I was just reading a post by Lynn saying that SEO is super easy....

[Lynn Terry]

Good points Nate - welcome to the forum!

I always start a new site targeting longtail low-volume keyword phrases (very specific intent) and let it grow from there. It's definitely not an overnight money maker, but I do usually start making sales within 3-6 weeks. I'd cry if it were 12 months! Kudos to you for sticking it out!!

[angienewton]

Welcome Nate! Glad to have you here.

[TheWealthSquad]

Two very important comments were just made.

Lynn said she starts with LOW VOLUME search keywords with targeted content and lets it grow from there. Why? Because she can get to the front of Google quickly with those type of keywords and capture targeted traffic quickly. Traffic that is ready to buy.

The other comment by NateCheely - It must be treated like a business

Too many people come online thinking it is get rich quick or no work at all. It is a business. Create value and you will become wealthy. Just like any other business.

Franchises work because they have a system in place. IM is the same way. Find a system that works and leverage it. Then it is just a matter of wash, rinse repeat.

[jwginn]

I realise that SEO is super easy.......and it's so logical as to how to make money by setting up affiliate sites, it' so easy that a kid could do it.....but then why are so many people doing it, and not making much money, while others are making a fortune....???

Bornstein,

Thanks for creating such a wonderful discussion point. There have been some great points made already in response. I would like to offer a few additional points if I may.

1. Defining purpose. Everything you doing with your internet business must have a purpose. This starts at the very broad with questions that include:

• What are my goals?
• What is my business model?
• How will I know when I've reached/accomplished my goals?

to very specific questions such as:

• Why am I using this program, app, model?
• What is the purpose of my blog?

In the past I have been guilty of buying the latest IM product without a purpose. If you're doing bum marketing, do you really need the latest seller on ppc? (as an example) Many times we're distracted with tasks and programs that have nothing to do with accomplishing a goal. If you follow Lynn on Twitter you will notice that there are times where it seems she is tweeting every few seconds...but there are periods where her twittersphere goes silent. I've heard her say...that when work time comes she will shut it off. In summary work, we can be busy doing busy work, but non-productive work if that makes any sense...

finally you had mentioned that you were feeling a little despondent waiting and waiting. That is to be understood and all of us live there sometimes (I think) ...Might I suggest that the culture is partially to blame in an age where we have the 24 hour Wal-Mart, Redbox, microwaves, etc...We expect results 5 minutes ago....

The marketing culture has not helped this in some ways where we read about marketers promising that "If you buy their product, your hair will stop thinning, you'll make a million, your relationship will improve instantly, and the waste line will drop to your desired size....and the proof is in the 94 year old grandma in Peru who has no electricity and worked for 30 minutes a few nights a week" I jest...but you understand the point...

It takes time...However if you study, and act, with a little patience, and dare I say a little tlc, something will give.

Cheering you on.

Jeremy

[bornstein75]

Wow...i never thought my post would generate such an awesome discussion...I feel famous for a second...:-)

Thanks for all the input, encouragement, tips and ideas...you have all been wonderful!

I just have a few more questions to raise here:

It makes so much sense that it's all about building a community and relationships with people...that's what selling is all about...build trust and people buy.

But let's say you are in a niche that you know little about but you have still set up a blog, and are marketing products and writing posts etc....you have also decided to use a pen name because you don't really want to be associated with that niche....how can you honestly have a blog where you genuinely build relationships with people who comment, as well as build relationships with people on twitter in this niche.....also how can you do this if you have multiple sites which are set up the same way....it's just not possible to keep up with this all the time...so surely there are some of you out there who have sites that are generating good income but you haven't built up relationships and a community around your blog?

So how do you make it work in this instance??

Not all of us have a passion where we have set up a site using our real name to create a community and build relationships...like Lynn has on her site ClickNewz. I can definately see how her site would make income...it's informative and an awesome community...and the way she markets affiliate products in her blog posts etc...is very clever...(Good on you Lynn...love your site, and love your posts!) But not everyone wants to set up a site with that intent...so how do you make it work???

I feel like I'm missing something here??? Or am I on the wrong track????

[Lynn Terry]

Not every site is based on a personality or auther. Some are focused on a topic or product instead. I outlined this in my latest post on affiliate site options.

[jwginn]

But let's say you are in a niche that you know little about but you have still set up a blog, and are marketing products and writing posts etc....you have also decided to use a pen name because you don't really want to be associated with that niche....

Bornstein,

Lynn just raised a great point that different blogs have different purposes. Some are personality driven, while some are product/topic driven. I am sure the experienced marketers would argue that even the prod/topic blogs must have elements of passion. There has to be some enthusiasm behind the writing.

There are differing perspectives on niche blogging. I personally would argue that starting out, one should stick to blogging what they know and believe in while keeping in line with keywords, seo, yada yada yada...

While it is possible to succeed blogging about things you don't know much about, it requires:

• additional research
• forced creativity (which risks coming off as passionless)
• quicker burn out (get bored, stuck, etc..)

With preparation and presentation you can thrive...it might just take extra effort and a bit of innovation...

just my .02

Cheering you on....

Jeremy

[Joseph Ratliff]

A couple of years back, I did a short 2 week program like that,
called the "Authority Site Process". Of course, the work is ongoing
after the 14 days, but most participants were encouraged after
seeing RESULTS - which is half the battle!

If there's enough interest in it, I'll pull out the files and do it again
this month - and like last time, it will be FREE.

No, YOU won't be able to replicate the results within the same time
frame, because I leverage properties that were built over 2 years
for this process, but you'll see HOW to build them for yourself (and
they are NOT complex or hard to create)

I'll let Lynn chime in too about whether it's appropriate to do it here,
and how best to structure it, if it's a "Go".



I *often* feel that way - and yes, we expect things to happen faster
than they do.

One lesson time has taught me is to do the work, and then leave it
to simmer while you focus on other things. Surprisingly, one fine day,
you'll notice a rush of traffic or sales - and realize the work you did
earlier has had impact.

It's kind of like gardening, where you plant a seed, water, weed, and
watch. Nothing seems to happen - until, one magical day, a tiny
shoot appears, then grows, flowers, bears fruit.

Was that motivational enough?

Or should I contrast SEO against bringing up kids?!!!

All success
Dr.Mani

Dr. Mani speaks wise words...anyone who reads his response would be wise to heed them.

I love the gardening analogy too...it's a perfect description of how an internet business grows in the beginning stages.