I've been reading many posts on this site for a while and Im wondering how did you guys start out with this career or semi career? Did you guys take classes on web marketing or did you discover this career yourselves? I am a college freshman and Im looking for the best way to familiarize myself with this whole business. Should I take a class, purchase an ebook? Any advice for a beginner will be appreciated.
Stay tuned on this forum and you will learn alot. I also recommend reading SEO Blogs such as seomoz.org (Have a look at there previous posts - You could sit in your chair all week reading and learning about internet marketing from them) I also recommend starting a site now, even if it's just a personal site - you can then apply the techniques you learn here to the site, which will make you understand why people recommend them and it will also help with remembering. Think of an idea in a niche, a niche you are interested in works best. For me, I got into SEM via taking care of internet based clients for a telecoms company in London! Watching them make big $$$ made me interested in how it all worked, I then started asking questions, built a site and the rest the say is history! Good luck!
post on heaps of registered forums. Even my forum is registered. This leads to your signature or advertisment posted being on google. And can lead to heaps of traffic.
Personally, I got started years ago by just coming up with an idea, developing it...and learning as I went along. Hang out in forums like this, do your research, ask lots of questions...and you will learn tons
I am usually pretty good at retaining information if it interests me. I mainly got my start when I was in middle school designing simple websites. Before long, one thing led to another and I ended up learning css, php, mysql, asp, javascript, etc... Now days I have started to switch over to the marketing aspect of things as it has always interested me. It is great to have that design and coding background though, especially for internet marketing.
I am a web designer before and I have no idea of seo or web marketing. But when the company assigned the task as seo, this was the start of my training in seo, they trained me, reading, research and actual hand-ons. I just discover on what are the tips of seo. I suggest that you have to research and read article about seo. Try to have a hands-on and do it to your own website. This is a good way to start.
Most people are self taught. If you don't understand much about one aspect of webmastering you can always use freelancers to get it done for you. Trial and error comes to mind.
I think that the number one way to start is to make a web site about something that interest you very much. It will then be easy for you to write good content and you will know what the visitors need. Also its a good idea to try to code/edit your first site yourself. You can use a very simple dreamweaver template and learn to edit that.
You know i just come on this forum and my marketing knowledge is better than a graduate at Harvard University
Appreciate all the advice. One thing I forgot to ask is how old were you guys when you first started or better yet how long did it take you to start getting on track with the whole business?
I was 14 when I made my first sale online as an affiliate marketer . Its good to start young you know.
Do you mean a marketing career? I wouldn't consider myself an online marketer but I do market my sites.. I started off by accident basically, just reading articles online and finally stumbling across DP (which gave me tons of knowledge).
I started out pretty much learning myself. I studied Marketing for my degree at University and was always fascinated on making money, and doing my own thing. During the 2005 period I ran into endless money problems, had so many problems and felt that there was nothing in my Marketing degree. I used to work in part-time call centre jobs, but they did not get me anywhere... So then I began to learn, read and then I discovered...the Mr Wonderful outfit...and now I am like a super hero in the Internet Marketing world....I am making money and that simply is....wait... WONDERFUL
I worked for a venture capital firm and oversaw their online companies. When the Dot Bust came and crashed the "new economy", I landed on my feet being an affiliate marketer. I worked for myself ever since. Currently, I'm an affiliate marketer, script developer, and outsourced website text provider.
I didn't take classes...I tried teaching myself, made my fair share of mistakes (and still do)..But, it's a learning experience...after learing 1000's of ways that don't work you learn the one that does and why it does.. With starting out, the one thing I have to say is dont be afraid to make mistakes. Remember what Edison said "I haven't failed, I have found 10000 ways that don't work" I was 18 when I started out, it took me well over a year to establish my business. I don't call making occasional affiliate sales as business..But, I was making profits in a month or two but that doesn't mean anything...Just give yourself the needed time. Best, Ana
If you are intersted in this business you will find yourself on the computer reading and reading some more, then applying what you are reading to your own project. Get started and don't stop. I made the mistake of letting some of my best ideas die in the early days, and now I kick myself when I look back. Don't let anyone tell you that what you are doing is not a good idea if you like it. Payoff will come later.
I am only pretty new to this myself and I found this forum, seomoz.org and shoemoney.com to be the three most helpful resources so far. There is no point learning if you aren't practicing though so make a start on something to put your learnings into practice.
My buddy was telling me about the websites he owned and the $400/m he was making. He led me to digitalpoint and sitepoint and I learned everything myself for the next 6 months, and now plan to do this as a full time career.