Make Money Online Without Google

Making money online has been the hot topic the last decade and Google is the search engine everyone wants to rank for.

Before 2012

There are millions and millions of words people search for. In the SEO world these words are called "keywords."

Discovering the words people use to search, matching those words with keywords and then ranking for those keywords related to your website is the way the system worked. Backlinking had a lot to do with ranking for those keywords.

To be clear, the process is still pretty much the same but Google changed the rules in 2012.

To obtain high rankings there was an emphasis placed on "backlinks." As with any new system you have a trial and error period...SEO experts trying to figure out Google's ranking system, and Google themselves making changes along the way. The beauty of the Internet - making money online - SEO - was the level playing field. Big guys, little guys, almost anyone willing to work and learn the system could make money online.

There is no argument that over the years Googles search engine has become filled with abandoned websites, spam sites, half baked sites, and a lot of really good, rich content filled websites too.

I have to admit, for me anyway, it was kind of fun searching for something and finding all sorts of crazy websites where one link led to another and another, it was an endless voyage through the Internet maze that could occupy hours, if not days of searching.

But we can't disagree that over time the increased clutter of broken-down websites and spammy, low valued content driven websites had to go.

Old timers in the SEO business have been through the algorithm changes several times, but shortly after the changes were implemented the old cat and mouse game continued. The SEO guys found new places to get backlinks from and the whole culture of backlink methods evolved which was a good thing.

Nobody likes to be continually bombarded with spammy sites and at some point you want to find the information you're searching for. So we can't fault Google for cleaning up it's product, they are a search engine you know.

For a while reciprocal linking was a good way to get links, then article marketing had its run, bookmarks had a cycle of success, then came blog networks. These blog networks, like Build My Rank, gave the little guy an affordable way to promote a new website until it could get some legs under it. Now, with the new housecleaning Google is not only wiping out the networks, but they are wiping out websites that used the network, and many of these sites have really good content on them. The ultimate snafu for us little guys is the loss of income, and I know the naysayers come out and say "you shouldn't have built your hopes on these networks," but come on, this is the way the game has been played for a long time.

I have come across some private networks that are really private and untouched, but they cost $997.00 a month, this is still a problem for the little guy.

Now, we could spend many weeks trying to speculate the motive that Google has in killing off the little guy. It would make sense that the influence of major adword spenders could persuade them to make these changes, it would also make sense that this kind of clean-up could make more room for their own products, the point is, is it worth your and my time and energy to think about this?

My answer is...No, it is what it is and Google has this massive control over that part of the game, the question is, is it worth playing anymore?

If you are intent or depend on search engine traffic, then you need to deal with all the changes now and in the future.

For those niche site owners who have hundreds of websites and have a big investment in these sites, then they probably need to play the game, but is there an alternative?

Can You Make Money Online With Less Google?

The answer is...Yes, and in looking back I have regrets that I didn't follow the path of "email marketing."

Email marketing is all about building an online business by building relationships directly with people. Using forums, articles, and even some offline marketing to build a customer base.

Building a business using this marketing method allows you to rely less on Google and more on alternative marketing methods.

Alternative Marketing Methods

When we speak of "alternative marketing methods" we're talking about ways of promoting your business.

The following methods don't apply to all businesses, but it gives you an idea of what's out there besides Google:

• Facebook
• Twittter
• Guest posts
• Craigslist
• Newpapers
• Post cards
• Podcasts
• Social media

So you see there are plenty of ways to promote your business without depending on Google.

Does this mean you should totally disregard Google? No, not at all, it depends on what you are selling.

These are alternative marketing methods we need to look at if we are tired of dealing with the changes Google periodically does.

An online business, like any business, is dependent on customers. SEO is one way to get customers, but it's not required. If you are tired of SEO and want to explore other alternatives then check-out some we've mentioned above.

Making income online is still a really cool way to make money, you can do it without Google.