Don't let this happen to you
Read my story and learn from my mistakes. Get the checklist that makes sure you succeed.
Right now you may be reading the title to this blog and asking yourself the very question: how do I build a successful money-making website? The answer is simple in one respect and profoundly difficult in another.
Beginning with the basics
Getting started on your website takes determination but along with that it takes time and effort to make it successful. Designing your website can be fun but also extremely time consuming. If you are new to the process it can be overwhelming.
My own personal horror story
Let me tell you about my first experience with designing my own site. I had worked for other online businesses that used WordPress so I felt pretty comfortable with beginning my own blog on the system.
I decided to set it up to advertise my book which had just been published and I only wanted to get the word out. I thought it simple enough but wow did I have a surprise in store.
My first mistake was deciding to go into WordPress and simply sign up for their free program. I soon discovered that having my own domain name would garner me more action on the search engines so I paid for the premium version. That cost me $79 plus extra for my own domain name registration.
Feeling quite proud of my accomplishment I set out to begin writing. I didn’t have any idea what I was doing so I just started to write. I didn’t know how to create a home page, a blog roll or even that I should have a separate home page or an about me page. I was totally lost.
As I fumbled around in the system for several weeks, I soon realized I needed help desperately. Thus, I began to scour YouTube for tutorials and was able to find a great deal of help. Eventually, I figured out the terminology and learned what a widget and a plug-in were. The terms at first were totally Greek to me and I was solidly floundering around my site. I spent hours trying to make things work that just didn’t seem to work.
Then after six months of futility and writing the very best copy I could write I discovered I had signed up for the wrong WordPress system. I had WordPress.com and would need WordPress.org if I was to in any way monetize my site.
After breathing a heavy sigh of exasperation, I began to search out ways or options of converting the site. I would need another $120. What??? After all this work and time an now they wanted to charge me another fee for converting the site from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. I was pretty fed up and ready to give up.
A Mistake Made Right
While researching the best way to redo my site I came across an internet forum on WordPress and discovered there was a way I could get a new WordPress site completely free of charge without any hosting fees and I could also get help setting it up. They didn’t even ask me for a credit card. It was that simple.
The website was through Wealthy Affiliate and up until this time I had never even heard about them. When I signed up for the free program and got into the system I was astounded as all the training that was available right at my fingertips and it wasn’t costing me a dime.
After I closed my mouth and stared blankly at all the training available to me I began to dig in. Wow, I had wasted almost an entire year working on a website that was now useless to me. Then Kyle from Wealthy Affiliate explained how I could easily redirect my old blog to the new one I was designing through Wealthy Affiliate. It was a breath of fresh air.
Wealthy Affiliate concentrates on helping their members build a successful niche website but not only just building that website but monetizing it so all their members can have a successful online business.
The nice thing about it is that it’s not necessary to sell Wealthy Affiliate; it’s only necessary to design and develop your own niche website in whatever area of expertise you wish to pursue.
Discovering your expertise
My goal in designing Freelance with Copyhound was to help others who wanted to begin an online business but didn’t know how get started. Some of them are writers; others not so much. Some of them have great technical skills; others not so much. You see, we are all different people with all different talents.
I’m a writer first and computer guru next. Writing is my first love and I try to do it every day. When deciding what my blog will cover each week I try very hard to think of the things that frustrated me when I began my search. I recall the areas for which I desperately needed help and guidance. Those are the areas I try to bring to others.
I especially remember that first six months and wish I had not wasted them. I don’t want you to waste them either. That’s why I wrote up a quick five step checklist on how to get started on that website or blog without pulling out all your hair or chewing off all your fingernails. The checklist is available for free and believe me you’ll want to take advantage of the opportunity to skip all the heartache that I embraced for six months of my life.
Once you get your free checklist and begin your journey into the world of blog creation, I’ll be open to assist you in any way I can. There are many resources available here on my blog with weekly postings of tips and tricks to keep you going an aid you in creating your own successful website.
What to write
And if you need help writing those most important pages or finding the content you need, the Work at Home Grandma is only an email or phone call away. I work with people every day who don’t know how to begin their website; they don’t know what to write on their pages. The one thing I always tell them is to write what they know and tell their personal story. Tell others how they got where they are today.
Believe me, everyone has a story and everything begins with story - even your website. I’m excited about helping you find your dreams and succeed in whatever pathway you choose. I’ll email that free checklist right over to you and you’ll be able to get started today making your dreams come true.
Some great pages to consider
About page – tells your reader all about you and why you chose your particular niche
Home page – a recap of what is on your website and a map to guide your visitors
Getting Started – if you are advocating a particular affiliate program or online product you can actually begin the journey of promoting that product by creating a page that points your reader in the right direction.
Work on your site every chance you get
Along with doing a daily blog or weekly or monthly newsletter remember to craft your website daily. Update each of your posts regularly as Google will be more inclined to index your posts if they are new and fresh.
Always include internal and external links in every post you write. If you link internally it encourages people to see other parts of your website and not just the particular blog they are reading.
External links to expert sources are very much liked by Google and also give great credibility to your blog.
My monthly Newsletter is a recap of all the tips and tricks for the past month so you’ll want to take advantage of a free copy by signing up for My Mailing List
May your week be successful and your goals be set high. Take one step after the other and you will reach the end of a successful road.