SEM Tycoon

**LeeD** · 07-31-2006, 05:56 PM

Knowing what you know now, if you were to start all over where would you start? - Submitted by gregcherry

**LeeD** · 07-31-2006, 06:05 PM

I would start all over with the creation of niche content sites and forums. I would stay away from the appeal of the short term money and aim higher at projects that will still have merit 2-3 years from now. I wouldn't spread myself to thin and have to much on my plate at any given time. I would build relationships with solid partners and freelancers.

**xboxundone** · 07-31-2006, 06:55 PM

I would have checked the search traffic for the first couple of sites i started, as they were great niches and i rank well but with 10 searches a day and not any high dollar products to promote it was tough to monetize.

But in general I would focus on NICHES big time, and focus on something i have interest in as there is nothing like trying to create a site or community that you hate especially when at first the money is slow.
I wouldn't by Crap traffic i probably wasted 100's of dollars on that popup, popunder VERY cheap traffic well you get what you pay for i ended up with like 5 visitors for what all i spent.
Lastly i wouldn't have partnered up with other people sooner! As there is nothing like having someone to help push your creative juices further!

**capitalistpig** · 07-31-2006, 10:50 PM

When I first started in affiliate marketing, I focused so much on SEO and getting free traffic.

If I were to do it again, I would learn the in's and out's of PPC and mastering that first. Then move to SEO for bonus money.

**Nitin M** · 08-01-2006, 04:23 PM

Well, this coming from a guy with over 10k sites ... A year ago my income came almost exclusively from these spamdex types sites. Today, the majority of my income comes from a relatively small set of sites with totally custom content.

If I were starting from scratch today I wouldn't waste time on spamdex sites and would focus all my time/energy on a small number of sites (probably 2-4) where I could create 100% custom content. The sites would be pure content sites on a niche topic where I felt I could create something of very high quality. Ideally, I'd try to make all of the sites relate to a central theme (i.e. health, sports, finance, etc.) so that I could cross-advertise.

Once I chose my sites, I would set a minimum number of 1 high quality article and 2 high quality blog posts (I would use an integrated CMS/blog system for all my sites) per site per day and never let myself fall behind.

As money starting coming in, I would re-invest in the sites for either more content writers, or more sites, or both.

**engaged** · 08-01-2006, 06:32 PM

I would choose a medium-sized niche and make 3-4 sites on it as well as one central site with like Niche news.

For example:

Take the home decor niche, you could do a site one kitchens, landscaping, painting, flooring, etc. and interlink them well (also: make them appear as though different people own them for SEO purposed).

Then I'd do a grand daddy news site about home decor news, latest trends, etc. represented in the form of a blog.

Basically, in short, try to dominate a niche and all its subniches.

Rinse and repeat.

**imported_michelle** · 08-02-2006, 02:45 AM

My answer may be a bit more philosophical (or touchy-feely, depending on how you look at it, LOL), but here goes:

(1) I would have decided what area I wanted to focus on (i.e. mass building sites, PPC, creating unique content sites, starting a blog network, etc.) and concentrated on it - to completion - before moving on to other projects. Not spread myself too thin.

(2) I would have spent less time listening to eejits who have no credentials/experience/earnings and just tested my own stuff to see what results REALLY were for me.

(3) I would not have marketed to marketers in the beginning, even as an affiliate.

(4) I would have had less fear of product creation.

(5) I would never play in a niche I hear people talking about on a forum (or ebook, or conference call, etc.).

(6) I would have spent less time learning and more time acting - most of what I've learned has come from just doing, not learning about doing.

(7) I would outsource sooner.

**Nitin M** · 08-02-2006, 03:01 AM

Sometimes things get so ingrained that you forget to think about them or mention them ...

In any sort of "knowing what I know now" type of discussion I should definitely include know what to measure and make sure you have the tools to measure in place from the beginning and constantly "test, measure, refine, repeat".

Whether it is PPC, an online service, monetization of content sites, whatever... by knowing what to measure and doing it consistently, you can make a huge difference to your bottom line.

**LeeD** · 08-07-2006, 11:59 PM

Okay, here is the first from our weekly Q & A's with the orange / green room group tackling your questions! Feel free to comment and further discuss the responses you read above and I hope you have learned something this week from the big earners of EearnersForum.com!

**GeorgeB** · 08-08-2006, 12:14 AM

Awesome. I'm glad to see my present thinking is right in line with some of the bigger earners.

**imported_RudeDog** · 08-08-2006, 12:40 AM

I'm impressed, very good answers.

**Lpspider** · 08-08-2006, 01:13 AM

Awsome. The re-occuring theme seems to be a few high-quality niche sites.

**Jacool** · 08-08-2006, 04:18 AM

Indeed, the word of the week must be Niche!

I have just started my first serious website based upon a specific niche and it seems to be working great!

Thanks guys!
Jason

**Muhammad Haris** · 08-08-2006, 05:23 AM

Excellent, Great job lee!

**Visual Depth** · 08-08-2006, 07:11 AM

This is exactly why I joined these forums.

Great answers from real developers that know what they are talking about.
I'm going to really put these suggestions to good use! Thank you!

Kind Regards,
Thomas

**Slevin** · 08-08-2006, 09:14 AM

how would you determine a high quality niche though? Would you enter one with lots of competiton, but lots of searches and decent pay, or one with less competition and fewer searches. Im struggling to find the first niche to start my niche site collection :P

**LeeD** · 08-08-2006, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Visual Depth

This is exactly why I joined these forums.

Great answers from real developers that know what they are talking about.
I'm going to really put these suggestions to good use! Thank you!

Kind Regards,
Thomas

Glad you are liking this...

**LeeD** · 08-08-2006, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slevin

how would you determine a high quality niche though? Would you enter one with lots of competiton, but lots of searches and decent pay, or one with less competition and fewer searches. Im struggling to find the first niche to start my niche site collection :P

My personal preference is to go after a niche with a few dozen well paying keywords that pay more than $3-4 a click on the PPC side. I then look at the competitiveness of these keywords and would go after the least competitive markets.

**t-rent** · 08-08-2006, 10:26 AM

Forgive my noob-ness but when you mention finding a few dozen well paying keywords, how do you go about finding this? Also how to do find the competitiveness of these keywords?

**Vi5** · 08-08-2006, 11:23 AM

I would probably have jumped on the myspace wagon when it first rolled into town. It was possible for me to do it but I just didn't have the energy.