I’m At a Crossroads. The Problem With The Internet Marketing Niche.
I’m at a bit of a crossroads in my business.
No, nothing bad is happening. However, I am looking at the way forward and thinking of making some changes. Some of it has to do with some of my various observations in the internet marketing niche.
One has to evolve, and we can’t keep doing things the “old” way and expect them to keep working. Let me attempt to explain… 🙂
I’m at a bit of a crossroads in my business.
No, nothing bad is happening. However, I am looking at the way forward and thinking of making some changes. Some of it has to do with some of my various observations in the internet marketing niche.
One has to evolve, and we can’t keep doing things the “old” way and expect them to keep working. Let me attempt to explain… 🙂
The Synopsis
Rather than beat around the bush for awhile, let me just state what I’m thinking about.
I’m looking ahead and wondering if I really want to keep being in the business of creating information products. At least related to blogging or making money. And I’m thinking about getting into software development in some fashion.
Why I Got Into This
As most of you guys knows, I was a tech blogger for about a decade well before I started DavidRisley.com. While I don’t post over on PCMech as much as I used to, I’m still very interested in technology. I’m a geek at heart. 🙂
I also love business and love the drive of creating a successful business. Being that I had done it in the tech world and I clearly enjoyed it, I started DavidRisley.com so that I could talk about this other passion of mine. And, because I am a businessman, it didn’t take me long to move into creating my first information product in this market.
I enjoy helping people, and I REALLY want to help people escape the boring rat race that is a 9-5 job.
Today, I have 5 information products in this “blogging” niche. Well, one of them (Time Master Formula) isn’t really about blogging at all, but still, I was launching it to bloggers primarily.
Why I’m Thinking About Switching Gears
The reality is that there’s only so much I can say. It gets to a point where my customers just need to get off their ass and do something.
Those customers of mine who went off to do great things… they were the hustlers. They’re the ones who get out there and take action. Honestly, my product was just a cog in their system. I don’t take the credit for them making money with their blogs. The REAL credit is because they hustled and made it happen.
The rest don’t do much of anything. And that bothers me. Bigtime. When I have customers who pay me almost $500 for Blog Masters Club and then don’t finish it – much less use it – that bothers me. Some people might be OK with just pocketing the $500 and feeling like the job is done, but I’m not.
The lack of action taking also carries over into the advice being generated in this niche. The advice is good – BUT IT IS ALL THE SAME. How many times do we need to say “build a list” before people go out and build a f**king list?! So, it gets repetitive. It gets boring. And, honestly, I’ve had a harder time coming up with topics for this blog over the last few weeks than I have in the past.
The Internet Marketing And “Make Money Blogging” Niche
The “make money blogging” niche is rather incestuous. What I mean by that is this…
People who talk about making money blogging are usually making their money by talking about that. Now, in many cases, we started in other markets (as I did). But, today, I make more money in this niche than I do in the tech niche. But, what it does is forms this big endless circle. We’re talking about making money, and our readers are interested in making money. While most of our readers don’t do much with the information, the ones who do often try to go into the “make money” market. And that’s insane. 🙂
It becomes this “circle jerk”. Make money people talking to other make money people, with a whole lot of people reading (and in some cases buying), but few doing anything with the information.
This, of course, leads to distrust. And the shady marketing gimmicks and the “get rich quick” crap in the general internet marketing niche carries over, too. Too many marketers in this niche make this business seem easier than it really is. The whole thing has tarred the phrase “internet marketing”. Today, there is a sense of natural distrust about that, whereas the way I look at it is that it is just marketing that happens to take place online.
“Internet marketing” shouldn’t be about teaching other people how to teach other people how to make money online. 🙂
It is a game which is wearing thin with me.
Moving Forward
First, let me make something clear. I’m not quitting. I’m not going to take this blog down or anything like that. I haven’t even decided WHAT I’m going to do yet. 🙂
But, I think it might be time for a change. I think I want to get into something where I can help with immediate solutions. For me, that might end up being in the software and plug-in market. I’ve most definitely been thinking about some plug-in ideas I might want to see to market. 🙂
Plus, I know a lot of bloggers out there struggle with the techie issues of blogging – and that happens to be something I’m good at. Hell, back in the day, I personally programmed a full content management system that rivaled Wordpress. I was using it myself on PCMech up until I switched to WP a couple years ago (Wordpress is now FAR better than the one I came up with). So, I know full well how to do stuff like that. And I rather enjoy it, too.
I’ll still be doing things inside the Inner Circle, obviously. If anything, this just means I’ll be even MORE dedicated to the Inner Circle. The passion for helping is always there. Plus, having a membership program like that is always a good thing. 🙂
However, I’m not yet sure if I’m going to keep on creating new info/training products on a stand-alone basis. Like I said, I have 5 of them now. Honestly, I’ve said my piece. Most of what I know about this business is now online. To create anything else just seems like repurposing. I’d rather just put it into the Inner Circle.
Anyway, I’d Love To Hear Your Thoughts…
I haven’t exactly figured this whole thing out yet. But, one thing I do know…
I’ve got to mix it up a bit. Risley-man doesn’t want to be a one-trick pony. 🙂
Suggestions? Thoughts?
One other thing David. I too find the term “Internet Marketing” has become too tainted with “get rich quick”, “smart passive income online” and all the rest of it. I avoid using it and I don’t describe myself as an “Internet Marketer” because of it.
This is also my conclusion after almost two years of watching the Internet Marketing space.
I’d say the world already has more than enough Internet Marketing products. Also, most of these so-called “products” aren’t really necessary or else benefit the buyers only marginally in value – if they do at all.
I also think the same pretty well applies to many of the “blogging” courses and information products out there.
Like you say, people going on endlessly about “making money online” – because they hope to make money online by talking about making money online. A lot of it is just far too “meta”.
I think people who want to make a living in the online space should consider offering REAL products – which may be physical, but need not be. The point is they should start out trying to solve problems for people that are NOT about “how to make money online”, “passive online income” and all the rest of it.
Im fast getting tired of the whole crew of IM people. I find the majority far too “meta” and up their own backsides to put it bluntly.
Very honest post about your niche. I’ve also the impression that things are made easier than they really are. It’s a bit like during the gold rush when those who sold the tools where the real winners.
Definitely some similarities.