I have to confess, it can be kind of hard working for Affilorama.
All around me people are doing affiliate promotions and earning cash on the side... while I'm the fresh graduate whose eyes boggle at the very prospect of it all.
So six months ago (has it been that long?) I started following AffiloBlueprint and putting together my own affiliate site.
Here I am with all these resources around me, this great course to follow, and a very big student loan I'd like to pay off... and still I find myself procrastinating.
In fact it's taken me all this time to get my site to a point where I'd even begin to call it finished. I've just started seeing some small commissions coming in... but it's been a long road
I know I'm not the only one who's found the road pretty rocky, and faced more bumps than I wish to count. But I thought I'd share with you what I've found hard so far, as some of you might just know what I'm talking about...
1. Remaining committed to one strategy only
For me, it wasn't a question of who to trust or which strategy to follow, because Mark has always said that building a website is building an asset. My weak point was more about not getting side-tracked by all the promotions and products offered by different people.
In all my eagerness to do affiliate marketing myself, it slipped under my radar just quite how long it takes to start seeing any real results (money I'm talking about!), and I didn't anticipate a long drought of endless hours of effort and commitment with no reward.
It's not that I doubted that the method works. It's just, well, I get a bit fidgety... and prone to distraction. The idea of a quick fix that other products claim to offer began to look all too appealing.
And so I found my commitment wavering, as instead of spending time working on my site I was researching (well, many just arrived in my inbox) alternative options and pondering those.
Luckily for me, others around the office were able to set me back on track with a few sharp words of advice!
2. Choosing a niche
It takes one quick glance at our forum to tell you that this is a big deal for many people. After all, if we get it wrong here, it's going to make it a lot harder to carry out the rest of the work needed...
I started with the intention of choosing a niche that I have some interest in (and preferably, some sound knowledge in). But then when you factor in competition, search volume, buyer intention phrases, and gravity... it's not that straightforward.
Call me boring or stupid, but I was scraping the bottom of the barrel for potential niches that I had both interest and some knowledge in.
And so the research process of choosing a niche, keywords and products to promote that hold some profitable potential had me running around in circles, and spending a lot of time on what at first glance appears to be a minor task.
3. Building a website
Raise your hand if you've posted on, or at least consulted, the ‘website building' part of our forum.
That's what I thought. Fiddly, annoying, detailed, and tricky. I envy anyone who built their first website with absolutely nohiccups. No matter how comprehensive the instructions or advice that you follow, why is it that they always leave you with questions, or panicking over what may or may not be a small or large error?
HTTP Status Error Codes and website headers, you are not my friends. And I don't like the language you use either.
4. Creating content
For those lucky few who happened to choose a niche that they knew a whole lot about, are good writers and marketers, then this stage may not be so much of a hurdle for you.
However people like that are few and far between, and for the rest of us this part means hard slog, or risky spending.
For the type of website recommended by AffiloBlueprint, the amount of content we're talking about is around 30 pages of content. And that's before even considering a newsletter series, and promotional eBooks...
So what's it going to be?
For me, I decided to write my own content. Boy did I underestimate the time I needed to spend online and at the library researching my niche so that I could write like an expert on it.
The other option didn't look too flash either though. Maybe you chose to tackle Upwork, learnt how to outsource your content, and took a punt with $300 of your money on what might return you 30 mediocre articles, if you're lucky.
At least I saved myself $300 - but then I've probably spent about $300 of my time researching and writing my content (well, I'd like to think I'm worth that much!).
5. Getting traffic
So I've put all this work into creating a website, but barely anyone's noticing it. It's just not fair is it?
This presents another fork in the road that isn't clearly signposted with ‘right way' and ‘wrong way'.
Whether we take the SEO route or the PPC route, we're still at risk of burnout.
Call me fickle, but there's only so much link building and waiting around for my rankings to rise that I can do before I'll lose interest altogether (or at least get side-tracked).
Likewise with PPC, us newbies don't have unlimited funds, and I've heard alarming things like you've got to spend $500 before you can learn to make PPC work for you.
6. The Newsletter series
I know that newsletters are really effective (I've heard Mark complaining that too few affiliates build them) butto be honest, I haven't even started this one yet. It took me so long just to write those thirty articles for my website, I think I would be mortgaging my youth if I wanted to write enough emails to build a newsletter series.
I've also done the math, and I figure that if I was to outsource this and get enough newsletters written to last me a year, it would cost me around USD$1000. When you're earning New Zealand dollars, that's practically a winter wardrobe I won't be able to buy.
Plus there's the monthly subscription to MailPush or whatever other service you use.
I'm feeling like I might need to wait until my site is earning its keep before I buy it any more nice things. I guess you'd say this is a hurdle I haven't quite cleared yet.
In summary
Don't get me wrong. I'm really glad that I've done this, and I know that my next site probably won't take me as long to put together. But man. It's been some effort
Actually... I think I'm allowed to give you guys a heads up about this now. I KNOW that my next site isn't going to take me as long to put together, because we've got a new product coming out pretty soon.
I don't know if I can share the details, but I can say that if you've been struggling with any of the stuff I struggled with, this is really going to help you. In fact I'm a little annoyed that this didn't come out six months ago when I first started... but that's the way it usually goes, right?
Want to know more? Watch this space! But here's a mathematical hint:
(80 + 20 + 3) x 5 :)
Do these hurdles sound familiar to you? What is your biggest obstacle in getting started in affiliate marketing?
View all 101 comments (Currently displaying latest 50)
kevin king • 15 years ago
but seeing that i can do better , i am going to purchase a new domain to target a new niche that are so i can earn more money. Until then be good......
Aletta Is Too Cool • 15 years ago
Aside from earning her a little money for that elusive winter wardrobe, this exercise was designed to teach her what our members (you guys) go through so she can better understand and help you later on.
We could have given her the quick and easy path, but where's the learning in that? She certainly wouldn't be writing blog posts like this if she'd had it easy.
This stuff *is* tough and time consuming, but we're working on an easier way. We've got a product called AffiloJetpack coming out in July which should solve a lot of these problems.
We had to get Kim doing it the hard way so she can fully appreciate the easy way when it comes :)
Terry Kennelly • 15 years ago
I for one have put on so much info weight in my head it's time now to reduce that 'weight' dramatically. So long to all you other IM email predators - your time has come - goodbye!
Learn - Ask - Action
Time to start over.
Cheers!
Kim Ross • 15 years ago
As for Aletta's note on doing this myself, I'm sure many of you can relate that I also want my successes to be due to my own merit, rather than due to others managing my project for me every step of the way.
I think that's also what will be great about AffiloJetpack - what you do with it will be very much on your own terms.
We'll all get there eventually, just remember these are only hurdles we're talking about - not giant road blockages that you can't get past!
Fran • 15 years ago
How to FTP ,was not easy for me
Organizing Files that you've FTP'd to your server
How to move files from your server to your website (correct text configuration)
how and where to embed Amazon.com a store to a WP blog without knowing CSS
how and where to put html ad links or individual product links from Amazon.com to your WP blog
How and where to embed Youtube html to you blog
Yes I reserched some answers and many only used terms that confused me more everybody isn't a techie and I'm not dumb. I wonder if others have these questions and don't ask
Thank you
william eckard • 15 years ago
To all the very newbies out there, here is the catch. It is only logical that there is a lot of money to be made in affiliate marketing or Internet marketing per se. The Internet is humongus and the potential is limitless BUT the pot of gold it is only destined for those individuals that are prepared to make this a career. There is no "get rich quick" way.
Just like a medical doctor or any other professional has to study for 5 or 6 years to eventually reach their dream of living their passion and earn the income they desire (and in most instances they have to slog away another ten years before they reach the desired level of income!), just so it is with this business, just a little easier and quicker I would say, if you are serious about it.
If you are passionate about it, you will chip away at it every day of your life. Obtain knowledge, know how and expertise in every aspect of affiliate marketing, implement, fail, get up again and do it all over again until you succeed.
I have been involved with internet marketing for years but was never prepared to get my hands dirty. Oh no, there must be an easier way! Well, their isn't any easier way. The best thing one can do is pick one or two professionals you can trust (you've found one at Affilorama) and then follow their guidance and get your hands dirty.
I adopted this attitude some 6 months ago and I view it as a process of studying... to obtain a degree, then my masters degree, then a Phd with the subjects: Keyword analysis, Market Analysis, Niche market research, SEO etc. I will then go for a Phd in PPC, then Media marketing, then Youtube and then I will expect to see the money coming in. And it will!
I cannot begin to tell you how much I have learnt in the past six months. Have I made money yet? No. Because I am no ready to make money yet, so how can I expect it? But I know that I will. 80% in the planning (and learning) + 20% in the implementation and execution = 100% guarantee of a successful affiliate marketing business.
No shortcuts.
You are not going to become the top neuro surgeon in the world by winning the lottery. Period.
Sorry about the long post folks!
Marc • 15 years ago
Kathaleen Dunford • 15 years ago
One solution is a product that I purchased due to Mark Ling highly recommending it. Of course there is still blood and sweat getting links and I highly recommend you spin the articles but overall the tool is great. I won't post the website in the body of my post but to read a detailed description of the tool do click on the link in my website.
What do you think of seolinkvine?
Every happiness and success in your future endeavours guys.
SteveH • 15 years ago
A lot of the hype suggests you can be successful quickly, but I have to suppose those days are long gone...all the big money, low-hanging fruit niches have been picked over pretty much by the early adopters and those niches are now crowded. That's not to say it can't be done, but your expectations do have to be scaled back a bit now. You can't just throw crap against the wall and expect it to stick anymore like it did in the early days.
And Kim, I'd have to say that my biggest frustration has been the lag time between accomplishing various technical benchmarks in my website construction / SEO efforts and then waiting to see if I chose the correct approach. If you choose the wrong particular strategy, then you've lost a lot of time waiting to realize that. I guess instant gratification in IM just doesn't exist.
At any rate, onward through the fog! Best wishes for success to all!
Anders la • 15 years ago
(80 + 20 + 3) x 5 :)
----------------------------
What does this mean? Could anyone please explain?
Kathaleen Dunford • 15 years ago
Bobby • 15 years ago
Not having the proper tools, time and resources makes everything slower.
But from my experience I tend to procrastinate also only when I found a new idea or a new niche (this tend happen when you are browsing the web).
So what I do I just jot down that idea in my small notepad and leave it there until I can utilize that to my main niche that I am working on.
It is a good idea to have all newly created ideas and store them for later on, as you might not know you might benefit from it later on.
This 80 + 20 formula is this some sort of old business principle that's been used by succesful businesses like the Pareto Principle?
It's like cause and effect - 80% your sales and 20% your clients but times 5 (meaning networking with other 4 people to make the project or job more faster and get results quickly). Just a wild guess.
James Pruitt • 15 years ago
I agree that some of these tasks are very hard to get through the first time around. However, once you have a system down, future sites are easier to complete, and everything goes much smoother and faster. outsourcing helps a lot also.
It is always good to see everyone's comments and how many other people experienced the same difficulties along the way.
Earl Allsopp • 15 years ago
Aletta Is Too Cool • 15 years ago
Are we going to have to wait six seasons to not get the answer, Kim? ;)
Kari Halstead • 15 years ago
Content creation has been my sticking point. Just trying to break it down into bits so it's not so overwhelming. It's a comfort knowing I'm not the only one slogging away.
Thanks for the post!
IMABC • 15 years ago
The worst of all being GETTING TRAFFIC.
Pretty much all the other areas are nice and neat because they are 1-time efforts. You know that once it's done, it's done. It will be there.
With getting traffic, you constantly need to be at it.
mcwaldo • 15 years ago
Set a simple goal which is now my goal: stick to the basics and get the first site live. Have locked down 5:30-7:30AM every day during the week just for that.
Ray Gollis • 15 years ago
I have been using Blogomator to automate my blog which I think is a great tool to schedule articles into your blog. Article Submitter and Jet Spinner are great tools to do Article Marketing.
So I will continue my journey in Internet Marketing. I think the best think to do is only take 1/2 hour at the beginning of the day to read your email and 1/2 hour a day to read your email at the end of the day.
I think if you concentrate in marketing your websites and your affiliate links you will be more focused in getting sales. I think you should avoid reading your email on all the offers out there,. This is a big distraction.
The best way to stay focus, Is create a task list for the day and stick with it. Rather than reading blog, looking at offers. I have been trying to focus on Traffic Exchanges at the present moment. I think Super Surf with some of the traffic exchanges are good: I love hits, dragon surf, safeXchange and many other ones are good to get traffic to your websites.
I really don't have the money to throw into PPC, but I think PPV is a better alternative. I am trying to get approved at some Cpa companys, but this seems very hard to get approved. Anyone know of any Cpa Company that is easy to get approved. I am interested in promoting Cpa offers through PPV. But I have been applying but no luck as of yet.
okay,
take care,
Ray
Neo Kanobi • 15 years ago
One this that is really helping me keep my focus is what a friend that I met in this Great Forum told me:
...We all suffer from "shiny new object syndrome," but I like to keep this quote in mind:
"If you chase two rabbits, both will escape"
Great Feeback Mark and Aletta (and I agree with you about the mysterious numbers ((80 + 20 + 3) x 5 =, are they in any way related to Lost or Smokey ?) :-)
Take care guys
Neo
Heather Mackey • 15 years ago
Todd Parrish • 15 years ago
epic traffic systems review dude • 15 years ago
Another thing, don't forget about a strategy. You need to routinely keep it updated. So, your focus should be on one but every once in a while go back and update the other.
scott bibbs • 15 years ago
Earl Allsopp • 15 years ago
Antonia Wenberg • 15 years ago
Tracy Salvador • 15 years ago
This is way more than a full time job. In the mean time, who keeps a roof over my head?
mynameisJoe • 15 years ago
Congrats for joining Mark's team
(obviously the kind of job I would like to find to make my employment dreams come true).
;o)
(80 + 20 + 3) x 5 --> wow I still ignore what those figures mean... ;o)
How many Grey cells do I have to fry before solving this Pr Layton's equation?
lol
1. Remaining committed to one strategy only
For sure this is a really BIG issue as sales letters are often very tempting.
;o(
So we have to say okay this method seem fair enough for me then I stop searching any other one
& I dedicate time - efforts - money (reinvesting) in my first project.
2. Choosing a niche
There are tons of ways to find niches.
ie: buy a magazine & have a look on the ads
3. Building a website
Oh yes this can be very complicated at least for your 1st baby.
The choice IMHO is between WordPress (free or cheap if you purchase a good template) & XsitePro2 (not free)
4. Creating content
If you have more time than money to invest in this task then
expect weeks to produce useful & interesting content.
If you already earned $200-$300 online then hire a ghostwriter.
Advices:
a) ask 2 or 3 articles previously writen as samples on any topic
b) get started w/ 5 articles
c) check if the content id original
d) pay 50% now & the rest after you received the whole order
e) be very specific in your needs
5. Getting traffic
Here again its time consuming & you have to explore several ways.
ie: SEO, bookmarking, profile linking, article marketing, videos, rss feeds, etc.
Dont put all your eggs in the same basket & if you chose keywords w/ enough monthly searches
& not too many competition bang you can reach page1or 2 of Google in 2-3 months.
As you I am not a big fan of PPC is quite risky...
6. The Newsletter series
Once again start this new aspect when you made enough cash to bear that expense w/out
having to get an instant ROI.
================
SEVEN. Dont quit before reaching your goals!
Print out your goals & stick them on your wall & as soon as you reached one goal,
"update" your poster.
It may help.
EIGHT. Dont put yourself in a situation where the lack of sales put you in danger!
(ie to pay the rent)
Not making (enough) sales is already frustrating & can soemtimes lead to doubts
so dont add stress to those gaps!
NINE. From time to time have a break & enjoy life w/ your family & relatives.
If you can afford watching a film: Go!
Go to the restaurant etc.
Your wife/husband/kids/friends wont understand you stay away from them for months
(even if you were already making thousands of dollars).
I hope this helps!
Joe.
Ian Garcia • 15 years ago
if your a web developer and you know about internet marketing then our breed is really lethal. some advice for professional internet marketers and novice peeps. if you want to run the internet marketing game. learn everything about web development. knowing this knowledge makes you literally the boss of internet marketing if you plan things right. it is really hard doing it by your self trust me. im still a lone wolf.web development is really powerful knowledge especially when your an internet marketer.
note: if you do take my advice do not learn PHP programming IT SUCKS
LEARN ASP.NET IN VISUAL BASIC OR C# (SHARP).
YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH IT.
Candy Kotalik • 15 years ago
I also think you made a great point on the challenge with writing good content. It takes quite a bit of time to put good articles together.
Keep up the great work with your blog! I enjoyed reading it.
joe • 15 years ago
Don Bengert • 14 years ago
Leon • 14 years ago
I am about at the point where any logical person would say that either I am the most useless idiot in the world - or the whole I.M. thing is nothing more than an end-of-the-rainbow myth! My dear wife probably thinks both!
I could explain the general principles of more than a dozen different internet marketing systems and sound like an expert, but when I sit down to "DO" something I get lost in technical Neverland EVERY time.
I've done endless research, got URL's, hosting, even an autoresponder account, but right now I can't even get a Wordpress theme working right. Oh yes, and I have Dreamweaver too, so I should be able to 'throw up' an html site. "Throw Up!" That's what I feel like doing.
Every day I assure myself that "I will beat this!" - but I think I'm fooling myself.
I've got more 'ultimate systems' on my hard drives than I could even remember what they are. I've got lists of keyword research, loads of articles about various things, research tools and auto-posting thingys - all littered across three computers - but I have not been able to get any one money-making website actually 'working'.
It might sound like I'm a technophobe, but in fact I am an expert in a couple of Photoshop areas and am quite computer savvy, both Mac and PC!
Sometimes I feel like driving the 5 or 6 hours to Christchurch and knocking on your doors and asking for someone to help me (or else certify me as clinically I.M. insane).
Kim, it would seem that even for a NZ$ wage your job there is potentially worth a whole lot more than the dollars! Congratulations on getting your job, and especially the expert help you're obviously getting. I'm envious!
I guess I'll take another look at "AffiloBlueprint" and see if I can NOT get stuck or overwhelmed this time.
Leon • 14 years ago
I just took another look at AffiloBlueprint and, just in case my last post gave the impression that AffiloBlueprint was the problem, I want to assure readers that it is NOT.
I started with AffiloBlueprint the day it opened but got horribly swamped with my 'normal' job shortly after. I completely forgot about Affilorama and Blueprint apart from a couple of quick looks last year.
Having just logged back in I can see that I should have stuck with the programme and continued as soon as I had the time. I would have saved myself several hundred dollars that I spent on other comparative junk over the past 18 months!
AffiloBlueprint is the real deal, and I'm committed to being successful with it!
dannybuntu • 14 years ago
Elgica • 14 years ago
Keep up the good work!
bureSnura • 14 years ago
I strive to catch 'em all ! Meaning ways to make money.
Since I am a student in New York city, I live one day at a time and I never know when
I'll be on my last dollar therefore I need a steady income which is hard to find.
Being a full time student and working part time is a hassle.there's not enough hours in a day.
So I might as well close down the hatch, stock up on water and get ready for something to come.
Today is a sunny du though. I can open my hatch.
I found proactol a weight loss pill and
it helps me get that steady income that I've been looking for.
All I have to do is spend a few hours a day on the computer and the rest of the 22 hours focus on school work.
My architecture major buddies know what I'm talking 'bout.
Since I take proactol myself due to my not so great weight. I can tell you it's safe.
So do me and yourself a favor and check it out. Easy weight loss.
Bye to everyone.
Theresa White • 14 years ago
T White here
I just joined and completed my profile and wondered over here. I read the 6 Hurdles comment
it was right on. There is one thing I would add - finding the "right" information for a newbie to start their foundation with.
My experiences are filled with RRRRRRR because the people/programs i found were not designed exclusively
for the newbie. I found that even those who claimed a newbie would have no problems ... wellllll maybe I'm just slow ; )
Anyway it's 2AM been here since 9:30 yesterday morning
night / morn'n /
Peace
T White
Success Creates Peace
Work at Home
Jan Houghton • 14 years ago
It (your post) so hit the spot. I've been in internet marketing for about 8 months, haven't made any money, learned quite a lot, but - oh how easy it is to get sidetracked! Just in the last couple of days I've made my mind up that I have to concentrate on just one or two 'systems', decide on my style of marketing, and just delete everything else that comes through the inbox. Cos I love it, and I know it's only a matter of persistence before I crack it.
Anyway, good luck with your business :)
Jan
Zilla Montoute • 14 years ago
I need to get going with the stuff. Is any body listening? Times are difficult, and I am still hanging on. Any credit for that? Now we get someone who tells it as it is. We need those tools brother, to market. He feels truth and lays it out. Those who stayed years hammering out the contents, will now say it is easy. You just drop your Link and don't think. Why do you still have questions after following all instructions. You hear words such as PDF and Html, as a newbie
you don't know what tastes best with your salad. However, you digest these things sooner or later.
you get to know. You know what, let all this knowledge be sooner. I want to grab my first Website. Its time to do business.. ZM
Michael Hendrickson • 14 years ago
Russell Bailey • 14 years ago
wojo2010 • 14 years ago
Earl Allsopp • 14 years ago
cna training • 14 years ago
Margaret Meyer • 14 years ago
Thanks for emphasizing the time commitment necessary for an affiliate site. I think the time needed along with the learning curve have been the biggest challenges for me in starting my affiliate sites.
However, almost 90 days in I am starting to see some progress. I've made a couple hundred dollars in commissions and am even getting search engine rankings. When I get frustrated with the process (and how much time it takes) I focus on my goals and look back on the progress I have made. I try to keep reminding myself of how far I have come and imagine where I will be 30, 60 or 90 days into the future.
Best of luck to you (and all of the other new affiliates on this post) with your sites!
jim workman • 14 years ago
Dan - mass cash espionage review • 13 years ago
Russell Stewart • 12 years ago
As 'stargate66' mentioned you can't expect the big rewards without being committed and persistent.
It is easy to get diverted so I think a written 'study & apply' type plan is imperative. I am as green as they come and the real challenge I have found is doing one thing at a time.
A plethora of IM offers keep coming in and it is easy to 'take a quick look' but it only slows you down. I've unsubscribed to just about all of them other than 'Affilorama' (obviously).
Mark and the great support team are the best out there and Adam Short is in the same mold, first class.
I've blown a few (well more than a few) bux on some courses and
really got nowhere, I am learning and I know it will take time, but then again; anything worthwhile takes time and energy with a dose of passion to see it through.
Excellent article Kim with some terrific replies too!
anisha • 11 years ago
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