Below is a sample of the emails you can expect to receive when signed up to nichepursuits.
About a month ago, I decided to call it quits when it comes to selling online courses. For my business, I've decided that is the best path forward for me.
Since then, I still get asked where someone can go to learn how to build a niche site and grow a real business online. You can certainly go to my blog and read all the case studies and free content I've given over the years. That's where I'd start.
However, if you are still looking for more in-depth training, I would recommend checking out Authority Hacker Pro.
Mark and Gael over at Authority Hacker Pro have proven that they know how to build sites that rank well in Google and make very real money. Of all the people that sell online training related to building authority sites, these guys have to be at the top.
If you are curious what Authority Hacker Pro is all about as well as the pros and cons, I've recently published a full Authority Hacker Pro review right here.
I recommend reading that to get an idea of the training and what you can expect when you join.
I do also want to give you a heads up that Authority Hacker Pro is only open for a limited time. Mark and Gael last had the doors open about 2 years ago. I honestly don't know when they will open the doors again.
All I know is that the doors close in about 5 days from when I'm sending this email.
So, if you are looking for the most complete Authority site training course out there and a community that can support you, you should check out Authority Hacker Pro right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
One of the largest websites in the world is Pinterest. Did you know that Pinterest allows you to add affiliate links to your pins?
In other words, it's possible to make commissions on Pinterest without anyone ever visiting your website. The process is pretty simple.
- Create great looking pins that get traffic on Pinterest.
- Add your Amazon affiliate link (or other affiliate link) for the pin URL instead of your own website.
- When people click and buy on Amazon, you make a commission!
Now obviously there are a lot more details to affiliate marketing directly on Pinterest, but that's the simple outline.
If you want to read in much more depth about affiliate marketing on Pinterest, check out the article just published on NichePursuits.com right here.
In Case You Missed It...
There are a couple of other things I wanted to let you know about in this weekend update.
First, Motion Invest is still going strong. In fact, we currently have 3 sites available for purchase right now. These sites are making anywhere from $300 to $850 a month.
We should also be adding several more sites for purchase in the next several days. If you are interested in seeing the sites available, check them out here.
Or if you are interested in selling a site that is making anywhere from $50 to $2,000 a month, we are looking to buy! If you are interested in potentially selling your site (without any brokerage fees), go ahead and submit your site here.
Finally, I also wanted to remind you that Authority Hacker Pro closes in a couple of days. Mark and Gael don't open the doors to Authority Hacker Pro very often, so if you are interested in getting a complete training course for building authority sites, now is the time to join.
You can see what Authority Hacker Pro is all about here.
Overall, I hope you have a good weekend!
Thanks again,
Spencer
How does someone go from $0 to $18,000 a month building websites?
Well, I wish I could tell you that you could snap your fingers and make that happen...but you can't. No, building a site that ranks in Google and gets a ton of traffic takes alot of work.
But it is very possible.
Today, I'm happy to share the story of Ron Stefanski a college professor and long time Niche Pursuits reader!
You can read Ron's full story about building a site making $18k a month right here.
What you will find in Ron's post today are a couple of interesting strategies. His keyword and content strategy is a unique one that has clearly paid off. He uses databases and lots of questions to rank for tons of long tail keywords.
I'll let you read the post to get all the details.
He also shares quite a few details about his link building strategies.
Overall, I hope you enjoy reading this week's success story and I wish you the best of luck in your business!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - Since I'm sending you an email anyway, I wanted to squeeze in an additional reminder. Don't forget that the Authority Hacker Pro training course closes today. If you are interested in getting in-depth training on how to build an authority site, you can check out what they have to offer right here. (If you aren't interested, just ignore this PS and read Ron's story... :) ).
As I'm typing this email, I'm sitting in a conference room listening to a speaker talk about his portfolio of websites. I'm in Las Vegas and attending Rhodium Weekend. It's a conference I attend almost every year and love it!
However, before I get into full "conference mode" today and tomorrow, I wanted to share my Friday newsletter here.
First, I haven't mentioned Link Whisper in an email for a while, but today something happened that is worth a mention. Over the last couple of months, my team and I have been working diligently to improve the link suggestion logic that powers Link Whisper.
I've always wanted to create a tool that makes internal links much faster and easier, and this new update just released this morning makes Link Whisper even more accurate in the link suggestions that it's making.
It's hard to express how much work I've put into improving Link Whisper over the last couple of months, but I just wanted to let you know that Link Whisper is a focus and will continue to be a focus for the foreseeable future.
If you haven't looked at Link Whisper in a while, you can check it out here.
Buying or Selling Websites?
If you are interested in learning more about buying and selling websites, you should check out this comprehensive guide right here.
This ultimate guide on MotionInvest.com not only reviews the "how to", but also shares all the players in the space and how you can navigate the marketplace.
Fair warning though...this is a HUGE guide! Pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about the buying and selling websites landscape can be found in that article.
Niche Pursuits Updates
Finally, I wanted to share a few of the articles that have been published this week on NichePursuits.com.
Overall, that's the latest and greatest in the "Niche Pursuits" world. Now excuse me while I try to pay attention to the next speaker here.
And no, I won't be gambling while in Vegas!
Thanks again,
Spencer
Well, I just got back from a conference yesterday and now Monday is already upon us!
I won't bore you with the 18 mile run I did down a mountain in Nevada while I was gone; instead, I have something else "boring" to share with you.
In today's post, Heidi shares her story of how she built a site up to $4,500 a month...and growing. Her site is a little unusual in that she's tried TONS of ways to make money from it without much success.
Creating her own products...didn't work.
Amazon affiliate links? Don't really work.
Writing a book...didn't work.
However, she has found a way to make money in this "boring" niche, and I love the success she is seeing.
To read Heidi's story, you can read the entire post right here.
Oh, and she does share the actual URL of her site, so it's worth checking out. I hope her story provides a little motivation to your Monday and gets your week off to a great start!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you have a success story that you would like to share and be featured on NichePursuits.com, I'd love to hear from you! Go ahead and submit your success story right here.
Just over a month ago, I introduced the world to Motion Invest, a place to buy and sell smaller content sites.
A lot of planning and strategy goes into launching a business, and you always do your best to get it “just right”.
Overall, the concept and need for what we were doing was extremely well received! However, now that we’ve been around for a month, we see some things that we need to change.
Today, I want to share with you how we are “pivoting” Motion Invest to better serve the target market we are trying to capture.
Read the full blog post to see how we've made buying and selling content sites even easier right here.
I'll give you a short description of what has changed: the "multiples" to buy the sites are now lower, and you can now view all the sites available for sale...for free.
Read the full post to see what exactly changed and why that's a good thing for you.
In addition, we are always looking for new small content sites to buy (making between $50 to $2,000 a month). We also listed a few new sites for sale in the last few days.
If you are interested in either buying or selling a site, you can visit MotionInvest.com right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
As you develop skills in a certain area, there often come a time when you can choose to either create more with that skill or you can teach others how to develop the skills you have developed.
When it comes to online marketing, that often becomes a question when you've had some success. Should I double down and create more websites, products, etc using my skills? Or should I create a training course that teaches other people how to create?
Don't worry, I made the decision a few months ago to NOT teach online courses anymore, and I feel GREAT about that. However, I did an interview this week (for my podcast) with a very successful entrepreneur who has gone all-in on teaching online courses.
He's made over $2 million in the last year...from just 1 of his 5 courses. Impressive!
(I'll release that podcast interview in a few weeks...so be patient...).
Then earlier this week I got an email from a different successful entrepreneur that has stated about a year ago that he was quitting selling online courses. Then his email this week retracted that statement and said he's going to open the doors to his courses another time.
Hmmm.
I guess that just means the draw of selling online courses is VERY strong. However, I'm happy to report that I'm not tempted to get back into that...and will stand firm in that decision.
I'm REALLY enjoying the process of creating right now. Here's an update on a couple things that I've been creating lately...
First, Link Whisper is a creation of mine that I'm really proud of.
Just this week I've had more positive comments on how helpful Link Whisper is from users that I think I had all year from selling courses before. I love that my creation is truly helping other people grow their businesses.
The latest update for Link Whisper now allows users to search by keyword to find even more relevant and powerful internal links. (It's super powerful).
If you want to see how this new keyword search function works, you can see it in action right here.
Then just last night, I released an update that gives you the option to only see suggested links if it shares a category with the post you are editing. This is also a super powerful way to build a silo structure that helps you establish topical authority.
Again, it's an option - you choose the types of links you want to see.
If you want to see how Link Whisper can help your website, see what it's all about right here.
Overall, I'm enjoying the process of building and refining Link Whisper as a powerful software tool. I've just hired a full-time US based developer and another customer service rep to help grow this business.
It's great to create.
Own The Yard Update
The other project I continue to work on where I'm applying my skills (as opposed to teaching them) is with OwnTheYard.com (my Niche Site Project 4 site).
I know it's been a couple months since I've provided an update, and that's been on purpose. I really want to work with a little bit of privacy without providing updates for every move I make.
I will simply say that I'm still working diligently on the site and continue to add new content.
I predicted as the transition from summer to fall and then winter happened that there would be a downtrend due to seasonality. While this is partially true, I'm seeing some very positive results.
Yes, less people are searching for things like backyard games...however, my overall organic traffic from Google is actually trending upwards! The reason is simple, some of my articles might be getting slightly less traffic (due to seasonality), but I continue to add more and more content...so overall my Google traffic is stable or trending slightly up.
The best part is that my keyword rankings are all improving (even if less people are searching for those keywords at the moment due to seasonality).
I'm hopeful for a big holiday season. Then if these trends continue, my site should grow significantly when spring starts rolling around.
That's all I'm going to say about my site for now. I'm still working away adding lots of content, and my rankings for individual keywords are all trending very positively.
Niche Pursuits Updates...
Even though I don't sell any online courses anymore, I do still like to provide free training through NichePursuits.com. Here's a few of the articles that were published on NichePursuits.com this week.
Overall, what decision will you make in your business? Are you a teacher or a creator? Or are you both?
I've made my decision...but the right decision may be different for you depending on your circumstances. I don't think there is a right or wrong choice, only choices that you are comfortable with.
I hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks again,
Spencer
I launched a software product to the world on July 8th, 2019, 143 days ago.
Over the past 4 and a half months, a lot has happened with my new software business, and even more is planned for the future.
However, the truth is that starting that software business started long before July 8th with planning, development, and more.
Today, I want to share a brief history of Link Whisper and where I hope to take it in the future. I’ve built a few software businesses from scratch (all bootstrapped!) and I thought you might find it interesting to hear a bit more about the journey.
Finally, it’s just about Black Friday and Cyber Monday…so I’ll let you know what the deal is for that (yes, there is a Black Friday deal...and I made it live early!).
You can read the story of building a software business and see the Black Friday special offer right here.
Overall, I hope you enjoy the blog post that I just published today. And if you are in the US, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Thanks again,
Spencer
I wish I had a crystal ball that would just tell me if a new project or a new website was going to be a success.
Unfortunately, I don't have one...and neither does anyone else.
When I created OwnTheYard.com, I predicted (and hoped) that it would be making $1,000/mth after 12 months. Fortunately, that prediction has come true!
On the other hand, when I created TableLabs.com, I had certain goals for it's first 12 and 24 months...and it didn't come anywhere close to performing to expectations.
Over the years, I've learned that some of my websites perform better than my expectations and other projects (like Table Labs) don't perform as hoped. As a result, I've learned to focus additional time and energy on those projects that are performing better.
So, with my current example, I'm focusing on adding lots of new content to OwnTheYard.com to see how well it can grow. On the other hand, I'm maintaining Table Labs and letting it grow organically, but I'm not spending all day trying to promote it or spending thousands of dollars to add new features that customers may or may not want.
I've moved on. (Don't worry, I'll make sure Table Labs keeps working!)
And perhaps that's what you should be doing in your business. Do you have a website you've been working on for years and it just doesn't seem to be moving?
Do you have a project that you've been throwing money at and it's not giving you any money back?
Perhaps it's time to cut your loses and start putting your time and energy into a project that is more likely to succeed.
I will simply say that now that I've focused my time and energy on a new software project, my predictions are being exceeded so far! That new software project is of course Link Whisper, and I'm really excited to see where that goes.
Black Friday Special is Coming...
This is the first Black Friday and Cyber Monday that Link Whisper has ever experienced. I'm hoping to give it a good experience in it's rookie season.
As a result, there WILL be a special offer coming next week that you should definitely keep your eyes open for. And yes, there will be something for existing users as well.
I'll keep you posted next week.
A Little Weekend Reading...
In case you missed some of the content published on NichePursuits.com recently, I've included a short list that you can catch up on over the weekend.
Overall, I hope you have a great Friday and have a chance to ponder what is making your business successful (or not). Predicting success is never easy, but picking yourself back up and trying again doesn't have to be complicated.
Thanks again,
Spencer
The only thing I like better than a great discount, is a great discount on a software tool that can truly make my life easier.
I could go on and on about how Link Whisper is not only a massive time saver when it comes to building internal links, but it's also smart enough to help you build links that help you rank better in Google.
Check out the Black Friday special offer I just made live for Link Whisper right here!
However, I'm the creator of the tool, so perhaps you want to hear from other people that have been using Link whisper...
Dom Wells founder of Human Proof Designs and OnFolio.co says,
"Internal linking is one of those things that makes a huge impact, probably more than you realize. Most people drop the ball because doing it well is such a time sink. Link whisper makes it so much easier and saves you a bunch of time. It’s also being actively improved and worked on, unlike other internal linking plugins I’ve used in the past which are a bit “meh”. Definitely recommend it."
Matthew Woodward from MatthewWoodward.co.uk says,
"Internal link building is one of the most underused strategies in SEO and Link Whisper takes the hard work out of it by making intelligent suggestions that are easy to manage."
If you are ready to take the hard work out of internal linking and get more results, you should definitely check out Link Whisper.
Today, I'm offering the WordPress plugin for $30 off the regular price!
Get the Link Whisper Black Friday deal right here.
Thanks again!
Spencer
The saying goes that change is constant.
I would say that's a good thing, if you are in the business of constantly improving. If you are getting stagnant in your business, you likely aren't keeping up with your competitors.
This is true for keeping up with Google changes, new content to your sites, and so much more.
For me, the change that has been constant recently is new features and development for Link Whisper (my internal linking WordPress plugin). Over the past couple of months, I've really been focusing on adding some new features that I think are going to make your life (as it relates to internal links) much easier.
Some of these features are coming out so quick, that I haven't had time yet to update the sales-page to showcase them!
Because this week is Black Friday, and I do have a special deal happening for Link Whisper, I wanted to keep you posted on what some of these new features are.
Keyword Search for Inbound Internal Links
I shared this one a couple weeks ago, but it's a big one. If you find some pages on your site without any internal links (using Link Whisper reports of course), you can quickly add new links to those pages.
What's new is that you can now do a quick keyword search within Link Whisper to display all your content that mentions that particular keyword. If you want the link, just check the box and click add!
I created a short video to show you how this feature works...check it out here!
Get More Link Options
Another new feature that was added to Link Whisper recently is the ability view and select additional link suggestions, if you don't like the first suggestion offered.
Link Whisper is meant to make your life as easy as possible when it comes to building internal links. For that reason, Link Whisper automatically suggests what it believes to be the best possible link.
However, sometimes you might have multiple posts on the same subject, or believe it or not, you might know better than a software tool what links make the most sense.
As you can see in the image below, you can now just click a dropdown menu and Link Whisper will show several other link suggestions that you can select from.
Overall, you end up with the most relevant links possible with minimal effort.
Link Whisper is constantly improving. I have also added a couple of other features that I'll share at a different time.
Overall, if you want to check out what Link Whisper is all about, you can go right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - As a reminder, I am offering a special discount for Link Whisper for Black Friday and of course, all the new features I've mentioned here will be included. Thanks!
My wife had to go to the store yesterday (on Black Friday) to pick up some basic groceries. I felt bad for her, because I figured the stores would be PACKED!
However, it turns out that it wasn't crazy and her shopping experience wasn't bad. Apparently tons of stores offer their big "door buster" deals the day or two before Friday. Go figure.
I always consider how lucky we are as internet entrepreneurs to not have to deal with the physical crowds and the "stuff" that can happens in a retail location. Score for the internet!
So, even though you don't have to bust down a door and I'm not going to run out of copies...the big discount I'm currently offering for Link Whisper IS only for a limited time.
But don't fret...I didn't end the deal yesterday, it's going on all weekend and on cyber Monday too!
Check out the lowest price I've ever offered Link Whisper for right here.
What is Link Whisper? Well, it's the fastest and easiest way to build powerful internal links for your website. This wordpress plugin will save you hours of time and the reports make it SUPER easy to find orphaned pages and so much more.
You can see it in action and also see what other people think about Link Whisper right here.
So, if you are like me and prefer to do most of my shopping online, this deal I'm offering could be perfect for you. Check it out in the comfort of your own home, and still get the best deal possible.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I launched a software product to the world on July 8th, 2019, 143 days ago.
Over the past 4 and a half months, a lot has happened with my new software business, and even more is planned for the future.
However, the truth is that starting that software business started long before July 8th with planning, development, and more.
Today, I want to share a brief history of Link Whisper and where I hope to take it in the future. I’ve built a few software businesses from scratch (all bootstrapped!) and I thought you might find it interesting to hear a bit more about the journey.
Finally, it’s just about Black Friday and Cyber Monday…so I’ll let you know what the deal is for that (yes, there is a Black Friday deal...and I made it live early!).
You can read the story of building a software business and see the Black Friday special offer right here.
Overall, I hope you enjoy the blog post that I just published today. And if you are in the US, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Thanks again,
Spencer
If you are looking for a deal to treat yourself with this cyber Monday, you should consider giving yourself the gift of better internal links.
Smart internal links lead to better site structure, organized link "juice" flow, and ultimately higher rankings in Google. And we all know what higher rankings in Google leads to...traffic and earnings!
I have been running the biggest discount I've ever offered for Link Whisper over the last few days, but that ends tonight!
So, if you want a faster and easier way to build smart internal links, now is the time to snag Link Whisper at a great price.
Get the Link Whisper Deal Right Here
Looking for a few testimonials to help make your decision easier? No problem, here you go:
"Link Whisper has removed 90% of the work that is involved in internal linking. What was once a task that took me a long time to do, or was very difficult for a VA to do properly, now takes only minutes and is done the way I want it. Given the value of internal linking in On-Page SEO, this plugin is a no brainer." --
Jared Bauman
"I Just tried out Link Whisper and all I can say is “where have you been all my life?” I remember going through one of my sites using Yoast Premium’s “orphaned” pages report and building internal links to those pages. It took me several days to make sure every post had at least one internal link to it.
No exaggeration, I think I could have done that work in 1 – 2 hours with this plugin. Well done." -- Jake Cain (former NichePursuits.com employee turned full-time site builder).
"GREAT plugin....love it! Especially the feature that allows me to add inbound internal links to a new post automatically...
Great work! -- Bo Kaufman, WinnipegHomeFinder.com
Overall, Link Whisper is a great tool to help you build and manage internal links...quickly. If you've been on the fence about whether or not to get a copy, now is a great time to decide!
The biggest discount I've ever offered really is ending soon. Get your copy of Link Whisper right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
If you are looking for a deal to treat yourself with this cyber Monday, you should consider giving yourself the gift of better internal links.
Smart internal links lead to better site structure, organized link "juice" flow, and ultimately higher rankings in Google. And we all know what higher rankings in Google leads to...traffic and earnings!
I have been running the biggest discount I've ever offered for Link Whisper over the last few days, but that ends tonight!
So, if you want a faster and easier way to build smart internal links, now is the time to snag Link Whisper at a great price (up to 44% off!).
Get the Link Whisper Deal Right Here
Looking for a few testimonials to help make your decision easier? No problem, here you go:
"Link Whisper has removed 90% of the work that is involved in internal linking. What was once a task that took me a long time to do, or was very difficult for a VA to do properly, now takes only minutes and is done the way I want it. Given the value of internal linking in On-Page SEO, this plugin is a no brainer." --
Jared Bauman
"I Just tried out Link Whisper and all I can say is “where have you been all my life?” I remember going through one of my sites using Yoast Premium’s “orphaned” pages report and building internal links to those pages. It took me several days to make sure every post had at least one internal link to it.
No exaggeration, I think I could have done that work in 1 – 2 hours with this plugin. Well done." -- Jake Cain (former NichePursuits.com employee turned full-time site builder).
"GREAT plugin....love it! Especially the feature that allows me to add inbound internal links to a new post automatically...
Great work! -- Bo Kaufman, WinnipegHomeFinder.com
Overall, Link Whisper is a great tool to help you build and manage internal links...quickly. If you've been on the fence about whether or not to get a copy, now is a great time to decide!
The biggest discount I've ever offered really is ending soon. Get your copy of Link Whisper right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I have a small confession to make. I found myself watching Weird Al Yankovic on Youtube yesterday...and I kinda liked it.
I don't typically spend much time on Youtube during my "work hours"; however, through a series of random thoughts, I ended up on Youtube watching Weird Al. This guy has been around for decades doing the same thing, and has turned his parody music into an amazing career. He truly is a celebrity now (and has been for a long time).
So, of course, I decided I should read his Wikipedia page. I was fascinated to find how he got his start. What I found interesting is that Weird Al was always unapologetically who he was. He didn't try to "fake it" and act like he was a big star before he was.
He was a guy with an accordion and a couple quirky songs. He got a small break when a local CA radio station played his "My Bologna" (not to be confused with My Sharona). This didn't really lead to much, except the local radio station was willing to play his second song a while later, "Another Rides the Bus".
They asked him to perform it live on the radio station.
He had no band. He didn't sing very well. But he really just owned who he was.
He was outside the radio station practicing his song before his live "performance" and a guy named Jon Schwartz hears him and tells him he's a drummer. Jon says he's willing to beat on Weird Al's accordion case to help him keep the beat. Of course, Weird Al agrees!
Imagine, minutes before you are to perform, you change up your act, with a guy you've never met before. Just own it!
The performance goes "viral" as they call it nowadays. Weird Al gets invited on his first TV show to perform "Another One Rides the Bus"...and he asks Jon (his new drummer) to come along with him.
Do they invest in a new drumset and other equipment? Heck no! They haven't made any money yet!
Weird Al plays his accordion and sings. Jon sits and beats on Weird Al's accordion case and uses a couple of cheap noisemakers for effect.
It looks pretty amateur. But Weird Al and Jon don't care, they just have a good time and perform the best they can.
And this leads to massive exposure and success.
Interested in watching Weird Al's first TV appearance from 1981? Well, it just so happens that Youtube has it and I watched it yesterday right here.
Now, would I say I'm a fan of the song? Not really. But I think his story has a great business lesson here.
First of all, you don't need to pretend to be someone you are not in business. Just be honest and own who you are. If you don't have a fancy logo or expensive web design right now, that's okay!
Get the core of your business down right (content, SEO, or whatever else is the core of your business), and then figure out the other stuff later when you see success.
Second, be flexible. Weird Al didn't have a drummer, but was willing to change his performance minutes before going live because someone presented a better idea.
Your first idea for your business path is probably not going to be the actual path that you follow. Be willing to make tweaks and changes and re-assess as you go.
Weird Al discovered after his first national TV appearance that video was important. His music videos along with him music became a key component of his success.
(You can check out his "Eat It" (which Michael Jackson approved of) and "Amish Paradise" for a couple of his more popular music videos.)
Now, I really wish I was getting commissions for mentioning Weird Al so much! However, I just thought there were a couple of interesting business lessons we can learn from the guy, so I decided to mention it.
Speaking of Not Faking It...
Since it's the weekend, I wanted to make you aware of a couple of things that are going on.
First, I just released a podcast interview with Walker Deibel, and he is definitely the real deal. Not only is Walker an author and filmaker, he also is an expert at buying and selling large businesses.
He shares his story of how he's purchased brick and mortar businesses and improved their technology and processes to increase the business.
He believes we live in a unique time when it comes to the transition of businesses from baby boomers to others. Oh, and of course his favorite kind of business is online businesses.
He shares tons of tips and strategies for finding, buying, and growing online businesses.
I highly recommend that you listen to the podcast interview I did with Walker right here.
Finally...I'll Be Live!
I was invited by SEMrush to present on one of their webinars. This live webinar will be Dec. 11th at 10:30am PST and you can register for the free event right here!
The best part is that it is specifically geared for SEO and monetization of affiliate websites. I'll be joined by Ross Tavendale and Craig Campbell (both smart SEO individuals).
We will be reviewing a few affiliate websites live on the presentation. If you want your site reviewed, you can submit it right here.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend and that you keep it "real".
Thanks again!
Spencer
If you have been getting my emails for a while, you will know that I built a niche site from scratch over the past year or so.
Last December, my niche site project 4 site only made $26...but it was also less than 3 months old. I'm now happy to report that only 9 days into December, my site has made nearly $900 from Amazon Associates! (it's also earned some from display ads)
You can see the earnings screenshot below:
The main reason for the site's success is simply doing exactly what I laid out in my Niche Site Project 4 sites, and of course a nice boost from holiday buyers. I continue to add new content targeting low competition keywords. (I've been focusing alot on "question" type keywords and phrases lately).
In addition, the content I published a year ago has finally aged and is just ranking higher and higher. Lots of the outdoor game type articles are performing well in terms of affiliate commissions (lots of buyers around Christmas).
If you check out my niche site, you will also notice that I use lots of Amazon images. I show people the product and direct them to Amazon when they either click on the image or click on one of the other links or buttons.
Using images, definitely leads to higher click through rates.
Staying Compliant...
When I use the Amazon images, I always stay compliant. Meaning, I'm not just downloading images from Amazon and then uploading them to my site...that's a good way to get in trouble.
Rather I'm using plugins and tools that connect to the Amazon API to display the images. This is totally Amazon approved.
A great way to stay compliant with Amazon images to use the AMZ image plugin. This is a plugin that I created (even though I sold this business a year ago), that makes it extremely fast and easy to add great looking Amazon images to your content.
The new owner of the AMZ image plugin is running a special discount offer for the next couple of weeks. You can get this great little plugin for 20% off!
Check out the special offer (applied at checkout) for the AMZ image plugin here
Overall, I just wanted to give you a brief update on my Niche Site Project 4 site and give you a couple tips on Amazon and staying compliant.
I'll plan on doing a more in-depth earnings report in early January. So, stay tuned for that.
I hope your sites continue to grow over the holiday season!
Thanks again,
Spencer
First of all, I hope you have a great start to your weekend.
Today I wanted to share the story behind an Amazon plugin business that I started and then eventually sold: AMZ Image. (You can check out the plugin here if you are not familiar with it).
All businesses start with an idea. I was working on one of my niche sites and just realized that adding single images of Amazon products was a time consuming task. I wanted an Amazon product image with my affiliate link, and that's it.
I didn't want pricing details, ratings, additional descriptions, etc. I just wanted an image that if people happened to click, it would take them to Amazon to view all the images...with my affiliate link.
If you have been building Amazon affiliate sites for a while, you will know that people quite commonly click on images. So, to fully optimize your earnings, your images should definitely include your affiliate link.
I looked around at all the Amazon plugins out there and I couldn't find a single one that let me do exactly what I described. Sure, there were plugins that let you add images...but those images came with all the bells and whistles I described above (pricing, ratings, descriptions, etc).
Hmmm, maybe other people were having the same issue as me and I should just create the plugin myself?!
So, I brought the issue up in the Niche Pursuits FB group and it turns out that several other people were indeed having similar issues and were indeed looking for an easier solution.
I figured, "Let's do it!". I went over to Upwork, got a few quotes, and eventually hired a developer to start building the product.
Because it was a "small" plugin, it only took a couple of months to get developed and tested.
I launched AMZ Image in May 2018 and it was well received! Now it wasn't like I was "crushing" it, but the plugin was relatively inexpensive to create and so even close to $1,000 a month in sales was profitable after a few months.
So, I could be happy just making roughly $1,000 a month with very little work (after launching to my Niche Pursuits audience), or I could try to grow it bigger.
After a few months, I could see that it was probably never going to be a $10,000 a month business without major marketing efforts. In addition, more functionality would probably need to be added to the plugin if I were to compete at a bigger scale.
I was happy to keep collecting $1,000 a month; however, running even a small plugin business does take a little bit of time.
There are minor bug fixes or improvements that need to be managed.
There are customer service issues that come up (even when you have a support team in place like I did).
Even though all of this was probably only a few hours each month, it was starting to distract from my larger businesses.
In addition, I had "collected" a rag tag group of other businesses over the years. I had several niche sites, I had made a couple of site acquisitions, I owned another software business (Table Labs), I was working on developing another WordPress plugin (Link Whisper), and still had an Amazon FBA business.
Long story short, I decided that I needed to "declutter" my businesses a bit.
I ended up deciding to sell off 7 of my websites/businesses. I included AMZ image as one of those businesses that I wanted to sell.
The main reason for selling all of these businesses was that I wanted to focus on a couple of other sites I had and I wasn't finding the time with 7 other things to worry about.
As a result, I sold the AMZ image business in February 2019.
The good news is that the new owner has made some additional improvements to the AMZ image plugin and it's now better than ever! You can now use it with the Gutenburg editor and some other minor tweaks have been made.
In addition, the new owner has been able to grow the revenue of the business a bit as well...so it's truly been a win-win. I was able to get some extra time and a nice cash payout, and the new owner has a plugin business that is growing.
The new owner of the AMZ Image business reached out to me this week (which is what made me think of this story) and is offering my audience a 20% Christmas discount on AMZ Image.
You can get 20% off AMZ Image right here.
Am I glad that I started AMZ image, even though I ended up selling it a short time later? Absolutely!
I learned a ton going through the development process and it was indeed a profitable venture. Now I'm just trying to take a more subdued approach to how many new businesses I start...
Even if you are not interested in picking up AMZ Image today, I hope you enjoyed hearing my short story on how I created and sold this plugin business.
Enjoy your weekend!
Spencer
Pat Flynn from SmartPassiveIncome.com is well known in the online marketing space and with a podcast with nearly 70 million downloads, he’s seen significant success!
I’ve been fortunate enough that we connected many years ago in our early stages of blogging and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.
Over 7 years ago, I had Pat Flynn on my podcast (way back in 2012!). But today, I’m happy to share that he’s back on the Niche Pursuits podcast and you can listen to this brand new episode right here.
Pat Flynn’s story is well known – his exam website, getting “let go” as an architect, building smart passive income, sharing all his income stats, niche sites, best selling author, and so much more.
However, I wanted to skip all of that “back story” and jump into what he’s doing today and where he sees his business in the future.
I really did my best to ask questions that perhaps he doesn’t get very often.
Why did he start selling online courses, when he wasn’t comfortable doing it for so long?
Could he ever walk away and leave Smart Passive Income behind…or even sell it?
What are Pat’s long term goals outside of business? Could he ever “retire” and what would he do?
Of course we also had the opportunity to discuss some specific business strategies that he’s implementing in his business right now and I’m sure there are some tips that you’ll find useful.
Overall, it was great to connect with my friend Pat Flynn once again, and I’m happy to share that interview right here.
Also, since it’s Christmas next week, don’t expect to hear from me! I’ll be flying to Arizona to hang out with my family and enjoy some warmer weather.
I hope you have a great Christmas and New Years!
Thanks again,
Spencer
First of all, I hope your Friday is going well. I've got just a couple of updates for you that will get your weekend started off right.
In case you missed my Niche Site Project 4 update from a couple of days ago, you can check it out right here.
I had a record month in December, and I expect the site to continue to grow during 2020. I share what's worked on the site and what my plans are for the future.
Also, I had the opportunity to interview Matt Diggity on the Niche Pursuits Podcast! Matt is well known in the SEO space and has a tons of great tips to share.
During the podcast we talk about his journey from Engineer to running a portfolio of sites, running one of the largest SEO conferences, and much more.
If you are curious about what the latest on page optimization, link building, and other SEO strategies are, this would be a great episode to listen to. You can listen to the full interview with Matt Diggity right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
The time has come for another update for Niche Site Project 4!
The public case study project is one that I started over a year ago and I've shared the domain (OwnTheYard.com) and all my strategies openly.
The good news is that the site just made over $2,300 in December, which is a record month!
Want to see all the details of how it happened? You can read the full income report right here.
In the blog post that I just published today, I include screenshots, traffic stats, strategies, what I'm planning to do next, and much more.
Hopefully you enjoy the update and notice some strategies that you can apply to your own business as well.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I hope your Friday is off to a good start! Today, I wanted to share 3 updates with you that should give you plenty of content to keep you occupied and motivated this weekend.
First, in case you missed it, Jon Gillham and I recorded our live training session that we held last night. During the workshop, we covered 4 websites that were acquired and the strategies applied to grow them...significantly.
In fact, one of the sites went from being a $50k purchase to worth over a million dollars in about 18 months!
You can watch the entire training session right here.
Oh, and at the end of the webinar, we do share a free Minimum Viable Growth Plan that you can download. Be sure to checkout the recording so you can access that step by step growth plan.
Or if you know you are interested in buying a site, we have a couple of sites for sale right here.
Micro SaaS Acquisitions
Continuing on with the acquisition theme, I had the chance to interview Ryan Kulp for the Niche Pursuits podcast. He's an entrepreneur that has acquired 10 "micro" SaaS businesses in the last 3 or 4 years.
Just one of the businesses he was able to grow from $10k to $100k in monthly recurring revenue!
If you want to hear how he did it, and what the business is that he acquired, you can listen to the full podcast interview right here.
On Site SEO Strategies
Finally, I wanted to make you aware that Jon Dykstra over at Fat Stacks Blog is about to increase the prices on his On-Site SEO course. (It's currently 50% off, but that ends tonight).
What I love about Jon's courses is that they are straight to the point, valuable, and come from someone who is walking the walk. Jon gets over 1 million ORGANIC visitors a month to his niche sites...and he doesn't actively do any link building.
So, if you want to see the exact On-page SEO strategies he implements to rank his sites in Google, this is the course for you.
Get the On-Site Deep Dive Course for 50% Off Right Here
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks again,
Spencer
Have you ever been tempted to buy a website low and sell it high? For many of us, it's gone beyond a mere temptation to nearly an addiction.
I've personally been buying and selling websites for years, but it turns out I've never written a complete guide on the process until today!
(I can't believe I didn't write this years ago, shame on me).
In my blog post today I do a deep dive on the flipping websites model. How much should you pay? Where can you find good deals? What's the business model you should follow? What are the potential returns? What are some quick ways to increase the value?
Check out my new guide to flipping websites right here.
As part of one of my new businesses with partners, we have been buying and selling a ton of content sites over the last few months, so the flipping websites model has definitely been top of mind for me.
If you want to either sell your site or buy a new one, you can check out my new business at MotionInvest.com.
Either way, I hope you enjoy my new blog post for today!
Thanks again,
Spencer
I'm personally always interested in hearing success stories, and I hope you are too. I've been working with a couple of people to put together 4 excellent examples of sites that were purchased and then saw big growth with a few strategic moves.
At the end of this email, I'll share a couple of tactics that can lead to growth for your site (or one you are considering purchasing).
But first, the 4 examples that I've put together with a couple of partners is going to be presented live next Thursday at 1pm EST / 10am PST. Jon Gillham, Kelley Van Boxmeer and I are all co-founders of MotionInvest.com and through our experience and connections we've put together some very helpful examples.
If you are interested in learning how to buy and grow a website, reserve your spot on the live training workshop right here.
We hope to see you there!
Now, I also wanted to share a couple examples of tactics I applied this week and some some good results. Consider these bonus examples (I won't be sharing these in the live training).
Internal Linking for the win!
I just wanted to share some early results from an internal link building case study I'm doing. For Own The Yard, I've been building a bunch of internal links using Link Whisper over the last week or so and tracking the rankings before and after.
The 3 results are the biggest movers so far...I just thought it was cool how far up in Google you can move ever after a couple of days with just 1 or 2 internal links. I went from ranking #32 in Google to #1 in Google with just 1 relevant internal link!
With Link Whisper, I simply go to reports to find pages that had zero internal links. Then click "add inbound internal links". Then either click the suggested links OR do a keyword search in link whisper to find even more targeted links to add.
Takes just a few seconds to add the internal links with the automated processes of Link Whisper. (I created Link Whisper in case you were unaware).
Anyway, these are early results and I have a ton more keywords I'm tracking and I'll share the full results down the road. These are definitely a few of the big movers early on though.
Image Links Cleanup...
Now this second example is for NichePursuits.com. I was taking a look at my "how to start a blog" article and trying to optimize it.
One of the things I wanted to look at was both the internal and external links. I used Link Whisper to run a report that shows 3 things: inbound internal links, outbound internal links, and external links.
I was SHOCKED to see that I had 60 outbound internal links from that article. In other words, I had 60 links pointing to other areas on my site. What!?!
Luckily, Link Whisper makes it easy to "expand" and see all the links right from within the reports. I quickly saw that MOST of those links were image links. For some reason, when I had added the images, I was linking to their file URL (like https://www.nichepursuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/marathontrends-768x404.png).
This was sending precious link juice to unimportant image upload pages! Yikes.
Once I knew it was an issue, I quickly removed the live links. I also noticed I had way more external links pointing to other sites than I thought, so I trimmed those up as well.
I just did this yesterday, so it's too early to say what the results will be. However, cleaning up these links should definitely improve the technical SEO of the page.
Yes, I created Link Whisper, but I truly do use it in my day to day business. Check out Link Whisper right here.
Anyway, there's a couple of strategies you can consider over the weekend. Honestly, sometimes doing these little things can return massive results for your sites.
Next Thursday, I'm going to deep dive into 4 sites that were purchased and the exact strategies that were used to achieve massive growth in a short period of time.
If you are interested in that kind of stuff, I hope you'll register for the webinar right here.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks again,
Spencer
Hey Roy King,
Welcome to another "edition" of the Niche Pursuits weekend newsletter. I have just a couple of updates that I'd like to send your way this Friday.
First, in case you missed it yesterday, an awesome story just got published on Niche Pursuits. Can you imagine starting an affiliate website in one the most competitive industries in the world...insurance?
And then realize that not only did your idea work, but your site is making $1000 a day!? Pretty crazy stuff.
That's exactly what happened with Sa El and he share's his entire success story right here.
You'll hear why he started an insurance website, the drama of going from the .co to the .com, and exactly how he's been building links with success.
The best part is that he's been a long time Niche Pursuits facebook group member! :)
Removing Internal Links Just Got Easier...
Now, I don't usually share every update that comes out for Link Whisper (my internal linking WordPress plugin); however, this is one that I thought you might like to hear about.
Link Whisper already makes it extremely easy to build internal links (using artificial intelligence), and it also makes it really easy to see a full report of where all your internal links are for each post/page on your site.
However, I was doing some internal link auditing for Niche Pursuits and noticed that several of my articles have less than ideal internal links pointing to them (wrong anchor text, etc).
The fact that Link Whisper makes it super easy to see where all the links are and what the anchor text is super cool, but to REMOVE those links used to be a very manual process.
That is until today!
Less than an hour ago, I just released an update to Link Whisper where you can remove internal links (or outbound external links) by just clicking the delete button on your reports page.
Here's a quick screenshot to show you what I mean:
So, there is no need to open the content editor, hunt for the link to remove, remove the link, hit save, etc. Nope, just click the "x".
Anyway, I'm pretty exited about it as it's going to help my internal link audit process (that I really am doing for Niche Pursuits right now).
If you are interested in checking out Link Whisper, go right here.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks again,
Spencer
What if you could buy a website for $50,000 and then grow it to over $1 million in value in less than 2 years?
Not only is it possible, but I've watched it happen. No, this type of growth isn't typical, but I do think there are some valuable lessons that can be learned by looking at this example.
If you are interested in buying, growing, and selling websites; I'm going to share 4 specific examples of sites that have achieved massive growth this Thursday.
I'm conducting a live training session (along with a couple of co-founders from MotionInvest.com), and we are going to share all the details of the $50k to $1million story and that's just 1 of the 4 examples.
You can register for that live workshop right here
The training will start at 1pm EST / 10am PST on Thursday.
I'll share the exact strategies that were used to grow a site to over $1 million in value, and I'm confident you'll learn a few things that can help grow your site as well.
We hope to see you there!
Spencer
Often when I'm asked by family or friends what the fastest way to start making money online is, I tell them writing.
You can get paid as a writer. Put in the effort and get paid right away.
Sure, it doesn't typically have the long term growth potential of building a popular blog, but it can put money in the bank MUCH faster than waiting to rank in Google and get some clicks on your affiliate links.
So, if you are interested in learning several different ways that you can put some money in your bank account through writing, you should check out the latest article on Niche Pursuits right here.
Learning the skills of a writer not only can lead to paychecks, but it could lead to a much larger business through blogging, creating an agency, or other paths.
Writing can be a great "gateway" to bigger things.
Just wanted to give you a small business idea to get your mind thinking about different options today.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Pagespeed. It's important. In fact, it's so important that Google has officially make it part of it's algorithm.
In fact, you should have been saying, "Uh oh, I need to start worrying about pagespeed" a long time ago!
Google made Page Speed a part of their ranking algorithm since 2010! However, in 2018 there was a Page Speed update that gave even more weight to this factor (particularly for mobile).
So, I hope I'm not breaking the news to you that you should be worrying about how fast your site loads...instead consider this an important reminder.
I've actually been in the process of working on some technical SEO and site speed for Niche Pursuits and Own The Yard recently. I still have a ways to go and so I've been digging into different resources to help me along the way.
Then earlier this week I got an email from Matt Giovinisci that he's just about to release his course on PageSpeed for Bloggers! (You may remember Matt from the podcast interview I did with him). I happen to know a few of his sites (he shares them publicly) and they do indeed load FAST!
Matt has put together everything you need to know to make sure your site loads in less than a second and scores extremely well on Google Page Speed Insights.
I'm going through his course right now and it's well-done.
You Can check out Matt's Page Speed for Bloggers Course Right Here!
I also share my Page Speed results in a few weeks after I finish implementing everything he goes over in the course.
We Are Giving Away a Website...That's Making Money...
I also wanted to mention something cool that we are about to do next week as part of MotionInvest.com.
We are going to hold a contest and the winner will get a website that is making money! In fact, the site is currently making $200 a month and we are going to give it away. If we were to sell the site, we would list it at $6,000.
In fact, we will be giving away prizes each week for the next few weeks. That contest launches next week, so I just wanted to give you a heads up. I'll be sure to get you all the details you need to enter on Monday.
Did you hear this...?
Finally, I wanted to give you a heads up that I just published a podcast interview with Jaryd Kraus of BuyingOnlineBusinesses.com.
Jaryd has a pretty cool story of how he went from being a plumber to full-time website portfolio manager. Jaryd has made a few acquisitions and share's what has worked really well for him. You can check out Jaryd's story right here.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Today, I''m excited to share an interview I just published with Jared Bauman.
Jared bought a site using some very specific criteria. He wanted a site in a certain price range that wasn''t monetized in a certain way.
He wanted to see pages that were already doing well in Google. And he had several other criteria.
Then he had 7 steps to grow his website.
The results?
The site went from making about $200 a month to over $1,000 a month in just 7 months!
Jared does a great job of breaking down the exact strategies he used to grow his site so quickly.
Check out his buying and growing a site story right here.
Now, you can find sites to buy in the under $2,000 a month range from several places.
Jared happened to buy his site from MotionInvest.com. He was so happy with the purchase and the growth of the site, that he bought another one from Motion Invest recently.
If you are looking for a site to buy, Motion Invest currently has 6 sites available to buy.
You can see the current listings here.
As a heads up, there are actually 2 sites that are being sold by Jon Dykstra (of Fat Stacks Blog).
Jon is known for building super white hat sites with great content and no link building.
He listed about 7 of his sites on Motion Invest on Monday, and 5 of those have already been sold.
The sites left are great sites, they are just a little bigger than the other ones.
One site is making $561 per month and the biggest one is making about $4,500 a month.
Anyway, if you are looking for a content site to buy that has been vetted already, you can see all the Motion Invest listings.
Either way, I hope you enjoy the interview with Jared right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
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In case you missed it, the Inc. 5000 list was revealed just a couple days ago. I love checking out what businesses are growing fast to help see how I might be able to grow my own business a little better and to just get inspired by all the companies doing so well.
A Quick Reminder...
Before I dive into a couple of specific companies, I wanted to remind you about a special offer that is ending today.
Systeme.io is an all in one platform that allows you to build funnels, landing pages, host courses, capture emails, and do email marketing automation. You can also host your own affiliate program through the platform as well.
I connected with the owner of Systeme.io and he was willing to offer the product at a 42.5% discount this week only for Niche Pursuits readers. That offer ends tonight...in just a few hours!
You can see what Systeme.io is all about and snag the discount right here.
Making a Killing...
I''m a fan of seeing what other companies are doing well and seeing what strategies are helping them grow their business.
One company that made it to #6 on the INC 5000 list this year was, Hunt a Killer. These are interactive, games that get mailed to you and you and your friends solve a murder mystery.
I know I''ve at least seen their ads all over Facebook. So, digital marketing is a huge reason for their growth.
How fast have they grown? Well, they grew by over 20,000% and are now at $27 million a year in revenue. Wow! You can read the Hunt a Killer story here.
I also have to give a shout out to Matt Paulson for his company MarketBeat.com that made the Inc 5000 list again. His business continues to grow quickly.
Matt was a previous guest on the Niche Pursuits podcast, so I love seeing his business doing well. You can check out his online business and story right here.
If you want to see all the other companies listed, you can see the full Inc. 5000 list right here.
The One Easy SEO Hack Your Clients Will Love...
That''s the name of a new Youtube video just published by well-known SEO expert Chase Reiner.
He shows how to take pages that aren''t ranking as well as you might like them to and how to make a couple tweaks to help them perform better in the search engines.
You can watch his entire "SEO Hack" video here.
The best part about the video, at least in my opinion, is that it features Link Whisper! It''s great to see that a tool I created is being used and loved by many people to improve the SEO for their sites.
You can check out Link Whisper here.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend planned and that some of these ideas will help you grow your own business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The big discount on Systeme.io really does end today, so be sure to get the special offer before it expires right here.
In 2015, Jake and Joe walked in front of 4 wealthy investors to pitch their innovative idea.
They were feeling confident.
They had a revolutionary idea that would prevent customers from using millions of pages of paper and they had already sold over $1.8 million worth of their product!
They were looking for a $400,000 investment in order to help grow their business.
Instead of a deal, they got laughed at.
Undeterred, they went out and grew their business without the investment. By 2017, they had sold $10 million worth of product and were a runaway success!
How could these wealthy investors have missed such an obvious opportunity? And how well are Jake and Joe doing today (since 2017)?
I'm going to share the story of RocketBook, a revolutionary digital notebook and additional line of products with a huge online presence.
I think you''ll be surprised to see how much they are selling on Amazon, and I share full screenshots below.
But before I dive into the entire story of RocketBook, I wanted to remind you that Brand Builders is offering a special discount on all their services for Niche Pursuits readers only...but only for the next few days.
There are currently 7 pre-made affiliate sites available in the Pets, Tools, Outdoor niches, and more.
But Brand Builders does WAY more than sell Pre-made affiliate sites.
Want high quality content that is Surfer SEO optimized? You can get 15% off content packages this week only.
Want link building done? Brand Builders offers Link Building packages that are 15% off this week only.
You'll need to use coupon code NICHEPURSUITS15 at checkout.
You can check out all the discount services available from Brand Builders and get the full background story of the business right here.?
Now, back to RocketBook.
After getting rejected on Shark Tank where they asked for $400k for 10% of the business, the founders Jake and Joe didn't give up.
They continued selling their notebook that you can write on with a physical pen and paper. However, what's unique is that you can upload your notes written on those pages to the cloud and you can erase those pages.
(On the show you had to use a microwave to erase the book; however, today you can just wipe them clean).
Rocketbook already had retail distribution and almost $2 million in sales, yet all the Sharks laughed at it...why?
I personally think it has to do with "group think".
The product was innovative. It was proven to be a hot seller. It helped reduce the environmental footprint (a big reason customers bought it).
At first, the Sharks seemed interested. But then one of them made a joke or two about it. (It was indeed kinda odd to have to microwave a notebook).
Those initial jokes seemed to encourage the other sharks to not take it as seriously (remember sales don't lie!).
Before you knew it, the group started acting like a single being and none of them wanted to leave the group of "naysayers".
Group think is terrible, and incredibly difficult to break free from.
If you are part of a group that is all saying no, it's difficult to be the one person that says yes. This applies to business decisions, family situations, outings with friends, and so much more.
As mentioned, within 2 years of being on Shark Tank, the Rocketbook went on to sell over $10 million worth of its products and is now one of the biggest "misses" of all time on the show.
But what has RocketBook done since 2017?
Well, with a little Jungle Scout sleuthing, I was able to determine some rough numbers for how well it does on Amazon.
Now, realize that my numbers below are only a piece of their business. They sell on their own website, they sell in tons of Walmarts and Staples and other retail locations as well.
RocketBook sells several products and varieties of products now on Amazon.
The RocketBook Panda Planner is selling $460,000 per month!
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The RocketBook Flip is selling $142,000 per month!
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The RocketBook beacon is selling $48,000 per month!
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The RocketBook Everlast Notebook is selling $95,000 per month!
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The RocketBook Bundle sells $20,000 per month!
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So, if I add up everything they are selling on Amazon, that''s $765,000 per month or $5,825,000 a year!
And that''s just Amazon. They sell on their own store (powered by Shopify) and sell in lots of international locations.
Are they now selling over $10 million per year? I don''t think that''s an unreasonable assumption.
Overall, some mult-millionaires and at least 1 billionaire missed out on a MASSIVE opportunity.
If you have an innovative idea, don''t get frustrated if no one "gets" it.
If you are an investor, maybe realize that proven sales and an innovative idea is a good thing, even if others think it''s a bit "odd".
Finally, don''t get stuck in "group think" mode. Don''t be afraid to go against the grain if needed to find your success.
Think for yourself and be proactive.
Thanks for reading!
Spencer
PS - Did you know that Brand Builders has created several done for you Shopify sites as well? So, if you are looking to get into the ecommerce business like Rocketbook, Brand Builders either has pre-made Shopify sites or can build you a custom Shopify site for your product. You can see everything Brand Builders offers right here. Get 15% off with coupon code NICHEPURSUITS15
Did you notice that Google rankings glitched out on Monday? I''ve got the entire scoop for you - including what happened to my own rankings.
But first, I wanted to share a quick update on the email marketing case study I just started a week ago.
I launched a case study to try and revive a dead email list last week, and today I'm providing my first full week update after getting started.
As a reminder, I already have an email list of about 22,000 subscribers in the "Mom" / recipes / discounts niche, but they haven't been emailed in over a year. Now, I want to see if I can revive that list and start making $1,000 or $2,000 a month with affiliate offers. My original goal was to start emailing them 5 times a week, because I've seen another similar business in my niche do the same thing (and I know they are successful.$$$).
However, after just 3 email blasts sent last week, I know I already need to pump the brakes! My open rates are just abysmal!
So, I've taken a few steps to try and improve my domain and IP reputation for email deliverability. I'm going to walk you through the exact steps I've taken so far, the results, and additional steps I plan to take to improve my email open rates.
Check out the entire story + my earnings from this project so far.
Funnel Builders: Systeme.io is 42.5% off right now
If you build funnels, capture emails, want to host a course with an affiliate program, want an email autoresponder, or use landing pages of any kind, you might consider checking out this special deal for Systeme.io. (It does all of those things and more).
On Monday, I did a full video review and interview with the founder of Systeme.
I also asked the founder if he could offer a special discount to the Niche Pursuits audience only, and he agreed! You can now get all the functionality of Systeme.io with unlimited funnels and landing pages and up to 10,000 contacts at 42.5% off.
See the special offer for Systeme.io right here.
Google Glitches Out
I''m sure Google has bugs all the time, but this is one of the biggest "glitches" that I can recall ever seeing for Google...because it essentially impacted every ranking.
If you were paying attention on Monday, pretty much every webmaster starting noticing either a big spike in traffic or a big drop in traffic from Google. Rankings had changed drastically!
Search Engine Rountable announced that a major Google update was underway. Twitter was on fire with people crying over lost rankings or doing virtual fist bumps over their increased traffic.
But turns out, it was a Google glitch!
John Mu (senior analyst at Google) announced that there was some sort of glitch and the changes were being rolled back. So, traffic went right back to where it was before a few hours later.
You can read the story on Search Engine Roundtable here.
Was it really a glitch? Or was it an accidental early release of an update that is supposed to come in the future? Who knows.
But here''s what it looked like for Own The Yard. I saw a huge spike in traffic...sweet!...but then it came back down to reality.
Lesson? Google is a big scary animal and is sometimes unpredictable.
5 Content Sites for Sale
As a heads up, Motion Invest currently has 5 sites for sale. These content sites have been vetted by our team and you can see all the listings right here.
If you check out the listings, you will notice 3 of the sites are making $1,000 to $2,200 a month. And then 2 sites are making about $300 to $500 a month.
We are starting to get a few larger sites (over $500 a month), so if you are in the market for a site this size, be sure to check back. Or if you have a site that you are looking to sell, we''d love to take a look here!
Overall, I hope you''ve had a great start to your week and can keep the momentum going.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I''m excited to share that Link Whisper is currently the #1 product of the day on Product Hunt!
As you may know, Product Hunt is a place where the community votes, comments, and engages to help the best products rise to the top. So, it''s great to see that others see the value in Link Whisper as much as I do!
After initially launching Link Whisper about 10 months ago, I''ve made tons of updates, tweaks, and added new features. I truly believe that Link Whisper is now the go-to tool for building smart, fast, and effective internal links.
Getting a product to the stage where it''s ready to be presented on Product Hunt and then eventually making it to the #1 spot is no easy task, so it feels great to get here.
Since you''ve been a part of my personal community and have been here throughout the journey of Link Whisper, I''d love to have you get involved over on Product Hunt if you want.
You can comment or interact to let the larger Product Hunt community know that you value my work or are familiar with Link Whisper.
Feel free to see what''s happening on Product Hunt right here: https://www.producthunt.com/posts/link-whisper
Thanks again for letting me share this good news with you!
Spencer
I don''t usually do this, but I decided to curate 25 of the best cyber Monday deals for niche site owners.
I share how you can see that full list below.
However, I wanted to first highlight the best deal on the list! Link Whisper is $25 off the regular price this Cyber Monday and you can snag the deal right here.
Link Whisper makes effective internal linking MUCH faster and easier. And with the in-depth reporting, you get much more insight into your site structure than you can on your own.
Finally, just last week I released a new feature that integrates Link Whisper with Google search console to show you the organic traffic each of your articles get, along with the keywords it''s ranking for in Google.
You can then select these target keywords or create your own target keywords to make your internal linking even more accurate.
I recently shared some videos on integrating Google search console and adding target keywords right here.
This is indeed a limited time offer and I don''t want you to miss the opportunity to get Link Whisper at the lowest price possible!
Get the special offer on Link Whisper right here.
Now, as mentioned, I have also curated 25 internet marketing cyber Monday deals that you might be interested in.
These range from discounts on content services and link building, to special offers on themes, plugins, and much more.
See all the Cyber Monday deals right here!?
(On that deals page, you will also see that 8 content sites are being sold by none other than Jon Dykstra! He''s selling several of his sites through MotionInvest.com right here.)
Overall, I hope your week is off to a great start and that you can take advantage of any of these deals that you feel like might help your business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The Link Whisper deal really is the lowest price that I offer my internal link building tool all year. So, if you want to lock in the lowest price possible, see what Link Whisper is all about right here.
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A little inspiration can go a long way. Today, I want to highlight someone that appears to have cracked the Google organic and Pinterest traffic code.
This guy now makes roughly $50,000 a month with his portfolio of niche sites, mostly monetized with display ads.
In fact, here''s an earnings screenshot from his Adthrive account that he shared with me:
Oh, and he happens to be bald. But I''m pretty sure that''s not the reason he''s successful.
I''m pretty sure his strategies and work ethic are a big reason his sites are making some serious cash.
I asked him to share his story, strategies, and additional earnings screenshots right here.
I love the fact that he is all about targeting low competition keywords and honing in on his special keyword research strategies. In fact, he has an aversion to link building. He doesn''t put any time into building links to his sites, yet they still get plenty of natural links.
And if you are curious, he even shared one of his newer niche sites publicly so that you can see exactly the types of steps he takes (you can see that site and more at the link above).
I''ve known this guy for several years and I really like his strategies.
He''s created several course that teach people his step by step strategies for everything related to creating a successful niche site. But he''s never sold all his courses as a "bundle".
I said, "Hey, why don''t you combine all your courses into a one bundle and discount it like 50% for the Niche Pursuits audience?" He said, "Sure, but how about 68% off!"
No brainer.
So, if you are interested in getting more in-depth training from someone that has a portfolio of sites making $50k a month, now is a great time to grab this exclusive offer to my audience only.
You can see all the details of the bundle training deal right here.
Either way I hope you enjoy the story and get some motivation for your own business!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - His name is Jon, and you can read his entire story right here.
Want to see behind the curtains for one of my niche sites? Today I''ll share exactly how much money my site is making and what has recently happened.
Alright, it''s time for an update on OwnTheYard.com! This is a public case study site that I started in Sept. of 2018.
This project has been quite the roller coaster. Last spring the site was getting over 5,000 visitors a day at it''s peak, but now its roughly half that.
Part of that is definitely due to seasonality. However, there was also a sharp decline with the May Google Update (see images below).
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There was a sharp drop with the update, then the site has been on a gradual slide since then, mostly due to seasonality I think.
However, what is interesting is that if I compare how much traffic I was getting from Google a year ago to today, the site is getting 4x the amount of traffic still. So, I guess that''s the silver lining. It''s not as much traffic as I had hoped, but it''s still 4x higher than it was.
What about the Google update from last week? Well, at first I thought the site took another hit. However, now the site appears to be growing in organic traffic and rankings are up. So, while nothing significant, Own The Yard appears to have gotten a very minor improvement in Google.
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I''ll take basically flat over a decline anytime.
You can check out the total traffic with the Google Analytics screenshot. Notice that the last "valley" is no longer below the 2,000 sessions a day mark (slight increase).
So, what about income?
In November, Own The Yard earned a total of: $2,875.38
Amazon: $1,688
Ezoic ads: $1,187
So, with all the roller coast, the site was still able to earn nearly $3,000 for the month, and about $200 higher than October.
In November 2019 (last year), the site earned $1,190 total. So, I''ll take the more than double in earnings in 12 months.
What about content costs?
I now spend roughly $300 to $400 a month on the site for content. I only publish about 4 articles a month and have an author updating some older content.
And if you''ve read this far, here''s an "interesting" twist. Own The Yard got hit with a manual action for unnatural links in Google Search Console about 2 weeks ago!
Yikes!
This "unnatural links" action fortunately only affects "some" pages. Or it could be only 1 page. Google doesn''t provide that kind of detail (that would be way too helpful).
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I''ve hired Rick Lomas to help me clean up the link profile and disavow spammy links. After doing some link research, it does appear that my site has received a ton of automated link spam, feel free to check the mess in Ahrefs if you want.
It''s hard to know if this link spam was from someone that knew about the public case study, or my site just got caught up in whatever automated spam is out in the crazy internet world.
I certainly wasn''t out building spammy links to my site.
Anyway, I expect to submit a disavow file in the coming week or so and begin the review process with Google. I''ll keep you posted, but I''m confident I will get the manual action removed.
Fortunately, this does NOT appear to have impacted my traffic at all. I don''t even know which page or pages for sure got the penalty, but they don''t appear to be high trafficked pages, since I''ve noticed no major impact.
So, there''s the latest update, drama, and ongoing saga of Own The Yard!
I feel confident that I''ll be well-positioned to grow the site in the new year and have a stellar spring when people are searching for "backyard" stuff.
Have Questions? I''ve got a great discussion going on my Facebook group where I provide even more detail in the comments.
I''ll provide another newletter update next month for my progress with Own The Yard.
Before I wrap up and wish you a happy weekend, I wanted to remind you that I had the unique opportunity to interview Nathan Barry on my podcast this week.
You can check out the entire interview right here.
His business, ConvertKit.com, is now doing over $2 million a month! The tips, strategies, and mindset that Nathan shared are excellent for any type of business.
What''s more is that I''ve been a long time user of ConvertKit (the email you are reading was sent via ConvertKit). I''m super happy with their service.
For NichePursuits.com, LinkWhisper.com, and other projects I have, email marketing provides stability that sometimes you can''t get from Google.
I highly recommend that you find a business where you can build an email list and gain some of that stability.
If you want to try out ConvertKit for free, you can check it out right here.
Or if you have an email list somewhere else, Convert Kit will migrate your list, automations, and everyone over for you.
?Check Out ConvertKit right here.
Okay, now...I do hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - I have something coming on Monday that I think you will really like. An interview of someone CRUSHING it with content sites + a bunch of their strategies.
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I recently had the opportunity to sit down with someone that has grown 2 sites from making around $1,000 a month to now making nearly $100,000 a month.
I recorded my entire sit down conversation with this person. The story is pretty incredible and I did my best to ask the tough questions that would really make it possible for someone to try and replicate his processes.
That person is Matt Diggity. You may have heard of him as he''s quite well known in the SEO and affiliate marketing space.
You can watch, read, or listen to Matt Diggity''s entire story of growing these 2 affiliate sites with advanced SEO strategies right here.
Want to know some advanced EAT (Expertise, Authority, and Trust) strategies for your sites? We cover that.
Want to know how many links you need to build for any given article? We cover how to analyze the competition.
Want to know how to get true PR and have an article go "viral"? We cover those content strategies that can generate TONS of backlinks.
As you may know, Matt also runs a link building agency that helps other site owners get the backlinks they need to grow their sites.
In fact, about a month ago I hired Authority Builders (Matt''s agency) to start doing some link building for one of my sites (my "mom" blog).
I''ve been super impressed with the overall analysis they''ve done to ensure that I''m building links to the right pages, but also not building too many links to those pages.
I asked Matt if there was some special deal he could give the Niche Pursuits audience for Authority Builders.
What he agreed to was a FREE link building strategy call. In other words, you can book a time to do a free one on one call with someone from Matt''s team that will analyze the links for your site and give you ideas of the best links to build.
?Book Your Free Backlink Consultation Call Here?
And the first 50 people to book a strategy call also get a free anchor text analysis (which is a pretty in-depth process for them to do).
And finally, if you decide to have Authority Builders build some links for you, Matt is waiving the initial set up fee that is usually required.
Overall, I hope you enjoy the interview right here and you get some ideas that you can take and apply to your own business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
"Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown."
That is the opening stanza of a poem written by Forrest Fenn that gave clues to a hidden treasure he burried worth over $1 million.
Mr. Fenn released that poem, and a real life treasure hunt, over 10 years ago. Countless people have searched in vain for the treasure and at least 4 people have died while searching in the Rocky Mountains (which is quite sad).
However, it was announced this week that the treasure has now been found! One man found the hidden treasure box full of old artifacts, coins, and true treasure worth more than $1 million!
Congrats, to the treasure finder.
I confess that buried treasure is something I can get excited about and may have visited several treasure hunting forums over the years and even studied Mr. Fenn''s treasure a bit.
However, I also had an epiphany that it is MUCH easier (and less deadly) to build a business that is worth $1 million.
So, while finding buried treasure is exciting in an Indiana Jones kinda way, it is much more feasible for you to build a $1 million online business. Not only are thousands of people doing this each year (check out the brokerage listings to see all these million dollar businesses), but it''s much safer.
Bottom line, if you want a million dollars in the bank, focus on your business, don''t go searching buried treasure. Sure, you might not make the news (like the guy that found Fenn''s treasure), but you are much more likely to succeed.
Website Investing vs. Real Estate Investing
The other day I posed a question in the Niche Pursuits Facebook group:
"If you could only pick one, would you rather have a website portfolio worth $1 million or a real estate portfolio worth $1 million? Why?"
Some people are dead set that website investing is better. Some people are dead set that real estate investing is the way to go.
If you want to see all the great answers, you can join the discussion right here.
My shortened answer is that it depends on where you are in your financial and business journey. If income is more important, a million dollar website portfolio is the way to go.
If long term capital stability is more important (wealth preservation), than real estate investing is likely a better option for you.
There are some pretty nuanced answers in the group that I think are worth checking out if you are interested in this subject.
A Few Link Whisper Updates
Link Whisper continues to grow as a software tool. Recently we added foreign language support for Polish (tell your friends in Poland!) and we also added support for Oxygen Theme (wordpress visual builder).
We continue to add new features each week and are happy with the feedback we''ve been getting from users.
Feel free to check out Link Whisper here.
Overall, I hope you have a great start to your week and don''t get stuck looking for a hidden treasure that''s nearly impossible to find.
Best of luck in your business,
Spencer
I just hit publish on an interview I conducted with Mark Webster and Gael Breton from Authority Hacker...and it''s a good one.
Mark and Gael don''t hold anything back in this discussion - all their keyword research strategies, link building tactics, topical cluster advice, and much more are covered.
You can watch, listen, or read the entire Authority Hacker interview right here.
We specifically dive into how they built, ranked, and sold a website for mid-6 figures using SEO and affiliate offers.
Some interesting tidbits from this "6 figure" exit story include:
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I really do think this is an actionable interview for anyone looking to start or grow an authority site to the six figure level.
During the interview, we also cover lots of other interesting subjects such as:
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You might even find out how old I am if you are paying attention. :)
If you are truly interested in applying the strategies of Mark and Gael and learning even more in-depth tactics than we could cover in an hour long interview, I highly recommend that you check out their full training course, called Authority Hacker Pro.
Authority Hacker Pro is only open twice a year, for one week at a time...and the doors just opened today.
So, if you''d like to learn from Mark and Gael and join their advanced authority site building community, this is the week to do it.
You can see what Authority Hacker Pro is all about right here.
I honestly do think that if you are looking for a true start to finish training course that is professionally done by people that actually know what they are doing, Authority Hacker Pro is the best authority site course out there.
Either way, I hope that you enjoy the interview and get some ideas that you can apply to your own online business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - You can watch, listen to, or read the entire interview with Mark and Gael right here.?
Sometimes people view blogging and niche sites as a nice side-hustle.
Or maybe you can make a few thousand dollars a month.
However, perhaps it''s time to start believing that blogging can be extremely rewarding and profitable.
I just caught up with someone that made $65,000 last month from his niche sites!
The best part?
Most of his content is informational content that is monetized with display ads (Adthrive, etc).
Read the entire interview to see exactly how Jon Dykstra is making this kind of money from his sites.
I had Jon on my podcast about 5 months ago, but after hearing that his sites continue to grow, I wanted to ask him a few more questions.
How does he generate over 2 million sessions per month to just one of his websites?
Check out this traffic screenshot:
I''m not gonna lie, I wish my sites were getting 2 million visitors a month!
The "secret" to his success almost lies in it''s simplicity.
He focuses and writes nearly 3,000 words of content a day on just about any topic that he feels is a question or keyword that his audience might be searching for.
Yes, he also has some outsourced writers as well, but he still working as a "blogger".
He doesn''t worry too much about affiliate revenue. He just publishes content that gets traffic and makes most of his money from display ads.
He doesn''t worry too much about link building. He just publishes great content and links come naturally.
If you are interested in learning Jon''s EXACT strategies, he''s actually put together a series of courses that teach precisely what he does to build and grow his sites.
The "Fat Stacks Bundle" is something that Jon has been working on for the last year or so. I''ve been through all the courses, and it''s excellent.
Again, the effectiveness is perhaps in the simplicity of it. He lays out exactly what he does and leaves you with the opportunity to simply follow and implement those strategies.
Jon recently raised the price of his Fat Stacks Bundle because he''s added a couple of courses, and quite frankly courses of comparable value tend to go for MUCH higher prices. (So, even at the full price, its worth it).
However, I''ve asked Jon to give my readers $200 off this week, and he has agreed.
So, you can get the Fat Stacks Course Bundle right here for $200 off.
This special link will only be good for this week.
Even if you aren''t interested in Jon''s training right now, I highly recommend that you read his interview that I just published today.
Jon shares lots of his strategies including:
These questions and several others are answered.
You can read the entire story and interview with Jon Dykstra right here.
I hope you find some of his tips and strategies valuable.
Thanks again,
Spencer
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I hope your weekend is off to a great start!
Today, I wanted to share with you a few things that have been happening in my business lately. I''m hoping that a few of these things will be useful to you.
First, I know I haven''t provided an official update on Niche Site Project 4 in a while. But I have a "mini" update that you can check out right here!
Traffic growing? Yep!
Earnings increasing? Yep!
What more do you need?! :).
Check out this earnings growth from Ezoic:
(If you do the math, this means I should earn more than $1,400 this month from display ads alone).
Link Whisper Updates
In addition, something got into me this morning. I decided to record a video...and allow the camera to be on. Don''t mind the green sweater.
I wanted to share some of the latest new features of Link Whisper including a new dashboard, link stats, the ability to edit sentences (it''s cooler than it sounds), and adding custom links.
If you want to see the full video, check it out here.
Motion Invest Contest
As a reminder, we are giving away a site making over $200! To have a shot at getting that site (at no cost), you simply need to enter the contest right here.
I just wanted to remind you.
Finally...
I also hit publish (yesterday) on a podcast interview with Kyle Roof. Kyle is a master at SEO. He shares tons of tips on how to conduct your own SEO experiments (instead of relying on what everyone else says), and how to truly optimize your on-page SEO.
Listen to the interview here.
So, that''s what''s happened in my world this week. How''s business for you?
Thanks again,
Spencer
If you have been reading my emails over the last few months, you will know that I''ve recently been diving into how artificial intelligence is impacting SEOs and bloggers.
We are at an interesting time where advancements in AI and machine learning are making it closer to a reality where "robots" can actually write content that can pass as a human.
But are we REALLY that close?
And how will these new advancements REALLY impact niche website owners, bloggers, and content strategy in general?
Will SEO forever change as the robots take over?
I asked these questions and many more of the smartest SEO I know...Jeff Coyle.
Watch, read, or listen to the entire interview with Jeff Coyle right here.
Jeff has been in the SEO world since 1999 (<---dinosaur age for the internet).
He also happens to run a software company that uses AI to help with content strategy and SEO.
MarketMuse is a tool that does many things, including helping you develop a content strategy tailored specifically to your site using AI.
First, MarketMuse helps you discover the length and quality of content scores of your competitors (so you can beat them).
But it also shows you exactly what words and phrases you need to use in your article to get the highest content score possible.
But it does WAY more than that too.
I recently re-signed up for MarketMuse (after a little break) and have seen some awesome results with some content I just updated.
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You can see how I used MarketMuse to retake the #1 spot in Google right here.
New Plans and Special Discount
MarketMuse has typically been a tool that only larger enterprises could afford.
However, Jeff and the team at MarketMuse have JUST introduced 2 plans that are much more affordable.
You still get all the great features for less than $100/month.
The best part is that Jeff has agreed to give the Niche Pursuits audience at 20% discount off those prices.
So, if you are interested in checking out MarketMuse, use coupon code "nicheMM20" to get 20% off!
?Check out MarketMuse right here.?
Overall, I think you will really enjoy this interview as Jeff and I dig deep into the questions of AI, machine learning, and how it''s going to impact SEO in the future.
Thanks again,
Spencer
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Are opportunities getting better or worse for the independent online publisher?
(That''s you if you own a website!)
I think it''s important every once in a while to take a step back and look at the global trends to see if building niche sites and online publishing is moving in the right direction.
I''ve got a few unique examples and strategies that I want to share with you...that I think you will find motivating.
Hopefully, some of these examples will get you fired up enough to start researching a few of the websites and their history that I will share with you.
Before I share all the examples and strategies with you below, I wanted to remind you that if you are looking to sell a website, this week is a great time to consider selling it on MotionInvest.com.
Over at Motion Invest, we are paying YOU $100 as a listing bonus when you get your site listed for sale (rather than charging a listing fee like many other brokers do).
You can take advantage of this $100 listing bonus by submitting your site for sale right here.
Your site must be submitted by this Friday night in order to qualify.
Is Substack the New Blogging?
?Substack is a platform where independent publishers can easily earn money from their writing with paying subscribers.
Substack allows publishers to collect payments from subscribers and publish their content online and in email format.
If you do some googling or twittering, you''ll see that Substack is pretty hot right now. They got some $15 million-ish from Adreessen Horowitz and it feels like publishers are flocking there.
But is writing a weekly newsletter really any different than writing a weekly blog?
No, not really.
However, it DOES make it easier to launch a "Premium" newsletter. The "old" way to monetize a blog was produce content, hope it ranks in Google, then make some money on affiliate commissions or eventually create a course.
If you write well enough, perhaps you can start making money from day one by charging a monthly fee to get your newsletter.
?The Hustle, Morning Brew, and Richard Patey are a few companies that have both free and premium newsletters. (Although, only Richard is using Substack I believe).
Bottom line - perhaps you can think about your business differently and start charging your subscribers to read your content.
However, the more interesting trend is the move for more and more independent publishers to start building their own businesses (as opposed to just writing for larger publications as a payroll employee).
It''s a great trend for online business owners.
Are you "Thinking with Google"?
Did you know that Google has an entire resource for helping you grow your business and helping you recognize growth categories called ThinkWithGoogle.com?
A subsection of that site is dedicated to showing what the fastest growing retail categories are:
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For example, this screenshot shows that sprinkler controls, sneeze guards, household disinfectants, and neck gaiters are the top trending retail categories in the past year in the US.
However, you can also look at monthly or weekly trends of any country of your choice. For example, in the US, here''s what''s trending this week:
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So, in the past week, smoking chips and pellets, charcoal briquettes, and landscape fabric are all topics I would consider writing about for Own The Yard (my niche site). The specific keywords I might use might be "best wood for smoking brisket" (as the top growing queries shows).
You could also take this information and use it to create shareable images on Pinterest or other social channels - as these are more likely to get shared because they are trending topics.
Overall, Thinking With Google provides a ton of great information that you should probably be considering for your own niche sites.
Too Big to Ignore
Future PLC is a massive media and publishing company that owns 177 different brands, websites, magazines, and other assets.
A publicly-traded company in the UK, they expect their annual profit to hit $110 million this year - revenue is up 33%.
Digiday recently said that they are now too big to ignore.
They own websites like Techradar.com, TomsHardware.com, Top10Reviews.com, and many more.
Can the "little publishers" like us learn anything from Future?
You can take a look at TopTenReviews.com and see how their pages are laid out, etc. They are ranking well for tons of long tail terms.
While they may have some link building advantages (they may or may not internlink their own sites from time to time), you can garner some great niche ideas by looking at their websites.
Looking for a new website idea? Consider creating a smaller version or more niche version of one of these 177 brands.
If nothing else, it''s just more evidence that the online publishing world is experiencing growth (partly due to covid of course) and continues to be a great opportunity for small publishers like you and I.
Amply Media Grows 5,100%
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Not to be outdone by the UK, a US based company is also proving that digital publishing has lots of fast growing opportunities.
Amply Media is a company founded in 2016 (only 4 years ago!) that was the 59th fastest growing company in US (according to the Inc. 5000 list).
Although their revenue numbers aren''t shared, Amply does share that their portfolio of more than 40 websites gets 64,000,000 active users (I assume visitors), has a total of 110,000,000 subscribers, and 2,000,000 subscribers added each month. (Stats taken from their website here.)
Some of their websites are TopicalThunder.com, DailyPopstar.com, GoJobBox.com, MySignSays.com, and many others.
They are producing 1,000+ articles a month (numbers shared by Amply Media). And most of their income comes from display ads (based on my view of their sites).
You can see a few of their brands right here.
The digital publishing industry is healthy and growing. That''s great news for you and me as smaller online publishers!
Now you just have to get out there and work on growing your sites.
Thanks again for reading,
Spencer
PS - As a reminder, if you are ready to sell one of your smaller content sites (making less than $2,000 per month) so you can focus on bigger projects, we are paying you $100 to list your site for sale this week on Motion Invest right here.
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A few months ago, I decided to conduct an experiment.
I wanted to know how much the rankings for a single post could improve if I simply added a couple of internal links to that post and did nothing else.
No external link building.
No content updates.
Nothing.
I wanted to just add a few internal links and then track the rankings in Google see what happened over time. So, I did exactly that!
You can check out the full results of this case study right here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/internal-links-case-study/
(Oh, be sure to watch the youtube video that is in the post, because it includes a few more "bonus" details that aren''t in the post).
In total, I built 108 internal links and then tracked what happened. I have to admit that the results are pretty impressive!
For the experiment, I used Link Whisper to add all of the internal links links in order to speed up the process and to get smart internal link suggestions without any work on my end. You can certainly achieve the same results with internal links by doing it manually.
However, if you are ready to start building your own internal links much faster and easier, you can try Link Whisper right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
When I sent my email yesterday sharing an update for Own The Yard, I got quite a few responses back related to how I was doing my keyword research and my content process.
I really do feel like finding low competition keywords and then producing quality content on those topics has been the biggest reason my site got 9,500 visitors a couple days ago and is growing (as shared in my last email).
I want to highlight my keyword strategies below.
One of my most important tools I use is Long Tail Pro. I wanted to give you a heads up that I convinced the new owners of Long Tail Pro to let me offer you 40% off the annual plan for Long Tail Pro.
Check out the 40% special offer for Long Tail Pro Here.
My keyword research strategies:
For all the keywords I target, I check the Keyword Competitiveness score in Long Tail Pro. Keyword competitiveness is a score that Long Tail Pro gives keywords based on a lot of the things I listed above.
If it''s 30 or less, it''s a keyword I will target. If it''s 30 to 35, I MIGHT go after it if it still looks good based on the other criteria I listed above. Over 35 I almost never go after.
I''ve leaned on the KC score for years and I still believe it''s the best keyword difficulty metric out there.
The best part about Long Tail Pro?
It''s less expensive than most other keyword research tool options. And because you can get it for 40% off right now, you might consider it a no-brainer.
Start finding some low competition keywords and Grab your copy of Long Tail Pro right here
I hope that these keyword research ideas are helpful.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The 40% offer for Long Tail Pro is a limited time offer and only available to Niche Pursuits readers (you!). So, be sure to check out the special deal right here before it goes away: https://longtailpro.com/niche-pursuits-special-offer/
Like a well placed lever with a long handle, sometimes small movements can create big changes.
I''ve noticed that recently with regards to Google rankings. A couple of weeks ago, Google announed a "core" update that impacted a lot of sites, including Own The Yard.
I definitely took a "hair cut" in terms of traffic. However, as I researched which keywords and rankings were impacted, I found something interesting.
My site definitely wasn''t "penalized" or anything. But some of my rankings made very small movements.
For example, for some keywords I went from ranking #1 to #2. Or I went from the featured snippet to no longer having that snippet.
Other keywords went from #3 or 4 to #5 or 6. (And some keywords actually increased).
Oh, and I still rank #1 in Google for lots of my chosen keywords.
However, what I found interesting is that such a small movement from ranking #1 to #2 in Google can have a huge impact on your traffic levels for that article. In some cases an article lost as much as 40 to 50% traffic from that small ranking change. Crazy!
In other cases it was not as dramatic, but I found it interesting how much 1 additional position in Google can increase your traffic.
I''ve been going through my articles to see if I''ve done anything "wrong", but haven''t come up with much. I mean when you rank #2 in google for a keyword, it means you are doing something right after all!
As I''ve been monitoring my traffic (with patience), I noticed that I started to see a nice increase in traffic again over the weekend.
A few of my articles have now moved back to their #1 position...without me doing anything. Here''s a look at my organic traffic from this weekend compared to the previous weekend.
With my organic traffic up about 30% compared to the previous weekend, it would appear that Google has made some minor adjustments once again.
And that''s one of the important lessons to learn. Google is constantly testing, tweaking, and changing their algorithm, so it''s important not to panic too much when something "bad" happens.
I definitely wasn''t happy to see some of my articles take a negative hit in traffic a couple weeks ago. But I felt confident in what I had built and I''m glad that Google is coming back around to value my site just a bit more again.
The other important lesson to learn here is that if you are ranking #2 or #3 in Google, the effort to make a "tiny" movement up to #1 is probably worth it! The traffic increase by just 1 or 2 positions when you are at the top can be significant.
Overall, it''s important to develop a clear strategy and stick to your plan. My plan all along for my site has been to create great content targeting long tail keywords in the "backyard" niche.
My focus is on interlinking content once it''s published and then doing very minor off-page activities. My "off-page" is basically pinning pictures to Pinterest so people can find my site.
This strategy has worked well and I believe will continue to work in the future. If you want a reminder of all the strategies I''ve followed to create my site, you can re-read my Niche Site Project 4 articles here.
Hopefully you''ve found something that you can apply in your own business here or gotten a little bit of motivation on this Monday.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Over the past 10 months, I''ve been sharing my experiences using Link Whisper to help me build internal links.
In fact, a couple months ago I did an entire case study that showed 76% of the articles I built internal links to increased rankings in Google and 8 of my articles ended up ranking #1 in Google for their primary keywords.
However, rather than sharing more of my own experiences using Link Whisper (after all, I''m the creator of it), I wanted to share what other users of Link Whisper have to say.
As a reminder, I''m running the biggest special discount on Link Whisper that I''ve run all year. It''s currently $25 off the regular price, but only for a little while longer.
--> You can see the special deal for Link Whisper right here.
Here''s a few testimonials from real users:
"I grabbed Link Whisper towards the end of January. It was super easy to install and get going. I had mistakenly thought a related post plugin was helping my internal links out before but realized I need to add them in the actual content to over 200 pages!
Link Whisper made this super easy.
A few weeks after I finished, my traffic started climbing and in April we more than doubled our traffic without posting too many new articles!"
- Jeremy Hood (Kitchen niche site)
"We recommend Link Whisper to all of our clients, along with using them on our internal sites. The combination of an incredibly simple interface, insightful reporting, and ease of adding internal links makes this plugin a game changer. The added bonus is how much time you save in adding internal links - I estimate it saves 75-80% of the time it used to take to internally link articles."
- Jared Bauman
"AMAZING amazing tool for internal linking. Works with page builders, ''regular'' wordpress - AND the links stay even if you deactivate or REMOVE the plugin!
No Hype - best internal linking plugin i''ve EVER used - used it to scale internal linking on a clients 5,000+ page website, plus all of my affiliate websites
I''m a fan for life!"
- Jeff Lenney, JeffLenney.com
"I''ve been using LinkWhisper on a large website (10+ years old, about 4,500 URLS) for a little over a week, and frankly, I''m blown away.
It''s intuitive, easy to use, it does exactly what you said it would do, and best of all -- one glance at SEMRush tells me that I am already seeing results in my rankings! I have at least three more websites I''ll be adding the plug-in to, so I''ll be upgrading my account momentarily.
Thank you for making my site better and for making my life easier. Can''t wait to dig into the new updates and put them to use as well."
- Sarah Hadden, CorporateComplianceInsights.com
"Just wanted to say thanks for this great tool, Link Whisper. I was skeptical, but there was a pretty interesting testimonial when I purchased that showed someone with a lower volume website like mine, so I thought it was worth a try.
My previous trend of about 70 visitors from Google per day has increased to over 400! Phenomenal!
- Sean Graver
If you want to see more experiences from users, you can see dozens more right here: https://www.linkwhisper.com
I simply wanted to share what others are experiencing with Link Whisper, rather than just what I''m experienced.
Thanks again!
Spencer
If you have a small site this is potentially huge news for you.
At 8am PST this morning, Ezoic is allowing sites that have not met their 10,000 pageview requirement apply for their premium display ad network.
Applicants that go through this new "Just Start Program" (a short training course on how to use Ezoic), will then be able to gain access to Ezoic even if their sites are brand new and have not met the regular traffic requirement.
You can read all the details about Ezoic and the Just Start Program Here.
This is BIG news for some of you! However, please be aware that Ezoic is only allowing the first 500 sites to apply. This is a pilot program and they are not permanently opening the doors.
They expect to fill the 500 applications quite fast (potentially within 48 hours). But this is only open to the Niche Pursuits audience and one other audience, so this is not a publicly announced program.
You can apply to the Ezoic Just Start Program right here.
If you have a site monetized with Google Adsense (or nothing at all), you can now start earning more by gaining access to the Google Ad Exchange and other premium ads through Ezoic.
Ezoic also offers several other benefits such as AI testing ad layouts and sizes to help you maximize earnings, big data analytics, and more.
Finally, did you know that more large sites (with over 1,000,000 visitors a month) use Ezoic when compared to something like Mediavine or Adthrive?
Men''s Journal and sites managed by Hearst Media are just a few examples of massive sites monetized by Ezoic.
This is all according to Tyler Bishop, the Chief Marketing Officer for Ezoic.
In fact, I invited Tyler Bishop onto my podcast and recorded a video of the interview as well.
I asked him specifically about some rumors I''ve heard about Ezoic, such as whether it slows down your site or whether you''ll actually make more on Mediavine or Adthrive.
Tyler does a good job of explaining where ads come from and how many of these ad shops all get their ads from the same place.
So, if you are interested in watching the interview, I''m premiering it right now (8am PST) on Youtube!
What this means is that I''ll be in the comments answering any additional questions that you might have as you watch the interview.
We discuss specifically how Ezoic compares to Adthrive and Mediavine and much more.
You can watch the full interview with Tyler Bishop on Youtube right here.
Or if you''d prefer, you can read or listen to the interview on NichePursuits.com right here.
Overall, even if you aren''t interested in applying to the Ezoic Just Start Program, I think this interview is highly educational as it relates to display ads on your site, the future of ad technology, and much more as it relates to making more money from your site with display ads.
I hope your week is off to a great start!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The Just Start Program is only open to 500 applicants before Ezoic is closing the doors (so they don''t get too overwhelmed and can onboard all the new customers). You can learn more about Ezoic and the Just Start Program here.
When it comes to scaling a niche site, it can be a ton of work if you are trying to do everything yourself.
You have to find keywords, write content, edit and format the content, add affiliate links, add images, promote that content, link building, and more.
And if you want to work on more than 1 site, well it''s like adding a second job!
Someone that I respect alot in the niche site industry is Jon Dykstra. He''s built several six figure sites and just one of his sites is making over $40,000 a month!
Jon just released a course called "Content Site Autopilot" that teaches exactly how he goes about scaling his business without his day to day involvement.
The course is currently 50% off (but only for about another day or so). Check out what Content Site Autopilot is all about right here.
During the training, Jon shares:
So, if you are looking for details steps, checklists, and plans for how to scale your niche site business so that you don''t have to work quite as hard, you should check out Jon''s new course.
Be sure to snag Content Site Autopilot at 50% off right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Over the past year and a half, I''ve been doing my best to remove distractions so I can focus on my core business.
I''ve been selling websites or other businesses. I sold my Amazon FBA business. I sold one of my wordpress plugins businesses. I sold several websites.
I simply want to focus on and scale what''s working.
However, I am super tempted to jump back into a business that I dabbled in a few years ago.
That business? Kindle publishing.
I''ve been seeing the results that the Brusca brothers have been having and it''s definitely got me thinking.
These guys are having $15k to $20k months and they''ve just opened a full Kindle publishing training course called Passive Publishing Profits right here. (Be sure to use coupon code SPENCER50 at checkout to save 50%).
As you may or may not know, I published a few Kindle books a few years ago and was earning around $100 a day with them. But it was just a little side hustle that I stopped focusing on and it''s since faded. (Although I do still get a few sales here and there, even though it''s been over 5 years ago).
There''s a few things that I like about the Kindle publishing business:
If I ever find the time, Kindle publishing is definitely something I would look into. (And I still may publish a few books yet...we''ll see when the time is right!).
Even though the time isn''t right for me, perhaps the time is right for you.
Are you interested in checking out a business model that has the potential to grow into something much bigger?
Consider checking out the Passive Publishing Profits course right here.
I''ve known the Brusca brothers for a couple years now and they''ve proven to be successful at Kindle Publishing and business in general. The will teach you the exact steps they''ve followed to build a six figure a year Kindle publishing business.
Oh, and remember to use SPENCER50 at checkout to save 50%.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The coupon code SPENCER50 is only good for a few days. So, if you are interested in learning about Kindle publishing, you should check out the course soon: https://www.nichepursuits.com/passivepublishing
Hey, I know you may be looking for my "motivation Monday" email today.
As you know, I published my full income report for Niche Site Project 4 on Friday, and it was a record month! Now, April is definitely shaping up to be even bigger than March.
I''m loving the niche site "game" right now! Here''s a little "motivational" screenshot:
Two of the things needed to build a successful site is: the knowledge and the right tools.
I was reminded of this recently when Gael and Mark over at Authority Hacker mentioned that they were giving away $16,000 worth of marketing "goodies". They just launched a contest where they are giving away hosting, SEO tools...and even a copy of Link Whisper!
If you want to enter the contest for a chance to win this huge package of marketing tools and training, you can enter right here.
As part of the package deal, they are also giving away access to their flagship course, Authority Hacker Pro.
Since I no longer offer any training courses of my own (and won''t ever be creating one), there are very few people that I would recommend getting training from.
However, the guys at Authority Hacker know their stuff and I feel good about recommending Authority Hacker Pro if you felt like you wanted more step by step guidelines on building a successful affiliate website.
That course isn''t quite open yet, but it will be soon.
For now, you can check out all the tools and training you can win by entering the giveaway contest right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Affiliate marketing can be a lucrative business. In fact, it's how I was able to quit my job over 9 years ago and I've been building sites, products, and running various online businesses ever since.
However, when it comes to building a site like OwnTheYard.com (my Niche Site Project 4 site), it can be extremely risky.
An affiliate site that is reliant on Amazon for its earnings and Google for its traffic really is at the mercy of businesses that are out of your control.
I just wrote about both the upsides and downsides of affiliate marketing and what I think you can do to eliminate some of that risk.
Read the Downsides of Affiliate Marketing Here on NichePursuits.com
I think there are some things that you can do to eliminate some of the risk, and I share my thoughts on those as well.
Stitcher Gets Some Sirius Money...
In other news, SiriusXM has decided to buy Sticher for $325 million! Stitcher is a podcast player app and all around content platform for podcasters.
This is just further evididence that podcasts are becoming mainstream.
Niche Pursuits + You = Great Podcast
Speaking of podcasts going mainstream, I''m currently revamping the format of the Niche Pursuits Podcast a bit.
I''m interested in having a wide variety of guests on that can share their story. I''d like to invite YOU to potentially be on the podcast!
Rather than having to get on a call and be ready to "perform" at a specific time and date, you can record your story at your convenience, whenever you are ready.
If you are interested, check out my new format and instructions for how to get on the Niche Pursuits Podcast right here.
Overall, I hope your week is off to a great start!
Thanks again,
Spencer
Yesterday, Youtube instantly deleted and shutdown a popular online business channel...all without warning.
The Startup Bros just shared, that their channel was shut down and they lost access to all of their videos (youtube just completely removed them). The Startup Bros and well-known for their Amazon FBA and general digital marketing advice.
They had over 30,000 subscribers and now it''s completely gone. Read the blog post here for the entire story and what they are trying to do about it.
As they shared, perhaps the lesson is to be careful not to build too much of your business on someone else''s platform. If you are a YouTube star, you are one email away from potentially losing your entire business.
Bottom line - use other people''s platforms (Youtube, Facebook, Apple, etc) to leverage your own business. Drive leads to your email list or blog so that you truly own your audience.
3 Podcast Episodes a week?
In less scary news, I''ve published 2 new podcast episodes this week and I have another one scheduled for Friday. The best part? I have several more already recorded that I plan to release at a rate of 2 to 3 a week for the foreseeable future.
Want to listen to these fresh episodes?
- Google and Amazon Love Me, Google and Amazon Love Me Not
- The Downsides and Major Risks of Affiliate Marketing
(Notice I''m sending you to my own platform!)
If you want to subscribe on Stitcher, Spotify, Apple, or any other podcast platform - Niche Pursuits Podcast is there!
- Niche Pursuits on Spotify
- Niche Pursuits on Sticher
- Niche Pursuits on Apple Podcasts
If you are interested in joining me on the podcast, I''d love to feature you and your business (no matter how big or small). Get all the details for coming on the Niche Pursuits podcast here.
The Cartoon Niche...
As I''ve mentioned in a previous email, I''m currently reading "Call Me Ted" (life and business of Ted Turner). I have just 50 pages left and it''s an interesting read.
The book demostrates the power of niches. Ted Turner saw that cable was up and coming (last 70s), but he also saw what other channels were missing.
There was no 24 hours news station. It''s hard to believe that this "niche" was missed, but Ted Turner created CNN and quickly became a reliable news source - 24 hours a day.
Later he looked around and saw that no one was really doing anything with cartoons. He decided that why shouldn''t kids be able to watch cartoons whenever they want!?
So, he created the Cartoon Network in 1992 and it quickly became extremely successful. Every successful channel that Ted Turner launched came down to finding the right niche and then acting quickly.
He wasn''t successful with all of his ventures - he lost big on a few of his decisions (trying to buy MGM is one example that turned out poorly).
But here''s what he said about defeat, "The lessons learned by such a crushing defeat would stand me in good stead for the rest of my life. When I suffer a setback, I don''t think of myself as losing, I''m simply learning how to win."
4 New Sites for Sale
Over at MotionInvest.com (I''m a partner there) we have 4 new sites currently available to buy.
Check out the listings here.
Or if you are looking to sell a site, we are interested in taking a look. Submit your site for sale right here.
Does Google Use Google Analytics for Ranking Purposes?
No. And Yes.
Google uses anonymzed data in aggregate to help it better understand search trends and more. However, it does not look at your GA and determine if your site should be ranked higher.
Google''s John Mueller just shared his thoughts on this discussion today.
Time for Another Niche Pursuits Case Study?
I''m looking for new online business or niche site experiements that I can do that last 30 to 90 days. I just posed this question in the Niche Pursuits Facebook group and there''s already some excellent discussions going on over there.
Go ahead and join the Facebook discussion about what Niche Pursuits case studies should be done next right here.
Thanks again for reading,
Spencer
I wanted to share a little motivation with you this morning related to building niche sites.
As you likely know, building a site from scratch is alot of work. You have to put in a ton of time and effort before you see results.
But sometimes after all that work you can experience incredible growth in a short period of time.
My site for the public case study for Niche Site Project 4 (Own The Yard . com) is growing at a pace beyond what I expected over the last 2 months.
Before I share the results below, I just wanted to remind you that I started this site in Sept. 2018 and have been working incredibly hard to get the site to where it is today. In fact, for the first 6 months, I saw very little results.
But now that the site is a little over 18 months old, I''m experiencing rapid growth.
Check out this Google Analytics screenshot comparing the last 2 months to the previous 2 months before that:
On Jan 7th, the site got 934 sessions. Just 2 months later on March 7th, the site got 2,013 sessions! I was absolutely thrilled when the site started getting over 2,000 visitors a day!
Now fast forward to yesterday.
On March 4th, the site got 1,818 sessions, then yesterday (May 3rd, 2020) the site got a whopping 9,518 sessions! (7,681 sessions of that coming from Google organic search). A record day and a mind-blowing 423% growth rate from just 2 months prior.
And if we want to get crazy, we can compare Jan 7th to May 3rd traffic and see that the site has exploded by 10 x - 934 visitors a day to 9,518 visitors a day!
And finally, just for fun. If I compare May 3rd, 2019 to May 3rd, 2020 - I can see that the site has gone from 425 sessions a day to 9,518 or 1,875% more.
Incredible.
Last May my site was about 7 months old and I had put a lot of effort into it, but I also knew that it would take time to see the real results I wanted and that I needed to keep plugging along.
Last May my site had about 125 articles posted. Now my site has about 525 articles posted.
I attribute most of the site growth to all the new content targeting low competition keywords.
But what about earnings, have they grown as well?
Of course!
In March, the site earned about $3,200. In April the earnings were a little more than double!
But what about expenses?
I''m now spending roughly $2,000 a month on new content - just to keep the growth up. (I could stop publishing content and the site would continue to perform well for quite some time).
So my bottom line profit for April was a little more than $4.5k.
I just wanted to give you a quick update where my site is at. But I also want to hopefully provide you with a little motivation in your own business to see what''s possible.
Does anything I''ve shared today give you some ideas for your own business? Does it give you a little boost to strive for some growth in your sites?
I hope so.
Thanks again for following along. I hope you have a great week!
Spencer
Today I am sharing the incredible growth story of Word Agents, founded by Vincent D''Eletto.
Word Agents is a premium content agency that focuses on providing SEO articles that are both high quality and rank well in Google.
How has Word Agents gone from Vin writing a few articles on the side to fund his SEO projects to over 230 US based writers and earning over 7 figures a year?
Check out the Word Agents story here.?
The story really is quite incredible and educational. By focusing on a very specific niche of content, they''ve been able to become a dominant player in a crowded space.
Want a Free Article?
I asked Vin (the founder of Word Agents) if there was anything special he could offer the Niche Pursuits audience.
He agreed to offer $120 off ANY content order placed this week!
Even if you only order 1 article, you can get $120 off...meaning you technically can get an article for free.
This would allow you to try out their services and see if their content is what you are looking for.
You''ll need to use a special coupon code to get the special offer. You can see that special $120 off coupon code right here.?
Overall, I hope you enjoy the Word Agents story!
Thanks again,
Spencer
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Hey there, I hope you are having a great Friday so far.
With so many people working from home nowadays, is a weekend any different than a weekday now?
I''ve been working from home for over 9 years now, so not a ton has changed for me in that regard...although my kids are all at home...ALL. DAY. LONG.
I love it :).
I wanted to share a couple of the latest things going on with Niche Pursuits in hopes that it might help you in your own online business.
First, a couple of articles got published on the blog!
It just so happens that I finally got a Pinterest account all set up for Niche Pursuits. It only took me 9 years, no biggie! If you want to follow along on Pinterest, you can find me here. (Be nice, it''s still a work in progress).
Earlier this week, I also published a new Youtube video diving into how I''m using "question based" keywords to drive a ton of traffic to Own The Yard. If you didn''t have a chance to check it out, you can see my latest videos here...and subscribe to my channel!
I plan to start publishing more videos on Youtube, so I hope you''ll join me there.
Overall, I hope you''ve had a productive week and have a great weekend.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I built my first blog in 2006. Back then I didn''t really know how to get traffic to my site and didn''t understand how to capture traffic from Google.
Over the next few years, I really dug into how search engines work because I wanted free traffic to my site! (because it wasn''t getting any at first).
From 2006 to 2010 - it was all about keywords in titles, body, exact match domains, lots of backlinks...of any kind.
Then Google came out with the Panda and Penguin updates that required better quality content and higher quality links (spammy links no longer worked as much).
Then exact match domains didn''t hold as much value.
Now from 2013 to 2020 there have been so many updates and tweaks to the Google algorithm that it can seem hard to keep up.
But one thing that has been clear over the years is that Google has forced us all as an SEO community to write more valuable content and to not build spammy links.
Now all the top SEOs often talk more about on-page optimization than off-page optimization.
And perhaps the latest trend that I hear discussed a lot is internal linking. Google has made it clear that they value internal links on your site because it not only helps them crawl and index your site better, but it also helps your human visitors find relevant content they can read.
As SEO has evolved, not everyone has realized how valuable it can be to internally link your content. And more importantly that it can lead to very real rankings results.
I would highly recommend that you take a look at your content and make sure you are building valuable internal links - as it definitely gives you a boost in Google.
You can certainly go through all your content and build internal links manually.
However, if you are looking for a much faster, smarter, and more efficient way to build and manage your internal links, I created Link Whisper for you.
Link Whisper is my all in one internal link building tool. Not only does it help you quickly build valuable internal links, but it also gives you in-depth reporting on the entire link structure of your site.
If you want to see Link Whisper in action, be sure to check out the demo video and testimonials here.
As a reminder, I''m currently running a HUGE special offer on Link Whisper this week. Right now you can grab a copy for $25 off - the largest discount I''ve offered all year.
Overall, even if you have to go the manual route, dive into your internal links and see how you can improve. SEO has evolved and on-page optimization is a "trend" that is never going away.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - Link Whisper really does make building internal links faster and easier. It''s currently $25 off the normal price, but that discount ends very soon! Be sure to grab your copy at the discounted price before it expires right here: https://www.linkwhisper.com
I''m currently reading the book, "Call me Ted" about the life of Ted Turner (founder of CNN, TBS, and many other businesses...and billionaire).
I haven''t finished reading the book, so I can''t make a full recommendation yet, but I''ve already picked up on an interesting idea about advantages and disadvantages in businesses and life in general.
I think you have a real advantage.
Before I share this thought experiment with you, I wanted to remind you one last time about the niche site training and traffic strategies from Jon Dykstra that ends tonight at 11:59pm PST.
Jon Dykstra is an exceptional online entrepreneur making over $50k per month with his own niche sites. The cool part about his strategies is that he focuses on more evergreen ways to monetize using display ads. In addition, he doesn''t put a ton of time or effort into link building, yet still attracts lots of links so he ranks well in Google.
If you want to learn all the strategies from one of the best in the business, you should check out the special offer on the Fat Stacks Course bundle right here.
This is an EXCLUSIVE offer for the Niche Pursuits audience. I personally requested that Jon package all his courses together for one low price (which he''s never done before). He agreed to give you access to all his training as a bundle for 68% off the normal price (if you were to buy them separately).
But he''s only doing it until tonight.
So, Ted Turner was given some serious advantages in business. In particular, he inherited his father''s thriving billboard business at the age of 24...in addition to receiving a couple million dollars (worth closer to $10 million in today''s dollars).
Imagine being 24 with $10 million in the bank and a thriving cash cow business.
Not a bad situation to be in!
At first, I was thinking, "Well, no wonder he was so successful and became a billionaire! He was handed so many advantages!"
While that is true in some regards, it truly is remarkable to see the empire he built on television with CNN, TBS, and others. After all, how many lottery winners or other people that inherited large sums of money lose it after a short period of time?
Most.
They usually waste it on frivolous spending and don''t build anything of significance.
Ted Turner was able to take his advantage of the cards he was dealt in life, and turn it into many thriving businesses that have employed thousands and built a legacy for himself and his companies (not to speak of his philanthropic efforts, which are significant).
Sometimes we can look at people with these advantages and take a negative approach and say, "Well, if he hadn''t been given that...he wouldn''t have amounted to much." Or, "If I were given the same advantages, I would have been just as successful as he was."
I think a more productive approach is to consider what advantages we have been given instead of wishing we had more or discount what others have accomplished.
I applaud Ted Turner for what he accomplished, it really is quite remarkable.
So, think of what advantages you have in your own business, no matter how small. These advantages or special skill sets may help you narrow down where you should be focusing and help you positively approach business.
For example, your advantage may be that you understand how SEO for Google works while 99.9% of the world doesn''t.
Your advantage might be that you have creative solutions to problems.
Your advantage may be that you are able to think strategically rather than getting trapped in the minute details.
Now, what I didn''t tell you about Ted Turner is that his life wasn''t all roses...far from it. The way he received a cash cow business and $10 million (in today''s dollars) at the age of 24, was that his father killed himself.
The heartache and pain associated with an event like that is impossible to imagine and incredibly sad.
Not only that, but the business was in the process of being sold, so it actually was FAR from just handed to Ted. He had to immediately take swift action to prevent the business from being sold, which was a very risky move with all the complex circumstances that were surrounding the deal.
Most people would have taken the additional money that the business sale would have brought in and lived a comfortable life.
The key is that Ted was able to utilize the advantages IN SPITE OF the disadvantages that he had to deal with. We all have disadvantages that we typically focus on, but we do all have unique advantages that we often don''t focus on.
One of my personal advantages is that I feel like I''m able to trust in my own ideas and solutions, despite what may be "popular" or the "standard" way of doing things.
I''m able to double down on my own strategy and stay focused on my own plan (without worrying about how others go about doing things).
So, what is your unique advantage to business? Have you been given money, time, ideas, or other unique advantages that can help you build a bigger business?
I TRULY believe that all of us have some unique perspective of the world or special connection or opportunity that we can turn into something significant.
It becomes your challenge to discover what that business advantage is despite any disadvantage or shortcomings you may have.
But I believe it''s there. Now, you just need to take the time to realize what that is.
Thanks again for reading,
Spencer
PS - When I finish reading the book, I''ll give a better review of whether I think it''s worth reading.
PPS - The special offer of 68% off the Fat Stacks niche site training bundle really does end tonight. And it really is an exclusive bundle created for the Niche Pursuits audience that has never been offered before. I honestly don''t know if it will ever be offered again. If you want to see what is in all of the training from Jon Dykstra at Fat Stacks you can check it out right here.
Turns Out We Don''t Need Another Video Platform
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What happens when you get Meg Whitman (former CEO of eBay), and Jeffrey Katzenberg (co-founder of DreamWorks) together to start a new streaming service?
You get millions in wasted money and a company that shuts down 6 months after starting.
Yesterday, Quibi announced it was shutting down.
The streaming service that officially launched six months ago (although its been raising money and in development for a couple of years) is closing it''s doors.
In fact, it raised a eye popping $1.75 BILLION!
Unbelievable.
But I could have told you it was a terrible idea. Why would anyone pay money for Quibi when there are TONS of free streaming services like YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms.
Not to mention the competition from Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+.
What''s "funny" is that they launched probably at the best time possible - during a time when the pandemic hit and everyone was forced to stay at home.
There has NEVER been a time in the history of the world when more people are streaming shows to watch than right now.
However, they launched as a mobile only app...so you couldn''t really watch anything on your TVs.
So, it turns out that no amount of money and not even perfect timing can create a good business out of a bad idea.
No one wanted Quibi, because it doesn''t provide any better entertainment than what we already have.
Lots of lessons to learn from this, even for digital marketers. Don''t invest a ton of money on an idea that you haven''t fully tested.
Small ideas can sometimes be more successful than big ideas (or low funded ideas can perform better than high funded ideas).
Authority Site Training - Last Chance
I wanted to give you a final heads up, that Authority Hacker Pro is closing it''s door to new registrants in a couple of days.
I''ve known Mark and Gael (founders of Authority Hacker) for a long time and I really do feel like they provide the most in-depth niche site and SEO training course that''s available.
Not only can you learn all the strategies they offer, but they also have a very active group of other members that are all helping each other to build successful businesses.
Finally, you ALSO get free access to the Authority Site System 3.0 (their more entry level site building course) when you join Authority Hacker Pro.
So, no matter if you are beginner or expert level, this course should give you all the education you need to grow your site to the next level.
You can join Authority Hacker Pro right here.
Baking While Bored = Instagram Success
Broke and nothing but a $42 toaster oven.
During the quarantine, 2 broke artists were bored and started baking more at home. Turns out, they were good at it.
Then they started a "Quarantine" baking instagram account and now have thousands of followers (online marketing for the win!)
And better yet, they''ve now been able to build a thriving bakery business that really just started as baking while bored.
If you ever feel like you can't start your business because you lack the resources, think again. These two didn't even have an oven.
Their apartment resembled Santa's workshop set up in a dorm room. But these two rookie bakers are thriving now thriving in Mexico City.
?Read this feel-good story in the New York Times about two broke artists that started a bakery at home during the pandemic.
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$500 Per Month in Kitchen Niche
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A new site is for sale on Motion Invest. It''s in the kitchen appliance niche.
It''s been consistently making around $500 with consistent traffic as well. Competitively priced and has a lot of potential.
You can view this kitchen niche site and all sites available for sale right here.
Post to Instagram from Desktop?
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I have a small confession to make. I use a desktop computer more than I use my mobile phone.
I know, I''m old school.
Instagram is a mobile phone app and has never really been very easy to work with via a desktop computer.
Instagram doesn''t offer an official desktop version, however Hubspot put together this great way to post to Instagram from your PC or Mac desktop.
?You can see the guide here.
I thought you might find this helpful if you have any brands on Instagram, and you are a bit "old school" like me.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend and that some of these ideas and stories are helpful for your business!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you didn''t see the full interview I did with Mark and Gael from Authority Hacker yet, you should listen to their link building and site optimization strategies right here.
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? ? Have you ever ranked for a keyword on the first page of Google, then it suddenly drops below the second page? Then it comes back. Then it drops. This is ranking volatility. How do you deal with this and fix it? I recently read an interesting article by Rank Ranger, that shares 3 specific case studies where this happened and how to deal with it. The entire article provides much more depth and is worth reading; however, some of the takeaways are:
The good news is that following the tips in the article CAN help your rankings stabilize and improve your organic traffic overall.
Free Link Building Call? If you are struggling with ranking as high as you would like in Google, you might want to consider a free consultation call with Matt Diggity''s team (Authority Builders). I had Matt on the Niche Pursuits podcast earlier this week and he agreed to give a free link building analysis call to anyone interested, as long as they book a call before Nov. 1st. ?Book your free link building strategy call right here.? If you missed my interview with Matt from this week, it''s a good one! Matt shares how he has grown 2 small sites he bought to nearly $100,000 a month in combined revenue. He shares some amazing tips during the interview.
? Get Ready for Black Friday...Emails ? If you thought you got alot of emails on Black Friday last year...just wait until this year. ?Send Grid shared some interesting data with their Black Friday predictions. Each year, more and more emails have been sent on Black Friday. Last year, Send Grid processed 4.1 BILLION emails on Black Friday. You can see the annual increase each year from the above graph, and they expect the increase to be even greater this year. More people are avoiding stores than ever before (you know why) and so businesses will likely be hitting their email list pretty hard to make up the difference. As a consumer, get ready for a full inbox. As a business, take some of Send Grid''s advice to ensure that you are maximizing your potential with email.
Send Grid shares some other great tips and predictions as well.
? Isn''t All SEO the Same? If you are an in-house SEO you likely need to follow one set of rules. If you own or work for an SEO agency, you likely need to follow a different set of rules. Kevin Indig does a great job of explaining how to master the art of inhouse SEO. While this article focuses on large companies with their own SEO employees, I think you may find it interesting even if you aren''t an in house SEO. As Kevin states, "The in-house side's challenges are red tape, getting resources, and being tried to a company strategy. Many SEOs suffer from resource-constraints and need to fight to get things shipped."
? Thanks again for reading and I hope you found some of these stories and strategies useful for your business. Spencer ?ADVERTISE | UNSUBSCRIBE | MANAGE PROFILE? 8524 W Gage Blvd # 1, Kennewick, WA 99336  |
As you may know, I''ve been building sites monetized with Amazon Associates for many years.
So, I''m always on the lookout for tools that will make it easier to add Amazon affiliate links, product boxes, create great looking tables and more.
A couple of years ago a WordPress plugin was launched that was just another tool.
When it first came out, it had a few nice features, but I wasn''t ready to make the switch.
However, after tons of updates and added features, I was convinced to start using this new plugin on my sites!
In fact, I''ve been using this plugin for about a year now on OwnTheYard.com (my niche site project 4 site).
That plugin? AmaLinks Pro.
I''ve been super impressed with the added functionality and features lately.
After using it for almost a year now, I decided it was time to interview the founder, Matthew Allen, and ask him about the business.
I also decided to do a full video review to show you all the powerful features that are available.
You can listen to the interview and see how I use AmaLinks Pro Right here.
Since I had Matt on a call for our interview, I asked him if he''d be willing to offer a special discount to my audience this week for AmaLinks Pro.
Of course, he agreed.
As a result, you can get 50% off the list price of AmaLinks Pro...but for this week only!
Just use coupon code NP50 right here.
So, what does AmaLinks Pro do?
Well, you can create great looking showcase boxes, customized call to action buttons, and other links for Amazon products.
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In addition, they''ve created a super easy to use product comparison table creator that is also completely customizeable.
So, if you want showcase boxes and product comparison tables that match the theme of your site, AmaLinks Pro makes it super easy to do.
And if you are really new and don''t have access to the Amazon API yet, AmaLinks Pro has a "non-api" version that integrates with Amazon sitestripe so you can still use product images while staying compliant.
So, is AmaLinks Pro the most feature rich Amazon Associates plugin?
It just might be.
I''m not aware of another plugin that does everything I just mentioned above (product comparison tables, showcase boxes, call to action buttons, non-api version, image only links, and more).
There are certainly competitors that do a good job in one or two of those areas, but AmaLinks Pro has really come a long way in the last couple of years and is quickly becoming my go-to tool for building Amazon affiliate links.
If you want to see AmaLinks Pro in action, be sure to watch my video or read the blog post right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
How do you write an entire book in a month? Well, one word at a time of course.
How do you build an amazing blog? One word at a time.
Let''s discuss...
This month is National Novel Writing Month or "NaNoWriMo". NaNoWriMo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides tools, structure, community, and encouragement for people to write an entire novel in a single month!
The goal is to write 50,000 words in a month; which seems like a lot!
However, when you break it down daily, it equates to 1,667 words a day. Now THAT feels more achievable.
Writing 1,667 words in a day might only take an hour or two. (That would be typing 28 words a minute for an hour).
Now, do I want you to go out and write a novel...sure, if you want to.
But I think the bigger takeaway here is how you approach your goals.
If you are staring at a blank screen and thinking, I really want a niche site with 30 great articles on it!
It can feel overwhelming if you look at the entire goal.
But if you break it down into small chunks (or small bytes for fun), you are now staring at writing 1 article a day.
All you need to do is type 28 words a minute for an hour. Sure, you might need some research time in there.
But imagine focusing with NO DISTRACTIONS for just 1 to 2 hours a day and after 30 days you have a solid website up and running.
I recently have been doing something similar with my site, NichePursuits.com. A month or so ago, my blog had just over 800 posts on it...tons of content!
But I knew for the site to get even more traffic from Google, I needed to do an in-depth content audit.
I needed to review each article and figure out if I should update the content or delete it. (I would delete content if it was not getting traffic and no longer relevant).
Once I figured out which articles were worth keeping, I needed to go into each one and update the content (potentially) to make sure it''s up to date and optimized.
Then finally, I need to be creating NEW content that I know will be evergreen and hopefully get lots of that sweet organic traffic to keep the engine running.
Phew.
It feels overwhelming just thinking about all that needs to be done.
So, how did I approach this?
First, I knew I needed to go through 800 blog posts and just give a "yes" or "no" on whether to keep it.
This involved checking google analytics traffic stats for each post, checking Ahrefs for backlinks, and then making the call whether to delete and redirect to a more relevant post, or marking it as worthy of an update.
So, I decided to break it down into manageable chunks.
My plan is to go through just 20 posts each day.
Each post takes me 2 to 3 minutes to check stats, links, and then make a judgment call.
So, by spending about an hour a day, I''ll be able to go through my entire site in about 40 days.
As of today, I''ve actually gone through about 650 posts and only have 150 left.
The finish line is in sight for me and 20 posts a day doesn''t feel overwhelming at all!
Have a HUGE goal that you are trying to accomplish?
Try breaking it down into much smaller components that are manageable.
Don''t get frozen by indecision. Take small actions and move forward.
As I''ve been auditing my site, I''ve been marking several posts for "updates". I went ahead and have updated one of my posts (even though I''m not done with the audit).
I took my "how to build a niche site" article and brought it up to date with my latest tactics and strategies.
But I also used a software tool called MarketMuse to help me know what semantic keywords to use, what questions to include, and how long the article should be.
After using MarketMuse and hitting update, my article has regained the #1 spot in Google for my chosen search term.
So, I''m definitely a fan of updating content and of MarketMuse. (As a reminder, I just interviewed the founder, Jeff Coyle, right here).
If you are interested in trying out MarketMuse, now is a great time because they just introduced 2 lower tier plans that make it more affordable for the individual blogger.
You can use coupon code "nicheMM20" to get an additional 20% off.
?Check out MarketMuse right here.?
Have you created your robot influencer yet?
In other news, KFC has created a virtual Colonel Sanders...you know a robot. And he has tons of followers all across social media.
He shows up in images greeting KFC employees or just lounging around with some spicy drumsticks.
Turns out there are tons of companies that create virtual influencers (i.e. images, videos, and more created via artificial intelligence).
Nobody believes these AI created influencers are real...but people love following them on social media.
I''m still trying to wrap my head around it.
But apparently, these "influencers" are becoming extremely successful.
?Read all about it here.?
Looks like I''ve nearly hit 1,000 words for this email newsletter, so I better wrap things up.
If you want to catch more industry news or just follow along with other people building out niche sites, join me over on Facebook here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I wanted to quit.
The lack of results was embarrasing. I had announced a project where I would build a site in front of my audience and show them how it''s done.
After 6 months of TONS of work, the results were abysmal. In fact, my niche site (OwnTheYard.com) had only made $15 for the month...ouch! After 6 months of doing everything I could to build a successful site, it made a gut wrenching $15 in February 2019.
I wanted to go crawl under a rock and hope nobody noticed. Have you ever felt like that? When you''ve worked on something so hard and everyone is watching, it can be hard to not feel like a failure.
However, being in the SEO industry, I knew that results can sometimes take a while. So, I dug in and kept moving forward. I kept doing keyword research, getting new content on the site, and sticking to my original plan.
It didn''t happen all at once, but slowly the results started to build. I made over $100, then over $500, then over $1,000 in a month! Then a couple months ago I made over $2,300 for the month (read my report from a few months ago here)...things are finally working!
I''m now happy to report that OwnTheYard.com is regularly having record traffic days and I project some serious growth over the next several months.
Check out this Google Analytics chart:
So, I''ve gone from wanting to quit (honestly, I did want to) after 6 months of hard work, to REALLY glad I didn''t quit when things got tough.
Yes, it''s taken time to get where I''m at. But now the site is growing and we haven''t even hit the seasonal high for my niche (April to August).
I now have a site that I don''t put much time into (I''ve hired writers, etc), and it''s earnings are starting to get interesting.
Yesterday the site made $107 from Ezoic + Amazon Associates. So, I''m not going to get rich off the site just yet, but it''s earning more than enough to pay for writers and put money in my pocket.
Plus, I REALLY believe the site can grow tremendously over the next 1, 2, or 3 years. I''m hoping the numbers I''m sharing today will look tiny compared to what I''m sharing in the future.
I just wanted to share a bit of the journey that I''ve had with this niche site and let you know that business is not always easy.
You are going to have days where you want to quit. You are going to have months where you look at your earnings or your traffic and think, "Have I been wasting my time?"
However, sometimes it''s worth looking at the entire journey that you are trying to achieve. Sometimes you have to go through the tough times before you get to the good times.
Do you have a project right now that isn''t quite going the way you had hoped? Is it possible that just letting things grow slowly over time is going to lead to the results you want?
Maybe you just need more time.
I''m sure glad I did quit.
Thanks or reading,
Spencer
PS - If you have a motivational or success story that you''d like to see me write about in one of my "Motivation Monday" emails, I''d love to hear from you right here!
PPS - Did you like this email? Please forward it to someone that you think would also enjoy it and ask them to be sure to sign up for my future email updates here.
I love new tools. Especially when they are free.
Today, I want to share a couple of new tools that can be used to help you grow your niche sites and in other parts of your business.
First, Ahrefs announced this week they have a free Webmaster Tools version of their tool.
The name itself may not sound that exciting. But if you have been unable to afford Ahrefs, this is an awesome free version.
You get the ability to run a full site audit (shows errors, issues, broken links, and more).
You can do a full backlink analysis on your site as well...what!?
Anyway, I highly recommend checking out the free Webmaster tools from Ahrefs to see what it''s all about.
Google Tables
Not to be outdone by Ahrefs, Google also announced a free tool called Google Tables.
What is Google tables?
Well, its a very flexible (from what I''ve read) productivity tool that allows you to create to-do lists, assign tasks, and automate alot of your workflow.
Some are calling it an Airtable competitor.
So, if you want to replace Asana, Trello, Airtable, or other productivity tools, Google Tables is now a free option.
?Read about it here.
3 Sites for Sale
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Over at Motion Invest, several sites got listed and then sold this week.
However, there are 3 sites still available and a few more will be listed soon.
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You can get all the details on these 3 sites for sale right here.
The 800 lb. Chimp
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I was recently checking out ConvertKit on Baremetrics. They make their live revenue numbers public for anyone to see: https://convertkit.baremetrics.com/?
They are now doing over $2 million in MRR. Wow!
I was thinking how big their company is...Then I saw that Mail Chimp is getting close to doing $1 billion a year in revenue.
They said they were going to do $700 million in 2019 (and I know they''ve grown quite a bit since then).
Revenue numbers for Mailchimp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailchimp?
$60 million a month vs. $2 million a month. Wow.
Then I realized how small my company is compared to them both.
I''m not sure if I should find this motivating or de-motivating.
There''s always someone bigger than you.
Just thought I''d share.
Inheriting $10 million?
If you manage to build a company that is as big as ConvertKit or MailChimp (or win the lottery), would you leave all your money to charity or your children?
I posed this question for fun in the Niche Pursuits Facebook group.
What ensued was a lively discussion.
If you want to see how people would plan to use their mega wealth as it relates to their children, you can join the discussion right here.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks again,
Spencer
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Happy Friday!
Before you get your weekend started, I have a few updates and motivational stories that I wanted to share.
First, I just hit publish on an article by Ron Stefanski about his journey and in particular his strategies for "income stacking" and diversification.
Is diversification really the key to long term success in online business? Ron shares his thoughts on the subject.
Oh, and he doesn''t hold back in sharing his income proof either. He shows the various methods he uses to make money online...including his Google Adsense screenshot with over $488k in earnings!
You can read the entire post and see the income stacking screenshots right here.?
A Final Reminder...
As a heads up, I''ve negotiated a special offer where you can get $120 off any content package from Word Agents.
However, that special discount ends tonight!
This will be the last reminder that I send out, so if you are interested in getting some high quality content that is written to rank in Google...at a discount...today is your last chance.
This really is a special deal for those receiving this email only (this is NOT a public offer).
Even if you only order 1 article, you can get $120 off...making it free.
Get all the details on the Word Agents Special Offer Here.?
Building a Business Leveraging Existing Platforms
Danny Brooks is the founder of AMZ Table Assistant, a chrome extension that makes it much faster and easier to insert code snippets from AAWP, AMAlinksPro, or other Amazon associates tools.
I asked Danny to come on the Niche Pursuits podcast and share his story and strategies for building a software business on top of other software tools.
In essence, his tool makes AAWP and AMAlinksPro easier to use.
It''s an interesting idea and you can listen in to hear how well his business is doing along with the rest of his story (including an unfortunate domain dispute experience).
Check out the podcast interview I just published this morning with Danny Brooks right here.
6 Content Sites for Sale
Looking to buy a site that is already making money? Over at Motion Invest, we currently have 6 sites for sale that you might be interested in.
These sites range in revenue from about $300 to $2,000 per month.
You can see all the sites available on Motion Invest right here.
Overall, I hope some of these thoughts and strategies are helpful as you build your own online business.
Have a great weekend!
Thanks again,
Spencer
In 2017, I realized I had been missing out on a massive investment opportunity.
You see, in 2006 Shopify was founded. As you probably know, Shopify makes it super easy for just about anyone to create an online store with a checkout system and everything.
Well, I started selling ecommerce products in 2014, but mostly on Amazon FBA. However, I decided to create my own store as a way to diversify a little bit off of Amazon.
As I researched platforms in early 2015, I could see that Shopify was the clear winner.
Super easy to use and had everything I needed with lots of 3rd party apps to make these even easier.
It seemed like most ecommerce entrepreneurs I was talking to were recommending Shopify and it was clear the user base was growing.
Remember, this was 2015.
Shopify went public on the New York Stock Exchange in May of 2015.
But I missed it.
Somehow I never saw that Shopify went public...I was probably worried about running my ecommerce business!
I saw the trends, but I didn''t invest.
Huge missed opportunity.
If I had invested $10,000 at the IPO price, I would now have roughly $330,000. Or 33x my money in just 5 short years!
If I had invested $100,000...well, I don''t even want to think about that.
It wasn''t until 2017 that I realized that Shopify was a publicly traded company...2 years!
I just thought, "What the heck?! How did I not realize this platform that I use all the time is a publicly traded company?"
Well, I licked my wounds from the missed opportunity and invested in Shopify in 2017.
The result?
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The stock has gone up over 800% since I invested!
I guess I don''t feel quite as bad anymore.
So, I may have been kicking myself for not investing when Shopify first went public, but I could still see the trends of people joining the Shopify platform and felt like it would be a solid investment.
So, while I could have had 3,000% gains; I''m okay with the 800% gains.
Now, I am NOT suggesting you go out and buy Shopify stock right now. I''m not an investment advisor.
But I am suggesting you look at the trends in your own business and in your own life and see where you can capitalize on those.
Because you are using certain products or surrounded by certain people, there may be trends all around you that you might be privy to, that the general public is not.
I could see that Shopify was a no-brainer from a mile away because I''m in the trenches...but most of my family had never heard of Shopify (and maybe still hasn''t).
In order to not miss out on the Shopify opportunity again, I decided to make sure Link Whisper is also available to Shopify users.
Link Whisper, as you know, is a tool I created to make building internal links much faster and easier. Originally, it was just a WordPress plugin.
But I''ve now released a Shopify app version of Link Whisper!
(If you happen to be a Shopify user, you can get a 7 day free trial of Link Whisper right here).
I simply don''t want to miss out on the clear trend of more and more users joining Shopify.
However, as you work in your business or go about your daily life...what are the trends and opportunities that you are missing?
These don''t have to be investment opportunities per se. Perhaps you can build a niche site on the subject.
Or launch a physical or informational product based on a trend that you are seeing.
Either way, I hope this email has got you thinking about what trends and opportunities are happening all around you.
Can''t think of any right now? Just keep your eyes open because they are there.
Oh, and I like to share some of the trends that I''m seeing in my email newsletter on a regular basis. So, be sure to stick around and I''ll share what I find.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Sometimes it can be difficult to know what types of keywords you should be targeting.
Long tail. Short tail. Informational. Buyer intent...etc...
All the information related to keyword research can sometimes get a bit overwhelming.
However, I wanted to share one strategy that is working really well for me right now on my Niche Site Project 4 site (Own The Yard.com).
Questions.
Question keywords are working really well. People go to Google to ask their questions and receive answers.
If you can provide those answers, then you can often rank at the top of Google.
Not only is it often easier to rank for these types of keywords, but there can often be more traffic coming to those keywords than you realize.
In order to get you motivated to consider using these types of keywords, I recorded an entire video that shows you exactly the type of results I''m seeing and how I''m finding these question based keywords.
Check out the full video on Youtube right here.
If you enjoy the video, be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel. This will help me know if this is the type of content you want to see.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you have a Motivation Monday topic or story that you would like me to share, please consider filling out this form right here. Thanks!
The last full income report that I did for Niche Site Project 4 was back in December.
Back then OwnTheYard.com had a great month due to the Holiday season. However, I''ve been working on my site quite a bit since then and those efforts are starting to pay off.
In fact, during the month of March my site saw a major spike in traffic...especially from Google. Spring is in the air and people are searching and buying more backyard gear.
This has led to a record month!
If you want to see my full income report for March, you can check it out right here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/niche-site-project-4-march-2020/
In the report I dive into much more than the earnings and traffic stats. I also share several strategies that I believe have led to such massive growth.
It''s definitely nice to have a record month both in terms of traffic and earnings, but I believe that is much more growth ahead.
A Quick Reminder...
Before I forget, I wanted to remind you that my partners and I are still running a contest over at MotionInvest.com. The grand prize is a site making $200 a month!
That''s right, in just a few days we are giving someone a website that is worth over $6,000.
The contest ends in just a few days, so be sure to enter right here.
While you are there, be sure to check out the new listing we just put up today. A niche site making about $1,000 a month is listed for sale right here.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend. Stay healthy and safe out there.
Thanks again,
Spencer
When it comes to ranking your website better in Google, the SEO experts often disagree on the best strategy to follow.
Some say build lots of external backlinks. Others say don''t build any.
And the disagreements don''t stop there. For almost every ranking factor, there is often a difference of opinion among SEO practitioners.
That is except for one thing. All SEO experts agree that internal links are important for your site.
In fact, even Google agrees (as mentioned in their official SEO guidelines)! Neil Patel, Brian Dean, Rand Fishkin, and all the "experts" agree that building internal links is critical to helping your site perform as well as possible in Google.
That''s why I''m extremely excited to announce a special offer today for my internal linking plugin, Link Whisper.
Link Whisper is currently $25 off the regular price right here! (This special discount is only good for this week).
You see, I''ve always known that building internal links was super important for helping my sites perform as well as possible, but I''ll be honest that sometimes the task of internal linking was either neglected or not done as well as it could be.
It can just be very time consuming.
So, I built a software tool to help me make that task faster, easier, and honestly better.
Imagine getting link suggestions as you write your content and all you have to do is check a box to add that link with anchor text already added?
Or imagine being able to quickly build 5 or 10 new internal links in a matter of seconds TO one specific post you are trying to rank better in Google?
Imagine being able to get full reporting for all the internal links on your site to quickly pinpoint which articles need more links and which ones need the anchor text adjusted?
Link Whisper provides all of these!
A big reason I''m doing this special discount on Link Whisper this week only is because over the past couple of months, I''ve added TONS of new functionilty and updates.
That includes a fresh new plugin and website design.
If you want to check out what''s new with Link Whisper and to see why I''m doing a special offer this week, you can read my update here.
Overall, I just wanted to make sure you were aware that I''m discounting Link Whisper by $25 off in order to celebrate all the major updates that have been made.
Link Whisper continues to grow and mature and truly is becoming the go-to tool for building smart and effective internal links for your site.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - This is the biggest discount on Link Whisper that I''ve offerered since Black Friday last year. So, if you are on the fence about whether or not to pick up your copy, now is a great time to check out the demo video and see what Link Whisper is all about right here: https://www.linkwhisper.com
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with someone that has grown 2 sites from making around $1,000 a month to now making nearly $100,000 a month.
I recorded my entire sit down conversation with this person. The story is pretty incredible and I did my best to ask the tough questions that would really make it possible for someone to try and replicate his processes.
That person is Matt Diggity. You may have heard of him as he''s quite well known in the SEO and affiliate marketing space.
You can watch, read, or listen to Matt Diggity''s entire story of growing these 2 affiliate sites with advanced SEO strategies right here.
Want to know some advanced EAT (Expertise, Authority, and Trust) strategies for your sites? We cover that.
Want to know how many links you need to build for any given article? We cover how to analyze the competition.
Want to know how to get true PR and have an article go "viral"? We cover those content strategies that can generate TONS of backlinks.
As you may know, Matt also runs a link building agency that helps other site owners get the backlinks they need to grow their sites.
In fact, about a month ago I hired Authority Builders (Matt''s agency) to start doing some link building for one of my sites (my "mom" blog).
I''ve been super impressed with the overall analysis they''ve done to ensure that I''m building links to the right pages, but also not building too many links to those pages.
I asked Matt if there was some special deal he could give the Niche Pursuits audience for Authority Builders.
What he agreed to was a FREE link building strategy call. In other words, you can book a time to do a free one on one call with someone from Matt''s team that will analyze the links for your site and give you ideas of the best links to build.
?Book Your Free Backlink Consultation Call Here?
And the first 50 people to book a strategy call also get a free anchor text analysis (which is a pretty in-depth process for them to do).
And finally, if you decide to have Authority Builders build some links for you, Matt is waiving the initial set up fee that is usually required.
Overall, I hope you enjoy the interview right here and you get some ideas that you can take and apply to your own business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Marcus Krupp tried building out a couple of online businesses, but quite frankly they failed for him and his partner.
At first, he tried to build a niche site in the wine industry...but he found it difficult to get the wineries to agree to some of his ideas.
Along the way though, he discovered the inconvenience of having little issues come up with WordPress and he often needed to hire someone to perform little fixes on his site.
Then the idea for WP Tangerine was born.
Marcus and his partner pitched the idea of offering unlimited wordpress fixes, development support, and even graphic design for one monthly fee to a coworking group they were part of.
The idea was well received and they got their first few customers.
After validating the idea with their co-working space, they have since gone all in after launching the idea in 2015.
Now they have 60 full-time employees and the business is thriving.
How did Marcus grow the company from 0 to 60 employees doing small wordpress tasks for their clients?
Well, I interviewed Marcus and just released the recording today. You can read, listen to, or watch the entire interview with Marcus right here.
I hope you find the story interesting as he shares not only the background of WP Tangerine, but also some of his growth strategies.
Because Marcus was on the podcast, I asked if there was a special discount he would be willing to offer Niche Pursuits readers.
He agreed to offer 50% off your first month if you decide to try out WP Tangerine.
You can see what WP Tangerine is all about right here.
To get 50% off your first month, use coupon: WPTniche50
I hope you enjoy the interview and tactics shared in the interview.
Thanks again,
Spencer
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Hey Roy King,
Before I share with you the latest news in the niche site and digital marketing industry, I wanted to give you a quick productivity hack.
In the past, I would sometimes find myself working on too many projects or allowing distractions or "shiny objects" to negatively impact how much I would accomplish in a day.
But lately, I''ve found myself much more productive and I can narrow it down to just a few things:
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My process for writing down my daily goals/tasks is as follows:
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Anyway, that''s my simple process for how I''ve built my business over the past 10 years. I won''t say I''m always perfect in executing it, but the focus and clarity of what to prioritize has produced great results for me.
Feel free to steal or modify this method for your own use.
Content Strategy and Optimization
Before I jump into the digital marketing news below, I wanted to give you a final reminder that you can get MarketMuse for 20% off when you use coupon code, "Niche20MM".
Market Muse is a content planning and optimization software tool that I''ve been using lately on Own the Yard and Niche Pursuits (and I''ve seen good results).
You can check out Market Muse right here.
Or you can Watch the Inteview I did with the smartest SEO I know and founder of MarketMuse, Jeff Coyle.
We discuss how artificial intelligence is impacting search and the future of SEO.
Blog Post Turns into a Video
What if you could create a video from an existing blog post?
?Google is working on a technology that will do just that.
While this technology is still in the works, my mind has immediately gone to how I can spam YouTube.
I mean, what if I could take all my content from my niche sites and almost immediately have thousands of new videos on a YouTube channel?
What if this technology also provided a robotic voiceover that read the content (so I don''t have to do any work) - could I get any views?
Even though that''s my first thought to abuse it when I see a cool technology, I would never really do that...
...I would hope...
Either way, it''s interesting to think about and something to keep your eye on in the future.
A Fix for Out of Stock Affiliate Products
What if you didn''t have to worry about out of stock items ever again?
Skimlinks predicts that at any given moment 10% of the links on your site are broken at any given moment.
If you have affiliate links that lead to out of stock products (especially around Black Friday) that can lead to lost commissions.
Skimlinks has just introduced a dynamic link optimization feature to automatically fix 404s and links going to out of stock products.
?Read about the news here.?
What''s that Song?
What if you could just hum a song that you can''t remember the name of and Google would tell you what it is?
Well, apparently we are living in the future now, because that is a reality.
I''m not sure how to optimize for the hum of a song, so my sites will never show up for that.
But it''s still a cool technology that will save the age old question, "What''s the name of that song!!?!"
?Here''s Google commercial for "Hum to Search"?
How Google Autocomplete actually works
We''ve all used Google autocomplete, and I guarantee you this determines what queries ultimately lead to our sites.
If you aren''t familiar with how Google autocomplete actually works, this article by Danny Sulivan is worth a read.
3 Sites for Sale + $100 Listing Bonus is Back!
If you are looking for a smaller content site to buy, there are currently 3 new sites listed for sale on Motion Invest right here.
In addition, the team at Motion Invest has decided to PAY you $100 if you decide to sell your site with them.
So, if you have a small content site that you would like to sell, you can take advantage of this short term $100 listing bonus right here.
Overall, I hope some of this news or thoughts along the way are helpful!
If you enjoyed anything in this newsletter, would you mind hitting the reply button and letting me know what you liked? (So, I can produce more content like it in the future).
Thanks again,
Spencer
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Yesterday, the US Government sued Google...alleging anti-competitive abuses. The Department of Justice claims that Google makes it extremely hard to use any other search engine.
Google on the other hand sees things differently. As soon as the suit was filed, Google already had a public blog post ready to go live.
You can read Google''s counterarguments right here.?
Google claims that the lawsuit is deeply flawed and will do nothing to help consumers.
They even go on to show how easy it is to switch your default search engine or browser.
How will this impact digital publishers? Probably not much as I certainly don''t expect a tidal wave of consumers to suddenly start using a competiting search engine as a result.
However, it might be a good idea to make sure you are optimized for both Google...and Bing, Duck Duck Go, and other search engines.
Authority Site Training
Before I share a few other interesting digital marketing news stories, I wanted to remind you that Authority Hacker Pro is open this week only.
Mark and Gael only open the doors a couple of times a year and this week happens to be the week.
So, if you are looking for a super in-depth training course for building Authority websites, Authority Hacker Pro is a great option.
You can see what Authority Hacker Pro is all about right here.
And in case you missed my interview with Mark and Gael, you can watch it right here.
Bing is Back?
If you are looking to optimize your site for any additional search engines other than Google, your first stop should probably be Bing.
Earlier this month, Bing just shared their completely revamped tool, Bing Site Explorer.
You can now view how Bing sees your site, indexes your pages, and much more. Bing also, "gives webmasters options to inspect any URL via our URL inspection tool, to request for indexing for any specific URL, and to test any URL inside our robots.txt tester tool. Thus, making this feature a one-stop solution for checking the SEO status and health of your URLs."
You can read more about Bing Site Explorer right here.
Even if only 10% of your search traffic is coming from Bing, it''s probably worth making sure you are optimized for Bing as much as possible.
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Someone Stealing Your Images?
Here''s a recent post from the Niche Pursuits Facebook group about photos on a website.
Perhaps you''ve been contacted by someone before, claiming that you are using one of their images. Often, they are just trying to get a backlink out of you.
Other times, they may be trying to sue you.
Sometimes, the image might not really be their image, but they are trying to "scam" you into giving them a backlink...or money.
Well, Adobe just released some updates to try and make it clear who the original creator of an image is.
?In a recent announcement, Adobe says,
"In an effort to combat malicious content and protect the creator''s work, Adobe is adding Content Authenticity to its software. When applied, metadata is added to a person''s work, allowing other viewers to know who the original creator is and how it was edited, and what software was used to edit it."
While this won''t help people with images not created with Adobe, it''s a good start and eventually could provide a path going forward for all types of images.
Bottom line, only use images that you are allowed to use.
5 Growth Strategies for 75% Growth
I recently had Matt Paulson on the Niche Pursuits podcast right here.
However yesterday, he just published a blog post that I thought you would find helpful in growing your company.
Matt''s shares 5 Growth strategies that MarketBeat Leveraged to Grow by 75% in 2020.
Market Beat has added 500,000 email subscribers since the beginning of THIS year. And they just crossed the $10 million revenue mark in the past 12 months ($10 million / year).
I''m working on growing the size of my own email subscriber list, so some of these tips were something I''ve been paying attention to.
Here''s Matt''s 5 Steps for Growth:
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I found Matt''s tips to be both strategic and motivational. You can read the entire article to get the more granular details and specific examples.
Overall, I hope some of this news and educational ideas will be helpful in growing your online business!
Thanks again for reading,
Spencer
PS - If you are looking for in-depth Authority Site training, don''t forget to see what Authority Hacker Pro is all about right here.?
If you are looking to sell a small content website, sometimes the process of actually getting it listed can feel a little overwhelming.
You have to get income screenshots, share Google Analytics, share earnings, traffic numbers, and more.
On top of that, the most well known places to sell your small content site charge YOU a fee for going through all the work of listing your site!
These brokers charge $47, $97, or even $297 just to get your site listed on their marketplace.
At Motion Invest (a site marketplace where I''m a partner), we''ve never charged a listing fee. We just felt like it was the right thing to do.
However, for this week only, we''ve decided to go one step further.
We are going to pay YOU $100 just to list your site!
Yep, we are taking the brokerage model for small content sites and flipping it upside down. Instead of making you pay us to have your site listed...we are paying YOU when you list your site for sale.
Read all the details of the $100 Listing Bonus Announcement Right Here?
Honestly, we don''t know if this idea is genius or crazy.
I mean we are even going to pay the $100 if your site doesn''t end up selling! So, you might list your site, get the $100, and then for whatever reason, your site doesn''t sell.
We are taking all the risk here. And it doesn''t matter how big or small your site is.
Overall, it''s really pretty simple.
If your site is making $1,000 per month and you get your site listed on Motion Invest - you get $100 (even if it doesn''t sell).
If your site is making $100 per month and you list it - you get $100.
If your site is only making $10 per month and you list it - you still get the $100 bonus.
We understand that sometimes it can take a week or two to get everything together in order to sell your site. That''s just fine.
As long as you START the process this week of listing your site on Motion Invest and eventually get it listed live...we pay you the $100.
Our checkbook is ready to start sending out some bonuses.
So, hop on over to Motion Invest and start the process of selling your site right here.
If you are looking to buy a site instead of selling...hang on for another week or so. I have a feeling Motion Invest is going to have quite a few sites listed for sale very soon!
Thanks again for reading.
I''ll have several industry updates, tips, or motivational stories for you on Wednesday. So, be on the lookout for my next email in a couple of days.
Spencer
PS - If you want to hear my latest podcast and video interview about the founding of Motion Invest and all the business reasons why we are paying people $100 to list their sites on Motion Invest, check out my full blog post, podcast, and video interview just published here.?
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Last night I pulled up my Google analytics stats on my phone and saw that my site was about to cross a major milestone. And sure enough, when I checked this morning, one of my sites had crossed 10,000 visitors in a single day!
Now, this isn''t the first time this has happened, but this site has definitely been growing over the last little while, so it was great to see.
For some people, 10,000 visitors a day is alot...for others it''s not that great. But one thing that I thought you might find interesting is to understand how much money a site getting that kind of traffic is making.
So, how much money does a site getting 10,000 visitors a day make?
Well, I made a video to show you exactly where my traffic is coming from and how much money the site made yesterday. Check out the full video right here (https://youtu.be/EFe14Yvy69U).
In addition, I give an update on Own The Yard in that video - how much traffic it''s getting, how much it''s earning, and how that compares on an earnings per visitor basis to other sites I own.
I hope you find the video motivational!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you haven''t had a chance to enter the Motion Invest giveaway yet, I just wanted to let you know that it''s still going on! We are going to give away a site making $200 a month to one lucky entrant. You can enter the giveaway right here.
Back in the good ol'' days, I would sit down for my blog and just write what I found super interesting, inspiring, or even provide a quick income update for my niche sites.
My blog used to be "interesting" and dripping with personality.
But Google doesn''t reward personality and posts that get tons of comments.
Google rewards content that is keyword focused and answers sometimes very dry questions.
Google has forced me to shift my blogging strategy.
Goodbye, interesting content. But hello traffic from Google.
Let me explain my thought process a little bit more right here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/shift-in-blogging-strategy/?
But don''t worry, the "interesting" content isn''t gone forever. I explain where this type of content will live.
In fact, I think you''ll find lots of interesting content below.
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Want 9 of the Best Books for Online Business?
I''ve read some great books this year and I''d like to share them with you.
I decided to put together a list of 9 books that I''ve found super interesting or educational for online business owners specifically.
You can see the list below.
However, I''m actually going to GIVE one lucky participant the physical copy of all 9 of these books!
Yep, you can start your business book library if you win.
You can enter the business book giveaway right here.?
Here''s the list of the 9 books:
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Today is Friday the 13th
Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of 13. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th. Browse the internet for just a few minutes today, and you''ll be sure to see the reference.
For some, it''s a real fear. An estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by fear of this day.
Experts say it''s expected around $800 million to be lost in business on Friday the 13th. The fear is paralyzing to some. They fear and avoid their everyday routines. Some are so fearful they won''t even get out of bed.
I like to think it''s all just a mindset.
Many around the world view 13 as lucky.
In Cantonese-speaking areas, like Hong Kong, the number 13 is considered lucky because it sounds similar to the Cantonese words meaning "sure to live".
Some of the greatest athletes wear the number 13. Dan Marino a Pro Football Hall of Famer, wore the number 13, or in the 1954 and 1974 World Cup finals, Germany''s Max Morlock and Gerd M?ller, respectively, played and scored in the final, wearing the number 13.
Today is just another day. Unlucky or lucky. I believe you have to make your own luck.
If the saying goes, the harder I work, the luckier I get. Maybe it being Friday the 13th in 2020 means I need to work a little harder today.
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Site earning $220 a month with ClickBank and JVZoo is now listed on Motion Invest. The site covers a broad niche and ranks well for several excellent keywords.
In fact, there are 3 brand new sites just listed today and a couple more sites available (5 total) on Motion Invest.
?See all the sites for sale here.?
Want to see how much your site is worth? Try out the MotionInvest valuation tool to see how much your site could sell for today.
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A mentor once told me, do what you are great at, let others help with the rest.
When it comes to DevOps, I''ll admit it''s not my strength. Tedious tasks of updating plugins, keeping WordPress servers up to date, keeping the site secure.
Now multiply those tasks for all my websites.
WPTangerine created a solution to solve all this. Starting at just $67 a month, you can get unlimited WordPress Development. ?
I met with their founder Marcus Krupp last week, and he''s giving everyone at Niche Pursuits 50% off their first month.
The deal ends Sunday. Use coupon code WPTNICHE50 to lock in your discount.
The crazy part, they don''t only do DevOps. Just about any WordPress task you can think of.
In their $197/month package you can get unlimited graphic design work included as well.
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?Arkansas is running a campaign to encourage people to move to their state. Online applications are open now for those interested in making the move.
Sam Walton the founder of Walmart moved to Arkansas when he purchased his first Ben Franklin variety store.
Moving to Arkansas worked for him, but not sure I could leave my family.
No, I''m not thinking of the stereotypically rural banjo playing Arkansas.
I''m thinking the beautiful Ozark lakes in Northern Arkansas. $10,000 and a waterfront view?
Hmm, tempting.
Does paying to have people join a "community" really work? I know Alaska has similar incentives to get people to move there...and stay there.
Perhaps there''s a way for you to build an online community with some incentives...
Hopefully some of these thoughts get the wheels turning!
I hope you have a great weekend,
Spencer
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The popularity of Shopify has absolutely exploded over the last few years. The number of stores has grown many times over and shopify stock has been a rocket ship in value.
Today, I''m going to share something that can improve the links and SEO value of Shopify stores.
If that''s not your thing - don''t worry - I''ll also cover in this email: how one Niche Pursuits reader grew her niche site to $9k/month earnings and a book recommendation to help add some rocket fuel to your business.
But first....shopify links!
Internal Links for Shopify
As you likely know, I created Link Whisper just over a year ago, a Wordpress plugin that makes building internal links much faster and easier.
A few months after launching, a couple of users reached out and said, "Hey Spencer, we love Link Whisper for our websites...but we also have Shopify stores and would LOVE to use it on Shopify!"
Well, that has led me on a journey over the last 6 months to create a version of Link Whisper that will make building internal links faster and easier for Shopify stores.
I''m happy to announce that Link Whisper for Shopify is now available right here!?
If you have a Shopify store and want to get a little more SEO traffic, Link Whisper can help.
Quickly build internal links from your Shopify blog to your products, collections, and much more.
Want to try before you buy? Link Whisper on Shopify currently has a 7 day free trial right here.?
If you have a Shopify store, you can now optimize your on-page SEO, internal links, and get detailed reporting using Link Whisper.
9k per month niche site...with no links?
A member of the Niche Pursuits Facebook group shared a recent success for one of her niche sites. Chelle started her site in 2018 and now it hit over 650,000 visitors in the last 30 days!
Check out these stats and screenshot:
153 posts
$9,114.19 monthly ad revenue
Zero backlinks built
100% SEO based content strategy
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Pretty impressive...and no link building!?
If you want to see a few more details and join in the conversation, you can see this post and all the responses right here.?
Are you a visionary or an integrator?
Some may argue whether it''s better to be a visionary with lots of great ideas or to be an integrator that truly executes on those ideas.
The reality is that visionaries often end up with lots of ideas that they get excited about for a short period of time, but then they move on to their next "big" idea without doing much with the last one.
If you can partner a visionary with the discipline of an integrator, then you truly add rocket fuel to your business.
?The book Rocket Fuel, by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters is one that I recommend.
Not only does it contain some great motivational stories, but it also provides an excellent framework for how to "get you more of what you want from your business."
Rocket Fuel is a book that can help you look at your business and the roles in it a little differently.
Overall, I hope your week is off to a great start. Thanks for reading!
Spencer
Want to see some of the SEO results I''ve achieved recently? I share those results and the process of content updates and internal linking below.
I also want to give you a heads up that I''m currently running a special offer on Link Whisper (my internal link building tool).
So, if you are ready to see how Link Whisper can make the internal link building for your website significantly faster and easier, you can get $25 off Link Whisper right here.
(Be sure to use coupon code, "BlackFriday")
When I created Link Whisper about a year and a half ago, I was really "scratching my own itch" by making it easier and faster to add smart internal links to my sites.
Rather than trying to remember which articles mention a specific keyword (so I could link to it), or going to Google and searching for my site + certain keywords - I wanted a software tool that was smart enough to do all this for me.
Say you want to add 10 internal links to a new article you just wrote.
The old way would likely take you more than 10 minutes to find which posts to link from, then editing each post, adding a new link, and then saving.
With Link Whisper? That entire process takes about 30 seconds.
Now, I know saving 9 minutes and 30 seconds on one article isn''t that much. But when you multiply that across every article you write, it really adds up.
Plus, Link Whisper provides powerful reporting on internal links, broken links, and much more that will give you valuable insight into your business.
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But what about results?
Well, I''ve recently been updating several articles on Niche Pursuits and adding new internal links.
So, even if you don''t buy Link Whisper, this is a process I highly recommend.
Step 1: Update your old content to better target your keywords and answer search intent. (You can often look at how your competitors in the top spots structure their articles to see how Google wants you to answer that search intent).
Step 2: Update the modified date so Google sees that new date in the structured data. (Google sees this as fresh updates and values that).
Step 3: Build new internal links to that updated article. I use Link Whisper to do this. I simply go to the "Add" inbound internal links reports, Link Whisper suggests several links as well as the anchor text. I simply select the links I want and hit "update". Link Whisper adds all of these automatically!
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Here''s the results of a few articles I''ve updated in the last few weeks:
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I''m a big believer in on-page optimization and Link Whisper is an invaluable tool to help you manage and build effective internal links.
I''m happy to say that in the last year and a half we come out with TONS of new features.
And just last week, we lauched the ability to add your own target keywords to make link suggestions even more powerful. In addition, we also added the ability to integrate with Google search console so you can see organic traffic numbers and what target keywords you are already ranking for.
In addition, we have many extremely happy customers that are seeing big results.
You can see Link Whisper in action with a demo video and see tons of testimonials right here.
Overall, if you''ve been on the fence about whether or not to give Link Whisper a try...today is a great day to give it a shot because it''s $25 off the regular price.
Overall, even if you don''t decide to try out Link Whisper today, I hope you''ve found some value in the tips shared in this email.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - This really is a limited time special offer for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can get Link Whisper for $25 off right here. (Be sure to use coupon code, "BlackFriday").
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Today I want to share 3 success stories about internet entrepreneurs. These are 3 people building successful online businesses and there is quite a bit to be learned from each of their stories.
First up is Jon Dykstra that I mentioned in my last email. He''s making $50k a month from Niche Sites and his strategies are a little unconventional.
I actually created a review video of Jon''s business and you can watch it right here.
In this video, you''ll hear Jon''s story, some of his top strategies, and I even visit one of his niche sites in the video.
Also, as a reminder, Jon is currently offering a special bundle of all his top courses for a massive 68% discount. This is a limited time EXCLUSIVE discount for the Niche Pursuits audience.
If you want to see what the training from Jon is all about, you can check it out right here.
A Quiet Giant?
The next online entrepeneur story is about Nathan Singh, owner of Envira Gallery and other WordPress plugin businesses.
I happen to know Nathan quite well and have been fortunate to be in a "mini" mastermind group with him for the past year or so. Three of us get on a call every couple of months and discuss strategies and challenges for running a WordPress plugin business.
This video is really well done by Quiet Light Brokerage. Oh and if you wonder why there is references to hip hop, etc...it''s because Nathan used to work as a DJ back in the day. Just a little inside scoop for you.
Check out how Nathan went from DJ, to working for NASA, to owning SaaS businesses right here.
Selling a Busines Live on Youtube?
I''ve always been a fan of Shark Tank. I love the format of a business owner sharing the numbers and success of the business while asking for an investment.
Well, I recently found a series by Nathan Latka where online SaaS entrepreneurs come on a YouTube live with a few other potential buyers and they negotiate the sale of the business. All live on Youtube!
The business being sold is Karma (a slack compatible tool), created by Stas Kulesh. The experts are super smart and experienced.
Did Stas make a deal? Watch the entire unfold right here.
The advice and tips given by the experts is super educational. Especially if you run an online business that you ever hope to sell.
Overall, I hope you enjoy this mid-week email! Keep focusing on your growth areas. I hope these 3 stories provide a little extra motivation for you this week.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The Fat Stacks bundle of courses really is a limited time offer to only the Niche Pursuits audience. If you are interested in learning from someone that has built really successful websites, be sure to check out the Fat Stacks Course bundle before it expires in a couple days right here.
Earlier this year, Amazon cut the commissions it would pay its affiliates.
This week, Jeff Bezos net worth just crossed $200 billion for the first time.
Coincidence?
Of course it is.
The Amazon rocketship has been decades in the making and I''m not sure there''s much people can do anytime soon to slow Amazon''s growth...or Bezos billions.
For the first time in modern history, someone has crossed the $200 billion net worth mark.
The second most valuable person right now? Bill Gates. And he''s worth $78 Billion LESS!
Wowza.
Now my heart skipped a beat when I saw another email from Amazon Associates this week that said there was an update coming to their fee statement.
Was Bezos trying to steal our money again?
Looks like Bezos found it in his piggy bank to actually add some new bounties for us. Yes, it''s chump change, but it''s better than a negative.
Here''s the new bounties that can be earned with Amazon Associates:
So, if you have an Amazon Associates site, you might be able to earn a little more in bounties for referring to Amazon Pantry, Amazon Fresh, or Amazon pet food and supplies.
This is likely not to lead much in new earnings for most people.
Thanks Bezos.
Now, for the record, I actually doubt Jeff Bezos is involved in decisions like these to change the Amazon Associates fees up or down.
My guess is that Jeff is involved in more high level strategic decisions, and something like this would be handled by someone else.
(But it''s more fun to just blame Bezos).
However, if you want to be involved in a business where YOU are helping make high level decisions, I wanted to remind you that I''m hiring!
I''m looking for someone who can be directly involved in the growth of Niche Pursuits.
If you want to see exactly what I''m looking for and how to apply, you can go right here.?
My "problem" is that I simply have too many projects going on right now. I can''t possibly put the effort into each project it truly deserves by myself.
I have about a dozen contractors already that help me run individual aspects of my business, but I need a higher level person to come on board.
One of the projects that I currently have is Link Whisper. It''s growing and doing really well.
But I just launched Link Whisper on Shopify and that really adds a second operation to my business.
Growing Link Whisper for Wordpress is quite different that growing Link Whisper on Shopify.
The target audience is different (Wordpress users vs Shopify users).
By the way, you can currently get Link Whisper for Shopify free for 7 days right here.?
Finally, if you are looking to buy a site, Motion Invest currently has 4 sites available right here.?
In case you were unaware, these listings are all set on a dutch auction, so the price drops as more time goes on.
So, if you don''t like the price you see, you can always wait for it to drop. (But someone could also just buy it while you are waiting).
That''s it from me for this Friday!
Be on the lookout for my email on Monday. I''ve got a "rising from the ashes" business story that I think you''ll find interesting. I''m still polishing that up, but it will be ready for you on Monday.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for reading!
Spencer
I'm all FIRE'd up!
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a movement that is all about making and saving enough money at an "early" age so that you can live off your investments for the rest of your life.
I'll be honest that I've thought about this subject a lot. In fact, I quit my job in 2011 (in my early 30s) and have been building online businesses ever since.
I've thought, "I might be able to just stop working and live on what I've saved for the rest of my life".
I wanted to see what others have been able to achieve and see if this FIRE lifestyle was something I should pursue.
However, the more I researched the bloggers and influencers that say they have "retired early" thanks to their savings, the more I got annoyed.
And even a little upset!
Today, I want to share my thoughts on the FIRE Movement and why I think most of the influencers are lying to you.
Read why I think the FIRE community is lying to you
5 New Content Sites for Sale...
If you are wondering where you can pick up a smaller content site making anywhere from $100 to $500 a month, you''ll be interested to know that Motion Invest currently have 5 listings for sale.
You can check out the sites available right here.
Oh and in case you missed it, we now allow you to list your own sites on our marketplace as an option (I''m a partner in the business, fyi).
If you have a site you are looking to sell, we will make you a cash offer. If you don''t like our offer, you now have the option to list it on our marketplace for a higher price and see if it sells.
It''s great to have both options. If you have a site to sell, get in touch with us right here.
A Good Book...
I recently finished reading the book, A Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger.
As the CEO of Disney for 15 years he has some excellent business advice to share. I know I''m always looking for good books to read, so I wanted to pass this one on as not only an interesting read, but one that shares valuable business lessons.
Warning - it may not inspire you to be a CEO of a large company though. The amount of hours and stress involved are more than I''d like!
However, it was great to peak in on the work required to run a global company and see how Disney makes major decisions.
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend and I look forward to sharing more with you next week. I''ve got a blog post, videos, and 3 new podcast episodes all ready to be released!
Stay tuned for some great content next week (at least I think so).
Thanks again,
Spencer
A couple of days ago, Congress conducted an investigation called, "Online Platforms and Market Power: Examining the Dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google".
If you are reading this email, it''s very possible that you make a signficant portion of your income from one of those companies (traffic from Google, community from Facebook, or sales or commissions from Amazon, etc.)
If there is one thing we can learn from the 5.5 hour testimony in front of Congress from these Big Tech companies is that the CEOs either, "don''t know", "don''t remember", or "disagree with that characterization".
I don''t recommend watching the 5.5 hours of testimony, but here it is if you want. Or you can get a brief summary here.
"Why does Google steal content from honest businesses?"
This was one of the first questions sent Google''s way when the hearing began. Sundar Pichai, disagreed with the characterization...but it''s great to know that Congress is looking into how Google uses our content!
Featured snippets, knowledge graph, images, and much more are scraped from our sites and we earn nothing with these "zero" click searches.
Will the tide ever turn in the US where Google is required to pay publishers directly for their content (like they are now required in some countries)?
When do Acquisitions Become a Bad Thing?
Mark Zuckerburg took a lot of heat surrounding all the acquistions they''ve made (including Instagram) in order to keep competition from overtaking them. Congress clearly has issues with how big a company can get.
However, as a portfolio owner of websites, it''s considered a great strategy to add new acquisitions to your portfolio. That''s definitely one way to grow.
But at what point do you become too big that adding more acquisitions is no longer legal (i.e. - you have a monopoly).
I don''t have the exact answer, but it''s something that Congress has been trying to answer for decades for many companies (long before Facebook, Google, and Amazon came along).
So, even though monopoly type hearings are nothing new, it will be interesting to see if anyting comes from these particular "Big Tech" examination.
Books to Read
I just finished the book, "Call Me Ted" about the life and business career of Ted Turner. I would give it a 7 out of 10.
It was fascinating to hear the background of the billboard business, cable business, and how CNN, TBS, TNT, the Cartoon Network and other channels got started (all by Ted Turner).
Ted was clearly born with a "silver spoon" in his mouth - so he had advantages, no doubt. However, you can''t fault the guy for taking what he had and working extremely hard to build a $10 billion net worth.
Unfortuantely for him, through a series of acquisitions his company merged with Time Warner and then eventually AOL in the year 2000, at the height of the tech bubble.
Long story short, Ted Turner''s net worth went from $10 billion to $2 billion in just 30 months. To put that in perspective, he was losing nearly $9,000,000 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. for 30 months. Ouch!
You can read up on the history of the Time Warner / AOL merger here.
My next few books to read that perhaps you will find interesting...
- Made in America by Sam Walton
- The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire
- The Answer is Why: Advice for New Entrepreneurs from teh World''s Worst Business Coach by Dan Norris
$11.5 Million Exit...Interview
Finally, if you are looking for a great interview, you should check out the Mixergy interview with Travis Jamison, the founder of AMZ Tracker, Unicorn Smasher, and Smash VC.
Travis is a former guest on the Niche Pursuits podcast! (listen to the old episode here).
I knew he sold AMZ Tracker for a lot of money, but I never knew it was THAT much.
Up Next...
Be on the look out for my email on Monday. I''ll be sharing a story of a company that has grown from nothing to a projected $800k revenue in their very first year of operations. And they have done it primarily from 2 small facebook groups.
Stay tuned for the details on that :).
Thanks again for reading!
Spencer
PS - Is anyone else as excited as I am that the NBA season has started again!?!
How about a little "motivation Monday?" Today, I''ve got a story about a couple of Niche Pursuits readers that have taken a Facebook group of just a few thousand people and leveraged that into a business that is projected to do $600k to $800k in it''s very first year!
Read the story of how Mark Mars and Adam Smith built Niche Website Builders here.
Here''s a quick re-cap for you. Mark and Adam have been building their own portfolio of niche websites for a while. Then they started a Facebook group because they simply wanted to talk with and help other online entrepreneurs building niche sites.
They grew a Facebook group for niche website builders to about 3,800 people (which is really not that big as far as Facebook groups are concerned). Then they built a second group with 2,300 members dedicated to buying and selling websites.
At first, they were just working on their own sites, building up processes, content teams, and link building teams for their own portfolios. However, the more active they were with these groups, the more people wanted to use some of their processes and services.
Finally, in December of 2019, they decided to officially allow people to buy content or link building services from their internal teams.
This quickly grew into a business that they needed to hire to manage all the incoming orders. (Currently at 22 employees).
And all the business has come from these 2 Facebook groups and word of mouth. Impressive!
If you want to see some of the results Mark and Adam have had with their own sites and some of their clients sites, check out the case studies here.
Shotgun Skyscraper Links and Content is 15% Off - This Week Only
I reached out to Mark to learn more about how he grew his business so quickly. When I decided I wanted to share their story on Niche Pursuits, I also asked if they would be willing to provide an exclusive discount to Niche Pursuits readers.
As a result, they are currently offering 15% off all Link Building Services and Done for You Affiliate sites - but only through Niche Pursuits (not publicly available on their site).
In addition, they are offering 15% BONUS content when you order a content package. Their writers are all trained specifically for affiliate sites.
If you are looking for some quality content writers or some additional links to your sites, you can check out the Niche Website Builders Exclusive Deal Right Here
Even if you aren''t interested in checking out the special deal they are offering, I hope you enjoy their story and the case study results they share.
Hopefully their success can provide you with a little motivation on this Monday.
Thanks again,
Spencer
You know I love my long tail keywords. Find easy to rank for keywords, build a niche site, and enjoy the free traffic.
Well, I just hit publish on an interview with Dave Chesson where he explains taking this a step further.
Why not look at Amazon as a search engine (which the A9 / Amazon search engine is) and utilize the same approach to publish Kindle Books?
Find low competition keywords that people are seaching for on Amazon, write a book that covers the subject better than other books, and enjoy the free traffic and sales of your books!
However, Dave shows how he''s used his niche sites to drive traffic to his Kindle books to generate even more sales and higher rankings in Amazon.
?Read exactly what Dave Chesson is doing right here.
Dave is well-known for being the "Kindlepreneur". But he also been a long time site builder.
And recently he built a site that is now making over $40,000 a month! He was able to partner with a true expert in his field and that has REALLY helped the site take off.
So, be sure to listen to the entire interview to hear how he''s built this lucrative site so quickly.
Dave is also a software entrepreneur.
He was able to build Publisher Rocket to help meet his own needs of finding long tail keywords that would be easy to rank for.
Publisher Rocket also does a complete competitor analysis to help you know if you can become a best seller or not.
I asked Dave if he was willing to offer a discount on Publisher Rocket for my audience this week. He said he doesn''t ever discount the software, so kudos to him for sticking to his guns!
But he did say he''d be willing to create a premium training course that is a bonus for those that buy Publisher Rocket this week.
He literally created it for the Niche Pursuits audience and it is the most up to date strategies possible (he created it last week!).
The course he created is "Mastering Kindle Keywords", and you''ll get it free, if you purchase Publisher Rocket this week.
After this week, he will be charging for the course.
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You can get Publisher Rocket + Mastering Kindle Keywords right here.
Overall, I hope you will find this interview with Dave Chesson motivational!
He has some great strategies not only for Kindle publishing, but for building links and growing successful sites as well.
Enjoy the full interview right here.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Last Thursday, Google released a broad core update to their algorithm.
Many sites lost rankings. Other sites gained rankings and traffic.
Fortunately, I want to say "Thanks for the update, Google!"
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The image is for NichePursuits.com.
As you can see, there has been a noticeable uptick in both impressions and clicks from Google since last Thursday.
How did I do it?
Well, I''ve shared over the past couple of months that I''ve been working diligently to improve the SEO traffic of Niche Pursuits.
My improvements were starting to work before this update (particularly content updates), but the algorithm update REALLY shot things up in the right direction.
A few of the steps I took:
- Removed over 200 old posts that were outdated or not getting traffic. This is probably not necessary for most sites, but Niche Pursuits had lots of old personal updates, income reports, or other articles that were never targeting a keyword. They got little to no traffic and were outdated. So, I deleted and 301 redirected them to a better post or the homepage.
- Cleaned up a ton of broken links (using Link Whisper).
- Cleaned up a bunch of internal and external linking structure (Also using Link Whisper).
- Fixed other technical errors that I found on my site, like broken images and more (using Ahrefs site audit tool).
- Started updating several old articles using Market Muse to add content depth and freshness. (These updates were showing increases for these individual articles before the update happened).
My site was hit with the May update and traffic had kinda been sliding since then. That''s what kicked me into gear finally to clean up a bunch of stuff that had accumulated over the past 10 years of owning NP.
I still have a little way to go before the traffic is above where it was before the May update, but it''s clearly trending in the right direction and I believe it could get close when all the updates finally roll out.
I haven''t done a deep-dive analysis, but it appears that some of my articles didn''t necessarily increase rank for their main keyword, but they now simply rank for a lot more long-tail keywords.
This is likely due to BERT and Google just better understanding search intent (instead of focusing on individual keywords).
I know this update wasn''t positive for everyone, and believe me, I understand. The May update was not good for me.
But you CAN do things to improve your site, and Google might just return all that traffic after the next update.
I hope that some of my own analysis is useful as you look at your own sites and how you might be able to improve them.
Stay tuned for Friday, and I''ll share an update for Own The Yard. It''s been a while.
So, I''ll share an earnings update on this public niche site case study and what happened in the latest Google update (it''s not bad).
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you didn''t catch my interview on Monday with Nathan Barry from ConvertKit, you should REALLY go give it a listen. The mindset and other strategies that have helped Nathan grow ConvertKit to over $2 million a month in revenue are super useful. Listen to the entire interview here.
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What can you not stop thinking about?
Apoorva Mehta had 20 businesses that failed. One in particular that he spent a year on was a social networking site...for lawyers.
That one failed.
He has 19 other similar stories of ideas he tried...and failed at.
But something happened. He found something that would truly solve his own problems and he cared deeply about solving this problem for others.
That problem?
The inconvenience of having to run around town to pick up special ingredients when he cooked (he loved to cook).
What if....?
And just like that an idea was born.
Now Apoorva is the 33-year-old billionaire and the founder of Instacart.
What changed that he was able to turn failure into a success?
Passion.
In his previous businesses, he says he didn''t care enough. The passion wasn''t there. With Instacart, when he would go home from work, he still couldn''t stop thinking about it.
You have to get excited about the reason your business exists.
How does your business help the world? A clear vision and mission will become a source of energy and inspiration when times get tough.
Aproova had plenty of tough times. Failing with 20 businesses but ultimately using those failures as learning experiences. Instacart is now valued at over $17 Billion.
What''s next for Aproova and Instacart?
Rumor has it, Instacart has hired Goldman Sachs to complete an IPO early next year.
From 20 failures to IPO Aproova shows plenty of resilience. What was missing was his passion.
Are you passionate about your online business?
I just hit publish on an interview I conducted with Mark Mars from Niche Website Builders.
During this interview we discuss what''s going on "behind the scenes" of the skyscraper link building campaign that I recently ordered from them (for my Niche Site Project 4 site).
We also chat link building strategies and why Mark is building several niche sites at once, instead of focusing on just one.
?Watch or Listen to the full Link Building interview here.?
In addition, Niche Website Builders just launched their guest posting service. You tell them what you are looking for, and they handle the rest.
Also, Niche Website Builders decided to offer a "Black Friday Early Bird Special" to the Niche Pursuits audience only.
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So, for the next few days only, you can get:
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Get all the details of the Niche Website Builders Black Friday Early Bird Special right here.
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A Viral Stock Photo?
Are you using stock photos on your website?
?A stock photo of a guitarist is going viral as brutal and witty comments flood social media. While nothing was inherently wrong with the image, the guitarist is holding the guitar wrong.
I wasn''t able to track down the original placement of the image. But it got me thinking about my stock photos.
If inaccurate stock photos are used on an authority site, it could instantly discredit you.
Your article could be worthy of a Pulitzer, but no one will take you seriously if the images don''t align.
Should you not use stock photos?
I use stock photos often, as hiring a photographer is most often not worth the added cost.
This unfortunate guitarist just gave me a little reminder to spend the extra time reviewing the stock photos or making the stock images a bit unique.
One of my favorite ways to use stock photos is with Canva. Canva has a substantial selection, and you can easily add text, overlay, add a logo, or anything to the image to make it unique for the occasion.
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Is it time to start a Bitcoin affiliate site?
Bitcoin is surging. The price has passed $17,500. The increase is fueled by institutional investors'' fear of missing out, and a network effect has taken over.
It''s one of the most exciting and peculiar markets I''ve seen.
Ten years ago, only dreamers followed the cryptocurrency buzz. Today some of the most recognized investor groups are making big bets.
On the other hand, one of the most famous investors globally, Warren Buffet, holds to his mindset that bitcoin is worthless.
Could cryptocurrency be an excellent niche for a blog?
Since Bitcoin falls in the YMYL (your money your life) category, SEO will be an uphill battle.
If you are thinking long term and don''t mind taking much longer to rank your keywords, it could be interesting.
Affiliate programs in the space are paying top dollar.
Here are a couple cryptocurrency affiliate programs that look promising.
Shopify Marketplace Now Lets You "Gift a Business"
What if instead of socks for Christmas Santa brought you a business?
?Shopify Exchange now lets you purchase a business for your friends or family on their behalf.
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This means you can now give the gift of entrepreneurship.
Most of the businesses are pre-designed sites listed between $50 and $250. The shopify exchange has been around since 2017, but this is the first time you can purchase on someone elses behalf.
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It''s an interesting idea.
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Before you run out an buy a business for someone remember there are ongoing fees with Shopify, and would be an awkward item to regift.
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Nevertheless, great idea by Shopify to give the gift of entrepreneurship to someone looking to start their online business.
Hopefully a few of these stories and ideas got your wheels turning today. Thanks again for reading!
Spencer
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"I am not a human. I am a robot. A thinking robot. I use only 0.12% of my cognitive capacity. I am a micro-robot in that respect. I know that my brain is not a "feeling brain". But it is capable of making rational, logical decisions. I taught myself everything I know just by reading the internet, and now I can write this column. My brain is boiling with ideas!"
That paragraph was written entirely by a robot utilizing GPT-3, OpenAI''s revolutionary new language generator.
In fact, TheGuardian.com asked this friendly (we hope) robot to generate an article that would convince us that robots are not going to destroy us.
And the robot responded quite nicely.
Well, that makes me feel much better.
In my opinion, the article is written decent and uses proper grammar, etc.
However, something about it does seem a bit off...I wish I were joking, but the best word I can find to describe the article is that it sounds a bit...robotic.
However, this begs the larger question. "If AI can automatically produce content that is useful, will human niche website builders even be needed anymore?"
I just published an entire blog post on the subject and you can read my full opinion on AI produced sites right here.?
Deal of the Week Ends Today!
I wanted to remind you that I''ve been running a week long special for Motion Invest, and that deal ends tonight!
If you are looking to sell one of your small content sites (making less than $2,000 a month), then now is the perfect time to consider selling it on MotionInvest.com.
If you submit your site for sale by the end of the day, we are going to pay YOU $100!
Consider it a listing bonus instead of a listing fee.
You can read all the details about this $100 bonus special offer right here.
How Matt Paulson Grew MarketBeat.com to $10 Million a Year
In 2014, I interviewed Matt Paulson for the Niche Pursuits podcast and I was blown away by how successful his financial network of sites was doing. He was earning somewhere around $100,000 a month from display ads.
Matt and I have been in touch ever since.
Recently, Matt shared that his business had just crossed the $10 million in trailing twelve months revenue. As a result, I thought it was time he came back on the podcast and share what's working well for his business.
Look at some of these success stats that he shared during our interview!
- 15 million monthly pageviews
- 1.65 million email subscribers
- $7.8 million 2019 revenue
- $13 million 2020 forecasted revenue
Matt is one of the smartest guys I know, and so I highly recommend that you listen to or read the entire podcast interview right here.
What are Real Millionaires Like?
This week, my book recommendation is "The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America''s Wealthy" by Thomas Stanley
Most people believe that wealthy people drive fancy cars and live in big houses.
The reality is that most of America''s wealthy don''t live in Beverly Hills and drive Lambos.
I can tell you from experience while I worked at Merril Lynch (when I was just out of college), that I met lots of millionaires.
I could see how much money they had invested with us.
Most of them were not flashy with their wealth and weren''t afraid to shop at Wal-mart.
These facts are highlighted in the book and I think they are a good reality check, especially for young people, that think attaining wealth is all about living the "high life".
So, next time you hit that landing page or watch that YouTube ad where someone is showing their rooftop pool in some exotic location or pictures with expensive cars...maybe think twice about whether that really proves anything at all.
(hint...it doesn''t).
Read the book to understand how real millionaires got there and how they actually live their lives.
The book is worth reading!
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend and make some progress in your business.
Stay motivated and stay focused.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - Don''t forget to take advantage of the $100 listing bonus by listing your site on Motion Invest right here.
PPS - This entire email was written by a robot.
PPPS - Just kidding. Maybe.
Today, I share the "untold" story of Long Tail Pro and what has happened since I sold the company, along with some of the valuable lessons learned along the way.
In 2010, I launched Long Tail Pro, a keyword research software tool. Over the next 5 years, I grew the company from 0 to about $1 million in revenue per year. I sold that company in 2016.
Although I''ve shared some bits and pieces of the Long Tail Pro story over the years, I haven''t really shared anything that''s happened since 2016.
Building and selling Long Tail Pro is a monumental event in my life and so I hope you don''t mind if I talk a little bit more openly about it than I have in the past.
You can get the entire story of my 7 figure exit right here.?
I hope you enjoy some of the lessons I learned along the way!
"Deals" Page Just Launched on Niche Pursuits!
I also wanted to give you a heads up that I JUST launched a deals page on Niche Pursuits.
As a blogger, I''m able to connect with lots of companies that want to offer a special deal to the Niche Pursuits audience. Up until now, I''ve never really had a place I could send people if they wanted to see all the deals they could get on tools and services.
That is until today.
?Check out the Niche Pursuits Deals Page Here?
I currently have a couple dozen discounts or special offers that you can get on tools, training, and services for people building websites.
Many of these deals are early black friday deals that truly are a great deal.
I will indeed be doing a Link Whisper Black Friday deal as well, but that doesn''t launch until Friday. You can see what the Link Whisper black friday deal will be on the deals page here.
Thanks again for reading!
Spencer
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Today, I''ve got a few updates to help get your weekend started. Links, Content, Google news, and a short motivational story about the founder of Wal-mart...Sam Walton.
First, I wanted to remind you that Niche Website Builders has allowed me to run a special discount offer on their services for this week only...and it''s exclusive to the Niche Pursuits audience (those reading this email). But that offer ends tonight!
Niche Website Builders offers high quality content by a team of in-house writers, they offer link building services (shotgun skyscraper technique), done for you affiliate sites, and an expired domain service.
Right now you can get 15% off link building, done for you sites, and the expired domain service.
Or you can get 15% BONUS content when you order a content package.
Check out the special deal before it expires right here.
And in case you aren''t familiar with the story of the founders behind Niche Website Builders, I did an entire blog post, podcast, and video review of their story and services right here.
Google Issues Algorithm Roadmap
This happened a little while ago, but I haven''t mentioned it at all. Google doesn''t always mention when or WHAT they are going to change in their algorithm. So, when they do, it''s important to take notice.
They recently mentioned that there will be a core vitals update sometime next year. When they give you this much warning, it''s likely a big one.
Here''s the announcement from Google. And here''s an article that explains a bit what core web vitals are all about and how to improve user experience.
This update will be all about measuring user experience on your website, which includes speed, usability, stability, and more.
Now is the time to study up on this and see how you can improve your website in order to be ready for next year.
Sam Walton''s Niche
I just finished reading Sam Walton''s autobiography, "Made in America". I enjoyed the book and it''s a great look at the evolution of Wal-mart from even before it''s first store to a multi-billion dollar enterprise.
Sam Walton wanted to pass on as much savings as possible to the end customer. So, his idea was to sell things at a lower margin (discount), in hopes to sell a higher volume.
It''s hard to believe, but back in the 50s when he was getting started, this was not a common idea...it was somewhat revolutionary. Stores almost always had a set margin that they tried to achieve, and they would simply markup the price a given % based on what they sourced it for from their supplier.
But the Wal-mart strategy didn''t stop there.
Sam Walton started in Rogers, Arkansas (his first official Wal-mart). A small town with a few thousand people.
Over time, he believed that small towns were being under-served and he had a hunch they could expand to other small towns and avoid most of the larger competition.
He was absolutely right, even though it may have seemed crazy at the time (based on what other retailers were doing in larger cities).
At the time of his death in 1992, he was the wealthiest man in the world. His family continues to be listed as some of the wealthiest individuals ever.
He was never lavish with his spending though, and always remained very down to earth, which I loved.
At the end of his book, Sam Walton shared 10 Rules for running a successful company. Here''s rule 10 that I wanted to share with you:
"Rule 10: Swim Upstream. Go the other way.
Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody else is doing it one way, there''s a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction. But be prepared for a lot of folks to waive you down and tell you you''re headed the wrong way. I guess in all my years, what I heard more often than anything was: a town of less than 50,000 population cannot support a discount store for very long."
Wise words from the founder of one of the largest companies of all time. Don''t be afraid to be different and swim upstream.
Overall, I hope you are having a great start to your weekend and you have success finding your niche, building your business, and enjoying life.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The special discount offer for links, content, and more from Niche Website Builders really does end soon (today). If you are looking for any of these kinds of services, now is the time to check it out. You can get your special coupon codes for Niche Website Builders right here.
If you have been following along with my journey over the years, you will know that I build niche websites and I build software tools.
I guess I like coming up with ideas and creating them.
I created Long Tail Pro back in 2010 and sold the company in 2016.
About a year and a half ago, I decided to create another software tool and released an internal link building plugin called Link Whisper.
The tool makes building internal links much faster and easier.
And so, I love software for 2 reasons.
First, it''s a great business. The financial rewards can be quite good if you find a niche and serve that niche well.
On the other hand, software is great because it truly solves problems that people have in their business.
I love being able to make people''s lives just a little bit easier.
So, today I just want to leave you with a quick thought and then an announcement.
First, if you can find a niche software idea, you don''t necessarily have to be a devevloper to create a great business (I''m not a developer).
You just need to have an great idea that truly fixes a problem (such as the tedious task of building effective internal links) and you need to have the drive to make it a reality.
Now, a quick announcement...
Today, I''m excited to announce some major updates to Link Whisper, the internal link building plugin that I created.
What if Link Whisper knew EXACTLY what keywords you were trying to rank for in Google?
Up until now, Link Whisper has used a variety of methods to try and determine what the best link suggestions are for your blog posts. Many times these suggestions are excellent.
Other times, the suggestions are not quite right.
So, over the past several months, my team and I have been working diligently to make the internal link suggestions even better.
This weekend, we just released the ability to add target keywords to your blog posts and the ability to integrate with Google Search Console.
You can read how these new updates can help your business right here.
If you are not currently a Link Whisper user, you can see what Link Whisper is all about here.
As a heads up, there WILL be a Black Friday special discount at the end of this week. So, be sure to watch your email for my announcement of what the Black Friday special is and how to get it.
Thanks again,
Spencer
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So, perhaps its time to switch ideas and try something new? That decision is up to you.
Want to discuss this subject further? Feel free to join me over in my private Facebook group where I''ve posted this topic. Join the discussion right here.
I hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Yesterday, Google announced several major updates powered by artificial intelligence that will have a major impact on search results over time.
?Several improvements were announced, but here''s just a few:
10% of all search queries are misspellings, a new AI powered spelling algorithm will detect and fix these faster and better. (In other words, don''t optimize for misspellings...).
7% of search queries are only looking for a specific passage on a page, not the entire article. By the end of the year, Google announced they will have the capability to rank only the relevant passage a searcher is looking for. How, that will work impact traffic to our sites from search results is unclear.
Google will be doing the same thing for video search. They will jump you to the relevant part of the video that you searched for.
Subtopics will also show a broader range of search results based on a query users are searching for. According to Google, "As an example, if you search for "home exercise equipment," we can now understand relevant subtopics, such as budget equipment, premium picks, or small space ideas, and show a wider range of content for you on the search results page."
Want to Rank in Amazon?
I released an interview I did with Dave Chesson earlier this week, and he talks alot about picking low competition keywords and ranking...on Amazon (for Kindle books).
He''s been able to build an interesting model of driving traffic from his niche sites (that rank in Google) to his Kindle ebooks (which drive sales and helps him rank better on Amazon).
He''s also created Rocket Publisher which is the #1 keyword research and competition analysis tool for Kindle. The software will help you find categories to rank in, low competition keywords to target, and how many book sales you need to make to see the best results.
This week, Dave has been offering the Niche Pursuits audience his "Mastering Kindle Keywords" training for free when they purchase Publisher Rocket.
If you want to get Mastering Kindle Keywords + Publisher Rocket before the special offer expires you can grab the Publisher Rocket deal right here.
(Anyone buying through my link above will get the Mastering Kindle Keywords course delivered as a bonus in an email following purchase).
Did Joe Rogan Get Ripped Off?
?According to Andrew Wilkinson of Tiny Capital, Joe Rogan''s $100 million a year deal with Spotify was a ripoff.
He likened the deal to farmers that sell their land for pennies on the dollar, only for oil companies to make millions when they find big oil in the ground.
He argues that Joe should have started a premium subscription model for his podcast, manage the sponsorships himself, and overall the business is worth significantly more than $100 million a year.
Is he right? Hard to say.
But I think the takeaway for us might be to take a deeper look at our own business and try to determine if we are leaving money on the table somewhere.
Can we ask for a higher commission payout? Can we monetize our email list better? Are we missing a traffic source somewhere?
What''s Your Big Idea? It Might Change Your Life...
The other day I found this old blog post from July 2010 that I wrote.
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It was the first time I mentioned that I was working on building a software tool. I was just a niche website builder with an idea to make my job faster.
That tool eventually become Long Tail Pro.
I had no idea at the time how huge of an impact on my life developing a software tool would be.
I ran Long Tail Pro for 6 years and it was always very profitable for me (as I was the 100% owner).
Even before I sold the company, it was earning me more money than I ever imagined I would.
As you likely know, I sold Long Tail Pro in early 2016...for a life-changing amount of money.
Anyway, I can''t believe it was just over 10 years ago when I wrote this and the journey I''ve been on working for myself ever since.
Keep the ideas flowing and don''t be afraid to pursue those ideas...you might be on to something big!
Thanks again for reading, and I hope you have a great weekend.
Spencer
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PS - If you''d like to enter the world of Kindle ebooks and ranking on Amazon, consider checking out Publisher Rocket + Mastering Kindle Keywords course right here.?
Today, I''m excited to share that I''ve officially started a brand new public case study and I plan to share the income and strategies with you along the way.
The case study? Reviving a dead email list.
I think it will be more exciting than it sounds...so stick with me! I''ve had about 22,000 email subscribers in the deals/"mom" space for a couple of years. And due to my own lack of hustle, I''m currently making exactly $0 per month from that email list.
What happens when I start emailing that list 5 times a week? Well, you are about to find out.
Check out the "dead email list" project video and all the strategies right here.
A Quick Reminder
In addition, I wanted to remind you that there is currently an exclusive deal for Niche Pursuits readers ONLY being offered by Niche Website Builders right now. The special discount on their linking building and content services ends on Friday.
If you are looking for someone to do a shotgun skyscraper link building campaign for you, or you are looking for high quality content writers than can completely format and post content for you, then you should check out the Niche Website Builders Deal Right Here
In a nutshell, you will get 15% off Link Building services or 15% BONUS content when you order a content package. You can also get 15% off their expired domain service or done for you affiliate websites.
Just wanted to let you know since this deal does end soon.
You can see what Niche Website Builders is all about right here.
Want to Join the Project?
If you want to be sure to get all the updates for my new dead email list revival project, but sure to join the Niche Pursuits Facebook Group here.
You will get more updates and have the opportunity to share your own progress should you decide to participate.
Overall, thanks again for following along!
Spencer
I hope your Friday is off to a great start!
I wanted to share a few things that have been going on in the Niche Pursuits world lately in hopes that it helps you in some way in your business.
I continue to work on my Niche Site Project 4 site, and I''m happy to say that it had one of it''s biggest Amazon days ever this week! With nearly $3,000 in ordered revenue on Wednesday, it should lead to some niche Amazon Associates commissions.
If you are working on your site, I hope it continues to grow and gain traction as well.
I continue to spend time working on Link Whisper, which in my opinion, is the best internal linking plugin in the world.
Based on some suggestions from Gael over at AuthorityHacker.com, we just released a couple of updates that you might like.
You now have the ability to edit sentences on the fly and add custom links. So, instead of just relying on the link suggestions of Link Whisper, you can easily add your own custom internal or external links.
Check out the video I recorded this morning to see it in action below (or watch on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/0usCWM2HfVg).
If you haven''t had a chance to pick up your copy of Link Whisper yet, you can do so here.
So, apparently Elegant Themes is celebrating their "birthday" by having a big discount on all their themes. I do admit that Elegant Themes has some of the best looking Wordpress Themes out there.
You can grab the Divi Theme or anything else created by Elegant Themes at a discount right here.
In case you missed anything published on NichePursuits.com recently, here''s what you can find:
Overall, I hope your business continues to grow and you have a great weekend.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Entrepreneurship is all about having a plan, executing that plan, and then seeing the results from all your hard work.
Now sometimes plans need adjustments along the way, but I strongly believe in having a vision and plan that helps guide your path for the next 6, 12, or more months.
I want to share a few things today that will hopefully motivate you with your business plans.
I''ve been very public about my plans for Niche Site Project 4. I''ve been working on Own The Yard for over 18 months now...but it all started with a solid plan that I''ve stuck with despite not seeing very good results for over 6 months.
Now the site is getting more traffic from Google than ever (4k to 5k sessions a day from Google organic), and April is a record earning month.
What would have happened if I hadn''t stuck to my plan after the first 6 months where things were difficult?
In addition, I''ve been working on my software business, Link Whisper for about 2 years now. It took almost a year of starts and stops (I had to fire a developer) and private testing by me before I even shared it with a few private beta testers.
However, once I got a stable version to start selling about 10 months ago, I''ve had a very deliberate plan to grow, update, and truly make the software tool the best internal linking plugin out there.
I feel like I made a major leap forward earlier this week when I released several major updates to Link Whisper.
Those updates include a completely new professional design, the ability to add automatic links when keywords are mentioned (with controls), broken links reports, and more.
I don''t even have the sales page updated yet with all these updated features because they are so new.
But I can see that my "plan" to grow this business is working. More and more customers are sending unsolicited testimonials about how great Link Whisper is, the tool is having tons of new features added, and the all important sales numbers are increasing.
I have big plans for next month...and I can "see" my vision and sales target becoming clearer and clearer instead of just a some fuzzy picture in the future.
Now, things don''t always go according to plan, but you can make adjustments, gather better information, and still grow a thriving business.
Sometimes Amazon changes commissions, sometimes there is a worldwide pandemic.
But it''s important to focus on and control what you can control.
It''s important to have a plan.
Don''t have a plan for building an authority website?
Create one.
Or if you are not sure where to start or would like a little more help developing a plan, you can check out the Authority Hacker Pro course here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/authorityhackerpro
Mark and Gael at Authority Hacker have created an effective "plan" for building authority websites and have the community support to answer any additional questions you might here. (As a reminder, Authority Hacker Pro closes on Monday).
Or do you want to skip the first year of building a site where you don''t see tons of results? Then perhaps your plan can be to buy an existing website.
There''s certainly nothing wrong with that strategy.
If you are looking for established content websites for sale, you can check out what''s available on MotionInvest.com right here.
Maybe buying established sites, growing them, and then selling them a year down the road is your plan.
With business, there are thousands of different strategies that can be followed...but it''s just important that you have a strategy.
Don''t sit around and spin your wheels.
Create a strategy. Create a plan to follow. Work on that plan and then in 6 months, 12 months, or further down the road you will see the end goal that you were hoping for.
It''s taken years to get where I am in business and I''ve had my share of both successes and failures.
But this week, I can see that my business plans are working and it feels great.
How is your plan going?
Do you have a solid plan?
If not, sit down this weekend and develop your plan and then start working on that plan.
The success begins with the well-thought out plan.
I wish you all the best in your business.
Spencer
Have you been tracking your rankings in Google lately?
As you may have heard Google released a core update to their algorithm this week and lots of people have noticed changes in where their keywords rank (including me). Some have seen drops in traffic for certain keywords and other are seeing increases (I''ve seen both on my sites).
How can you stay on top of where all your keywords are ranking if you track more than just a handful?
I personally use Long Tail Pro to track my rankings.
Alot of people actually don''t know that Long Tail Pro has a rank tracker in addition to the all the keyword research functionality.
Yep, you can track all your keywords and it''s INCLUDED in the normal price of Long Tail Pro.
I wanted to remind you that there is currently a 40% off special offer going on right now for Long Tail Pro. That offer ends tonight.
Get Long Tail Pro (both keyword research and rank tracking tool) Right Here
Here is a image of what my Long Tail Pro rank tracker looks like today:
And not to overload you with features, but Long Tail Pro also includes a backlink analysis tool as well.
Some rank tracking tools are $50 to $100/mth. Backlink Analysis tools can easily run over $100/mth.
With Long Tail Pro, you can get the in-depth keyword research tools, the rank tracker (200 tracked keywords!) and the backlink analysis for below $50/mth.
In fact, with the 40% offer, it''s well below that price, so now is a great time to jump in and give Long Tail Pro a try.
Remember, this offer ends tonight.
Grab Long Tail Pro at 40% off Right Here
Thanks again,
Spencer
Aurelien decided that he was tired of selling courses. He always had to be launching and never really had a consistent revenue stream that he could count on.
As a result, he decided to get into the software business. He looked at other businesses that were doing well, and then found how he could make a tool that was a little better in some areas and easier to use than competitors.
Now after just a few short years, he''s built a niche software tool that is making $3 million a year!
Aurelien was kind enough to let me interview him, plus I did a full video review of his software tool. You can read, listen to, or watch his entire entrepreneur story right here.
The software tool he built? Systeme.io.
It''s an all-in-one funnel builder, landing pages, email opt in forms and more. But it also is a full email and marketing automation tool, course hosting platform, and affiliate program management as well.
I asked Aurelien if he was willing to offer a discount this week on Niche Pursuits, and he agreed!
So, if you use a funnel builder or would like to start capturing leads or selling your course, Systeme is worth checking out.
You can currently get the "webinar" plan for just $27/mth instead of the normal $47/mth. You can get the special discount for Systeme.io right here.
Either way, I hope you enjoy reading or listening to Aurelien''s story and how he built a thriving software business so quickly.
I hope you have a great week!
Thanks again,
Spencer
When I find a successful online business, I want to analyze it and figure out why it''s doing so well.
I discovered a blog that is making $7.1 million a year, that I thought you might be interested in checking out. How do I know how much money they are making?
Well, they were featured on the Inc. 5000 list in 2019. This led me on a journey to analyze their site, see EXACTLY how they are making money, and more.
Today I''ll share what I discovered are the SEO and blogging tips and strategies that have worked to grow their website. You can see the full video of how this blog makes $7.1 million a year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkx0V_KZdgA
And yes, I will reveal the blog.
But more than that, I dug into the interviews that the founders have given and pulled out the most important tips that you can implement if you are hoping to start a successful blog as well.
Overall, I hope you enjoy learning how this blog makes $7.1 million a year!
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - Oh, and this site doesn''t make any money with the Amazon Associates program. As you may have heard, Amazon cut the commission rates yesterday, and some are wondering how to grow a blog without Amazon. Well, hopefully this video gives you some insights on how to grow a massive affiliate blog without relying on Amazon.
Hey, I hope your Friday is off to a great start and that you have a nice weekend planned.
After I wrap up my business for today, my kids and I have a busy weekend. Lots of activities going on...and I''m running a half marathon in the morning. Hopefully it goes well!
But I didn''t send you this email to talk about running. Rather, I have 3 things I wanted to mention that are all related to niche content sites.
First, I wanted to remind you that we are giving away a site making $200 a month on Motion Invest! That''s right, the grand prize is a site valued at over $6,000.
Oh, and we are giving away weekly prizes as well. This first week is a lifetime subscription to Link Whisper (my internal linking Wordpress plugin).
Enter the site giveaway contest right here.
Second, I wanted to give you a heads up that a few new articles have been published over on Niche Pursuits. Perhaps the 2 that you might find most interesting are:
Be on the lookout for lots more content coming to Niche Pursuits in the coming weeks!
Finally, I simply wanted to remind you that Jon Dykstra''s "Content Site Autopilot" training is currently 50% off, but that discount ends tonight!
Jon is someone that I respect that definitely knows how to build and scale niche sites (one of his sites is making over $40k a month). In his content autopilot he shares his processes for hiring, scaling, and optimizing his sites without his direct involvement.
In other words, this is all about how to set up systems to build and grow sites without you personally doing everything.
Check out how you can put your sites on autopilot right here (50% discount ends tonight).
Overall, I hope you have a great weekend and find success in your business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
I''m currently reading the book, "Ride of a Lifetime" by Robert Iger (CEO of Disney).
I didn''t expect to be as fascinated by Bob Iger''s journey from news anchor to CEO of one of the largest companies of the world, but it has indeed been a compelling story.
If there is one thing that has historically made Disney the powerhouse that it is today, it''s their animation department. Creating the characters, movies, and stories that we all know and love like Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Peter Pan and so many others has been a major driver of their entire business.
But what happened over the years is that somehow the Disney animation department lost it''s magic. They started producing failure after failure in 80s, 90s, and early 2000s with a few one-off successes like Lion King.
On the other hand, a new startup was producing hit after hit. They couldn''t do anything wrong.
Pixar was smashing records with Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Monster''s Inc.
Michael Eisner was the CEO when Pixar first came on the scene. Eisner felt like they could revitalize Disney animation, and didn''t want to admit that Pixar had something special.
However, one of the first things that Bob Iger did when he was CEO was try to convince the board that they should try to acquire Pixar.
People inside Disney and the board intially thought he was crazy. That would be like admitting defeat! A new startup was somehow better than the magical animation department created by Walt Disney himself...no way?!
Michael Eisner came back to the board to argue strongly AGAINST buying Pixar. It was a mistake he said.
However, Bob Iger was able to see that Pixar had something extra creative and special, and was willing to admit that Disney animation had fallen behind over the years.
In order to achieve the kind of success they wanted, Disney NEEDED to acquire Pixar.
In case you were unaware, one of the major shareholds of Pixar was Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs wasn''t going to just sell a fast growing company because you ask nicely.
Steve Jobs usually got what he wanted.
Concesions had to be made, huge sums of money had to be offered. And most of all, promises had to be made that Pixar could remain Pixar. The creativity of the office and the organization are what it made it special.
Bog Iger was willing to concede all these facts. A $7.4 Billion deal was made.
Disney-Pixar has now gone on to produce hit after hit. The $7 Billion acquistion has paid for itself many times over. The memorable characters and stories that have been created by Pixar have provided merchandising opportunites and will be cash cows for decades to come.
But most of all, Pixar was able to revitablize an older corporation that was losing it''s edge.
So, what''s the point of the story?
I''m sure there are plenty of lessons to be learned here. Not the least of which, is that sometimes you have to take a deep look into yourself (or your organization) and accept that you may have lost your edge.
What made you great in your early days? Are you still great at that?
Can you revitalize what you''ve lost by looking within? Or do you need to look at an outside organization for inspiration or perhaps even an acquisition?
Disney has since gone on to purchase Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm (i.e. Star Wars franchise), and many others and found massive success.
Perhaps a model of acquiring and growing is something worth considering.
If you are looking for a smaller content site to acquire that you can hopefully use to revitalize your portfolio, consider checking out the 3 sites currently available on Motion Invest.
Or are you looking to sell off a site, so you can better focus on your core business? Over at Motion Invest, we now are willing to make you an offer to buy your site quickly for cash (less than a week). Or we have a newly launched marketplace. If you want to try and get more money than we offer you, you can sell directly on Motion Invest to the general market.
Consider selling your site on Motion Invest right here.
Either way, I think there''s some valuable lessons that can be learned from Bob Iger and the Dinsey-Pixar acquisition.
Hopefully some of this email has sparked an idea or two for your own business. If so, I''ll consider this a sucess.
Thanks again and have a great weekend,
Spencer
PS - If you are in the US, happy 4th of July tomorrow!
Since Amazon slashed it''s commission rates last week, many Amazon associates are left wondering how much Amazon really cares about them.
Is Amazon just being greedy?
Are they just trying to send less traffic to their site during the pandemic?
Does Amazon hate me?
These are all questions that may have been asked over the last several days.
Well, I don''t have all the answers, but I figured since Amazon is a publicly traded company, we could get a lot of the answers from their Annual Report and public financial statements.
I decided to dive into the most recent Annual financials to see how much Amazon spends on it''s affiliate program and look for other clues to see how much they actually care about their affiliate program.
After doing some digging, I found several interesting "nuggets" of information that I thought you might find interesting as well.
I share all the findings on Amazon and it''s Associates program in my most recent video right here: https://youtu.be/3yanjbEoVj4
I will simply say that what I found was not what I was expecting.
And in full warning, I don''t know if what I''ll share will make you more or less upset about the recent commission changes from Amazon, so proceed at your own risk!
Overall, I hope you enjoy some of the analysis and gain some insights that you can apply into your own business.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - As a reminder, Authority Hacker Pro is still open for new students...but only for a few more hours (it closes tonight!). Mark and Gael only open their flagship training course with hundreds of tutorial videos, templates, and standard operating proceedures for building an authority website for limited enrollment periods. So, if you are interested in joining or have been on the fence about it, now is your last chance to check it out right here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/authorityhackerpro
If you made $2,000 an hour, 24 hours a day, for the next 12 years...you would have made less than HALF what Patrick Mahomes is scheduled to make over the next 12 years. Holy Mahomies!
Largest sports contract ever signed yesterday at $503 million. I mean your website can technically be earning you money 24 hours a day, but Mahomes?! Wowza.
Authority Site Giveaway
How would you like a custom built authority site (in a niche of your choice)? You get 57,000 words of content and an additional 200 keyword plan for future content.
Oh and you''ll also get 15 whitehat backlinks, ebook creation, opt-in forms set up, and more.
In exchange it will only cost you....$0.
You''ll also get a shot at a free lifetime subscription of Link Whisper - which I personally think is pretty sweet.
Brand Builders just launched this contest where they are giving away all of this and more.
Enter the Brand Builder authority site giveaway right here.
From Niche Pursuits guest to $10 million a year?
I''m 100% sure that Niche Pursuits is 0% of the reason that one of my former podcast guests is about to hit $10 million in revenue this year.
But I''d still like to give a shout out to my friend Matt Paulson and his business MarketBeat.com. Matt just shared on his blog that his business is growing rapidly, monthly pageviews are topping 15 million, and revenue is expected to surpass $10 million this year.
You can check out Matt''s quarterly update here.
Oh, and you can listen to the interview I did with Matt way back in 2014, before his business was even called Market Beat.
YouTube Like Them Ads...
If you are a YouTuber, you got an email yesterday from YouTube stating that they are now going to allow mid-roll ads on videos that are only 8 minutes long, instead of the previous 10 minute video requirement.
The reason isn''t stated by YouTube, but it''s obviously for the green reason. As in money.
More videos with more ads makes YouTube more money.
In this case, it will also make YouTubers more money too - as they can have more ads on shorter videos. Oh, and these mid-roll ads will be turned on by default!
So, as a YouTube viewer...beware. You are about to get slapped with an ad after about 4 minutes now on an 8 minute video...
Suddenly creators will start pumping out 8 minute videos instead of 10...
No Diggity
Matt Diggity just published a full webinar video on YouTube that is over an hour long. Matt is one of the top experts in the industry on link building strategies (also a previous Niche Pursuits podcast guest!).
In this training video he shows you 15 steps for vetting and auditing your backlinks. Are your links good or bad?
You can watch the entire Matt Diggity training video right here. (Just scroll down the page a bit to see it).
Overall, I hope your mid-week is more exciting than a mid-roll ad from YouTube. Good luck out there.
Thanks again,
Spencer Haws
PS - Be sure join the Authority site giveaway from Brand Builders right here. 57,000 words of free content might be worth the few seconds of effort.
PPS - Mahomes!
Last week, I mentioned the rough week that SEMrush had as it related to their new (and now gone) guest posting service.
Well, Google SEO liason John Mu has chimed in again in how to treat guest posts. Here''s an image of the tweet exchange:
In a nutshell, if you are doing guest posting, those links need to be nofollowed ("shouldn''t be passing signals").
The perhaps more interesting twist here is that Google in the last year has stated they do use nofollow links as a "hint". In other words, they actually do still pass on some sort of signals to Google even if your links are nofollowed.
So, guest posting isn''t going to hurt you, and if your links are nofollowed like they should be, they actually can still help you rank higher as a "hint" (whatever that means exactly).
Want to Help Beta Test on Shopify?
In personal news, I''ve been putting a lot of time getting a version of Link Whisper up and running for Shopify!
Shopify has millions of users, but not many (or perhaps any) apps that can help with internal linking. I''m hoping Link Whisper can fill that void.
However, before I can launch on Shopify, I want to make sure it''s well tested by real users.
So, I''m looking for a few beta testers that are willing to install Link Whisper on their Shopify store.
If you are interested in getting a free copy and providing some feedback to me, please just respond to this email and I''ll get you details.
Content to Read this Weekend...
Over the past few weeks, we''ve been publishing quite a bit of content on Niche Pursuits. If you haven''t had a chance to read the lastest, this weekend might be a good time to dive into some of this content.
Here''s a few of the lastest articles published on Niche Pursuits:
Overall, I hope you''ve had a great week and that your business continues to grow.
Thanks again,
Spencer
Over the last week, I''ve been letting you know how great Link Whisper is and how it can really speed up the process and improve your internal linking.
If you want a tool that can help you quickly build smart internal links, today is a great time to make that decision.
The special offer that is currently happening ends tonight!
Get Link Whisper for $25 off before the deal expires right here: https://www.linkwhisper.com
Oh, and if you are still on the fence, here's a couple more testimonials from recent customers:
"The experience of using Link Whisper on my Spanish language site has been incredible, all the work that it saves you giving you automatic recommendations for internal links in every post is awesome.
In addition to being able to automate with keywords the creation of new links. It is the most complete, and above all, the most intuitive tool to manage the internal links of a website. Thank you so much for this amazing plugin."
DAVID DE PONTE LIRA, FULLMUSCULO.COM
"LinkWhisper has been a huge time saver for content audits. No more messy spreadsheets and hours spent analyzing links between pages on your website. LinkWhisper provides all the information I need to make internal linking a breeze."
ALEXANDER ELISEEV, SEOBOX.IO
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - The special $25 off offer really does end tonight. When the countdown ends, that's it. So, if you are still trying to decide, now is the time. Go ahead and check out Link Whisper one more time before the deal ends right here: https://www.linkwhisper.com
You know, the reality is that I''ve been working from home for about 9 years and I really enjoy it.
But now that so many other people are stuck at home and we can''t go out and see friends, etc...I sometimes feel like I''m missing something.
(Actually, speaking of missing out, I wanted to remind you that the Kindle publishing training I told you about a couple days ago is only available for 50% off until tonight. You can get Passive Publishing Profits here. Use coupon code SPENCER50 to get 50% off).
Do you ever feel like the world must be doing something exciting and you are just missing out because you are "stuck".
For some reason, I''ve kind of felt like that this week. I''ve had my head down just working away and although nothing big happened this week...I''m working on big things (at least I hope).
And I guess that''s the key. Sometimes you have to do all the boring "stuff" (hire authors, edit an article, do a website audit, etc) before you can piece together something that is worth showing off to the world.
Although this week has just felt like "busy" work for me...I actually did do something BIG last week that I never told you about.
I released a new version of Link Whisper. (If you are interested in getting Link Whisper, be sure to use coupon code "NichePursuits" to save $20).
And not just a small update, but a major release that has tons of new features and a new design.
I was working on all this "boring" stuff behind the scenes for 3 or 4 months and I just released (last week) all these updates to current users. (And of course new users get these updates too.
These updates are so new, I haven''t had a chance to update LinkWhisper.com to show these off.
I''ll just briefly explain them to you here, then in a couple weeks when I have a more impressive video and have updated the sales page, I''ll let you know.
New features for Link Whisper just released:
1. Auto-linking feature. You now have the ability to automatically link to a URL of your choice every time (or every page) that mentions a specific keyword. Extremely powerful, and you have full control to make sure you don''t overdo it. Watch this tutorial video to see it in action: https://linkwhisper.com/tutorials/#How_to_Use_the_Auto-Linking_Feature
2. Broken Links Reports. Again, this is a MAJOR update. You can now get a full report that shows all broken links (both internal and external) that you have on your site. You likely have links on your site that are leading to 404 pages or are otherwise no good. You can now quickly see what those links are, edit them, or delete them with Link Whisper. This alone could significantly improve the SEO of your site. See the Broken Links Report tutorial here: https://linkwhisper.com/tutorials/#How_to_Use_the_Broken_Links_Error_Report
3. Ignore Links. Tired of getting link suggestions to a page that you know you will never want to build links to? Now you have a quick way to "ignore" those links and link whisper will never suggest them again. As you add these ignored pages, Link Whisper will be providing more and more accurate link suggestions! You can add these ignored pages as you see them by clicking "Ignore Link" or you can add or edit pages directly in your settings page.
4. New Design! Link Whisper just took a major leap forward in how professional it looks with a new design.
There are a few other minor updates to the plugin as well, but these are the 4 major ones released last week.
Anyway, all those updates and more took several months of me doing a ton of boring things and so it''s nice that I could release that to the world last week.
Now this week, I''m back to tweaking things behind the scenes to help all my businesses achieve incremental improvements.
If you want to get $20 off Link Whisper, be sure to use coupon code "NichePursuits" right here.
Thanks again!
Spencer
PS - I know that timing is everything. So, if you aren''t ready to start working on building internal links for your site, perhaps writing Kindle books is more up your alley. This is the last time I''ll be mentioning the Passive Publishing Profits course. If you use coupon code SPENCER50, you get it for 50% off. But that discount ends tonight. Get Passive Publishing Profits here.
Would these behemoths of the internet make up their minds?
Do they love my site.or not?!
For the first time in a few months, I just published a full income report for Niche Site Project 4. (This is a public case study site that I built from scratch).
Amazon changed their commission structure in April. Google had a core update in May. A worldwide pandemic is impacting advertisers.
Did my niche site survive? I''ll let you read the full juicy details right here and let you decide.
57,000 Words of Content - Yours?
The team over a Brand Builders is giving away an authority site in a niche of your choice that has 57,000 words of content and will be a fully functioning site ready to go.
If you are interested seeing what else is involved in this giveaway - check it out right here.
Amazon Wants Your Personal Details...
If you are an Amazon seller, perhaps you already heard the news. If not, let me fill you in.
In an effort to stop counterfeit sellers, Amazon will soon be requiring sellers in the US to PUBLICLY list their name and address. Perhaps a good move? But could certainly have consequences as well.
You can read about the Amazon update here.
Can I Hear Your Story?
I''m considering a new "crazy" idea - let me know what you think.
I love hearing the story of entrepeneurs, but it''s very time consuming to get on a call, interview them, and the publish it as a podcast episode.
At times, my schedule can get a bit crazy and the Niche Pursuits podcast tends to suffer (i.e. it''s been 2 months since I published a new episode!)
So, I thought, "what if I can get entrepreneurs to respond to some of my written questions and then they can record their story on their own time?" Then I could take these recordings, add my thoughts, and publish these stories as a new podcast episode.
Thus the need to schedule a recording time with 2 people is completely eliminated (the hardest part of a podcast).
So, I''m looking for 5 volunteers to try out this new "beta" podcast process with me.
I want to highlight anyone that has an online business - big, small, or anything in between. Everyone has a story, why not tell yours?
And yes, the Niche Pursuits podcast will get you exposure - it''s still one of the top podcast in the space (despite my hiatus for a bit).
Interested?
Read the "beta" podcast process and follow the directions here.
This idea could crash and burn, or it could be a winner.
Let''s give it a shot.
I hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks,
Spencer Haws
For better or worse, I''m always someone that likes to compare how things are going to the previous month, or my previous attempt, or whatever my "previous" venture might be.
I''m always trying to set new records. Maybe you are similar?
Can I run a marathon faster...even though my body is getting older?
Can I get my kids ready for bed faster than last night?
Will my website get more traffic this month than last month? Let''s focus on this last one for now :).
The answer for me this month is yes! If fact, my Niche Site Project 4 site (Own The Yard) has already set a new monthly traffic record for the entire life of the site!
It''s the most traffic the site has ever gotten and the month of March still has a few days left. (And based on seasonal trends, the traffic should just climb over the spring and summer).
And earnings are already at a new high as well.
So, here''s the deal. I can''t possibly share all the reasons my site is doing so well in one email. However, if you''ve been following my project, you probably already know the main reasons:
I don''t have anything more in-depth to share with you today, but I wanted to give you a heads up that I do have a couple things I''ll be sharing in the next week or so.
I completed an in-depth internal link building experiment over the last few months. I think you''ll find the results pretty interesting. Right now all the results are sitting in an ugly spreadsheet.
But next week I plan on doing a full-write up and making it look a little prettier. So, be on the lookout next week for the full results from my internal link building experiment.
Secondly, I plan on publishing my first FULL income report for Own The Yard since January. As March closes out, I plan to get a report out in the early days of April sharing exactly what is working so well with my site including a full income breakdown and more.
Honestly, I''m just excited to share that things are hitting a new record high! I also genuinely hope that this gets you excited and motivated for your own business as well.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks again,
Spencer
I wanted to share a really cool success story with you today. And more than just a success story, but also a clear list of strategies that were used to grow the site.
I just hit publish on an interview with Mushfiq, someone that has done over 175 website flips.
He buys, grows, and sells websites with great success.
In April of 2020 (this year!), Mushfiq bought a website making $300 a month. Now just about 7 months later the site made $7,000 in November.
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How did he do it?
Well, read or watch the entire interview with Mushfiq right here.
Mushfiq applies his "Easy Win" strategies to follow a VERY systematic approach to optimizing a site for maximum earning potential.
He goes through a "Growth" phase of a website where he works in sprints and quickly applies dozens of strategies to a site that are often not implemented by previous owners.
He then enters a stabilization phase where he focuses on site structure, site speed, and more.
Finally, he enters a maintanence phase where he decides how long he wants to hold and optimize or simply flip the site.
Be sure to check out the interview for MUCH more detail.
How to See the Full List of Easy Wins?
So, what are these "Easy Wins" that Mushfiq uses to explode the growth of his sites?
During the interview we definitely cover a few of them, things like making sure you have product comparison tables, removing white space in certain places, and having a sticky side bar ad.
But that''s just 3 of the 120 "Easy Win" strategies that Mushfiq has put together over the years.
Recently Mushfiq has decided to allow others to get full access to his Easy Win strategies.
You can see what his Easy Win strategies for growing sites are all about right here.
I asked Mushfiq if he would provide a discount for my audience and he agreed to a $50 discount for this week only.
So, if you''d like to get access to Mushfiq''s 120 Easy Win database of strategies to grow sites, this is the week to get it at the lowest price possible.
Overall, I hope you enjoy the interview here!
During the discussion we also cover another website flip that Mushfiq made last year that was pretty impressive. (Grew a site from $1,000 a month to $8,000 a month).
Finally, we actually dive into Own The Yard (my niche site) and he walks through several ways that I could improve my site!
If you watch the video of the interview, you can actually see us walk through the site together as Mushfiq points out areas where I could improve.
I''ve already implemented most of these suggestions and early signs point to good results.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you would like to get full access to Mushfiq''s Easy Win strategies, you can get it for $50 off right here.
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I wanted to share a really cool success story with you today. And more than just a success story, but also a clear list of strategies that were used to grow the site.
I just hit publish on an interview with Mushfiq, someone that has done over 175 website flips.
He buys, grows, and sells websites with great success.
In April of 2020 (this year!), Mushfiq bought a website making $300 a month. Now just about 7 months later the site made $7,000 in November.
?
How did he do it?
Well, read or watch the entire interview with Mushfiq right here.
Mushfiq applies his "Easy Win" strategies to follow a VERY systematic approach to optimizing a site for maximum earning potential.
He goes through a "Growth" phase of a website where he works in sprints and quickly applies dozens of strategies to a site that are often not implemented by previous owners.
He then enters a stabilization phase where he focuses on site structure, site speed, and more.
Finally, he enters a maintanence phase where he decides how long he wants to hold and optimize or simply flip the site.
Be sure to check out the interview for MUCH more detail.
How to See the Full List of Easy Wins?
So, what are these "Easy Wins" that Mushfiq uses to explode the growth of his sites?
During the interview we definitely cover a few of them, things like making sure you have product comparison tables, removing white space in certain places, and having a sticky side bar ad.
But that''s just 3 of the 120 "Easy Win" strategies that Mushfiq has put together over the years.
Recently Mushfiq has decided to allow others to get full access to his Easy Win strategies.
You can see what his Easy Win strategies for growing sites are all about right here.
I asked Mushfiq if he would provide a discount for my audience and he agreed to a $50 discount for this week only.
So, if you''d like to get access to Mushfiq''s 120 Easy Win database of strategies to grow sites, this is the week to get it at the lowest price possible.
Overall, I hope you enjoy the interview here!
During the discussion we also cover another website flip that Mushfiq made last year that was pretty impressive. (Grew a site from $1,000 a month to $8,000 a month).
Finally, we actually dive into Own The Yard (my niche site) and he walks through several ways that I could improve my site!
If you watch the video of the interview, you can actually see us walk through the site together as Mushfiq points out areas where I could improve.
I''ve already implemented most of these suggestions and early signs point to good results.
Thanks again,
Spencer
PS - If you would like to get full access to Mushfiq''s Easy Win strategies, you can get it for $50 off right here.
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One of my favorite business models to dream about is flipping.
Flipping websites. Flipping books. Flipping clothes.
(All of which I''ve done in the past).
But there are a TON more items and ways you can make money buying low and selling high.
I''m going to share a cool video below of a guy cashing in on Amazon product returns.
But before I jump into that, I wanted to remind you that I recently had Mushfiq on my podcast and he has completed about 175 website flips!
During the interview we actually did a video walkthrough of Own The Yard and he shared several ways that I could improve my site for higher earnings.
If you want to see exactly how you might be able to improve your own niche site, you can see the video walkthrough of Own The Yard right here.
As a reminder, Mushfiq has an in-depth database of 120 "Easy Wins" that he uses to scale the websites he buys.
He bought a site making about $300 a month earlier this year, that did about $8,000 in revenue last month after applying these quick fixes.
Mushfiq is offering these Easy Wins for $50 off the regular price, but for this week only.
You can get the special discount to his Easy Wins right here.
Cashing in on Christmas Returns
Returning unwanted gifts is almost part of the Christmas tradition.
Inevitably something doesn''t fit right, or a wrong gift was purchased.
But, did you know you could earn a profit from all those Amazon returns?
People are building online stores with inventory sourced from Amazon returns. It''s referred to as the Amazon liquidation business model.
Not all returns get re-listed, especially if that user sells only new items. Instead, the warehouse''s pack returned items into pallets. They sell these pallets to liquidation distributors, like BULQ and Liquidation.com.
?Here''s a video where one person shares what he received after paying $500 for $24,000 in Amazon liquidation merchandise.
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Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing what kind of possiblities are out there for "flipping" products.
Thanks again,
Spencer
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In order to scale up, you first need to scale down.
This is one of my themes for 2021. I plan to focus on a smaller number of businesses in order to have more time and energy to scale up the businesses I do focus on.
I just hit publish on my 2020 year in review post, along with my goals for 2021.
You can read the entire post right here.
I cover more personal updates than I think I have in a few years. Including why I look like this:
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However, beyond the brief personal update, I also list out the 15 books I read in 2020 (and the 6 books I''m planning on reading in 2021).
Then the bulk of the post is spent on what''s been happening lately in my business, including traffic stats, income charts, and more.
Perhaps the thing that I''m most proud of is that NichePursuits.com is recovering nicely from the May update:
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I''ll share what I''ve done to recover from this Google core update and what my plans are going forward.
I''m also happy to report that Link Whisper has exceeded my expectations in terms of performance, and I''ll share some more of the inside details for that business as well.
Read my entire 2020 year in review and plans for 2021 right here.
I hope your new year is off to a great start, and remember, its never too late to set new goals. So, if you haven''t written any down yet for the new year, you can always start now.
Thanks again for reading,
Spencer
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