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By Jeremy Schoemaker

Jeremy "ShoeMoney" Schoemaker is the founder & CEO of ShoeMoney Media Group, and to date has sold 6 companies and done over 10 million in affiliate revenue. In 2013 Jeremy released his #1 International Best selling Autobiography titled "Nothing's Changed But My Change" - The ShoeMoney Story. You can read more about Jeremy on his wikipedia page here.

76 thoughts on “Monetizing Your Site – Shoemoney ?s Ep. 18”
  1. Great video! I think most online users are used to websites with ads already so unless you are in a sensitive niche then ads are ok.

    1. Yeah. I don’t think users mind seeing ads as long as you’re offering quality content.

  2. Don’t put ads up from the start. If you startup you want to get the word out and want other people to check it out. If it is filled with ads they probably will bounce your site!

    When we started blue backlinks we waited for like 4 months to start throwing banners up. In these 4 months we did a LOT of promotion through various sites, completely ad free. We noticed that sites were picking it up easier and wrote about it on their websites, probably because it was still ad free.

    At this point we monetize the site with 4 banner ads, but the usability is still the same (like Jeremy was referring too), There were no changes in the backlink reports and we were able to buy a strong dedicated server for the website to make the speed even better!

    It also depends on the niche you are in though. Just don’t monetize too early 🙂 First build some trust & more important: Backlinks.

    1. I waited over six months before I finally started monetizing my blog. I had to focus first on driving traffic and developing content. It helped because by the time I decided to introduce various monetization schemes to my site, I’ve already a solid base of readers.

    2. I couldn’t agree more. I think the danger of monetizing too early is that you won’t have the time to build your traffic and potential market. It’s a good idea to wait until you’re site’s already established before you monetize it.

      1. Deliver fresh and useful content and you’re already halfway to your goals. Remember that most people surf the web either to find what they need or entertain themselves with unique and interesting content.

  3. Backlinks is a word that gets tossed out a lot. Don’t forget to make sure that your backlinks are from relevant referrers!

  4. There are many ways to monetize your site. If you dont know how to already, and you dont go into your site with a plan then your best bet is to test multiple options and see what pays best 🙂

    1. Heard your lucky streak continued at the blackjack table. So, when are you going to write a post about the ASW/blackjack experience?

  5. A very good video indeed.
    As you have said, all you can do is try. Try out which monetization technique works the best for you and leave one that is most effective for you.

    Especially like the part with a “shoe” joke 🙂

    1. Try and start very small at first. Those are my key takeaways from this video. It’s about time I start doing that. My site’s been up and running for almost a year and traffic has been good so I guess I can slowly transition to monetizing it already.

  6. Great video! I think the key for many new bloggers is to just get out there and try those tactics. You’ll soon learn if you overdue it (when your readers run due to too many ads). But what is nice about the web. You can make mistakes, but most times, easily make up for them. And be all the stronger or more knowledgeable for it.

    1. Very well said. There’s no guarantee that you’ll figure out the best way to monetize your site early on the game. But one great thing about trying different ways is that you’ll soon figure out what works and what needs to be dropped. Sooner or later you’ll hit the jackpot.

    1. My main income comes from a blog with contextual advertising. But I’d like to explore other income streams as well.

    2. I’m thinking it’s high time I start monetizing on my fitness blog. Thanks for the advice man!

  7. Waiting for the “right time” to start monetizing a site is tricky. I guess there’s really no perfect formula for that. I agree with Jeremy said. Just try and see how it goes. You’ll never really know unless you try, right?

  8. Trying any and all ways to make money online is great. I can always drop something that doesn’t work as well but if I didn’t know all the ways I would surely be missing out on multiple streams of income.

    1. Relying on an ad-based business model is a bit tricky. You need a lot of traffic to earn over $5K each month. I’d say exploring multiple income streams is a great way to go.

  9. I like what you said about keeping the user experience high. I think that’s important if you want to drive more traffic to your site.

  10. I have tried one ad service, but it seems that many people don’t like it because of the mouse over popup is distracting to the reader. Didn’t many any money from it, either.

    1. Pop ups are indeed annoying. I received several complaints when I ran one on my site. But they serve their purpose sometimes so unless you can find a better alternative then it’s worth a try..

  11. I’ve signed up for affiliate programs. I heard that it’s one of the surest ways to generate extra income. I hope the people who told me that are right.

    1. It’s definitely one of the best ways to monetize. That’s how I started, too. Good luck!

  12. A bit of visual aesthetics sometimes provides the boost that you need to get as much traffic as possible. Nonetheless, just because you have a lot of visitors on your web site doesn’t necessarily mean that your web site is going to make you a lot of money. Content is still king, if you ask me. 😛

    1. Yes, content is king. That’s why it’s important to work on that first before jumping into the monetization bandwagon.

      1. If there’s a topic that everyone’s talking about and it’s related to your industry or web site, be the first one with a web page about that topic. Plus, make sure you are the first to have the “market share of links” for that search phrase, too.

        1. Thank God, for keywords. SEO has helped a lot in increasing my site’s traffic and improving conversion rates.

  13. Great video here. Very useful as I’m planning on dropping Adsense from my blog very soon. At the minute, I’m going to be using Clickbank and Amazon. I think I’ll check out a few other options first though just to see what really works. Thanks, Jeremy.

  14. Good question. And great answer, Shoe! I can’t wait for the next episode. Stay classy!

  15. Surely one of the most insightful clips I’ve seen this week. By the way, do you think adding WP Text Ads is also a cool way to monetize a blog or site?

    1. IMHO, I find monetizing somewhat easier when it comes to selling ad space and RSS feeds. I recommend AdSonar and FeedShow for those who are looking for easy to access options.

    2. Hands down to job boards and WP plugins. Anybody else placed a job board on their site and kept 75% of the revenue?

    3. As for me, parked domains and paid reviews keep most of the bucks flowing in. I also make money by placing news items on my site (e.g. The News Room). Got any more suggestions?

  16. For me, monetizing really means making your site useful to a specific audience. It could be a local portal site, a specific brand of car enthusiast site, a craft or hobby site, or even a political opinion site. What’s your two cents’ worth on this, Shoe?

  17. You’ve built your site and it rocks. The people who visit leave you great feedback and send you e-mails about how helpful it is. You are adding to your content regularly and keeping it updated and interesting. Now you need to turn up the volume on the traffic by getting the magic on.

    1. Did you know that Yahoo has canceled their monetizing program and has referred all publishers to Chikita.com for the last 3 years?

      1. This is just awesome. I have been looking to get into affiliate marketing and earn some passive income and this clip is just what I needed to start the ball rolling. 5 stars!

  18. My favorite ones are Adsense, affiliate marketing and adspace selling. The earnings depend on the niche and the traffic, put with the right mix and the right partners, everybody can make a huge income from his own site and/or blog. Looking forward to catch the next installment, Jeremy. 🙂

  19. I think web users who make purchases online tend to “shop around” and not make a lot of spur-of-the-moment decisions. Maybe there’s a trend when it comes to web site traffic that comes from “buzz” or “popular hot topics” in the news that these people are readers and not purchasers?

    1. What’s tricky about monetizing a site is the way you should appeal to all web users. E-commerce is just like marketing offline and if you can’t do that in a digital setting then you’re better off not monetizing.

  20. Software will always have a place online, while it might not be the easiest way (due to the upfront costs), it can be one of the most profitable ways to monetize a site. Along with ads, it can be an explosive mix. Got anything to add here, buddy?

  21. I added a widget where advertisers can run their ads. It’s a great way to earn some passive income while I continue developing new content.

  22. Monetizing a site these days mostly means adding Twitter and Facebook buttons to your landing page…

    1. Or how about placing a “Donate” link or button on a website can be an efficient way to earn money, especially if your blog is on a niche where readers learn and gain value from your content?

  23. The best thing to do is turn something you love into a resource site. You may be devoted to the conservation of a river in your area or perhaps have great ideas for keeping kids occupied during the summer. Why not build a site around your unique knowledge and ideas and possibly make money off it in the long run?

    1. Maybe I’ll tell my ex-boyfriend that he could end up being a millionaire by starting a website about World of Warcraft!

  24. Working on my first Google check. I think that’s a good start. But I’d like to try other things as well. The more income I earn, the better.

  25. If there aren’t any knowledge goods in your chosen field, why not write your own e-book? Don’t repeat general knowledge. Have a reason for writing it. A helpful e-book can not only make money, but it can help establish your reputation as an expert.

    1. Definitely worth a try. I could always ask my writer friends to proofread/edit it for me. 😉

  26. I think even low traffic sites can still monetize if some thought is put into how they wish to monetize.

  27. Mind-blowing suggestion: The idea is that you would generate a focal point for your users to pool to. Couple that with your PPC code in the API header and you could start paying back the cost of your website in no time!

  28. Learned something today. I can’t wait to give monetization a try. Looking forward to the next episode already.

  29. Thanks a lot for this great video! I’m really interested in PPC advertising all over again. Regards!

  30. Apply for Google Adsense and you can be showing Google ads on your site in no time. Every time a visitor clicks one of the Google links, you earn money. For many sites, Adsense alone can turn a hobby into a revenue-producing site.

  31. I want to thank you for this vid Mr. Shoe! My blog has been up for about 3 months now and I’ve decided to monetize it. Thanks for the advice. Keep the great vids coming 🙂

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