What would you do?

You want your own sites, you want to make money and you want to test your SEO abilities while still earning a living.

Relying on adsense? Bit dodgy? Affiliates? Bit competitive to get the high earning stuff? Would you do a combination, add some Amazon and ebay in there? Look at Adbrite and Chitika?

Exactly what I am doing now, but without the staff or customers.  I'd be minted and stress free. 

This isn't hypothetical for me... two months ago, I decided to forget SEO the way I remember it, and make a move into apps.  I looked hard at iphone apps first then settled for building a FB app, and I went 'all in', and have worked 30 days straight in banging out what I believe to be a killer app and coming up with a 'first mover' empire building strategy to ensure it's success.  For me, even though things will I guess be based in SEO, it's really a commitment to swinging things in the social space. 

It's also a deviation from me 'owning' everything... I'm now looking at owning just a piece of everything and outsourcing and partnering more in order to keep me working at a high level on the big picture, instead of bouncing back and forth from CEO to grunt.  I'm also looking to flip this company right after I take the uncertainty out of the equation, or take on a serious round of funding.  But if you know me, then you know I have 2 speeds, 'off' or 'on', and right now I'm 100% on fire and on the war path, which is where I like to be.

It seems every 5 years or so, just when I think I painted my self in a corner, and I see no options, it occurs to me I need to pull my head out of my ass and look at things again hard and remind myself that I make my own own options, not just take what's given, and if I don't want to be like everyone else, then I shouldn't be doing what they are doing.

Apps.

apps:)

Doug

i second apps now i own an iphone

a down loadable program (even at 3am) what appeals to the masses rather than run of mill SEO tools like what every one else does

mixed affiliate on the side as bread and butter earnings what can lead to a good income to fund your lifestyle while the above gain momentum

Starting out now would be helped by a really good idea that's sacalable and easy to monetise... not so simple.

One thing I would say is that "owning" your advertiser relationships is vital, but it's a lot of work.

Depends on how much of a budget you start with, if it was enough I'd do a deal with someone I spoke to in the past and build a site about Edinburgh (where I live) on the .com of the city name.

If I was starting with hardly anything I'd look at things that I really enjoy doing and see if there's a gap in any monetisable part of it. Apps are certainly on the list, something stupid or useful.

I'd also be tempted to build a UK specific search engine off the back of a search API - but that's high risk.

Was thinking about this after I posted.  What I would do differently is that I would do a lot less. 

When we started out the marketplace was pretty young, so we took on pretty much anything web related that would pay.  That means that we're stuck servicing a lot of legacy business now that isn't as profitable: It makes money, but it costs more to make it.  Starting now I would do one thing bloody well and drop everything else.  I do occassionally threaten to hit the reset button and do just that anyway.

heh. Always straight to the money with you lot

So do you then market your apps yourself or stick them on itunes or marketplace and see what happens?

If you were starting out now...you'd do apps??

Good luck joining the 1 billion other companies doing them!

The time to be getting into any trend surely is right at the beginning. When you start hearing fogeyish Radio 4 discussions about apps (which was being discusssed over a year ago), you know you're going to be up against the big boys. I'm not saying there still isn't money to be made in apps - clearly there is - but not for someone starting out with little funds or experience. You wouldn't stand a chance at this point in time given how mature the market already is.

If I had more cash and know-how and was starting out now I'd be getting into online sports betting in places like India, Malaysia, Thailand. It's inevitable gambling is going to become legal in those countries in the very near future and there is an insane amount of money to be made if you get in early. Not much point in Canada, the States as the big players are already too well positioned.

Cheers,

Ed

I would learn to play mandolin earlier than I did.
I would learn to program 'properly' and not just hack stuff about.
I would create 30 sock-puppet online identities and start massive arguments on religious and political forums about REALLY minor issues.
I would stalk Peter dressed as a dead Jimmy Hendrix and peep in through his window when he is drunk.
I would strike oil.

... that'd do it.

>>>>>I would learn to program 'properly' and not just hack stuff about.

ditto

>>I would create 30 sock-puppet online identities and start massive arguments on religious and political forums about REALLY minor issues.

Ahh, the old start and argument in an empty room gig.

>> I would stalk Peter dressed as a dead Jimmy Hendrix and peep in through his window when he is drunk.

You'd do anything to see me in my underpants - pervert!

I would spend more time building properties/projects with longevity.  Too much of what I've done over the years has been for short term gains.  Also, I've done SEO for other people for 12+ years.  I'd take some of that pay-per-hour time and put it into my own projects.