Website Galaxy For Sale
A few months ago, I made a post about creating a Website Galaxy with an internal linking structure that would hopefully provide a more immediate and relevant indexing and SEO juice to the “sun” site. Well… now I’m selling it.
The network of sites had limited success, mostly due to my limited interest in developing the network. The site is AlliReview.com, a website about the first ever over the counter weight loss drug approved by the FDA. The product was and is a huge success but the bottom line is I didn’t and don’t care about the pill. It didn’t interest me. I had no motivation to build the network. I had other sites and domains I actually WANTED to work on that I considered FUN. And while I’ve eaten a few too many slices of pizza… I just couldn’t relate to the product enough to enjoy developing.
So, in short, the websites have sat idle for the past few months - I haven’t even checked their stats until today when I decided to put it up for sale on Sitepoint. Here is the link to the listing:
I sincerely think that whoever buys it can turn it into a monstrous success if they put the work into promoting and monetizing properly. I didn’t do that.
So I guess I’ve learned a few lessons from this and I thought I’d share them with you:
- Build sites around topics you care about and enjoy if you intend to keep them for long. I already hate my 9-5 job… why work on websites that I don’t enjoy building? You hear this over and over and over but this finally illustrated the fact on a personal level.
- Have one of two game plans: build one site and build it really, really well or build a quick site and set it and forget it. This website galaxy combination proved to be too tedious, repetitive and boring. If it were on a small 1 site scale that would have been fine… but over 20 sites where I had to write all the content and set up each site myself? Yuck. Had I just registered AlliReview.com and built that single site to the best of my ability, I think I would have worked harder and just been able to keep it and make a couple hundred a month. But seeing 20 sites on my list of things to do knowing that I despised working on them because the topic was boring really bothered me. So I put it off and none of the sites ended up as successful as I wanted them to be.
- Boring but the opportunity is too good? Set it and resell it. I could have purchased a FEW of these domains initially, built them quickly and put them up for sale almost immediately on sitepoint. The Alli buzz was peaking and I could have probably netted some good money just by trying to make a quick flip.
- Think before you register. These domains were based on breaking news that I read so I simply piled up my shopping cart and bought them up as soon as possible. Some domains are really good others aren’t too ripe for the picking. Oh well.
Moreover, I think I’ve learned a TON since trying to build this website galaxy. This can be illustrated by my recent site that has been earning $50-$100 every day for the past month. And, I just registered another domain that I honestly think I’ll be able to do the same with. Time will tell.
This will actually be my first “sale” of ANYthing if this goes through. The min bid is set for $500 and the domains themselves cost $150 so I imagine it shouldn’t be a problem. The BIN is set to $5,000 and I honestly think that could be a bargain for someone who wants to develop these sites. When January and New Year’s Resolutions come around I’m sure traffic will spike. AND, you’ve got 2 full months to prepare the sites and get them performing at a nice clip.
So yup, that’s it, the Galaxy is for SALLLEEEEEEE. I’ve actually got a TON more to talk about…. but it will have to wait at least a couple days. I’m eager to tell you about some recent successes… I think by this time next year I MIGHT be able to quit my day job. Oh… and I have a job interview on Friday. OH, wish reminds me… CRAZINESS has ensued at work - and not the good kind.
I’m rambling…. back to work!
The 3215423 Try Is A Charm
It seems like I always cut out on existing projects midway for whatever the idea du jour happens to be. It happened again, hence my slight absense from this blog. But this time things have been a bit different… I’ve been experiencing some immediate, measurable results.
I don’t want to give too much away, but here are a few key features of the project:
- Whitehat site offering useful information
- Attached forums for community discussing
- Monetizing with a “voting” zip submit that is netting anywhere between $10 and $50 a day depending on random fluctuations. I’ve also been testing various offers.
- Collecting e-mail addresses for people to be notified of various updates, which relate directly to a product I can sell and earn affiliate commission.
- As of this post, I have collected 731 e-mail addresses. Although, some of them are duplicates where people accidentally submitted twice. Some people submitted a work and personal e-mail. But I would guess it’s around 600 legitimate and unique contacts.
So for the past couple weeks I’ve been working hard on launching, improving, maintaining, updating and marketing this website. It’s actually been a blast to monitor it’s improvement. However… you don’t gain much from “monitoring” so it’s about time I put ease off this a bit and put attention back on my other sites.
I’m usually disappointed about “taking a gamble”, focusing all my attention on 1 thing and letting my other projects collect dust. Not this time. My old soccer coach used to say that the way you score is by taking as many shots as possible. Some deep, some crosses, some 1 on 1 driving in… because if you throw enough spaghetti at the wall… eventually some of it is going to stick. Internet marketing is the same way. But… it’s time to refocus and make sure this is just ONE successful facet of the portfolio I’m building.
This Friday I have a job interview as Marketing Consultant at a local company. I actually know one of the VP’s and the owner pretty well so I have a huge advantage. If they’re judging solely on experience… I’m sure there will be graduate degree applicants who will take the cake. If, however, they’re looking at their comfort level with me and the potential I have to do an excellent job… I think I’m a shoe in.
I have to put together a couple pages of ideas and concepts I would work on once assuming the position, so that oughta be fun. This company does B2B software applications work whereas I’m more used to working with consumer goods. But, marketing is marketing - it’s all about knowing your customer, learning their needs and fulfilling the ones that are unmet. Creatively getting the attention of these potential targets is the difficult part… but the challenge is half the fun. Not too much different than Internet Marketing.
Randomness: Recording Your Dreams
Last night I had a ridiculously intense dream. I woke up dripping in sweat and couldn’t believe what had just happened. I smiled… like you would when leaving the theater after watching a thrilling horror movie. That ability to stir your emotions is priceless. I forgot my dream by noon.
Even before I forget, when I’m trying to explain my dream to others, it makes absolutely no sense. But for some reason, during the dream and in the waning moments afterwards, everything fits precisely as it should. I wish I could video tape my dreams and show them to other people… how cool would that be?
Now I’m not a person who believes that dreams have a deep and symbolic meaning, but I think I may start writing my dreams down. Without a doubt, experiencing some of my dreams has been as memorable as watching some of my favorite movies. Unfortunately, I never remember them. Is there a reason that dreams are much easier fto forget than nearly everything else? Even when dreams are incredibly memorable in nature, they are often forgotten moments later.
I simply think keeping a diary of all your dreams would be interesting to look back on. I might start doing that… I think it would be bizarre to write the entries on this blog but since it’s my only personal blog… I might just do that. Or, perhaps just in a notebook by my bed.
Sorry for the randomness - I’m incredibly tired, my brain is wandering and I couldn’t make a technically oriented post but I DID have this on my mind. And oh yeah, I awas also thinking about “Lucid Dreaming” recently.
Lucid dreaming is when you’re able to identify that you are dreaming WHILE you are dreaming. Then, you can use this realization to change your actions and behavior in the dream because you understand there are no consequences. One example often sited is the turning on/off of a light switch. In your dreams, the changes in light contrast cannot be much because of the fact that your eyes are closed and everything is dim and the way your pupils work. So if you constantly remind yourself while you are in bed that if you turn on or off a light switch during a dream, you will take notice. If the lights don’t really change the brightness or darkness of the room… that can be an “identifier”.
For me, outrageousness is an identifier. I have been able to realize I am dreaming within dreams but within the next 10 seconds of the dream I wake up… I can’t stay in the dream once I realize I’m dreaming. How fun would it be to just realize you’re dreaming and go crazy! Haha… unless 24 hours later you wake up and realize you weren’t dreaming.. you were just drunk!
I’ve also had a couple recurring dreams throughout my life but the one that occured most was a very scary dream that I haven’t had in awhile. It would actually hurt my body to be in the dream because an evil spirit would have control over my body and I would be floating in mid air, trapped and unable to move yet it felt like my body was about to implode. What a wonderful note to end on!
Seriously though - I have to go to bed. Maybe I’ll post my next dream and see what you guys think about it. You can be my psychotherapists! Haha… I should probably just stick to web marketing posts but… what do you think?
Sweet dreams!
1850 Listings Completed
Over the weekend I was able to add 1,850 listings to my local area directory so I’m making some great progress. During the work week I should be able to finish off all my initial listings and start working on other elements of the website.
Here are the tasks still left to be done:
- Write a ton of articles about the area along with things to do, history, attractions and such for the wordpress article front.
- Find and install the best weather widget.
- Find and install the best “upcoming events” widget/calendar.
- Find and install the best photo album.
- Upgrade the look and feel of the site.
- Create or contract work to have a logo designed.
- Organize all the elements to make navigation seamless.
- Set up the various membership levels.
- Create a free premium listing for 1 business in each category to give the appearance that others are buying in.
- Include affiliate offers amongst thesefree premium listings.
- Select a category, track down the e-mail addresses of a bunch of people in that category and send them a personal e-mail letting them know they’ve been added and telling them about the benefits. Explain how they can upgrade their account for additional features.
- Do this for every single category in the directory.
- Create a PPC campaign.
- Export my database listings and send a direct mail piece to every single business included in the listing letting them know about the directory.
- Find creative ways in the local area to reach consumers and drive traffic.
- Reap the fruits of my labor.
I like where this is headed… I’ll make sure to keep you updated!
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