I think the biggest thing I have found in profiting is finding coins that have real value to solving challenges in global commerce. Many people investing in alt coins are trying to make money and can often times cause artificial boosts in different coins - that may not have longterm market impact - more short term gains (which can be great).

I am buying coins that I believe will really impact global commerce with real solutions run the coming decades, and sitting on them.

It requires a bit of research into the coin, the developers and so on but I believe is worth it.

Im invested in siacoin and ripple because of that.