“At the beginning of this journey,
I’m sure I read something that said, ‘SiteSell changes lives,’
and I can say without a doubt that it has done exactly that.”
-Mark Young, www.swim-teach.com
Mark’s dedication to teaching swimming stretches back three decades, sparked when he earned his certification as a swimming instructor. What began as a career quickly evolved into a mission: making swimming achievable and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of level.
But Mark faced a common challenge for teachers and trainers: his impact was limited by the hours in his day. In addition, if he wasn’t teaching, he wasn’t earning. He needed a way to scale his reach and create a more sustainable income.
His solution? To package his deep knowledge into a book, making his expertise accessible to a wider audience. Yet, the question remained: how could he effectively promote his book and connect with readers on a larger scale, even globally?
Let’s hear from Mark directly, as he shares his journey of overcoming this challenge and building an online business that has not only expanded his reach to students worldwide, but also transformed his own life.
1. Mark, what motivated you to start an online business in the swim niche? And how did you decide to use Solo Build It!?
I was self-employed, working as a swimming teacher (and, for a time, a personal trainer). This meant that when I wasn’t teaching a lesson or training a client, I wasn’t earning any money.
I wanted a passive income, so I wrote a book for swimming teachers about how to be a good teacher, set myself up as a self-publisher and went about publishing my book.
It got to a point where I needed to market and promote my book, so a website was the logical way of reaching out globally. A work colleague at the time recommended Site Build It! (as it was called then), so I did my research and signed up. The rest, they say, is history.
His solution — publishing a book — was a smart move. It transformed his teaching expertise into a product, something that could generate income even when he wasn’t actively working.
This is a key concept we emphasize at Solo Build It!: turn your knowledge into products. Consider how you could develop ebooks, online guides, templates, or other digital items from your existing skills.
The SBI! Action Guide teaches ways to generate passive income online, including creating and selling your own digital products.
And as Mark found, using Solo Build It! to build a website provides an effective platform to showcase and sell these products to a global audience, helping to create a more consistent income stream.
2. You serve three quite distinctive groups with Swim Teach: swimming teachers, beginners and parents. How did you identify these audiences? And how do you ensure that your content resonates with each of these “ideal customers”?
I used the Brainstorming and Keyword tools in SBI! to initially build pages targeting swimming teachers because that was my first and most apparent audience, given the title of my book.
From my keyword research, it then occurred to me that the market for people learning to swim was far more significant. I went back to my book and used it to write another book aimed at beginners learning to swim. I now had two books and two potential audiences.
I discovered tons of websites, books, and videos aimed at swimming techniques and swimming faster, but there were few for those just wanting to learn the basics, which was my niche.
Over the years, I have received questions from parents and teachers asking for tips on teaching children to swim. This prompted me to write a book aimed at parents wanting to teach their children. Relevant keyword research pointed at another subsection for Swim Teach to aim some content at — parents.
The Brainstorming tools in SBI are simply a goldmine, and I use them to ensure that my content stays on point and solves their problems.
However, by using Solo Build It!’s keyword research tools, he uncovered a much larger market: beginners learning to swim.
This is a valuable lesson: be open to where your research leads you. Don’t get so fixated on your first idea that you miss potentially bigger opportunities. Mark didn’t abandon his initial audience; he expanded his reach.
Furthermore, he listened to his audience’s questions — from both teachers and parents — and again, broadened his content and product offerings to meet those needs. This shows the importance of ongoing audience research and responsiveness.
Your website and business can, and should, evolve over time as you learn more about your market and what your readers are truly looking for. Regularly using keyword research tools like SBI!’s Brainstorm It! helps you stay attuned to these shifts and capitalize on new content and audience opportunities.
3. Your site saw some impact from Google’s Helpful Content Update in 2023. Has your content creation strategy changed because of this? In general, how are you adapting to changes in search, like algorithm updates and generative AI?
I have always relied heavily on advice from SBI!, either in the forums or from articles published via SBIX. Since the algorithm update, I check out my competition a lot more and attempt to write content that comes across as trustworthy and as genuine as possible. I no longer write and build and assume it will rank in the way it used to.
His site experienced the impact of Google’s Helpful Content Update, a change that led to a significant traffic drop for many bloggers and small business owners. His approach of focusing even more on “trustworthy and genuine” content, and paying closer attention to competitors, shows he’s adapting well.
Want to understand the Helpful Content Update in more detail, and learn how to ensure your site aligns with Google’s evolving priorities?
We’ve just published an in-depth article about the lessons we can learn from the HCU and the future of search. It’s based on Ken Evoy’s new book, “Make Your Site Win! (Again),” and offers valuable insights for adapting to the new era of search.
4. Have you used Solo Build It!’s AI assistant, Tai, for any aspect of your site or business? If not, what’s been holding you back?
Tai is a game changer. However much I think I know about the content of a keyword-related page, Tai will let me know stuff I would never have thought to include. As a result, the depth of the content on many of my pages has been far greater since using Tai.
Even as a subject matter expert, Mark found that Tai helped him consider aspects he might have otherwise missed. Not using Tai yet? Sign up for free here.
This isn’t about AI replacing your expertise; it’s about improving your writing and boosting your productivity. Think of Tai as a research assistant, brainstorming partner, and first-draft generator all in one.
Tai can help you explore your topic more comprehensively, identify related angles, and get a solid initial draft down on “paper.” Add in your experience, anecdotes and personal stories, and you’ll have content that truly overdelivers on search intent.
5. How do you earn an income with your site? Is it a full-time or part-time income?
My income comes mainly from book sales, either directly from my site as ebook downloads or from printed books via Amazon.
There is also a small affiliate income from Amazon. The income is very much passive, and I am only working part-time on my site.
Prioritizing your own product sales is generally a stronger approach than relying solely on ads or affiliate links, which require high traffic numbers to generate a decent income.
How do you know whether your site earns as much as it should? A good rule of thumb is to earn at least $1,000 monthly for each 1,000 visitors per day. So, if you have 5,000 visitors per day on average, your goal should be to earn at least $5,000 per month.
If you’re making less than that, focus on maximizing your $-per-visitor ratio.
For example, in the swimming niche, someone like Mark could consider creating and selling online video courses on specific swimming techniques or teacher training. These could command a higher price than ebooks and boost overall revenue, even with the same traffic levels.
Also read: 5 Unusual Information Products to Monetize Your Blog
6. What impact do social media and email marketing have on your business success? Have you used the social media guides included in SBI!, and did you find them helpful?
Email marketing is a big part of my business strategy, and my weekly newsletter always generates a few sales. I find social media hugely frustrating, but the social media guides in SBI! have been a great help — even if it’s just getting the basics right to start with.
If you’re unsure how to get started, check out our article about building an email list from scratch. And here are 64 best practices for your email marketing success.
I hope Mark’s experience, with email marketing being “a big part of his business strategy,” gives you the necessary kick to get going. He clearly sees a direct link between his weekly newsletter and sales.
Social media, on the other hand, can be more of a mixed bag. Mark describes it as “hugely frustrating.” Can you relate? 😉
Growing a presence on social media platforms can be time-consuming, and the direct sales impact isn’t always clear. However, social media plays an important role for building brand awareness, connecting with your audience, and establishing yourself as an expert.
As an SBI! member, you’ll have access to step-by-step Social Media Guides to help you use the major platforms as efficiently as possible.
7. You seem to mainly use text and image tutorials on your website and in your ebooks. Do you have plans for adding video lessons, and if not, why not?
I personally find video content online very frustrating. There is nothing worse than watching a video for 5 or 10 minutes only to find it hasn’t quite answered your question or solved your problem.
I prefer to scan-read a web page or article to get a flavour before digging deeper into it — something you can’t do with a video.
I created a few videos (linked to my YouTube channel) a few years ago explaining basic techniques, but that’s about it. Creating video is time-consuming, so it’s a case of time spent vs reward.
Given the vast amount of swimming videos already out there that my videos compete with, I prefer to stick to text and image content for now. When my site and income grow enough to buy me time to invest in video creation, it’s something I will tackle properly.
While it’s true that video tutorials are incredibly popular, especially for visual topics like swimming, research suggests that text-based tutorials remain highly valuable and often preferred in certain situations.
As Mark points out, the ability to quickly “scan-read a web page… to get a flavour before digging deeper” is a significant advantage of text. Think about it: when you need to find a specific step in a tutorial, text is far more searchable and scannable than scrubbing through a video.
Granted, video excels at demonstrating visual techniques and engaging viewers; but I think Mark’s success with swim-teach.com proves that well-structured, text-and image-based tutorials can be a great choice.
Don’t feel pressured to default to video. Consider what best serves your audience and fits your own strengths.
8. What are the biggest challenges you face as a solopreneur and website owner?
My biggest challenge as a solopreneur is juggling time. Day job, family life and website development. Working on my website is a genuine labour of love, and there is never enough time to give to it.
I aim to have my website as my full-time job and income — I’m impatient and it can’t happen fast enough, but I am definitely getting there!
Being disciplined about time is crucial. Focus on tasks that move your business forward. Solo Build It! is designed to help you with this. We can’t add hours to your day (we wish we could!), but SBI! gives you a structured process and tools to invest every second in the most meaningful business-building activities.
And now, there’s another efficiency lever: generative AI. Tools like SBI!’s Tai can help you create content faster, brainstorm quicker, and streamline time-consuming tasks. In other words, AI can help you reach your goals faster, whether it’s growing your income or freeing up time to enjoy life.
9. What do you find most rewarding about having an online business? How has this journey impacted you and your family?
The biggest buzz for me is waking up in the morning to find notifications on my phone telling me I’d earned £50 while I was asleep!
At the beginning of this journey, I’m sure I read something that said, “SiteSell changes lives,” and I can say without a doubt that it has done exactly that.
There have been times in the month, near payday, when money gets tight and we have to be careful — we’ve all been there. I can send out a special offer email or run a few posts on social media, and my site usually steps up and chips in with a few pennies to help out.
With an online business, this dream can become reality. Not overnight, of course. You first need to invest in your business (mainly your time) before you can reap the rewards.
Beyond the immediate financial perk, Mark touches on a deeper benefit: control and resilience. He knows he can “send out a special offer email” and his site will “step up and chip in” when needed.
Having a business that can provide a financial buffer in tough times indeed feels reassuring, possibly even life-changing as Mark said.
10. Finally, what’s your single most important piece of advice for someone just starting an online business?
Stick at it. If you believe in yourself and your passion for your niche, then there is nothing stopping you.
There will be bumps in the road ahead, but you can rest assured SBI! will have your back 100%. They will show you the sunshine when it’s raining, and the reward will be a business that is yours and yours only.
A business and an achievement that no one can take away from you.
Building an online business isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. There will be times when you feel like giving up.
What will keep you going during these times? Passion and persistence are crucial. Add to this a super-helpful community of like-minded solo entrepreneurs, and nothing can stop you!
As Mark says, “SBI! will have your back 100%.” That’s a huge advantage. Use the SBI! tools. Follow the Action Guide. Ask for help in the forums. Join our weekly live Q&A calls. SBI! is there to support you every step of the way.
So, stick at it. Believe in yourself. And build that business you’ve been dreaming of.
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Try it. Simply follow the Video Action Guide. 
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