General Discussions

#1 (permalink)

Do you ever feel like you are the only one not making it in this online rat race?

Do you ever feel like, just packing up all the essentials and move to an island somewhere in the Pacific; get a shack, a simple job, a high speed internet connection and forget about everything else?

Do you look at all the pictures of $100,000 checks from Adsense others earned, the title bars declaring the monthly income to be $10,000, and then you look at your $10/month (while costing $100) and wonder when the heck is your turn?

Well, I am there. Three sites. One completely dead now, one almost dead, and my most recent one is just not doing as well as I hear others are...

Please don't tell me to get more content - Those who write an "article" a day are nuts! I cannot write that much, that is why I often hire - but that costs cash, so the delay.

Please don't tell me to "then just quit". I have some responsibilities that I cannot shirk, and seeing that you can do it, lets me believe that I should be able to do at least half of that. But $10/month gross doesn't cut it.

I have the general concept down. I know the general steps. I just don't have the details! How do I make that jump from a "wannabe" to an "earner"?

I have been trying to get the courage to ask for a mentor. One of the "big guns". One that has a demonstrated ability. One that has cashed a $100K+ check and kept most of it...

So what would they do? They would tell me when I am going the wrong direction, suggest new ones and do this on an on-going basis. All the sweat would be coming from me. All the fun and glory of exposing their mightly intellect would come from them.

I think I just need a good kick start help, or ... kick in the pants.:dots:

#2 (permalink)

Amen Brother!

__________________
Atomm

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#3 (permalink)

I hope you had fun venting. Well I like your writing skills and that can definately help you out as well. I'm not sure what you're doing wrong. You should perhaps post one of those 'dead' websites. How long have you been in the business? Things don't happen over night.

#4 (permalink)

I'm not sure I'm a big gun but I do make a nice hunk of money off the internet. The key for me: I've been at it for over 9 years. I developed a niche website long ago and have maintained it for years. But there was no recognizable income until a few years ago.

I do not receive checks for 100K. Mine from google are somewhere between 4-5k per month. I have other sources on my website that make up the difference (ecommerce, membership subscriptions, direct advertising campaigns).

The hard part for me to swallow is that I have been developing another few websites within the past few years and they are not making an income. The formula for my successful site has not translated (yet) into success for my other online ventures. I understand the frustration of not understanding Google SEO (and the nutty algorithm that swings back and forth) or the frustration of getting traffic and yet no one likes the affiliate links.

My point as I ramble: I do not think there is a magic formula. I suspect my one success is because of internet timing and not because of my know-how. I have worked hard to keep things afloat and make sure I upgrade with the times, but for my success, it is not because of my wisdom that I could share with others.

I can only offer my persistence in the long haul.

__________________
Its not really about the money,
Frito

#5 (permalink)

Heh. I wasn't venting per se. I really want to find a mentor...

As mentioned it in an other post... I have been around so long, Moses (you know the old dude with the beard and big arc) was asking me for to fix his database of animals. Internet I have been doing since UUCP mail became available. Before that, I ran various BBSes, some with some without success.

I think I must come to accept that some niche websites will move at commet's speed, some at snail's pace.

I cannot accept this. I am too much of a deconstructionist (not destructionist or nihilist - more of an analyst) for that. I believe, that certain universes (in our case the web business) everything can be broken down to certain basic sub-elements which can be reproduced. In itself, each sub-element is simple to produce, but all together are complex, and often the sequence is crucial.

Sort of like a Lego(r) building. Ever seen those huge constructions made of them? They are amazing and look extremely complex. Yet a few steps closer and you realize it is nothing more then millions of a dozen variation on a single piece.

Learn to make those dozen shapes, learn the proper sequence, and you can reproduce that amazing construction.

Rubik's cube. How complex does it look to solve? Yet it really only takes 6 easy elements, just repeated over and over!

Of course - nothing is not that simple, but close enough (loosing track of elements, improper sequence, timing, too much breakdown, too little breakdown, etc).

There was a start of the deconstruction of a successful web site in an other thread by Think. It just needs to be taken further detail, and minutae...:drool:

:helpsmilieid I go to philosophical? Happens. Better then going :cursing: or :angry:.

I am serious about finding the right mentor.