Many people dream of making passive income online or starting their own online small business, probably home based, how to make money online they ask?
Let’s face it there are an awful lot of us who dream of firing the boss and working in their PJ’s. Few succeed though the figures often quoted is that between 95% and 99% of people who start a blog or website fail to make any money doing it.
I guess that’s why some people are looking for the “business in the box solution”. The follow this plan and all will be well. After all most of us who are trying to make money on-line are doing it after spending years as good little employees. You know do what the boss tells you what to do, when to do it by, and then praises you for getting it done correctly – or not.
Business isn’t like that. On-line busines is different from real world business – but not as much as many people believe.
Why Do Small Businesses Fail?
Apart from cash flow issues, most small businesses fail because they can’t get enough customers. There is no demand for their service or product. Think of the local lady who makes beautiful handicrafts, but no one buys. Think of the coffee shop that makes great coffee – but is 1/2 empty because its tucked away in an uninviting backstreet. Or the geek who can fix your computer just like that – but doesn’t know how to explain to potential customers what he can do.
Now consider the on-line business version of these businesses:
♦the blogger who blogs about their passion for Ancient Roman Gladiators sports – they have a beautiful blog, with lots of great information and pretty pictures: but no one wants to buy anything there because they cam looking for information which they got in spades on the site;
♦the site which provides great baby gear at the right price – but no one can find the site because the site is called “Kute Kiddies Kool”, all the links to the site are by its name – and people who search search for “cheap baby clothes online” or “cheap organic cotton baby clothes”
♦the site which is developed by a design specialist – its full of cute visual effects and great graphics – but the search engine doesn’t know that the site is offering computer setup support in the Bay Area because Google can’t read flash or images.
Luckily on-line its very easy to work out whether you will have customer for your site or not – we call them searchers.
Simple Steps to Make Your On-line Business Work
- Decide whether or not you are in business. If you just want to make a few dollars from a blog – then you are not in business, you have a hobby.
- Work out which business model works for you: provide services (writing, technical, whatever) to others, develop sites which bring you in passive income, or use your on-line business to support, funnel visitors to your real-world business.
- Focus your website on keywords which a) get traffic and b) are buying keywords – terms people search for when they are looking to buy something not just for information.
- Check that there is not too much competition for your search terms: either use free tools or something like Market Samurai
- Decide on your method of monetization: either funnelling traffic to your real world business or getting paid by eBay or Amazon affiliates, other affiliates, promoting an e-book, promoting your own services or Adsense.
- Build a website which focuses on your chosen keywords: whether you use WordPress, handcode html, use MyStarterBlog or Dreamweaver – doesn’t matter – just do it -its the easiest part of the process. Make sure you on-page SEO focuses on your keywords i.e. get the keyword in your title, sub-headings and content.
- Get your site ranked in the search engines: get it ranked for your keywords by getting backlinks which anchor that term. Get backlinks from article marketing and supporting sites like today, hubpages and squidoo. Submit articles to ezine articles.
- Rinse and repeat.
So I have a question for you guys: what bit is so hard and scary that you can’t get started? Which bit makes people search for the simple, one process fits all, turn key system. This is being in business people; its scary, there is no one-size fits all that will work for everyone – otherwise no business would be able to hire an employee.
If you are looking for a supportive membership site which will help you succeed check out my review of Keyword Academy Video Crash Course
22 replies on “How To Create Your On-Line Business For Beginners”
Wow – a whole post and no mention of you know what ! BTW I’ve put you on my blogroll on my sharescity.com site – not sure if it’s any use as it’s stock market stuff but I guess it can’t do any harm GB
Site Build It Review Site’s last blog post..Site Build It Review Update
GB askimet doesn’t like you! I have a short attention span – I couldnt focus on one website for a whole year – as appears to be recommended in product I recently reviewed …
Lis,
Great post. The hardest part about getting started? Something new/ different sounding will come along and people read about that try a few things and then something new comes along(pattern’s start to form) and before you know it a year went by with very little work.
Derrick
Derrick’s last blog post..Is Giving Free Information Away Worth It?
You are completely correct on this one Derrick – I wrote this because I had helped confuse a couple of new people in the previous comment-feast post!
It’s not the getting started that’s scary for lots of folks…it’s the weeks that follow and because they haven’t yet mastered the art of affiliate marketing/sales/product reviews/etc., they lose confidence when their Paypal accounts stay at a level value.
People need to realize that yes, it IS a business, and yes, it takes time and effort. Sadly, lots of individuals will be suckered in by claims of great rewards for zero efforts…
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach’s last blog post..Rainbows follow ME in search of GOLD – Make Money and Lose Weight
Very true Barbara – as far as unrealistic expectations Internet Marketing wins hands down!
This post has really helped me get stated. Thank you very much lissie! I will be reading all your posts and taking notes:)
BurnThat’s last blog post..Burn Fat: How To Accelerate Fat Burn Easily!
Hi Lissie!
You said; “…what bit is so hard and scary that you can’t get started?” – well that’s easy, “the whole bit!” It’s a lot easier and a whole lot more seductive to just go read another ‘magic bullet’ MMO site than actually start in and do it.
I bet that very few of your readers will allow their heads to get around your punchline; “…yes, it takes time and effort”.
Rhys’s last blog post..Monetize Your Site
@BurnThat – glad to have helped – now get out there and start working cause Rhys is completely right -its much easier just to keep reading make money online blogs!
Greetings,
I am new to blogging and new to make money online. However I am trying to learn and implement what I have learned (not easy though..)I do not have a mentor yet to guide….Still in search…Meanwhile, I wanted to clarify, regarding submitting article to ezine articles…Can this be something that I have published in my blog or does it have to be brand new one…(might sound like a silly Q….but I am still learning…)Pls advice and THANK YOU a bunch.
NO anything you submit to ezinearticles has to be unique otherwise they will reject it!
Ok, 1 Q answered, now to the next Q, regarding mentoring….do you have any suggestion….I am looking forward to excel in blogging…
Thank you again.
Do you want to build a blog with lots of readers or do you want to make money online? If you want to make money then I highly recommend the KeyWord Academy which I reviewed here
A lot of people say you just need a strategy to turn your hobby into an income generator. Your example of Ancient Roman Gladiator sport challenges that idea. You got me thinking!!
Kai Lo’s last blog post..One Post Per Page
I would always recommend that you do something that you know and comes naturally. In my case that was creating a blog on blogspot talking about the Investools Scam . Thanks for your time and good luck!
CNBC ADDICT’s last blog post..Investools Review
I have been spending 3 weeks searching for what business should I do, I’m already tired of my 9-6PM job, and I always end up of thinking full time in online business. Your post really helps me to discern about my plan to go full time online entrepreneur.
I am starting a new blog which at the moment earns $5 dollars, really really bad but with your posts I would check on my niche and hopefully increase my passive income very soon. Thanks a lot!
.-= yanna@ms small businesses´s last blog ..Sep 2, Small Business New Mexico =-.
I’d like to have a house and a car of my own. Being an employee can take forever to reach to my goal. But I don’t want to leave my work, cause I like what I do, so maybe I can start a business on-line on the side. Thank you Lis for all these tips.
This post really sums things up and is a great reference point for someone starting out. An online business has unlimited earning potential. It requires a lot of work. Especially if you are just starting out. There is a lot to learn but the rewards are great.
.-= Internet Marketing Coach´s last blog ..Hover Wizard Review =-.
Your dead on about targeting keywords that bring traffic. Keyword hunting really is an art form, but well worth the time it takes to do properly. Market Samurai is a really good start too.:)
I just wanted to add thanks to this blog post as I have referred many people to it many times.Its the simple and clearly defined posts like this that make all of the difference to people and really encourage them to get started.
I agree that most start-up online entrepreneurs are enthusiastic in the beginning but later on stopped or failed. This is really an enlightening article. Thanks for sharing!