I’ll never forget the first time I watched one of Lisa Irby's video tutorials. I was searching on YouTube for blogging and marketing tips and found one of her WordPress videos was one of the first results on the page. That was back in 2009 and I’ve been a huge fan of Lisa’s ever since. We’ve chatted many times on each other’s blogs, on social media and in her online forum Website Babble, and quite honestly I consider her one of the most highly respected people I've met online.
With that said, today it’s my great pleasure to introduce Lisa Irby to the fans and readers of Basic Blog Tips!
Enjoy the interview with my online mentor Lisa Irby from 2Createawebsite.
Blogger Interview with Lisa Irby
Q. Lisa, please start off by telling everyone a little about yourself, like where you’re from and how long you’ve been online.
A. I was born in St. Louis, Missouri and I have always been known as the “computer girl” to people in my family.
I still remember the very first one I received — it was an Apple IIC. Once I got my teeth into that Apple, I was hooked. I knew I wanted to do something with computers in my career, but before the Internet, you really only heard about people becoming programmers. I knew I didn't want to be involved in that area of computing because I hated math and was always more right-brained.
So when the Internet took off in the mid 90's and I discovered you could make money from a website, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. As a matter of fact, I still haven't. 🙂
I made my first buck online in 1998. I believe Amazon.com was the very first affiliate program I joined. I used to create one-page (doorway) pages on various keywords, rank the pages in Infoseek, AltaVista, Excite, HotBot, Lycos, etc. (Anyone remember those?) Each engine could bring you good traffic, and the key was to figure out what each engine liked.
Q. Wow, that sure is a walk down memory lane. I remember all of those search engines except for HotBot. lol
Lisa's Productivity Tip!
Well Lisa, in addition to making YouTube videos, you also do blogging, podcasting, internet marketing and so much more. How do you find the time to tip your toes into so many different waters so to speak?
A. What's interesting is when I first started, I had zero time management skills. And I liked it that way. I used to brag about how I didn't need a schedule, to-do list, etc. But as I started getting my hands into more projects, I realized I needed a schedule. Otherwise nothing gets done and I end up with half-done projects everywhere. I won't say I'm perfect with time management but I do try to stick to a list and make sure I'm only focusing on one or two projects at a time.
In the past year I've slacked off with a lot of content and YouTube publishing to work on video courses.
Take Lisa's Affiliate Marketing Course
It was the only way to keep me focused. I have that shiny object syndrome a lot, like a lot of marketers, so I get distracted easily. This year has been about focus for me.
Q. That's a smart move my dear, very smart! Now before we get into the discussion about your online courses, let’s talk a little bit about blogging and the importance of publishing content on your own platform. Please tell everyone what you think are some of the biggest benefits of starting a blog? Is it something you think everyone should get into?
A. A blog or website is your hub. It's your home. You always want a place to send your audience to because you don't own Facebook, Twitter, etc. And with what we've seen with Facebook and their changing algorithm over the last two years, that's proof that you have to build your audience on a platform you own and control.
Having a website gives you a place to establish and reveal your own voice while collecting email addresses so you can keep in touch with your most loyal followers.
As great as social media and YouTube are, most of my sales come from my site. So I think having that hub is so very important.
YouTube and Social Media Tips from Lisa
Q. That's such a great point. I guess everyone knows I share your sentiments about the importance of having your own site. But I do want to take a minute and talk about your success on YouTube. Your videos are so well produced and professional.
Subscribe to Lisa's YouTube Channel
Do you have a team working with you behind the scenes or are you doing the filming, sound recording and editing all by yourself?
A. No. I do everything myself. Although I do plan on getting some consulting from a local sound person. I've been experimenting with different wireless/external mics and am just not happy with the setup. That's one of the reasons I've not put out many YouTube videos lately. I'm sort of in transition with equipment. As much as I love creating and editing videos, I've never been a fan of the lighting, audio and technical pieces. So it will be good to have help from a professional.
I took Caleb's Wojcik's free DIY Video Course and it was super helpful. I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking to step up their video production game. I got a lot of tips on equipment and production. It's a really solid resource.
Q. Getting outside help sounds like a good idea. Currently, how long does it typically take for you to produce a video from the first spark of an idea all the way through to the final upload to YouTube?
A. It depends on how much editing is involved, but usually between 1-3 hours. The final publishing piece with Final Cut Express takes the longest. And sometimes I'll create graphics for intros, etc. So that takes extra time. Filming the videos is actually the easiest part. The editing takes the longest time.
Q. Let’s switch gears a little and talk social media. What’s your favorite social media platform and why? Also, what’s your least favorite social platform?
Definitely Pinterest. I'm more of a creator than a marketer, and I love creating images and watching how they perform. I know people don't really consider it a social network since there isn't much interaction going on there, but it's my favorite because I get to improve my Photoshop skills and it drives good traffic to my natural hair site.
Twitter would have to be my least favorite based on traffic results. I am not really consistent with the amount of time I spend there so results are minimal.
But having said that, I do love that my followers sometimes use Twitter to ask me questions. It's so much more convenient than email since I check my Twitter stream multiple times per day. And because of the character limit, that minimizes those lengthy questions and answers. I can blow through the questions much faster than email.
Making Money With Udemy
Q. Glad I asked that question because I would have never guessed that about Twitter. I'm such a Twitter lover I always think that everyone else should love it too.
Now let's transition over into our chat about online learning. I promised we were going to talk more about this so, let's not disappoint. I wrote a post recently about teaching online courses on platforms like Udemy and I know you have a few courses over there in the Udemy Marketplace. What has the experience of making money teaching online courses on Udemy been like for you? Was it what you expected?
A. First of all, that post you wrote on Udemy was epic. I really enjoyed “meeting” the people I had not been introduced to before.
As far as Udemy, yes I am really enjoying the platform. Thanks to Rob Cubbon, who I know has been a course creation mentor to both of us, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect when getting started.
I crossed the $10,000 earnings mark and hope to get to $15,000 by the summer. I thoroughly enjoy creating video tutorials, and it's a great platform for those who want to teach online and get the course up and running fairly quickly.
Of course, there are downsides. There is a minimum amount of promotional content you can send to your existing customers, and those limitations wouldn't exist if you sell from your own site. But if you are new to creating courses, it's a good starting point so you can get a feel for course creation and get organized.
The other thing I like about Udemy is about 40-50% of my sales come from their marketplace. So these are customers that wouldn't have necessarily found my courses otherwise. So there is that added benefit. However, my ultimate goal is to sell my courses on my site too. But it's good to start on Udemy because you can build up your passive sales there first.
Check out the Promo Video Lisa made for her course called:Â Customize Any WordPress Theme
A. I start by looking at competing courses in the marketplace. I check the length, price and contents of their course.
When my courses are new and have fewer reviews, I price lower so I can compete and get some sales. Then once the paying students and reviews started coming in Udemy started sending me more organic sales. After that, I raise the price.
I read you should start with $50 per hour, but as you can see, no one really follows that in the marketplace. I think it's better to look at the competition and start there. Then once your course is getting consistent, good reviews, you have more room to raise the price. I believe people will be willing to pay more if the reviews are good and plentiful.
When Udemy runs big sitewide sales, I sometimes price my courses a little higher so the discount they offered would be more attractive. Since I drive all my own sales through coupons, it doesn't really impact the price for people I referred directly. So I like to experiment with price when they are running sitewide sales in the marketplace.
Lisa's Next Online Venture
Q. Lisa, I know that you and I have so much more to chat about but for now, can you please just let everyone in the Basic Blog Tips family know what’s in store for you next. Give us a little sneak peak into what you’re working on that you haven’t shared with your YouTube audience or on your blog. Give us the first scoop!
A. I am looking to create another niche website for P.O.D. (print on demand) sites like Spreadshirt, Zazzle, Teespring etc. I haven't completely committed to it yet because I'm holding out to test demand, interest, etc. But I would love to tap into that space because it hasn't really been touched upon a lot as a whole and I have so much to share. That would be a big project and it would mean putting a lot of 2 Create a Website work on hold. I'm still in the planning/research phase.
So if there are any big launches coming from me in the future, it would be from that arena. It's such an untapped space when it comes to educating other bloggers about it, and there is lots of money to be made there if you put on your creative hat. 😉
Q. Once again, I want to say how grateful that I am that you would take the time to share your insights. Please let everyone know where they can get in touch with you, or where should they follow you online.
A. My blog is at http://blog.2createawebsite.com. Be sure to sign up for all my free updates. You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Google Plus
Thanks so much for taking the time to feature me on your blog, Ileane. We go waaaaay back and it's an honor to be here on your fabulous blog! 🙂
Ileane:Â Lisa, the pleasure is all mine!
Wrapping things up
It's been a pleasure having Lisa here and I'm sure that everyone picked up a few ideas or got motivated to take action. What are you going to work on next? Did you get inspired to start a new blog or create an online course? Let us know in the comments!
Recommended Reading:
- Build a Brand, Create Products and Earn Passive Income
 by Rob Cubbon
- Udemy: How I Make $1,000s Online Selling Self-Published Courses
 by Chad Tennant
- Ten Things Every Successful Entrepreneur Knows that the Rest of the World Doesn't: Ten Easy Steps to Create a Sustainable Business
 by Nikki Purvy
Hi Ileane,
I too discovered Lisa in YouTube, when I was searching for information about blogging tips and Adsense advice, it was her videos YouTube suggested me, later I am following her videos and website.
Hi Siddaiah,
I appreciate the follow. 🙂
Hi there Siddaiah!
Have you ever thought about joining Lisa’s forum called Website Babble? I think you will enjoy hanging out there from time to time. I’ve meet a lot of cool and interesting webmasters there over the last 6 years. It’s also a great place to help with topic ideas for your blog and your YouTube videos. Hope to see you joining one day!
I can testify that Website Babble is a great forum. I’m on there most days! It’s ideal for beginner to intermediate, with some occasional advanced topics in there too.
Hey Darren,
Thanks so much for stopping by and showing your support. I met you on Website Babble thanks to Lisa!
Hi Ileane,
Our sentiments about Lisa are exactly the same! I’ve been inspired by Lisa for a long time, and I consider her as a go-to resource. I enrolled in her Photoshop and affiliate marketing courses, and she provides such a wealth of information – I can’t wait to start applying what I’ve learned thus far. Looking forward seeing and learning more from the both of you!
Hi Cam, thank you so much for enrolling in my courses! Always appreciate the support.
Amazing interview, I learnt a lot from it.
Hey Ileane and Lisa,
Wow, Lisa went way back with the old school search engines. I was in college when I use to go to Alta Vista, Excite, and Lycos. That was back in the days when I didn’t know what a search engine was although I was using them LOL.
But this was a great interview! I actually stumbled upon Lisa on youtube. I use to see the same three people. Mike Dillard, Jonathan Budd, and Lisa Irby. I had this idea that it might be possible to make money online with the network marketing company I was in at the time. It was these three that brought me to the light when it comes to online marketing.
I just heard of Udemy a couple of months ago, and I didn’t know that Lisa had courses on Udemy and doing the variety of projects she’s on now. I may have to check out some of the courses. I subscribed to Lisa’s blog and now I will subscribe to her youtube channel. Lisa always have some insightful topics and tools to share!
Thanks for sharing! Have a great week ahead you two!
Hey Sherman!
Great to see you. It’s amazing how YouTube videos have attracted so many loyal followers into Lisa’s fold. She reeled us in that’s for sure.
You might want to look into teaching some courses on Udemy yourself. I think you would do a fine job over there as an instructor. Thanks for stopping by Sherman and for sharing this on social!
Hi Sherman,
I was in college as well! I was supposed to be studying yet I was ranking pages in Hotbot. LOL I agree with Ileane, you should look into teaching on Udemy. It’s a great platform. Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Well hello ladies,
What a great surprise Ileane, featuring Lisa here and I always enjoy hearing her story.
Okay, you definitely went way back with those other search engines Lisa and the only one I recall knowing about was Excite. Oh, the good old days…
Well thanks Lisa for sharing more about you and what you’re involved in. As you know, I use to be so intimidated by you. I just saw you everywhere and knew you were so successful. Back then I didn’t have much confidence and didn’t think most people were approachable. I thought they were too busy and successful to chat with me. I learned my lesson though and I’m glad I did.
I love what you share and what you teach. I’ve been following Rob too and although I have my own product on my own site I would like to venture into Udemy only because of what you mentioned. You would be able to reach people that may have never seen your courses before. I think it’s just smart to have them in more than just one place. Not knowing anything about it though I would have to learn more before diving in.
Eager to see if you’ll jump into that next project. No matter what you venture into though I have a feeling you’ll do well.
Thanks for the interview ladies and hope you are both having an amazing week.
~Adrienne
Well I’m glad we finally got a chance to “meet” and the intimidation is gone! LOL It’s been such a pleasure to interact with you over the years. And if you have any questions about Udemy just let me know! Happy to help.
Hey Adrienne!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing such positive feedback. I’m sure you will do fine on Udemy and since you already have your course – it will be easy for you to bring it over to Udemy. One suggestion I have is to charge more for it on Udemy than you do on your site. Another thing you can do is put only 70% or 80% of the course material on Udemy. This way your current students will know that they got more value from buying it directly from you versus getting it for a discount on Udemy.
If you want a head start on the process join the OVEE community over on Google+. You’ll enjoy that group for sure.
Good luck with your course Adrienne, no matter which way you decide to go with it!
Wow!
This is a great article, i m following lisa on twitter,facebook and more platforms because she is brilliant.
This is a great and inspiring interview. Lisa is one of the bloggers that I admire most especially in her use of youtube. Thanks for bringing us this interview.
Thank you for sharing this Lleane.
I think I shall be ‘following’ Lisa from now on. I can learn a lot from her.
At present I am not making an income from blogging but I would like this to change in the near future.
Hi Phoenicia,
Good luck on your journey. Lisa is the perfect person to follow and learn from when you want to monetize your blog.
Cheers!
Was lost on the Internet when it falls by chance in one of the videos of Lisa, was impressive was not believing what I was seeing, I became one kind addicted fan of hers told her rsrsrrs! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us thanks for all congratulations!
Hi Lisa! It was a pleasure to get to know you a little better. Followed you on Twitter! Would love to see what you end up doing in the print-on-demand space.
Great interview, Ileane!
Best wishes,
Brent
Hiya Brent! Thanks so much for the follow. 🙂
from the beginning of the time 2 create a website really help me out in every field of blogging. i read many ever green article which can make you a professional blogger. overall a great post i would say
Thanks for inviting Lisa. I have started following her and I am sure I am going to learn alot from her. I have seen some of her videos and they are awesome.
Hi Dina, you might want to take some of Lisa’s Udemy courses. She is offering two of them for free. Check out Lisa’s Udemy Page
Hi Ileane
thanks for sharing this kind information, this blog tip very helpful for marketing person like: me. I watch your youtube video, it’s really like great. I am following your blog.
Love this, I’m inspired by you both! I am reminded of the potential for blogging and helping others in general.
I used to always think what can I do to make more money but then I learned to just focus on how to best serve someone else. And that’s when things changed for me 🙂
Eric
Lisa has good information on internet marketing, i used to be active on her forum website babble but unfortunately now i don’t get much time to participate in the forums, however it was good to see her after long time.
This is an incredible article, I’m taking after Lisa on Twitter, Facebook and more platforms on the grounds that she is splendid. Such a nice article.
Hi Lisa,
I got your affiliate marketing course, and this is great and well explained easy to understand for everyone, and i had learned allot from it, Thanks for this i am your follower since 1 year you are my favorite. 🙂
Rabia Khan
Thank you so much, Rabia for signing up!
Once I saw Lisa, I know I must read this post, I discovered her in 2012 through a blog post I read in her blog 2createawebsite when i was searching for seo experts in my hometown toronto. Lisa is an authority when it comes to blogging. excellent tips ma.
Glad to listen this interview, I personally like the videos of Lisa Irby and 2createawebsite is also one of the most learning site of my life, wanna thank Lisa and Ileane to make me a good blogger
Hey James, that’s awesome! 🙂 Keep up the great work.
Hi, I like your interview, I think its very important and thank you for publishing it.
Lisa lrby i like your tips because i read many article but your tips so helpful for me.