Earning 2.000$/month - What now?

[Unknown Webmaster]

I'm having a bit of an affiliate-midlife-crisis. I'm not really sure if I'm looking for advice or not, but writing things down usually makes me think clearer.

I'm earning just short of 2.000$/month from my sites, which is kind of nice, but I want to take it to the next level.

My "problem" is that I can't really take any of my current sites much further, so I'm looking for a new project. My current plan is to choose a "brandable" domain, and write about poker strategy, software, bonuses, rakeback etc. basically creating a resource that I think will be useful for other poker players. I'm thinking 100+ pages with content that is as good as I can possibly make it.

I'm not sure if that would be the best next step, or if I should fx. create a rakeback site or some other kind of "single topic" site and try to become one of the main authorities on the subject.

[Randy Ray]

Time to start trying to SEO for "online poker".

Go for the big terms.

[domepizzle]

I started several casino sites over the past couple of months and can say that I am very happy with how they are performing. I found that the sites were more interesting to me since I had alot to learn about the casino side.

[MJ]

I don't buy the argument you can't take your sites further - I've never seen a site that couldn't go further and if you know of one I would love to see it.

[Squizzel]

What are your current sites?

[Unknown Webmaster]

@MJ
Well, you are right that I could take the sites further, but at some point in the near future I don't think it will be worth the time to do so.

The rakeback site is basically just a PAS template, and it working on it would basically be like starting a new site.

I could do more work on my current "main site", but the niche isn't big enough to generate the kind of revenue I'm looking for. It is a bit like having a 50 page website about "Carbon Poker rakeback" - At some point you just have to move on

@Squizzel
I'll send you a PM.

[Squizzel]

If creating individual sites like the one you showed me, i would advise you keep doing that and keep choosing different topics.

You could also to create a larger poker portal that focuses on a lot of topics. Both can be sucessful i think. I added you to MSN. talk to you soon!

[MPC]

Some possible courses of action:

Keep doing what you are doing, just build more and more. Clearly, you have success so why not turn that 24K a year into 50K next year?

Convert one of your aged sites to a large portal. Why start a new site from nothing? Use your assets.

Diversify. If you can make 2K a month in the gambling industry, you could do well in others. Plus it balances your portfolio in case something really bad happens. You know how it is - People elect idiots and all of a sudden you're struggling to make an honest buck.

Start looking at out of the box solutions to drive more traffic to your existing sites - look at what you can do with social networks. Or build free applications that have a back link.

Invest more of your revenue into more content/SEO work. Make your sites grow steadilly and go for more keywords. And yes, go for the hard to get ones as Randy suggested. It takes a lot of time to make it up the list, so why wait? I targeted one particular hard to rank for keyphrase 2 years ago. I'm on first page now, and trying to work my way up further. If I had known what I know now, it would have been quicker. You have the knowledge. Go for it. It's a long term investment.

Look for incompetent affiliates with good content. Buy their sites, turn them around.

[themike537]

Managing your time as a growing affiliate

Might apply to your situation.

[Jeremy]

Like what MPC said, find a way to turn your 24K to 50K or more. If you already have a nice network of sites, you should build on it. Look at the keywords that are making you money and build on them; take your terms that rank 3-5 and make them 1, or pick one site and add more content with a new keyword focus and solid calls to action.

It sounds like you already have a solid base, no need to re-invent the wheel. Take what you have and build upon it with some new keywords. Also do a lot of inter-linking. <---- A good tip I got from a good SEO here.

Either way, maybe you launch some new projects, but don't neglect the money making sites you already have.