Takeaway Tips: Learn from Successes and  Failures of a 7 Figure Site 

Presented by: Al Carlton

Tweet Your Questions: @AlCarlton

 Banker → Wanker →
Software Engineer → Entrepreneur
◦ Quit the 9-5 in 2005

 Since 2005
◦ Paid >$1M from Google
◦ Paid >$1M-ish from
affiliate merchants


 Tweet your questions to @AlCarlton
 Answers as we go (or at the end)
 Tweet a question? Get an entry to the drawing:

2 hour consulting session (£500 value)
o Talk business
o Talk Internet
o Talk about your holiday
o Talk about whatever you choose


1. Traffic Sources
2. Revenue Generation
3. Business Side
4. Networking


 Search
 Social
 Direct
 Referrals
 Paid
 The Future


 Not an SEO talk >> check out the other talks
 Al’s Mantra: Create quality content and let
Google do its job
◦ Help may be necessary at times
 SEO practice sound dodgy? Probably is!
◦ Smack down will come
◦ Keep your eyes on the long term


 What works best for YOU?
◦ Understand their audience & your audience
◦ Spend time on what works
◦ Automate those that don’t work well (yet)


“Even if you can’t be arsed with a Facebook
page or Twitter page, set it up. Spend a few
weeks on it interacting and adding content
and make your visitors aware of it. Down
the line those few thousand subscribers,
followers & friends could be handy even if
it’s not on your radar today.”
– Scott Jones

 Play by their rules
◦ Know the rules
◦ Rules change quickly…take advantage while you can
◦ Find work-arounds
 Make your content easy to share
 What is available??
◦ Use a tool (namechk.com)


“Stop spending so much
bloody time on Facebook and
Twitter and do some actual
work” :)
-Chris Clarkson

 Make it easy for users to return
 Build an email list
◦ Use it
◦ Monitor it
◦ Management software
 Bookmark your site
◦ Know how users access you
◦ Make it easy for users to access you
 RSS Subscribers
 Did I mention build an email list?


Before After


 Quality content
 Share with contacts in your niche
◦ Quality content gets organic links
 Use your personal and social networks
 Don’t spam


“The Internet landscape changes so
quickly now that it's like there are
25 Internet years to and don't be
“Embrace chaos 1 normal year.
A lot can and will happen in thatit
afraid to change. Even if time
means changing everything.”
and you can't afford to rest on your
laurels or things that
'used to work’.”
- Chris Winfield, CMO blueglass.com
@ChrisWinfield

 TakeYour Pick
 Example: Affiliates
 Example: Adsense
 Maximize

 Key: multiple revenue streams
◦ Subscription
◦ CPM ads (pay per view)
◦ CPC Ads (pay per click)
◦ Pay per action
◦ Affiliates
◦ Sales
 Loads of ways to make money


“Diversify revenue streams.
And I don't mean having two
different advertising networks.”
– Chris Garrett


“If you can buy/develop/improve
one site to be the leader
in its field, no matter how small a
genre, you can negotiate very
favourable advertising rates
that could surprise you.
Better to be the biggest fish in a
medium sized pond.”
– Scott Jones

Revenue Generation: Affiliates

Sales by Link Type

7.6%

31.0%
61.4%

 Make images into links


 Take it easy
◦ Don’t over do it
◦ Remember your site’s image & audience
 Think outside the front page
 Sneaky sites


Be smart about your real estate

DO NOT LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE
 You built a list – USE IT
◦ Get to know analytics
◦ A/B(/C/D…) testing
 Target your adverts
◦ Device
◦ Geo
◦ Content type
 Target your social media spend
 Know your economics


“Our site reviews have been priced at
various price points…Each time I've
raised prices to decrease demand as
we were getting too busy. And each
time demand has gone up slightly...
Perceived value and your product price
is something you should obviously
experiment heavily with.”
- Joost de Valk, yoast.com

 Hiring
 Research
 Money management


 Don’t create yourself a new job
◦ Hire professionals for professional jobs
◦ Outsource the things you hate

“If your business cannot run
without you it is not a
business. It is a job.”
- me


One of the worst mistakes I have made (a few
times) is thinking I can do everything solo. We are
not superheroes. – Chris Garrett

“One of the worst mistakes I
have madeneed somethingit,times) is it that day at 2pm and pay
If you (a few skilled and can’t do personally, then pay
someone, don’t half arse better to finish work
thinking to create the next finished product than work late intowas
someone skilled
I canbetter morning to realise what you create the
night drunk and wake up
a
do
everything andthe way, you may justitget there quicker and with
dross ….and then go
solo. to do properly, it’s still yours
even if you get help along
pay someone

We are not superheroes.”
better results if you get help. – Scott Jones

– Chris Garrett
“One that I wish I knew/applied when I started out is to take the time to figure out the
core activities that you as a founder are best at and equally important enjoy doing…You
can potentially get very good at all of them and think it is a good thing but in reality it is
a big mistake. The sooner you focus on your key areas of expertise and
hire/outsource/partner with others to do everything else the better your chances of
success.
-Toren Ajk, President TAC Marketing Group

“If you need something skilled and
can’t do it personally, then pay
…and then godon’tpay someone to
someone, and half arse it.
do it properly. It’s still yours even if
you get help along the way. You 2pm
Better to finish work that day at may
just get there quicker and to create a
and pay someone skilled with better
better finishedyou get help.” work
results if product than
late into the Scott Jones and wake
– night drunk
up the next morning to realise what
you create was dross…

“…take the time to figure out the core
activities that you, as a founder, are
“…The sooner you focus on your key
best at and -equally important -
areas of expertise and
enjoy doing.
hire/outsource/partner with others to
There are many else the better your
do everything activities, from client
prospecting, account management,
chances of success.”
billing, legal, biz dev, developing and
-Toren Ajk, President TAC Marketing
fulfilling the actual product
Group
or service you are selling that
need to be done…

 Hire & fire
“As you grow, finding the right people
is one of the hardest things to do. Be
ruthless, as having to get rid of the
wrong people is even harder.”
– Chris Clarkson
 Utilize available services
◦ PeoplePerHour
◦ Fivver (used correctly)
◦ Odesk
◦ Visit “Outsourcing” from ThinkVis 2010/03

 Take action on ideas
◦ Make notes on new ideas
◦ Register the domain
 Research before diving in
◦ Internet
◦ App stores
◦ Ask within your network, friends


 Keep separate accounts
◦ Banking
◦ Credit Cards (get points!)
 Consult your accountant when in doubt
 Keep ALL records


“Keep your business life and your
home life and finances apart.
Don’t spend anything unless you
absolutely have to.
Nothing is an order until the
invoice is paid”
– Paul Madden

 Don’t flush money down the drain
◦ Check your expenses & auto debits
◦ Sit where you are for £650
“If you are starting out and can
afford to reinvest 100% then do it.
This gives you an advantage to
leverage while others take a wage.
Use it in the short term for
competitions, PR & promotion and
buying other sites. If you can’t
beat the competition
then buy them.” – Scott@AlCarlton
Tweet Your Questions: Jones

 Importance of Networking
 Where & How (Not) to Network
 Circle of Trust
 How (Not) To F*%k up


 Advice
 Partnership
 Expertise
 Opportunities

“A network can be your most powerful asset, and
will be even more import as
the world economy changes…
Make nurturing and attracting network
relationships a priority, it's one of the best
investments you can make.” – Chris Garrett

 Attend conferences (well done!)
◦ Follow up
◦ 2-4 meetings before considered part of network
 Break the ice on social networks
 Ask (and offer) email introductions
 Give more than you take
 Don’t be too pissed


“No matter how well-
known someone is, at
after-conference beers,
everyone is approachable
and generally happy
to talk to you.”
– Chris Clarkson

@AlCarlton will be in the bar tonight

 Those you can trust
◦ You go to them for advice
◦ Vice versa
 Know everyone’s expertise
 Circles will intersect (personal, business)


I’m
baaaack
!!!


 Don’t let your penis make business decisions
 You will be let down by someone
◦ If in doubt, research them
 If in doubt consult your circle
 Listen to what your circle says!
 Don’t spend the money on Dom (Perignon or
Hodgson) - spend it on the business


1. Traffic Sources
Quality content
Avoid the dodgy
Use social appropriately
Build a list
2. Revenue Generation
Diversify
Experiment and optimize
3. Business Side
Don’t create yourself a job
Get an accountant! FAST!
Separate business and private finances
4. Networking
Is as important as your product – so do it
Circle of trust

 Toren Ajk  Scott Jones
tacgroup.biz Scottish Lord
@fthead9 @sj
 Chris Clarkson  Paul Madden
sunshine.co.uk uk.manuallinkbuilding.com
@chrisclarkson @PaulDavidMadden

 Kieron Donoghue  Joost de Valk
contentnow.co.uk yoast.com
@kierondonoghue @yoast

 Chris Garrett Chris Winfield
chrisg.com blueglass.com
@chrisgarrett @ChrisWinfield

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