Case Study👉 How YOU Can Make $30,000/Month From a Blog on Pools and Hot Tubs

The Scott Max Newsletter

In Partnership with The Daily Upside

Hi 👋, this is the Scott Max newsletter. The soon-to-be-daily newsletter bringing you one step closer to your own thriving online business.

We analyze a wonderful, small, online business each week with a full breakdown of how it makes money, why it makes money, and its opportunities to grow. Below that, we give you the action steps to build a business like this to create freedom for yourself.

This is the best way to learn the tactics, skillset, and nuance of making money online.

Let’s get to the good stuff you'll see in this email:

• Over $30,000/mo revenue

• A successful progressive business approach

• A Plan for Establishing a Comparable Business

But first, let me introduce our partner for this email,

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The What 🚀

This week's newsletter will feature an online business that initially focused on delivering top-notch educational content, later expanded to offer courses, and eventually ventured into providing products related to swimming pools and hot tubs.

With over $30,000 in monthly revenue, this business was founded with the aim of educating and helping pool and hot tub owners maintain their equipment and keep their water clean and safe.

The business offers a diverse range of content, ranging from in-depth guides on pool and hot tub maintenance to instructional videos and courses that cover topics like water chemistry and pool equipment installation.

They also sell a variety of products related to pool and hot tub maintenance.

The How 💻

The business generates revenue through several streams, including affiliate marketing, selling their own course, and their own products.

Let's break down each of these revenue streams.

Firstly, the business earns money through affiliate marketing.

This means that they partner with other companies or individuals who offer products that are relevant to their audience.

They promote these products to their audience through various channels, such as their website, social media, or email marketing, and earn a commission for each sale made through their unique affiliate link.

Secondly, the business also sells their own courses.

These courses are designed to provide value to their target audience and help them solve a specific problem or achieve a particular goal related to pools and hot tubs.

Finally, the business also sells their own products.

These items are tangible and their purpose is to maintain the cleanliness of your pool and hot tub.

The business earns revenue from the sales of these products, which are sold through their website, and Facebook shop.

The Why 🔥

The success of this business can be attributed to:

Effective SEO strategy: 

With 90.5k monthly traffic and targeting 55.3k keywords, it is evident that this business has an effective SEO strategy in place.

The website's over 24k backlinks also indicate that it is well-regarded by other websites and has a strong online presence.

Active social media presence: 

The business has a strong social media presence, with its YouTube channel having 178K subscribers and 25,506,959 views.

It also has successful Facebook and Pinterest accounts with 21K and 19K followers, respectively.

These social media profiles offer a way to connect and interact with prospective clients.

Effective CTA buttons:

This pools and hot tubs blog has effective CTA buttons that do not blend in with the website's main color, making them more visible to visitors.

This can encourage visitors to take action and ultimately increase conversions.

Freebies: 

The business offers a free pool and hot tub Care Cheat Sheet upon subscribing to their newsletter.

This can help to build their email list and establish a relationship with potential customers.

Upselling and free shipping:

The blog suggests other products customers may need during the checkout process and offers free shipping on purchases of $50 or more.

This encourages customers to buy more products and increase their order value.

Retargeting strategy:

The website has a retargeting pop-up that offers a discount on the first order in exchange for subscribing to their newsletter.

This aims to recapture visitors who may have left the site without making a purchase.

Affiliate program:

An affiliate program is available that provides a commission of 50% of every new sale made through a custom link.

This helps to expand the reach of the website and increase sales.

The Opportunities 🔥🔥🔥

Whilst this business is successful, there is still potential for growth by implementing strategies such as:

Leverage user-generated content:

This strategy is an excellent way to build trust and credibility with potential customers.

By encouraging current customers to share their experiences, reviews, and testimonials, the business can provide social proof to new visitors to their website or social media accounts.

This could be done by offering incentives such as discounts on future purchases or featuring them on their website or social media channels.

Additionally, it can help the business understand its customers better and improve the overall user experience.

Offer personalized consulting services:

Although this brand provides ample information on their website and courses, some pool and hot tub owners may need tailored assistance with their specific water maintenance or chemistry problems.

Providing personalized consulting services could offer more customized solutions and potentially generate extra revenue for the business.

Expand their product offerings:

While the business currently offers a variety of courses and products related to pools and hot tubs, they could consider expanding into related categories.

Pool brushes and other products recommended in their blogs can serve as sources of inspiration for them.

This would allow them to tap into a wider market and increase their revenue streams.

The Big Reveal 👀

We are thrilled to announce that the business we've been analyzing is none other than Swim University.

Founded by industry veteran Matt Giovanisci, Swim University has been providing pool and hot tub owners with valuable advice and products for over a decade.

Matt's passion for the industry started at a young age, and he has since built a successful brand that has helped over 10 million homeowners with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting.

Swim University's commitment to educating and empowering pool and hot tub owners is evident in their extensive online resources and courses.

With a successful marketing strategy and a loyal community, Swim University is poised for continued growth in the industry.

We are excited to see what the future holds for this remarkable brand.

The Takeaway, What We Learned 🎓

• Prioritize effective SEO strategies: Investing in a strong SEO strategy is critical for driving traffic to a website. This can involve conducting keyword research, optimizing on-page content, building backlinks, and regularly producing high-quality content. Swimuniversity's impressive search engine rankings and high volume of organic traffic demonstrate the value of a well-executed SEO strategy.

• Leverage social media to connect with customers: Having an active social media presence is key for building brand awareness, engaging with customers, and driving traffic to a website. By regularly posting relevant content, responding to customer inquiries, and utilizing social media advertising, businesses can expand their reach and connect with potential customers. Swimuniversity's success on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest underscores the value of social media in building a loyal following.

• Optimize website design and user experience: The design and functionality of a website can significantly impact its effectiveness. It's important to ensure that websites are mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and have clear calls-to-action. Swimuniversity's effective use of CTA buttons, freebies, and upselling tactics demonstrate the importance of optimizing user experience to drive conversions.

• Consider expanding product offerings: Diversifying product offerings can help businesses tap into new markets and revenue streams. By identifying complementary products or services that align with their core offerings, businesses can expand their reach and provide more value to customers.

• Personalize the customer experience: Providing personalized consulting services or tailored solutions can help businesses stand out from competitors and build customer loyalty. By understanding and addressing customers' specific needs and pain points, businesses can provide more value and create a positive reputation.

• Leverage user-generated content: Encouraging customers to share their experiences, reviews, and testimonials can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. By featuring this content on their website or social media channels, businesses can provide social proof and build a community of loyal followers.

Action Steps, From Day 0 To ∞ 👩‍💻

So, you will have your own website, hosting account, and a good grasp of digital marketing fundamentals if you are a student/graduate of Max Business School.

If not, get started here, it’s totally free and will teach you all the skills you need to build yourself a business (and the freedom it provides you) similar to the one we’ve analyzed today.

Day 0

You’ve read this email and love this particular business model and/or niche.

If not, we'll be sending more ideas in our next email or check our archive here.

If yes;

Consider if this is a business you can happily commit to for 3-5 years?

If yes;

Is it a customer/topic/day-to-day activity you can't get passionate about?

If yes;

Would starting this business cause you to lose focus on the business that you are currently building?

If yes, don’t do it.

Focus on building what you have and take lessons from my analysis above to implement them into your current business.

But if not, then move to day 1.

Day 1

Determine your niche: Consider your interests, unique skills and experience to identify the area where you can offer the most value to customers. Research your target audience to understand their needs, pain points, and competitors' services.

Develop a business plan: Creating a comprehensive business plan is essential to ensure long-term success. This plan should include key components such as the purpose and vision of your business, a clear definition of the services you will offer, the target audience you wish to reach, your revenue streams, and a marketing strategy that will effectively promote your business.

Choose a name for your business: Select a name for your business that is unique, easy to remember, and relevant to your industry.

Register your domain name and choose a hosting provider: Choose a reliable hosting provider such as DreamHost and register your domain name, then start designing your website. No need to worry if you're a beginner at website design. Our course has got your back with Module 1, so let's get started on creating your dream website!

Set up your social media accounts: Create social media accounts on platforms where your target audience is most active. This will help you to build your online presence and connect with potential customers.

Day 2

Conduct market research: Use tools like Ahrefs to identify what your target audience is searching for online. This will help you to create content that is relevant and valuable to your customers.

Develop a content strategy: Based on your market research, create a content strategy that includes blog posts, videos, social media posts, and other types of content that will engage your target audience.

Create impactful content: Use your content strategy to create high-quality, valuable content that addresses the pain points of your target audience. Promote your content through various channels, including your website, social media, email marketing, and other platforms. Make sure that your content is optimized for SEO so that it can be easily found by potential customers. Our course can provide you with the necessary skills, tools and knowledge to produce valuable and relevant content.

Day 3 to ∞

Track the effectiveness of your content: Track and analyze the traffic and engagement on your website and social media accounts. Use this data to make informed decisions about what content is resonating with your target audience and what needs to be improved.

Join affiliate programs: After your website's traffic reaches a certain level, seek out relevant affiliate programs in your niche and consider incorporating display ads in your posts. At this point, these steps will serve as the primary source of income and help you establish valuable connections with other businesses in your industry.

Keep up with industry trends: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in your industry. Attend online and offline events, read relevant publications and blogs, and network with other professionals to stay informed and on top of new developments.

Build a reputation as an expert: Engage in online communities that are relevant to your niche to establish yourself as an authority figure. Doing so can help you gain credibility and the trust of potential customers. Additionally, it can be beneficial if you plan on creating a course in the future, as it can lay the foundation for it.

Launch customized products: If your business is doing well, it might be a good idea to leverage your traffic and reputation to introduce personalized products or services that cater to your specific audience's requirements. By doing this, you can expand your customer base and boost your earnings.

Giveaway details:

We are excited to inform you that the giveaway will be hosted within our vibrant community.

Step into our dedicated digital hub, a space where knowledge and discussions on digital marketing and business thrive.

Participate in our exclusive post for a golden opportunity to win these remarkable SEO books generously provided by Ahrefs.

Simply click here to join our community and enter the raffle.

Before You Go 👋

Thank you for reading.

In my next email, I’ll have another business breakdown for you.

Remember, if you know someone who might like this newsletter, sharing is caring.

If you are ready to get started with your own business, one of the first steps is always a website. Click here for our exclusive hosting deal and click here for an invite to our Max Business School community where you’ll hang out with thousands of fellow ambitious business builders.

Remember to check out the classroom tab (top left corner) for all of our free courses teaching you all you need to succeed online.

Bye for now,

Scott Max