Incoming Revenue Besides Working for SEO Marketing Clients: People Prefer Adsense Rather Than Do Affiliate or Sell Services!



u/NakedAndBehindYou

SEO pros of Reddit: Why don't you just build your own passive income SEO sites to begin with?

I see people on here all the time saying they produce such and such great results for their clients, building lots of great links and shareable content for them, etc.
So my question is: Why don't you guys just build your own site on the side and do Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for yourself instead of for clients? Theoretically, within 2-3 years any SEO professional should be able to replace their client-based income with a well ranking site of their own, monetized with ads or affiliate links. So why not do it?
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steffanlv

Why don't you guys just build your own site on the side and do SEO for yourself

Those of us who are actually experts in this field do. I have numerous websites that provide passive income. I also have several clients providing income from monthly retainer fees and contracts. In the ever changing, ever evolving, ever tougher field of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) it's the smart play to diversify. Never have all your eggs in one basket.
Roughly half my income comes from my own websites and the other half from clients. With clients at least you know your monthly income is guaranteed to be X, while you can't guarantee that through making money from other types of SEO efforts.
No one can call themselves and SEO truly until they create their own website and begin to make money from it. It's not only the best way to learn it's also a great way to show potential clients you know what you are doing.

studmuffin30
What kinda website do u own? didn't mind me check in?

steffanlv
I can give you the types but it is strongly recommended against giving out actual URLs. I have:
• churn n burns
• paid directories
• viral sites
• standard eCom
There are other types. It used to be possible to make money through Adsense but those days are long gone…at least for me.

DunkSEO
I strongly agree that it is among the best (and probably the best) ways to learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO). However, I do disagree that someone can't call themselves an SEO until they make their own site. I have 3 of my own sites and it did teach me practically everything I know, but I will not judge the journey of someone else who reached my level by different means. If they can perform SEO, they are an SEO.

steffanlv

If they can perform SEO, they are an SEO.

Nah. Too many people calling themselves "SEO users" in this industry that really have next to no real understanding about what it is. I work with a few who think reading Moz and watching webinars means they are knowledgeable and i'm tired of spending my time correcting their mistakes (as I have to do routinely for one particular client of mine).
Those who can show first hand knowledge by ranking their own website for competitive keyword phrases and can turn a profit from their knowledge are those I consider to be actual SEO users. Furthermore, those who take part in routine testing, even of the most 'obvious' aspects/elements of SEO users are the only SEO users that can deign to consider themselves as experts.
Far too many edit a page with new content, tweak a header or adjust the word count of a META description tag and consider themselves SEO users. This has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the 'journey of someone'.
This isn't hard a concept to grasp. If you are looking to hire someone in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are you going with someone who is able to answer a bunch of SEO related questions or someone who can show they are able to rank a website for competitive phrases and make money? I rank in more than 1 major US city for several competitive 'SEO' terms and I would never expect someone to retain my services if I did not.
therealrico

This isn't hard a concept to grasp.

The absolute irony in this statement.

reggeabwoy
Some of us work for large agencies that have clients that spend heavily on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and I make a very good salary.
I put all my focus into my client(s) work and then my regular time is for my family. I don't think I have time for in-between anymore.

oystertine
I'm with you on this one. I find myself dreaming up projects in open niches, and will get as far as site mapping and doing content research. Then realize I have a 4 year old and am partnered at a young agency that demands much of my time.
I also enjoy collaboration and the creative side of my firm, so it feels like a good fit for now. Maybe when I decide to hide from society and retreat to my family farm I'd reconsider.
Hope that helps!

Bettina88
Got any niche advice?

drjohnson89
This is so accurate. Once I'm done with my agency work for the day, I'm ready to be a husband and a father. I have a site that generates a tiny little smidgen of income, but I simply lack the energy to work on it anymore than I already do. Once I'm done doing SEO/content marketing for the day, I kind of want to be done doing SEO/content marketing for the day.

zero-talent
Because it's not in my skillset to manage a retail business.
I specialise working with e-commerce websites, or websites for businesses that offer services like beauty saloons or dog grooming. To say 'why don't you just setup a website and make money that way?' is like saying "why don't you just start a business?"
The two things are very different. That's why some very good business suck at doing things online but offer a brilliant product. I couldn't manage a supply chain, deal with customers, or even remotely come up with a retail business plan. But what I can do is promote what you have via Google and everything that involves Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
I can't groom a dog, but I can get your company visible for people in your surrounding area who are searching for related grooming keywords you haven't fathomed they searched for.

SamzlawlYT
You seem to misunderstand the options available to someone starting their own site, we're no longer in the era where you have to own a retail business to make money online. Affiliate marketing allows you to solely focus on the SEO and to some extent website building aspect of the business and leave the product, customer relations and all the hassle to someone else.

FourierEnvy
Yeah, this person is super confused of what's actually being discussed here.
zero-talent
"Leave the product, customer relations and all the hassle to someone else"
This is also called running a business.
SamzlawlYT
Yes, but you're not the one running the business. Of course, you're still running your own business in a way but it's no more retail than any other SEO job. You "simply" make a site, run affiliate links and do your thing and eventually hopefully cash in on a rev share of what people are buying.
You're saying " I can't groom a dog, but I can get your company visible for people in your surrounding area ". You don't have to groom the dog. You get them the leads, they pay you a % of their revenue (bad example since dog grooming might not be the best affiliate product).
zero-talent
Mate, I don't see how working as a freelance SEO consultant and then up-scaling that running a business (how every small) is remotely the same thing.
But if you got that drive and skillset to do all that, then power to you my man, I wish you luck and respect it.
SamzlawlYT
So, I think the thing is that I don't see it as much different. When you're consulting you're making improvements to make sure their SEO is improved by creating content, doing on-page, link building etc. When you make an affiliate site you do the exact same thing, you create content, you do on-page and you build links to rank your own site. IF your current consultant job has you as only a consultant and not actually implementing changes then there'll definitely be a difference, but if you're already implementing your changes then your workflow wont change much. If you have some spare time then you don't even have to hire people, but instead just create the content for yourself. It's not for everyone since there's definitely a startup period and there's no guarantees of making it, but it's not as hard as many people make it out to be.

NakedAndBehindYou ✍️

To say 'why don't you just setup a website and make money that way?' is like saying "why don't you just start a business?"

I get what you are saying. But in the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and websites I feel like 90% of the "business" part is already handled.
For example, let's take a website that gets traffic via organic search engine optimization, and makes money via display ads. The entire "monetization" half of the business is already handled on autopilot by the display ad providers like Google Adsense, Ezoic, Adthrive, Mediavine, etc. All you have to do is set them up.
This means that if you can make content that ranks well and gets traffic in a semi-valuable niche, you can make passive income online as an SEO professional working for yourself. You don't ever have to invent a product or provide a service. You just have to provide ad space on your website to ad providers.

zero-talent
Mate, do you realise how time time it takes to generate good content, and maintain good content? What is this niche you refer to? You can't just say "do a website on a niche and fling it up for £££££"
You'd also have to do this for a number of sites to generate a liveable income.
SamzlawlYT
You have a lot of misconception about affiliate marketing and it shows in every comment you make.
It does take some work to generate and maintain good content, which is why the original thread is asking why people don't do this on the side or once they have a budget built up. Using a fairly small budget (obviously depending on niche) you can hire content writers and have the content part done fairly cheap without sacrificing quality.
You don't have to have a number of sites to generate a liveable income, but it's a good strategy to spread your risk. You can find good niches that aren't overly saturated and get results fairly quick (a few months), but it obviously takes a lot of research and work, just like everything else in life.
zero-talent
I work solo mate. Everyone talking about why don't SEO users just setup a new site are also suggesting hiring people and stuff like this. I go back to what I said earlier – It's not in my skillset. I see all that as business management, and that ain't for me. If it's for you than good luck, I respect the industry you show. But planning and managing assets just feels me with dread and no joy.
I'm very happy just being a freelancer SEO and helping small and medium business.
SamzlawlYT
That's awesome, I think there's pros and cons to both ways and if you know that managing people isn't something you enjoy then you're probably doing the right thing.
All i'm looking to do is pop the bubble of people thinking that you can't make a stable passive income without starting your own retail business. Affiliate marketing isn't for everyone, but it's definitely an option :)

jakeinmn
I do lol.
Making sure my clients get dozens of phone calls a week keeps them happy, and it doesn't take much to keep them paying me $500/mo. They refer me business, and I've made 60k last year strictly off referrals. The things with that is that the contracts are sticky. I Don't ant to give away $5000/mo to work on my own projects.
I have a few side projects that I fund with the money, but I am paying down debt and keeping existing clients happy.
I had a startup in 2016 that helped people find jobs by submitting cover letters and resumes out to 10,000 jobs on Zip Recruiter and Monster per day. I did some SEO on that and it found a 50k/yr client (recruiter). I did this with direct to garment tshirts, made 3k per quarter for 3 years and it fell off down when people stole my niche/designs (all bitcoin related).
I have like 3 blogs, with one that is getting 5k/month in clicks and all I did was spend $50 on hosting. Keyword research is awesome. I haven't moneitized it though. It grew by 80% this year and I literally haven't touched it.
I don't have enough mental bandwith to keep up with client projects, sales, and managing these projects. I just don't know how to keep up.
footinmymouth
I'd say one huge issue is finding a viable product or service to offer: While SEO and marketing is often a full-time job there's actually an end product or service that needs to be created or provided. Soooo if freelance SEO users are already doing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for themselves to get leads to fulfil services that's really TWO jobs already.
You COULD say "just make revenue from Ads", well that's a 3rd business model – and honestly it takes a LOT more effort to do a really successful ad revenue< based business. Mostly because you need to find a niche that's not already oversaturated with businesses with a more lucrative model (product/service selling) because you'd either need to sink $ into content or actually be interested enough in the subject to generate your own content.
That being said, I myself am finally going down the path of making my own revenue generating business doing some keyword research services because at the end of the day there's no other interest I have that I feel like monetizing.
(I also do product management so I have TONS of ideas about how much our current SEO Tools out there fail us reguarly, so am eager to try and do something neat and useful)
Bettina88
Actually, many SEO users try repeatedly to create niche sites and fail. But what happens next might surprise you:
They turn that network of failed attempts to make successful sites into a Private Blog Network (PBN), and sell their clients links on their crappy blogs.
Welcome to the world of SEO "experts".
Those who can't actually make money become gurus for hire. …And those who can't actually become gurus for hire become thought leaders on Twitter.
Actual__Wizard
Honestly, many people know how to do Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but have no idea how to run a website.
It's two different things entirely.
Operating your own sites and doing SEO for them is much harder than it sounds.
Anybody that claims to do both is probably full of shit.
If they're talking about some passive income bullshit, run…
Maintaining a high quality site is a full time job in itself and there's nothing passive about it.
JAdamsidk123
It took me about 5 years to get a system down, but I did just this. Sold one for $34,000, quit my job, opened an "agency" (just me and some Virtual Assistants (VA)s) doing only consulting and affiliate SEO. It's been about 9 months since I quit and I still can't believe this I my life.
PartManAllMuffin
I suspect the answer to a lot of these are going to be variations of "personal circumstances".
For me it's because I have another completely non-SEO related job that I discovered late in life, and I'm completely in love with. Couple that with a young family, and decent savings account, and I decided I didn't want to be managing websites anymore. I'm crap at site management.
Hell, I don't even really do full-service SEO anymore.
smartfunction30
Neat question. I'm a rotten marketer. I'm so bad at it. I ranked a bunch of affiliate sites years ago and made zero sales. I had a bunch of Adsense sites which made money but don't anymore. I can rank tons of sites, I just can't make money selling stupid bullshit on them. So, I do it for other people instead.

NakedAndBehindYou ✍️
If you can get traffic to a site but suck at conversions, try using display ads instead. Ezoic, Mediavine, and Adthrive are the bigs netwoks. The general consensus is that they pay more than Adsense.


$4000 Amazon plus Ezoic Affiliate Commission a Month With An Outdoors Niche Site



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