Can’t Make Money With Your Website – I Think This Might Help!
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First of all Happy New Years… kind of hard to believe it is 2010… for me anyway.
In the spirit of New Years (new beginnings and all that stuff) I wanted to take some time and offer some help to some of you. A couple hours a go I was approving comments on this here blog and I read the following…
So I thought to myself…
“What a great idea for a post!”
The problem however is I am not sure many of you are in the mood for reading much since last night was the number 1 hangover creator of the year. So instead I thought… hey lets do a podcast.
So, if you are one of the many out there that can relate to that comment and have been trying to make money online and seem to be going nowhere… well maybe this 20 minute podcast can help.
This is 100% content… no trying to sell or pre-sell anything.
It is a very one sided podcast… simply because it is me simply talking… but I think it is some pretty good stuff and hopefully it can help a bit.
I do have a request though. As mentioned in the comment, the site Jim is struggling with is…
http://www.ebay.internet-money.org/ebay-rules.php
And I was going to critique it but I would love instead to get some of you, my awesome readers, to give Jim feedback instead. Not looking for huge paragraphs of feedback but instead simply comment below with an answer to the following question…
–> What is the number one thing you recommend Jim modify with this web page to help him get conversions?
I will follow up on the post with my opinions and feedback to your comments but I would love to hear all your opinions first.
OK, so download the podcast (great stuff I think)…
(The free MSN tool I mention in the podcast is
http://adlab.microsoft.com/Online-Commercial-Intention/)
…and then check out http://www.ebay.internet-money.org/ebay-rules.php and come back here and answer…
–> What is the number one thing you recommend Jim modify with this web page to help him get conversions?
(here is a little hint of one of my opinions… WAY TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS on the left and Crappy Title… oops that’s two.. but what’s yours… and be a little more specific then I am here.. this is just a hint, I will give details in the next post)
PS – Don’t forget to check ut the latest cool contest here at Johncow –> http://www.johncow.com/happy-new-years-and-some-free-super-cool-prizes-for-you/
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Nice info John. Downloading the MP3 right now while typing.
First of all when I get on the web page I expect to see the keywords in the domain name on the page somewhere typically the header. Next as I scroll down the page it is a little distracting on the left hand side. A little too much going on. Then I get to the bottom and the contact email looks like this Contact: jk2260@googlemail.com. As I scroll back up the links on the left hand side are catching my attention even more. So I see the first link that says Join Our Newsletter! so I click it and what do I see? Join Our Newsletter
Sign up to our newsletter and receive free updates about eBay and insider secrets on how to start exploiting this trading system! But instead of an opt in box I see the WORDS Enter Your Opt-In Code Here. This website has no opt-in box so it tells the visitors that this website’s owner do not have his stuff together. This guy needs some help before he will see any money from this website that is for sure.
Travel Employment Opportunities
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I agree that there are to many DISTRACTIONS on the landing page, I think the sales page is much better, but should have a free offer with a optin.
SmittyX, the kahunadude.
I feel very distracting as well.. yes the free offer is a great idea.
Hey John,
Great idea for a post.. As for Jim’s site, my first reaction was like others, tone down the left side, make it more focused.. I would also make the link to the sale page more “actionable” I didn’t really see it right away and even though it was in the middle of the page I had to look for it.. The sales page looked good, only thing that really stands out to me is the price, showing 97 crossed out with a $7 sales price to me seems too drastic, I would either raise the price or lower the $97.. Nice job on the graphics too..
One last thing, it was sloooowwwww to load.. but maybe thats from the traffic it’s getting from this post, if its not get ahold of me and I will gladly get you setup
AWESOME Reply!
Thanks John, I’m actually downloading your MP3 now so I can listen to it
I always like stopping by your site. You are one of the few “real” people I keep up with in this niche any more, keep up the great work.
Awesome vid.. gave me alot things I need to do
Yes too many distractions but also hard to read.
The main copy needs to be rewritten with a few punchy statements about the problem that will be solved if the product is purchased.
List the benefits.
Provide some credibility
And give a strong call to action.
Rich
Ya I felt the copy was very dry too and really did not flow into the call to action well. Thanks for the reply Rich!
I think there are way too many links on the left sidebar that are not in any kind of order to help you find what you are looking for. (alphabetized, or by topic or something) And the topic “Ebay Rules” as the homepage doesn’t well define what you are about to find on the site.
I can make money on my website but not much, not enough to fulfill my daily life.
I was confused when I went to the site, too many links and distractions. Also I did not see a WIIFM or enticing banner that spoke to me the client.
I think taking a look at the website from a client’s perspective would be very helpful.
VERY GOOD ADVICE Karen –> “I think taking a look at the website from a client’s perspective would be very helpful.”
Jason,
Jim’s site has a very nice looking header but it takes too much space. If he can adjust the header size to accommodate for more content space then it will benefit him. The call to action should always be above the fold.
Regards,
Jon
Jason, as for Jim’s ad, here are a few thoughts that crossed my mind when looking at the web page (in no particular order):
*) As far as the left hand side links go, I would recommend using a type of “silo” format that will break down the articles according to related fields. This will hopefully minimize the busyness on the left hand side.
*) I had to scroll down to get to the ONE and ONLY call to action.
*) The Title is a SLEEPER!!!! It doesn’t make me want to read on let alone do any kind of clicking for more information.
*) No opt-in – The Cardinal Rule for IM!
Lastly, but just as important, test and tweak and then test again – and for Jim, don’t give up success is around the corner ~
Lori.. BANG ON ADVICE! Jim reread these point from Lori… very worthwhile!
Good =) I’m tired of always reading things everywhere… It’s starting to hurt my eyes. Lol, I’ll be listening and downloading.
Thanks so much!
Kris Roxas
I just have to share my latest project here too, I think the title will of course speak for itself… oh, as an added bonus for your readers the first person to figure out what I am actually selling and shoot me a message can have one for free
heres a link to the “shiznit” right here:
Oh this is a sales page alright
Great template to go off of… If you are looking for help on how to structure a sales letter check out his link http://admindaily.com/oh-this-is-a-sales-page-alright.html
Thanks John,
just remember everyone, don’t steal my testimonials.. I worked really hard to find those people
damn… I just realized something, I better put up some legal bs on there like 5 TOS pages, earnings disclaimers, rights and responsibilities, privacy policy and some sort of “if this ruins your life, its ok cause you sucked before” disclaimer 
DOH.. this is why I should not do my blog reading at 1am… i KNOW your name is Jason, but for some reason I have this inability to use it here, I always use John lol… sorry
Jason,
Among all the good comments mentioned above, the real obvious and glaring mistake is that there seems to be no effort to concentrate on a specific keyword phrase in either the body, heading, URL, etc. Just random pages and content on stuff related to Ebay, but no targeted efforts to focus on a keyword phrase that has been researched to have good traffic, but low enough competition to get enough eyeball on the site to then convert to sales.
Enjoy your ‘feet on the ground’ approach to helping us all learn more about how to improve our game. Thanks for all you are doing.
Bob
Thanks for the kind words and YES i 100% agree… no structure to the content. It was mentioned above about a silo structure but also (as you mentioned) the whole keyword optimizing.
Is it just me or did anyone else notice: The poster (Jim) says he’s never made a dime online. Yet he’s selling a product on how to make money online?
I believe this website has the potential to sell product. But it’s kind of like putting the cart before the horse don’t you think?
I am still in the process of downloading the audio, so I don’t know if Jason has already covered what I’m about to say.
The website itself would be fine if it was just the sales letter, but for this type of product, it would need a video to accompany it.
Also the “articles” in there are just PLR stuff. I picked a topic at random (effective copywriting) and just right clicked any random paragraph/pasted into google and a whole heap of websites popped up with the exact content.
Add something different, audio, video, even a different template to stand out.
Maybe also an ebay longtail keyword in the url.
I’m not an expert by any means but I just did this research within 30 seconds.
Ya it is pretty obvious that the website is a cookie cutter PLR site… the content that is used needs to be rewritten and optimized. Great points MG!
1) Where Am I?
2) What Can I DO Here?
3) Why Should I Do It?
These are the first three questions ever person asks themselves when first arriving at a website. Forget conversions! The site MUST answer these Qs well in order to retain viewers longer than a few seconds.
The 1st question is answered, but the other two are poorly addressed in my opinion.
The 2nd question is addressed vaguely in the sub-head “Beginner’s Guide to…eBay,” but what’s being offered is still unclear. It appears that the Beginner’s Guide is the articles themselves. There is nothing that points me to the product as the “star of the show” here.
The 3rd question is completely neglected. I have absolutely no reason in my mind for clicking on your call to action. It is just another abstract banner to be ignored as far as I’m concerned.
I’m sure your articles are helpful for the group you are targeting, but each one needs to highlight the fact that there is a better, much richer source of information to be had in your main product. Visitors need to know there are benefits to be had in clicking your call to action.
Three excellent questions to ask… cool! Great comment Douglas!
Looks like so many others where there is too much to read and all glossed over with comic graphics.
Could be simpler???
MUCH SIMPLER!!!
hi jason.
i can’t believe the lengths you have gone to solve my problems
you must be one in a million
thanks again
kindest regards
jim
Well you were brave enough to offer your site… so i felt like helping
Hi,
I haven’t listened to the MP3 yet but adding to all the others which I agree with every word they have said:
You have a “join our newsletter” but their is no form and it looks unprofessional. You must have this (the newsletter registration) stand out as well. (and this time with a form where people can sign in and get useful info + your offer)
Ya thought the join my newsletter and then the blank page it goes to was funny.
For Any page on your site have only 1 action that you are trying to convert (so get rid of all those links on the left!). Whatever that may be, email, sale, click to next page, etc, but have only 1 action.
Now the more advanced part, but necessary if your really serious! Make a duplicate page and change 1 item that you “THINK” may improve your desired action desired. You could do this with free google webmaster tools or other free tools out there if you are on a tight budget.
Now let it run and keep track of the test. After your test sample is complete (lets say 100 visits for example sake), then chose the winner, then try to improve with new test page.
A TRUE MARKETER IS NEVER DONE! THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO DO! How much is up to you…
Yes… have purpose and focus… great comment Dante!
At first glance it looks like a “please, please, please buy from me” page.
It barely opened and I closed it straight away honestly. I went back to Jim’s page for two reasons:
First, I remember my first site….ugghhh
Secondly, I remember my first site
Tone down the left side. It simply has too much in one location.
Test some color themes. A great place for Jim to go for some help would be the google heat map. Granted this is usually used for adsense but hey, it might help Jim get a few more idea’s and thoughts.
Also try to keep the white space to a minimum, I have noticed a drastic effect on my bounce rate since trying these tips with three of my sites.
Good luck Jim!
Don’t give up, you WILL be Successful!
We are all here to help because we have all been there!
Cheers
I agree Garret… to yes “i remember my first site” and how i wanted to close the site right away. Jim, read this comment.. Garret gives awesome advice!!!
A lot of good input has been posted here, already. Here are my 2c on Jim’s site:
I did a blink-test on the site (simply open it in a background tab, wait till it’s fully loaded and then look at if for about a second, before closing the tab again). That’s like a rough “first impression” test. What I noticed is that I couldn’t figure out what the site was about in the blink-test.
Part of that is probably that there is too much going on on the site with the large link-list and the banner to either side. The greater problem is this, though: The title of the main content is A) small and B) non-descriptive. “eBay Rules” doesn’t tell me what the following text is about.
So, my suggestion is to write one sentence that perfectly describes what the site is about and place that in bold, large letters, right in the middle of the page. Something that grabs my attention and tells me what’s on offer in an instant.
Then, bait me. Tell me what I will get for free for signing up or clicking here or whatever.
So: One large description and a clear call to action with a good bait. The rest is just filler (for now).
Cheers,
Shane
P.S.: Jason, great podcast! I really like the four weeks/three months approach!
Great review Shane… which i would expect nothing less from considering that is what you do… review things
Glad you like the 4 weeks / 3 months approach
There needs to be some sort of benefit for the reader to click on the link. I see no calls to action or reason why I should investigate the product. There maybe too much info on this site.
I would assume that if I buy the product that I’m not going to get much more info than what’s already on this site. No hunger has been created.
Create some hunger!
Great podcast. Too many options on landing page. Keep it simple. Give more options as person gets deeper into site.
Hi john…
nice poscast…i hope many people will learn a lot from it.
I would like to ask you that for example let say i start from scratch …i think that i need to sell some thing lets say transparent coffee cups as told in the podcast…so from where i should get the product to sell….should i become affiliate of amazon ??
Second question is that …is it really important to get a domain name for the product i want to sell…will it give me a sure benefit if i make a small website like transparentoffeecups.com???
I think he should replace the banner on the right with a visual optin (picture of what the viewer will get for signing up), even if it is a general PLR item or whatever. Or he could use something like a slide up ad. I have seen HUGE conversions using slide up ads – they’re less intrusive (to me) than popups.
Also, limit the amount of articles to maybe 3 to 5 and redub them as recent articles or “popular”.
And I agree Shane (and any others) that tell you to create a Bold hook at the top of the landing page (create buzz, possibly include numbers or just make a bold statement), and include a reason (call to action) for clicking on the image at the bottom.
Just my hints from past experience.
- Coty Schwabe
Hi Jason, thank for dismantelling my site
http://www.ebay.internet-money.org/ and showing how it should be
I’m 70 years old and this site cost $4.95 and every thing you have suggested went right over my head for lack of experience.
However my site is still ranking 1,2,3 with 675,000
viewers an at no 4 and 5 is an orlando guy who has hyjacked my domain (is this the darker side of I M)
You have shown i should not be in this business and will dimantle this domain.Thanks again for your views
kindest regards
jim
Hijacked your site?
OMG… Jim you turfed the site entirely… with the links i gave it alone in the few posts you could have done something to make that domain work… you totally erased the site???
Why the hell did you ask for help and have me invest time (at no charge) if you never intended to act on it. Hmmm… kinda of makes me hesitant to ever do that again.
WHAT?! He first asks for help. …then thanks you a day or two later, and then this morning basically says “thanks for nothing!”, accuses you of making him appear stupid, and drops the site. What kind of appreciation is that?!
Your website is where your business resides — it’s like the headquarter of an offline company. Hence, it is important to practise good design principles to make sure your site reaches out to the maximum number of visitors and sells to as many people as possible.
Make sure you have clear directions on the navigation of your website. The navigation menu should be uncluttered and concise so that visitors know how to navigate around your website without confusion.
Reduce the number of images on your website. They make your site load very slowly and more often than not they are very unnecessary. If you think any image is essential on your site, make sure you optimize them using image editing programs so that they have a minimum file size.
[...] Watch As I Rip Apart This Readers Site… See What I Recommend Jim Do To Actual Make Money Online Written by Jason on January 2nd, 2010 Share The is the follow up to the post “Can’t Make Money With Your Website – I Think This Might Help!” [...]