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So I thought to myself why not start my own website that only consist of pictures? So the first thing I googled was: How to make a website
In the process of learning HTML and more about websites I noticed some people make good money. So why not start an online business rather than posting pictures? Thats when I started my first website a few years ago. And now I own over 10 websites. It all started as a hobby, >> then turned to an addiction >> and finally the addiction turned to an illness :)
*If you know what I mean: [webmasterworld.com...]
I would be very interested to learn from your experience and learn how/why/when you decided to start your website? [assuming it wasnt your full time job]
Their site never really got off the ground. My site (and the business that grew around it) generated about a quarter million dollars last year. ;)
Oh, and this was back in 1997.
[edited by: LifeinAsia at 7:50 pm (utc) on Jan. 16, 2007]
In short I didn't know enough about the technology or the market, I put the site on the back burner an started on a totally diferent niche an spent 2years learning the tech, an developing at the same time
Now, the 2 domains in 2 totally diferent niche's seem to be picking up, time will tell
I needed a website to advertise my services so I decided to create my own even though I knew nothing about it. It was quite successful although when I look back at it I am not proud of my efforts. An ex colleague saw it and asked if I could make a site for him. I did not have a lot of work on at the time so I did so. This led to another request and when I got to the third one I saw an opportunity.
I deecided to create a web design site, which was really quite cheeky since I still did not know much about it. After starting to get into SEO I found that I could be quite successful. A couple of my earlier sites went on to generate an unbeleivable amount of business for my clients. Word got around and here I am today with Web Design now probably about 80% of my business and my consultancy still sitting at 20%.
I'm still not a rich man but I now make a reasonable living from my businesses and at 58 years of age this does not have to go on forever so I am quite happy with my lot.
It's funny how things turn out but who's complaining :)
(1) I wasn't constrained by space -- I could publish as much content as I could come up with.
(2) I didn't have to lie awake wondering about errors and typos after something went to press, because on the web documents are living and I can edit them at will.
(3) I didn't have to spend money on printing, or be troubled be consuming paper or ink.
(4) With print publishing it's hard to get your content into the hands of readers. But on the web you have an instant, global audience, and anyone with a connection can access your content.
You can see why I was so enamored of the web. So I started publishing like mad, drunk with the power of all of the reasons above. After a few years I'd put together several hundred pages. And I'd kick myself for having such a time-consuming hobby that didn't make any money. Sure, I helped or entertained thousands of people, but what was *I* getting out of it, besides the satisfaction of helping or entertaining people? Couldn't that time have been better spent doing something else, say, playing music or kissing girls?
I'd shied away from putting ads on my sites for many reasons:
(1) I absolutely hate animated banners and popups, which used to be the predominant form of advertising, and no way was I going to foist that on my visitors, no matter how much money it might make me.
(2) I didn't want to screw around with finding advertisers and billing them.
(3) My traffic wasn't so great that I could make that much money.
(4) When I first thought of advertising (maybe circa 2000/2001), the primary screen size was 800x600, which didn't leave a lot of room for ads.
Then around 2003/2004 I noticed all those Google text ads on other sites and I checked it out. Adsense easily overcame my first two objections: I could have advertising that wasn't obnoxious, and since it was targeted it would actually be like a *service* to my readers. And Google would handle finding the advertisers, delivering the ads, and taking care of the billing. Sweet. Around the same time my traffic had increased to the point that it was worth it to start having ads, and screen size increased to 1024x768, which actually *necessitated* having a sidebar or two so that line length isn't too long, and an ad block is an easy thing to put in a sidebar.
From there I branched out and sold some adspace directly, and also do some affiliate programs. I make a comfortable living off my content. It's a dream come true for me, because what I like to do is to research, organize info, write info, and share it with the world, and now I can do that *and* make money at it.
A friend of mine had a similar story. He started his site to share his expert analysis about a certain topic, without ever expecting or even hoping to make money from it, and because his content is so good his site became enormously popular. I started selling the adspace for him, and now it's making him an insane amount of income.
If there's a moral I think it's that you have to be passionate about your site, not about making money. Neither my friend or I set out to make money, we set out to create great websites, and the money just found us. It might not work for everyone, but I still think that focusing on the visitor gives you your greatest chance for success -- both financially and spiritually.
After my micropayment processor closed down after one year I abandoned that project and tried my luck with those "get paid to surf" affiliate programms that were around at that time. However with not much success and soon most of this businesses closed down.
However the internet virus never lost hold of me again and when I finished university a few years later I was already running my own internet business.
Me? I started 'bout 11 years ago.
Bought a computer to connect my MIDI instruments to, made layouts and plates for a magazine after 2 weeks but no music. Then, a friend asked if I'd help with his website, he gave me programmes and said it is easy....LOL
My first sites were made with NS3's WYSIWYG and a lot of passion for this wild new world....
After 11 years, I finally have another SB sound card (Audigy), I have a poor man's recording studio in my lounge, and a 'very' small web design income.
Not a bad pension....;)
It has been fun translating my sales/marketing knowledge to the internet over the years. Sometimes my clients actually understand where I'm coming from....
Bought some mags with free editors in and off I went.
Its still up today and I laugh at how bad it is, all animated gifs etc, second site was when I needed some money.
Went blindingly well, cracked SEO all on my own and had it ranking well, dropped the site after a dodgy (sole) supplier stitched me up.
Third site cornered the world market in board game prior to Christmas cleared a small fortune in the process, making around £500 per day in the period I had it sewn up.
Now for the first time in seven years im seriously starting to build an ecom site.
Slow worker I guess.
One thing that does annoy me though is that people seem to think its dead easy to run a successful ecommerce store, it isnt its real hard work.
Got an interview for company called zentropy partners located at soho square - FA (football) then wanted the same building so they moved.
Bloke that interviewed me was Andrew Leszczynski who designed the first commercial website in the uk way back in the dark ages. Really clever bloke and he saw what I had done with a WYSIWYG editor and he advised me that I needed to learn HTML and get my self a 21inch monitor and a copy of HOMESITE.
the story continues...
Got my head around onpage SEO, newsgroup spamming and good old FFA Blaster! never looked back. It was much simpler then :0
When I started college and then had a kid I had to take priority which was my kid. even since then I havent been able to step forward with my skills. I just have to learn php and more of flash and ill be alright.
Anyway, first money maker was the result of a lcoal businessman telling me to F off when i asked if i could help him with his biz. Nothing like revenge as motivation. I now control about 80% of his target market :evillaugh:
