Thanks
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KevinRB

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Toby A

Also, I think there was a feature called "Content 2.0" which enabled some sort of comments, but they ended up on a different page (I think?)... which isn't exactly what I'm looking for.

Content 2.0 is designed to allow visitors to make posts and comments to your blog, so it is basically free content, the problem however with it is that depending on your niche, you can end up potentially with lots of "thin content pages" that might get you penalized by Google.

The only way that you can use Content 2.0 to allow your visitors to make comments is to write your articles and self-submit them to your site.....this is messy though because you are then tied to using the Content 2.0 template which is "clunky" to say the very least!.

There are plugins available with WordPress that I am sure offer exactly what you are looking for.....if I were you I would start my search there.

Thanks
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Steve B 12 years ago

Neil,

Thank you so much. I've downloaded now and it should make for some good late night reading.

I've personally found that one of the skills successful Internet marketers should work to hone is the ability to quickly skim material and recognize the helpful from the "fluff." [Fluff includes BS, over exaggeration, outdated junk, really anything that is not helpful.]

It comes with practice. This is a good place to hone.

Thanks again,

Steve
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Toby A

12 years ago

Originally Posted by KevinRB

Content 2.0 is designed to allow visitors to make posts and comments to your blog, so it is basically free content, the problem however with it is that depending on your niche, you can end up potentially with lots of "thin content pages" that might get you penalized by Google.

The only way that you can use Content 2.0 to allow your visitors to make comments is to write your articles and self-submit them to your site.....this is messy though because you are then tied to using the Content 2.0 template which is "clunky" to say the very least!.

There are plugins available with WordPress that I am sure offer exactly what you are looking for.....if I were you I would start my search there.

Thanks Kevin,
I am currently using WordPress for an number of sites, and I like their commenting system. However, I was curious as to what SBI's Content 2.0 actually looked like.

Also, when you say "write your articles and self-submit them to your site", does this mean uploading a new page, or something else?

And when someone wants to comment, does the first comment stay on the same page, or does it go straight over to a Page 2?

... I am trying to understand if it works (and looks) like Blog comments... Any screenshot or link would be welcome.

Thanks for reading, and for baring with me

PS: I actually had an SBI site, but it never made it thru the Penguin (Apr'12). Since this time, I have never found any credible instructions to repair a site that was hit by Penguin. If I recall correctly, when using the SBI forum, people were being advised to remove their Content 2.0 pages - as some part of a Panda or Penguin recovery "Self Audit"... So at the time, this put me off trying it.

Thanks
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KevinRB

12 years ago

Hi Toby

You just submit the content page via C2 instead of via the normal uploading method, you can then set C2 comments to either appear directly underneath your article or on separate pages.

I had multiple SBI sites but was initially hit by Panda then hit really hard by Penguin and was not happy with the Panda & Penguin report contents as I believe that MANY sites were hit badly by particularly Penguin, and the causes were far more to do with the whole way SBI is structured than any rogue methods that SBIers had used.....and this was not accurately reported back within the reports.

I now have all my sites within WordPress and am happy that they are now within my control rather than Sitesell's

Thanks
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Toby A

12 years ago

Thanks Kevin,

I see, so to make it a C2-friendly page, you just upload it thru C2, instead of what I used to do - which was Upload your own HTML (because I didn't use their BlockBuilder).

As for my previous SBI experience, I had followed the action guide and created great content... in fact, I was starting to get very encouraging feedback from my visitors.

My site survived the (Pre-Penguin) Panda updates, and didn't seem to be effected by them at all... tho I followed their Panda Self-Audit, just be safe.

As for my getting backlinks, I followed the "Link Building checklist" to make sure I followed their advice, and used their forum. If I recall correctly, there was an emphasis placed on trying to get in the big directories, like Dmoz. My site didn't make it in there, tho I did use a directory submission system that might have caused my site to get whacked by Penguin. I never received a Google WMT warning message - so I never knew for sure.

Did any of the SBIers who got whacked by Penguin, ever recover, or did they have to start over with a new domain?

Thanks for reading

Thanks
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KevinRB

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Toby A

Thanks Kevin,

I see, so to make it a C2-friendly page, you just upload it thru C2, instead of what I used to do - which was Upload your own HTML (because I didn't use their BlockBuilder).

As for my previous SBI experience, I had followed the action guide and created great content... in fact, I was starting to get very encouraging feedback from my visitors.

My site survived the (Pre-Penguin) Panda updates, and didn't seem to be effected by them at all... tho I followed their Panda Self-Audit, just be safe.

As for my getting backlinks, I followed the "Link Building checklist" to make sure I followed their advice, and used their forum. If I recall correctly, there was an emphasis placed on trying to get in the big directories, like Dmoz. My site didn't make it in there, tho I did use a directory submission system that might have caused my site to get whacked by Penguin. I never received a Google WMT warning message - so I never knew for sure.

Did any of the SBIers who got whacked by Penguin, ever recover, or did they have to start over with a new domain?

Thanks for reading

Your directory submission project I am sure did not help you, but many exSBIers now believe that it was the actual "over optimization" practices preached by SBI that brought them into the firing line with Google...."Analyze It!" being the main culprit generating keyword stuffed content for the search engines instead of for the site vistors.

Personally, I am just weighing up rebuilding my best exSBI sites onto new domains to make sure all the toxic damage caused to them, stays with them!.

Thanks
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Toby A

12 years ago

Originally Posted by KevinRB

Your directory submission project I am sure did not help you, but many exSBIers now believe that it was the actual "over optimization" practices preached by SBI that brought them into the firing line with Google...."Analyze It!" being the main culprit generating keyword stuffed content for the search engines instead of for the site vistors.

Personally, I am just weighing up rebuilding my best exSBI sites onto new domains to make sure all the toxic damage caused to them, stays with them!.

I'm afraid that my mass-submission indulgence could have been down to "Directory Maximizer".

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curationsoft

12 years ago

i never heard about it, can anyone share a copy of that course?

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RoseHunt

Banned 12 years ago

I know I tried reading it once but I just got too scared of it, sooooo many pages! But it seems that a lot of people claimed that it helped them, so oh what the hell, I guess I could give it another shot. Thanks for the link!

Thanks

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owais211

Banned 12 years ago

A reminder there of the great though massive IM book,thanks to Ken Evoy.
I actually learned IM basics with it,they still work for me today
Thanks

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Neil Morgan

11 years ago

Wow - I just found this thread is still active!

As others have said, while the landscape has certainly changed and some of the specifics are (of course) no longer relevant, the basics remain the same and probably always will.

I still remember the excitement of reading Ken's material. Above everything else I read at the time, it was Ken's material that set me on my path, a path I've now been on for over 13 years.

Cheers,

Neil

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Toby A

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Neil Morgan

Wow - I just found this thread is still active!

As others have said, while the landscape has certainly changed and some of the specifics are (of course) no longer relevant, the basics remain the same and probably always will.

I still remember the excitement of reading Ken's material. Above everything else I read at the time, it was Ken's material that set me on my path, a path I've now been on for over 13 years.

Cheers,

Neil

Hi Neil,
I agree that many of Ken's philosophies do seem to have stood the test of time. I have read reviews about him on other sites referring to him as the inventor of Pre-selling, etc.

Tho, can you please share with me, what teachings you think might be a bit out of date now? - Or what you think might be missing, now that the internet has changed since this material was written?

Thanks
~Toby

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