I need a kick-start!!

[Lynn Terry]

I haven't monetized it yet. I was waiting until I could get more posts up and a little traffic before I started adding advertisers.

Hi Tanya,

You're on the right track. It's best to publish quality content first while you are building a readership and getting inbound links to your site. I assume you have social media accounts set up for this site, specifically? If not, that's next on the list:

http://www.clicknewz.com/3038/how-to-use-social-media/

Once you have some solid content on the site, and some quality inbound links, you can start applying to affiliate programs and monetizing in other ways.

[sheriesmith]

Hi Tanya,

I LOVE your posts! Your writing with passion which makes it interesting, and your steps are easy follow. The main thing that kept my attention are your images. Like videos keep the visitor on a website longer, your step by step photographs lead us to stay longer. It's like following a trail of breadcrumbs through the forest. There's no way I could leave until I got to see the finished product. LOL

Your images are large and colorful, and good quality. Plus you already have links in your right side bar to your Etsy store - great work!!

No more excuses that you're afraid of WordPress! You are already miles down the road, and the hardest part is already over, in my opinion.

Sherie

http://organizemyclosetblog.com
http://pettailnews.com

[Gweb]

Boy oh boy, can I relate! Yes, I've battled paralyzing fear all my life, and learning IM has been no exception. Fear is why I went into the anxiety market, because it's what I know. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), there are a lot of potential customers out there. The feeling of overwhelm you describe here has been the hardest part of marketing for me so far.

I'm still very much a beginner, but I have learned a few things. Writing it out helps me get it into my own brain, so I'm speaking as much to myself here as to anyone else:

1). At some point, you have to take action, even if it's the wrong action. "Analysis paralysis" and doing nothing (not producing content) is the worst thing you can (not) do.

2). You'll never know for sure if people will buy what you're selling until you actually get it in front of them. Market research gauges the probability that people will pay for something but it guarantees nothing. Ultimately, the only way to know for sure if your idea is a good one is to try it out.

3). You may put lots of time, creativity, and effort into producing something that never makes a dime. That's been the hardest thing for me to accept: the very real possibility of failure. I read a book a couple of years ago that said failure is part of marketing and should be expected and planned for.

What's hard about this for me is the fear that I'll become too discouraged if I fail and I'll quit. It'll all be for naught, and it will be MY FAULT because I suck! Add to that the little voice in my head that's constantly telling me I don't know what I'm doing and that I WILL fail and you've got quite a recipe for total paralysis. Which of course just guarantees failure.

I think not being able to navigate through the early period of having marketing "colt legs" is why 90% of new marketers quit before making any real money. The ones who eventually make it somehow push through this seemingly impenetrable wall. Bottom line: it's very easy to get discouraged, but you have to keep going anyway.

4). You have to have some sort of support community, or better yet, a mentor. I don't do mentors or community very well, but there's simply no way around it. I'm just not smart enough to figure everything out on my own. Some people just innately "get" marketing, but I think they're one in a million. It took me six months to learn how to write a 600 word article. The real, day-to-day work of marketing is HARD, and not something most people naturally gravitate towards.

But congratulations are in order. You've taken the first step toward what I think is a great topic that your "niche" will find very interesting. Great job! Now keep going. And then make sure you tell me how you did it! ;-)

[Lynn Terry]

Great points!

I think many readers will be able to relate.

For what it's worth, I had zero business or marketing experience when I got started over 15 years ago. I was 23 years old and had never held a job that paid more than minimum wage, didn't finish high school and did not go to college. I learned "marketing" (and all the great technical stuff that goes with it) by trial & error. A lot of error, lol.

Getting your hands dirty and implementing what you learn is the best thing you can do. Sure some things will flop - but that's how you figure out what works, by figuring out what doesn't work!

[erange]

Once you have some solid content on the site, and some quality inbound links, you can start applying to affiliate programs and monetizing in other ways.

I'm assuming this is because some affiliate programs and/or adsense may cancel your affiliation with them if your site appearts to be lacking and/or junk?!? I'm a wrong on that?

...and I guess it's a two part questions because what would be 'considered' solid content and quality inbound links? (...or is that too arbitrary to comment on?)

Eileen

[erange]

Gweb,
I'm one of those readers that can relate! Great motivation taking me into a free 'work on my business' weekend! ;-)
(...hoping to share more soon!)

Eileen

[Lynn Terry]

I'm assuming this is because some affiliate programs and/or adsense may cancel your affiliation with them if your site appearts to be lacking and/or junk?!? I'm a wrong on that?

...and I guess it's a two part questions because what would be 'considered' solid content and quality inbound links? (...or is that too arbitrary to comment on?)

Hi Eileen,

Quality content is unique and well-written. The kind of content real people want to read and share. Quality inbound links are from related websites and relevant sources. When other people are linking to and/or talking about your page or your site, this gives it more weight in the search results.

It's not that merchants will cancel your affiliation - it's that it's difficult to get approved with them in the first place if you don't have good content and decent traffic. So you want to work on that first. And when it comes to getting people to link to your pages, you'll have an easier time getting links if it's not covered in ads.

[erange]

Thanks Lynn,

I've heard so many people talk about the 'Panda' update and not relying on Adsense, etc....I thought maybe there was something too not monetizing your site until you have significant traffic - whatever 'significant' traffic is. LOL

Eileen

[jedha]

Hi Tanya,

I've been following along with this thread and I would HIGHLY recommend you join the private forum. You get so much more help in there and loads of support from other members. Fear, confusion, overwhelm, it's all normal but the great part about the private forum is that it's full of people who are taking action! And there is no question too small or too stupid to ask, you get all the help you need.

I'm only saying this from my experience because I used to be sitting on the sidelines less than a year ago and now my site makes money. So if you're looking to progress, it will definitely help you.

Good luck

[Lynn Terry]

And you should read Jedha's ^ threads and case studies in the private forum. She has detailed out step by step and shared her progress along the way. Very insightful & inspiring!