Chef_Brian - 2:11 am on Oct 7, 2002 (gmt 0)

Hey Newby,

As others have mentioned it involves several pieces of a big and complex puzzle.

1) amount of traffic for a given search phrase
2) the amount of this "global traffic" that your site is picking up
3) how well your site converts visitors once there on your site
4) how well your program pay (bonuses, flat fee, commision) ect ...
5) your operating cost

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1) It all starts with search phrases that people use when looking for information. This is really one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. You can have the best site in the world that coverts 50% of your visitors but if no one is there .... game over.

Sit down and think of a list of search phrases that people would use to find information within your websites theme. Write those terms down and then head over to some of the popular search tools online (i use wordtrack often) and find out just how many people are searching daily for these terms.

2) Once you understand "rough search numbers" you can then begin to work on your site. You know that search engine optimization stuff you read about all the time here at webmasterworld. Try to make sure your site name and site pages reflexed those terms. Also weave those terms into the text of your pages. No need to be sneaky, just start with those tearms and build from there.

3) Once you have people on your site for those keywords you will then have "targeted visitor" which will usally convert more often. Make sure you are able to track your visitors ... this will allow further optimization of your pages and will also help uncover "other" search phrases you might have missed.

Now it is up to your website to convert your site visitor. There is nothing wrong with a link that says "buy" or "download" but as mentioned make sure to include good content and fits in with what your trying to get your visitor to do ..... buy, click this, sign up for....

4) After those steps happen it is really down to a numbers game. Understand that "most" of your visitors will NOT buy, or click, or sign up .... for what your offering. And that is ok, do know that if you have targeted visitors SOME of them will act and you will make some money! I like to take a look at programs, how much they pay and then research keywords and look for niches within that industry. Do this and over time you will start to make money.

5) Keep your expenses low, forget the pay per click, and learn as much as you can about search engine optimization. That equals free traffic from google which will start to put money back in your pocket. My monthyly costs for most of my websites are under $20 monthly, one sale a month and I am profitable. Sale number two and I take the wife out to dinner ;-) Once you start making several hundred dollars you can then start to put some of that money back into your websites with listings from yahoo, or if your brave ppc listings on google or other pay per click engines.

I have worked this type of a system and I am right at the turning point. For the last four months my income has doubled each month and I am closing in on $1000 monthly. It can happen .... it does take tons of work, reading, mistakes and the rest. At the same time it is very rewarding creating something from nothing and seeing the money start to come in.

Good Luck!

Chef Brian