My Challenge - Part 1

jazzguy · #1 (**permalink**) 12-10-2007, 09:36 PM

Hey all. A friend and I have a weekly challenge where we both set up individual goals to attain during the week (from Sunday to Sunday). If one of us does not succeed at any of the goals for that week we give the other twenty dollars. Thankfully, we both have been good at attaining our goals so I'm not broke...

This has become a great way for me to tackle those tasks that I should be doing but for whatever reason I am not.

This week I decided to make as one of my goals, a site that will be used to make money online. I don't have to have the whole site up by Sunday, but I do have to have at least the first page or two online with the affiliate products I want to promote already to go. I already have the site concept and have already registered the domain name and have secured hosting so I'm a little ahead of the game...

I will begin designing the site in the next day or two and will also begin brainstorming content. The site will be built around a niche within the diet industry and if I work it, I think it could be a decent money maker.

Why am I doing this? Because I realize that I could go on reading every scrap of information on the Web but if I don't start putting what I have learned into action, I'll be wasting away some quality time. So better sooner than later in this case. And besides, we all know that the only way to really learn something is to get your hands dirty by doing.

So if interested, I'll write a weekly(ish) summary of my plans and strategies and hopefully within a few months I will be making a few dollars.

I would highly recommend that you find a way of challenging yourself, either through a friend or some other form of accountability. But keep the goals do-able at the beginning until you get the swing of things. Take care and all the best.

lisa · #2 (**permalink**) 12-10-2007, 09:51 PM

This is great advice. I know for one I get in a rut sometimes where I have this "ready-aim, ready-aim" mentality where I have all these "to-do's" that I plan to put it into action. I'm a little bit better now that I do this full time, but sometimes I have to get myself in gear and this is sound advice.

Please keep us updated on how you're doing. I'm sure that would benefit all of us.

jazzguy · #3 (**permalink**) 12-10-2007, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisa

This is great advice. I know for one I get in a rut sometimes where I have this "ready-aim, ready-aim" mentality where I have all these "to-do's" that I plan to put it into action. I'm a little bit better now that I do this full time, but sometimes I have to get myself in gear and this is sound advice.

Please keep us updated on how you're doing. I'm sure that would benefit all of us.

Thanks Lisa and will do. I know that sometimes being able to do a bunch of things actually hinders the process of getting anything done. Take care.

moimoi94 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-11-2007, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzguy

Why am I doing this? Because I realize that I could go on reading every scrap of information on the Web but if I don't start putting what I have learned into action, I'll be wasting away some quality time. So better sooner than later in this case. And besides, we all know that the only way to really learn something is to get your hands dirty by doing.

Great idea Jazzguy! I know what your saying because I'm trying to do the same thing reading everything but failing to start getting my hands dirty. Sometimes I just don't know where to begin to be quite honest as this is all new to me. Please keep us updated as to your progress and get money

!

Peace,
moimoi94

jazzguy · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 09:37 PM

Hi all. Here is the second phase of "My Challenge - Part 1".

The first part of my challenge was to secure hosting and a domain name for a site within the diet industry. I chose to create a site based around dieting and snacking. Why did I choose that particular niche? I did so because I remember when I attended Weight Watchers a few years ago, that 98% of the discussion at weekly meetings centered around how people could still get their sweet cravings taken care of while staying on point with the program. It aways struck me as funny that the one thing that probably put a lot of people into Weight Watchers, snacking, was the one thing that no one wanted to do without. So I figured why not create a site around the issue which focuses on that desire while providing healthier alternatives. Whereby basically, you could have your cake and eat it too...

So I registered the domain name and secured hosting. I chose the address specifically (see sig) with those three key words because I feel that they represent the "nature" of the site and may help in higher placement on the search engines.

In the past two days I also began designing the look for the site and adding a small bit of content within one of the categories (cookies). This obviously takes a lot of time and I will no doubt be tweaking design and content as the site develops and begins to pick up traffic. I figure it may take another week of writing content for the rest of the categories due to a couple of web-design clients I am working for at the moment.

I also added some monetization on the site in the form of Google Adsense and the Amazon Associate Program. I have also collected a lot of information concerning other affiliate programs and will swap or add these to the site as it develops...but I wanted to start somewhere so Google and Amazon were it.

If you check out the site please realize that only the "cookies" category is "hot". I haven't begun the other pages yet. Also, and this is very important, PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ANY OF THE ADSENSE ADS. For two reasons: One is to stay true to the rules of this board, and the second is that the whole site is not ready to go live yet and I wouldn't want to be somehow penalized by Google for clicking on ads on a site that is not yet ready for mass viewing.

There you have it. Stage 1 and 2 of my Challenge completed...more or less...obviously the site still needs the rest of the content to go on before I can begin promoting it, which will be the Third Stage. I'll keep you all posted when the site goes live and I begin Stage 3. Take care and all the best and thanks Lisa for allowing me to show a work in progress.

NewMama · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 10:46 PM

It looks great already Jazzyguy! I will come back when you have the other snacks live.

Please keep us updated on your progress.

One question though, how were you able to add the google words if you only have a few live pages? I thought you had to have several pages of content first? I'm still new to this!

jazzguy · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewMama

It looks great already Jazzyguy! I will come back when you have the other snacks live.

Please keep us updated on your progress.

One question though, how were you able to add the google words if you only have a few live pages? I thought you had to have several pages of content first? I'm still new to this!

Good question NewMama...I'm not sure. I am already an Adsense participant on a blog I run so maybe that helped. If I had to sign up cold, then maybe I would have needed the complete site. Thank you for the positive words by the way...they mean a lot. And I'll keep y'all posted when the site goes "live". Take care and all the best.

jazzguy · #8 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 07:27 AM

Hi all. It has been a while since I have posted an entry on Website Babble. The first couple of months into 2008 have been rather crappy and I was busy taking care of issues both personally and professionally. Thankfully I have resolved most issues so I am now back on track...

So here is an update to my site challenge. Please check out the first few posts in this thread to find out what I originally set out to do.

My new site is now up and running and can be viewed by clicking on the second entry in my signature below. It is, like all websites should be, a work in progress. Now I could have waited until I felt everything was just perfect but I realized that if I waited for perfection the site would never get online. So I made sure I provided content for all the categories and put it online. I still want to add a Blog for the site and at some point flesh out some of the category content. But as it stands, I am pleased with the progress. Although it would have been up a lot faster if I didn't have to deal with some heavy issues. I guess the lesson here is that life can throw you some unexpected curve-balls and while things may disrupt your flow for a time, sooner or later you need to get back on that horse and resume where you left off. If this is the kind of lifestyle you dream of then don't let sudden obstacles deter you. Deal with the issues and find a way around the obstacles or barriers. With a little persistence, you can get your life back on track and be one step, or one day closer to your goals.

Anyhoo...so now the site is up and it's time for the hard work...getting traffic to the site. I checked on Google for certain key words pertaining to my site and I am on the 8th page for one of those key words and on page 12 for another set of key words. Of course, it would be great to be on the first page but that will take time. I'm just pleased to be indexed on Google in the first place.

Since the site only went fully live last night I will wait a week or so while keeping an eye on Google. I may decide at some point to tweak either my title description and/or the content on each page to reflect more keywords pertaining to the site's theme. I will also begin my blog within the next few days which will be updated every day or so. That should "tell" Google that this is a site that has a continuous flow of fresh content regularly which should help push the site closer to the first few pages. I'll keep you all posted on the developments as they happen.

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave comments.

ssmorgan · #9 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 08:14 AM

Hi Lyle,

Welcome Back and thank you for the update!

I am sorry to hear you had to deal with some heavy issues, but I am glad you get back up, dusted yourself off, and got back on the horse!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzguy

Although it would have been up a lot faster if I didn't have to deal with some heavy issues. I guess the lesson here is that life can throw you some unexpected curve-balls and while things may disrupt your flow for a time, sooner or later you need to get back on that horse and resume where you left off. If this is the kind of lifestyle you dream of then don't let sudden obstacles deter you. Deal with the issues and find a way around the obstacles or barriers. With a little persistence, you can get your life back on track and be one step, or one day closer to your goals.

Awesome way to put it!

Your site looks great, by the way... keep up the great work.

Sherif

jazzguy · #10 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 06:38 PM

Thanks Sherif. Your kind words are greatly appreciated. Take care and all my best.

rwskate · #11 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 07:42 PM

Very nice website. I really like the color scheme, it just seems to fit your particular site very well. Very, very nice!

Obstacles are always are always coming at us in way or another but we have to remember we need to view them for what they are: JUST obstacles. You picture yourself in a race and every time you come to a hurdle, what do you do? Stop and just stand there or stop and turn back around? No, you jump right over and keep on running. I'm a firm believer that in dealing with obstacles, you need to have the correct view of them. Trials, obstacles or other issues that unexpectantly come up in our lives is happening for a reason. They teach us, refine us and we learn from them and we become better people because of it.

I'm dealing with issues in my professional life/career and you know what? I'm not going to let it get me down, I'm going to blog about it, talk about it, do whatever I need to do to stay focused, motivated and positive. You can do the same - actually everyone needs to do it.

Keep up the good work!

jazzguy · #12 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 10:47 AM

Thank you Renee and the best of luck and skill to you as well...

Murray · #13 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 12:42 PM

I like your website.

Would you mind sharing what kind of hits you get a day, and what webhosting you use?

Thanks and best of luck.

Jewel · #14 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 08:25 PM

Looks Great Lyle!

I enjoyed your site.

Jewel

jazzguy · #15 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 08:50 AM

Thanks Murray and Jewel for the kind words. Much appreciated.

Murray - I am not getting nay traffic at the moment except from those on this board who have checked out the site. The site only went live on Sunday so I am not expecting any outside organic search engine traffic for at least a month...maybe less. I'm working on getting a blog attached to the site which should help bring in some traffic once I start posting. I'll keep you all posted.

As for my hosting service...I was a company called webair. I pay about $19.00 CDN and have enough bandwidth and storage to last me quite a while. Also, I can add unlimited domain names which is nice.

Thanks again for your words and support. And feel free to ask questions. If I can answer them I will.

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