As you can see from my earnings page, I’m still in the beginning stages of making my niche blogs work well for me. Up until May I only had a few blogs that I created last April/ May without really properly thinking about what I was doing. So I jumped in when May hit and made about 15 new blogs .
I’m starting to question the way I’ve done these blogs. They are helpful and useful to visitors which I feel is absolutely essential, but the affiliate products don’t always provide the clear next step for what my visitors will do when they leave the site. They’re an option out of many, if you see what I mean, and won’t be the logical next step for many of my visitors. E.g. Writing a blog post about learning to speak Spanish and then recommending an online course for it in the last sentence. Although the online course could be very useful, many people don’t look to the internet as the primary way to learn, and many will just be casual readers to begin with.
Compare this to an Amazon niche site. People are searching for “review of X”, “X specifications”, “where to buy X” or “X compared to Y” and you give it to them, in detail, everything they’ve been looking to know in one place. You give them what Amazon would have told them and more from your research. I feel that it’s much more logical then that the buyer would click your link (though nothing’s guaranteed).
So this is why I’m questioning a few of my sites (though I know they still need time and I’m not giving up). The good news is the new sites I talked about in my last few blog posts are more around the second line of thinking, so I’ll put my theory to the test.
Basically I want to have a few good standard pages when I have product sites – specifications, prices/ release dates if necessary, and an overview of what the product does. In some cases it may also be relevant to have a page comparing it to other models/ makes of that product.
I bought Info Product Killer last year and decided last week that I’d use this method for my Amazon sites. It won’t be 100% the same, as I’ll be using WordPress and my own idea of the way I like it to look etc, plus I’ll be adding more unique content than they suggest, but I’ll make use of some of the very good and unique advice that IPK has to offer. Coincidentally, IPK have opened their doors again today for the year (it’s aimed at getting sites ready for Christmas but works all year) – and I’m quite annoyed because they’re charging less than I paid! It’s now only $37 – check it out here.
(And in other news I’ve got a lot less time to work due to flat hunting, ringing agents, going on viewings, trying to make extra money for fees and so on! Hopefully I’ll find a place soon, at the moment I keep dreaming about flats!)
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Ruth, nice to know you’re consistently working and analyzing what you are doing. 15 is a lot of blogs and maybe it’s best to focus on 3 projects at a time? I think it all comes down to backlinks and the strategy you’re using for backlinking….. and I’ve fallen off the bandwagon since my last post.
I’m getting back into it tonight. G’luck!
Moon Hussain´s last [type] ..6 Convincing Reasons You Need A Customized Blog Design
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Moon – You’re right, it was a lot of work. I’m definitely slowing down more now to give sites each more focus. I find keeping up with my backlinking too! I guess it’s all about staying consistent. We will get there
I bought IPK yesterday & I do like some of the things in the template he is using. Like how he has all the links to other pages right at the top under the header. Tiffany Dow does hers like that too. I wonder if there is wordpress theme out there that would mimic that. I only want to use wordpress.
Cathy´s last [type] ..Housesitting Woes and Totals for June
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Cathy – Yes I like the theme too but I agree that I only want to use WordPress (so much easier!) Last year I made a theme in Artisteer to use on Christmas sites (which I never actually finished!! I left it too late) but I’m not sure I like it, I’ve stopped using Artisteer so much now.
But now I’m thinking of using one of Jen’s themes (http://www.webcareergirl.com/go/juicythemes) – still not the same as his but I just like the simple design and will put the “IPK image” in the sidebar banner ad.
Also, to get all the links in the navigation in a theme like that I guess requires that you use pages not posts, except for in the Xfactor style themes.
I’ll have to keep testing what works best!
The juicy themes are nice and simple. I can see where an IPK site would work well on these.
Cathy´s last [type] ..Housesitting Woes and Totals for June
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Cathy – Yeah I hope it works well
Is IPK worth the money? Do you really learn anything of value?
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Jason – I guess it all depends on what you already know. Personally I think it’s valuable, especially now it’s at a lower price until later today, but if you already have a lot of experience then you might not. I have not fully used the system so can’t give any results. Basically it tells you a lot about on page seo, linking networks of sites together and creating an effective Amazon call to action.
Your June earnings look pretty good to me, gratz. I bought IPK this evening, I hope we all do well! Some of the information might be redundant but hopefully not most of it especially since I don’t feel like I’m doing well on any of my current websites. I have bought a few halloween domain names this month and plan to get a couple for christmas as well.
I’m not having much luck as far as coming with domain names to use for amazon review sites, can you suggest a good example? I’m prolly making it to complicated trying to combine my way of doing keyword research along with banging my head on a brick wall. [just can't think straight lately]
Witchie´s last [type] ..Failing miserably…
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Witchie – I think that a lot of IPK is still valid. Actually yesterday I came across a debate where some people said it wasn’t valid, but others are earning a lot of money with it – personally I’m going to combine the OPSEO with other marketing efforts that he doesn’t go into. Hopefully by starting now, Halloween & Christmas sites will be ready to go when the time comes!
As for your domain names, I am being a little less strict. I am going to go for things like “bestdishwasherreviews” or something like that. Generic names for sites that have a lot of products on them. Although if you follow the IPK model, you shouldn’t have too much of a hard time coming up with product name domain names for the very small sites (usually I find a part of the product name that isn’t trademarked to register, do you see what I mean?)
Yes I was thinking about going with generic examples such as that myself. And then I was thinking in comparison to the few examples he gives using model numbers it’s not quite the same. For instance these zhu zhu pets are supposed to be a hot item for chistmas but how could you target those without infringing on the product name? I guess I’m just hitting a brick wall trying to figure out how to target specific toys. I know I could target say the age group and bring the toy in that way but I’m looking for tips on how to target specific items if that makes since. I should prolly drop Adrian a email huh, I don’t think I saw a forum in there members area.
Witchie´s last [type] ..Failing miserably…
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Witchie – I understand the problem. I think a lot of people would just use the trademark name but I don’t like the idea. I usually try to find some way around it, so for example I just looked up zhu zhu pets and found “Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Fun House Deluxe Gift Set” so I’d probably get rid of the zhu zhu pets bit and register Hamster Fun House Deluxe Gift Set or some version of that – I am not an expert so I don’t know if that infringes but I would have thought it’s ok as they’re generic words?
I know a lot of marketers just go ahead and use the brand name and hope the company doesn’t care. And some of them really don’t care as long as the site is quality and not spammy. Some do and you never mess with like Disney for instance.
The zhu zhu toys, I have seen sites with ‘hamster toys’ in the domain to avoid the zhu zhu infringement.
Cathy´s last [type] ..Housesitting Woes and Totals for June
that is a really good idea about finding parts of the product name that is not trademarked to register as domain names..will give that a shot.
btw what is the key idea (without releasing the actual infor) that one can learn from IPK?
jared
Twitter: webcareergirl
says:
Jared – Well basically IPK tells you how to choose products, the best domain names (though I mentioned that above anyway), and then a lot about On Page SEO to avoid needing to do too much marketing. the OPSEO is the main part of it really. I think it’s worth it though I’ll admit I feel pretty annoyed that he used false scarcity tactics, saying it would be closed within a few days but now it seems to have been left open indefinitely!