In an episode of the Authority Hacker podcast, Jon Dykstra, a successful website owner, shares his unique approach to online marketing.
Unlike many others in the field, Dykstra takes a zero link-building approach, has a broad niche selection process, and heavily relies on display ads to generate massive profits. This article summarizes the key insights from the podcast.
Table of Contents
The Zero Link-Building Approach
Dykstra’s approach to online marketing is unique in that he does not focus on link building. Instead, he waits for links to come naturally.
While this approach may take longer, it allows for a higher profit margin. Dykstra acknowledges that paying for links can speed up the process, but he prefers to be patient and not pay for links.
Broad Niche Selection Process
Dykstra’s niche selection process is driven by his personal interests and experiences.
He believes that starting small and using personal interests is a good way to grow sites. For instance, he started a car site because he owns a couple of cars and can write about them easily.
He also writes about sports he plays and products he uses.
Display Ads for Profit
Dykstra has a huge love for display ads, which he uses to generate substantial profits. He uses display ads, specifically through the ad network Strive, which has been successful for him.
He also discusses the differences between advertising and affiliate marketing and how to insert ad codes onto a website.
He notes that display ads can still be somewhat volatile, but if traffic is consistent, revenue will generally be consistent as well.
Monetizing Websites Through Advertising
Dykstra shares his experience with monetizing websites through advertising instead of affiliate marketing. He discusses his experience with various advertising networks and how the payout rates have changed over time.
Some networks, such as MediaVine, have significantly increased their payout rates, while others, like AdSense, have decreased.
Managing Multiple Websites
Dykstra manages multiple websites and shares his strategies for deciding whether to start a new site or expand an existing one.
He has 17 sites in total but only focuses on a few.
He adds content to his sites regularly and believes that starting small and using personal interests is a good way to grow his sites.
SEO Work and Fixing Issues with URLs
Dykstra discusses his experience with a service that identifies and fixes website issues, such as broken links and missing “no follow” attributes on affiliate links.
The service uses automation to complete tedious fixes quickly and efficiently. He was satisfied with the results, which included a lot of SEO work done for free.
Affiliate Marketing and Display Ads
Dykstra shares his success with affiliate marketing and his monthly revenue of over $70,000 from niche sites. He recommends using display ads, particularly with high-paying affiliate programs like hosting or Amazon.
He also mentions the success he has had with using display ads and affiliate links together.
Conclusion
Jon Dykstra’s success in online marketing demonstrates the effectiveness of his unique strategies.
His insights on not focusing on link building, choosing niches based on personal interests, and using display ads for profit provide valuable guidance for anyone looking to increase their website’s visibility and reach.