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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