Internet Marketing Tycoon

**ink elf** · 02-20-2011, 07:00 AM

Hi guys

I have my own website selling pre-written blog and website content. For the first month of opening I seemed to be doing okay - I had three regular customers who were buying enough for me to build up the website slowly. One of the customers decided to do a charge back in paypal however after she had posted all of my content online and hence this was a huge set back for me. She also proceeded to slate the site wherever she saw advertisements - I feel I have either been scammed as everyone else was happy with the work or that she is a competitor.

Since then I have really found it hard to advertise my site and I am struggling to get any custom to the site - hence I am spending most of my time advertising to try and gain money to produce more work. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to overcome these problems. Short of changing my name and starting from scratch I am facing huge obstacles through dirty play. I hope someone can offer a few ideas...

**chrishirst** · 02-20-2011, 08:02 AM

And how long has this business been established?

**ink elf** · 02-20-2011, 08:16 AM

The business has been established for around four months - the website has almost been up for a month. I know I am a beginner in the website niche but I am willing to take on and learn as much as I can. I am determined to get through the setback I have experienced and make a success of things - I am currently working 16 hours a day to try and make things work... any suggestions would be great

**chrishirst** · 02-20-2011, 08:37 AM

Four months???

If you think that such things are "huge" setbacks at this stage you probably are not going to survive very long.

It takes years to become properly established as a content writer and to be honest if you are attracting the kind of "customers" who are doing those kind of tricks, your prices are too low.

**ink elf** · 02-20-2011, 08:40 AM

Yes four months, I have some people who I regularly write for (and have been for two years) but am trying to establish a business that focusses mainly on pre-written content. I agree about the pricing but on the otherhand I do not want to drive potential customers away as the business is not established yet. I am trying to find a balance between prices and repeat custom. I do agree with what you have said so I will look into things and make some changes.

**ink elf** · 02-20-2011, 08:43 AM

...and as far as the huge setback goes I have put it down to experiene. I know things like this are bound to happen and I need to sort out a way to minimise this from happening again or find a better checkout provider than paypal who at least looks at both sides of the story. In the long run I am sure it will be a minor setback but with me selling articles to build up the website - it was a large amount to lose early on... I will keep going I am determined to make it work

**chrishirst** · 09:11 AM

Quote:

.and as far as the huge setback goes I have put it down to experiene

Absolutely.

You already have a major advantage over many of the other "content providers" and that is that you actually speak and write English rather than the Yoda/bushman/auto translated gibberish that the "2c a word" "article writers" (using the phrase loosely) provide.

Genuine customers are not put off by a reasonable price and you can always offer discounts for repeat buyers.
True intelligent blog commenting, "guest" blogging, intelligent forum posting and writing articles about anything and everything that takes your interest, then publishing them on your own site, NOT submitting them anywhere and everywhere) is the way to promote yourself as a writer of merit and worth considering.
Do not sell yourself short by trying to compete on price with the mass production of the "outsourcing community".

And remember when you are posting in forums or blogging you are promoting yourself not your website,

**ink elf** · 02-20-2011, 09:19 AM

Thank you for your reply. I am definitely going to take your suggestions and I will make a section of my site specifically for articles that I have written. Hopefully this may also encourage people to buy from the store if they can see that the quality of the articles is good.

I understand what you mean about promotion but this is the only way I have been able to do anything as yet. I am more interested in offering helpful advice where I can and leaving the link in my signature for people to click on if they are interested. Thank you for your advice, you have been more than helpful!

**TheRev** · 02-20-2011, 03:44 PM

I think you're doing pretty good. You can't let one set back screw your whole business. I read some of your free downloads you have on the site and the writing is high caliber. You just need to spread the word which as we all know is the hard part. Hit up forums like these and you may get some other webmasters to take interest. BTW, I may contact you guys for an article or two. I've never done the pay for content thing before but it seems like it would be something useful for my site.

**ink elf** · 02-20-2011, 03:53 PM

Hi Rev

Thank you for your reply. I am glad you like the articles. I am happy to write you a couple of articles for free if you would like to let me know the titles? That way you can assess the quality free of charge and let me know whether you like them or not. Feel free to send me a private message

Thanks!

**jaycar** · 02-22-2011, 06:35 PM

I have been at my business now for just over 4 years and it's only been in the last few months that I'm actually making a li9ving out of it. You have to ride out all the upstarts out there who will eventually give up and if you have established yourself and are determined, you will survive. I had to fall back on my old trade of commercial cleaning for a few years to survive as my business wasn't making much to live off. Now, after riding out the initial start, I'm doing ok and in the near future, I hope to be doing great! :-) Hang in there are you will be fine.

**ink elf** · 02-23-2011, 02:49 AM

Hi Jaycar

Thank you for your message. I live in Thailand and have enough savings to live off for a while yet but on the other hand having no job does enable me to spend literally all my time on my website. I absolutely love it and wouldn't change it for the world so I am determined to make it work. It is good to know that you managed to come through your problems at the start and that you have succeeded. Thank you for sharing your story

**vbcruiser** · 02-23-2011, 06:46 AM

You can't put up a website and expect people to buy from you. You're site really isn't on the internet. I searched a couple of your keyword terms, you're site is no where to be found.

If I'm hiring a content writer fresh or pre, they'd better be #1 in Google, Bing and Yahoo or they just don't cut it. It takes me more than a month to put up a site and 3 weeks of that is planning.

Go back and do your keyword research, build your link foundation, then rule your niche.

**chrishirst** · 09:16 AM

Quote:

You're site really isn't on the internet. I searched a couple of your keyword terms, you're site is no where to be found.

And????

Contrary to popular belief appearing in search tools for a "keyword search" is NOT the be all and end all of everything, if one of your pages does get shown and gains referral traffic then great! It is a EXTRA source of visitor traffic BUT it should not be end goal.

**dWhite** · 02-23-2011, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbcruiser

You're site really isn't on the internet. I searched a couple of your keyword terms, you're site is no where to be found.

Hope you know that "You're" is short for You are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbcruiser

You are site really isn't on the internet. I searched a couple of your keyword terms, you are site is no where to be found.

**ink elf** · 09:51 AM

Wow four weeks to make a site, launch it and get it onto the first page of a search engine... you must really be good at what you do

As for me I am trying and getting there... as I said people are finding it somehow but its not through search engines atm.

Being number one in Google doesn't necessarily guarantee quality and I doubt my site will ever get there in the niche I am in. If I manage to get customers through Google of course I will be happy but I have learnt through here that it is best to write for your customers and not a search engine which is what I plan to do. If I manage to get one new customer a week through forums, blog posting or other backlinks I am happy right now... being number one in a search engine isn't all I hope and dream of

**chrishirst** · 02-23-2011, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Wow four weeks to make a site, launch it and get it onto the first page of a search engine...

Actually that's the really easy bit.
In fact you would have to be a real numpty NOT to get a new site (or page) on the first page of Google search results for some of the words on the page.

**ink elf** · 02-23-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrishirst

Actually that's the really easy bit.
In fact you would have to be a real numpty NOT to get a new site (or page) on the first page of Google search results for some of the words on the page.

I must be a total numpty then

unless you type in the name of my site I don't appear on the first page of Google.

**chrishirst** · 02-23-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ink elf

I must be a total numpty then

unless you type in the name of my site I don't appear on the first page of Google.

Your website's initial "fifteen minutes of fame" will have gone now. It may only last two or three days and will happen in the first week or so of being "on-line"

**ink elf** · 02-23-2011, 03:39 PM

So the future's not so orange then

You would think I had something better to do at 3.40am wouldn't you... alas I am here... I wish I was Peter Pan