Your guide to building, promoting and monetizing blogs and websites
From the category archives:
My recent blog post, “My Failures. Your Lessons.” sparked quite a few e-mails over the past two weeks.
Many of you want my recommendation for the best kind of site to create if you want to make money online but don’t have a product to sell.
Here’s my answer…
[If you're reading this via e-mail or your RSS [...]
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Sometimes failure can be your best your friend.
Take a trip with me down memory lane as I recall a few of my failed sites and the lessons learned.
If you’re viewing this post via e-mail or an RSS reader that doesn’t support video, watch the video here.
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On August 25th, Google announced there will be more revenue earning opportunities for AdSense publishers.
In the coming months, you’ll be able to display ads from additional networks.
Google ensures this will give you, the publisher, the chance to maximize profits from AdWords and ads sponsored by 3rd parties.
Some AdSense publishers often complain of poorly targeted ads [...]
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I finally started selling ad space on my blog. Here’s a video that demonstrates the script I use (OIO Publisher).
If you’re reading this post via e-mail or an RSS reader, click here to watch the video.
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Most people don’t intentionally create websites to beg, unfortunately many of them do.
Unless you have a shopping site, most visitors come to your site because they are looking for information. (Especially if they found you through a search engine.)
Of course there are exceptions to this, but for the majority of the time this is true. [...]
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Want to learn more about the YouTube Partner Program and how to apply? Watch the video below for a quick overview of how the program works…
If you’re reading this blog post via e-mail, click this link to watch the video on my blog. You may also want to think about subscribing to my blog using [...]
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I’ve been testing Chitika on two of my sites for the past two weeks.
So far so good. It’s a great compliment or alternative to using contextual ad programs like AdSense, Kontera, Infolinks, etc.
Here’s a video with an overview of how it works…
Note: Using Chitika and AdSense on the same site/page does not violate the AdSense [...]
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I was having an e-versation with a woman the other day who was concerned about starting with affiliate marketing because she heard that it’s oversaturated.
When I hear people make statements like this, I wonder where or who they are getting advice from. Often times it’s from people who have tried and failed so they are [...]
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If you’re not a member of my forum, Website Babble then you’ve already missed out on quite a few income opportunities. I’ve given away nearly $1,000 over the past 2 years (trivia contests, most valuable posters, etc.)
On March 26th (next Thursday), two people are going to win either $150 or $75 for their designs in [...]
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In the last site review I mentioned how offering e-books from my site has really helped boost my traffic and income over the years. So I thought I’d create a video showing you how simple it is to create an e-book using Adobe Acrobat Professional.
Adobe Acrobat is quite expensive and may not be in the [...]
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Due to the number of questions I receive about flat-rate ads, I thought I’d blog about this topic today.
First of all, flat-rate ads have a fixed price regardless of impressions, clicks, etc. So charging someone $50 per month for an ad on your site would be an example of a flat-rate ad.
In this post I [...]
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I get quite a few requests on YouTube to review various MLM (multi level marketing) programs so I want to clarify something.
I am an affiliate which is a little different. MLM has never been my cup of tea so I don’t spend much time looking into these programs.
That is not to say you cannot make [...]
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My last video on ClickBank generated quite a bit of curiosity. Many people wanted to know what programs earn me the most money and which ones I recommend they join.
You have to be careful about your curiosity of other Webmaster’s income. Remember, just because someone makes $5,000/month with one affiliate program, doesn’t mean [...]
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Just like any other affiliate program, making good money with ClickBank requires having enough traffic along with finding appropriate and relevant books for your audience.
You also have to be careful with ClickBank. Yes, the high commissions are nice, but you should choose products wisely.
Even though it’s one of my top money making affiliate programs, a [...]
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There’s been a lot of buzz around the Web recently about AdSense and how people aren’t making much money with the program anymore.
I’m not really sure where this noise is coming from.
Yes, many people have reported their earnings have dropped this year, but it’s still a great monetization option for many sites and blogs.
I personally [...]
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The e-mails have been pouring in regarding the recent changes to my YouTube Channel, so I thought I’d address them on my blog.
I always wondered why some YouTube channels had small banners over the profile names and others didn’t. So after doing some research, I found out about the YouTube Partner program.
I just got accepted [...]
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If you login to your AdSense account and try to create a new ad unit, you may notice a new link titled “AdSense for Feeds”.
Yup, you guessed it. Now you can display AdSense ads right inside your Feedburner feed.
You probably knew this was coming because there were rumors about Google testing this out on certain [...]
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If 100 random people set out to make money online, statistics show that only 2 will ever make anything worthwhile.
Of course, there are many reasons people get off track, but in the video below I discuss what I believe is a common reason people struggle.
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I was doing some website clean-up this morning and came across an oldie but goody — a PDF published some years ago by Ken Evoy titled “Why People Fail.”
In this book, Ken outlines 13 different mentalities/personalities that cause failure.
Even though this book was written years ago, it contains eye-opening, in-your-face points that are still very [...]
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My last post on my top 7 money making programs generated some questions about AdBrite.
Some people wanted to know if it’s legal to use with AdSense. Others were curious if it pays well.
First of all, yes, it’s OK to use AdBrite in conjunction with AdSense. It does not violate Google’s Terms of Service [...]
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I’ve noticed from reading other blogs, readers seem to enjoy learning how other sites make money. So I’ve developed a “Top 7″ list of my top income generators based on nothing more than monthly income earned.
Note: This list is from all my sites combined.
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1. Domain and Web Hosting Reselling
This program is a great example [...]
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There are so many articles and blog posts about how to build traffic, income, etc. but not a lot about building credibility — another critical component of online success.
After all, if your audience doesn’t trust you and see you as a credible source in your niche, generating an income will be difficult.
Here are some tactics [...]
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It’s a fear many Webmasters have — getting pulled from AdSense for fraudulent clicks or other activity deemed “against AdSense TOCs”.
The fear is pretty valid. I’ve heard of people getting pulled from the program for “no apparent reason” (according to them).
Of course there are two sides to every story, but it reinforces that Google’s [...]
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While there are several reasons some affiliate websites never get off the ground, here’s a few reasons I believe many people struggle with affiliate marketing…
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Am I flashing my SiteSell affiliate check in your face to brag?
No, not at all.
When it comes to telling other people how to make money online, it’s all about credibility.
And if you can’t prove you’re actually profiting, then you sort of get lumped in with all the other “how-to-make-money” sites that leave people wondering if [...]
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A previous post about earning $57,000 in one month created quite the excitement.
After all, some people don’t even make $57,000 in one year so the idea of earning that kind of money in a month is fascinating.
While I was happy to see that post generated interest, it also produced some unrealistic goals and ideas among [...]
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One of the most common ways people get lured into making money online is by discovering an affiliate or MLM (multi-level marketing) “make-money-online” program.
Usually, they promise lucrative profits if you promote a pre-created, turnkey website and get other people to join the program and/or buy certain products.
YTB.com and SixFigureIncome.com are two programs that come to [...]
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Someone who belongs to the same domain name reseller program as me earned that amount in January.
Every month the program publishes the top performers. While I was pleased to have earned a spot in the top 10 with my own personal record, I was floored when I saw the top earner pulled in nearly [...]
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That was the comment left on one of my YouTube videos a few days ago. And it’s not the first time I’ve heard the scam cries regarding SBI!.
Apparently this person heard about the $10,000 prize Ken Evoy, President of SiteSell.com, awarded to the customer who created the best “I Love SBI! video.”
So his comment warned [...]
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I get a lot of questions about website topics and what’s the most profitable niche. First of all, what’s profitable for someone else may not be profitable for you and vice versa.
For example, a lot of people make money online because they choose topics they love to write about, then affiliate themselves with [...]
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It’s the time of the year when millions of resolutions are made all over the world. Weight loss and financial gain are two of the most popular ones made each year.
Speaking of financial gain, many Webmasters have set financial goals for their websites in 2008. If you’re reading this now, you are probably [...]
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As the AdSense popularity grows among Webmasters, it’s hard to find a site without at least one AdSense unit displayed.
And in my opinion, many Webmasters overdo it.
Because you want to get as many clicks as possible, it can be very tempting to lace your page header with multiple AdSense ads. After all, the more [...]
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For most, it takes a few years get their sites to the point where they can think about quitting their full-time job. But if you work hard enough, it can certainly be done within a year.
And even if it doesn’t happen in 2008, perhaps you can earn enough to make it feasible for 2009.
If you [...]
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Cathy Stucker (The Idea Lady) conducted a tele-class last night, hosted by EzineArticles.com.
Cathy is making a living from the abundance of content she’s created over the years, and I thought she offered excellent advice… particularly for those who are just getting started and may be skeptical about how to make a living online from articles [...]
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Due to all the AdSense buzz generated by the media lately, I felt it only fitting to write a small e-book that addresses many questions I receive about AdSense.
Yes, the concept of the program is super simple, but making a lot of money takes time and work.
Right-click here and download my free e-book Untold AdSense [...]
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One of my Website Babble forum members posted a link to an article from USA Today about a retired gentleman who earns $120,000 in Google ads in one year.
I wasn’t as amazed by his story as I was the skeptical responses to the article. Then again, people are often skeptical when they hear stories [...]
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A fellow Site Build It! (SBI!) customer contacted me today. Someone emailed her a compliment regarding her website, deliciouscakerecipes.com, and went on about how she loved the site and would like the SBI! owner to design one for her.
The new SBI! customer was honored by the compliment, but didn’t know how to respond. [...]
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You know you’re doing something right when people ask you to provide them with your affiliate link before they buy a product.
That’s what happened today in my forum, WebsiteBabble.com. And to be honest, it’s not the first time I’ve been asked.
In my opinion, this says so much about the importance of PREselling a product. [...]
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Thinking of buying Site Build It! but not exactly sure if it’s for you or how you can apply it? Take a sneak peek at some sample sites equipped with stories from the SBI! owners.
This site proves that SBI! will help you monetize (make money) with almost any topic you can come up with. [...]
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I call it the “Hodgepodge Theory.” And if this applies to your site, it may be a big reason why you aren’t seeing your AdSense earnings increase.
Watch the video below to learn more about why I believe many people struggle with building their AdSense revenue…
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Selling products online can be quite the challenge, particularly if you are building your first site and have no brand awareness/recognition. A big mistake many newbies make is they try selling products before they have the traffic and credibility.
Building a store is not a guarantee people will just flock to your site. You [...]
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A lady asked me today why I created a site on fitness (flat-stomach-exercises.com) when a topic like that is so saturated.
I have to agree. Fitness is a very competitive niche. That’s why I narrowed my topic down a bit to just flattening the stomach.
Plus, it was a topic that interested me since I [...]
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I just received an e-mail from a gentleman desperate to find something to do online so he could quit his job that he hates so much.
He asked me how long it took me to make a full time living online and I got the impression he would do anything to get rich on the Net.
First [...]
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What’s the one job where you could take a year off and still get paid?
Yup… you guessed it.
Affiliate Marketing.
I got an e-mail from a gentleman today who wanted to know how many hours he’d have to invest upfront to make enough money online to quit his full time job. He admitted he didn’t have [...]
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It’s THE age-old question heard around the Net…
“How long does it take before I start making money with my website?”
It’s a question that’s very difficult to answer and one I’m usually very careful about addressing.
The Internet is flooded with products and websites that make ridiculous claims about getting rich quickly, and if you’re not cautious… [...]
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I discovered this neat little trick by accident. If you are familiar with my site, you know I push Site Build It! (SBI!) pretty heavily. Not just because I’m an affiliate, but because it really worked for me and it has changed many people’s lives.
I got tired of hearing all the raving reviews [...]
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My friends and family are in awe of the amount of money I make with my sites.
To be honest, sometimes I am too.
It’s hard to believe something that started out as a hobby/side income venture, has turned into a full-time income that allowed me to quit my 9 to 5 job.
While the process is simple, [...]
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I talk a lot about Site Build It! on my site, mainly because I use it and it works. A site I barely update, now pays my mortgage and it only has about 30 pages.
I want to show that I’m not the only one experiencing success with SBI. Check out Elad’s video below…
For [...]
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I get a lot of emails from people asking me if I really earn a full-time income online. I can understand their skepticism. There’s a lot of hype surrounding making money online and often times it’s presented in a way that seems too good to be true.
Plus, the Net is faceless so your [...]
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When will people learn that if it sounds too easy, it probably is? I’ve made a lot of money on the Internet, but I would never tell you it was “easy” or done overnight. Yes, it was fun because I build websites on topics that interest me, but I work hard.
After getting [...]
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Someone emailed me yesterday and asked me about “Adsense Ready” websites. Apparently it’s a program where people pay $100 or so for access to a database full of pre-written articles.
All they do is choose the ones they want to their site, upload the articles and Voila! their site is complete and ready for Adsense [...]
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Most of my family and friends now know the success I’ve had with the web, but I still don’t think they really understand how doable it is to make a decent living with nothing but an information website.
People often think they have to be a techy or computer savvy individual to build a website….much less [...]
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