The most destructive mistake newbies make
Formal education trains many of us to do something very counter-productive: over think, over plan, and over act.
I have seen highly motivated publishers waste much time, effort, and money attempting to create eye-pleasing, professional web site designs before even exploring the fundamentals of their niche. All of this is done before creating any content or considering what kind of hooks will draw in backlinks or turn a paid promotion campaign profitable.
Here is my #1 secret tip for 2007. If you have an idea for a web site, find a way to make that site live within hours — not days — not weeks — and most certainly, not months.
If you have an idea for a web site that absolutely requires custom programming — get a site up with content today. Figure out what key phrases are important for potential organic search engine traffic, and write a few pages up for it. Send a few links to the domain and only then start looking for a programmer.
Instead of spending weeks laying out your design and tweaking a logos colors and placement, get an ugly site up today.
This leads to secret tip #2 — no one cares how your design looks if you deliver exactly what they want. There is not even an argument here. XHTML this, WC3 that, forget it!
A pretty site with un-attracting (links, pageviews, return visitors, conversions, and so on) content is like an old beat up car with a Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstacy superglued on the hood. Do you want to drive it or own it? Hell no!
This is the first useful advice for me for 2007. It reminds me of Mike Litman’s quote, “You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going”. Thank you Andrew.
Comment by Ashrufzz — January 2, 2007 @ 2:05 am
Great advice.
I just ordered a nice little collection of domains… content for the first one will be up tonight!
Comment by Ross Hill — January 2, 2007 @ 2:30 am
Shoemoney said something similar in his last Netincome. I know, that overplanning is, why I don’t get anything going, and I’m about to change this. Thanks for reminding me
Comment by anty — January 2, 2007 @ 6:37 am
I agree 100%. Put it up and then tweak and add-to over time.
Comment by Joe — January 2, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Thanks guys
I see so many people doing this, both in online and offline businesses.
Now, there are certainly times when a lot of planning is important. However, you can always get the ball rolling no matter what situation your in.
Here is an offline example: If you are working on a condo construction project with lots of legal red tape and a need for startup funds, you can get a basic plan drawn up and start doing a little PR. If the project flops, you still have a collection of valuable leads of possible buyers and may be even contacts with investors — which can be used on a future project.
If you spend all your time trying to make sure every last i is dotted before you start the PR machine rolling, you might end up attempting to sell your units in a post-boom market.
Comment by Andrew — January 2, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Linked to the YGG community - http://www.younggogetter.com/forums/discussion/1281/find-a-way-to-make-that-site-live-within-hours-not-days/.
Comment by Ross Hill - Instant RPS — January 3, 2007 @ 9:52 am
I completely agree. Had I not started my business while not having everything together over a year ago I still wouldn’t have a business. I would still be planning and plotting.
Secondly, most of the time you don’t know what you really want or need until you’re out in the thick of it and you can see what’s most effective. What’s the point of making concrete plans if they are only going to evolve and change in a couple of months once your realize you need something else or more.
Great post.
Comment by Aaron — January 3, 2007 @ 2:50 pm
Very good point, but at the same time, pay at least a LITTLE attention to the site you’re launching. I’ve seen people try to put in so much eye candy that it’s overkill. And many times, it works fine on their computer, but doesn’t work at all for others. So, do cross browser check.
Aside from that, speed to market is obviously very important in this business.
Comment by David Risley — January 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
If you are even thinking about eye-candy you are headed in the wrong direction already.
Comment by Andrew — January 3, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
very good tips..
“Instead of spending weeks laying out your design and tweaking a logos colors and placement, get an ugly site up today.”
Impossible not to be in agreement about it! So true!
Comment by Osman — January 5, 2007 @ 9:09 am
I really like Tip #1, it goes along with what I do. Get a site up, let google make friends with it… test it out.. then worry about it later. The older the site, the better it is. (or at least google thinks so)
Comment by Michael Gersitz — January 5, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
[…] Andrew Johnson’s of Web Publishing Blog writes that the most destructive mistake newbies make is over planning. […]
Pingback by An Idea For A New Website « Sabahan.com — January 9, 2007 @ 10:19 pm
This is my main reason for not advancing with some site ideas. I spend WAY to much time trying to make them look pretty instead of just getting some content up and rolling with it.
I know you’re right I just have to apply myself and get the ball rolling!
Thanks for the tip! (I know, I know…you’ve told me this before.)
Comment by Deron — January 12, 2007 @ 1:36 pm