Life Of Internet Webmasters
Can Be Fun, and Frustrating
Does anyone else hate changing operating systems?
Every time I change operating systems which is about every 3 to 4 years it seems it takes about a month to get everything to work again. I just purchased a new computer and it has MS Vista for an operating system. I jumped from MS 2K Pro and very few applications seem to work with it without updating to new and later drivers and in some cases patches are having to be developed. Usually I wait until an operating system has been debugged prior to my purchasing it; because it makes it easier to find updates.
This time I wasn't really given any choice by my manufacturer and it may very well be my last time using them. They talk about support but if you mention a 3rd party application you are immediately being sent to their paid support. In the past, support would work with me at least for a while even on 3rd party applications. Even software developers that are certified by MS are telling me that this is brand new and they haven't worked with it very much either. Some have written work orders to have programmers write patches to correct some problems.
Oh yes, I can request to be converted back to an older version of operating system but someway that seems to go against the grain with me after buying a new computer. Why buy a new computer and how long will the old system be supported? Actually, the 3rd party application providers have provided much better support and seem genuinely interested in my feelings as a webmaster.
I have always been one to try to accept change, if I was given a good reason for the change. Many times I have had to go through a large learning curve to stay up to date. Webmaster's have to make decisions everyday that are going to make their life better or worse. Too bad they don't give us better foresight.
Being a webmaster is getting to be more fun all the time. It does seem that things can change in a hurry on the Internet. A week ago, I was just groping around trying to find some good products to offer. Now, I have had offers from 3 different guru's to let me review their products for free. If, I liked the product, then maybe I would be interested in offering it to my subscribers on my Internet website. Have you noticed how some days the computer and Internet and everything just comes together? It sure is nice to have a few of those days when everything comes together.. There just isn't enough of them. Webmasters have to make decisions all the time that can have a major impact on their website.
I made the decision that I would not email my list some time ago; and even though I have had some pretty good offers to place ads and send out a newsletter promoting different products to my subscribers. I won't at this time, because of my personal feelings about spam, and the affect it has on Internet marketing. Too many newsletters are getting awfully close to being spam in my opinion. I will be offering affiliate products that I feel are value added, and not to costly, on the website itself. If I place a link to a product on my website, you can consider it an endorsement by me, and I use it to help offset my costs of keeping this site free.
Each year, as a webmaster, I spend between $5,000 and $10,000 on various products to be evaluated or incorporated into my formatting/offline marketing. I will admit that I get lax as a webmaster in reporting the outcome of these purchases and evaluations at times. I have found that the good products seem to remain valuable for extended periods of time. They also don't come down in value very often; only if an improved similar product gets developed will the purchase price drop. The only items I promote is those that I have used and believe offer good value; most have been pointed at newbies.
I know that the "urgency" that sales pages build in make it seem as if you won't get a chance to get the product, if you wait, is just a webmaster trick. I have found this urgency to be somewhat of an exaggeration, sometimes the product is packaged differently and sold as new again. Many times I've found a sales page to a product, that appears to resolve a problem for me, and find that it is a couple years old. Most times the price is about the same as the original offering; because the original developer had a lot of foresight in the development.
Back to my original thought, there are the days nothing goes right, your host changes something, and your website blows up; this is when the webmaster pulls his hair out. The webmaster forgets to dump the formatting, and temporary Internet files, and everything comes to a stand still. I have so many files; it takes forever to scan for viruses, trojans and worms another headache for webmasters. Webmasters spend a lot of time defragging or re-formating hard drives and servers if something is wrong. Webmasters have spyware problems; so that is another time consumer, checking and cleaning those files. Webmasters have to go through spam, and email, so they don't miss something from a subscriber. These are the days the webmaster has to grin and bear it, and just keep going.
Webmasters don't really ever have a time to sit and relax; if you do you will regret it. It seems the word has gotten out to other webmasters about some success I had with some scripts and questions started coming in from several different webmasters about the problems solution. It always makes you feel good if you can help other webmasters find solutions to some of their problems. Actually, it's the helping people that we should all be trying to accomplish; that tends to build loyalty. That's why some people keep comeing back and as long as you don't do something to mess up that trust and loyalty they will continue to come back.
If this keeps up, there should be some big changes for me in the near future for me. I hope I've paid my dues from all the different things I've tried. I am convinced that if you just keep working and trying, sooner or later, things will fall into place. I'm not being asked to do much more than give an opinion to some of these webmasters. Today, my opinions are probably worth more than when I first started. I also respect the opinions of other webmasters even if I don't always agree.
As a webmaster I have been trying for over two years to get better SEO, I have learned that it doesn't hurt to write positive testimonials; they will just increase the number of links to your website and give you some name recognition. I don't mean false testimonials; there are lots of good products out there on the Internet. Besides, if you give a positive testimonial for a bad site; you just blew your credibility. In marketing, that is very critical issue; never do anything that might hurt your credibility as a webmaster. Webmasters need to actually review and use products before promoting them. Some might call it looking before you leap otherwise it could have negative consequences.
I figure I have been posting to enough different forums, and starting a blog about 6 months ago. I know that some of the search engines have at least found me, because I get 30 or 40 hits a day just from their spiders. I haven't made the big time yet, but it sure seems things are beginning to look more positive. That in turn keeps my thoughts more positive, and should act as a re-enforcement to more positive thinking. I found a long time ago, that if I make the job I'm working on the best job in the world; it made it a lot easier. Sometimes, if you make it fun and interesting, someone else will step up and want that job and that allows you to get a better one.
Positive thinking, and keeping a positive attitude, can go a long way toward keeping you active and working. I know there are times, when I'd rather be relaxing, but I know if I want to make this work; I have to put in my time. I think my biggest problem is that I like to read, and I get to reading when I should be focusing on what I'm trying to accomplish. Guess that's the reason I'm up half the night on a lot of occasions. I just keep thinking about all the successful people; going to beaches and taking their laptop and working 2 hours a day. That sure would be nice and maybe someday I could join them on the beach.
I have always had to work to accomplish things; and this is no different. I figure, if I can start making more money; then I should be able to buy bigger, better and more automated products. I know that I will have to put a good portion of money I make back into the business if I want it to survive and grow. Marketing on the Internet takes a lot of work, but it can be fun if you keep your sense of humor, and work on the things you can control, and roll with the punches on the rest. "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger" has always been one of my favorite sayings.
I have learned that finding some friends with similar interests can help, it's kind of nice to learn you aren't the only one that has problems. Problems keep popping up and we just have to work through them and learn. Obstacles will always appear but if we keep a positive attitude and chipping away at them; they are much easier to deal with and resolve.
Sometimes there is only one way to go and it is up; when things go wrong just keep looking at the bright side by remaining positive. Keep breaking work into manageable parts and just keep working and you will find your way through. This will usually make working on the Internet more fun, even though it can be frustrating at times. Take a break occasionally, and give your subconscious a chance to work; it can do things that we don't understand.
If, after reading all this you are still considering being a webmaster then you might as well jump in and get your feet wet. I bet you'll do just fine as long as you don't mind dealing with "Murphy's Law". Of course, you always feel good when you finally overcome the problems and frustration involved in being a webmaster. Then a new problem jumps up and back you go to being a problem solving webmaster.
