Senior Endeavors, Four Components.

"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success." - Napoleon Hill

Digital Nomads

Nomads invoke the spirit of the wonderer, seeking adventure and treasure. Digital Nomads create content to be posted online, using platforms to get their message spread as widely as possible. Nomads are not tied down to an office, a workplace, fixed hours, contracts, and fixed incomes. If you have a laptop, a broadband connection, and can create content, you will be in business. People want content to watch, to read or listen to. You can then build an income for yourself and your family. A considerable income is possible if that is what you chose. Many are happy with enough income to be self-sufficient long-term, to make their own lifestyle choices.

Digital Nomads, chose to stay in one place or travel the world, to create content parttime or as a fulltime gig. Nomads are excited by the journey, by the freedom to build a lifestyle they have created through their own efforts.

Social Media

I’ve seen the videos on YouTube, the content creators on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. There are other social media platforms, the five I’ve listed are the ones I watch. I watch YouTube the most because I can keep up with content that interests me. 

Keep these social media platforms in mind, you will have to decide on one to get to know inside out. One that suits the type of business you select. Later when you want to, you can place your content on other platforms.

Four Components

I knew nothing about how to make a living online, even though my son operated in the online space from about 2008. He used terms I did not understand, he was always excited when using them. I signed up to a course to teach me how to make a living online. After a year of study and action, I figured out there are four ‘must have’ components. 

• Website 

• Business Type 

• Traffic

• Monetisation

Website

This is the technical component. Newbies like me can waste a lot of time trying to figure this component out. I wanted to learn so I tried to figure it out. I followed a YouTube video, the Tuber said it could be done in an hour or two. For me it was the most frustrating part of the entire process. It took me days, then weeks, finally I abandoned it at the beta stage, no progress since. I wanted to throw my laptop at the wall. 

If you have had some technical experience in building websites, it could be built in two hours. For the rest of us, get an expert, someone who is reputable to build the site for you. You need a decent budget for it. Ignore the ones who say you don’t have to know coding, just follow the instructions. It’s so easy to miss a step, or do things out of order, to spend money when you don’t need to. Like any business investment, capital is necessary. What you gain in moving ahead faster, without the frustration is invaluable. It’s impossible to be skilled in every facet of the business. Concentrate your energies in building content to attract traffic and then take time to learn how to monetise your content.

Website Elements

• If you don’t have the necessary technical skills, outsource the build. 

• Be clear in your mind what you require from the builder before committing. The website build is very technical, complex. 

• You need a template upon which to build your website. Your builder will guide you. WordPress is the most popular with a big share of the market. Others to consider are Wix, Shopify, Squarespace and Kajabi. There are pros and cons to each of them, depending upon which business model you chose.

• You need a host to park your website. Some like WordPress have a template and provide hosting services. There are many other hosting providers available.

• You need a website name, like rabbit.com. Use one that ends in .com. Everyone knows .com. There are other dot suffixes but .com exposes you to the biggest audience. The hosting service will tell you if the name you chose is available.

• Consider a logo and a short statement of intent.

• Automate your processes such as your email replies, payment methods, thank you for subscribing responses. Your builder will put in place these automated systems. Again, be specific in what you want.

• Learn the basics of how your website works. Your builder will only be with you for the term of your contract.

• Consider a mentor, someone who has been in the online business and knows what is needed.

In each of the four components there is a whole series of lessons, knowledge and action steps around them. The more you learn and understand about the whole infrastructure surrounding them the better. Stay composed and methodical for there is much effort and perseverance to get the online ball rolling. Once you have momentum it will get easier to continue.

Following a process in each component will help you stay focused, motivated, and ultimately, more successful. I will discuss the other three components in following blogs. 

I write these ‘Senior Endeavor’ blogs to encourage other seniors to involve themselves in building an online income. I find it extremely rewarding travelling this path. The generations after us, like the millennials are remarkably familiar with the online world. Why not we as well.

Follow me in my journey to making a living online.