How do we know who to listen to when it comes to Web 2.0?

There is a new internet craze going on now from my perspective. Lately everybody has become an overnight expert about making money online by WordPress blogging and social bookmarking.

That’s funny to me because I remember hearing an interview with Ed Dale on a tele-seminar (around January 2008) speaking to a group of the interviewer’s “inner circle” students. The guy interviewing Ed Dale was an “expert at internet marketing” and had no idea about Facebook as a marketing vehicle.

Until very recently, few gurus promoted Web 2.0 and social bookmarking as a viable marketing online mechanism – in fact many of them referred to social media sites like Facebook as a playground for adults like MySpace is for teenagers. Something not to be taken seriously.

Suddenly they are all experts with megaphones touting Web 2.0 as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Now Will the Real Web 2.0 Please Stand Up?

There are exceptions: the two most notable are Jack Humphrey and Ed Dale in my experience.

Long before it was fashionable to be a Web 2.0 expert, most SEO-Internet Marketing guys looked at Jack Humphrey like he was one of those bus stop evangelists holding a sign that said, “The End Is Near,” preaching doom to everyone.

Only Jack was really holding a sign that said,

“Social bookmarking is cool. Web 2.0 really works and it’s the wave of the future.”

And the naysayers, would wink at each other implying that Jack should be locked up – wondering when the guys in the white suits were coming to take him where he “really belonged”.

I actually hired one of Jack’s partners (Peter Lenkefi) to build three adsense sites for me before I had a clue what adsense was all about. After that he contacted me again and said that he and his partner were starting a new program that would revolutionize internet marketing. Fall 2006 the subject came up again in my discussions with Peter about joining the new system and to get involved in an intensive and specialized training program – kind of a insider’s club of the new wave – the future of internet marketing. There was a last minute a glitch and I was unable to participate in the training.

Well that was the precursor the current version of Authority Site Center, Jack’s baby.

The idea is that if you create an extensive network of social media sites – a “web” – correctly linked and constructed, you will end up with an Authority Site that ranks well, has tons of inbound links and is both “Google-slap” proof as well as recession proof.

Jack gets about 5000-10,000 unique visitors a day to his site. And he does not spend a dime on Google adsense.

How many SEO guys can say that?

A few months back, Jack offered a free 8 week webinar class to 500 people on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The classes were held online at 1:00 p.m. and then the session repeated again at 10:00 p.m. There were participants from all over the world. The moderator did an online presentation and the students could text questions and comments.

What a great course and what excellent teaching. Jack sat in on a few sessions, but the vast majority of the course was taught by Sam Clarke. What a fantastic guy and a what a great class. The camaraderie and the depth of the learning and the bonding was exceptional. It was like Sam created a family.

We liked it so much and liked Sam so much, we’ve decided that we are going to have a reunion on a cruise ship next year – so all the “text-forum” friends from around the world can meet face to face.

These guys give it their all and they do not hold back.

The emphasis of the training was on extensive and professional market research, prior to ever publishing a blog or a website. The course was based on years of Jack’s personal experience – as well as their experience as internet marketers, bloggers, dealing with students and clients for several years.

The best part about this course was that it was laid out in a step-by-step format sequentially in 16 Steps. Accordingly, the name was 16 Steps to Success. What to do and how to execute each step.

My iron clad conclusion was that Jack, Sam and Authority Site Center are the real McCoy.

I was so convinced I joined the membership site for more extensive training.

Ed Dale and The Thirty Day Challenge

Ed has an annual program that he started several years ago called the Thirty Day Challenge. This is the fourth year, I believe. Prior to last year, I don’t know the history, but I do know that there are people who came out of the 30 Day Challenge and have gone on to be millionaires. My wife and I took the 30 Day Challenge last year and it was a great experience. We both agree that it is one of the most valuable courses we have taken.

Another Absolutely Amazing Free Web 2.0 Resource

Sign up for the Thirty Day Challenge.

The Thirty Day Challenge is chocked full of cutting edge techniques because that’s the way Ed Dale does stuff. He is a massively successful internet marketer. I believe he started this tradition because he wants to give back.

Take this class.

And it’s free. It doesn’t cost anything to take the course.

Here is the concept: In 30 days, even if you have no internet experience, you will learn how to make money online from scratch using Web 2.0 and social bookmarking.

You learn how to make $10 (ten dollars) from a website you build during the 30 day class.

$10 bucks – big deal, right?

The idea is that once you know how to make $10, you know how to make $1,000 or more. Just do more of the same thing that worked.

The 30 Day Challenge is a blast. This year is supposed to be the best one yet because the technology has come so far since last year. And last year was awesome. We’re taking it again.

See you there.