How To Build Blog Making $100+ a Month on Autopilot Under 3 Weeks – Part 1
By
I wanted to put together this case study for a long time. Actually, it’s a blueprint for how to setup successful niche blog pulling $100+ a month on autopilot with affiliate products.
It all started with my friend Simon – newbie in internet marketing, but driven to succeed. He had a little knowledge of HTML and setting up sites at the time, read mostly free info online about keyword research and affiliate marketing and was fired up to make his first sale online.
I agreed to help him and take through all steps to build his first affiliate blog with one condition only – I can share his story on my blog.
Here is what we did over a period of 3 weeks to setup a blog making him $100+ a month now.
Our first meeting started like this “Dude, I found great site builder software, lets create a site selling these products”. “Why this software and why these products?” Apparently, somebody recommended the software and products choice was… a lucky guess.
Not to bore you with all details, we had a good brainstorming meeting and Simon got homework to create business plans for 5 product sets. Pay attention – product sets, not just one product. You don’t want to limit yourself to one affiliate product. Example – instead of building site around iPhone, build it around iPhone accessories (more choices) and then add iPhone (one product) later.
Several decisions were made on the first meeting:
1. Use Wordpress as a site platform.
2. Sell eBay products.
3. Google search query with the main product keyword(s) should return less than 5,000,000 related sites.
4. Use Google keyword tool to estimate monthly traffic for 40 related (to main keyword) terms. Traffic should be at least 100,000 a month (we are looking for popular items).
5. Simon will create 5 business plans and comes up with available domain names based on main keywords.
I was pleasantly surprised when, after 6 days, Simon came back with completed business plans. Short version of winning business plan looked like this:
Objective: Sell xxxxx (cannot disclose) eBay products as eBay affiliate.
Value to visitors: Easy and quick way to find xxxxx products on eBay. Visitor does not need to type search phrases on eBay, and all irrelevant items eliminated from auctions automatically.
Goal: Sell 1 product during first month and double sales each month for the first 4 months. Reach $100+ a month at the end of 4th month.
Products price range: $80 - $1500 with average of $300 per product.
Expected revenue per product sale: $12.
Target revenue from site when fully developed: $100+ a month.
Site platform: Wordpress.
Google related sites: 1,700,000.
Google traffic: 460,000 a month.
Traffic target: 4,600 a month by 4th month. Initially, target 1% of niche market traffic and increase it from there.
Site launch date: August 1st.
Start up cost: $100.
Ongoing cost (monthly): $15.
Exit strategy: if target revenue is not reached after 4 months – sell site and move onto other projects.
Situation improved dramatically in comparison with our first meeting. Now we were talking business, well-defined and focused online business. Expectations, target numbers, expenses and exit strategy are set clearly and there are no surprises. Simon was ecstatic… and registered domain name right away. Next assignment for him was to spend 5 days learning Wordpress.
Few words about “cost” in the business plan. Start up cost was one-time fixed cost for premium wordpress theme and phpBay Pro plugin to sell eBay items. We wanted to look professional to the site visitors, and don’t drive them away with a crappy free theme. Ongoing cost is a hosting fee for virtual private server (not shared hosting).
Stay tuned for Part 2 where I’ll reveal final steps we took with the blog and results we got (Hint: I did not expect it’ll turn out that way).
Meantime, here is something I want you to think about:
Do you have YOUR business plan defined?
Do you hang too long sometime to loosing blogs?
How do you measure a blog (or business plan) has failed?
Do you budget your online expenses… or just pull credit card out of the pocket?
21 Comments
October 16th, 2008 at 3:31 am
I think the point here is - a blog without a purpose is not a business! Nice case study!
October 16th, 2008 at 9:09 am
I’ve kept this to look it over a few times, now and after part 2…very interesting so far though.
Dennis Edells last blog post..Guest Post: DaBlogger Tells His Experiences with Social Bookmarking
October 16th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Hi, Max:
First what does Villiat mean? Second thanxs for coming by my blog. Appreciate the visit and the comment.
You know when i initially created my G34 Media blog, it was meant as a placeholder for my network of sites and blogs. The domain name was registered based on brandability, not keyword richness. (mistake #1)
I didn’t research anything prior to setting up the blog, no keyword research, no theme research. In fact the blog has had numerous wordpress themes since i first created it.
I had no strategy, no business plan, no nothing. Here are the results on my blog (so far):
Some, but Low Income - (some Adsense, a hosting referral, a site sold, a wordpress aff sale, some links sold) P.S. I don’t sell links on it anymore.
PR 4
Alexa - 250,000
Traffic Source: Organic and Referrals
My biggest problem with this blog is definitely a lack of direction. LoL. I need to seriously figure out what is the idea and intent behind this blog. Ideally i would like to make money with it. Most likely because of its niche/subject affiliate programs is the way to go.
What advice and suggestions do you have a for a buddy blogger? Please visit my blog and tell me how YOU would improve upon it.
I also realize i need to incorporate some email marketing type of initiatives on this, and all my other blogs. It seems inevitable.
Look forward to your feedback.
Missy (from G34 Media)s last blog post..10 Ways To Generate Blog Income, Part I
October 16th, 2008 at 9:28 am
I should add that i know how to monetize a blog. But for some reason (most likely the lack of direction i referred to above) my G34 Media blog is a challenge for me.
I do make out nicely with my flagship blog, and although it can do better. I have sort of found my niche and place with this one.
I have heard that marketing and blogging tip blogs are challenging, and this is very true. Not impossible, and not money losers. But just not as easy as other niche topics.
Missy (from G34 Media)s last blog post..10 Ways To Generate Blog Income, Part I
October 16th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Hey Max
It’s been a while since the last time I came here. You still remember me? How’s everything, buddy? I almost lost you on my blogging radar till I saw your comment on Frogstr…
You know what I’m too excited to learn how to create a blog that generates money on autopilot. So I guess I’ll be following your steps closely and see if I could pull something like yours. Probably the biggest hurdle for me is knowing which particular niche and on what keywords I should be focusing on…
Look forward to part 2…
Yan
October 16th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
It’s very nice from you to share this “how to”. A lot of people sell this kind of stuff for like 20$ in ebooks
I have websites running on auto pilot and generating money through Adsense, but it’s not the first time I hear about a blog to sell ebay stuff. Can’t wait for the next article!
Ben - frogstr.coms last blog post..Fear the publish button
October 17th, 2008 at 12:32 am
thank you everybody for visiting and taking your time to post comments, really appreciate it.
@Virtual Impax - absolutely right, purpose, focus and well-defined plan make a difference in your online success.
@Dennis Edell - I am putting final touches on Part 2, stay tuned…
@Missy (from G34 Media) -
First of all, let me congratulate you. With “no strategy, no business plan, no nothing” you have achieved PR4! You should be proud.
G34 Media brand name was not a mistake, it’s perfectly fine for your situation. You wanted to brand it, but focus is lost. Viliat is also brand name, otherwise I’d have to register a domain with nonsense name like monetizingwordpressrevealed dot com. Who would remember this one? Even better, how many hours it’ll take to type it in a browser?
What Blog flipping, Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Google Chrome are doing on the same blog? Unless Jerry started to blog about making money
Too broad and almost looks like you wanted to keep posting at certain intervals. Even Google is confused by serving ads “Blog Ads” and “Flip Real Estate” in the same ad unit.
I think you already know what you need to do:
“figure out what is the idea and intent behind this blog”
“problem with this blog is definitely a lack of direction”
Go back to step 1 - Define business plan, use a short version of Simon’s plan as example. Main points you want to start with: Objective, Value to visitors and Goal. Look at keyword stats for G34 Media, how people find you online? It’ll help to re-focusing blog.
I noticed you have 15 sites in your portfolio, how you keep up? Anyone who managed over 3 blogs knows it’s a nightmare. I think the very first step, again, should be what I told Simon - figure out what you want to do and come up with business plan. In your case, it should be 15 of them. It seems you like writing about GREEN products - make it your first priority! Do what you like.
Missy, I truly hope this advice will help in your endeavors.
@Blog for Beginners - Of course, I remember, glad you come back.
@Ben - thanks for valuing my post as high as $20 ebook
October 17th, 2008 at 7:48 am
[...] presents How To Build Blog Making $100+ a Month on Autopilot Under 3 Weeks – Part 1 posted at Viliat Online Business, saying, “Start with one simple blog making $100+ a month [...]
October 17th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Thanxs for the awesome feedback. You bring up a fantastic point about that not even Google knows what my blog is about, and has trouble coming up with ads. LoL. Good point. Well taken.
It is true i have many sites. But i don’t have 15 sites, i have 15 domain names. Some are developed and some aren’t.
But you are correct, it is a nightmare. No way no how can one person manage all that. I know i can’t. That is why i plan to sell most of them off and concentrate on my core properties.
It is the only way to move forward successfully. It is better to have 3 awesome sites, then 15 crappy ones. For sure.
I wonder if i should delete some of the wacky posts on G34 Media, and or leave them. What do you think?
P.S. I have a variety of topics on there, cause i just wanted that blog to be a catch all. The one i could write about anything, and not be tied to any specific topic. But i suppose that doesn’t make for a good blog.
Thanxs again for your feedback. Appreciate it.
Missy (from G34 Media)s last blog post..10 Ways To Generate Blog Income, Part I
October 17th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I don’t recommend deleting any posts unless you got a court order
They are there, try to make use of them – e.g. on Seinfeld post add Amazon products like Season 1 DVD set, or Netflix affiliate banner. You got the idea.
Also, try to analyze what traffic to your blog tells you. Are there keywords that show up in your stats more frequently than others? If it’s a case, create and optimize content for these keywords.
Good luck!
October 18th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Excellent Max. I love that you point out to peeps that you have to treat this as a business - even if it’s a “quick blog”.
You also have to “continue” to treat it as a business.
Looking forward to reading Part II.
Cheers!
Jay
October 20th, 2008 at 6:57 am
[...] Lloyd presents How To Build Blog Making $100+ a Month on Autopilot Under 3 Weeks – Part 1 posted at Viliat Online Business. saying, Start with one simple blog making $100+ a month and grow [...]
October 20th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Thanks for your submission to the Twenty-Fourth edition of the Blog Carnival: Blogging. Your post has been accepted and its live: http://thatsblog.com/?p=145
-ThatsBlog.com
ThatsBlogs last blog post..Geeklog: Yet another blogging platform
October 20th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Hi Max,
Found you through the Blog Carnival at thatsblog.com Glad I signed up for that. I was wondering what your thoughts on operating multiple niche blogs are vs. trying to get a main flagship blog going first.
@ Blogging For Beginners. Yan, you are everywhere I go. How much time you spend on commenting?
Thanks,
Jeremy
October 20th, 2008 at 11:46 am
@Jeremy
LOL…it’s just so coincidental that our path crosses somehow. I spend a good amount of time commenting on other blogs that interest me and Max’s is one of them.
Good to see you here too, buddy..
Yan
October 20th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Hi! I also found you through Blog Carnival, its a great way to find quality posts like yours! Thank you for this, it is inspirational, I can’t wait to read part 2.
October 20th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
@Webdesi3 - thank you.
@Jeremy - very good question and a great idea for a post. Short answer is - it depends on what you want to do (business strategy). It’s relatively easy to setup niche product blog and repeat success with more niche blogs. However, you would need automation and tracking system in place, otherwise management of multiple blogs will become a nightmare. Here is a link to my post about very good blog automation system.
On the other hand, flagship blog can outperform multiple niche blogs, but the blog will require more attention and time from you.
I usually suggest to start few niche blogs, get a good handle on how to do various tasks with blog (including monetization) and then brainstorm idea for a flagship blog.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I like this model, and I’m going to have to come back for part 2 myself. I think $100 a month is a modest goal, as it’s more than I’ve ever made in a month with all my websites combined thus far.
Mitchs last blog post..Growth Revisited
October 27th, 2008 at 12:18 am
thanks for visiting Mitch. I hope this post will give you idea or two how to take it to the next level.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:55 am
This is really a great little case study you have going on here! With what little you disclosed even the most inexperienced Internet monkey and juggle the details and figure out how to implement their own “plan” from the points you laid out.
I really appreciate the emphasis on you guys leaning towards the premium theme and phpBay for your EPN stuff as opposed to a free plugin like WordBay or something similar.
Quality does go along way, especially when your banking on 100% organic traffic.
Elijahs last blog post..Blog Report For October 2008
November 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
@Elijah - I was hoping to make this case study simple enough for anybody to follow and start making their first buck online.
Premium theme, in my opinion, is absolute must these days - people got allergic reaction when they see so-so themes (usually perceived as spam blogs, thanks to all make-quick-money schemes). However, I’d say WordBay is ok for complete beginner or a person with tight budget. Suggested strategy in this case - earn enough money with free plugins to buy premium plugins.