Page 2 - ARRRGGGGHHHHH – Suicide is my only choice…

Originally Posted by EGOL

There are no risk free businesses. Any biz you get into has competitor risk, product risk, liability risk, and much more. But the web is especially a risky place to make a living - so know that going in.

If you are going to make a living on the web diversify if you can so that you can suffer a big rankings drop and still eat and pay your rent. You might have to lay off employees or downsize your home... the key is being conservative in hiring and don't buy a bigger house than you can afford.

If things totally tank for you, there is always a McDs or a Wal-Mart nearby where you can get a job. So, treat your employees well because the guy that you laid off six months ago might be your shift manager when you start working at McDs.

Originally Posted by gazzahk

I just been reading another thread about rankings in google just dissapearing and the associated pain and loss of income that goes with this.

Firstly – sudden dissapearance seems more often to be associated with a google glitch than any penalty etc. Often the site will just reappear as quickly as it dissapeared over the next 24 to 48 hours. In the words of Douglas Adams Don’t panic ……

Having said this I am constantly amazed at how many people are willing to place their whole business model and livelyhood on a single search engine ranking. This is IMHO just plan foolishness.

The SE donot exist for the sake of small business. It does not matter how well your site is doing at the present at some point you will loose that ranking. It is inevatable as algos change, SE change, the web changes nothing is constant in this world.

Thus people if you are making money by the good graces of the SE it is time you took some action to consolidate that income.

Here are some basic actions that I would recommend

1) Start with the premise that your good ranking will not last.
2) Consider how a % of the income you earn can be used to diversify your customer sources
3) Consider how a % of the income you earn can be used to consolidate/diversify your positions on SE

Some methods that can be used:
-PPC
-Advertising on other people high traffic sites
-Paying for link building or other SEO services
-Advertising in other sources of media other than the internet
-Diversifying your product range and capturing other markets on the SE

The above is by no means an extensive list. But if you donot take some action your livelyhood and family security is being built on a stack of cards. You will see your traffic drop/dissapear one day and feel you have been hard done by. You have not you are a victum of your own lack of risk diversification efforts.

DO NOT LET THIS BE YOU Google is not you friend it is a commercial business that does not care in the slighest about you and your family.

Take care – use good business practices – enjoy the cream while its there……

Originally Posted by eddyf

In my opinion, the searchers are (in general) lazy and most don't look past page one (they must think ranking = best quality & best price). When I shop on-line, I look at least 5 pages deep. The best deals not always on page one.

Ed

Originally Posted by fathom

Exaggerating a bit are we? You have time to investigate 50 websites for the same thing?

Most searchers find what they desire in the top 5 or at least on page 1... (actually #1 usually has what they wish) and while the frugal shopper is looking for a deal... surely higher or lower prices [deals] make no difference in SERP position so why would all the best deal be deeper?