Every article you have written so far has been very valuable. If this were a hotel, you are getting a 7 star, no, let’s make that a 5 star rating from me. Don’t want to go overboard with my praise, not just yet anyway.

I was getting bored already with the making money blogs. Meaning, I’ve done my 4 months worth research and I thought I had all the tools and knowledge to start my own website. And here you come along with very novel, interesting and mind stimulating take on the whole business and marketing side of blogs and websites.

As I create my first website I will be checking on your blog on a daily basis – well maybe except on weekends – to see what interesting stuff you come with.

From me a big THANK YOU.

Ana

In the end all we can do is trust the people we are dealing with and our instincts.
~Terry

You can very easily keep on reshooting the video over and over again until you get the result you want and THEN publish the video.

This is a “Devil’s Advocate” rebuttal to Max’s statement of

“I wonder why more people don’t do live drawings for contests? I guess it’s easier to cheat and give away prizes to your buddies if you pick the winners without anyone watching…”

Was anyone watching Max when he made the video of his “live” drawing? Did he film it multiple times until he got the result he wanted? We do not know and that is my point. ANYONE on the Internet can post a video of a drawing but if it is not being streamed live we have no way of knowing if the video is legit or not.

I don’t have a dog in this race. I did not leave a comment on that post. I just find it ironic that Max would use a recorded video after pointing out that people can scam their readers by doing their drawing while no one is looking.

I have no reason to believe Max was not 100% honest about the video drawing and I am not implying that he did anything wrong. I’m just pointing out that “live” is the most trustworthy of drawings. Just like when they pull the Powerball numbers, live.

Regardless, love where this is headed and hope that you take the build a site from scratch approach as well. I agree with Valery in that it should be a niche site and not necessarily a “make money online” type of site. Either way, look forward to seeing how it all pans out.

“I think it would be pretty funny if this blog gets more traffic than all those other “guru” make money online sites combined. How about I focus on writing world class content, and you help spread the word?”

I totally agree, I have lost interest in John Chow’s Blog (although I am subscribed) and I find myself just skimming Shoemoney’s(Yes still subscribed….). I will say that in the past, expecially when John first began blogging, he had some cutting edge-informative post. Since the release of the e-book, quality has gone down…..

In addition, most of their recent post have nothing that would benefit a small time blogger or website on a fixed budget. My total internet income is around $300/month, sure I want to grow it but the tactics, affiliate programs, and network of people they belong to greatly surpass the common man’s reach.

By focusing on obtainable ways to make money for the common person will bring more traffic to this blog and hopefully much more! I will do my part in passing along the word.

Thanks,
Patrick

Personally I don’t think it is necessary to start a site from scratch (another option would be to help a reader start from scratch and document progress – need a volunteer?? ; ) )

I would be interested in learning more about the changes you are making to this site and the reasons behind them as well as the process to taking it to the next level. Similar to your previous article.

Showing us the process of “how to figure out what your market wants” was done well and look forward to more of those proofs, instead of just the typical, ‘here is what you should do’ articles.

Keep up the great work!

Ryan

I’m also not saying you wasted your time creating the video.

If you want to do a live drawing for a prize use one of the many video streaming services out there and do it live. As long as you do it live and allow those in the drawing to watch you do the drawing no one can say you rigged it without providing proof that you rigged it.

I was using the word “You” in the all-encompassing manner, not targeting you (Max) specifically. I’m sorry if that was not clear before.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know I’m not particularly interested in seeing a site in the “make money online” niche become a viable source of income. So, when I voted for “start a website from scratch”, I specifically meant a niche market (not the “make money online”).

So, for me, what Ben was doing doesn’t at all seem to be the same as what Max is proposing. So, that’s the perspective I read all the “great! this is what i need!” comments from — the perspective of someone who was observing this blogging experiment with interest, but really wanted to see someone grow a site in a “traditional” niche market.

Hope that makes sense and gives you a different idea of what people may have meant by their comments.

Val