There was never a dull moment for marketers in 2009.
In 2009, we (myself included) were slapped by Google, and tens of thousands of Adwords accounts were shut off overnight. In December, the FTC rolled out their new regulations on our industry, requiring us to disclose “typical” results and limiting our ability to use honest social proof. Moreover, the so-called recession has become a buzz-word, scaring a lot of people out of our community.
With all of the crotch-shots that internet marketers have taken in 2009, it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon of thinking that things are just getting too hard.
This year, I have heard more whining and complaining from internet marketers than ever before, and we’re already a pretty whiny group.
At the same time, the downturn in the economy has caused many to look for new income streams and/or new ways to promote their businesses. This has thrown many into the internet marketing community, and the new blood (I predict) will be the most profitable group of “newbies” ever to enter our market.
Paul Zane Pilzer says in his book The Next Millionaires that one of the greatest hindrances to growth in an industry or in an economy is resistance to change.
We are especially guilty of change resistance here in the US; when our auto companies cannot compete with overseas manufacturers, the government comes in to make sure that they stay in business. And when Google hits landing pages and says that we can’t advertise with them anymore, we feel as though we’re being duped.
While I have not been immune to the shots that Google took at my business or the other hits that our community took this year, I have been amazed at the lack of creativity and initiative taken by many successful business people, even leaders in the industry.
There is a natural tendency to try to “return” to what has worked, even when changes have made it obsolete. When Google cracks down on a strategy, or if something replaces it, the natural reaction is to try to “get back” what has been lost. Of course, it is rarely profitable again unless the entrepreneur adapts to the changes.
This is why blackhat marketing is such a dangerous trap. A few years ago, there were people at The Rich Jerk forum making a killing by spamming the heck out of MySpace. When MySpace closed these loopholes, people’s “businesses” went under overnight, and they were forced to scramble for the next quick fix. For some, it was marketing porn on adult sites, and for others, it was something darker or nastier.
Then there was me, who bought up MySpace marketing sites and turned them into legitimate marketing programs that continue to make sales and build lists.
Today, affiliate marketers no longer have an easy time making sales by direct linking on Adwords, and testimonials now have to be carefully crafted. The market continues to change, and it is for that reason that people entering the market now will have even more profitable businesses.
Those who are just beginning to enter our community, and those who are willing to adapt, will enjoy more tools, more traffic sources, more partner relationships, and be able to reach a larger customer base than anyone before. While Google is still a viable and profitable source of targeted traffic and customers, it’s changes have forced marketers to find alternate sources. Facebook advertising, media buying, banner ads, PPV, and social media are just breaking onto the scene, and new sources will continue to develop.
Today, it is easier to develop products, make websites, find and connect with customers, take orders, find affiliate programs, identify traffic sources, and make connections with other people than it has ever been. For some, this spells the end of the “good old days,” when their way of marketing worked. For others who adapt to changes, it spells opportunity to reach more people than ever before.
When we think of what internet marketing looked like just five years ago, it seems almost archaic. There was very little market research available, there was no Facebook advertising, there was no video marketing, and shopping carts and autoresponders were clunky, if you could use them at all.
Five years from now, we will say the same: in 2009, there were “flogs” that robbed good marketers of sales and scared people from ordering online, people relied only on Google for traffic, offline sales still were more than online sales, people used hidden continuity… and on, and on…
2010 brings more opportunity than we have ever seen before. The only question is whether you will adapt according to the changes and partake in the opportunity, or if you will wish for the “golden years” when it was possible to slide by.
For those of you just getting started, I could not be more excited to welcome you to the community. If you’re willing and able, there is more opportunity to reach people and make money than there has ever been, and it will only continue to increase.
i loved this post ryan.
it’s true if you want to make it on the internet you have to adapt and be innovative.
As a lot of my affiliate sites sales have started to dwindle i’ve been able to switch gears a little and move on to other more profitable opportunities.
I’ve gone from marketing other peoples products to marketing my own at much higher margins.
I’m confident that 2010 will be my most profitable year yet online.
I hope it will be for you to Ryan.
Great post Ryan.
Leads me to think of what I used to think when I was first starting out: “If internet marketing was SO easy, everyone would be doing it!”
Well, it does seem like everyone (almost) is doing it nowadays.
This means that to stand out from the crowd, we really need to be more creative and engage with our visitors.
So yes, IM is getting easier in the sense that we have tools to do what we need to, but also harder because everyone has access to most of these tools too, and we need to think harder to differentiate ourselves.
Thanks for this post Ryan.
Even though I’ve been online for a while, I consider myself in the “newbie” category, cause I’ve never made any serious income online. In 2009, I made about $600 in earnings, but spent probably more than that on marketing software and “systems.”
Anyway, this is a very optimistic outlook and I view things the same way. The opportunities online are almost endless-like a microcosm of the offline world.
It just takes some flexibility and creativity, but at the same time the ability to FOCUS and not get pulled in too many different directions. That’s a tough balancing act, but I think I’m finally starting to get it down. I believe 2010 is going to be my best year online so far.
I have to disagree with you on this one ryan, the recent google slap has made it near impossible to send traffic effectively to a landing page even if it is a deep site you still get slapped, I think Google are shooting themselfes on the foot, they will lose a ton on money through this, I think they forget where they get most of there money these days.
I agree with you on this one. I was one of the many that got Google slapped, which forced me to find other ways to market. Everybody should be ok as long as you don’t put all your egg in one basket, stay innovative and keep our morals.
Ryan,
As someone who is just getting started with IM and starting two businesses online in 2010, I appreciate this straight forward post. There is so much hype on the net on how to beat google at their game and make it big overnight (which will not happen). I realize it takes work and for someone coming out of the mortgage arena and building a business from scratch 10yrs ago, this will be no different.
I agree with you Ryan, You Have To Stay Diversified And Like Young B Wealth Says, You Can’t Put All You Eggs In One Basket, Blogs, Forums, Membership Sites, Cpa Networks, Christmas Gifts-WiFi, Ninetendo, This is the time to sell, especially electronics, I think the sub notebook computers are pretty cool to sell, Hey, that might be an idea.
Great Post,
Keep up the good work,
Ray
Great post!
I think it is in way humorous as a lot of the “Big Time” marketers may have undone themselves with their ‘hidden’ continuity programs. I got burned by one once and I have read on many forums where I was not alone. I didn’t go to the FTC, but I am sure a lot of people did and also complained to Google as it was one of their links that they followed.
It seems that there are a lot of short sighted people in IM and a lot of ‘followers’ as if one marketer does something – it seems EVERYONE does the same thing. Whether it is good or proper. I can see that from all the emails I get from different marketer ‘groups’ – email after email promoting the same products as everyone else in that group.
You are absolutely right in that this year will be different as I can see several of the ‘old guard’ marketers leaving the business as their techniques will no longer work. You are one of the few IM guys I still respect as you don’t bombard my email box several times a day with offers for everything I have already gotten emails from other sources promoting.
I do see changes in 2010 in email marketing from the stuff described above. People will just start to unsubscribe and not sign up for things that they have to give an email address for. I am starting to get that way myself as I REALLY have to think about if I want to sign up for another list and I have been unsubscribing from several that give my no REAL information as they promised and just more of the same.
Will any of this make it harder? I don’t think so – you just have to think a little more and start to blaze your own paths. We will also have to actually learn how to market properly and to be conscious of what we are marketing before we become the snake oil salesman of the Internet.
Best of luck to everyone in 2010!!
Ryan, this post should be awarded **POST OF THE YEAR – 2009**
What an opportunity we all have; even a newbie, if he/she puts her mind to it could outrank a well seasoned mega-guru.
As you say, these Gurus tend to stick with what they know. This is bad for them but good for us. I have personally hear one of the world famous gurus say “how do I use twitter, facebook, and linkedin?”. Yeah hes good at products, copywriting, etc but useles at moving with the times.
Last rant: Wake up and smell the traffic! There are tons more people shopping/ opportunity seeking online since at year and it will ONLY GROW! Plenty for everyone.
To paraphrase the famous P.T. Barnam – “Theres a new customer born every minute”
EDIT FROM RYAN: Terry, I really appreciate the kind words. Thank you!
Thank you for your optimism Ryan !
I too have read many gloomy commentaries about the waning
potential of IM.
And I experienced a huge hit these past two months: I had been enjoying a nice profit for nearly two years from my only website …but the commission structure has been changed and now my affiliate activities get me 9% of what they used to.
I’ve been dejected for about a month over this – especially given that this happened in the holiday season which was so rewarding for me in 2008 – but now I’m almost finished my sulking and your blog entry here is another push in that direction.
Thank heavens I had my survey income and another little income streams. They are each small but as YoungB wrote, you MUST not put all your eggs in one basket.
Also, I agree with Leonard that the sun is going down on email marketing; I find myself unsubscribing from many of them and feeling reserved about submitting my email to new ones, as he mentioned.
OTOH, your emails are always a treat.
EDIT FROM RYAN: Thanks Chris! Email marketing is NOT going away – it still works like gangbusters in niches *outside* or internet marketing. Also, have a talk with your affiliate manager to try to get your commission up. If he says no, find a new program.
Ryan,
Thanks for the positive blog post. Been thinking about Facebook advertising and was wondering what your experience has been regarding which is better, CPC or CPM, for a niche site such as weight loss.
EDIT FROM RYAN: Go CPC.
Also do you suggest setting up a new facebook page specifically for the site you want to advertise?
And if you are looking for blog topic suggestions, I would really like to a see a post from you on the do’s and don’t's for Facebook advertising – segregating ads (ex. one for men, one for women), using keywords or going broader with demographics only, etc. and any other useful tips you have discovered.
Great post brother. I fully agree. My sentiments exactly.
I see the traffic platforms as our major advantage in this internet era. Without a doubt more creativity is being required to compete with our competitors but it also seems that in and of itself this is an opportunity.
Increased competition breeds fear and fear drives away competition. Interesting how that works.
Mike
I agree with your thinking Ryan. With anything that changes you should yourself adapt and play by the rules of the system to “win.” If you don’t then you’re irrational if you blame the system. The rules are not there simply to slap you. Google doesn’t care about that, they’re following the money.
I’m new at IM but I’m so excited that it’s easier than ever to start a business overnight. I welcome the changes, it will up the ante and those willing to change will have the chance to grow.
Great Post Ryan!
We have to realize that Google absolutely hates internet marketers even though they have made tons of money servicing (bilking) them. Google is a search engine and search engines want there patrons to find what they are looking for–which is relevant content.
That is what we marketers should be offering too–relevant content. The further we get away from this concept, the worse off we are.
As for new venues, you hit the nail on the head!
Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Fat New Year, Ryan and all of our friends that hang out here.
John
That book by Paul Zane Pilzer is a good read. I agree with what your saying getting traffic. Google is not the only player. Just think out side the box.
I know I am a little delayed here, but I just joined Wealthy Affiliate. I have been interested in IM for a couple years now. I am presently working the One Week Marketing program with a little success. Soooooo much to learn!!
I just wanted to say, I have ran across your name several times in my research. I got a kick out of your post that said you officially have a crush on PotPieGirl!!
Well, I officially have a crush on you!! Your information is great! Thanks.
You may have not intended to do so, but I think you have managed to express the state of mind that a lot of people are in. The sense of wanting to help, but not knowing how or where, is something a lot of us are going through.
Each day I am more and more astounded about on-line marketing because of understanding how the the next generation interact with the world with their technology. My 10 year old son just sent me a website they had put online to aggregate areas of interest for their . They wanted to know a way to setup advertising on the page to . I must tell you I am so happy.
Thanks for that it’s just what I was looking for. Come visit sometime maybe you’ll find something useful too