If you don't know what I'm talking about when I mention Internet marketing, you don't need to read any more unless you're curious. Now, it doesn't matter what it's called (Internet marketing, affiliate marketing, lead generation marketing, information marketing, whatever). If you're marketing on the Internet, it's Internet marketing. Why does Internet marketing suck? It's because you have to manipulate someone or something to earn money online or increase your earnings online. Manipulation isn't unethical in itself, but it can be very distasteful at times.
How Far Will You Go?
I guess the answer depends on how much money you want to make and how soon you want to make it. Is it worth it to cross the ethical boundaries? It can be, but then you're the one who has to look at yourself in the mirror every day. You have to live with your own ethical code.
I can't change the nature of the beast, but I can lead you down the ethical path. Take a look at Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips for all Kinds of Websites and More Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips for all Kinds of Websites. I left out the details on how to manipulate search engines and people because I didn't want anyone taking that route.
Anything you do above and beyond what I mentioned is entirely up to you. There are no right or wrong ways to manipulate and only your own personal ethics can control how far you go.
Types of Manipulation
If you want to make money online, lots of money, you have to manipulate the search engine results. You do that by concentrating on things like (in no particular order):
- On-Page and On-Site SEO
- Main Keywords and Long-Tail Keywords
- Anchor Text
- URLs and URL Title Tags
- Domain Names
- Post/Page Titles and HTML Titles
- Building Backlinks
- Self-Promotion (Social Marketing)
And the list goes on. If you want to read an interesting take on all this, including many colorful metaphors, you may want to read Scribes of Silence and everything else at The Salty Droid. You may even enjoy a chuckle or three.
If you want to learn how to make passive income, some of it crossing the ethical boundaries but not nearly as much as you might think, you may want to read what Lis Sowerbutts has to offer at her personal passive income online blog.
I have nothing else to offer beyond the two recommendations I just made. Even though I know quite a bit about Internet marketing, I don't like doing it and that's why you won't find many optimized articles on this site.
Similar Articles:
- Simple Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
- Work Online so you don't have to Work Forever
- Stuffing Slugs, Titles and Content with Keywords
- Passive Income, or How To Make Money Without Trying
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is almost Useless unless you can get Visitors to your Website
This article is published as: Why Internet Marketing Sucks
Thanks for the link RT – yeah Salty really has an unusual combo – awesome writing, good research and good SEO who'd have thought that a simple android could do all that!
Lissie recently posted..An Update on Independent Travelling in Europe
But to rely on the Internet exclusively could be very dangerous to you, your business and your income. Just ask all the people who were making millions of dollars per year using nothing but broadcast FAX or telemarketing. One day they were raking the money in hand over fist. The next they were out of business, living with their parents and parking cars for a living.
Marc The Sales Techniques Guy recently posted..Selling Skills-What You Need to Apply NLP Successfully
Yes I tend to agree that Internet marketing sucks. There are so many white hat, grey hat, black hat stuff to learn and manipulate just to get that Google Luv. It sucks big time as I am glued to the computer more than 10 hours a day. Just wondering when things will be much easier… So much for the ranting!
gps comparison recently posted..Garmin Nuvi 255W Review
I've found that you can still make some decent money without abandoning ethics. First step for me is to find a good product with a good affiliate program – something I'd be willing to use or buy myself, so something I don't feel bad about recommending. It is actually best if it is something you use, because then you've also got extra insight about what makes it good and bad. Be honest about the weaknesses of a product, and you'll get happier customers because they won't buy the things that contradict their wants!
John recently posted..Heading to the Rally to Restore Sanity and-or Fear
Well the only people and sites that make real money I know about are Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, Ebay, Amazon, Facebook etc.
As a Programmer and a Computer Graphic Designer I find that there's no such thing as Internet Marketing in a sense that you don't go out looking for it, it's right under your nose. If you want to make real business online you got to start telling people you are this and start selling your own stuff.
Because I only see people coming to me telling me, " Hey! Jeff please I need this app can you do one for me" and another comes and says, "Jeff I need to put a website quickly can you create a very attractive banner on my website and others want me to design a logo"
Find something that is already been published within you, meaning something that you know about that others do not know. That's how you start creating a business.
You just can't keep going out and finding affiliate links to multi tier affiliate links and start going to Fiverr.com to find traffic by paying people for $5 to post your link on there face book wall that they have 500 fans. Hey that's not a bad idea but all that you are doing is your not really running a business that represents you.
You have to build a business that represents you so that you can feel proud about it.