When I began in the web marketing business in 2003, it was a new and exciting industry. I was hooked by the amazing potential of the internet, combined with my writing and marketing skills, to create a brand new career.
But 15 years down the track, I became more and more disillusioned with what the web marketing industry had become. Essentially, I saw a Wild West with a lot of cowboys ripping off unsuspecting business owners.
Earlier this year, I was so disgusted with the web marketing industry, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be part of it any longer.
I saw several business owners coming to me, having been ripped off by “experts” with no expertise. The downright thievery that has taken place from some of these experts is reprehensible and straight out immoral.
Some had paid thousands of dollars for websites that were useless as marketing tools. They were pleading with me to help them by running Google Ads, to try to resurrect something from their wasted investment in the website.
Sadly, I’m not a miracle worker. It’s not that easy.
Web marketing is not just a mechanical process. If it was, all the Indian companies who keep contacting you, promising you the earth, would be able to deliver results.
My clients are constantly getting emails and phone calls from these offshore agencies, telling them they have looked at the Google Ads I’m running and how they can improve on the results. Thankfully, most of my clients are smart enough not to be taken in by these slick sales people.
But the whole business is disheartening. This led me to start thinking about getting out of the web marketing industry and doing something completely different.
For several months, I mulled this over. I lost my passion and felt like I was just going though the motions.
What changed my mind was something quite simple. It was one my clients – a florist – who thanked me for having transformed her business from struggling to sell any flowers online – to now being worked off her feet!
She genuinely appreciated what I had done for her.
This was the first step in relighting the spark. I started to see I was actually making a difference in the lives of many of my clients. Their livelihoods depended to a significant extent on the services I was providing for them.
I began to look at the web marketing business in a new way. Rather than being disillusioned by the charlatans selling fakery and lies, and feeling I didn’t want to be associated with all of this, I realised I could actually make a difference by offering something genuine.
After taking some time out, I am now feeling revitalised with a new vision of what I can contribute.
I can’t offer miracles. But I can offer integrity in a business where this is rare. I have also decided to be more selective about the clients I work with.
The disenchantment has now gone. I realise I have a unique expertise to offer in an industry filled with fake experts. This has brought me back to life like never before.