Chris Haycock

I get it. You've never heard of me. That was my intention all along, because for many years I've been hiding behind a network of websites that I've built, frightened that someone would copy my profitable ideas.

I didn't need (or want) to be well known.

I've spent the last two decades at my desk, writing code, designing websites, creating marketing strategies to make them hugely popular, and then monetising them.

With more revenue streams than you can shake a stick at, I didn't have the desire to poke my head above the parapet.

I just got a huge kick from finding niches, building a website to fill it, plugging in a revenue stream, and moving on to the next - on the quiet. I didn't want the attention or the accolade, I just wanted to create stuff that people found useful.

I build stuff that PEOPLE USE

And it worked. Over the course of the last 15 years I've built myself a substantial portfolio of websites, which 1 in 6 of the UK population used last year. It was a strategy that worked so well that I incorporated them into a limited company under the umbrella of CliqTo Ltd in 2010.

Slowly, but surely, I've been building up a huge reservoir of online marketing expertise. A tsunami-size amount of knowledge!

I don't have a diploma in marketing, a computer science degree, and I've never been on a course. The things I've learned have been self taught in the real world of digital business - through trial and error alone.

And I'm proud to say I've made a lot of mistakes on the way.

I started with nothing at all. And when I say 'nothing', I mean it. I was homeless, sleeping wherever I could on the cold streets of London in my 20s. But that made me even more determined to succeed.

I got myself off the streets by selling toys door-to-door, picking up a lot of knowledge about consumer psychology on the way. That experience changed my life.

What makes me different?

Most marketers find themselves specialising in one particular area. It's not often you come across a digital expert who can plan, design, code and market. I believe having all these skills makes me a better marketer - in fact, I even built a full glossary of marketing terms website very recently.

More than 22 years ago I was hired by a top London law firm because I was already damn good at building and marketing websites from scratch.

My official job title was "Webmaster". Back then us webmasters had to do everything ourselves: email marketing, websites, intranets/extranets, databases, SEO (waaay before Google).

He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy

I experimented with lot of dodgy "black-hat" techniques in the earlier years. I found some tactics that worked (incredibly well), and other tactics that backfired - resulting in penalties. It was a great learning experience, so I have no regrets. I don't get involved in the dodgy stuff any more, but it was good to learn how far that boat can be rocked before it capsizes.

Today, you'll be glad to know I only do ethical stuff.

Whilst most webmasters went on to other things, I stuck at it, and helped springboard several dot-com startups, turning around their websites, attracting visitors, generating leads and increasing their profits considerably.

But I realised my skils were making my bosses rich. So I took a deep breath and started my own business.

Out of the shadows

During that time, I hid away, concentrating on making a tidy profit for my company. I didn't want others to learn my techniques.

But now it's time to share my knowledge. I have an itch to scratch: to help others.

That's what my website is all about: to learn digital marketing, pick up some website tips, read my books and give you a little bit of insight into my story.

You see, there are far too many so-called professionals out there that claim to know the secrets to digital success. They're the ones that try to sell you one-trick-pony solutions like landing pages, sales funnels, SEO packages, and social media tricks - claiming that they alone are the answer.

If only life was so simple!

Digital marketing isn't just a single solution - it's a holistic approach. If you want genuine, sustainable growth then you're going to have do do it properly. With a strategy, not on a wing and a prayer. Shall we get started?