....*HOW NEW ARE YOU?*....i'm so new that it takes me an hour and a half to read most posts b/c i'm constantly looking up stuff I don't know. So....if you're that new to this gig, where would you start? I have an idea for a website which I think would make decent scratch, I understand that i'll need to create a website (read: hire somebody to create this website), register a domain name, fill it with content that's relative and well written, advertise through a giant corporation which will put annoying little blue words all over your page (I kid, I kid), maybe get private advertisement based on how many people end up on your site and then then watch the checks roll in from your hot tub in the Carribean (at least, that's what several leads I've "found" have told me). Where does a dude (age 30-something, USA, family, etc.) like that start? I've been reading for about two weeks and I think i'm picking up the lingo well, but in the beginning should I just worry about content, content, content....or have I already skipped something? Should I secure a domain first? And oh yea, how much money should a regular Joe sink into this kind of thing before he should start to feel like he's being taken for ride? Sincere appreciation for any morsels of assistance.
start by checking out what your competition (if any) are doing... There is so much information available on different webmaster related/internet marketing stuff on this site... so check it out
First I guess you have to find an idea you think it might do well...or maybe find several ideas and do a research (many people started because they had to fill a need for themself). Sometimes you find ideas by looking at a domain name what you can do with it - for example: what buildmyfico.com inspires you to do?) After cementing the idea you should look to a proper domain name... Then look for someone to help you build the site and someone to help you with the content too... And then it comes the marketing...getting users...and more users...and more users ...and then monetize the site somehow.