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Making a Comeback From IM Hiatus

by hyderkhan
21 replies
Hello everyone!

I've been on a hiatus from Internet Marketing since the summer of 2012.

Back then I was working with a mentor who was providing coaching to a bunch of students here on how to build up an army of niche sites, get them ranked in Google, and start earning passive income with them. (At one point he even produced a checklist on how to create as many as 60 websites per month!)

But then right around that time, Google started doing all of their algorithm changes. The mentor, who himself claimed to have well over 300+ websites each making money through adsense / affiliate marketing every day.

So he himself lost (according to his own statement) over 80% of his revenue. The whole house of cards came crashing down. So needless to say he wasn't offering his coaching session anymore, since it was based on the principles of back linking, creating private blog networks, keyword stuffing, registering EMD .com domains, cookie stuffing, etc. etc.

I myself moved on..

... But now I'm thinking to make a comeback.

Is creating a portfolio of "authority" websites (eg- a site with 100+ articles, 100,000 words), but using all Google-friendly (or other-than-Google) means of generating traffic to the website still viable in the year 2014?

Are there people on this forum who were adversely affected by the Google algorithm changes, but were able to bounce back again, and are making the 4 / 5 / 6 figure income that they once were?

Just need some motivation to help me get back into the game.

(At my peak, I was able to clear about $500 per month through Clickbank article directory marketing (not article syndication) and getting my money site ranked in Google using keyword research. But I sold that site on Flippa and now I have no more websites anymore.

Does keyword research even work the same way anymore as before?

Need help re-orienting myself back into the game.

I want to start by coming up with a blueprint to start making my first milestone to be $100 per day online ($3K per month) and then go from there.

Anyone out there who has found 4 / 5 / 6 figure success out there who can mentor someone (me) who is seriously wiling to put in the time and the effort to get there? (I know it's not easy. I have put in the time in the old days, writing hundreds of articles, spending countless hours trying to hack Wordpress, and working on how to generate backlinks, etc.) So I'm not new to the game. Just looking to get back into it. (And I know the spiel... It's not a get rich quick scheme. It might take time to get to that point.) What works and doesn't work in 2014?

Thank you everyone!
#comeback #hiatus #making
  • Profile picture of the author nicholasb
    I wouldn't really follow that module, you know first hand that it sucks. That will just continue to happen with every algorithm change.

    Your better off to create your own product, setup some simple campaigns and funnels to sell it and attract JV's and affiliates to promote it for you.

    I wouldn't build my house on quicksand and I wouldn't build a business that relies on SEO, it's jsut a slow painful process and a disaster waiting to happen .
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  • Profile picture of the author zerofatzreturns
    Yeah man the major change to this whole thing is that it's a lot more about the customer now and a lot less about the search engines. Google's goal of making their search engine "intuitive" is more realized now than ever. So the idea is to really start with a solid foundation and then build a good reputation in your niche around it.

    Lets say your in the RC planes niche. Well what if you built a blog that dealt with your life and passion for RC planes? Lets say you provided good value on that site to all the other RC plane enthusiasts out there right? Let's say you have a little membership attached to that blog (continuity). Lets say you have an opt-in and provide a nice free product (building a list). And with this kind of model you can make much more than 500 a month.

    In many ways things are easier now because you are going to be marketing to people and not to search engines. The search engines are getting smart enough to where you can start to do that now.

    Good luck brother!


    Kam (aka zerofatz)
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    How I earned my first $1000 with affiliate marketing...
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  • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
    I suspect there's quite a few of us in the same boat. A few if the gurus seem to still be out there, but I haven't laid out the $$$$'s to see if they've changed their tunes or if they are just rinsing and repeating the same old stuff to new audiences.
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    Robin



    ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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  • Profile picture of the author hyderkhan
    The whole concept of ranking in Google was to get the traffic. Since we no longer can depend on that, it begs the question in 2014 and beyond:

    How do we (or how SHOULD we, rather) try to get traffic to our website organically?

    Does writing 100 articles for your website, each optimized for a different long tail keyword, still work?

    eg) You have 100 different long tail keywords, each keyword maybe only gets 10 searchers per month (if even that), but when you have 100 of these on a single site, you will cumulatively get like 1000 visitors per month / day?

    Does that still work in today's world?

    I've read a lot about focusing on writing good content, and not writing for the search engines.

    * So does that mean there is no "formula" that can be followed anymore? *

    eg) Do X, Y, Z... and see how much traffic you get... Split test, rinse and repeat, and scale up?

    In today's world, how is it? Do we just write and write and write, and hope that we get traffic (if Google feels that our traffic is worth it)?
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    • Profile picture of the author John D
      My original business model was setting up niche websites, and yes...like you said the google update took my sites from over 1000 organic search hits a day to about 15 a day. Most of them never made a comeback
      So I would avoid that time consuming and tedious process again and get into product creation and/or list building if I were you.
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      • Profile picture of the author hyderkhan
        Originally Posted by John D View Post

        My original business model was setting up niche websites, and yes...like you said the google update took my sites from over 1000 organic search hits a day to about 15 a day. Most of them never made a comeback
        So I would avoid that time consuming and tedious process again and get into product creation and/or list building if I were you.
        John D,

        So when you say "Avoid that time consuming and tedious process", are you referring to the process of writing (or outsourcing the writing of) 100 articles all optimized for long tail keywords?

        And when you say "get into product creation"... do you mean create my own product (eg an ebook to be listed on Clickbank or Amazon) as opposed to being an affiliate marketer?

        And when you say "get into list building".... Yes I know that list building is essential...

        But I guess my question is more focused on "how do you drive traffic to your website 2014"?

        Or maybe, I should rename (or start a new thread) entitled "Ok, since we shouldn't be depending on Google to drive traffic to our website, what are other alternative, viable means to generate (potentially) massive amounts of traffic to your websites?
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        Looking To Help A Fellow Warrior Out.

        Need a Wordpress website built? I know Wordpress, MySQL, PHP, and even GIMP, and can help you build your website.

        I'm looking to JV with anyone with a drive to succeed. Send me a PM.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

      The whole concept of ranking in Google was to get the traffic.
      Was that traffic ever actually worth anything much to you? Even back then??

      Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

      Does writing 100 articles for your website, each optimized for a different long tail keyword, still work?
      "Still"? Did it ever?

      Publishing content just on your own site isn't a traffic-generation method worth talking about at all. The only traffic that that can ever bring you, realistically, is a little gradual, eventual, search engine traffic, and you already know that that isn't a viable business. Articles have nothing to do with SEO.

      Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

      eg) You have 100 different long tail keywords, each keyword maybe only gets 10 searchers per month (if even that), but when you have 100 of these on a single site, you will cumulatively get like 1000 visitors per month / day?

      Does that still work in today's world?
      I don't for a moment think it does (I'm not even convinced it ever did - not since I've been online anyway), but who cares: that's barely monetizable traffic anyway?

      Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

      I've read a lot about focusing on writing good content, and not writing for the search engines.
      Yes indeed.

      But it's not enough to write good content. You have to get it published in the right places, too.

      Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

      Do we just write and write and write, and hope that we get traffic (if Google feels that our traffic is worth it)?
      Why would you care what Google feels???

      By your own account, you've already worked with a "mentor" who lost 80% of his own business because he cared what Google felt - but after all that debacle, you're still asking questions about Google?!

      Does this help you? It's a one-post overview of how good content can bring you floods of highly targeted, highly responsive traffic, without it being any of Google's business at all (it's about a traffic-generation method called "article marketing"): http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post5035794

      .
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  • Profile picture of the author renhoek
    I was in the same position you are, built the sites around google and only recently came back more determined than ever to make a living at IM. I have chosen the "build a list, funnel, and affiliate" route. Welcome back
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  • Profile picture of the author jimvol
    There are so many ways to build an income online. You can still do affiliate products and pay for traffic to your site.

    A lot of people are finding better success by finding their passion in life... and building a website around that passion... then start networking with people who share similar passions.

    Find out how you can help these people with similar passions but less knowledge and you are on your way to branding yourself as an expert in your field.

    Then build your email list.. your money is in your list.

    Thanks!

    Jeremiah
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    • Profile picture of the author hyderkhan
      Originally Posted by jimvol View Post

      There are so many ways to build an income online. You can still do affiliate products and pay for traffic to your site.

      A lot of people are finding better success by finding their passion in life... and building a website around that passion... then start networking with people who share similar passions.

      Find out how you can help these people with similar passions but less knowledge and you are on your way to branding yourself as an expert in your field.

      Then build your email list.. your money is in your list.

      Thanks!

      Jeremiah
      Hmm.... Paying for traffic to your site?

      I suppose you are referring to PPC?

      Or are you referring to "paying to marketing to an email list"? (whatever that is called.)

      As for building the website and putting content, I got that figured out.

      But as Alexa was alluding to above, I guess the purpose of writing the content should not be to make it "Google-friendly", but people-friendly. (Therefore, you don't write with SEO in mind??)

      And you find some other way to drive traffic to your website?

      As for article syndication etc. where can I find a definitive guide for that, that still works in the year 2014?

      Are there any *reputable* article syndication services out there, who can do the syndication for me, for a fee, and with guaranteed results?
      Signature
      Looking To Help A Fellow Warrior Out.

      Need a Wordpress website built? I know Wordpress, MySQL, PHP, and even GIMP, and can help you build your website.

      I'm looking to JV with anyone with a drive to succeed. Send me a PM.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

        Are there any *reputable* article syndication services out there, who can do the syndication for me, for a fee, and with guaranteed results?
        Alas, no. It just doesn't work that way. It's a real relationship-building business, and having someone else do it for you (even if there were) would be of limited value, and would just make you dependent on them (instead of on Google!). It's something you need to do yourself, really: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6575732

        However, there are also countless other non-Google-dependent traffic-generation methods. Article marketing is far from the only one (it just happens to be "my one" and you were talking about "content" ). http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ffic-tips.html

        .
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  • Profile picture of the author jeffsolochek
    In order to bypass the Google thing look into having your own google Hangouts. Since Google owns Youtube you will get very good rankings in both Youtube and Google in a very short period. If you need any other assistance let me know I can probably direct you to some good mentors
    Signature

    Jeff Solochek
    http://www.jeffreysolochek.com/blog
    http://www.networkcelebrity.com

    I also build blogs for companies and individuals

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  • Profile picture of the author AlyseS
    You have such a great opportunity in front of you. You can choose to stop all the madness (ie living and ultimately dying by Google, getting burnt out from writing long boring articles, researching long tail keywords, backlinking etc) and start something you actually like/love/enjoy...a niche/hobby you actually spend money in or would spend money in.

    I can't believe nobody has mentioned it yet, but social media makes it soooo easy to get targeted free or cheap/paid traffic, AND it's the best place to promote something fun that you actually like instead of doing weight loss, tinnitus, MMO or whatever because that's what everyone says is profitable.

    You also don't need to write a ton of content for social media either...just share cool stuff, build a following and suggest stuff with your affiliate link. Obviously, you can do much more with it, but that's pretty much the bare minimum to start making money.

    You can choose to make it more complicated and ultimately more lucrative by build an authority site, building lists, creating your own products/ecommerce stores/FBA etc along side your social media efforts.

    The traffic is there. You just have to be interesting enough to grab it. Oh yeah, and Google's official word was that social signals don't matter in ranking, but they actually do. You could kill 2 birds with one stone AND have fun doing it. Think about it....

    I hope you start something awesome, and don't get tempted to fall into your comfort zone of figuring out the next best way to game Google.
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    • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
      Originally Posted by AlyseS View Post

      <snip>
      get tempted to fall into your comfort zone of figuring out the next best way to game Google.
      Google probably has a thousand techs making 6 figures whose job it is to stop people from gaming them. Sounds like an all around bad idea.
      Signature

      Robin



      ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
    Google probably has a thousand techs making 6 figures whose job it is to stop people from gaming them.
    And by all accounts, they love their work.
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    Get Off The Warrior Forum Now & Don't Come Back If You Want To Succeed!
    All The Real Marketers Are Gone. There's Nothing Left But Weak, Sniveling Wanna-Bees!
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  • Profile picture of the author mrdeflation
    building a list seems like the only way except I cant even figure out how you get traffic to a list as even google adwords doesnt allow buying traffic to think landing pages.

    where you are you getting your list traffic from in the first place?
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    • Profile picture of the author John Pagulayan
      Originally Posted by mrdeflation View Post

      building a list seems like the only way except I cant even figure out how you get traffic to a list as even google adwords doesnt allow buying traffic to think landing pages.

      where you are you getting your list traffic from in the first place?
      Facebook (to some extent), CPC/CPV, Banner Exchanges and other sites allow traffic to go directly to a landing page.

      In short, almost everything except Google. =)

      You can bypass Adwords though by ditecting traffic to an article (that pre-sells)with a link at the end that when clicked pops up an email capture form.
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    I've learned a long time ago that building a business on "tricks" never lasts
    for very long. I also bought a $3,000 software to build Adsense sites
    and never even made back my investment with 100 domains. Maybe
    it was my fault because some other users said they did well, but the
    whole model depended too much on factors outside of my control.

    -Ray Edwards
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    The most powerful and concentrated copywriting training online today bar none! Autoresponder Writing Email SECRETS
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  • Profile picture of the author Miguelito203
    Originally Posted by hyderkhan View Post

    Hello everyone!

    I've been on a hiatus from Internet Marketing since the summer of 2012.

    Back then I was working with a mentor who was providing coaching to a bunch of students here on how to build up an army of niche sites, get them ranked in Google, and start earning passive income with them. (At one point he even produced a checklist on how to create as many as 60 websites per month!)

    But then right around that time, Google started doing all of their algorithm changes. The mentor, who himself claimed to have well over 300+ websites each making money through adsense / affiliate marketing every day.

    So he himself lost (according to his own statement) over 80% of his revenue. The whole house of cards came crashing down. So needless to say he wasn't offering his coaching session anymore, since it was based on the principles of back linking, creating private blog networks, keyword stuffing, registering EMD .com domains, cookie stuffing, etc. etc.

    I myself moved on..

    ... But now I'm thinking to make a comeback.

    Is creating a portfolio of "authority" websites (eg- a site with 100+ articles, 100,000 words), but using all Google-friendly (or other-than-Google) means of generating traffic to the website still viable in the year 2014?

    Are there people on this forum who were adversely affected by the Google algorithm changes, but were able to bounce back again, and are making the 4 / 5 / 6 figure income that they once were?

    Just need some motivation to help me get back into the game.

    (At my peak, I was able to clear about $500 per month through Clickbank article directory marketing (not article syndication) and getting my money site ranked in Google using keyword research. But I sold that site on Flippa and now I have no more websites anymore.

    Does keyword research even work the same way anymore as before?

    Need help re-orienting myself back into the game.

    I want to start by coming up with a blueprint to start making my first milestone to be $100 per day online ($3K per month) and then go from there.

    Anyone out there who has found 4 / 5 / 6 figure success out there who can mentor someone (me) who is seriously wiling to put in the time and the effort to get there? (I know it's not easy. I have put in the time in the old days, writing hundreds of articles, spending countless hours trying to hack Wordpress, and working on how to generate backlinks, etc.) So I'm not new to the game. Just looking to get back into it. (And I know the spiel... It's not a get rich quick scheme. It might take time to get to that point.) What works and doesn't work in 2014?

    Thank you everyone!
    I personally don't think that much has changed. From my perspective, it doesn't really matter if you want to create a larger site or a micro-niche site, your main focus should be to provide quality content to the end-user, based on what he or she is searching for. This means thorough reviews and articles -- not keyword stuffing or publishing a bunch of spun content.

    When it comes to S.E.O., it seems like the search engines have made it easier to rank and get traffic. The basics still work and will start bringing you natural backlinks in a short time. You don't have to do anything unethical or weird to see results.

    Joey
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    Learn How to Snipe in 2015 and Generate $750+ per Month in Record Time (Product Launches) - Great For Back-to-School, Fall & Holiday Seasons!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    Forget all this Google nonsense...

    As one poster mentioned above, social media is where
    it's at today and will be for the forseeable future. Where else
    are you going to find thousands of people clustered around
    topics they are passionate about... for free?

    Rather than attempt to outline it all for you here I'm going to
    recommend you find everything you can find from a guy named
    Gary Vaynerchuk.

    Start with You Tube... he has a ton of incredibly good stuff there
    about marketing on social media. He's the real deal... he's made
    millions from social media... he is the master... period.

    When you're done watching his videos go to Amazon and read his
    books. The best one on social media is "Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook."

    Don't waste another second of your valuable time trying to figure out
    how to master Google. Your audience is waiting for you on Facebook,
    Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and You Tube... and they're easy to find.
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    If you knew what I know you'd be doing what I do...
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Villanueva
    The best way and future way of getting a long term online business is to provide real solutions to people's problems. The days of spam and shiny banners are dying and attraction marketing through value is the wave of the future.

    Better
    Get on that surf
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    Need a Coach to generate leads and TRIPLE your online business income?
    Let me Inspire and Empower You!
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