The web is full of outdated information on internet marketing and online business strategies. That's not limited to courses and training material either...
Some people are teaching these methods currently, without realizing they are outdated or that they don't actually work on today's web.
Why would they do that? Simple: because they don't know any better. Because they haven't tested them personally, or because they decided to teach instead of DO. Which is unfortunate.
It's also a bit ridiculous because there is much more money to be made actually running a real online business, than there is teaching people how to run a business that will never work (or at least, not for long).
BUT, that's not the only thing you need to watch out for online. There may also be an issue with the way you are studying internet marketing...
I've been working online myself for going on 17 years now so I have a unique historical perspective of the web. And of online business & marketing specifically, and on the way people go about learning it or getting started online.
Unfortunately, by the time I meet most of the people I get to talk to they've already been mislead and become frustrated. Most of them have spent far too much money and way too much time learning "wrong methods" - and some have even experienced the fallout from that, such as Google penalties or worse.
Be Cautious. But Also Be Smart!
Yes you do have to watch out for scammers, and even for nice people with good intentions that teach bad information because they don't know any better.
On that note, in order to be successful teaching it you have to be successful doing it - or at least be able to get your market seeing consistent results. If your students, readers, etc are NOT seeing results, you'll lose them. Which is no good for anyone on either side of that situation.
But in addition to doing your research and due diligence before deciding where to learn and who to learn from, HOW you choose to learn matters too!
What do I mean? To put it simply: only learn what you need to know to achieve the ONE thing you are working on right now. Or in other words, learn as you go.
With the constantly changing web, it doesn't make any sense to study everything upfront before you implement. This is the same as studying outdated information, as it may very well be outdated by the time you take action on it!
Whether it's methods, strategies, theory or even resources - you only want to pay attention to information that is specifically relevant to what you are doing right now.
And if you're not yet doing anything? Stop studying, period!
Even if you're studying current, relevant training - it's totally useless to you personally if you're not ready to implement it TODAY.
This is the reason I chose to release my Niche Success Blueprint course in a weekly training format. First, because it allows me to teach timely information that works right now, as I'm creating each weekly training module as we go.
And second, because it gives you the opportunity to "implement as you go" in a step-by-step manner - doing the right tasks in the right order to achieve success online as quickly as possible (without getting derailed or distracted).
Like I said, RESULTS are the key to any successful course or training program. Not only for the people studying, but also for the person teaching.
If you aren't seeing results, you'll stop taking the course. And if you are, you'll continue - and also recommend it to others, continue reading my blog, continue interacting and engaging with me online, etc.
So as you can see, this topic is important to everyone in the industry. Both in terms of how you teach, and how you learn. And of course it's relevant in every other niche or business model, no matter what kind of "results" you want to help your market achieve - or what format you use to encourage those results. 😉
Consider how you are learning, who you are learning from, which groups or communities you're actively involved in, which events you choose to attend both online and offline, and even how you are teaching if that applies.
And on that note, read this next:
Choose Your Internet Marketing and Business Groups Wisely
You'll learn best by considering what makes the most sense for your business and your market, and then testing/tweaking as you go. As for courses and training, look at what's working in your market, look at who's doing (not just teaching) and of course ask trusted sources for recommendations...
Best,
p.s. If you want help with the latest online marketing strategies, and advice on how to take advantage of the current trends, join us in my Private Mastermind Group.
I'll work with you personally there (hands-on), and you'll also get complimentary access to both of my current/evergreen social media & niche success courses that will help you fast-track your online business to maximum profit potential...
We discuss all the latest updates and brainstorm creative ways to capitalize on trends as they're happening. You'll love how active and engaged our group is! We also met live twice a week for Brainstorming Hour sessions that you'll really enjoy. 😉
About Lynn Terry
You are without a shadow of doubt 100% right. The web is definitely full of crap and outdated content and we should make sure that what we are reading at any given time is something that can actually work for us. Thanks for your post.
Sadly, some of the "current content' being published is also "crap". 😛
Great post Lynn and following on from that I'd be interested to hear your views on dating posts. We don't because so much of what we post doesn't change much, but I find it irritating when I read a post that is time sensitive, such as Social Media, and have to either work out how old it is or move on.
What are your thoughts on this?
Great question. We were just discussing this on Facebook too: https://www.facebook.com/lynnterrybiz/posts/10152159667353609 I remove my datestamp from individual posts as well as much of my content is totally evergreen. I've been using the same strategies for many (many!) years consistently.
In the Google search results, most posts are dated - even if they aren't on the actual site - which makes it easy if you ARE searching for current or time sensitive information. And the comments are usually dated too, even if the post is not.
Lynn,
I agree with you in the article. However, I will say one thing that drives me nuts is when marketers say "this method or that method doesn't work" and they have never actually tried it (granted that it's legal and ethical).
Or when a marketer says something like "link building doesn't work anymore" when it clearly does, but they just aren't trying it or doing it correctly.
I'm not saying you're doing that, I am just seeing a lot of that ignorant thinking recently.
The problem with people who aren't in the trenches trying and testing that are teachers, is that students and people who follow them are only getting half-truths or they are missing out completely.
I see that too Michael, and it annoys me as well. The best way to learn is to dig in and get your hands dirty - period. Test and tweak. And NOT blindly do whatever someone tells you to do, or not do, or that you read about - but to consider whether it actually makes sense for your business and your market. Know your objective, serve your market, and everything else will fall into place naturally as you go.
Hi Lynn,
I totally agree that with the way the internet is constantly changing, you should be studying what's working today only when you're ready to implement it.
Staying current is crucial.
It's one of the reasons when I chose to get into internet marketing, I chose to hook my wagon to Michael Brown. He's in the business of teaching, updates his blogs regularly with the latest information, and is always available to answer questions.
Michael is a great guy. 😀 He commented above actually! 😉
Hahaha. I am feeling the love.
Mark, you may not know this, but, I actually learned a lot from Lynn in my really early days (like just getting started).
Totally agree with your comment above too Lynn:
"Know your objective, serve your market, and everything else will fall into place naturally as you go."
Well said.
And this one too:
"Michael is a great guy."
lol
Keep up the great posts.
Now that was a mouth full. But good stuff. One thing is certain, it will change again. Keeping up is not so easy but trying to catch up is even harder.
Hi Lynn, I found it a little ironic that you didn't date your post on this piece at least. Sometimes I do not read posts that are not dated if they are teaching methods that do change rapidly. If it's a personal website or about timeless things then I don't mind not having dates on the post. But matters that are timely I do look for a date at the top of the post. I just read the other comment on this and about how Google shows the date in results - good to know.
Does evergreen comment help your SEO or is there another reason you prefer to have your posts with that format?
Thanks Lynn!
This is food for thought for sure, Lynn. While I am not new to the business world, I am new to the way that internet marketing works. And I would hate to put any effort behind some strategy or even a tactic that was old and outdated. My most precious commodity is my time, and if I need to learn to do something in a particular way, I would like that way to be the most current possible.
This post would be a LOT more helpful if you would actually define what those outdated marketing materials are. Newbies don't know and are often the victims of all the gurus online. How the heck do they know outdated from not? You don't give much information for them to use to make a smart decision.
I suppose your main reason for this post is to get people to purchase your Niche Success Blueprint course -- DUH! 😉
Hi Lani,
After working online for 17 years, there is no way to list ALL of the outdated methods or teachings in a single post. I did suggest you due your research and due diligence, making sure the person you learn from actually has some *experience* (current experience at that) at what they are teaching you.
But the main reason for this post was to make the point that you shouldn't be studying anything you're not ready to implement right now. That you can't learn everything you need to know before you start - that you have to implement as you go.
It's an important point, and one I stress often with my group. The internet is constantly changing and evolving so it's a constant learning & testing process - not something you can "learn everything there is to know" and be prepared upfront.
And yes, my new course is totally awesome. 😀 Because I teach evergreen methods, and I am teaching current strategies I am using myself on my own niche site. But this post stands on it's own as good advice for anyone "studying" internet marketing. *cheers*