Its not that easy to make money from the internet or is it? [Archive]

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www.sitepal.co.uk

26th March 2006, 19:06

So many try and so many fail. Why do people still think its easy to make money from the internet.

I think its these people that are the bait

Tony

cqueen

26th March 2006, 19:18

I think you are right, unless there is a sound or completely unique product or service to sell.

c2webdesign

26th March 2006, 19:29

Don't necessarily think it has to be unique - but if you start a website you have to have an eye catching design that stands out, looks professional and unique, easy to use and purchase items AND you have to begin a marketing, advertising and PR campaign.

Many newbies make the mistake of believing that when you have a website people will simply visit it - or they simply wait for organic SEO to set in (which as we know can take a very looooooooong time!)

Mwebb

26th March 2006, 21:45

It is the same as any business. If you provide a product or service that is better than your competitors, market it right, then it can be easy. other than that it needs to be unique, or solve a specific problem for a group of people.

So many people fail because they don't do the basics, and get sucked in by hype. They here "easy", and automatically think i don't have to do any work. It doesn't work like that-ever!
No business is easy to set up. People see the milliondollarhomepage story and think 6 month $1m USD easy, it doesn't happen that way. This guy did his homework, then worked his butt off. He then got lucky...his idea could have just as easily flopped!!

But in a way he made his own luck!!

dan_moore

26th March 2006, 22:58

... certainly it's not easy to make money as a copycat site; in fact virtually impossible!

It's amusing to see the hundreds of copycat million dollar sites that have sprung up, and ones that are heavily based on the concept... none of which to my knowledge have been successful at all.

At least it shows that if you do have a genuinely 'fresh' idea and a couple of grand to bung at a decent PR firm - as he did - then you might just make it big.

Here's hoping...

Dan

DuaneJackson

26th March 2006, 23:21

What I love about the million dollar copy cats is the fact that the same thing has happened as in the gold rush in the wild west.

The ones that made the money were those selling the shovels. Now, the only money being made in pixel ads are those selling an off-the-shelf php script.

Coding Monkey

27th March 2006, 06:31

I make money off the Internet ;)

SillyJokes

27th March 2006, 06:44

If you get it right you can make a lot of money off the net because your potential market is big.

I would not enjoy starting a website from scratch these days though. Getting listed and finding traffic must be a constant worry. no wonder there are so many people out there promising to fix it for you.

www.sitepal.co.uk

27th March 2006, 07:07

theMBA

27th March 2006, 07:08

Alex Tew did well to make $1m with his milliondollarhomepage idea. It might have been a one-off stroke of luck, though. The whole idea is that it's a single page (he says he won't be selling a second one). I also read that part of why he's successful with it is because of the media interest in the potential 'student-rags-to-riches' story. So maybe the media machine really made him rich, not the advertisers!

Anyway, he won't be able to retire on his page - he'll have to come up with something else, with the pressure of expectation bearing down on him at the same time - not easy!

But good luck to him - I hope he makes it, big time!

SillyJokes

27th March 2006, 08:31

mattk

27th March 2006, 08:39

It depends on what you mean by "make money". There are literally millions on people on the Internet, out of those millions there are plenty of chumps. If you can tap those chumps for just a couple of quid each then you can make an awful lot of money.

This is how spam mail, "get rich quick" schemes, lotto-syndicates etc work. They are not good products, original ideas or anything like that - they just simply use the weight of numbers of the Internet, the fact that people are idiots and before you know it, you've got a nice little earner!

No disrespect to people who run legitimate business online though ;)

CarlF

30th March 2006, 21:23

Running a successful internet business is still certainly possible, and many people, including myself are doing so. We've launched several sites and all of them have been in profit within 3 months. I've been running a full time internet business for 6 years.

However, like any business, it requires a lot of time to do. You have to put the customer first in any business, whether it's internet based or not.

the internet is a great platform to offer niche products, and if you pick the right niche, you can do very well.

many people do think it's just a case of signing up for an affiliate programme and waiting for the ££££'s to roll in, but it's not as easy as that.

if you can get a product the customers want, at a reasonable price, and provide them good service, you stand a high chance of success in any business.

best regards

Carl

creative-keyrings

1st April 2006, 10:22

Hehe regarding the gift wrapped dog poo i ordered one ages ago for a joke and it fooled everyone!

Get your poo today, there great!

:):):)

Magsite

1st April 2006, 10:30

Most of the people I know would never attempt to make money off the net. They tninks is far to hard when infact its not. A bit like networking, if you see a product that someone would like its worth putting the time in to promote it

Lisa

SillyJokes

1st April 2006, 12:09

Lisa, it is a bit like some many people think the only way to earnmoney is in a job. All the people here trying and succeeding by their own efforts how it is not the case.

I'm probably unemployable now! I just couldn't work my harse off and see the same amount in my pay packet at the end of the week no matter how much effort I put in.

uksbc

1st April 2006, 12:16

I'm probably unemployable now! I just couldn't work my harse off and see the same amount in my pay packet at the end of the week no matter how much effort I put in.

this point is spot on. i dont think this is restricted to just internet business though.

in the early days i wish i had a pound for everyone (friends and family alike) that said "why dont you go an get a real job? get regular money! have less stress" yadda, yadda (i actually had this conversation yesterday)

but when you know how much money you make when it is yours not your employers you do become un-employable

dont get me wrong, i am not rich and at stressful times i am not happy either BUT could i go back to working as a salesman for someone else for £200 per week - NOT A CHANCE

:D