One tip to remember, even if you have launched a web business before, there are always new things to learn. Whether its a new social media network, content management platform or analytics software, be open to learning new things.
Places to learn for free:
- Forums like Reddit to read, interact and learn
- Subscribe to newsletters from authority journals
- Take advantage of free webinars
- Some established businesses host local events to share their experiences
If you have some money, you could pay for help but someone like me where website management, SEO and marketing is my craft, I spend a few hours a day reviewing the site maintenance, the analytics & making adjustments to our marketing campaigns. As a business owner, learning how to set up and review the analytics is a must because as you start monetizing, your partners will be asking for metrics to measure success.
For example, on MarijuanaRates.com, one monetization path we use is a crowdfunding campaign. After a lot of research, we found a platform perfect for creatives and launched our first campaign this week! Without being open to learning new things, we would have stuck to the traditional approaches which can be challenging in an industry not accepted by the Federal government.
Don’t assume you know everything about your craft.
Using the title of “expert” or “guru” is lovely, but why do you need to tell people? Shouldn’t your work or past experience speak for itself?
Even as a 20 year veteran in the digital marketing industry, I continue to research and learn.
You don’t have to attend school or classes, but you can stay up-to-date with the latest developments in your industry by building a network you can tap into for knowledge and new insights about your industry.
Continuing Education
In SEO, the base of the algorithm hasn’t changed in many years. It comes down to answering users queries with real, researched information. User intent has always been at the forefront of the Google algorithm. But when the first large algorithm update occurred, the online marketing community shook — it came to be known as the Google Slap. Since then Google has created a zoo of algorithmic updates to bring quality websites and information to the top of the organic search rankings.
For many in the SEO industry, when they saw their site lose 50 percent of their traffic, the fury and frenzy began. People were asking if Google was being fair. Even some sites who followed the “rules” got penalized. Reconsideration requests were sent and some of the sites who didn’t get put back into Google search had to readjust their marketing tactics.
During these times, it’s very useful to tap into your network and learn from others. Don’t assume you know everything. Unless you are the programmers who create the Google algorithm, you never know if your site will get dinged in search index rankings.
A good book to read is “Marketing in the Age of Google” by Vanessa Fox. It’s a great resource in understanding how to work within Google’s rules toward being successful with your web business.
Which techniques do you use to keep learning?
