Well, I gave myself a new blog for Christmas and I'm moving home...

My website's home, that is.

I've never been a fan of remotely hosted solutions, but Blogger was so darn convenient and easy to use that I stuck with it longer than expected.

For months, now I've been wanting to host my blog on my own domain but never got around to it... until now.

I now have a WordPress blog and it's hosted on my own domain. The address is http://blog.2createawebsite.com and the RSS feed is still http://feeds.feedburner.com/2createawebsite

I know what many of you are thinking, "If you use Feedburner then there's no need to announce your feed." I know, but I only started using Feedburner recently so many of you may still be subscribed under my Blogger RSS link. If so, you'll need to update your RSS bookmark to http://feeds.feedburner.com/2createawebsite.

If you're thinking of hosting your own blog, I highly recommend WordPress. The customization features are amazing and you can do so much more with your blog.

And for those of you who have been WordPress users forever are probably wondering what took me so long. Yeah I wonder that too. ;)

In any event, just a quick note to let you know about my new blog. Look forward to seeing you there.

Merry Christmas!

I've never been too big on blogging. I know, I know... everybody's doing it and it's sooooo "Web 2.0", right?

Well for me, it's always been sort of a secondary tool I use to draw traffic to my main site, and it was usually at the bottom of my "to-do" list.

But in the past two months, I've noticed a spike in my blog traffic and AdSense revenue. And those two things... traffic and money always get my attention. :).

Not to mention, I finally signed up with FeedBurner.com and discovered I had more than 400 subscribers to my blog.

So I decided to put a little more energy and time into blogging, especially now that I know many people have taken the time to subscribe (thanks!).

In the meantime, I stumbled upon this traffic-generating program for your blog called BlogRush. Like many of these referral network "thingies", I usually approach with caution and expect the least. But since it's free, I figured why not.

Here's how it works...

BlogRush operates on a pyramid-style, multi-level structure. You sign up for a free account, submit your blog to the network and place a widget on your site that displays other blogs from other members.

Without getting too deep into the details (you can get them at BlogRush anyway), you earn display credits every time your blog loads.

The more times your blog loads, the more times your blog is displayed throughout the network. You also earn display credits for your blog when you refer others to the network.

So just like any other multi-level traffic system, the people with high amounts of traffic, benefit the most because their traffic earns them more credits, which results in more blog displays throughout the network.

One flaw with BlogRush (and this happens with most programs that operate in this manner) is people have already figured out ways to cheat the system by using random user agents to spoof impressions.

In English, that just means they can generate more credits for their blog by using a script to trick BlogRush into thinking their blog has been displayed so they can earn more display credits for their own blog.

John Reese, the creator, says he is fully aware of these practices and is doing everything he can to remove "cheaters" from the network and keep the system clean.

Another issue I noticed with BlogRush is relevancy. When you join, you tell BlogRush what category your blog is in. This is to ensure your blog is displayed on the most relevant blogs and vice versa.

But when I check the widget on my site, often times I see blogs that are quite irrelevant to my content. And of course this means my blog is being displayed in the same manner.

Although I will say, things have improved tremendously since you can now choose a sub-category for your blog profile.

So what's the verdict? Can BlogRush deliver a flood of traffic like they advertise?

For most bloggers, due to their lower traffic levels, probably not. A "flood" may be overexaggerating a bit. But I do think you can generate some decent traffic.

And with time and some more fine-tuning (removing cheaters from the network and better targeting), this could be a very worthwhile program down the road.

I have been generating some traffic through BlogRush, and even though it's not a lot, it's enough to let the BlogRush widget maintain a slice of real estate on my blog.

And while there is much room for improvement, I like what I've seen so far. John seems very committed to the success of the program and has already improved many features, stats, etc.

So in the meantime, I'm sticking with them.

You can sign up with BlogRush here.

As the AdSense popularity grows among Webmasters, it's hard to find a site without at least one AdSense unit displayed.

And in my opinion, many Webmasters overdo it.

Because you want to get as many clicks as possible, it can be very tempting to lace your page header with multiple AdSense ads. After all, the more ads, the money you'll make right?

Not necessarily...

... especially if your site is in a niche that targets Webmasters or other Internet savvy groups. These audiences are often immune to Internet ads in general and are twice as likely to ignore them.

So instead of AdSense becoming an additional revenue stream, it becomes a sign that may suggest you're more interested in getting clicks than giving useful content.

Arial of attackdepression.com told me she immediately thinks "amateur" when she comes across a site where the Google ads take up more real estate than the actual content.

And she really hates the sites where you have to scroll down just to see the first line of real content because the AdSense ads are in the way.

I have to agree. First impressions are everything. And if your visitors first impression of your site is "too many ads and not enough info", you've immediately lost some interest, credibility and perhaps a repeat visitor.

Your visitors shouldn't have to dig through your ads to find your content.

Don't get me wrong. I think you should maximize your AdSense revenue potential by using multiple AdSense units - that's why Google allows up to three.

Just make sure they don't overpower your site's layout and you have good content to supplement the ads.

Remember, it's your content relevance and site usability that keeps people interested and encourages them to return - not your advertisements.

So rather than being so eager to show off your AdSense ads with the contrasting bright yellow background, why not show them why your site is worthy of a bookmark and a return visit. There's no better way to do that than through useful info and site usablity.

These days Web surfers are much more ad conscious than they were years ago. And with the media stories that have flooded newspapers and news programs, it's getting harder to find people who don't know a little something about "making money with Google ads."

In other words, people are much more aware, and it's getting easier for the average surfer to spot a greedy Webmaster.

A few years ago, more people would click ads out of curiosity or confusion. These days the only click many surfers are making is the "Back" button because they know exactly what this Webmaster is up to.

It's all about balance. There's nothing wrong with using 3 AdSense units on a page. And there's certainly nothing wrong with having them highly visible to increase the chances of a click thru.

But if your ads overpower your content, and it becomes obvious you're only out to make a fast buck, is it really worth the loss of credibility and a potential repeat visitor?

AdSense should supplement your content, not BE your content.

It doesn't matter how you slice it. Content has and will always rule. And I'd much rather sacrifice a few clicks with the hopes they will find my site useful and want to return again.

And should they happen to click an ad in the process of browsing my site, that's an added bonus!

And who knows, maybe on their next visit they'll make a purchase that is worth a whole lot more to me in commissions than 8 cents from an AdSense ad click.

AdSense is a wonderful, lucrative program. But don't let the dollar signs overshadow what it really takes to make a site succeed for the long haul.

Yup... my WebsiteBabble.com contest is on again.

It seemed to work very well last time, and is really helping me build a nice community with useful posts and friendly folks.

All you have to do is become a regular member of my forum, contribute useful information on a regular basis and you could be $150 richer on January 31, 2008.

For more details, read my forum announcement.

Then join the forum here.

It's that time of year and SiteSell has done it again. (I was hoping they would.)

This is the best Site Build It! special you'll ever find - 2 subscriptions for the price of 1. Yes, you pay for one SBI! subscription and you get a second one absolutely free.

If you are unfamiliar with all Site Build It! offers, then you may not realize what a magnificent deal this is. The amount of tools and help you'll receive to help start an online business would cost you about $5,000 if you had to pay for each tool individually.

Lucky for you, SBI! doesn't cost nearly that much.

Not only is the price only $299/year, but for a limited time SiteSell is giving you TWO subscriptions for the price of one.

What in the world would you do with two SBI!'s, you ask?

You could keep one for yourself and give the free one to a friend or relative. Imagine giving the gift of financial freedom this Holiday. :)

Or you could keep both for yourself and start two online ventures. The choice is yours, just don't miss out on this special because you may regret it.

I don't generally like blogging for the sole sake of advertising, but I couldn't pass this up. Those of you who have emailed me about the next SBI! special will be glad to know it's here now.

And this is the best one of the year.

Skeptical about purchasing it? Just remember my experiment from two years ago. I bought SBI! purely out of curiosity.... never expecting to really make much money. Like you, I wondered if it was just hype.

Well, not only did I make my money back in 6 months, but today my experimental site generates over $2,000 per month and I haven't updated it in months.

Will SBI! make you rich overnight?

Nope.

Is there little or no work required?

No. You have to put in your time.

But if you are not intimidated by some reading and a little brainstorming, it's an awesome collection of tools and tutorials that give you the best chance of succeeding with an online business if you take your time and follow the guide.

Please don't waste your Holiday money if you're looking for a get-rich-quick scheme. That's not what SBI! is about.

However, if you are serious about learning how to build a long-term, profitable website, then this special is the Holiday treat for you.

Get SBI! here.

When you're learning the ropes of website creation, design, making money, etc., the online world can be a lonely and even intimidating place.

More and more people are finding e-comfort at my forum, Website Babble. It's a place to connect with people who are learning just like you, and the members are some of the friendliest folks around.

Have a question you can't get answered? Want to communicate with newbies just like yourself? Looking for advice from some more seasoned Webmasters? Website Babble has it all, including a Lounge where you can talk about virtually anything and get to know the other members.

We are like family, so won't you join us?

For most, it takes a few years get their sites to the point where they can think about quitting their full-time job. But if you work hard enough, it can certainly be done within a year.

And even if it doesn't happen in 2008, perhaps you can earn enough to make it feasible for 2009.

If you are just getting started and want to make money online, here are some things you can do now to make 2008 a productive year for you...

1. Learn the basics of website building.

Don't rely on someone to update your site for you. You need the freedom to update your site when you want. Having to depend on another person is like buying a car when you don't know how to drive.

Imagine having to call someone every time you wanted to go somewhere. What's the point in the purchase if you don't have the freedom to go where you want when you want?

People are often intimidated by the website building process because they are "bad with computers" or feel they need formal training in web design. Not true. I didn't have any when I started and my site, 2createawebsite.com doesn't look to shabby. ;)

Thanks to great programs like Dreamweaver and CoffeeCup you don't need any formal training to build a site. And there are hundreds of sites with free tutorials on how to use these programs.

Or if you decide to use a program like Site Build It!, you don't need to learn how to use any software because they have all the tools built-in.

However, I still believe every website owner should at least learn the basics, no matter the host you choose.

Even if you pay someone to do the initial design for your site, you should still learn how to manage/maintain it going forward.

2. Decide your approach.

I make money online through affiliate programs. In other words, I build sites on topics that interest me and recommend products that relate to my topics.

The merchants pay me commissions for any sales I make, but I do not handle any products. I am simply the middleman that refers the sales. In addition I earn revenue through ads on my site.

Since I do not sell any tangible products, the content on my sites act as my product. I spend most of my time writing and of course marketing my site anywhere I can.

Understanding how to keep my sites ranked high in the popular search engines like Google is also a must.

If affiliate marketing doesn't sound like your thing, you can also sell your own products by setting up an e-store. Understand you will also be responsible for collecting payments and shipping products so it's important to educate yourself on these processes.

Of course there are other ways to generate money from a website, but these are the two basic ways and most popular.

Obviously you can do a combination of both. You can sell your own products and still make money from affiliate programs, ads, etc. The business model is up to you, but I would definitely recommend you start small and simple.

For example, if you want to sell lots of products like Amazon.com, I would start with a smaller niche and then expand. It's much easier to get traffic to a small niche like "antique turtles" than to try and compete with well-known brands like Amazon and Overstock who sell everything under the sun.

3. Realize you are starting a business.

If you want full-time money, understand this requires a full-time commitment. This is not something you can do for 2 days a month and expect to generate a six figure salary. (At least, not in the beginning!)

You must grasp the concept of Internet marketing and realize unless you have a lot of traffic to your site, you are not going to make much. Traffic doesn't just come to your site automatically.

Understanding search engine optimization (SEO) is a must if you want to generate free traffic from Google, Yahoo and Live (formerly MSN.com). They don't just start sending you traffic just 'cause you launched a site.

You should be setting up a plan that defines specifically the type of audience you want to target and how you plan to reach them.

And once you know that audience, it's up to you to do the research to find out where your potential audience/customers are.

Let's say you are targeting stay-at-home moms, you'll need to do your research and find out where they go online so you can get your site in front of them.

That could include creating a profile on the ivillage message boards to chat with other moms, and finding other online sites that target this audience and working out an advertising arrangement with the owners of these sites.

Generating traffic takes work and this is the most challenging task for any webmaster. It's the difference between failure and success online.

4. Decide if you need a webmaster or administrator.

With the emergence of dating and social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, it seems everyone wants to start their own networking or profile/member-based site.

I'll be blunt. These sites are not easy to setup or manage. You need to understand a great deal about web servers, security, bandwidth, etc. or at least know someone who can help you.

Also, you will need more than just a cheap web host for your site. A $3/month host is not good enough for a site as robust as this. Dedicated hosting is almost a must and it is not cheap.

So unless you plan to learn all this yourself, make sure you have a right-hand man (or woman) to take care of the technical details for you. Also make sure you have the extra cash on hand for monthly hosting/server fees.

5. Learn from those already making money.

If you decide you want to be an affiliate like me, become a frequent visitor of Allan Gardyne's site http://www.associaterograms.com.

I learned almost everything I know from his helpful newsletters and website. He's got a ton of advice for beginners. And be sure to read his newsletter archives. Allan is notorious for highlighting other successful affiliates so you can get some fantastic ideas and inspiration.

Also check out Ralph Wilson's site, http://www.wilsonweb.com. There are tons of great articles related to Internet marketing here. It's a great resource site.

6. Take it a step at a time.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed with all the information online. Don't feel you have to understand everything about Internet marketing right now.

Your first goal should be deciding on a how you want to make money and who you want to target. Get a pad and paper and jot down your notes.

Research. Do a Google search for the type of site you want to create. Check out your potential competition and see what they're doing. Look for info or resources they are lacking and find areas where you can capitalize.

Then once you've done that, spend a good deal of time learning how to build your site. Don't underestimate the importance of this step. Your site is your doorway to income, so make sure you have a plan for what you want to do and how you are going to manage it.

Here's to a productive 2008!

P.S. Wanna chat with other people just getting started? Head on over to my forum, WebsiteBabble.com. We're a friendly bunch! :)

Cathy Stucker (The Idea Lady) conducted a tele-class last night, hosted by EzineArticles.com.

Cathy is making a living from the abundance of content she's created over the years, and I thought she offered excellent advice... particularly for those who are just getting started and may be skeptical about how to make a living online from articles and information.

I summarized Cathy's main points in my forum, WebsiteBabble.com.

I love hearing stories about people who create sites for fun and they suddenly turn into a success story. That's what happened to Mikey, an avid fan of the series, Prison Break.

He told me his blog was originally created in early October 2007 for fun. And after only a month, the blog receives between 400 and 800 visits per day. This is the kind of traffic many bloggers can only dream about.

While I'm not usually a fan of starting with a free blog (versus a website), Mikey is a great example of how you can use a blog to get your feet wet online.

The trick is finding a niche you love that is not too competitive and delivering great content that your audience will value.

While many first-time bloggers fail to identify a target audience, and begin blogging by posting random, uninspiring information, Mikey's focus is clear.

His entertaining show updates, audience participation requests, incorporation of YouTube videos and clean layout all contribute to his early success.

As a reward, his traffic is soaring and his Alexa rank is already at 1 million. And even though he's not in the top 1% of trafficked sites quite yet, that type of rank for a site that is less than 2 months old is nothing to hang his head about.

Especially during a time when the Net is flooded with new bloggers trying to climb their way up the traffic ranks and get a piece of the delicious Google AdSense pie.

While many people find success online by selling products in hot niches, Mikey's story is a great reminder of how blogging about something you love can become quite rewarding with some dedication and effort.

I have a feeling this is just the beginning of a great future for Mikey and his flourishing blog, pBreak.org.

What can you learn from Mikey?

I was so excited to launch my new e-book, Untold AdSense Facts, on Saturday that I published a typo in the download to the link.

And a special thanks to the kind gentleman who brought that to my attention.

I am terribly sorry. So many of you take time out of your busy day to read my blog, only to find a broken link. And for that I apologize.

So if you missed the download to my free book. Here's the link again. (Right-click and "Save As" to download).

This time, the link works. :)

Due to all the AdSense buzz generated by the media lately, I felt it only fitting to write a small e-book that addresses many questions I receive about AdSense.

Yes, the concept of the program is super simple, but making a lot of money takes time and work.

Right-click here and download my free e-book Untold AdSense Facts to learn what separates those who make money from the program and those who don't.

One of my Website Babble forum members posted a link to an article from USA Today about a retired gentleman who earns $120,000 in Google ads in one year.

I wasn't as amazed by his story as I was the skeptical responses to the article. Then again, people are often skeptical when they hear stories about people making extreme amounts of money online.

Especially when they've tried it and haven't had much success themselves.

No one is saying it's easy, but it is doable. One guy even replied and said that you had to have millions of hits to your website just to make $1,000/month with Google ads.

I wish I could tell this skeptic that he's dead wrong.

Either he's been burned by other programs in the past or has tried the "Google AdSense thing" and hasn't had success, so he assumes no one else can.

It really is a shame that there are so many scams out here that it is difficult for people to believe some of these programs are legit and do work.

I'm not making $120,000 in Google ads, but I'm doing quite well and I sure as heck don't have a million visitors in a month.

If you want success with AdSense, the formula is super simple. Notice I said the formula is simple, but that doesn't mean you'll be rich in 2 days.

You do have to understand that it takes time and it's about building a useful site, understanding the basis of Internet Marketing and having some patience.

Now, if patience and hard work is not your thing, then maybe Google AdSense isn't for you. But if you...

1) Set realistic goals

2) Build a site on something you enjoy

3) Be prepared to L-E-A-R-N

4) Understand you may fail once or twice before you succeed...

You really can make a lot of money with the program.

The bottom line is, most of these AdSense success stories you read about are true. And my response to the person who said, "...if this is true then why doesn't everyone do it" would be...

Everyone doesn't want to put in the work required to become successful with AdSense. They are often wowed by the earning potential, but when they suddenly realize it does take work, they quit.

My hat goes off to the senior earning $120,000. And I'm sure he could care less that some don't believe his story... especially when he's headed to the bank with a fat check courtesy of Google. :)

If you haven't tapped into the video world, you may want to consider it. Not only does video help build credibility for your site, it builds traffic too.

Just like a website on Google.com, you can optimize your video for YouTube searches, and drive more targeted traffic to your video.

Learn how to turn this YouTube traffic into more visits for your site.

I wrote this article about a year and a half ago, but thought it was worth re-emphasizing because I continue to see thieves stealing my content.

Lazy people still don't get it. Rather than working hard to get Google to love their content, they still believe the best way to get a top ranking in Google is to steal someone else's content who is ranked high.

(shaking my head)

They don't realize Google is much smarter than they used to be. They ignore duplicate content and often will shell out heavy penalties if they find you plaigerizing someone else's content.

How does a permanent ban sound to you?

The bottom line is... shortcuts don't work. Stealing someone else's work, may seem quick and easy because you don't have to do the work. But is it worth getting banned from a traffic source that can provide you with thousands and thousands of free, targeted traffic everyday? I don't think so.

Do the work.

Be original.

You WILL be rewarded in the long-run.

A fellow Site Build It! (SBI!) customer contacted me today. Someone emailed her a compliment regarding her website, deliciouscakerecipes.com, and went on about how she loved the site and would like the SBI! owner to design one for her.

The new SBI! customer was honored by the compliment, but didn't know how to respond. After all, she didn't design her site from scratch. She used Site Build It! and was not in the business of designing sites for other people. She just wants to make money from her own website.

I told her this was the perfect opportunity to tell her admirer about the web host she used. Not only will the admirer learn how to build her own website, but this is a great time for her to plug SBI!.

This is affiliate marketing at its best, folks.

In this case, the SBI! owner wouldn't even have to push the product down the admirer's throat. After all, the lady emailed HER about her site first.

This is when you simply take the opportunity to tell your story about the product you own, why you love it and more importantly how it can help the person asking the questions.

That's why it's so important to own the products you promote. When you can talk enthusiastically about its features, this builds your credibility level and increases the chances someone will buy from your link.

Imagine how excited the admirer is going to be when she finds out the SBI! owner is not a designer and used Site Build It! to build her site in minutes. Instantly her curiosity for SBI! will rise, and a subtle plug from another SBI! customer may be the convincing she needs.

And thanks to the generous SiteSell affiliate program, this SBI! owner is on her way to earning a quick $75 for the referral AND $75 every year this potential buyer owns Site Build It!. Yes, SiteSell's commissions are of the residual and lifetime variety.

Pretty cool, eh?

See? Affiliate marketing doesn't have to be about flashy banners and links that say "Buy this now!". Sometimes owning a product and making a subtle recommendation to an admirer is a much more effective combination. After all... it's worked for me for years. :)

Which method do you use?

OK, I don't normally like to duplicate my blog posts, but I just blogged about this on my site AffiliateNonsense.com and felt it was worthy of a repeat here.

You know you're doing something right when people ask you to provide them with your affiliate link before they buy a product.

That's what happened today in my forum, WebsiteBabble.com. And to be honest, it's not the first time I've been asked.

In my opinion, this says so much about the importance of PREselling a product. When you give useful information, build credibility by actually proving you use the product... you'll find many people will WANT to make sure you earn the commission for the sale.

Honesty is an element that is missing from so many affiliate sites. So when people find it... they value it and are often happy to reward you for it.

When I first got started with affiliate marketing, I used to do everything I could to hide the fact I was getting a commission. But that was because most products I promoted, I didn't really use.

Well, I've come full circle in affiliate marketing and now could care less if people realize I am an affiliate. After all, I now only promote products I believe in so what's there to hide?

Yes, I do earn a commission when people buy Site Build It! through my link and I'm OK with people knowing that. But I also make sure they know I actually use and love the product. And that's the difference.

So the next time you try to disguise the fact you are an affiliate. Ask yourself why? Do you have something to hide?

Yes, some people may be turned off by the fact you are getting a commission, but if you do a good job in PREselling and show you really own and use the product, those who buy because of your honesty will outweigh those who don't by far.

And from time to time, you'll get the nice surprise of being asked to confirm your affiliate link before they buy. Wow! ;)

You know absolutely nothing about web design and the thought of creating your site intimidates you. So it's just best to pay someone to do the site for you right?

Not necessarily.

Read this article for my thoughts on the subject.

Thinking of buying Site Build It! but not exactly sure if it's for you or how you can apply it? Take a sneak peek at some sample sites equipped with stories from the SBI! owners.

This site proves that SBI! will help you monetize (make money) with almost any topic you can come up with. All you have to do is follow your passion and let SBI!'s guide lead you to success.

View the sample sites here.

When you're struggling to get enough traffic to your site, it can be tempting to exchange links with anyone who is willing. More is not always better when it comes to link exchanges, so choose your partners wisely.

Swapping links with sites that have little to do with your theme won't do you much good. Think about it. When you go to a jewelry site, you're there because you're interested in buying jewelry. It's not likely an ad on buying furniture is going to get your attention.

Not to mention, the search engines give you more "points" when they see your site is linked with sites that have content related to your theme. If you're targeting jewelry shoppers, partner up with other sites that relate to this subject matter.

Don't confuse the engines (and your visitors) by linking to sites that have virtually nothing to do with your content.

And if your site doesn't have a main theme then that's your first problem. You should be able to describe who your site is targeted to in one or two sentences. If you can't, then it's time to stop and focus your content. Targeting everyone means you really target no one.

It's best to define one main audience and structure your content around this group of people. Then find related sites and develop some kind of link exchange with the Webmaster.

Not only will you have an easier time selling to your audience (because you'll know their needs), but the search engines will bring you more targeted traffic because the related sites pointing back to you help identify what your site is about. Also be sure your link partners link back to you with the keywords you want to be found for.

Take advantage of the benefits solid link swaps can bring. Use them to let the engines know what your site is about to help improve your rankings in the long-run.

I call it the "Hodgepodge Theory." And if this applies to your site, it may be a big reason why you aren't seeing your AdSense earnings increase.

Watch the video below to learn more about why I believe many people struggle with building their AdSense revenue...

I thought this would be a great, candid discussion to start in my forums.

Everyone is always talking about what you should do for success. But often times you can learn even more by focusing on what you shouldn't do.

I started the discussion by talking about 3 previous sites I created that failed, and I'm forever grateful for them because I learned a lot.

Feel free to read about my experiences, and/or add your own story.

This blog entry was inspired by a post in my forum yesterday.

It's easy to get bogged down in the technicalities of how to create a website...

How do I create a chat room?

How am I going to setup a membership area?

How exactly am I going to make money?

How do I accept credit card payments from my site?

Sound familiar?

Even though these may be crucial components to your website, they don't mean a thing if you do not know how to attract a targeted audience who wants to participate in the site you worked so hard to create.

THE most critical phase of any site is the planning process in the very beginning. And planning doesn't just involve the technical aspects of how things will work and are setup.

It's imperative that you sit down and think about the kind of person you want to attract, and how you will get them to find you.

Unfortunately building a website doesn't guarantee an automatic influx of interested visitors. People don't just stumble upon your site like they do a store on a busy street.

Sites become popular on the Internet because they are recommended. The recommendations may come from word of mouth, blogs, social networking sites and even search engines.

Yes, search engines recommend sites too. The reason you see a site ranked on the first page of Google for a particular search is because Google knows the site has numerous links from other sites, blogs, etc. all over the Web in association with that keyword phrase. So Google recommends it to you as a relevant search result.

Something about your site has to attract your audience's attention, meet their needs and provide a service, product or information that isn't offered everywhere else.

So if you aren't taking the time to...

1) Plan how you are going to make your site stand out over your competitors

2) Map out the kind of visitor you want to attract and meet all of their needs, wants and interests...

Then it doesn't matter how much the site costs, how you setup a shopping cart, chat room, how you are going to design your navigation, etc.

Don't waste your precious time and hard-earned money on all these site enhancements until you have a definite plan. I guarantee it will be worth the extra effort in the end.

I've created many sites without a plan, and it's no coincidence they are no longer around.

If you are expecting a full-time income from your website, expect full-time work. Take it seriously from day one don't just skip over the planning phase because you're in a hurry to rake in the money.

How you plan in the beginning is the difference between success and failure in the end.

You know about search engine submitting, blogging and writing/submitting articles for other sites. So what do you do when you've done all these things and still can't get enough traffic?

The video below discusses topics which often get overlooked when people create websites. While some of it may seem like common sense to you, why are you and so many people still neglecting these key tasks?

While people are encouraged by my online success, some often frown when I tell them it took me six years to make enough online to at least match my 9 to 5 salary. Even though I made a profit every year, there were a lot of ups and downs in the beginning as I learned from my mistakes.

My success didn't happen overnight and if I could do one thing over again I would have learned how to write for my audience instead of myself.

What I mean is that so many people build sites without regarding who their target audience is and what they want to learn about. For example, if you are going to build a fitness site, don't write 10 pages about you and your weight struggle. Write to help your readers.

To put it bluntly, people don't really care about your story until you show them how your site can help them first.

Check out your competition and add information that they are missing. Instead of talking about all the things people should do in regards to the subject, switch it up and focus on what they shouldn't do.

Be different.

Stand out from the crowd.

And once you really know who you want to target and focus on their needs AND offer information that cannot be found anywhere else, then you will have success much faster than I did.

In the beginning, I kept copying other people's concepts and would only have minimal success because my site was not unique enough and got lost in the crowd.

But once I realized the secret was to take a topic and offer information that my competitors were not, add my own voice/personality, really learn how to communicate with my audience, that's when my traffic and sites started to take off.

Not only does 2CreateAWebSite.com have a new look, but I've finally abandoned the little annoyances of Microsoft FrontPage and decided to design and manage my site in Dreamweaver.

I must say, FrontPage does have its quirks such as adding unnecessary HTML code and not handling certain file extensions very well (.php, for example). But it isn't that bad if you want a small, simple site that is mostly written in HTML.

But if you want to do more with CSS (a must for a large site like mine) and have the ability to add Flash elements and other cutting edge web features, you really need to graduate to something like Dreamweaver.

Plus, with Microsoft now abandoning FrontPage for its successor, Expression Web, I decided to move to a more "Web acceptable" design tool. Besides, I've heard nothing but horrible reviews for Expression Web so I was not going to continue to support their web building tools.

My new site design is managed with CSS and SSI (server side includes). In English, that simply means I can update my entire look (layout, colors, navigation, font size, etc.) by simply editing one file. And when your site is over 130 pages, this is a must-have!

When I used FrontPage, I did use CSS, but FrontPage doesn't handle CSS very well and was constantly adding excess code that overwrote the styles I setup in my CSS file. (Sort of defeats the purpose of using CSS). I'm really glad to be done with FrontPage and have much cleaner HTML to work with.

As I continuously emphasize on my site, I am NOT a designer, nor do I want to be (which is why it took me so long to graduate to a more acceptable piece of design software), but I'm very glad to have my site managed in a program that is much more "Web acceptable" and does not add all this extraneous, annoying code.

Thumbs up to Dreamweaver!

Selling products online can be quite the challenge, particularly if you are building your first site and have no brand awareness/recognition. A big mistake many newbies make is they try selling products before they have the traffic and credibility.

Building a store is not a guarantee people will just flock to your site. You must give them a reason. More importantly, you must give sites like Google a reason to bring free traffic to a newcomer such as yourself.

The best way to succeed with an online store is to build content first and the store last. And if you don't understand what I mean, watch the video below and for complete details read this article on building online stores.

The first contest at my Webmaster forum, WebsiteBabble.com really helped grow the forum quite a bit so I've decided to hold another one. This time there will be multiple winners (3) and they will be randomly selected.

For more details, read the announcement at WebsiteBabble.com.

And while you're there, why not join the friendly community? It's a great place to meet other people just like you who may share similar questions and ideas.

A lady asked me today why I created a site on fitness (flat-stomach-exercises.com) when a topic like that is so saturated.

I have to agree. Fitness is a very competitive niche. That's why I narrowed my topic down a bit to just flattening the stomach.

Plus, it was a topic that interested me since I began to notice my mid section wasn't nearly as toned as it was when I was in my 20's. I figured it would be a fun topic to dive into since I had done so much reading on toning the stomach lately.

But the main reason I created that site was for an experiment. I had been recommending Ken Evoy's products on my site for years because I was so impressed with his first book he first released in 1999 and then re-released in 2002 called Make Your Site Sell (It's now free.)

And even though I never bought his latest product, Site Build It!, I knew it had to be a hit because his other products OVERdelivered beyond my expectations. So I began promoting Site Build It! like crazy.

But still a part of me felt a little hypocritical. After all, how could I be telling people to buy a $300 product that helps you create a high-trafficked, money making website, when I've never used it myself? That's one of the big no-no's in affiliate marketing.

So I decided to buy it to see if the product really does do all that Ken's site says it does.

Well let me just say that Ken's products never disappoint me. Not only did my SBI! site's traffic start to take off after only 3 months, but in less than 2 years the total amount of daily visitors to my Site Build It! site surpassed my 5 year old website, 2CreateAWebSite.com.

Suddenly my guinea pig site has become one of my primary online income sources.

So if you're thinking of trying Site Build It!, I can confidently recommend it now. Not because I'm assuming it's good based on his other products. But because I use it and now have proof it really works. ;-)

It's wonderful to receive all the e-mails from the people my site has helped over the last 5 1/2 years. But of course, with praise always comes criticism from my er... "fans?" :)

I met a new "fan" today.

Apparantely this gentleman had a problem with my site because it's very limited in its teachings. Since I don't go into details on ColdFusion, XHTML, XML and many more of the advanced languages that are used for website building, that seemed to be a big problem for him.

I guess he failed to recognize not everyone who wants a website wants to become a programmer or learn a bunch of languages. Some people just want to get their site up quickly and be able to manage it without having to take a course in XML 101.

Don't get me wrong. You can do a ton of powerful things on a website if you want to take the time to go beyond HTML and CSS. And if that's what you want to do, I encourage you to do that!

Fortunately for me, though, you don't need to learn all those languages to make a living online. I prefer to spend my time learning how to market, write and build relationships with my visitors. These are the techniques that have helped me succeed over the years, and what I choose to focus on.

So how did I respond to Mr. Anonymous?

Well, I didn't bother to go into how much traffic my sites receive and how I make a living online. After all that wouldn't have impressed him anyway since my site is too simplistic, right? Surely a site as horrible as mine can't bring in any financial success. So what would have been the point?

As the Web continues to mature there will continue to be more and more developments in Web languages that will help people make their sites even more powerful. I think that's great for those who want to learn.

But thank goodness there will always be those people like me who prefer to keep it simple and focus on other aspects like generating revenue from affiliate programs, etc.

One of the keys to being successful online is to write about the topics that interest you. Programming in general has never interested me, but copywriting and online marketing has. That's why 2CreateAWebSite.com has always focused more on these topics and less on the former.

And guess what, Mr. Anonymous...

I have no plans to change that anytime soon.

Well, the $300 giveaway has certainly helped the activity on my new forum, WebsiteBabble.com. In fact, it's been so good I will probably continue the cash awards after the first giveaway next month.

Not only is it a nice tax write-off for me, but it really does encourage people to contribute quality information. Even though Website Babble is a spam-free forum (no self promotion allowed), you can still drive traffic to your site by using a sig file with your posts.

The more useful your posts are, the greater the chance people will visit your site. So if you haven't joined, what are you waiting for? It's a definite win-win for you.

Join Website Babble today.

I just received an e-mail from a gentleman desperate to find something to do online so he could quit his job that he hates so much. He asked me how long it took me to make a full time living online and I got the impression he would do anything to get rich on the Net.

First of all, I really hate the "How long did it take you to make money online?" question because people often use that as a benchmark for their own success. And because there are so many factors that determine how successful you will be and how long it will take, that is a very difficult question to answer.

I receive a lot of desperation e-mails from people who would do anything to make money online but unfortunately the desperate people generally usually have the hardest time finding success.

Why?

Because money is their only motivation and they focus so hard on the "how-do-I-get-rich" part that they forget this is a job and you have to enjoy yourself in the process.

I remember when I was only making $30 per month, I still worked on my sites 20-30 hours per week reading and learning because I enjoyed the concept of Internet Marketing. Even though I wasn't making a lot of money, I saw the potential and I still loved to write and help others with my websites.

Making money online is not about copying someone else's idea or getting rich quick. It's about understanding that you have to treat this like a business. You need a plan.

1) Who are you going to target?

2) What are you going to do with your site to attract that audience?

3) What kind of products are you going to offer?

4) If you plan to join affiliate programs, which ones are the best for your site and how are you going to promote them?

5) How much do you have to invest because starting a business does require money, even if it's just for hosting your websites. Please don't expect to make money hosting your site at a free host. It's a joke.

6) Are you good at writing to communicate and/or sell? If not, do you plan to get someone to help you?

People who are making money out here, didn't do it by luck. It's all marketing just like any offline business. It's time people start taking Internet businesses more seriously and understanding that it's more than just putting up a website. You really do need to...

1) Establish a plan

2) Understand that this is a business

And last but not least...

3) Enjoy yourself.

And if you are seeking a get-rich-quick solution, I suggest you take a look at this article.

Years ago a top search engine ranking wasn't too hard to come by. You simply created a site with a few pages, added your meta tags, stuffed some keywords, got a few links from other websites (related or non related)...

And Voila!

You've got a top 10 ranking!

However, times have drastically changed and Google continues to crack down on sites that offer no value.

Ken Evoy of SiteSell, has been saying for years that traditional SEO would soon be dead.

And that time is here.

Read a very telling blog post from Ken here.

I just launched a new blog discussing the things affiliates and merchants do wrong. I've been involved in affiliate marketing for nearly 10 years and decided to blog about the common mistakes I notice with affiliates and merchants.

Check out AffiliateNonsense.com.

What's the one job where you could take a year off and still get paid?

Yup... you guessed it.

Affiliate Marketing.

I got an e-mail from a gentleman today who wanted to know how many hours he'd have to invest upfront to make enough money online to quit his full time job. He admitted he didn't have much time to invest into his site.

Because the Internet appears so glamorous with all these inspiring success stories, people get fooled into thinking there is some short cut or easy way to make money. Just throw up a site and the money will come in, right?

Nope.

It takes work just like any other job, BUT the difference is once you invest the time upfront you can get by working only a couple of hours per day. Unfortunately, most people never stick with it long enough to get to that point.

I could take a year off from my sites and still probably come back to a very nice income because of the time I've put into building up my sites over the years. You can too, but you have to do the work now to get the rewards later.

There are no shortcuts to success and the Internet is no exception.

This entry was inspired by a post in my forum today. If you want to build a money making website, this message is for you.

People starting out often get overwhelmed by all their ideas and it's hard to decide where to focus. When something doesn't seem to be working, it's easy to get sidetracked and want to try something else. Or maybe you get tempted to copy someone else's successful idea.

Well here's my advice...

1) Stick to it. If you spend your time trying to many different things (or multiple sites) before you find success with the first one, then you're attention gets diverted and it's hard to stay focused.

2) Work on one site at a time and continue building content until the traffic begins to come in.

3) Be customer focused. In other words, what do people you are targeting want to learn about? What kind of helpful information can you offer from your site that your competitors are not?

4) Remember a good design is visually appealing, but it's the good content that keeps people coming back to your site. People often ask me how I got so much traffic to my flat-stomach-exercises.com site so quickly. Well I jokingly answer, "It certainly wasn't because of that design!" LOL

In all seriousness though, it's all about your content. The site's design is pretty basic, but frankly... my visitors could care less. I provide useful information about flattening the stomach that other sites don't, and I use a brutally honest approach. That's my unique voice for the site.

As a result, my traffic stats show me that sites all over the Net are linking to me for free just because they like my content. That is so important because the search engines notice this.

So as you're building your first site and trying to find success, remember these key points. Find your unique voice for whatever niche you're targeting and be customer focused with your information. Give folks what they want and they'll keep coming back for more!

The freebies keep coming at WebsitePalace.com. I recently blogged about the free ebook software you receive with each new order, and now they are offering 70+ html templates.

What a great way to encourage newbies to choose them as their domain registrar and/or web host... especially since most web hosts don't offer templates and cater to the newbies.

Read more about the free offer here.

I've always had a dream of being my own boss and having the freedom to go to any Starbucks and work while I watch the busy 9-to-5ers scurry in and out. Well, that time is finally here and I owe it all to affiliate marketing.

You too can have this life, and the quickest way to get there is follow your passion. What do you love? What can you help someone with? Write a site about it and go into the business of providing useful content. Yes, it's a lot of work, but the concept is very simple.

So what are you waiting for? Get started today. There are millions of people out there searching Google for information that you could be providing. Your dream lifestyle is only one website away. ;-)

Wanna talk about this? Come to WebsiteBabble.com and find out how a website can help you achieve your financial and lifestyle goals.

Cheers!

It's THE age old question heard around the Net. "How long does it take before I start making money with my website?" It's a question that's very difficult to answer and one I'm usually very careful about addressing.

The Internet is flooded with products and websites that make ridiculous claims about getting rich quickly, and if you're not cautious... you could get sucked in. I know many people who have.

I cannot emphasize enough that making money no matter whether you're online or offline is work. The Internet is glamorous. There are countless stories of people like myself who are earning a living online. And to some, this "Web thing" appears to be a quick and easy way to escape a humdrum or stressful 9 to 5 job.

You read the stories all the time, but you rarely hear about the work that actually went into making these successful sites. While I've had a ball out here the last 9 years, I've definitely done my time and worked very hard. Anyone who is making good money out here will tell you the same.

Now, back to the "How long before I succeed?" question. There is not one answer to this question. It depends on your dedication, work ethic, and enjoyment.

Yes, I said enjoyment.

That's another factor that's often left out of these success stories. If it's not fun for you, it will feel like a job.

Then you're in trouble.

One thing I can say is that I have enjoyed every step of this journey. I continue to learn new things almost everyday and I truly love helping people. So the enjoyment didn't come because of the money. The money came because I enjoy what I'm doing.

People who attach a timer to their success often begin this journey with the wrong focus. After all, there is no right answer to the "how long" question. Some people take a few months, others take years. But when you are doing what you love... that success clock stops ticking, and the money will naturally come over time. I promise.

Here's a great thread from my forum that does a great job of addressing the age old question.

No there's no typo in the title. Yes, I'm giving away $300 in an effort to promote my new site, WebsiteBabble.com. It's a brand new forum site (just launched yesterday!) where people can go and post questions related to website building and making money online.

To be honest, I've never had too much success with getting people to participate in forums, so I thought I'd add a little incentive and offer $300 to the MVP (Most Valuable Poster). In other words, the person who can offer the best advice over a period of time will win the handsome reward.

No, this is not a hoax. I will be paying someone out of my own pocket on July 31, 2007. The details are here.

So if you've got some great advice to give, head on over to my brand new forum and I'll be watching. If this $300 incentive works, I'll be running another contest after this one ends.

Please support my new forum!

WebsitePalace.com is offering free e-Book software (Windows users only) to anyone who purchases from their website.

All you do is create your book on your computer using your favorite program, (Microsoft Word, Notepad, or even an HTML editor) and tell the software where your files are located.

Within seconds, your book is compiled into an .exe file that you can upload to your server and it's ready for your visitors to download. You can even set it up so a password is required to open it.

I've actually used the software and it's not as cheesy as I thought it would be. (You know how some of those freebies are!) Sure, it doesn't have a lot of the bells and whistles that a non-free program like eBook Edit Pro would have, but you can still create a very presentable e-Book with this software.

Special Tip: The link to the free download is located on the order confirmation page, so don't miss it!

So I've decided to give this "video thing" a whirl. After countless questions from people who ask me "Why should I pay $299 for Site Build It! when there are tons of web hosts out there for under $10 per month?"

Well, here's my answer... video style!

In case you don't know, Yahoo! Answers is a free Q&A community that allows people to ask and answer questions on virtually any topic.

I was doing a backlink check on Yahoo the other day. (A backlink check is a way to see how many other sites link to you. Go to Yahoo.com and type in linkdomain:www.yoursite.com to check your site's backlinks.)

And I was pleasently surprised at the number of people who posted a link to my site on Yahoo! Answers when answering questions about website creation.

Wow! Free traffic and I didn't have to do a thing.

This further drives the point of how important it is to build the most useful site you can in your niche. Whether you reach golfers, doctors, stay at home moms, you name it. If your site is useful, people will link to it volunatarily. The other benefit to this is that the search engines will notice these multiple one-way links and reward you with higher rankings.

So don't just put up a 3-page site and hope for the best. Build a site with a wealth of useful information. Check your competitors and offer tools and advice that they don't. Get people to remember you, and you will be rewarded long-term.

Last year, Ken Evoy of SiteSell.com conducted a video contest that paid $10,000 for the first prize.

Yes, $10,000.

He simply asked his customers to create a 2-3 minute video for why they love his product, Site Build It!.

Well, the video entries came pouring in, and even though there could only be one winner, many of the contest participants still feel like winners even though the contest ended months ago.

Why?

Because they are using their own videos on their websites to show their audience how Site Build It! has changed their lives. And as SiteSell affiliates, they earn a commission for every person that buys. Some of the customers reported sales immediately after they launched their video.

Here's an example of a customer video below...



Of course, these SBI! customers could have written an article talking about the product, but a video showing their expressions and emotions is far more effective, because video connects with people in a way that text on a screen cannot.

Anyone can write about how great a product is, but there's something about a visual that really adds a taste of realism to your testimonials.

If you have an ecommerce/affiliate website, I really hope you're thinking of adding video in some way. It is the future, and that's why we're starting to see more companies offering video tools for their affiliates to use on their sites.

WebVideoZone is a great resource for learning how to develop video for your website. Joe's site is super informative and suitable for all levels of expertise.

I've discovered a nice little way to generate residual commissions from my MySpace page. It involves showing your friends how to shorten their MySpace web page address.

I've always hated that the MySpace address of my page was long and ugly. Well, here's a way to resolve that and generate a little cash on the side.

Learn how.

Every now and then I'll get emails from people who are puzzled as to why they can't get ranked in Google. And almost every time I review the site in question, I see the same things...

• - Not enough unique, useful content


• - More affiliate links than content


• - Too few pages

Google makes its money from advertisers. Advertisers use Google because it's the Web surfer's #1 search engine.

Why is Google #1 among Web surfers?

Because it provides useful, relevant results.

Look at your site through the eyes of a stranger. Imagine someone arriving at your site after typing in the keywords you are targeting.

Would they find what they were looking for?

Does your site provide enough info on the topic that your visitor would want to stay and return later?

Is your content useful and unique?

If you answered "no" to any of the above questions, then that may be a big reason why you aren't having success with Google.

Now of course, there are other factors Google looks for - link popularity, keyword density, etc. However, the biggest problem I see with most people is that they simply do not provide enough useful content on the keywords they are targeting.

Google loves big sites that focus on one main theme. If your site is not "bookmarkable" then you need to work on expanding content. Take a look at your competitors and add information that they don't provide. What can you do to make your site stand out in your niche?

Become THE information source for everything related to your topic. Pretty soon Google and other Webmasters will reward you with traffic... for free!

It seems that everyone wants to capitalize on the success of MySpace.com and build a site like this successful company. While it sounds like a great idea based on their success, do you really understand what goes into creating a site like this?

After numerous questions on how to create a site like MySpace, I simply had to write an article about this.

Some say the article is discouraging. I call it realistic.

If you haven't heard, Microsoft is no longer selling or supporting Microsoft FrontPage. Windows Vista has a replacement product, and it's called Microsoft Expression.

So far the reviews for this new web publishing tool have been less than stellar. I've heard it's not nearly as easy to use as FrontPage, and there are still a lot of bugs to work out.

So until the Web hosts stop supporting FrontPage (and I think it will be a while before that happens), I'll continue to use it. Sounds like Microsoft Expression has some fine tuning to do.

By the way, you can still buy Microsoft FrontPage at Amazon.com.

I discovered this neat little trick by accident. If you are familiar with my site, you know I push Site Build It! (SBI!) pretty heavily. Not just because I'm an affiliate, but because it really worked for me and it has changed many people's lives.

I got tired of hearing all the raving reviews about SBI!, so I bought it in July of 2005 to see if it was really worth all the hype. My site, flat-stomach-exercises.com was an instant hit. Not just because I used Site Build It!. I have to give a little credit to all the hard work I put into it as well.

Remember, there's no product that can make you rich, you have to put the work into building content. SBI! gave me the guidance that helped me succeed. It's so nice to know that all my search engine and sitemap submissions are automatically taken care of while I work on keeping my content fresh.

Anyway, I digress. After about three months I started getting e-mails from people who wanted to know why I provide so much weight loss information for free when other sites charge for the same info.

So I created an "About Me" page that explains a little about myself and that I used Site Build It! to create the site. I explained how I used Google AdSense and encouraged my visitors to do the same with their own sites. I supplied a link over to Site Build It! and instantly the sales began to roll in.

That taught me a big lesson about PREselling. Even though that site isn't about website creation, my "About Me" page gave my site some personality and helped me build a bit of credibility. People genuinely liked my site, wanted to learn more about me and then were inspired by my story.

If you aren't using an About Me page to tell your story, you could really be missing out on additional revenue. People like to know there's a real person behind that web page, and it also helps to add a photo of yourself. After all, what do you have to hide, right?

Instead of trying to hard sell with banners, ads, etc. Sometimes something as simple as a small recommendation on your "About Me" page can be twice as effective.

Or if you don't have a Site Build It! success story like I have, you can simply refer your visitors to start their own sites with a regular web host. Join the Ultimate Domain Reseller program and earn a residual income (on domains and hosting) when your visitors start their websites through your link.

You don't have to have a site on website development to profit from these kinds of affiliate programs. Everyone wants a website these days. You just have to find creative ways of getting your audience interested. Start with your "About Me" page!

I get emails from people all the time asking me why they need to pay for a website when they can just create a free blog. After all, many people are making money just by blogging.

While this is true, the average person does not realize there's more to blogging than just "putting up a blog." Successful bloggers (I call them blog mavens) have created a following in their niche, and give people a reason to return to their blog. They're creative and understand how to draw in their audience.

Don't blog just for the sake of blogging. Find your niche. Know your audience. Develop your unique voice. Blog about unique topics and stay away from posting the same ole' info people can find anywhere.

Just like successful websites, blogs that succeed provide useful information to a specific niche, and the author continues to update it with relevant content.

Don't just put up a blog, build your brand of one.

With the huge MySpace revolution going on, thousands of people are flocking to myspace.com to create their home on the Web. After all, it's free, easy and you can make tons of new e-friends without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.

While MySpace is a great place for networking and sharing information, it's not an ideal place for a site that you'd like to get listed in Google and some of the other major search engines.

To get a top ranking in the major search engines, you need a site with a lot of content centered around a theme or topic. The majority of MySpace sites are personal pages with no real theme or focus. Therefore they don't score well with the major search engines.

And if you want to make money out here, it is crucial that you build a site that the search engines love. You can receive thousands of free hits per day from Google alone.

So while MySpace is an awesome site for a quick and easy personal page, if you really want a chance to rank well with the major search engines, you really should register your own domain name.

WebsitePalace.com is running a nice special where you can get domain names for $1.99 if you also sign up with hosting or any of their other products. There's no limit on the quantity of domains you can order. Better jump on this before it ends.

I bought CoffeeCup for the first time in 2005 and was mildly impressed with it. It was pretty easy to use, but one thing that bothered me was that you couldn't edit your pages in the "design mode." You could only edit in the "code view."

Needless to say, this didn't sit well with a lot of beginners. And even though I am pretty savvy with HTML, I still like having the ability to work outside the code.

Well, their 2007 version is a tremendous improvement over earlier ones because you can now edit right in the design mode, so you can see the immediate impact of any changes you make to your page.

I learned HTML by using FrontPage and I was used to being able to edit in "design view", so needless to say, this was a thrilling new feature for me. In my opinion, this makes CoffeeCup much more suitable for beginners now.

Way to go CoffeeCup!

My friends and family are in awe of the amount of money I make with my sites. To be honest, sometimes I am too. It's hard to believe something that started out as a hobby/side income venture, has turned into a full-time income that allowed me to quit my job.

The process is very simple, but unfortunately most people don't have or want to take the time to let something like this develop. It definitely takes time and I would never tell you this happened overnight.

Here are two important tips for long-term success online...

1) Choose a topic you love. This is the most important step and here's why...

The reason my sites make money is because I get a lot of traffic. If you don't have any traffic you won't make much money. The free search engines (especially Google) love large sites and they can also tell how many unique sites voluntarily link to you.

If you build a site with a ton of great information in a specific niche, over time people will begin to voluntarily link to you for free, and Google, MSN and Yahoo will begin to notice your site is popular and reward you with a ton of free traffic.

2) Choose affiliate programs that pay residual income for lifetime customers. For example, say you have a fitness site and you join an affiliate program for a gym membership.

So when you refer your visitors to sign up for a membership, the company pays you a percentage of your referrals membership fee for as long as they are a member. If a customer is a member for 10 years, you get paid every month for as long as they are a customer!

Those are the kind of affiliate programs I look for. The 5 Pillar Program is a great example. I actually bought their product and made a lot of money with it so getting my visitors to buy is pretty easy because they read about my success story.

That's another important tip...always buy the products you recommend!

They pay you a 25% commission for every customer for life. So let's say I get 30 people to buy Site Build It! this month. That's roughly $2250 for that month. When those customers renew their SBI! subscription a year later, I get that $2,250 again PLUS any new commissions from new customers for that month.

So over time, the residual commission begin to pile up. There are some affiliates in the 5 Pillar Program making 5 figures per month largely because of the residuals.

The Ultimate Domain Reseller Program is another example of residual payments. They actually offer a reseller program. This is a bit different from an affiliate program because you can actually set your prices and determine your profit margin. For that reason, there is a yearly fee.

With this program you selling domain names and web hosting. You don't have to have a site about web design to successfully sell their products. You could write a small "About Me" page on your site and tell a short story of how you created your site, then offer them the links to begin their own.

Every customer that creates a site from your link will earn you a commission every month for as long as they keep their site.

I receive 5 figure checks per month from them because of the residual commissions. I've been a reseller since 2002 so the income is really snowballing now.

For a listing of more lifetime commission affiliate programs, see LifetimeCommissions.com

I talk a lot about Site Build It! on my site, mainly because I use it and it works. A site I barely update, now pays my mortgage and it only has about 30 pages.

I want to show that I'm not the only one experiencing success with SBI. Check out Elad's video below...




For more SBI customer videos, see this link.