STOP the train

I'm beginning to realise that there is no quick solution to making money online and am beginning to realise that what I've been suspecting about internet marketing is true.

Basically Web 2.0 with it' social networking is changing the way we operate on the internet. We are beginning to filter out the adverts that we constantly see on the websites. In fact, I've started noticing that I click away from websites that have been created solely for the purpose of displaying google ads. How on earth can they be getting return visitors?

...and those domain names that are JUST serving google ads? How on earth are they even existing? (marketplace.com is one of them - there are many that fit this style of website) They must be making money because the word 'google' is not displayed with the 'sponsored links' label' - this means that they're doing so well with the click through rates (CTR) that google have 'promoted' them to a new level.

One really excellent site that does actually provide good content is gumtree (in SA it's gumtree.co.za but they also have the other domain extensions for different countries). Gumtree displays google ads and they must be doing very well because they too have the 'sponsored link' label not displaying the word 'google'. BUT I don't mind the ads on their site. They're in strategic places AND gumtree is providing an excellent service to the world with the free classifieds.

So yes, it can be done - people are making money from it. BUT don't believe everyone who says that they're doing it too. I've been following some of Joel Comm's advice and seeing what he does. The man has created quite a presence for himself on the internet and he says that he's making loads from displaying google adsense on his sites - so how come then, when you visit worldvillage.com - one of Joel's sites - do the words 'google ads' still display? He either uses separate accounts for the adsense, or, google requires ALOT more revenue to be generated for the words 'google ads' to disappear, or, he's not making as much money from it as he says.

Also, I've noticed that all these e-books and one time solutions that you can buy are going for a once of special offer of $47, but just for today because they normally go for $97. Odd? Copy cat solutions? They must've worked but my suspicion is that they're losing their power. All the websites look the same. With their highlighting text and testimonials.

Ok, I'm good at picking up patterns, and this pattern is telling me something. STOP the train, do something different. The internet is changing, traditional marketing methods are not going to work anymore - we are becoming immune to all the flashing banners and adsense stuff.

So what does work? What should we be looking out for? In a world that is FULL of advertising, what is it that we can do? What can we trust? Who can we trust?

Each other.