What Good Are ‘Good Ideas’ Without Follow Through?

This is a guest post by Brandon Hopkins.

If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

If you’re like me, you have about 10 good ideas for new websites or services every week. Each idea seems valid and profitable, but you don’t have the time, staff, or the resources to make them happen.

This literally happens to me every week.

I used to write them down and save them for later (which I still have a folder in a drawer somewhere), but in reality, I’m never going back to those ideas.

If you’re like me then you might also have trouble sticking with one goal and seeing it through to the end. This has been one of my greatest downfalls in my IM career, but sticking with a project has also been one of the greatest feelings as well.

I recently finished a project in a pretty small niche (500,000 results).  I installed WordPress, redesigned the blog, set up affiliate links (mainly Amazon), optimized my Adsense ads and started building links.  The problem came after I finished everything except the link building, which was also the most important part.

Here are a few ways that I stay motivated to see a project through all the way to the end.

1. Stats – I’m a total stats junkie.

I check AWStats at least 5 times per day while I’m working on a site.  I also check my SERP’s using Market Samurai a few times, that doesn’t include how often I check Adsense earnings.  The reason I watch these numbers so closely is because it helps me understand what might be working, and where I can improve.

If I have a great week of link building and see my site move into the top 10 then I’m motivated to continue doing the same thing again.

2. “Run the numbers” – I can’t tell you how sick my wife must be of hearing me say the words “run the numbers”.

Whenever I start to get discouraged or distracted, I go back and run the numbers.

What numbers are these?

Earning potential.

How much do I estimate a #1 ranking will earn.

Those are the exciting numbers.  I generally use Market Samurai’s “Keyword Research” module and look at the “SEOV” (SEO Value = earnings for a #1 ranking).  Take that number and divide it in half for a better estimate of what you’re site might earn.

3. A PR6 Link!?!?

The third thing I do when trying to force myself to focus on a project is to go back and look at some of the good links I have for this site.

Was I able to get a link from DMOZ (Homepage PR8), BOTW (homepage PR7), Ezilon (Homepage PR6), or Yellow Pages (homepage PR8)?

I keep track of my good links in a spread sheet and will even build links to my links to give them further strength.

There you have it, when I’m ready to move on to a new project I try to evaluate if I have completed the current project and then follow steps 1, 2 and 3, then get back to work!

What about you? What do you do when those other projects and ideas try to steal you away?

Brandon Hopkins is a expert link builder (as well as Fresno web design ) with a full time staff building links 7 days a week. If you want to see your site move up in the search engine results, contact him to discuss link building for your website!