Detailed SiteBuildIt! Review
Ken Evoy's Site Built It! program is a refreshing look at not only website development, but online business instruction. When I first went to "review" this product, I assumed it was just another content management system. (Content management system meaning a browser-based website development kit...one where you can design and create your own website online through the use of forms and dialog boxes rather than trying to write HTML code). Also, for about $300 I was not expecting too much.
What I found was not necessarily what I was expecting. In fact, they were not even going to give me a website until Day 5. What the *%$#! Isn't this about building a website?
Here what Elad from coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com has to say...
Well, to answer my own question: YES! And I have to tip my hat off a bit to Site Built It! for the way that they do this. I have always stressed that preparation, planning, and research are a MUST when starting out on the internet (in fact, I structure my own training program NetWebVideo around this concept!). So I was surprised at the amount of planning and training SiteSell provides BEFORE they give you the site. In fact, most of this training is FREE to everyone! Their 10-day video guide to online marketing success can be viewed right now at the free Video Action Guide webpage.
Their strategy focuses on a four-step process of:
Content > Traffic > PREsell > Monetize ("C-T-P-M")
So what do you do in days 1 - 5? Simple: YOU PLAN! And this is a lesson I have learned the hard way at the beginning of my online career. Knowing WHAT TO SELL, WHO TO SELL IT TO, and HOW TO SELL IT is critical in achieving success (and you must know ALL of this before you even think about creating a website). That is what SiteBuildIt is trying to stress here! They want to make sure you are ready for your site BEFORE they set it up for you. They do give you one domain name (which you can choose) included in the price. (Hosting, by the way is also included in the annual price!) But once you choose your niche and domain name, it is hard to change it. So the education here is great, especially if you are new to the online marketing business.
Here is my favorite thing that I was not expecting at all: The Brainstorm It! Tool!
One tool that is provided on Day 1 of your membership is this brainstorming tool. Again, keyword research and brainstorming niches is something I stress hard at NetWebVideo. This keyword tool is one of the best I have used! It is powered by Wordtracker (which would cost you about $30/week, but is included free with Site Built It!).
You simply type in a keyword you wish to research and in a matter of minutes receive a full keyword analysis report (much like you would from Wordtracker or Keyword Discovery).
But this is a bit cooler than the other, pay tools that are out there. Just like other keyword tools, you get competition and demand figures, but its profitablity rating is much improved over the old KEI statistic (which, in my opinion is rather useless).
This one made me laugh a bit...
Plus, you can dig into these keywords to find competitor sites, content, images, Google bid prices and more. All of your research is stored in your account (which you can export to a spreadsheet at any time). Personally, I found this tool to be easier to manage that the other two major keyword tools in the business.
Want a Video Tour of the Brainstorm It! Tool?
Watch our Exclusive BrainstormIt! Tool Video!
Another research tool that I found rather convenient is their Search It! Tool.
This is a little bit of a broader research tool in that it allows you to perform a number of research, content, and resource tasks that are provided on free websites throughout the internet. Of course, you can do this yourself, but the SearchIt! Tool integrates all of these features into a simple dialog box.
Did I mention that anyone can use this tool? Check it out yourself at the SearchIt! Toolbox. Members do get a "cleaner" version of the tool (meaning that they do not view the tutorial pages and there are no time limits on its usage), but as a free user, the tool is very functional!
Want a Video Tour of the Search It! Tool?
Watch our Exclusive Search It! Tool Video!
SiteSell also goes into further details (in the free Action Guide Videos) about planning your website, preparing for traffic, writing quality content, etc.
And we still have not gotten to their content management system yet...
The first steps include choosing a domain name (after you have done plenty of research on what the theme or niche of your website will be). Once chosen, you can access the SBI Site Central immediately. Here is where everything takes place! All of the research tools and video library can be accessed from this page.
Turned Tennis into Cash...
But now is where you can start to build your own website. SiteBuildIt! provides you with two options for creating pages:
1) Upload your own HTML onto their server
2) Use their content management system to create a website in the browser itself (no HTML, FTP or other technical knowledge required).
For most people choosing to use SiteBuildIt, they will focus mostly on the Content Management System (CMS). The way this works is simple:
You first chose a theme for your website (which you can customize in their Look and Feel Selector section).
Here you can customize the theme by changing things such as the color, the background images, the fonts, the sizes, and the alignment, just to name a few.
Now you are ready to start adding content. This is as simple as filling in dialog boxes, like the one shown below:
Hit Built It! and you have your first page up! It is that simple:
Wanna see the real site? Go to Best-Umbrellas.com!
From this point, you can add pages, navigation bars, RSS Feed links�almost anything that a standard website can offer. All this is done through simple dialog boxes, much like the one shown above. And of course, you can always go back and edit or change the pages or styles that you have already created through these simple menus.
 Beyond this, Site Central includes a number of other resources that focus on their other three processes to success:
These are addressed in their Business Center also located on the Site Central web page. Here you will find the tools and links to continue analyzing your market while recording the vital analytical statistics required to grow your business or website (such as a built-in traffic analyzer).
Want to see Best-Umbrellas.com Be Designed?
Watch our Exclusive SiteBuildIt Website Building Video!
Some Conclusions
If you have not been able to tell from what I have written already, I am pretty excited about the entire SiteBuildIt! product as a whole. I joined this service thinking it was just going to give me a website and I came out of it with a lot more! Realize that it takes more than just having a website on the internet to make it work. You need traffic. You need customers. You need to convert these customers into buyers. SBI confronts all of these issues with both education and easy to use tools. At the end of the day, anybody that is able to use an internet browser (which I assume is all of you since you are reading this on TheWebReviewer) can build a professional-looking website with the tools and understanding on how to grow it with the Site Build It program.
The price is currently $299/year. Let's break that down...
- If this was hosting alone (which every website needs), then you are paying less than $25 per month. This would not be a bargain for hosting, but then again it is rather reasonable.
- This also includes the price of the annual domain (this would cost you about $10-$20 per year).
- Now you add the price of a tool like BrainstormIt! (this would cost you $329/year at Wordtracker with a discounted annual rate).
- The education! Most of this is free to you NOW, but in general there are plenty of companies that will sell you similar information anywhere from $50 to over $1000!
- The content management system! Some charge $300 just for this (no hosting, tools, domain names, resources, forum, or training). To have a freelancer build you a site would cost thousands.
Great Story (similar to mine)...
My point here is that this is a great value, especially for the newbie. Plus you are part of a community with the SBI forum to discuss technical or strategic issues. Is SiteBuildIt for everyone? Probably not. For those experienced in developing websites already, SiteBuildIt may be a little bit constricting and not cost effective (from a hosting stand-point). SBI allows you to upload your own HTML web pages, but if you are a Dreamweaver or Frontpage designer, for example, this would not be my recommendation. Also, those looking for a true eCommerce solution (i.e., one with large shopping carts, integrated gateways, affiliate programs, etc.) should consider content management systems aimed at building eStores (check out eCommerce Website Reviews).
SiteBuildIt is really aimed towards the online website beginner. This includes:
- Affiliate Marketing
- eStores focusing on a low number of products (info products, home based sales, dropshipping, etc.)
- Landing Pages
- Personal Websites (family website, etc.)
- Simple Business Websites (to support pre-existing brick-n-mortar stores)
- Professional Websites (to support services-providers like CPAs, Realtors, Lawyers, Doctors, Consultants, etc.)
- Other (any application that requires a professional looking website that is affordable and easy to manage)
*RECENT NEWS: SiteBuildIt! now offers you a monthly $29.99/month payment plan! Check out SiteSell Right Now for more details!
P.S. Be sure to check out the User Testimonials of this product!
 
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