SBI! Too Expensive! Options??

Merced · #1 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 07:01 PM

I'm sold on SBI! and I think I could profit by it with the idea I have for my first site, but since I've been unemployed this year it's not something I can afford at this time. So...

From what I've gathered, I CANNOT start my website using the other methods and THEN SWITCH to SBI! once I was able to purchase it - or could I? I understand it would be mostly pointless by then but what if I still want to benefit from their suggestions or need help with S.E.O or something? Could I then re-register my domain through them and transfer my site? Would that just be a waste?

(These questions might have obvious answers and I've done a lot of reading up but I'm still trying to sort all the info. so please bear with me)

Are there any "second best options" out there? Everything I've read so far makes it seem like the only way to success/financial success with your site is through SBI!.... At this point I feel like, as a first-timer I want the best support, but I'd also like to get started creating my site sooner than later. Are newbie creators like myself destined to fail, no matter the effort, if we go with another host?

lisa · #2 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 07:11 PM

You don't have to use SBI! to build a successful website. I have done it without SBI! and many people have here as well. I just think it's a great option for beginners if you can afford it.

You can switch your site to SBI! but the problem with that is if your site is already live, a lot of the training will be irrelevant because a big part of SBI! is about brainstorming and choosing the right niche. So if you already have a topic/existing site then a lot of the advice will be irrelevant to your needs. So that's why it's always best to start fresh with SBI!.

I have never used any of the other "builders" out there, only SBI! so I can't recommend anything besides them. I know some people say they've tried XSitePro but I don't think they can even compare based on what I've read.

But your other option would simply be to build from scratch like most people. And that means register a domain, sign up for hosting and then learn about SEO and how to market your site. The difference is you don't have all the help in one spot like you do with SBI! but success is still very possible.

charcoalandpencil · #3 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 05:02 PM

yea SBI is great for beginners and i really recommend it but 2 things I wasnt aware before i joined was that you cannot have blog, like wordpress blog on it, and also they have size limit on image files which is pretty small, so if u want like a photography or other visual art site where you would want people to view your images large, you wont be able to do that

ed7up · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2009, 04:03 PM

SBI is THE way to get going online. I've just sold a 420k Alexa site and I'm still at school - you learn so much so quickly.

Picture this; you sign-up somewhere else and then switch across to SBI - you'll spend most of your time undoing and re-doing all your efforts. Me thinks it would be counter-productive.

I also reckon you'll be earning faster if you start off with Site Build It, despite the tortoise 'go slow' approach.

The Action Guide is free for everyone to use, but the tools are not... so it's up to you really.

lisa · #5 (**permalink**) 08-03-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ed7up

SBI is THE way to get going online. I've just sold a 420k Alexa site and I'm still at school - you learn so much so quickly.

Picture this; you sign-up somewhere else and then switch across to SBI - you'll spend most of your time undoing and re-doing all your efforts. Me thinks it would be counter-productive.

I also reckon you'll be earning faster if you start off with Site Build It, despite the tortoise 'go slow' approach.

The Action Guide is free for everyone to use, but the tools are not... so it's up to you really.

Very impressive! I always like hearing success stories. May I ask what your site is? (No, you do not have enough posts to add a sig yet, but sine the admin is asking I promise you won't get in trouble. LOL)

chrisinbc · #6 (**permalink**) 08-03-2009, 11:53 PM

Like Lisa said there are lots of people who have build successful websites and blogs that have been build without SBI. With my first web site, which is no longer online, I used a absolutely free web template from Open Source Web Design. I than used NVU, a free web editing program, to build my web site using the free CSS web template. Than all you need to do is to purchase a domain and web hosting, both of which are really inexpensive. I pay $4.25 US/month for my current web hosting. If you have any questions at all about creating and managing a web site, there are many good people to help you here at Website Babble, as well as many other webmaster forums. I have found though that some webmaster forums can be more friendy and helpful than others. Website Babble is by far the most friendly and helpful web forum I have come accross. My previous website was more than paying for itself with Google Adsense within six months. Unfortunately, my domain name and web hosting expired while I was sick in 2007 with a serious illness, so my first web site is no longer online. Who knows how much money I'd be making with that web site if it was still online. My current web site I paid someone for a Joomla web template, and I have used the Joomla web platform to build the web site in my signature. It has been online now since January 2009, is slowly gaining traffic, but I don't even make enough money yet monitizing the site with Google Adsense to pay for my web hosting. This week, I actually purchased SBI because I really want to be successful online and have heard so many good things about it. I just wanted to ensure you that you don't need SBI to build a website/blog and make money online. Best of luck Merced.

charcoalandpencil · #7 (**permalink**) 08-04-2009, 01:12 AM

you CANT do blog with sbi. at least not the ones that allows comments and stuff. Cant even install wordpress.

ed7up · #8 (**permalink**) 08-04-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisa

Very impressive! I always like hearing success stories. May I ask what your site is? (No, you do not have enough posts to add a sig yet, but sine the admin is asking I promise you won't get in trouble. LOL)

Just passed over the SiteSell account of mini-laptops-and-notebooks.com today

It's gone to a good person though; Andy Jones - he's developed Site Structure It! which makes producing your content blueprint SOOOO much easier!

I'm currently working hard on how-to-build-a-website.co.uk which I've got so many ideas for I can barely sleep. I've a line of products in development which I hope to promote on it, as well as via a network of mini-sites.

Hopefully going to sink some of the proceeds into XSite Pro 2 amongst other things - but I better not try and take the thread completely off topic

--

- Merced, why not look around for some SBIers who offer rebate systems (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to offer anything - Lisa?) whereby you pay the full sum upfront to SiteSell and the affiliate will send you a cheque once they can confirm the transaction.

If it really is a case of 'I've got one dime in my bank account' then take the focus off SBI and get some income-coming in again. I'm not suggesting GRQ schemes but basics such as selling on eBay (PayPal pains..) or getting a bar job (you can go out yet still earn!) could help. Can you provide local consultancy services or anything like that?

What would you like to theme your site around - can you kick-start monetization offline now? (Don't necessarily fix a theme in your mind since the keywords and search demand may not necessarily be there).

Best of luck!

elaine drennan · #9 (**permalink**) 08-04-2009, 05:03 PM

Hello Merced!

Why not start by creating a simple Squeeze Page using a free Web Editor like Kompozer?

It's not difficult - I promise!

The first step in the process of making money online is to capture names and email addresses in return for offering a FREE product. To do this you only need a simple one page website/Squeeze Page. Those who opt-in go on your LIST. You can then start developing a relationship with your List...

This initial step in the process is essential to your future success & it will just cost you approx $10 per annum for a domain name + approx $10 per month for web hosting. The autoresponder co. will charge you about $19 per month.

I hope this helps...

Elaine

bernie.malonson · #10 (**permalink**) 08-09-2009, 02:11 PM

If your goal is a long term organic traffic play, then SBI may be the best solution for you. You won't make money right away, but you will have a much better chance of ranking high over time. Few of the SBI'ers are "Guru's" per se but many have successful online businesses that they work full time.

It may not make sense to have all of your sites there, but the training and education you get is invaluable for beginners.

Bernie

rwskate · #11 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 02:40 PM

I will have to second that 'emotion'-

I just reactivated my SBI site today, it will be back up tomorrow and I can't wait to start adding more content. I highly recommend SBI if you are a beginner. I'm very good with computers it's what I do for a living (hardware/software support) but when it comes to website creation, using html/coding, forget about it. When I started with SBI lastyear, went through the Video Action Guide (highly recommend it) I was hooked and I plan on going through it again before I add more content. You have to look at the big picture, long-term and SBI definitely is IT. My computer site will be up tomorrow so don't click on the second link just yet-

-

Renee

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