I'm still loving that I can "skip the scams and get the skills" with Laura's course. As the course has progressed, the lessons have become intense for me in the sense that I'm really delving into the nuts and bolts of my web site. On the Internet when reading different blurbs or “pitches” that come across about getting into affiliate marketing, many people make it sound so easy. Its like - just pick a niche, target your keywords and put up your site and voila - you're an affiliate marketer.
I’m finding however, just in dealing with the back end of my web site, with plugins, meta title tags, meta description tags, homepage meta description, homepage meta keywords, permalinks, basic HTML, etc. - wow - it's enough to make your head spin. It really does take some old-fashioned studying, and it’s so nice to have this course with all of the material I need in one place, and from someone who actually knows what she’s doing and has been successful doing it!
Laura provides great recommendations for web site plugins (things you can add to your web site that can make it perform better or help if you don’t have computer programming experience). I’ve installed all but two of the plugins because they weren't yet compatible with my version of WordPress but I think I found good alternatives.
One of the plugins she suggested was for Google Analytics, and she teaches you about it in Lesson 25 and 26 about “Site Data Tracking” and “Excluding Yourself from the Analytics.” The very detailed instructions are awesome and she actually goes into detail (with screenshots and everything) about all the plugins she recommends.
As I seem to jump ahead at times, I've set up, written, and published my “About” page as well as my “Contact” page - so that was exciting. Something not so exciting for me was while reconfiguring the theme of my web site and feature layout, I really messed myself up and had to begin from scratch with all my settings, etc. I had no idea what I did – I almost cried.
I became very frustrated because I really wanted my site to be active by June 1st. Feelings of inadequacies crept upon me that I wouldn’t be able to accomplish everything in my head because I'm not quite sure of how I want all the content and categories to sit on the site. I know how I want things, but being able to translate that to the back end of my web site was frazzling. I quickly snapped myself out of the negative thoughts and continued to focus on my goals.
As Laura mentioned in her comments last week, I’m going to share some of my keywords with you – but shhh – let this be our little secret (wink, wink). As the topic “cellulite” is a competitive one, I’m going to be targeting the long-tail keywords: “fight the cellulite” which of course is in my domain name which I didn’t realize at the time was a searched phrase, “how to fight cellulite,” “reducing cellulite on thighs,” and “skinny girls have cellulite,” to name a few.
The lesson on on-site SEO in this course really helped me to understand the importance of how and why keywords/keyword phrases should be placed throughout the structure of my web site as well as placement in content to get the most out of optimizing those keywords/keyword phrases for my web site. Well that’s all for now!
Until next time…
- Kelli
Laura's comments:
Kelli's experience of having to "start from scratch" with her settings is not unusual. Frustrating, but not unusual. I've done the same thing. There are definitely some hair-pulling moments in this business! Fortunately, we learn from those little glitches, and I think in the long run it helps. That's not much comfort when it's happening, though!
She's also discovering that there is more to making money online than some make it sound. It's not beyond the average person's capabilities, especially if you have step-by-step instructions, but there is a lot going on behind the scenes.
One of the most important things I think we can learn from Kelli's experience this week is what she mentions at the end of the sixth paragraph: "I quickly snapped myself out of the negative thoughts and continued to focus on my goals." Way to go, Kelli! That's exactly what we need to do when we run up against obstacles or feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Too many people quit at this point, whereas if they just keep at it, one step at a time, they would have made it.
Often repeated in Internet marketing is the old adage: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Bon appetit!
Previous posts in this case study:
Week 1 - Brainstorming ideas and keyword research
Week 2 - Evaluating competition and determining demand
Week 3 - Choosing and buying a domain and setting nameservers
Week 4 - Learning WordPress, HTML, and planning posts
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I LOVE my “job.” Affiliate marketing takes work, but it doesn’t feel like work.
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