Again in 2014, Rob Atkinson and Taiss Nowrouzi determined to give up their day jobs and go all-in on mastering search engine optimization. They packed their luggage, headed to Chiang Mai, and realized the ins and outs.
From there, Rob started constructing websites with nice success, after which promoting them. Since 2014, he has constructed and offered 5 websites: 3 with a 5-figure exit, 1 with a 6-figure exit, and 1 with a 7-figure exit.
As we speak he and Taiss run a journey weblog and he’s build up a brand new portfolio of web sites. On this interview, he shares quite a lot of nice perception and actionable suggestions.
Hold studying to seek out out:
- Why he transfer to Thailand
- What he realized there
- What kinds of web sites he constructed and offered
- His most important technique
- How he approaches key phrase analysis
- His content material creation course of
- The sources and instruments he recommends
- His greatest problem
- His most important accomplishment
- His worst mistake
- His recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Rob and Taiss
I’m a part of a digital nomad household of three, 4 if you happen to depend our beloved cat, that enjoys touring the world powered by digital property.
Again within the day, it was simply the 2 of us (Taiss & I). We each determined to depart our 9-to-5 jobs in 2014, packed our belongings, and relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand, aspiring to create a web-based enterprise that will help our distant life-style.
My focus was on search engine optimization, and Chiang Mai proved to be a wonderful place for networking and studying, with quite a few like-minded people round.
In 2017, we left Thailand and returned to the US. As a Canadian citizen on the time, all of the touring was straining my US everlasting residency, so I wanted a while within the US to safe my citizenship.
Throughout that interval, we welcomed our daughter, Petra, into the world in 2019. Then, the Covid pandemic disrupted most journey plans, compelling us to stay within the US.
We moved to Mexico in December 2022 and plan to keep up a house base outdoors the US, making a number of journeys across the globe annually.
Rob’s Expertise Constructing and Promoting Web sites
I’ve offered a complete of 5 web sites since beginning in 2014. From smallest to largest affiliate web site gross sales, the websites have been concerning the following:
- Marijuana accent, offered for five figures
- Biking, offered for five figures
- Trampoline, offered for five figures
- Tactical gear, offered for six figures
- SleepAdvisor.org (co-founded with Nemanja Mirkovic), offered for 7 figures
Alongside the way in which, there have been many extra failure websites than successes. My mindset was primarily about launching a number of initiatives (planting seeds), watching to see which of them Google preferred, then placing my foot on the fuel when one was displaying promise.
Within the early days (2014-2017), I normally had 2 to three websites going at one time. SleepAdvisor.org launched in 2017 and have become the only real focus till the location was offered in March 2022.
For the primary 4 web sites, I used brokers to assist me promote. The primary web site I offered was on Flippa and the subsequent 3 on Empire Flippers. We offered Sleep Advisor privately.
His Present Revenue
As for my present earnings as an entrepreneur, I solely have one affiliate web site left within the portfolio because the Sleep Advisor exit. This web site brings in round $1,000/mo.
As well as, Taiss (my spouse) runs our journey weblog, Collectively to Wherever (initially named Collectively in Thailand), which was launched to doc our digital nomad journey life-style.
The web site has picked up steam in current months and can turn out to be a serious focus for us within the coming years. It at present earns round $200 per 30 days. As well as, the Instagram following has led to quite a lot of free journeys and stays all over the world.
Now we have a small staff of freelancers that assist out with Collectively To Wherever and the opposite web sites we’re launching. It’s two freelance writers and somebody that helps with WordPress formatting.
I work about 25 hours per week on my enterprise, with 20 of these hours being extremely centered deep work periods (no electronic mail, distractions, and so on).
Rob’s Primary Advertising Technique
My primary advertising and marketing technique has at all times been search engine optimization. Though I acknowledge the necessity to diversify and protect towards Google’s algorithm updates, search engine optimization has been the technique that will get my websites launched and monetized.
I realized search engine optimization accidentally.
I began a web site in 2013 about fantasy golf. Every week, I’d write about which gamers I believed individuals ought to select for his or her lineups. Then out of nowhere, I noticed a blast of site visitors coming in.
I rapidly realized that I had by accident optimized my content material for the event every week and was rating effectively. It opened my eyes and that led me to affix an search engine optimization course named “Deliver The Recent.”
After that preliminary course, I stumbled upon Area of interest Pursuits and adopted the case research with Perrin. That case research opened my eyes, and from there I satisfied my girlfriend on the time (now spouse) to give up our jobs and transfer to Thailand!
Chiang Mai, Thailand was a pivotal time and helped launch the search engine optimization enterprise. The search engine optimization group is so sturdy, and it helps to satisfy up with like-minded people each week in particular person.
His Ideas on search engine optimization
search engine optimization is certainly the cornerstone of my enterprise. The very best search engine optimization tip I might give was handed alongside to me by my coach on the time, Matt Diggity.
It was 2015 and I had booked a personal teaching session with him. My websites have been caught. He took a have a look at my content material and located one thing. I pushed again towards his view and he stated one thing to the impact of, “Do you assume Google cares that you simply assume your content material is nice? Keep in mind, Google is an algorithm.”
That caught with me.
Whereas I’m not suggesting that you need to attempt to ship unhealthy content material to your readers, simply bear in mind you might be enjoying towards an algorithm. If you wish to win in search engine optimization, you have to settle for that truth and never get emotionally tied up in, “However, I had an knowledgeable write this content material so why am I getting a penalty.”
It’s a pc algorithm.
Check concepts, obtain suggestions, and feed it what you consider it desires to be able to rank effectively.
Key phrase Analysis
My key phrase analysis technique is fairly easy and hasn’t modified a lot through the years. I search for present web sites doing effectively in our area of interest, enter them into Ahrefs, and assemble a listing of key phrases to focus on from there.
As soon as I’ve a listing of key phrases, it’s time to prepare it into correct silos (classes). Generally, you’ll have a number of key phrases {that a} competitor targets with separate pages, nonetheless, the matters are carefully aligned.
I test every SERP manually and resolve when it’s proper to mix related (overlapping) key phrases. When doubtful, I like to recommend focusing on a bigger web page with extra key phrases fairly than a ton of sniper (smaller) pages for every key phrase variation.
Hyperlink Constructing
Hyperlink constructing has constantly been important to my success. Whereas I do know many SEOs have super success with out hyperlink constructing, I consider that if it’s accomplished appropriately, it could actually considerably increase earnings.
My most important hyperlink constructing technique has been good ole’ content material advertising and marketing.
I discover matters the place I feel individuals could be completely satisfied to hyperlink. Then I create the most effective piece of content material on the subject with the aim of bringing as a lot worth to that group of individuals as doable. Then I carry out our outreach campaigns and have been capable of land hyperlinks principally with out paying for them.
I’ve tried paying for visitor submit companies and that by no means appears to maneuver the needle, so I finished.
His Content material Creation Course of
My content material creation course of begins slowly when launching a brand new web site.
Initially, I usually publish 1 to 2 high-quality articles per week. As soon as the location positive aspects momentum, I set up programs round analysis and content material manufacturing to speed up the method.
I outline momentum because the time if you’re within the “Google loves me” zone. As talked about beforehand, I ditch websites that stall or have a tough time taking off.
After I see {that a} web site constantly sees a rise in impressions and site visitors early on, I begin to pour extra sources into the undertaking.
I don’t have a precise blueprint for this because it’s principally primarily based on intestine really feel. When a web site you personal is within the momentum stage you’ll seemingly know. When it does, I’d extremely recommend taking stock of the opposite initiatives you have got occurring and think about allocating extra or most of your time to the location with momentum.
When the publication schedule picks up it is also time to outsource and automate the method.
When Sleep Advisor began to achieve momentum, we employed writers, builders/designers, and somebody to finish the on-page search engine optimization earlier than it went reside.
His Prime Assets
If you happen to’re simply beginning to consider turning into an entrepreneur, then learn the Millionaire Fastlane. It’s just like the Matrix: it offers you an summary of how the world works and the mechanics behind creating wealth.
There are most likely 5 to 10 different books that I’ve learn which have made a huge effect on my entrepreneurial progress. A couple of that come to thoughts are:
- The One Factor
- The Magic of Considering Large
- Getting Issues Carried out
His Go-To Instruments
Trello: My boards are arrange primarily based on the ebook Getting Issues Carried out, by David Allen. I’ve been doing this since 2018, and it’s an absolute game-changer on the subject of staying organized.
Slack: A communication device that I take advantage of each day to work together with my staff. It has a number of channels and threads, which helps eradicate too many messages at one time.
Roost Stand: I’ve had my laptop computer stand since 2016, and as a digital nomad, it’s priceless. I can arrange in any Airbnb or espresso store and never have to fret about neck ache from trying down at my laptop computer from a bizarre angle.
Rob’s Largest Problem
That must be constructing a distant staff. At one level, the mattress web site had roughly 25 staff. I’m an entrepreneur at coronary heart and add probably the most worth once I’m immersed in issues like search engine optimization.
Because the staff grew, the duties to handle it did as effectively. That sucks the time away to thrive on the inventive features of the enterprise.
We grew our staff in many various methods.
Our first full-time author was somebody Taiss and I met whereas exploring Petra, Jordan. I reached out to her and he or she was within the function.
From there, she linked us with our subsequent full-time author. Our content material staff was constructed primarily via connections like this.
Our improvement and design staff was constructed with a staff in Serbia. My co-founder ran an company earlier than we joined up and was capable of convey that staff collectively to Sleep Advisor.
Exterior of that, we tried widespread locations like Upwork and Certainly. Everybody that began with us was given a trial interval (normally 1 month) the place we might consider them, and so they had an opportunity to see in the event that they preferred working with our staff.
We discovered the trial interval to be an enormous assist as we ended up parting methods with people early that will not have made an excellent match long-term.
His Primary Accomplishment
My biggest accomplishment could be rating #1 for the key phrase “finest mattress.” We hit this rating in Might 2019.
As you may most likely guess, there are various elements that contributed to rating #1 for an insanely aggressive key phrase like “finest mattress.” I’ll do my finest to hit on the elements I feel have been crucial.
As of August 2023, Sleep Advisor has an Ahrefs DR of 76. And again in 2019, it was most likely round a DR 60. Greater than something, I feel our sturdy authority carried our rankings for this key phrase (and plenty of others).
From the launch in 2017 to 2019, we invested closely in authority backlinks. Mike, our rockstar hyperlink builder, developed a course of in-house and by 2018 it was producing 100+ high quality outreach hyperlinks per 30 days.
That stated, it wasn’t nearly hyperlinks. After our preliminary launch, we realized that we needed to improve our content material high quality. There are quite a lot of specs with mattresses (e.g. materials, dimensions, and so on.) and we needed to ship one thing top-notch.
We started to rent all-star writers from the US. We developed a complete SOP and made positive each article hit the mark. After we employed extra writers, many have been let go due to how intense our onboarding course of was for studying mattress lingo.
As well as, I feel we did a reasonably good job with our inside linking. On the time, we had greater than 70 “finest mattress + [insert long tail]” articles, for instance, “finest mattress for neck ache.” Our mattress content material silo was probably the most full out of rivals, and mixed with inside hyperlinks, might have helped us.
Lastly, we invested early on (round late 2017) into CRO for our round-up posts. We particularly have been making an attempt to extend the clicks we despatched to our affiliate packages from our comparability tables.
Though the aim was to extend clicks and our income, it’s fairly doable we have been sending increased high quality time on web page metrics to Google with all the clicking engagement.
What He Needs He Knew When He Began
It’s extra necessary to take imperfect motion each day than it’s to purpose for perfection. I spent the primary two years researching easy methods to earn cash on-line with search engine optimization earlier than I launched my first web site.
That web site in the end failed however I realized extra within the first 24 hours of launching it than I did in two years learning search engine optimization.
Get began. Get suggestions and enhance.
His Primary Mistake
Tying my monetary success to my ego. My decision-making fell to items because the mattress web site began to take off in earnings.
I let the success of the location make me assume that I used to be particular. That led to a slew of unhealthy errors inside the enterprise that ended up costing me some huge cash (and misplaced time).
The easiest way I can describe that is to narrate it to sports activities. Think about a staff that’s been struggling for years lastly getting its efficiency collectively. They win the world championship.
Oftentimes, the drive that obtained them there’s gone the subsequent yr. They’ve the expertise however find yourself having a “hangover” the subsequent season. I feel this occurred to us.
We had achieved a serious success (in our eyes) and began to get complacent. A method that confirmed up was in worker administration. We ended up considering we might rent as many individuals as we would have liked with out budgeting correctly (the staff obtained cumbersome).
His Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Immerse your self on the planet. Join with individuals on an identical journey and lower out (as a lot as doable) folks that aren’t going after that life-style.
Sit down and visualize success. Perhaps you have got a quantity in thoughts. Sit down, shut your eyes, and film it occurring intimately. Who’re you with? What does your day seem like?
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