If you could start over...

GreenThumb · #1 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 08:55 PM

This is a question I have that I think may spark some good tips for us newbies and even not-so-newbies. I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who have had financial success online but this applies to anyone.

OK here it goes.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently with your website, concept, etc?

max · #2 (**permalink**) 06-17-2007, 09:42 PM

Great question!!

I haven't really begun yet (I'm a little slow at getting my site up 'cause I've had life events that have kept me from focusing) BUT one mistake I did make in the beginning was I paid someone $500 to build an awesome site for me and had no idea how to draw traffic. I thought I could just build and folks would find me.

So while the site looked great, the webmaster was clueless about SEO stuff so here I sat with an expensive site and no traffic.

So I would definitely have created a site on my own like I've done now and not pay anyone money unless they had experience with design AND actually marketing and generating traffic to a site.

ppcFanatic · #3 (**permalink**) 06-18-2007, 04:43 PM

I would have not wasted so much time trying to copy other gurus and just focused on PPC. I tried to build an allan gardyne type site years ago and of course it failed because it wasn't unique. And quite honestly I don't like writing content so I was basically just taking what he wrote and re-wording it in my own words. I didn't enjoy updating the site because it wasn't my passion. That was a big lesson for me to do what I love.

I enjoy PPC more because I love math and I love analyzing statistics, etc. but even with that I wish I had bought a book on it before I jumped in. I lost a LOT of money in the very beginning.

webdev · #4 (**permalink**) 06-18-2007, 06:08 PM

I'm still figuring out what i'm doing wrong and what i'm not doing and what i should be doing and doing it right.

I create many web applications and worked on many pet projects, some of which were never launched online. I created a lead distribution software and opened a incorporation company but after i build the software and got the company registered, i was scratching my head as to what to do and the company didn't go anywhere. If i could go back i would have searched into the area more before getting into it.

There after, i build a "tech deal site" which i updated every week with new deals. I couldn't get any traffic to it. I waste some money on buying traffic and got scammed. If i could go back i would search more how the other tech deal sites got traffic before getting into it.

Later i tried to clone digg.com. The project/website was incomplete and again i couldn't draw any traffic to it. If i could go back, i would put more time into think of making the site different and unique from digg.com which is fun for people to use so i can attract traffic.

So, in conclusion, i have always tried to clone popular money making websites and applications which never worked for me. Now, i struggling to come up with an idea of mine own for a web software which is unique and a has potential to grow. The problem is i have too many things/ideas in my head and most of them are already done. So, now i'm taking my time to research before rushing into something again.

My passion is writing code and creating web software. So, i'm better suited for that. Right now I'm working on PHP tutorial site which is totally content based...so far. I have learned a lot from working on this site. The inspiration for creating this site came from websitebbale forums.

lisa · #5 (**permalink**) 06-18-2007, 06:29 PM

Like ppcfanatic I first started out trying to mimic other popular ideas and the sites failed. Once I started writing about topics I was interested in, things got better.

Hey webdev, what kind of software have you created? Have you ever thought about doing things for rentacoder.com? Heck, I may even become a customer. LOL

webdev · #6 (**permalink**) 06-18-2007, 08:20 PM

I have never been to rentacoder.com. Look like an interesting concept. I'll check it out thanks.

WB Sponsors