Bulletin Archive - a week by week collection of some of our best threads

[KenW3]

My experience with NameJet (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5673
- Interested in buying dropped domains but confused by the process? This thread details a few members experiences.

PHPLD New Service (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5743
- For those who live on the wrong side of the SEO tracks. A new site that is ready for parasite hosting listed here.

Where's the buzz? Latest ideas in MMO? (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5701
- Every day we see the same old things repackaged under different names. So what is new in the world in MMO? Is anything ever truly new? Who leads the market and who follows?
How is competition worked out in the Google Adwords Tool?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5736
- A common point of confusion with the less experienced is how competition is worked out in the Adwords tool. Do you want high competition? Low competition? It all depends on what you are using the tool for.

Is anyone making money from social media?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5674
- Social media is the darling of the Net, but does anyone actually make money using it? Is it a viable strategy or a flash in the pan? Read discussions here.
Ideas wanted (Please) on speeding up ROI on a plugin
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5697
- An interesting thread on online marketing in general, with a slant to online product sales.

A lesson in how NOT to buy websites
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5691
- Soon to be made into a Lifetime movie of the week, the story of a young website buyer who moves to the big city of Flippa, Australia where he is taken advantage of. No clue if the movie will turn the OP into a drug addicted porn star who is saved by the power of love or have the planet invaded by aliens who are allergic to water. Either way, a sure Oscar contender for next year. Read all about it now.

Why bother with a degree?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5738
- A fairly substantial thread about the need for a degree or the lack of a need. An interesting read for our younger readers who are unsure about the path to take to success (if you figure it out please drop me a line, I'd sure like to know the answer).

Thank you to the mod team for recommendations, thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

New Kid on the Block
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5848
- A good reason to read through all the threads that are posted. This thread starts out as an introduction and morphs into a discussion about the common refrain of those new to the industry of building many small sites that bring in a little income each.

Turnkey website providers: Avoid? Proceed with caution?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5798
- Turnkey or Turkey? What do turnkey website providers provide you with and are they worth it?

Crazy how some sellers get confused by GROSS numbers they are pulling in
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5843
- Cash flow, gross profit, net profit. It's important to speak the language if you want to participate in the game.

How to select a good niche
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5785
- Whether you pronounce it neesh, nick or neeshay (as the French do) a good niche is key to making money in the web content business. Read this thread for tips on how to find the gems.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

Site Design - Long page or several shorter ones?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5942
- Size doesn't matter, at least that's what my first girlfriend told me (mysteriously we broke up shortly thereafter). Should one display a lot of related content on a single page or break it out onto multiple pages? That is the question that this thread seeks to answer.

Beware the black hats (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5922
- Can black hats working for the competition actively hurt your site?

Duane Forrester on How to build an authority site
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5854
- Duane who? Bing's webmaster guru spills the beans on how to build an authority site in the eyes of Bing.

If you're aren't already a full time internet entrepreneur, what type of information and advice would be most helpful to you? Tell us here:
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5945
- A discussion of the evolution of the MMO novice. Come tell us what you want to hear/learn.

How do you deal with copycats?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5885
- Copy cats don't make you LOL? A thread discussing how to deal with, and even profit from, people stealing your content.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

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Administrivia

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: Merger of FlippingPlanet with Experienced-People
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6028
- Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Flipping Planet to be merged with EP! This is of course subject to US and EU anti-trust authority approval

Two new sections - SEO & Internet Marketing (SEO/SEM/IM) and Site Flipping
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6052
- As EP continues to grow, there is a need to subdivide topics into their own forums. EP has just created an SEO/SEM/IM, SEO & Internet Marketing, and a Site Flipping forum.

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Dark Patterns: dirty tricks designers use to make people do stuff
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6035
- "Normally when you think of "bad design", you think of laziness or mistakes. These are known as design anti-patterns. Dark Patterns are different, they are not mistakes, they are carefully crafted with a solid understanding of human psychology, and they do not have the user’s interests in mind."

SEO Google does not care, at least probably not in the way you think (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6014
- A discussion on how Google is using real business signals to help them rank pages.

Shrewd Way To Selling to An End User
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5988
- One of our users details his use of cold calling to try to sell a site.

Cutts: Google To Target Overly SEO'ed Sites Within Weeks
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6033
- The next Panda? Matt Cutts of Google drops word that Google plans on knocking down spammers. I'll believe it when I see it.

Two great reads, one about Google and the other about the financial world
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/5994
- A philosophical discussion as to the nature of greed, and how it has enriched/destroyed the fabric of our society.

How Garbage Ranks in the SERPs: a Case Study
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6032
- Discussion of the SEOmoz article of the same name (and written by one of our members) about a site that was ranking for money terms using blog networks and the such.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

Protecting trademarks (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6078
- A discussion about trademarks and how they are protected. Read this before launching theapplegoogle.com

Any suggestions for a good WP Ecommerce Theme
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6139
- WordPress, love it or hate it, it's everywhere. Blog, CMS, Ecommerce site. But is it the best? Why do you not use it?

How to choose a Content Management System for your site
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6180
- WordPress, love it or hate it, it's everywhere. Blog, CMS, Ecommerce site. It really tries hard to do it all, but can it really? This thread discusses how to choose a content management system for your site (hey maybe you should try WP, I hear it can do it all).

LBO for website acquisition
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6086
- Leveraged buyouts, is there a place for this sort of vehicle in terms of buying websites? Do leveraged buyouts happen? Can you really buy a business without investing any money? If you were getting a better price would you sell to a buyer who cannot pay in cash?

Has anyone used both MajesticSEO and SEOmoz for SEO research?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6097
- MajesticSEO, SEOmoz? Which one do you use? This thread discusses whether you should be using both tools to make sure you get the whole picture. Do you have a better way of doing SEO research?

How do you measure equity stakes for founders?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6163
- How does a pirate captain who has to split 100 coins among a group of 5 pirates come up with a 98-0-1-0-1 split and have it voted through? Luckily most startups today aren't founded by pirates so what is the appropriate equity stake split in a start up? This thread tackles the critical issue.

News on tracking your visitors
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6095
- Google to stop sending referral strings, Firefox to block this information as well. How will we track our website visitors from now on? If you can't track it, it doesn't exist.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

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Ramblings from the diary of a mad forum administrator

Please follow us on LinkedIn
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6315
- In the nav bar you should now see a LinkedIn button added today. It would be great if you clicked on it to follow these forums.

New domaining sub-forum created
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...display.php/28
- As EP continues to grow we prune and shape it much like a bonsai tree. This week we begin work on a new branch, a domaining sub-forum. Your visits are the water and posts the sunshine that will help it grow, so get posting!

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Domain Purchasing Coupons (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/2665
- Although you can't get your money for nothing and your chicks for free, at least you can save a few bucks on domains. Visit this thread to see the latest domain coupons or post new ones to help others.

Buying Links From Blog Networks (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6278
- It's Blogaggeddon! Google wipes out paid blog networks. It was a nice run while it lasted, but are blog networks truly dead or is it just a matter of tweaking the concept? Come add your two cents on the subject and read the opinions of others here.

Monetizing your content (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6234
- The freemium model, the holy grail of Internet marketing or just another failed attempt to get past the sense of entitlement that permeates the Internet today? This post discusses monetizing your content. If you have an opinion or just want to read what others have done, this is the place to do so.

Can anyone give me a price guide for banner ads?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6099
- How much should I charge for banner ads on my site is a common question that is asked today. An equivalent question would be how long is a piece of string? There is no one answer that fits all, so visit this thread to discuss how to gauge a fair way to determine price.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

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Forum administrator's update:

Changes are being discussed to the way that reputation is distributed by members. Add your input in the following threads:

VIPs please provide input on maximum rep power (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6436

Should Rep Power be subject to a maximum limit?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6411

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Why we don't value based on potential
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6327
- Potential, a four letter word to website buyers. It's much like a newborn baby, parents love to bring out the photos and talk about the wonderful things that they've done while bystanders can't understand how a drooling and pooping machine seems so wonderful to anyone with half a brain. Potential or poop machine? Add your two cents here (5 cents in Canada with the recent elimination of the penny).

Valuations of higher end online businesses
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6320
- Do higher end online businesses deserve a greater revenue multiple when sold then lower/middle end online businesses? Outliers like Instagram aside, what do you think?

Has the market tanked?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6331
- A discussion about the state of the website market. Is the market healthy and vibrant or tanking? Add your opinion to the thread.

How do I teach others to make money online to make money for my business
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6446
- An interesting thread in regards to brick and mortar and online businesses, and how to make money teaching others skills needed. Which would you prefer?

The Top Home Based Franchises
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6318
- Discussion of the top 101 franchise opportunities for home-based work. Would you consider buying a franchise to work from home?

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

What's your take on the Long Sales Letter
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6471
- The long sales letter, ingenious marketing tool or 21st century snake oil salesman? Offer your take on this contentious discussion here.

Advertiser proposed a 5 year contract (VIP Lounge)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6547
- A bird in the hand or two in the bush? How does one deal with long-term contracts in a world that changes every day? Add your two cents here.

Is it hard to sell training for its own sake?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6536
- Selling training isn't actually about selling training at all, or is it? How does one go about selling training, whom should one target? This thread discusses all of that and more.

Why buy vs. develop?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6476
- If you had a nickel for every time this week that you heard someone say "I could code Instagram myself, how is it worth $1 billion?" then this thread is for you. The value of a site isn't in it's technology, it's in it's intangibles and users.

What's the best DIY 3rd party shopping cart solution?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6492
- Minimum viable products, failing fast. In today's age it makes more sense to take a quick and dirty approach to site development than to build it and hope they will come. This thread discusses various options related to shopping carts.

Equity: How to raise from $1000 to $1M
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6475
- Looking to raise funding? This thread discusses various options related to how to do so.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses.

[KenW3]

A Big Welcome To Members From Flipping Planet
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7561
- FP members, We are delighted to have you here. More importantly, we hope you take part and you start posting. Many of you have a great deal to teach us and to learn from joining in and making posts.

$3,975 from my 2nd Flippa auction - My thoughts (FP VIP)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7119
- A FP classic thread from March of last year that deserves to be highlighted for our EP members that may not have seen it.

What's my great idea worth and how do I pitch it without it getting stolen?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7598
- An interesting thread on the value of ideas and how to protect them using patents.

Populating a forum?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6579
- Chicken or egg? The age old question is discussed yet again in this thread. A forum without posts and posters is nothing, but how does one create those in a new forum?

6 Changes Every SEO Should Make BEFORE the Over-Optimization Penalty Hits
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7604
- Google rolls out a new penalty, the over optimization monster strikes. What changes can you make to avoid being hit by this?

Is a new domain necessary for rebranding?
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6617
- What do you do when the niche you're promoting becomes obsolete and you want to change tack? Will it really be necessary to change the domain to effect the rebranding or could you persevere with a domain that's out of date but on a long-established website? Add your feedback here.

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses,

[KenW3]

Master List of Active Webmaster Forums and Marketplaces
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/6638
- This excellent imported post by Thomas of Flipping Planet (aka Meathead1234 on EP) is a master list of places to buy and sell domain names and web sites. If you know of more, please add to the list for everyone's benefit.

Suggestions for monetizing a diet niche site
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7654
- 1) Steal underpants, 2)?, 3) Profit. The underpants gnomes may have been missing step 2 but many webmasters have problems at step 3. Although this thread is specifically about the diet niche many of the items posted are applicable to other niches as well. Stop by and steal an idea or two (just leave our underpants alone).

Google have lost the plot completely!
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7736
- Has Google gone from creepy neighbour who reads your mail and looks in your Windows(tm) to a full on drunkard stumbling from algo update to algo update in a vain attempt to placate the voices in his head that tell it to kill spam? At least it isn't talking to it's dog (yet).

How to merge forums
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7722
- A topical thread with the recent merger of EP and FP (maybe we should have named the improved forum GP). How does one merge old threads into a new forum? Post your suggestions, horror stories here.

Anti Keyword Stuffing algorithm coming to Google in next few days
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7716
- Must kill spam! Must kill spam! Stuffing your web pages with keywords? There's an algo for that. Read this thread to determine if your sites are at risk.

The Negative SEO Debate Sparks Up Again
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7643
- Sticks and stones may break my bones, but inbound links can't hurt me! Or can they? Ouch! Hey stop throwing those stones!

A website that aggregates listings from various marketplaces (think Indeed.com for websites)
- http://experienced-people.net/forums...hread.php/7714
- What's your two cents? A) I need the exercise so I'll keep going from site to site. B) What do you mean "other marketplaces"? Where? (See first thread above )

Thank you to tke71709 for writing this bulletin, thank you for reading, and all the best with your online businesses!