Oh boy...here I go again on my own...going down the only road...you know the rest.

Welcome! you got some history with you. lol my brother has a jeep and its all stock yet he think it will go any wear he wants it to.

 

As anyone who goes to that website will note, I don't keep it clean or up to date. I spend so much time traveling and helping others improve their own websites I never have time to invest in my own any more. My Jeep website (www.ajeepthing.com) is in need of an overhaul in the worst way, but it keeps making money so I leave it alone. *shamed*

Broadly, I'll say THANKS for the warm welcome gang. Gives this place a great vibe when folks dogpile a warm welcome.

1 - pick a niche
2 - LOVE the topic, because for a while, you'll be the only one on the website, and that passion will keep you going
3 - content, content, content - write lots of quality, unique content on your topic - new sites should target 100 pages and grow from there. Why 100 pages? Because that's the number I said. Seriously, does a 10 page website strike anyone as an authoritative database of information on any topic? Your goal is that visitors see your website as an authority. A resource they feel compelled to share with others. That happens because you bring them a great deal of value for their time on the site. Quality content rocks this.
4 - learn the basics of SEO - cannot stress this enough. heck, take a shortcut. Buy "SEO For Dummies", set up a wordpress blog and install the "All in One SEO Pack" plugin. Start pounding out the content, twiddle the knobs and tweak the buttons.
5 - if you are selling something on your website, look at throwing $20 a month or so at paid advertising to drive qualified leads directly to your landing page where they can buy.
6 - place ads on your website from contextual ad programs. people poo-poo Google Adsense, but I get a cheque each month from them for around a grand - all from that Jeep website. Poo-poo away...
7 - set up a calendar - create new content on a schedule. This helps your dicsipline and trains visitors to come back often to the website for fresh content.
8 - don't use content from article or ezine services. Why? Well, for one, it's not unique. Secondly, it's usually garbage as the writers don't really know the topic at all. Third, and I say this from the bottom of my heart... I work at Bing.com, and when I tell you that recycled content won't work, well, that's a clue, isn't it...
9 - if you're selling things through affiliate programs, like eBay or Amazon, take the "eBay Power Selling Tip" and add more content - descriptions, images and videos - to your product pages than what comes stock through the program. That content is written once and shared everywhere - hardly unique. WOW your visitors by goign above and beyond what others do and you'll get sales. No one sells in volume on eBay with only one picture of a product.
10 - Get into some of the online marketing communities and start reading and asking questions. More importantly, start a site and start testing new ideas to see what works.

Above all else, make sure you have analytics enabled for the website so you can traffic your visits, page views, etc.

After that, you'll need to consult a book or consultant for more. Time is money and mine used to bill at $350/hour when I was consulting. I don't consult these days.

Book 1 -

$51 How to Make Money with Your Blog: The Ultimate Reference Guide for Building, Optimizing, and Monetizing Your Blog (How to Make . . .)

How To Make Money With Your Blog
Book 2 -

$25 Turn Clicks Into Customers: Proven Marketing Techniques for Converting Online Traffic into Revenue

Turn Clicks Into Customers

More than most, not as many as some...

Learn more about SWAT here...and you can watch the newsreel...

Clicky to YouTube video from CBC News

Thanks again guys. I'm off to haggle over hundreds of pennies on a 20k purchase...


PSSST...

It WILL...

 

Well ill be! I recall your username from novascotiajeepclub. Welcome to TW. Im another relocated Haligonian and former jeeper.

Good to hear a familiar name. Enjoy the site, and prepare to start modifying!