I Finally Broke Free From the Chains of Web 2.0
March 30th, 2010 | 
Author: I almost feel like a relationship has ended. As of this week, you won’t see me teaching people to build entire empires of content on free sites. You’re going to use them to your benefit a bit, but never again will I – or you – rely on sites like Squidoo, Ezine Articles, Blog sites or Hub Pages or anything like them to build our online businesses.
The crackdowns on web 2.0 sites have been staggering. Doesn’t matter if your content’s 100% original, if you own the site you want to link to – if you have a PhD in your niche. They can SHUT YOU DOWN without warning and all your hard work is gone.
This week someone threw me a life preserver. Craig Kaye asked me if I’d tried out Network Blazer yet – it’s kind of a host and site builder all in one. I hadn’t, and was wary of site builders since I honestly couldn’t figure out the one’s I’d bought in the past, I’m embarrassed to say. I don’t have a tech-savvy bone in my body.
But after having a Blogger blog with a TON of content shut down this last week, and a Xomba account deleted because I followed another marketer’s directions, and I had to beg for a second chance, I was FED UP with web 2.0 and told him I’d try it.
One week ago I registered a domain (that much I can do) and logged into Network Blazer to build my first site. I’m so proud of it. I finished it today and registered another domain. I can tell you what thrills me about this.
No one else is in control but ME.
I didn’t need to know site building because it has these things called components (like modules on Squidoo sort of). It’s an unlimited account system, so I have no expansion constraints. And I can promote Amazon (or review ClickBank products for instance) on my sites.
Watch Craig’s 2 short recordings of how Network Blazer works from the inside, and see some of his sites (since mine’s brand new), here:
http://www.networkblazer.com/tiffanydow/
I also created a short series of videos about Network Blazer here but this is NOT a tutorial per se – please rely on his member’s area for those. This is just showing you in a little more depth what I did for my first site and what I think about the tool. Start watching here:
http://www.tiffanydow.com/video/introductionnetworkblazer/introductionnetworkblazer.html
And last but not least, I made a cheat sheet for those who give it a try (kept it in Word doc format for you instead of PDF so you could edit it and print it out easily). You can grab that here:
http://www.tiffanydow.com/gifts/networkblazeripkplan.zip
I haven’t been this excited about something since I raved about IPK over a year ago. The system works. It’s ethical. It’s easy. It’s got a short learning curve and good return on your investment of time and money.
With so much scammy stuff still being sold online, it’s refreshing to see something truly valuable and yet affordable being provided for people who want to build an honest business online.
And I’m going to be making some videos as I move forward in creating these sites and how I promote them. This is exciting!
Tiff 
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Tiff, there are some great Easy-Build Hosts out here now for us ‘tech-numpties’.
I’ve been using Yahoo hosting & their Sitebuilder tool for several years now, but I also tried out ‘Webstarts’ a few weeks ago to build a website for my son’s plastering business. It got ranked on 1st page of Google within 2 weeks (and that’s using the FREE! version)
If you pay, you get total control as with all major hosting companies. +++ there are some great tutorial videos to go along with everything.
[link removed]
(Or at the bottom of my homepage
Pete.
Pete, I’m sure there are many great site builders out there – problem is, I got confused with them. This is the first one I’ve tried that’s not web 2.0 that I fell in love with
Hi Tiff! In one of the forums I frequent, it was mentioned that someone lost a great deal of content due to having a Blogger blog shut down. I didn’t know that was you. However you go about it, I think you’re smart to be the one in control of your work. I’m glad you found something that works for you and I hope others that are using web 2.0 sites exclusively will follow your lead.
Hi Tiffany, I am really interested Network Blazer and so I did some research on Google for reviews. What came back were results for Blazer Network as well as Network Blazer mostly for 2006. The results were not good. Is this the same site builder?
Regards
Linda.
Two TOTALLY different systems, people, etc. Not the same thing…similar names though.
Hi Tiff! I hoped it was Network Blazer that you were talking about once I saw your unique toilet seat site. Really happy that you are going to review this!
I am a huge fan of IPK…but I was/am a little wary of NB. I HAVE a load of domains on my own hosting. I LOVE buying domains – it’s building the sites that is the real pain.
I have been following PPG’s 6 steps to Niche Sites, but configuring wordpress, updating the plugins AND trying to follow OPSEO is just too darn hard! Besides…it still always looks like a blog, ya know? Too many distractions on a blog. Give the shopper too much choice and they walk away with nothing but a headache! I hate to say it but purchasers are like cattle…on your site you guide them to the next choice, which may be to get them to sign up to your list, or primarily get them to Amazon/Affliate Site ASAP.
So I have been very interested in NB. In fact, I just visited the site the other day and ummed and aahed about whether to join. So for me, this is VERY timely!
Now, THIS is my biggest concern about NB, and is what has held me back from joining them. Although you own the domain, the domain and the software that puts all the content on your domain is run and hosted by NB. When I last checked, the cost of NB was $29 per month. This is expensive compared to other hosts. And if you stop your NB subscription, it seems you lose everything on your website, although of course the domain is still registered in your name so you keep that.
I would be interested to know what happens if you want to transfer your content to another host?
It seems to me that it IS a step up from web 2.0, but you STILL don’t have full control.
But heck, I just want to build sites real quick that are going to make me money by being fully optomised and steering the surfer to the buying point, which is why NB is so appealing
Convince me I’m not building a business model that still gives controol to someone else and I’m sold
Oh Carol if the site building is a pain, then you’ll love NB! I’m like you re: wordpress. It’s okay to point and click to add a blog post, but I’m often VERY confused with css and plugins, etc. WAY over my head.
Let me check with Craig on the stopping thing. I know someone asked what would happen if they ever went out of business or whatever and he replied they have a system in place to zip and email you all your files. Not sure if that applies to people who stop. Let me ask and get back to you.
Hello Tiffany
Personally I hate site builders. I’m a techie, so I like all the extra features and power of wordpress and programs like Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression Web.
Network Blazer does look good though, and the ability to chose an ip address for you site; very powerful.
I have a tip for you Tiffan: don’t use paint for your graphics. I thought the graphics of your site were terrible. Compare your site to the other site mentioned in the video and you can see the difference.
Oh yes the graphics program; use “Paint.net,” it’s free and very powerful. Another program is “Gimp,” but the thing about Gimp is when you unistall, it will erase your windows icon so I don’t use Gimp anymore,and now use Paint.net.
Paint.net or Gimp are not difficult to learn, I’ve never had to use the manual. Photo Shop is not as difficult as it looks as you can learn alot just by experimenting. You will have to read the manual to learn advance features.
Tiffany and anyone else reading – please use one of the 3 graphica programs mentioned. Nothing looks worst than down graded graphics.
I hoping that Network Blaze will have advanced features for the techies and be able to create sites that look like they were builted by an expensive program like dreamweaver. I hate the limitations of site builders and programs like XSite Pro.
What do you think? I hope this tip was useful.
Thank you Tiffany for sharing your experience with Network Blaze.
Hi Tiff. I second that question about if you want to (for whatever reason) stop using NB. And, what about if you want to sell sites to other people. It’d be nice to know that you can make a site in NB, sell it and transfer it without the buyer having to signup there.
Hi Tiff –
I’m an IPK user since last November, so I have a great deal of respect for Craig and his techniques. In fact, IPK led me to TiffanyDow.com. But, there are a few reasons I’m hesitant about Network Blazer
I can’t tell if there is any way you can perform and download your own site backups for NB sites. Also, I’ve built a bunch of sites with WordPress, just disabling and hiding the blog portion and using it as a CMS.
By comparison, one of the downsides to NB is that you have NO control over the code. If you’d like to do something that’s not built into the system, there’s no way to do it.
A good example, Google analytics is built into the system, but Webmaster tools isn’t, and I don’t think you can add it if you want to.
Also, it appears that all NB sites look pretty much alike. There are some color scheme adjustments, but no REAL customization of the look. I’ve read that this can make them a target for a Google penalty. Don’t know if that’s true.
If Craig allowed a little more freedom in manipulating CSS and HTML for those who’d like to, I’d be on board in a heartbeat.
Hi David! For more advanced webmasters like yourself, it might not be a preferred option but for people like me, it’s GREAT! You can do your own banners, graphics, etc, and there’s not going to be a Google penalty for a site like that. Craig’s awesome about adding elements his subscribers want. I’ve already requested 1-2 things he said they could do during the next upgrade. I love it – but thanks for your $0.02 too!
Hi,
I’m also concerned about being able to download my sites in case he goes out of business or sells it to someone less honest.
At this point the footprint (templates all similar) would be a real problem. What if a new shady owner used the system for spam or porn sites?
I’m not saying this will happen but I don’t control that and I might have hundreds of sites at that point.
Even if you have the content backed up, you will not have the software to build the site and you would have to start over with everything including a new website builder. No different than your Blogger problem all over again…
So this bothers me but it sure looks easy but often “easy” is a trap and involves giving control to others.
It might be better to learn a how to use a simple website builder (and there are very good ones!) that gives you the software to own – so you’re not bound to other parties control in any way. A simple reseller hosting account can be had for very little and will allow you to put all of your website on it for no additional cost.
So in my opinion a better choice is: Quality website builder you own + Reseller hosting account. Lots of security in this plan and just a little extra learning curve.
Thanks!
Hi Donna! Yes Craig said if anything like that happened he would zip the files for the sites and send them to their owners. But this could happen with anyone I guess – even hostgator. LOL Look at us – pretty soon we’ll all have our own servers in our basements too scared to trust anyone! We’ve been screwed too many times, right? I’ve tried many site builders – just never could grasp it.
I’m surprised at your reluctance to use wordpress, particularly when you can get unlimited hosting for 2 or 3 dollars a month.
If you don’t like the ‘Bloggy’ look of wordpress then just download one of the thousands of available themes. If you are worried about CSS, then don’t touch it – there really is no need to. If you don’t like updating plugins, then no problem, the latest version of WP will do it all for you with the click of a button.
But as your knowledge grows then WordPress will grow with you. Then you can start adding plugins to optimise your SEO or create instant backlinks or automatically back up your sites, or automatically submit your latest posts to RSS feeds, or, or, or… It can do so much and make your life so simple it is a shame that you are shying away from it.
And as an added bonus, if your hosting service fails to perform, fine, just move all of your sites to another host.
I urge everyone to try it.
Dave…
I’m taking a look at NB as well. Seems that it has a lot of good aspects.
More control is better. Nothing is 100% perfect….
In light of your announced shift away from focusing on Squidoo to NB, are you still planning to update your Social Networking on Squidoo ebook, as stated previously?
Yes I am
I’ll be done by the end of this coming weekend.
Hi Tiff,
I’m glad you and Web 2.0 has parted ways. This is really a blessing in disguise and a lesson for all of us.
I didn’t feel right with Squidoo, especially when one guy in the forum, who acts like he’s on a mission to protect the world, accuses me of being a scam artist when I asked for someone to review my lens. I haven’t messed with my lens in over a year. I still get an occasional visitor who gives me 5 stars! Wadda they know?
There’s more meaning to the words freedom, independence and sovereignty when you don’t join a club. Joining a club means playing by their rules. Make your own rules.
Again, I’m glad it happened to you Tiff. I just hope it wasn’t too painful
All the best to you,
Joe
Hey Joe!
Well I haven’t parted ways with it – just not chained to it like I used to be
Sorry someone made you feel that way – forum rats tend to feel some odd sense of entitlement.
Hi,
i wonder how do you feelabout network blazer today,a few monthes after you joined could you share?
thanks
Rami
It’s great for people who don’t know anything about building websites. One of mine is especially doing well.
Hey Tiffany,
I’m a newb to all this stuff and soaking in your information, thank you.
My question based on this post is this – are you saying to no longer use Squidoo?? I was following your 52 on Squidoo and was going to start writing and creating lenses…..is this now a change in your philosophy?
Thanks again for all your help, info and hard work.
No I use it, but I don’t depend on it now
Thanks Tiffany. I guess that makes it clearer as to what I THINK I’m supposed to do. Use Squidoo to help drive traffic to my main Amazon review affiliate sites.
Hi Tiffany,
I was searching your blog for different information and came across this one. I know you do not endorse Craig K anymore. I have IPK and he has not updated since Nov 2010. Do you still endorse network blazer? And how are your sites made with this product doing now? Thanks!
Actually my sites are doing good with it