I’m sure that everyone is dreaming about starting his own project and shoot for the stars by trying to make it profitable. Yeah, that’s right, it’s 2018 and everyone should try to become an internet entrepreneur, it’s definitely something worth trying. But let me ask you then… Why are you still dreaming about it? Did you even try to build something from the scratch? I bet you didn’t or you did and dropped it after the first fails.
Cheer up, my fellow entrepreneur, let me explain you in details why you should start over and deliver your project this year.
In this article, I would like to highlight the key things that we do not value nowadays despite the fact that they make the road to success much easier. Making sure that you utilize all these correctly is a must, so note everything I tell you now and get back to work, this year may become decisive for you, trust me.
It all starts with the idea
I am lucky to live nowadays with all these YouTubes, Twitters, Pinterests, Snapchats and other platforms that made it possible for anyone to CREATE. Yes, creating something is one of the most important things that we have a chance to experience, so wasting your time on basic information consumption is a real crime.
Naah, it’s not like I decided to show you the Casey Neistat video and motivate you through his words. I decided to mention this person in my article for one simple reason: he became a tech company founder at his early thirties and I don’t believe that there is someone out there who won’t agree that this is a hell of an accomplishment
I want to give you a short description of Casey’s project, just in case you didn’t hear about the Beme app. It won’t be a large case study, but I’d like to cover some details about a great example of what direction you should take.
When Casey Neistat and Matt Hackett founded Beme, the world already had Instagram videos, Snapchat and Vine. And it will be fair to note that Vine was slowly going down, so trying to look at them in a sense of inspiration could sound like a pretty bad plan.
Nevertheless, it will be fair to say that Beme was inspired by all those platforms at once. Despite the fact that we all had those apps, they managed to generate a new idea and new approach to a video service that got a commercial success not only among some underground hipsters, but among serious and famous people (for example, Kevin Spacey who mentioned Beme in one of his event appearances. Spoiler: he liked it!).
So what is this app about? It’s simple as 1-2-3: you may shoot a 2-8 seconds videos, but as long as your screen is covered with something, so you wouldn’t see the actual footage. Also, there is no way to edit the footage after.
This startup was all about sharing your real experience without editing it and giving it a fancier look by applying some hip filters. That’s what was concerning Casey and Matt, so they decided to make this video experience better and let people share their real feelings. So basically, they were trying to implement the approach they personally admire and follow. Do you get it?
As the headline above says: It’s all about the idea and while it’s 2018, you get more and more opportunities to make your life easier or simply better. I genuinely believe that all those pessimists that are saying that all cool ideas have already been implemented are not going to succeed EVER.
Year by year we not only create new apps and projects but also get new technologies and platforms to create something new, so you shouldn’t be scared by the fact that it’s 2018 now, you should be happy about it, life is giving us more and more opportunities, just look around!
One more thing, just so you know: Beme has been sold to CNN for $25 million.
Good news about the website building
WordPress is not dead, so long live the WP!
Pick a premium WordPress theme and start a project on this platform, you’ll never regret this decision since WP is still the biggest and most convenient CMS on the internet.
The platform is getting older and better as a good wine, but what about the templates? As you may have noticed, more and more themes are getting released on various marketplaces, including the TemplateMonster, so picking a good theme nowadays will not give you even a tiny bit of a headache or anything of that matter.
The size of your project doesn’t matter at all, it will be easy to build a small personal blog, but it will also be very simple to build a huge e-commerce project out of it.
Getting older and better like good old wine
Becoming good at using something techy is just a matter of time and speaking of WordPress, you will not have to wait too long for the first results. Nowadays it’s very easy to find tons of tutorials and step-by-step guides on the internet.
Make sure you check out the guide on the TemplateMonster blog, in some of those you’ll even see how the simplest things explained (like changing a logo, adding a top menu, etc.).
So the good news is WordPress is still a good bet, go for it and don’t waste your time with the website builders and other tasteless things from the amateur hour.
Long and top quality content is still the king
Long articles are still holding the highest places in the Google’s search results and that’s a good news for everyone who wants to start a project. Why? Because the recipe still works and you still can get the necessary results by following the same old rules.
Don’t mind the fact that it’s 2018, according to the latest studies, long-form content still matters and therefore gives you the following benefits:
- Users spend more time on your website
- Higher ranking in the search results
- Comprehensive articles give your project a reputation of the authoritative resource
I beg you, guys, don’t make your posts look like a giant e-book in a format of an article! The long-form content implies around 2,000 words.
Growing your mailing list is easier than ever
Yet it works the same! If you open a WordPress plugin repository Today and check how many mailing plugins are there, you’ll be surprised. So you not only have all the tools to build a mailing list and engage the users with your newsletters, but you also have a chance to look around and choose the plugin you like the most.
Play around with the most popular ones or find yourself an underground one that fits your unusual needs and specific tastes, it all depends on you and your personal preferences.
Starting a newsletter is still a must for everyone, not only for those who struggle with getting more traffic. I mean, we all struggle, right? John with 10 millions visitors per month will definitely want to land the 11-th million and Samantha with 5 thousand visitors per month will definitely do anything to make these numbers grow.
Got an idea for a project? Get an idea for the newsletter campaigns, this is more important than wearing a hat during the snow blizzard, my friend!
Social media gives everyone a chance
This is the most exciting and enchanting thing for your and your project. Nowadays social media platform became so big and yet so open that everyone has a chance to market something or get in touch with someone for the business purposes. Now you can get in touch with someone big and serious, not just read their interviews in the magazines and sit around without an opportunity to give some feedback or get any kind of response.
Modern entrepreneurs love the social media… No. That’s not the correct word to describe their feelings towards it… WORSHIP. They worship this amazing platform and they are not hiding it from anyone, they say it as is: Social media is a key to the successful business. If you neglect the SMM, you are done, go home and wonder why you failed while someone pushes his brand through the Instagram and Twitter accounts 24/7.
One of those who run around like a preacher and yell about the social media benefits is Gary Vaynerchuk, a truly awesome man with a lifetime supply of energy!
In fact, he’s got his own book about the brand marketing strategies called ‘Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. How to tell your story in a noisy social world’. This book is a proud member of my bookshelf and getting back to it from time to time is a must for everyone. I don’t remember a day when I would take this book and see the dust on it, that’s how often I use it.
Here is how many formats you can explore in your marketing journey:
- Social media posts
- Youtube shows
- Webinars
- Podcasts
This year you have so many opportunities given away by the internet and technological process, don’t blow it!
Before you leave don't forget to take a look at any of these personal WordPress themes.