Back to the drawing board...

by GGpaul
24 replies
Hey all, so I've been doing online marketing for 3 years now. And it just hit me...

Do I really want to make affiliate sites left and right? Is that going to be profitable? Maybe for an X amount of months. But as far as a long term business model NO.

I've been thinking what can I make long term.. but it's been a challenge for me. Yes, I get the basics "find a niche, something you're good at, etc. etc." But is that really true? For instance, what if I made a dating/matching site (match.com, plentyoffish,etc), does that mean I have to be good at hooking up with people?

So.... I guess what I'm asking is what's your experience when you built a long term business? Or better yet, BEFORE You made a profitable business, how did you setup your drawing board? What helped you stir ideas to create this "business" of yours? Again, I'm not looking into fast income/short sales/affiliate this and that. I'm thinking about a business. Online of course.

I guess I'm a bit lost as to what I want to offer as far as products/value for customers/people etc. And it's much harder than the simple saying "find a niche."

Thanks.
#back #board #drawing
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    Do I really want to make affiliate sites left and right?
    I do. I look at it slightly differently from how you've worded it, though, I admit: I want to make "affiliate lists" left and right (i.e. potential customer lists for the promotion of products as an affiliate), and the purpose of all my "affiliate sites" is simply to build my lists. It's my lists that build my business, really, not my sites.

    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    Is that going to be profitable? Maybe for an X amount of months. But as far as a long term business model NO.
    Whyever not?

    It is for me ... I've been doing this only a couple of years longer than you, but my income from each individual niche site/list gradually increases over time (and I have 9 of them, now).

    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    I've been thinking what can I make long term.
    I'm surprised, honestly ... I think of affiliate marketing niches as "long term". They build up a solid, asset-based business which leads to increasing income and the underlying asset-value increases too. That's a "real, long-term business", isn't it? :confused:

    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    what I'm asking is what's your experience when you built a long term business?
    It's affiliate marketing, for me. That is my long-term business.

    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    I'm not looking into fast income/short sales/affiliate this and that. I'm thinking about a business.
    I'm also not looking at fast income or short sales, but I'm very much looking at affiliate this and that!

    Sorry ... not the type of answer you wanted at all, I appreciate, but the wording of your question surprised me, here, a lot. Really.
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    • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      I do. I look at it slightly differently from how you've worded it, though, I admit: I want to make "affiliate lists" left and right (i.e. potential customer lists for the promotion of products as an affiliate), and the purpose of all my "affiliate sites" is simply to build my lists. It's my lists that build my business, really, not my sites.



      Whyever not?

      It is for me ... I've been doing this only a couple of years longer than you, but my income from each individual niche site/list gradually increases over time (and I have 9 of them, now).



      I'm surprised, honestly ... I think of affiliate marketing niches as "long term". They build up a solid, asset-based business which leads to increasing income and the underlying asset-value increases too. That's a "real, long-term business", isn't it? :confused:



      It's affiliate marketing, for me. That is my long-term business.



      I'm also not looking at fast income or short sales, but I'm very much looking at affiliate this and that!

      Sorry ... not the type of answer you wanted at all, I appreciate, but the wording of your question surprised me, here, a lot. Really.
      Thanks for responding!
      Well that made me look things into a different perspective. LOL.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ltemodel
      Once you have the list, traffic and the content rich site built from article marketing, you can always develop your own product to match the audience you already serve as an affiliate.

      I heard Ed Dale give a talk a couple years ago. He said in this day and age, traffic is hard and product creation is easy. Years ago it used to be the other way around.

      Once you have a list and traffic, the sky is the limit.

      Read everything Alexa is saying on this board. She is sharp. She is building the most valuable asset you can have on line; the audience.

      If you look at everything Google has been doing and saying lately; her strategy falls right into place.

      Good Luck
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      • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
        Originally Posted by Ltemodel View Post

        Once you have the list, traffic and the content rich site built from article marketing, you can always develop your own product to match the audience you already serve as an affiliate.

        I heard Ed Dale give a talk a couple years ago. He said in this day and age, traffic is hard and product creation is easy. Years ago it used to be the other way around.

        Once you have a list and traffic, the sky is the limit.

        Read everything Alexa is saying on this board. She is sharp. She is building the most valuable asset you can have on line; the audience.

        If you look at everything Google has been doing and saying lately; her strategy falls right into place.

        Good Luck
        Thanks. So you're suggesting get into a niche as an affiliate, master that field/traffic and from there expand by having my own product.
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        • Profile picture of the author Ltemodel
          You can.
          Or, you can keep making money as an affiliate.

          Once you have the audience which wants to hear what you have to say.

          Sell them anything which will make their life better.

          Here is a little side step from the original topic, but I'm getting the feeling you are in the same place as I was for a long time ... maybe the same place many marketers get to.

          I was at a conference this last weekend and John Carlton really blew it apart for me.

          He said, "If you have a product that will seriously help enrich peoples lives ... it is your duty to sell it to them any way possible." "Shame on you if you don't!"

          But, he also said in the same breath, "Shame on you if you sell them a piece of crap just to make money."

          I'm paraphrasing a little, but he did actually say, "Shame on you!"

          Your traffic ... your audience ... and your relationship with them is precious. Treat them well and they will buy from you for a long time and build you a very nice business.
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          • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
            Originally Posted by Ltemodel View Post

            You can.
            Or, you can keep making money as an affiliate.

            Once you have the audience which wants to hear what you have to say.

            Sell them anything which will make their life better.

            Here is a little side step from the original topic, but I'm getting the feeling you are in the same place as I was for a long time ... maybe the same place many marketers get to.

            I was at a conference this last weekend and John Carlton really blew it apart for me.

            He said, "If you have a product that will seriously help enrich peoples lives ... it is your duty to sell it to them any way possible." "Shame on you if you don't!"

            But, he also said in the same breath, "Shame on you if you sell them a piece of crap just to make money."

            I'm paraphrasing a little, but he did actually say, "Shame on you!"

            Your traffic ... your audience ... and your relationship with them is precious. Treat them well and they will buy from you for a long time and build you a very nice business.
            Right on. Another thing is, I like to think of the "bigger picture" I don't KNOW for sure if you can make "millions" some day as an affiliate. But I for sure would love to be up there to own a million dollar business. I guess that's all in due time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    I've been thinking what can I make long term.. but it's been a challenge for me. Yes, I get the basics "find a niche, something you're good at, etc. etc." But is that really true? For instance, what if I made a dating/matching site (match.com, plentyoffish,etc), does that mean I have to be good at hooking up with people?
    There are several valid reasons why it can be to your advantage to engage in a business that you already know something about.

    First, you have an advantage over others in the niche that don't have previous experience. You can "talk the language," give stories and examples from your previous experiences, and generally be seen as more of an authority in the niche than most newcomers.

    Second, it's much easier to maintain your spirits, drive and patience in the early weeks/months of your business when you're probably not making a lot of money, in my opinion, if you have passion for the niche.

    Third, you hopefully have developed some contacts or even a network of people and resources if you've been in the niche for awhile. This should come in handy in a number of ways including saving you the time that a total newbie would spend in establishing the same kind of resources.

    Fourth, you are a better judge of what constitutes quality in the niche and you will have a better feel for what your audience wants and how you can give it to them - over a total newbie.

    Lastly, you should be able to better understand and write about (provide niche content) the issues, news, and developments in the niche over someone that is new.

    Yes, there are people that do well in a niche that know nothing about it going in. They become students and learn quickly as they go. It is not a prerequisite to have knowledge, passion, and experience in a niche where your business will reside, but I personally believe it has some nice advantages that I, for one, like to exploit.

    Good luck to you,

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
    @Alexa I think it's because now I've experienced both ends. Before I got hired at my job, I was doing affiliate marketing. And now at my job (I do SEO for this company), I figured why can't I own a company like this? Or why can't I do something in that aspect? Which is why I brought up these questions.

    Perhaps affiliate is long term, but I guess I've been more interested in having a business other than affiliates.
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    • Profile picture of the author hamzidosh
      Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

      Perhaps affiliate is long term, but I guess I've been more interested in having a business other than affiliates.
      Same reason I want to now build a system.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hartmann
    It sounds like you find helping people more directly, as in the seo company, is more fulfilling than recommending other people's products to people you don't really know. I think a lot of people struggle with this and don't cherish the idea of creating heaps of websites using this model. You might get more value and enjoyment by creating your own product - virtual or physical. What that product is, is the hard part. Many people start in affiliate marketing as a way to learn what kind of products sell so they can create them themselves. So affiliate marketing is a stepping stone to delivering more value to people with your own products. But then other people seem to settle on aff marketing as their only business model but I suspect that there is a product lurking inside them just waiting to come out !
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  • Profile picture of the author brettb
    Better to choose a niche where you have daily inspiration.

    There are many Thailand blogs out there. But if I started one I'd have a huge advantage - I live there.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

      @Alexa I think it's because now I've experienced both ends. Before I got hired at my job, I was doing affiliate marketing. And now at my job (I do SEO for this company), I figured why can't I own a company like this? Or why can't I do something in that aspect? Which is why I brought up these questions.

      Perhaps affiliate is long term, but I guess I've been more interested in having a business other than affiliates.
      GG, "affiliate marketing" sometimes gets a bad rap. In the real world, "affiliate marketer" and "independent sales rep" (not Independent Sales Rep, as in an MLM position title) are basically the same thing. You are matching buyers and sellers together, for the benefit of all, if you're doing it right.

      This has nothing to do with throwing up multiple "review" sites (based on what I've seen, the word choice is an apt one), trying to trick both spiders and humans, lying to people, etc.

      Nothing says you can't own a service company if that's what floats your boat. Just don't throw out a viable option because of tainted perceptions. Look at the model, not the shady practices.
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  • Profile picture of the author ronrule
    The real money is with ecommerce. Its the difference between jumping from product to product and building a sustainable business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    You are right ronrule, evergreen niches like forex, trading, ecommerce are always continuous as long as you are breathing, and they are high profitable niches.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheFury
    Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

    Hey all, so I've been doing online marketing for 3 years now. And it just hit me...

    Do I really want to make affiliate sites left and right? Is that going to be profitable? Maybe for an X amount of months. But as far as a long term business model NO.

    I've been thinking what can I make long term.. but it's been a challenge for me. Yes, I get the basics "find a niche, something you're good at, etc. etc." But is that really true? For instance, what if I made a dating/matching site (match.com, plentyoffish,etc), does that mean I have to be good at hooking up with people?

    So.... I guess what I'm asking is what's your experience when you built a long term business? Or better yet, BEFORE You made a profitable business, how did you setup your drawing board? What helped you stir ideas to create this "business" of yours? Again, I'm not looking into fast income/short sales/affiliate this and that. I'm thinking about a business. Online of course.

    I guess I'm a bit lost as to what I want to offer as far as products/value for customers/people etc. And it's much harder than the simple saying "find a niche."

    Thanks.
    Dating site market is saturated and requires large amounts of cap ex to get started.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    This is simple for me. I do what I like. I do what I'd do anyway even if I weren't getting paid. My thing is writing both fiction and nonfiction. There are many ways to monetize writing.

    I've tried lots of things to make money online. Some were very profitable, some not. The problem I had with almost all of it was it didn't hold my interest. Getting up in the morning knowing I was going to be writing content about registry cleaners or acne cures or holistic diets or alternative energy breakthroughs made me cringe. I had to force myself to get busy.

    Same thing when I was a freelancer. Getting paid writing stuff that would make the client a small fortune as s/he got paid multiple times for my work while I only got paid once. Ugh.

    Now, most often, I can't wait to get to work because I find it exciting, gratifying and profitable. I know some people can just flip a switch and work at almost anything but I'm sure not one of them. It took me a while to figure this out as I believe it does with all but a few.
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    • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
      Originally Posted by brettb View Post

      Better to choose a niche where you have daily inspiration.

      There are many Thailand blogs out there. But if I started one I'd have a huge advantage - I live there.
      As someone who also lives there and follows a lot of blogs on Thailand you really wouldn't have a huge advantage over any of the main blogs as I've yet to see one created by someone who didn't live here, all are clearly legit and know their stuff.

      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      I've tried lots of things to make money online. Some were very profitable, some not. The problem I had with almost all of it was it didn't hold my interest. Getting up in the morning knowing I was going to be writing content about registry cleaners or acne cures or holistic diets or alternative energy breakthroughs made me cringe. I had to force myself to get busy.

      Same thing when I was a freelancer. Getting paid writing stuff that would make the client a small fortune as s/he got paid multiple times for my work while I only got paid once. Ugh.

      Now, most often, I can't wait to get to work because I find it exciting, gratifying and profitable. I know some people can just flip a switch and work at almost anything but I'm sure not one of them. It took me a while to figure this out as I believe it does with all but a few.
      This resonates with me. Any project I've started where I've not been interested in the topic of the site has not done well. I can't motivate myself to do the work or promote it when I've no interest.

      Some of those projects had huge potential too.

      I also tried the freelance writing thing once. Got some nice paying jobs straight off the bat too but again found it a struggle to write for someone else. Lasted about a week before I gave up on it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Fun to Write
      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      This is simple for me. I do what I like. I do what I'd do anyway even if I weren't getting paid. My thing is writing both fiction and nonfiction. There are many ways to monetize writing.

      I've tried lots of things to make money online. Some were very profitable, some not. The problem I had with almost all of it was it didn't hold my interest. Getting up in the morning knowing I was going to be writing content about registry cleaners or acne cures or holistic diets or alternative energy breakthroughs made me cringe. I had to force myself to get busy.

      Same thing when I was a freelancer. Getting paid writing stuff that would make the client a small fortune as s/he got paid multiple times for my work while I only got paid once. Ugh.

      Now, most often, I can't wait to get to work because I find it exciting, gratifying and profitable. I know some people can just flip a switch and work at almost anything but I'm sure not one of them. It took me a while to figure this out as I believe it does with all but a few.
      I second this BIG TIME!

      I've had a similar experience and realization.

      It really boils down to staying within your "wheelhouse" of natural interests and talents.

      Stop chasing the money angle if you really want to build long-term success.

      Focus on what it is that you do really well, have a high interest in and don't mind spending countless hours working on.
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      • Profile picture of the author uttoransen
        I have made money online by various business models and each seemed good for a while. Back in 2007, adsense used to give me regular income, even got $300+ a month from info-links etc. But now, maintaining a content sites does not seems like a long term business with pandas and penguins around.

        My suggestion is, start a good membership site - anything profitable and that you are comfortable with. If it grows every month - it will be a nice source of recurring profits.
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    hmmm....but there is huge money in affiliate marketing. Get your "systems" in place (everything is about systems) and the sky is the limit.

    Many big businesses are simply "middlemen." Do not think it isn't a real business modul
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    i'd rather make $1m+ per annum

    --------------------------------------------------------
    Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post
    This is simple for me. I do what I like. I do what I'd do anyway even if I weren't getting paid. My thing is writing both fiction and nonfiction. There are many ways to monetize writing.
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    you keep saying this like it's the only method.

    (more in other market i.m.h.o.)

    The real money is with ecommerce. Its the difference between jumping from product to product and building a sustainable business.
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    Dead right..it' not affiliate marketing that isn't real business it's 98% o people doing it that do not treat it like a business.

    Glencore....is essentially affiliate marketing but in bulk commodities. $200 BILLION revenues.

    GG, "affiliate marketing" sometimes gets a bad rap. In the real world, "affiliate marketer" and "independent sales rep" (not Independent Sales Rep, as in an MLM position title) are basically the same thing. You are matching buyers and sellers together, for the benefit of all, if you're doing it right.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris-
    What interests me is building a business, not a job. A business is something that can be outsourced or sold, so I am only interested in IM methods which can be realistically outsourced, and scaled-up.

    Affiliate marketing certainly fits that . . . I had one attempt at scaling up my small but successful Amazon "empire" a couple of years ago, but made some big mistakes (over-backlinking, assuming Google will give you more traffic if you do what makes it better for the visitor etc,) but I certainly learned a lot, and might go that route again some time.

    A lot of IM methods can be outsourced and scaled. I want to focus on creating new working methods, not doing the daily admin of a system which already works, so IM is a great choice for me, a good fit with my interests.

    Chris
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