Life After Google? My Musings....

[Aiden Roberts]

I have been around on these boards since mid 2011 and from the beginning the general advice has been to buy the best names you can afford but given newbies to the industry often have a limited budget (me) these names were generally low-mid search emd's.

Not a problem because Google gave a little boost to the emd but to add further value and help future sale prices the advice was to build them out, rank them then sell them.

Experienced members warned that the emd boost wouldn't last and true to their word it hasn't and many domainers/affiliates have seen their current income and future sales slashed and in some cases decimated.

Now that Nominet have created uncertainty in the market with the .uk debate which has all but killed low end sales; flipping doesn't seem to be a sustainable option.

So the advice "don't rely on Google" has come true and Nominet have set the the wheels in motion for an implosion what will you do?

I am not experienced enough to understand all this algorithm talk let alone figure out how game it so here is my plan for " Life After Google", it should have been my plan from the start but better late than never:

Get out of UK extension and concentrate on com.

Have no more than 4 sites, these sites will be designed for the user not the search engines, they will be about providing useful information that will become an authority in the niche.

Affiliate activities will be secondary to usefulness.

Learn about and utilise social media and email marketing to generate revenue.

Start treating this like a real business not a hobby.

What do you think of my plan and do you care to share yours.

Regards

Aiden

 

[websaway]

I have been around on these boards since mid 2011 and from the beginning the general advice has been to buy the best names you can afford but given newbies to the industry often have a limited budget (me) these names were generally low-mid search emd's.

Not a problem because Google gave a little boost to the emd but to add further value and help future sale prices the advice was to build them out, rank them then sell them.

Experienced members warned that the emd boost wouldn't last and true to their word it hasn't and many domainers/affiliates have seen their current income and future sales slashed and in some cases decimated.

Now that Nominet have created uncertainty in the market with the .uk debate which has all but killed low end sales; flipping doesn't seem to be a sustainable option.

So the advice "don't rely on Google" has come true and Nominet have set the the wheels in motion for an implosion what will you do?

I am not experienced enough to understand all this algorithm talk let alone figure out how game it so here is my plan for " Life After Google", it should have been my plan from the start but better late than never:

Get out of UK extension and concentrate on com.

Have no more than 4 sites, these sites will be designed for the user not the search engines, they will be about providing useful information that will become an authority in the niche.

Affiliate activities will be secondary to usefulness.

Learn about and utilise social media and email marketing to generate revenue.

Start treating this like a real business not a hobby.

What do you think of my plan and do you care to share yours.

Regards

Aiden

The biggest problem with the uk market ( apart from the obvious what nominet are doing ) is the amount of low quality names that have been registered, when I look at some of them I cringe, I don't know what logic was applied to the registration objective. But quality uk names are still an excellent place to be,while everything is not so rosy ( because of the uncertainty caused by nominet ) the glass is still very much half full and I would not if I were you fall for the other grass is greener syndrome.

And as warren buffett says he would rather be a buyer in a cheap market than a seller.

So don't necessarily change your business model just look at your game plan.

 

[boxfish]

The .uk is an issue for those with large portfolios of top domains, I don't see how it will impact you (not being rude, it doesn't me either) so I don't see why you are moving to .com

My honest advice which I think will help you is:

Stop posting polls asking where the money is
Stop chasing where the money is as though that's the answer
Build one BRILLIANT site you have an interest in with commercial possibility
Treat it like a business
Once it's making money reinvest in developing the site or buy another.

A fully-functional, genuinely useful website about disabled-friendly accommodation (I think it was you who was doing this) with user-submitted reviews, email interviews with hotel owners, photos and links from respected sites will be an asset that will make you money and that you can sell for a lump sum in the future should you so wish. I honestly think you are onto a winner if you develop this idea properly and stick with it.

Edit: If it is you developing that disabledfriendly website take your adsense and banners down and develop it properly. You can always tell a website will fail when the most important thing to the developer is getting the adsense in place before anything else. Add content, add value, add advertising.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

The biggest problem with the uk market ( apart from the obvious what nominet are doing ) is the amount of low quality names that have been registered, when I look at some of them I cringe, I don't know what logic was applied to the registration objective. But quality uk names are still an excellent place to be,while everything is not so rosy ( because of the uncertainty caused by nominet ) the glass is still very much half full and I would not if I were you fall for the other grass is greener syndrome.

And as warren buffett says he would rather be a buyer in a cheap market than a seller.

So don't necessarily change your business model just look at your game plan.

Hi websaway I agree about the low quality names, god Knows I have many of them but i justify it with lack of experience and budget.

As for the .com rightly or wrongly it just seems like a safer bet at the moment whilst .uk is up in the air, I suppose I should have said expand into the com and develop a better .uk portfolio rather than leave it completely.

Buyers market- great point and to be honest one angle I didn't really take on board for fear of getting stuck with more no hopers.

 

[ratboy]

Aiden don't be too downhearted, lots of people are feeling the same pressure at the moment.

Spoken to loads of people and generally people are very worried. Many getting out for good - and this shows in the sales threads of late.

However, I think we've just become lazy and relied on Google too much. Every site should have a business plan - thats why the 1/2 site plan works. As has been said above consider each site as a business. Google can only be part of the marketing plan - plan for the day the site disappears out of Google - that's hard, but these types of business were around before the internet, so it's not that hard to work out.

It might be the best thing in the long run!!

 

[Aiden Roberts]

The .uk is an issue for those with large portfolios of top domains, I don't see how it will impact you (not being rude, it doesn't me either) so I don't see why you are moving to .com

My honest advice which I think will help you is:

Stop posting polls asking where the money is
Stop chasing where the money is as though that's the answer
Build one BRILLIANT site you have an interest in with commercial possibility
Treat it like a business
Once it's making money reinvest in developing the site or buy another.

A fully-functional, genuinely useful website about disabled-friendly accommodation (I think it was you who was doing this) with user-submitted reviews, email interviews with hotel owners, photos and links from respected sites will be an asset that will make you money and that you can sell for a lump sum in the future should you so wish. I honestly think you are onto a winner if you develop this idea properly and stick with it.

Edit: If it is you developing that disabledfriendly website take your adsense and banners down and develop it properly. You can always tell a website will fail when the most important thing to the developer is getting the adsense in place before anything else. Add content, add value, add advertising.

Boxfish you speak so much sense, you are actually one of the members I was referring to when I mentioned don't rely on Google and building an authority site.

You are absolutely right about Disabled Friendly and that is one of my four and will certainly be one of them if I reduce the numbers even further. I can see your edit and I am actually changing it as we speak but I though I had taken it down, I am sure there is a maintenance mode plugin?

I really appreciate your honest opinions and observations they are the kind of talking to I need.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Aiden don't be too downhearted, lots of people are feeling the same pressure at the moment.

Spoken to loads of people and generally people are very worried. Many getting out for good - and this shows in the sales threads of late.

However, I think we've just become lazy and relied on Google too much. Every site should have a business plan - thats why the 1/2 site plan works. As has been said above consider each site as a business. Google can only be part of the marketing plan - plan for the day the site disappears out of Google - that's hard, but these types of business were around before the internet, so it's not that hard to work out.

It might be the best thing in the long run!!

Cheers ratboy

As you say many are feeling the same way, I know I am at a low ebb at the moment with this internet malarky. On a positive note and from a personal perspective I haven't got thousands invested in names, it is not my only income and it has been a great learning experience.

Already from the 3 responses to this thread a bit of clarity is starting to form which will hopefully develop into a solid plan, I don't really like pity parties but was having one earlier today and I needed this quick injection of sense to get me through it.

The main point I need to take on board is this is a business, I was never looking for a quick quid rather a sustainable long term income and that shouldn't waver every time I hit a stumbling block. It's time for me to grow some b****cks and step up to the plate.

Thanks ratboy this has been cathartic

Rob aka Aiden

 

[domainseller200]

Some great info in this thread by all contributers, here are my views and how I see it.

1. Diversification is the key to it all. Don't rely on Google for anything and just see it as a bonus. There are plenty of other ways to market a website without them, and still do well.

2. Concentrating on building 1-5 great sites on solid names (time and money allowing) Building 1 great site is all well and good, but for me personally I get bored and tend to wander off into other things - those other thigns may as well be some other great sites on great names.

3. .co.uk is still THE place to be regardless of the EMD. Swapping to .com won't solve any issues in that respect, the same as switching from wine to lager won't help if you're an alcoholic. If you are building a site and not flipping domains, the .uk proposal won't really affect you either - you are either in or out of the online industry.

4. The whole EMD boost / .uk proposal has only made me explore other opportunities in ways I should have been doing anyway, Google made me slightly complacent, but I have always been preparing for the day the EMD bonus was switched off and lining my ducks in a row - hence why I haven't been hugely affected as an overall.

5. My overall game plan hasn't changed - just the way I play it has.

6. Look at the gaps left in the markets where this has affected others. Also look for solutions to problems which need solving (if you look you would be amazed) It may sound a daft idea in theory, but pens always go missing in everyones house - how could you solve that problem ? new pens sent to someone once a month for a set fee ? daft idea maybe, but there are literally 1000's of problems in the UK / world which need solving and once you get 'thinking different' you will be surprised what comes to you.

Try not to get too disheartened, this wasn't meant to be easy because if it was, everyone would be doing it

 

[ratboy]

The main point I need to take on board is this is a business, I was never looking for a quick quid rather a sustainable long term income and that shouldn't waver every time I hit a stumbling block. It's time for me to grow some b****cks and step up to the plate.

For me it was chatting with some mates who run big firms who don't use Google - namely in the commercial waste business.

We together have found several ways of using a website to make more money for them, solving a few problems the end user has and ultimately means more business for them - for which I get a commission. Sure Google is going to be used, but also direct mail and phone bothering.

Using skills I have, but focussing them into a real business idea.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Some great info in this thread by all contributers, here are my views and how I see it.

1. Diversification is the key to it all. Don't rely on Google for anything and just see it as a bonus. There are plenty of other ways to market a website without them, and still do well.

2. Concentrating on building 1-5 great sites on solid names (time and money allowing) Building 1 great site is all well and good, but for me personally I get bored and tend to wander off into other things - those other thigns may as well be some other great sites on great names.

3. .co.uk is still THE place to be regardless of the EMD. Swapping to .com won't solve any issues in that respect, the same as switching from wine to lager won't help if you're an alcoholic. If you are building a site and not flipping domains, the .uk proposal won't really affect you either - you are either in or out of the online industry.

4. The whole EMD boost / .uk proposal has only made me explore other opportunities in ways I should have been doing anyway, Google made me slightly complacent, but I have always been preparing for the day the EMD bonus was switched off and lining my ducks in a row - hence why I haven't been hugely affected as an overall.

5. My overall game plan hasn't changed - just the way I play it has.

6. Look at the gaps left in the markets where this has affected others. Also look for solutions to problems which need solving (if you look you would be amazed) It may sound a daft idea in theory, but pens always go missing in everyones house - how could you solve that problem ? new pens sent to someone once a month for a set fee ? daft idea maybe, but there are literally 1000's of problems in the UK / world which need solving and once you get 'thinking different' you will be surprised what comes to you.

Try not to get too disheartened, this wasn't meant to be easy because if it was, everyone would be doing it

Brilliant Advice.

 

[websaway]

When you hear the people complaining about the people who own great domain names from the 90's they should remember that the people who own the names are not yellow bellied, they have seen up's and downs and initially registered domains at a time when the people who criticise now would have been the ones who ridiculed them for buying ( yes buying, they had to put up hard cash with no guarantee on return ) in the early years. the millionaires of the future are the people who hold their nerve and go forward, not the ones who upsticks and run.

A word of caution though, there is a skill in idetifying a bargain and often the past does not guarantee the future.

 

[roydovaston]

1. Diversification is the key to it all. Don't rely on Google for anything and just see it as a bonus. There are plenty of other ways to market a website without them, and still do well.

--

To be fair, it's hard not to rely on Google when search is just so powerful. I don't know the statistic on how many people have Google set to their home page when opening their chosen web browser but i certainly do. I'd say 99.9% of my browsing sessions will start at Google.

What other options are there? We've got some good positions in Google and just can't get listed in BING in any decent positions at all because they just love EMD (at the moment)!

 

[boxfish]

You are absolutely right about Disabled Friendly and that is one of my four and will certainly be one of them if I reduce the numbers even further.

For what reasons do you want to build more than one site to start with?

Some of the stuff you will have to do on a single site, your disabledfriendly site for example:

Create content
This includes researching, writing, drafting, questioning/interviewing, editing, publishing and then promoting. Keeping on top of the latest news and always knowing what is going on so future articles are up to date and relevant.

Social Media
Having a regular visual presence on relevant forums and news sites, maybe 2-3, maybe more. Social media such as Twitter. This doesn't mean posting 2 updates a day and "I've done social media" it means searching, identifying and talking with people who are influential/interested/involved within your niche, making yourself known as someone with experience in the field and who is up to date with the latest stories.

Generating user-generated content
Although regular user-generated content can come automatically, to start with it won't. You have to contact people, pitch them and offer an incentive. You have to speak to potential advertisers, get them to offer prizes as an incentive for the best photo-essay on a holiday/guide etc before then promoting that prize to your social media/forum/email list as a competition.

Building links
Researching, connecting, pitching, writing and always coming up with new ways to get worthwhile links from relevant, respectable websites.

"Hi my name is Aiden and I run DF.co.uk, I thought my site would be of interest to your readers, please can I have a link" won't work.

"Hi, I saw you ran an article on xxxxx and I thought one of our recent contributor's experience with xxxxx and the new xxxxx regulations would be of interest." is getting there, this relies on the research and social media/forum presence above.

Website development
Integrating feeds/fixing bugs/split testing/improving ctr as well as time also takes money

Moderating
Comments/reviews/user-gen content/forums all need moderating, editing and deleting - they will also need replying to in the absence of other users.

Selling Advertising
Not just emailing random people but building relationships with key people on the forums and social networks before then pitching them. Once you've done this you then have to invoice, chase payment, upload banners/ write advertorials etc.

This is just the base-level of stuff you have to do every day to start with.

Once you have people generating content ala tripadvisor/forums and regular commenters then that part of the equation can take care of itself and moderation outsourced but to start with you'll have to do it.

Selling advertising, first you will approach them, then once you have built something decent they will approach you and this portion of your time is saved.

Same with the links, eventually you will be an authoritative resource and more links will come naturally.

Getting started is the hardest bit and the bit which takes the most time/money or a combination of both. Doing all of the above across 4 sites doesn't seem possible to me without a big budget or doing an extremely poor job, it would be fairly easy to still do a poor job just working on one site.

 

[murph]

^ fantastic post boxfish

 

[Trigger Happy]

Yes boxfish has nailed it.

I think the best thing for Aiden to do would be to go away and not spend any more time on this forum until he has started on this track.

 

[Blossom]

Boxfish makes it sound about 25x more work than it actually is though. Not to mention that plenty of things on that list don't take that long or need to be taken to that much depth. Starting half that stuff *after* you've created something decent, rather than trying to do everything at once, will save you plenty of time, money and stress.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

@ boxfish- Excellent, copied in order to digest and use as a framework, thank you

@ Trigger Happy- Thanks

@ Blossom- Noted

 

[julian]

I'm sorry to say I think whats been said here is mostly dream on, pat on the back, better luck next time bollocks - and it just covers up the real issues of 'why' its not happening for some people.

You can't just reduce success to some formula any pleb can follow or we'd all be doing rather a lot better than we are now

All this diversification talk - people can't diversify because they have no transferable skills - they can't do anying with any real value. They don't even have any original ideas... so theres only one option left... yes..?

 

[Aiden Roberts]

I'm sorry to say I think whats been said here is mostly dream on, pat on the back, better luck next time bollocks - and it just covers up the real issues of 'why' its not happening for some people.

You can't just reduce success to some formula any pleb can follow or we'd all be doing rather a lot better than we are now

All this diversification talk - people can't diversify because they have no transferable skills - they can't do anying with any real value. They don't even have any original ideas... so theres only one option left... yes..?

Hi Julian

Phew! Plebs?

I get what you are saying and am unable to dispute it. I would like to think I am trying, messing up, being indecisive, learning, soaking up information, learning some more, gaining confidence and then eventually doing a good job!

If this is a pleb then OK, if my success doesn't happen overnight then so be it, if it's a new take on an original idea that's fine, if it's a revolutionary new idea then that's fine too but as long as I continue to learn and get better that's the point.

or

maybe I have interpreted your post wrong?

 

[boxfish]

Boxfish makes it sound about 25x more work than it actually is though. Not to mention that plenty of things on that list don't take that long or need to be taken to that much depth. Starting half that stuff *after* you've created something decent, rather than trying to do everything at once, will save you plenty of time, money and stress.

Maybe I do make it sound more work than it is, maybe I don't. If you can start four sites and fit it all in after you've finished your 9-5 and at the weekends then all power to you. I have all day to do it and still end up adding things onto the next day.