Takeaway Tips:Learn from Successes and Failures of a 7 Figure Site

Tweet Your Questions: @AlCarlton

Takeaway Tips:Learn from Successes and Failures of a 7 Figure Site

Presented by: Al Carlton


Banker → Wanker → Software Engineer → Entrepreneur◦Quit the 9-5 in 2005

Since 2005◦Paid >$1M from Google◦Paid >$1M-ish from

affiliate merchants

About Al Carlton


Tweet your questions to @AlCarlton Answers as we go (or at the end) Tweet a question? Get an entry to the drawing:

2 hour consulting session (£500 value)oTalk businessoTalk InternetoTalk about your holidayoTalk about whatever you choose

Participation is Welcomed & Encouraged


1. Traffic Sources

2. Revenue Generation

3. Business Side

4. Networking

Keys to My Successes & Failures


Why?


1. Traffic SourcesSearchSocialDirectReferralsPaidThe Future


Not an SEO talk >> check out the other talks Al’s Mantra: Create quality content and let

Google do its job◦Help may be necessary at times

SEO practice sound dodgy? Probably is!◦Smack down will come ◦Keep your eyes on the long term

Traffic Sources: Search


What works best for YOU?◦Understand their audience & your audience◦Spend time on what works◦Automate those that don’t work well (yet)

Traffic Sources: Social

Traffic Sources: Social“Even if you can’t be arsed with a

Facebook page or Twitter page, set it up. Spend a few weeks on it interacting and adding content and make your visitors

aware of it. Down the line those few thousand subscribers, followers & friends

could be handy even if it’s not on your radar today.”– Scott Jones


Play by their rules◦Know the rules◦Rules change quickly…take advantage while you can◦Find work-arounds

Make your content easy to share What is available??

◦Use a tool (namechk.com)

Traffic Sources: Social

“Stop spending so much bloody time on Facebook and Twitter and do some

actual work” :)

-Chris Clarkson


Make it easy for users to return Build an email list

◦ Use it◦ Monitor it◦ Management software

Bookmark your site◦ Know how users access you◦ Make it easy for users to access you

Build an email list RSS Subscribers Build an email list Did I mention build an email list?

Traffic Sources: Direct


Coding Tip:

Before After


Quality content Share with contacts in your niche

◦Quality content gets organic links Use your personal and social networks Don’t spam

Traffic Sources: Referrals

Traffic Sources: The Future

“The Internet landscape changes so quickly now that it's like there are25 Internet years to 1 normal year.

A lot can and will happen in that time and you can't afford to rest on

your laurels or things that'used to work’.”

- Chris Winfield, CMO blueglass.com @ChrisWinfield

“Embrace chaos and don't be afraid to change. Even if

it means changing everything.”

2. Revenue GenerationTake Your PickExample: AffiliatesExample: AdsenseMaximize


Key: multiple revenue streams◦Subscription◦CPM ads (pay per view)◦CPC Ads (pay per click)◦Pay per action◦Affiliates◦Sales

Loads of ways to make money

Revenue Generation: Take Your Pick


Revenue Generation: Take Your Pick

“Diversify revenue streams. And I don't mean having two

different advertising networks.”– Chris Garrett

Revenue Generation: Take Your Pick“If you can

buy/develop/improve one site to be the leader

in its field, no matter how small a genre, you can negotiate very

favourable advertising ratesthat could surprise you.

Better to be the biggest fish in a

medium sized pond.”– Scott Jones

Sales by Link Type

Revenue Generation: Affiliates

61.4%31.0%

7.6%


Make images into links

Coding Tip


Take it easy◦Don’t over do it◦Remember your site’s image & audience

Think outside the front page Sneaky sites

Revenue Generation: Big, Ugly Adsense

Be smart about your real estate


You built a list – USE IT ◦Get to know analytics◦A/B(/C/D…) testing

Target your adverts◦Device◦Geo◦Content type

Target your social media spend Know your economics

Revenue Generation: MaximizeDO NOT LEAVE MONEY ON THE

TABLE

Revenue Generation: Maximize

“Our site reviews have been priced at various price points…Each time I've raised prices to decrease demand as we were getting too busy. And each time demand has gone up slightly...

Perceived value and your product price is something you should

obviously experiment heavily with.”- Joost de Valk, yoast.com


3. BusinessHiringResearchMoney management


Don’t create yourself a new job◦Hire professionals for professional jobs◦Outsource the things you hate

Business: Hiring

“If your business cannot run without you it is not a business. It is a job.”

- me

One of the worst mistakes I have made (a few times) is thinking I can do everything solo. We are

not superheroes. – Chris Garrett

If you need something skilled and can’t do it personally, then pay someone, don’t half arse it, better to finish work that day at 2pm and pay someone skilled to create a better finished product than work late into the night drunk and wake up the next morning to realise what you create was dross ….and then go and pay someone to do it properly, it’s

still yours even if you get help along the way, you may just get there quicker and with better results if you get help. – Scott Jones

“One that I wish I knew/applied when I started out is to take the time to figure out the core activities that you as a founder are best at and equally important enjoy doing…

You can potentially get very good at all of them and think it is a good thing but in reality it is a big mistake. The sooner you focus on your key areas of expertise and hire/outsource/partner with others to do everything else the better your chances of

success. -Toren Ajk, President TAC Marketing Group

“One of the worst mistakes I have made (a few times) is

thinking I can do everything solo.

We are not superheroes.”– Chris Garrett

“If you need something skilled and can’t do it personally, then pay

someone, don’t half arse it.

Better to finish work that day at 2pm and pay someone skilled to create a better finished product

than work late into the night drunk and wake up the next morning to

realise what you create was dross…

…and then go and pay someone to do it properly. It’s still yours even if

you get help along the way. You may just get there quicker and with

better results if you get help.”– Scott Jones

“…take the time to figure out the core activities that you, as a

founder, are best at and -equally important -enjoy doing.

There are many activities, from client prospecting, account

management, billing, legal, biz dev, developing and fulfilling the actual

product or service you are selling that

need to be done…

“…The sooner you focus on your key areas of expertise and

hire/outsource/partner with others to do everything else the better your

chances of success.”

-Toren Ajk, President TAC Marketing Group

Hire & fire

Utilize available services◦PeoplePerHour◦Fivver (used correctly)◦Odesk◦Visit “Outsourcing” from ThinkVis 2010/03

Business: Hiring

“As you grow, finding the right people is one of the hardest things to do. Be ruthless, as having to get rid of the

wrong people is even harder.”– Chris Clarkson


Take action on ideas◦Make notes on new ideas◦Register the domain

Research before diving in◦Internet◦App stores◦Ask within your network, friends

Business: Research


Keep separate accounts ◦Banking◦Credit Cards (get points!)

Consult your accountant when in doubt Keep ALL records

Business: Money Management


“Keep your business life and your home life and finances apart.

Don’t spend anything unless you absolutely have to.

Nothing is an order until the invoice is paid”– Paul Madden


Don’t flush money down the drain◦Check your expenses & auto debits◦Sit where you are for £650


“If you are starting out and can afford to reinvest 100% then do

it. This gives you an advantage to leverage while others take a

wage. Use it in the short term for competitions, PR & promotion and buying other sites. If you

can’t beat the competitionthen buy them.” – Scott Jones


4. Networking Importance of NetworkingWhere & How (Not) to NetworkCircle of TrustHow (Not) To F*%k up

Advice Partnership Expertise Opportunities

Networking: The Importance of

“A network can be your most powerful asset, and will be even more import as

the world economy changes…

Make nurturing and attracting network relationships a priority, it's one of the best

investments you can make.” – Chris Garrett

Attend conferences (well done!)◦Follow up◦2-4 meetings before considered part of network

Break the ice on social networks Ask (and offer) email introductions Give more than you take Don’t be too pissed


Networking: Where & How (Not) To

Networking: Where & How (Not) To

“No matter how well-known someone is, at

after-conference beers, everyone is approachable

and generally happy to talk to you.”– Chris Clarkson

@AlCarlton will be in the bar tonight


Those you can trust◦You go to them for advice◦Vice versa

Know everyone’s expertise Circles will intersect (personal, business)

Networking: Circle of Trust


Networking: How (Not) To F*%k Up



I’m baaaack

!!!


Don’t let your penis make business decisions You will be let down by someone

◦If in doubt, research them If in doubt consult your circle Listen to what your circle says! Don’t spend the money on Dom (Perignon or

Hodgson) - spend it on the business


1. Traffic SourcesQuality contentAvoid the dodgyUse social appropriatelyBuild a list

2. Revenue GenerationDiversifyExperiment and optimize

3. Business SideDon’t create yourself a jobGet an accountant! FAST!Separate business and private finances

4. NetworkingIs as important as your product – so do itCircle of trust


Take Away Tips

Scott JonesScottish Lord

@sj

Paul Maddenuk.manuallinkbuilding.com

@PaulDavidMadden

Joost de Valkyoast.com

@yoast

Chris Winfieldblueglass.com

@ChrisWinfield

Thanks for the contributions: Toren Ajktacgroup.biz@fthead9

Chris Clarksonsunshine.co.uk@chrisclarkson

Kieron Donoghuecontentnow.co.uk@kierondonoghue

Chris Garrettchrisg.com@chrisgarrett

@AlCarlton

Questions? Tweet Away!


The End

Date post:	10-May-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	al-carlton
View:	751 times
Download:	1 times

Takeaway Tips:Learn from Successes and Failures of a 7 Figure Site

Documents