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… what was I thinking?

That’s what I did this morning.  I was checking out some of my OLD sites - things I’d not touched in over a year.  Yikes. I couldn’t believe it had been more than a year!  I’m usually tinkering away at sites every now and again - in no set fashion.  But this site I saw this morning… omg… it looks terrible.  I remember putting it together too.

It was one of those - if I build it, they will come.  Only they haven’t come and it looks like crap.  There is no original content to speak of - just quick little paragraphs under the offer… oh what was I thinking?!?!  Or not thinking!  I was thinking of showing you the site, but damn, I’m embarrassed of my lack of “imagination” on this one.  So maybe when I’ve re-vamped the site, I’ll roll it over here for you to take a peek at.

So I think August will be the month where I’ll reconfig that site - I mean that there is potential, and I like the subject.  Problem is - it’s very oversaturated in that market.  Uphill battle, but not one I’m going to back away from either.  I think the Internet is a big enough place for me to play the game too, but I think a good word of advice for anyone starting out - is research your niche.  You don’t want to go head first into a super competitive market where there are companies out there who can “out budget” you, and win the race - because you just don’t know the ins and outs of it all.  Start with a niche you love, that can take you a long way.  Start a niche - if you can find it that isn’t super competitive - so you can learn the ins and outs and then go on to tackle the big affiliate marketing niches.

Just my thoughts.  What I’ve learned in my time online doing this.  It’s just one of those things - where you have to start out loving what you’re writing about - or it won’t matter how long or how much money you put into your site.  It just won’t last.  Been there - done that.  Gave up on a lot of sites.  But there are some that I’d like to give another try too… and this site that I mentioned is one of them.

Have you got any sites collecting dust on your shelf that you’d like to work on again?

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I have to admit, this weekend was a bit of a washout.  I was going to finish up a couple of projects, and in fact got nothing done.  It was due to a lot of things - birthday parties, meeting up with relatives, meeting up with more relatives, and wondering where the hell the weekend went.  Because I ended up getting not a darn thing done.

Nothing.

But this can be a bit of a boon for me too - I was able to just be away from the computer the whole weekend, and now I’m back and I’m feeling refreshed.  Those ideas that have been bouncing around in my head - I’ve written down and I’m going to be working on them.  I’m excited about it, when I might not have had the enthusiasm for it had I been working on sites all weekend long.

So in a way… it’s a good thing.

In a deadline sort of way… maybe not so much.

But I’m good at re-inventing my deadlines…and it was a much needed break.

• I have to say that I’ve officially broken the Google Adsense income from last month… woot.
• I’ve added more content to my 2 fan sites
• I’m thinking of my third site - should it be along the same lines, or something different - tear away from the fan site idea and forge out onto something else.  Maybe something a little harder to rank for - make it challenging :P  We’ll see.

So what did you do this weekend?

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Fan Site #1 has really turned out to be my bread and butter this month.  I decided to be all “business” about this site and I’ve been tracking hits to the site, money coming AND going out to pay for things and looking to break even this month - or even better, to make a little “profit”.  I would love for the site to get to the point where I can get a monthly cheque from lovely Google, but I’m not there… yet.

But I do have to say in the three months that the site has been live - the income for it has gone up.  I’m so proud of myself for taking the time to do what needed to be done, that I just put off with the other sites I’d create… but decided 2 years into the whole affiliate marketing to actually try to follow… this time.

So what did I do differently this time around:

• I picked something I actually like/have interest in
• Picked a domain name that was catchy
• Looked around at other fan sites of this topic and picked things I could do… better
• Keyword Research
• Baby steps on adding keywords to the site - something I’d not really ever focused on doing before this.  How weird is that - and I knew better!
• Document keywords in DigitalPoint’s Keyword Tracker (not been done seriously before)
• Keep an eye on what people searched for and then found my site with (keywords)
• Focus first on one income stream, then add new income streams to the site slowly - to see what is working and what isn’t.  Lots of playing involved - and I’m still doing it.

• It’s not a total surprise this list of mine - but it’s the first time that I’ve actually taken my knowledge of what I need to do and actually applied it to the site.  I think enjoying the subject matter has really helped because I’m still doing it… and it hasn’t fizzled out due to lack of interest on my part.

In doing all of this work - I can now say this month has been good to me Google wise - I’ve beat last month’s total.  I’ve also sold something through Amazon on the site for the first time in 3 months.  I sent out a newsletter for this site - and I’ve got a 50% open rate and a 60% click through rate on links - I’m very happy with those numbers - and there are still many who have yet to open the email… or not.  So I’m just hanging around… waiting to see if anything happens.  The offers I had with the newsletter, so far… no clicks.  So I’m going to have to work on that.

But I’m happy with the way that Fan Site #1 has worked out.  I’ve got a lot to work on with Fan Site #2 - and when that’s up to content level with Fan Site #1, then I’m off on a new topic - and hopefully will repeat all those steps I’ve mentioned so I will finally be getting that monthly cheque from Google (and expand from there for revenue).

Fingers Crossed!

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I’ve been looking for something to do in my “spare” time that isn’t always about being on the computer writing, reading and becoming ultimately too damn time consuming.  I need a brain break.  I actually want to find something that I love to do that might (in the future) even make me a few dollars on the side.  But that isn’t the main focus of the hobby.  For me it’s about doing something that I can enjoy and relax to and be fine with and not stress about and just basically not think about much but the task at hand.

I was thinking about painting.

I was thinking about drawing.  I’ve not done that in years, and I use to really, really enjoy it.

I want to get all artsy/crafty

I would like to do some digital scrapbooking

… see I do have ideas - and they’re all totally appealing.  I would also like to get out and do more walking - but that’s more exercise than a hobby.

I really think taking a break from this online world every once and awhile isn’t a bad thing, I personally think it would be a very healthy thing to do.  I can come back to doing my online stuff a little more refreshed and a little less bogged down.  I really think this is what I need.  It’s the summertime and the livin’ is suppose to be easy.  LOL.  I just need to spread my wings a little bit you know.  Try something different.   I just feel a little bit of a change in the whole scheme of things is needed if I’m going to be on top of my game when it comes to making that “big plan” change - since I’m chugging along here with mini goals.  I don’t want to be left with regrets.

:)  … I’m being way to philosophical lately aren’t I.

I’m curious… what do you do for your brain break away from the computer - what hobbies to you enjoy working on?

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