Christopher Norton - Systems Engineer

Yo, what’s good! Your boy here, and we need to have a real talk about web marketing.

Look, I’ve seen too many people jump straight into building websites, throwing money at ads, and wondering why they’re broke three months later with nothing to show for it. So before you spend a dime on that fancy website or start posting on every social media platform, let me break down what actually works in 2026.

This ain’t theory from some textbook. This is real-world experience from someone who’s helped launch products, built profitable websites, and learned some hard lessons along the way.

Grab your notebook (or your Notes app, I see you), because class is in session.

First Things First: You Need a SELLABLE Product

Before we talk about websites, SEO, or any of that marketing magic, we gotta address the foundation: What are you actually selling?

I don’t care how good your website is, how much you spend on Google Ads, or how fire your Instagram content is—if your product is trash, you’re wasting your time and money.

The Four Questions That’ll Save You Thousands

Before you build anything, answer these four questions honestly. And I mean HONESTLY—no lying to yourself.

Question 1: Does It Solve a Problem, Fill a Desire, or Alleviate Difficulties That People Actually Want Solved?

Real talk: People don’t buy products. They buy solutions.

Good examples:

A meal prep service for busy professionals (solves: no time to cook)
A dog walking app (solves: guilt about leaving Fluffy home alone)
An online course teaching Excel for corporate jobs (solves: struggling at work)

Bad examples:

Another generic clothing line with no unique value
A social media app when there’s already 47 of them
Anything that starts with “It would be cool if…”

The test: Can you complete this sentence in 10 words or less? “My product helps [target customer] to [specific result].”

If you can’t, keep working on your product concept.

Question 2: Is It Priced at a Range People Will Actually Pay For?

Look, your cousin telling you “Yeah, I’d buy that!” doesn’t count. People say a lot of things. What matters is if they’ll open their wallet.

Pricing psychology:

Price Point	Customer Expectation	Marketing Difficulty
Under $20	Impulse buy, low risk	Easy – minimal convincing needed
$20-$100	Some research, comparison shopping	Medium – need good content
$100-$500	Serious consideration, reviews matter	Hard – need trust signals
$500+	Major decision, extensive research	Very hard – need social proof & authority

The reality check:

Research competitors’ prices (Google it, check Amazon, browse Facebook Marketplace)
Survey your target market (not your friends—real potential customers)
Can you deliver quality at that price point AND make profit?
Factor in: materials, time, marketing costs, platform fees, shipping

Pro tip: If you’re pricing based on “how much I need to make” instead of “what the market will bear,” you’re doing it backwards.

Question 3: Is Your Product/Service Constructive and Helpful to Society?

Now, I’m not saying you gotta save the world with every product. But ask yourself: Am I making people’s lives genuinely better, or am I just taking their money?

The constructive test: ✓ Would you sell this to your grandmother?
✓ Would you feel good about your kids using this?
✓ Does this create value or just extract money?
✓ Can you sleep well at night knowing what you’re selling?

Why this matters for marketing:

Organic marketing (social proof, word-of-mouth) works WAY better when your product is actually good
You can’t fake authenticity long-term
Google’s algorithm increasingly favors genuine, helpful content
Negative reviews will destroy you if your product is harmful or deceptive

Question 4: Have You Sold to 20+ People That Are Happy With Your Product or Service?

This is THE validation question. Not “would people buy this?” but “DID people buy this AND were they happy?”

Why 20+ people?

Your mom and your best friend don’t count (they’re biased)
5 sales could be luck
10 sales could be coincidence
20+ sales is a pattern—you’ve got something

What “happy” actually means:

They didn’t ask for a refund
They’d buy again
They’d recommend to a friend
Positive reviews/testimonials
Repeat customers or referrals

How to get to 20 sales before going big:

Start small: Friends of friends (not direct friends)
Local markets, craft fairs, pop-ups
Small batch production
Beta testing with early adopters
Soft launch to specific communities

Real example: My boy started a hot sauce business. Before building a website or running ads, he:

Made 50 bottles
Sold them at a local farmer’s market
Got feedback, adjusted recipe
Sold 25 more bottles to different people
Collected testimonials and photos
THEN invested in web marketing

Result? His first month with a website, he did 200+ bottles because he had proof of concept and real testimonials.

Organic Marketing vs. SEO vs. PPC: Know the Difference

Alright, so you’ve validated your product. Now let’s talk about how to actually get it in front of people. There are three main ways to market online, and you need to understand all three.

[Venn Diagram Suggestion: Three overlapping circles showing Organ

Organic Marketing: The Free (But Time-Intensive) Route

What it is: Marketing that doesn’t cost direct money—just your time and effort.

Examples:

Social media posting (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn)
Creating valuable content (blog posts, videos, podcasts)
Building a community
Word-of-mouth and referrals
Email marketing to your list
Networking and partnerships

Pros: ✓ Free (no ad spend)
✓ Builds genuine relationships
✓ Long-term brand building
✓ More authentic and trusted

Cons: ✗ Takes TIME (months to years)
✗ Requires consistency
✗ Hard to scale quickly
✗ Algorithm changes can hurt you

Best for: Building long-term brand loyalty, community-driven products, when you’re short on cash but have time.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Playing the Long Game

What it is: Optimizing your website and content to rank higher in organic (unpaid) search results.

The goal: When someone Googles “best vegan protein powder,” YOUR site shows up on page 1.

Key SEO concepts:

Term	What It Means	Why It Matters
Keywords	Words people type into Google	Target the right ones = traffic
On-page SEO	Optimizing content on your site	Helps Google understand your content
Off-page SEO	Backlinks from other sites	Signals authority and trust
Technical SEO	Site speed, mobile-friendly, structure	Affects rankings and user experience
SERP	Search Engine Results Page	Where you want to appear

Pros: ✓ Free traffic once you rank
✓ Compounds over time
✓ Builds authority
✓ High intent traffic (people actively searching)

Cons: ✗ Takes 6-12+ months to see results
✗ Requires technical knowledge
✗ Competitive keywords are hard to rank for
✗ Google algorithm changes can tank your rankings

Best for: Long-term traffic strategy, information-heavy products, building topical authority.

[Graph Suggestion: Timeline showing SEO results over 12 months (slow start, exponential growth) vs. PPC results (immediate but flat)]

PPC (Pay-Per-Click): The Pay-to-Play Fast Lane

What it is: Paying for ads where you’re charged each time someone clicks.

Common platforms:

Google Ads (search and display)
Facebook/Instagram Ads
TikTok Ads
LinkedIn Ads (B2B)
YouTube Ads

How it works:

You set a budget (e.g., $50/day)
Create ads targeting specific keywords or audiences
You bid against competitors
You pay when someone clicks
You track conversions (sales, signups, etc.)

Key metrics:

Metric	What It Means	Good Benchmark
CPC (Cost Per Click)	What you pay per click	$0.50-$2.00 (varies by industry)
CPM (Cost Per Mille)	Cost per 1,000 impressions	$5-$15 for display ads
CTR (Click-Through Rate)	% of people who click your ad	2-5% is decent
Conversion Rate	% of clicks that become sales	2-5% for e-commerce
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)	Revenue / Ad Spend	3:1 minimum (3x return)

Pros: ✓ Immediate traffic
✓ Highly targetable
✓ Measurable ROI
✓ Scalable (spend more = more traffic)

Cons: ✗ Costs money (duh)
✗ Stops when you stop paying
✗ Can get expensive fast
✗ Requires optimization skills
✗ Ad fatigue over time

Best for: Product launches, testing market demand, when you have budget and need fast results.

Cost Per Impressions (CPM) and Banner Advertising

CPM explained: You pay for every 1,000 times your ad is shown, regardless of clicks.

When to use CPM:

Brand awareness campaigns
Remarketing (targeting people who visited your site)
Visual products that benefit from display
Top-of-funnel awareness

Banner advertising:

Display ads on websites
Typically charged by CPM
Lower engagement than search ads
Good for visual brands

Real numbers:

CPM ranges: $2-$20 depending on targeting
Average CTR for display ads: 0.5-1%
Better for awareness than direct sales

Search Engine Marketing (SEM): The Umbrella Term

SEM = SEO + PPC

It’s the whole package of marketing through search engines. Some people use SEM to mean just PPC, but technically it covers all search-related marketing.

The smart strategy: Combine both

Run PPC for immediate traffic while building SEO
Use PPC data to identify best-converting keywords
Focus long-term SEO on those profitable keywords
Eventually reduce PPC as SEO traffic grows

Building Your Website Foundation

Alright, you’ve got a validated product and understand how to market it. Now let’s build your digital storefront.

Website Hosting: Your Digital Real Estate

What it is: Rented space on an advanced computer (server) that makes your website accessible 24/7.

Hosting types explained:

Type	Best For	Cost	Pros	Cons
Shared Hosting	New sites, blogs	$3-10/month	Cheap, easy	Slow, limited resources
VPS (Virtual Private Server)	Growing businesses	$20-80/month	More control, faster	Requires technical knowledge
Dedicated Server	High-traffic sites	$80-300+/month	Full control, fast	Expensive, technical
Cloud Hosting	Scalable needs	$10-100+/month	Flexible, reliable	Can get expensive
Managed WordPress	WordPress sites	$15-50/month	Optimized, support	Limited to WordPress

Popular hosts:

Beginners: Bluehost, HostGator, SiteGround
Intermediate: DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr
Advanced: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure

What to look for: ✓ 99.9%+ uptime guarantee
✓ SSL certificate included
✓ Good customer support
✓ Easy WordPress installation (if using WP)
✓ Daily backups

Domain Name: Your Digital Address

What it is: The name of your website that people type in (like yourname.com)

Where to buy: Registrars like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains

Choosing a good domain: ✓ Short and memorable
✓ Easy to spell
✓ Avoid hyphens and numbers
✓ .com is still king (but .co, .io, .net work too)
✓ Brand name > generic keyword

Cost: $10-20/year for most domains

Pro tip: Buy your domain separate from hosting (easier to switch hosts later)

URL (Universal Resource Locator): The Full Address

What it is: The complete web address, including protocol and path.

Structure breakdown:

https://www.yoursite.com/products/shoes
│      │   │         │   │        │
│      │   │         │   │        └─ Page path
│      │   │         │   └─ Top-level domain
│      │   │         └─ Domain name
│      │   └─ Subdomain (www)
│      └─ Protocol (secure)
└─ Protocol type

SEO-friendly URLs: ✓ Descriptive: /best-running-shoes (not /p=12345)
✓ Short and clean
✓ Include target keyword
✓ Use hyphens (not underscores)
✓ All lowercase

Keywords: The Foundation of SEO

What they are: Words and phrases people type into search engines.

Types of keywords:

Type	Example	Search Intent	Difficulty
Short-tail	“shoes”	Very broad	Very hard
Mid-tail	“running shoes”	Somewhat specific	Hard
Long-tail	“best running shoes for flat feet”	Very specific	Easier
Local	“running shoes near me”	Location-based	Medium

Keyword research tools:

Free: Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, AnswerThePublic
Paid: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz

Smart strategy: Target long-tail keywords first (easier to rank, higher conversion)

Search Engines and Indexing

How it works:

Crawling: Google’s bots visit your site
Indexing: Google adds your pages to its database
Ranking: Google decides where you appear in results

Getting indexed:

Submit sitemap to Google Search Console
Get backlinks from other sites
Create quality content
Fix technical issues (broken links, slow speed)

Search Engine Results Page (SERP): The Battleground

What appears on a SERP:

Paid ads (top 1-4 spots)
Featured snippets (position zero)
Organic results (1-10)
Local pack (map results)
People Also Ask
Related searches

The goal: Get on page 1. Why? 75% of people never scroll past the first page.

Web Creation: Building Your Digital Storefront

Design: The 6-10 Page Sweet Spot

Why 6-10 pages?

Enough content for SEO
Not overwhelming to maintain
Covers all essential information
Professional but manageable

The essential pages:

1. Home Page: Your Digital Handshake

Purpose: Immediately communicate what you do and why it matters.

Must-haves:

Clear headline (what you do in 5-10 words)
Hero image or video
Value proposition
Call-to-action (CTA) buttons
Social proof (testimonials, logos)
Quick navigation to other pages

2. About Page: Build Trust and Connection

Purpose: Tell your story and build emotional connection.

Include:

Your story (why you started)
Mission and values
Team photos (humanizes your brand)
Credentials and experience
Personal touch (makes you relatable)

Pro tip: This is often the 2nd most visited page. Make it good.

3. Services/Products Page: What You Actually Sell

Purpose: Clear presentation of offerings.

Structure:

Overview of all services/products
Individual pages for each major offering
Pricing (if applicable)
Features and benefits
CTAs (Book now, Buy now, Get quote)

SEO tip: Create separate pages for each service (more keyword targeting opportunities)

4. Gallery/Portfolio: Show, Don’t Tell

Purpose: Visual proof of your work.

Best practices:

High-quality images (professional photography if possible)
Before/after comparisons (powerful for transformation products)
Organized by category
Mobile-optimized (images load fast)
Include captions with context

5. Reviews/Testimonials: Social Proof is EVERYTHING

Purpose: Build trust through customer validation.

Types of social proof:

Written testimonials with photos
Video testimonials (most powerful)
Star ratings
Case studies
Number of customers served
Industry awards or certifications

Optimization:

Use real names and photos (increases trust 300%)
Specific results (“increased sales 40%”) > vague praise
Include location (builds local credibility)
Update regularly with new reviews

6. Specials/Offers: Create Urgency

Purpose: Incentivize action with limited-time offers.

Effective specials:

Seasonal promotions
First-time customer discounts
Bundle deals
Limited quantity offers
Holiday sales

Psychological triggers:

Scarcity (“Only 5 left”)
Urgency (“Sale ends Friday”)
Exclusivity (“Members only”)
Free bonuses (“Plus free shipping”)

7. FAQs: Answer Questions, Rank for Keywords

Purpose: Reduce customer service load and capture long-tail keywords.

Structure:

Group by category
Use actual customer questions
Provide detailed answers
Link to relevant pages
Update based on customer inquiries

SEO goldmine: FAQ pages rank well for question-based searches (“How do I…” “What is…” “Where can I…”)

8. Contact Page: Make It EASY to Reach You

Purpose: Remove friction from customer communication.

Must include:

Contact form (with privacy assurance)
Phone number (clickable on mobile)
Email address
Physical address (builds trust, helps local SEO)
Business hours
Social media links
Map with directions

Conversion tip: Add a CTA on contact page (“Ready to get started? Call us now!”)

Content Development: Making Your Site Actually Work

Branding: Creating a Cohesive Identity

1. Logos and Fonts: Visual Consistency

Logo essentials:

Simple and scalable (looks good tiny and huge)
Memorable
Relevant to your industry
Works in color AND black/white
Vector format (can resize infinitely)

Font psychology:

Font Style	Vibe	Best For
Serif (Times New Roman)	Traditional, trustworthy	Law, finance, education
Sans-serif (Arial, Helvetica)	Modern, clean	Tech, healthcare, startups
Script (cursive)	Elegant, personal	Weddings, luxury, boutiques
Display (decorative)	Creative, unique	Entertainment, art, food

Brand consistency rule: Pick 2-3 fonts MAX and stick to them everywhere.

2. Images: Quality Over Quantity

Types of images:

Professional photography (worth the investment)
Stock photos (use sparingly, choose authentic-looking ones)
Graphics and illustrations
Product photos (multiple angles, high-res)
Team photos (builds trust)

Image optimization for web:

Compress files (tools: TinyPNG, ImageOptim)
Target: under 200KB per image
Use modern formats (WebP when possible)
Add alt text (SEO + accessibility)
Lazy loading (speeds up page load)

3. Written Words: Writing for Two Audiences

This is CRUCIAL. Your content needs to serve TWO masters:

Audience 1: Consumers (Humans)

Clear and conversational
Benefits-focused (not feature-focused)
Addresses pain points
Tells stories
Builds emotion and connection

Audience 2: Google (Robots)

Keyword-optimized
Proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3)
Meta descriptions
Internal linking
Alt text on images
Schema markup

The balance: Write for humans FIRST, then optimize for Google. Never sacrifice readability for SEO.

Content formula that works:

Hook (grab attention)
Problem (what they’re struggling with)
Solution (your product/service)
Proof (testimonials, data, case studies)
CTA (what to do next)

Conversion Techniques: Turning Visitors into Customers

1. Aesthetically Pleasing Design

Why it matters: You have 0.05 seconds to make a first impression. Ugly site = immediate bounce.

Design principles:

Clean and uncluttered
Consistent color scheme (3-4 colors max)
White space (don’t cram everything together)
Professional imagery
Readable fonts (16px+ for body text)
Visual hierarchy (important stuff stands out)

[Split test comparison: Cluttered vs. clean design with bounce rate statistics]

2. Mobile-First View: THIS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE

The reality:

60%+ of web traffic is mobile
Google uses mobile-first indexing
Bad mobile experience = lost sales

Mobile optimization checklist: ✓ Responsive design (adapts to screen size)
✓ Touch-friendly buttons (minimum 44×44 pixels)
✓ Fast loading (under 3 seconds)
✓ Easy navigation (hamburger menu)
✓ Readable text (no tiny fonts)
✓ Tap-to-call phone numbers
✓ Simplified forms (fewer fields)

Test your site: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool

3. Marketing Buttons and Messages: The Psychology of CTAs

Effective Call-to-Action buttons:

Weak CTA	Strong CTA	Why It Works
Submit	Get My Free Quote	Specific benefit
Click Here	Start My Free Trial	Action-oriented
Learn More	Show Me How It Works	Curiosity + benefit
Buy Now	Add to Cart	Lower commitment language

Button design:

Contrasting color (stands out)
Large enough to see/tap easily
Short text (2-5 words)
Use urgency when appropriate
Place above the fold AND at bottom

Messaging psychology:

Use “you” language (customer-focused)
Emphasize benefits, not features
Create urgency (limited time, scarcity)
Reduce risk (money-back guarantee, free trial)

4. Conversion Tech: The Tools That Close Sales

Essential conversion tools:

Exit-intent popups: Catch visitors before they leave
Chatbots: Instant engagement
Email capture: Build your list
A/B testing: Optimize what works
Heat mapping: See where people click
Analytics: Track everything

Tools to use:

Google Analytics (free, essential)
Hotjar (heat maps and recordings)
OptinMonster (popups and forms)
Calendly (appointment booking)
Stripe/PayPal (payment processing)

Sale Techniques: Converting Interest into Revenue

1. Pick Up the Phone: The Old-School Closer

Why it still works:

Personal connection
Answer questions in real-time
Build trust faster
Higher conversion rate than forms

Best practices:

Click-to-call on mobile
Display prominently on every page
Include business hours
Consider click-to-call tracking numbers

2. E-commerce: Sell While You Sleep

Platform options:

Shopify (easiest, all-in-one)
WooCommerce (WordPress plugin, flexible)
BigCommerce (enterprise features)
Squarespace (simple, limited)

E-commerce essentials:

Multiple payment options
Guest checkout option
Security badges (SSL, payment logos)
Product reviews
Clear shipping/return policies
Abandoned cart recovery

3. Live Chat: Immediate Engagement

Why it converts:

Instant answers
Reduces friction
Feels personal
Can guide purchase decisions

Popular tools:

Drift, Intercom, LiveChat, Tidio

Pro tip: Use chatbots for off-hours to still capture leads

4. Forms: The Information Gatherer

Form best practices:

Keep it SHORT (every field reduces conversions)
Only ask essential information
Use autofill when possible
Clear privacy statement
Instant confirmation
Thank you page with next steps

Progressive profiling: Ask for basic info first, more details later

5. Join Our Mailing List: Building Your Asset

Why email lists are GOLD:

You OWN the list (not algorithm-dependent)
Direct communication
High ROI ($42 for every $1 spent – Litmus)
Nurture leads over time

Email capture incentives:

Free guide/ebook
Discount code
Early access to sales
Exclusive content
Free consultation

6. Phone App Downloads: Next-Level Engagement

When it makes sense:

Repeat customer businesses
Loyalty programs
Frequent updates/content
Convenience factor (food delivery, fitness, etc.)

Benefits:

Push notifications
Better user experience
Brand presence on phone
Easier repeat purchases

7. Map or Directions: For Local Businesses

Critical for:

Brick-and-mortar stores
Service area businesses
Local SEO

Implementation:

Embed Google Maps
Link to directions
Include parking info
Add public transit info if relevant

Competitive Advantages: Standing Out in a Crowded Market

Professionalism and Good Service is NOT ENOUGH

Real talk: Everyone says they have great service. Everyone claims to be professional. That’s the BASELINE, not a selling point.

What actually differentiates you:

1. Experience: Show Your Expertise

How to demonstrate experience:

Years in business
Industry certifications
Speaking engagements
Published articles or books
Media appearances
Awards and recognition

Content marketing for authority:

Write comprehensive guides
Create video tutorials
Host webinars
Podcast interviews
Industry contributions

2. The Amount You Have Serviced: Numbers Talk

Quantify your impact:

“500+ satisfied customers”
“10,000 projects completed”
“1 million products sold”
“20 years in business”

Why this works:

Social proof at scale
Demonstrates reliability
Shows sustained success
Reduces perceived risk

Display prominently:

Homepage stats counter
About page achievements
Client testimonials section

3. The Type of Companies You’ve Serviced or Work With: Association Matters

Logo wall strategy:

Display recognizable client logos
Shows you can handle quality work
Association with known brands builds trust
Demonstrates versatility or specialization

Types of social proof:

Enterprise clients (shows you’re trusted by big names)
Industry leaders (shows expertise in your niche)
Awards from recognized organizations
Media features (Forbes, Inc, local news)

Permission tip: Always get written permission before displaying client logos

Putting It All Together: Your Web Marketing Action Plan

Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1-2)

☐ Validate product with 20+ sales
☐ Define target audience clearly
☐ Research competitors
☐ Choose domain name and hosting
☐ Set up Google Analytics and Search Console

Phase 2: Website Build (Week 3-6)

☐ Design logo and branding
☐ Create 6-10 essential pages
☐ Write SEO-optimized content
☐ Optimize for mobile
☐ Set up conversion tracking
☐ Test all forms and CTAs

Phase 3: Content & SEO (Week 7-10)

☐ Keyword research
☐ Create blog content calendar
☐ Build internal linking structure
☐ Optimize images and page speed
☐ Get initial backlinks
☐ Submit to directories

Phase 4: Paid Marketing (Week 11-12)

☐ Set up Google Ads account
☐ Create Facebook/Instagram ads
☐ Start with small budget ($10-20/day)
☐ A/B test ad copy and images
☐ Track and optimize

Phase 5: Organic Growth (Ongoing)

☐ Post on social media consistently
☐ Publish blog content weekly
☐ Build email list
☐ Engage with community
☐ Get customer reviews
☐ Monitor analytics and adjust

The Real Talk Section: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Building before validating

Don’t spend $5,000 on a website before proving people want your product

Mistake 2: Ignoring mobile

60% of your traffic will be mobile. Optimize for it or lose sales.

Mistake 3: No clear call-to-action

Tell people EXACTLY what you want them to do. Don’t make them guess.

Mistake 4: Focusing only on paid ads

Ads stop working when money runs out. Build organic presence too.

Mistake 5: Perfect website syndrome

Launch with “good enough” and improve based on real user data

Mistake 6: No analytics

You can’t improve what you don’t measure

Mistake 7: Forgetting about existing customers

It’s 5x cheaper to sell to existing customers than acquire new ones

Tools and Resources Starter Pack

Website Builders:

Beginners: Wix, Squarespace, Weebly
Intermediate: WordPress with Elementor
Advanced: Custom code with frameworks

SEO Tools:

Free: Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ubersuggest
Paid: Ahrefs ($99/month), SEMrush ($119/month), Moz ($99/month)

Design Resources:

Canva (graphics and social media)
Unsplash/Pexels (free stock photos)
Adobe Creative Cloud (professional design)

Email Marketing:

Mailchimp (free up to 500 contacts)
ConvertKit (for creators)
ActiveCampaign (advanced automation)

Ad Management:

Google Ads (search and display)
Facebook Ads Manager
AdEspresso (multi-platform management)

Final Words from Your Homeboy

Look, I’ve given you the blueprint. Now it’s on you to execute.

Remember these core principles:

Product first, marketing second – Don’t polish a turd
Validation before investment – Sell to 20+ people before going big
Know your numbers – Track everything, optimize constantly
Mobile matters – Most of your traffic is mobile, act like it
Content is king – Write for humans, optimize for Google
Patience pays – SEO takes time, but compounds forever
Test everything – What works for others might not work for you

The truth about web marketing:

It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme
Consistency beats intensity
Data beats opinions
Great products market themselves
Bad products fail no matter how good the marketing

Your next steps:

Answer the four validation questions honestly
Get to 20+ happy customers
Build a simple, mobile-optimized website
Start creating content
Test paid ads with small budget
Measure, learn, adjust, repeat

Success Metrics to Track

Website Performance:

Unique visitors per month
Bounce rate (under 50% is good)
Average session duration (2+ minutes is solid)
Pages per session (2+ means engagement)
Page load speed (under 3 seconds)

Conversion Metrics:

Conversion rate (2-5% is decent for e-commerce)
Cost per acquisition (CPA)
Customer lifetime value (CLV)
Email signup rate
Cart abandonment rate

SEO Metrics:

Organic traffic growth
Keyword rankings
Backlink count and quality
Domain authority (DA)
Click-through rate (CTR) from search

Paid Ad Metrics:

ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) – aim for 3:1 minimum
CPC (Cost Per Click)
CTR (Click-Through Rate)
Quality Score (Google Ads)
Cost per conversion

Resources and Further Learning

Books to read:

“SEO 2026” by Adam Clarke
“Traction” by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares
“Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller
“Influence” by Robert Cialdini

YouTube Channels:

Neil Patel (SEO and digital marketing)
Adam Enfroy (affiliate marketing and SEO)
Income School (Project 24 for niche sites)

Communities:

r/SEO and r/marketing on Reddit
GrowthHackers.com
Indie Hackers
Local entrepreneur meetups

Courses worth taking:

Google Digital Garage (free)
HubSpot Academy (free certifications)
Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization
Udemy courses on specific platforms

The 90-Day Challenge

I’m challenging you to do this:

Month 1: Validation

Sell product to 20+ people
Collect testimonials and photos
Identify your target market
Research competitors
Document what works

Month 2: Build

Purchase domain and hosting
Build 6-10 page website
Create initial content
Set up analytics
Optimize for mobile
Launch website

Month 3: Market

Start SEO content creation
Launch small PPC campaigns ($300-500 budget)
Build email list
Get first backlinks
Engage on social media
Get first online sales

Goal: By day 90, you should have:

Live, professional website
100+ organic visitors/month
50+ email subscribers
5+ sales directly from website
Clear data on what’s working

One Last Real Talk

You know what separates people who succeed with web marketing from those who fail?

It’s not:

Having the perfect product
Having a huge budget
Being a tech genius
Having connections

It is:

Consistency over months and years
Willingness to learn from failures
Testing and optimizing constantly
Focusing on providing real value
Not giving up when results are slow

I’ve seen people with mediocre products and great marketing crush it. I’ve seen people with amazing products and no marketing fail miserably.

The formula is simple: Good Product × Good Marketing × Consistency = Success

You’ve got the knowledge now. The question is: Will you execute?

Hit me up if you need help, got questions, or want to share your wins. I’m rooting for you.

Now stop reading and start building. Your future customers are out there searching for exactly what you offer. Make sure they can find you.

Let’s get it!

P.S. – When you make your first $1,000 from your website, screenshot it and send it my way. I celebrate wins with my people.

P.P.S. – Bookmark this guide. You’ll come back to it more than you think.

P.P.P.S. – Share this with someone starting their web marketing journey. We all need that friend who breaks down complex stuff into simple terms.