Saturday, December 9, 2006
Coming Later Today:
Exclusive pictures of the most high-class breed of dog in the world, the Deutsch Drahthaar.
The Drahthaar is a German hunting breed that is generally classified in the United States as a Wirehaired Pointer, although the purebred Drahthaar consists of four equal parts Wirehair Pointer, German Shorthair, Griffon, and Poodle Pointer. Quite a pedigree.
So check back for a photo essay of a day at the park with Katie the Drahthaar!
The Drahthaar is a German hunting breed that is generally classified in the United States as a Wirehaired Pointer, although the purebred Drahthaar consists of four equal parts Wirehair Pointer, German Shorthair, Griffon, and Poodle Pointer. Quite a pedigree.
So check back for a photo essay of a day at the park with Katie the Drahthaar!
Friday, December 8, 2006
Wii have a problem...
I was playing on my new Nintendo Wii yesterday, Wii tennis actually, and there were two incidents worth hearing about.
First, you should know that once I get into something I'm into it nonstop until I get sick of it, all day long and through the night. So I was playing this tennis game for hours, kind of making a joke of the fact that I wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything else. And I was havin' a blast, just laughing and jumpin' around like an idiot for hours.
Now this started to annoy my younger sister, who kept saying she was tryin' to sleep and she had to get up early and blah blah blah. So around 8:30 she comes into the room to see if I'm sick of it yet, and I smack her in the face with my backhand. My tennis backhand, accidentally. This, needless to say, didn't go over too well.
After that I was all fired up, and by 11 PM I had been playing on that damn thing for almost seven hours straight, so my hands and arms were pretty weak and tired. So in a last ditch attempt at a power serve, I lost my grip on the damn controller and spiderwebbed my 3 month old Hitachi flatscreen. Cracked it like a broken windshield. I haven't slept since.
So anyway, keep the door locked and use the safety straps.
First, you should know that once I get into something I'm into it nonstop until I get sick of it, all day long and through the night. So I was playing this tennis game for hours, kind of making a joke of the fact that I wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything else. And I was havin' a blast, just laughing and jumpin' around like an idiot for hours.
Now this started to annoy my younger sister, who kept saying she was tryin' to sleep and she had to get up early and blah blah blah. So around 8:30 she comes into the room to see if I'm sick of it yet, and I smack her in the face with my backhand. My tennis backhand, accidentally. This, needless to say, didn't go over too well.
After that I was all fired up, and by 11 PM I had been playing on that damn thing for almost seven hours straight, so my hands and arms were pretty weak and tired. So in a last ditch attempt at a power serve, I lost my grip on the damn controller and spiderwebbed my 3 month old Hitachi flatscreen. Cracked it like a broken windshield. I haven't slept since.
So anyway, keep the door locked and use the safety straps.
Awesome Vacations on a Budget
Boston Massachusetts is a great vacation destination! And getting the most out of a vacation for the least amount of money is one of the secrets to living well and acquiring wealth.No matter what your interests, hobbies, or vacation-styles, there's something here for you.
For skiers, hikers and mountain bikers, the Blue Hills Reservation in Dedham is ideal. With over 7000 acres of forests, fields and streams during the summer, and skiing during the winter, this can be your one-stop vacation destination!
The historic North Shore of Boston is another great place for a day trip. The North Shore of Massachusetts is home to some of the best beaches, fishing spots, world class restaurants, and historic landmarks in the world.
Each small New England town, from Salem to Gloucester, is vibrant with four hundred years of rich cultural history.
Got a history buff in the family? Be sure to visit Salem village, where the infamous Salem Witch trials took place centuries ago. Stroll down cobblestone streets, board a colonial ship sitting in the harbor, tour the witch museum, or dine in one of many fine dining establishments that the city has to offer, many of them right on Pickering Wharf in Salem Harbor. You might even pay a visit to Nathaniel Hawthorne's authentic House of Seven Gables. Salem has something for everyone!
Next, be sure to tour Beverly's Gold Coast, where wealthy ship captains and leaders of industry kept their summer residences. President Taft kept his summer White House here, at what is now the beautiful Lynch Park; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes lived in Beverly, and today the legendary American author John Updike makes Beverly his hometown.
Be sure to tour the coast from Beverly up toward Gloucester along scenic Route 127, stopping along the way at the numerous lands of the Trustees of Reservations and the innumerable scenic vistas by the ocean. In historic downtown Beverly Farms, spend some time exploring the exceptionally fine dining and boutiques.
In Gloucester, the historic fishing seaport of New England, you can visit the memorial to fishermen lost at sea, and the now-famous pub, The Crow's Nest, where the movie The Perfect Storm was filmed.
No trip to the North Shore of Massachusetts is complete without spending a day at Crane's Beach, in historic Ipswich. Originally the summer estate of Richard Crane, founder of Crane Plumbing, the property is now owned by the Trustees of Reservations. Spend a weekend at the luxurious Inn at Castle Hill and bask in the class and style of a bygone era, or simply relax in the sun of Crane's Beach, voted one of the 10 best beaches in the world by "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous".
Once you spend some time on the North Shore of Massachusetts, you'll want to come back year after year to take in everything that this beautiful and historic region has to offer! And you'll be psyched about all the cash that's left over.
The historic North Shore of Boston is another great place for a day trip. The North Shore of Massachusetts is home to some of the best beaches, fishing spots, world class restaurants, and historic landmarks in the world.
Each small New England town, from Salem to Gloucester, is vibrant with four hundred years of rich cultural history.
Got a history buff in the family? Be sure to visit Salem village, where the infamous Salem Witch trials took place centuries ago. Stroll down cobblestone streets, board a colonial ship sitting in the harbor, tour the witch museum, or dine in one of many fine dining establishments that the city has to offer, many of them right on Pickering Wharf in Salem Harbor. You might even pay a visit to Nathaniel Hawthorne's authentic House of Seven Gables. Salem has something for everyone!Next, be sure to tour Beverly's Gold Coast, where wealthy ship captains and leaders of industry kept their summer residences. President Taft kept his summer White House here, at what is now the beautiful Lynch Park; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes lived in Beverly, and today the legendary American author John Updike makes Beverly his hometown.
Be sure to tour the coast from Beverly up toward Gloucester along scenic Route 127, stopping along the way at the numerous lands of the Trustees of Reservations and the innumerable scenic vistas by the ocean. In historic downtown Beverly Farms, spend some time exploring the exceptionally fine dining and boutiques.
In Gloucester, the historic fishing seaport of New England, you can visit the memorial to fishermen lost at sea, and the now-famous pub, The Crow's Nest, where the movie The Perfect Storm was filmed.
No trip to the North Shore of Massachusetts is complete without spending a day at Crane's Beach, in historic Ipswich. Originally the summer estate of Richard Crane, founder of Crane Plumbing, the property is now owned by the Trustees of Reservations. Spend a weekend at the luxurious Inn at Castle Hill and bask in the class and style of a bygone era, or simply relax in the sun of Crane's Beach, voted one of the 10 best beaches in the world by "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous".
Once you spend some time on the North Shore of Massachusetts, you'll want to come back year after year to take in everything that this beautiful and historic region has to offer! And you'll be psyched about all the cash that's left over.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Fast Money Online?
Here are a few great ways to make some quick cash on the internet:
Sell all your old books, music and movies on Half.com. It's affiliated with Ebay, and your user ID for Half.com can also be used for Ebay. I use Half.com myself, and there's no easier way to make a quick buck.
They pay for shipping; you simply print out a shipping label and bring your book or movie to the post office. In some areas, you can even leave the package in your mail box with some money, and the postman will take your package and leave your change!
Another quick way to make money on the internet is by reselling items on Ebay. See what's selling on Ebay, then check the prices at your local discount stores. Going-out-of-business sales are great places to find cheap stuff to resell on Ebay for a profit!
Perhaps the method of making money on the internet with the most potential for earnings is creating a successful blog, and equipping it with Google AdSense. Post all your interesting and original ideas, home videos, and political theories, get Google AdSense to accept your website, throw the html code on there and watch the money roll in! When you can make money in your sleep, you know you're doing somethin' right!
So always be on the lookout for what you have locally, whether your own creations or the best deals at your local stores, and throw them online for a quick buck!
Sell all your old books, music and movies on Half.com. It's affiliated with Ebay, and your user ID for Half.com can also be used for Ebay. I use Half.com myself, and there's no easier way to make a quick buck.
They pay for shipping; you simply print out a shipping label and bring your book or movie to the post office. In some areas, you can even leave the package in your mail box with some money, and the postman will take your package and leave your change!
Another quick way to make money on the internet is by reselling items on Ebay. See what's selling on Ebay, then check the prices at your local discount stores. Going-out-of-business sales are great places to find cheap stuff to resell on Ebay for a profit!
Perhaps the method of making money on the internet with the most potential for earnings is creating a successful blog, and equipping it with Google AdSense. Post all your interesting and original ideas, home videos, and political theories, get Google AdSense to accept your website, throw the html code on there and watch the money roll in! When you can make money in your sleep, you know you're doing somethin' right!
So always be on the lookout for what you have locally, whether your own creations or the best deals at your local stores, and throw them online for a quick buck!
Internet Publishing for College Students
If you're a college student in a liberal arts program, chances are you enjoy writing. It's also likely that you're completely broke, but you don't want to go get some crappy job in a college town that thousands of other students like yourself are competing for.
That's why internet publishing is ideal for college students. You have lots to say, you're well educated, you can write, and you know what's cool.
So why not start a blog and throw Google Adsense on there? Get inspiration from other blogs and write a few posts. Enlist the help of your friends who may have specialized knowledge in certain areas, and get them to write a few posts for you, too.
Get a feel for the potential in internet publishing and see where you can go with it.
That's why internet publishing is ideal for college students. You have lots to say, you're well educated, you can write, and you know what's cool.
So why not start a blog and throw Google Adsense on there? Get inspiration from other blogs and write a few posts. Enlist the help of your friends who may have specialized knowledge in certain areas, and get them to write a few posts for you, too.
Get a feel for the potential in internet publishing and see where you can go with it.
Promoting Your Blog: Photography
It's hard to make a living selling pictures, even if you're a great photographer.
One way to monetize your artistic abilities is to provide your photos on a blog, and include your website address on the photo itself.
It's a great way to pull traffic in to your blog, and to get your name out there as a photographer.
Who knows what opportunities might arise!
One way to monetize your artistic abilities is to provide your photos on a blog, and include your website address on the photo itself.
It's a great way to pull traffic in to your blog, and to get your name out there as a photographer.
Who knows what opportunities might arise!
Enhancing Google AdSense with Images
The Holy Grail of internet publishing: maximizing the click through rate (CTR) on your websites.
As you attempt to improve your CTR, you'll be walking a fine line between making your content and your advertising appear to be one cohesive unit, and tricking your readers into clicking the ads; ie, using AdSense as it is meant to be used and violating the terms of service.
That said, it has been proven time and again that having images next to or above your large rectangle advertising helps to improve the CTR.
Now you never want to blur the line between your own content (the images) and your advertising, but placing pictures near targeted ads is a perfectly viable means of making your ad space more attractive, and therefore more profitable!
Get that money!
As you attempt to improve your CTR, you'll be walking a fine line between making your content and your advertising appear to be one cohesive unit, and tricking your readers into clicking the ads; ie, using AdSense as it is meant to be used and violating the terms of service.
That said, it has been proven time and again that having images next to or above your large rectangle advertising helps to improve the CTR.
Now you never want to blur the line between your own content (the images) and your advertising, but placing pictures near targeted ads is a perfectly viable means of making your ad space more attractive, and therefore more profitable!
Get that money!
New Car vs. Used Car
Here's the bottom line: there are very few cars that are worth buying brand new. Everyone knows that a new car loses thousands of dollars in value the moment you drive it off the lot.
But here's another fact. You should NEVER lease a car. You're pouring money into an automobile and you're not building equity in it as you should be. You're lining someone else's pockets.
So what's the solution? Always buy a used car. If you're willing to spend 20 grand on a new car, you're going to be shocked at the quality of car you can get for 15 thousand used. I'm talking about the difference between a brand new XTerra and a Mercedes SUV with 20 thousand miles on it.
This is one example where the right move is perfectly clear. You can spend less and appear to have spent more. You can save your money and have a nicer car.
So please. Never lease a car. Buy slightly used, look like a high roller, and be on your way to BEING a high roller all at the same time.
But here's another fact. You should NEVER lease a car. You're pouring money into an automobile and you're not building equity in it as you should be. You're lining someone else's pockets.
So what's the solution? Always buy a used car. If you're willing to spend 20 grand on a new car, you're going to be shocked at the quality of car you can get for 15 thousand used. I'm talking about the difference between a brand new XTerra and a Mercedes SUV with 20 thousand miles on it.
This is one example where the right move is perfectly clear. You can spend less and appear to have spent more. You can save your money and have a nicer car.
So please. Never lease a car. Buy slightly used, look like a high roller, and be on your way to BEING a high roller all at the same time.
What Kind of Person Are You?
As you can see, we've switched gears here at Alfred's. It's all about making that cash flow.
So what kind of person are you: rich or poor?
Now I don't mean how much money do you have in your bank account. There are some people who appear rich but are actually impoverished, and there are some people who drive crappy old junkbox cars and are wealthy.
How is this possible? Simple, really. Because it's all about cash flow.
If you take your total monthly income, reduce it by your tax percentage (about 1/3 or 1/2, depending on your income), then subtract your monthly expenses, where do you stand? Are you in the red? If so, you're living the life of a poor person.
The way to live the life of positive cash flow can often be accomplished by changing your mindset. Do you want to live richly but be on your way to the poor house? Or do you want to appear less well off and actually be on your way to wealth?
Forget about the flashy car, expensive dinners, Starbucks every morning, over-the-top vacations. That money belongs in your pocket, not the pockets of a car dealer or your local Starbucks.
Monitor your daily expenses. The Starbucks run, getting lunch out every day, huge car payments: these are holes in your ship that need to be patched.
So it's up to you. Are you gonna patch those leaks, or will you go down with the ship?
So what kind of person are you: rich or poor?
Now I don't mean how much money do you have in your bank account. There are some people who appear rich but are actually impoverished, and there are some people who drive crappy old junkbox cars and are wealthy.
How is this possible? Simple, really. Because it's all about cash flow.
If you take your total monthly income, reduce it by your tax percentage (about 1/3 or 1/2, depending on your income), then subtract your monthly expenses, where do you stand? Are you in the red? If so, you're living the life of a poor person.
The way to live the life of positive cash flow can often be accomplished by changing your mindset. Do you want to live richly but be on your way to the poor house? Or do you want to appear less well off and actually be on your way to wealth?
Forget about the flashy car, expensive dinners, Starbucks every morning, over-the-top vacations. That money belongs in your pocket, not the pockets of a car dealer or your local Starbucks.
Monitor your daily expenses. The Starbucks run, getting lunch out every day, huge car payments: these are holes in your ship that need to be patched.
So it's up to you. Are you gonna patch those leaks, or will you go down with the ship?
Google Currency Converter
The best, safest and most accurate currency converter is provided by Google.
Sure, there are tons of currency converters available on the internet, but Google's currency conversion feature is easy to use and the most reliable that you'll find.
If you need a currency converter for your Palm Pilot, you could try the FXPilot by OANDA.
This program automatically updates itself with the latest conversion rates, and features a "cheat sheet" feature for travelers!
Now the only problem is having any currency to start with...
Sure, there are tons of currency converters available on the internet, but Google's currency conversion feature is easy to use and the most reliable that you'll find.
If you need a currency converter for your Palm Pilot, you could try the FXPilot by OANDA.
This program automatically updates itself with the latest conversion rates, and features a "cheat sheet" feature for travelers!
Now the only problem is having any currency to start with...
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Adsense on Google Pages
I've been doing an experiment with websites created in Google page creator lately, and comparing them to a blog created on blogspot.
The first thing I've noticed is that a blog on blogspot gets WAY more traffic than a website with similar content. This may be simply because blogs are updated on a regular basis and are therefore more popular, and appear to be more current. It may also be because there is a blogspot community, whereas pages created with Google page creator are out fending for themselves in the barren wasteland of the internet.
Google page creator seems to be geared more toward people who have little to no experience with web design, and no knowledge of html code. Whereas on a blog like this, you have to do some work with html to add a custom header, Google pages is basically just cut and paste, using nothing more than Paint or Photoshop, if need be.
That said, I think Blogger is a lot more customizable than Google page creator. Blogger may be more technical, but the final results just seem a lot more solid and professional than anything I've been able to come up with on Google page creator.
Some people might like the fact that Google pages is more automated, but the downside to that is that images can slide around all over the place on their own, and things can just go really wrong really fast.
Blogger is a great way to get your information on the web quickly and in an attractive format, as well as being a decent stepping stone to more advanced web applications and design. Holla atcha boy.
The first thing I've noticed is that a blog on blogspot gets WAY more traffic than a website with similar content. This may be simply because blogs are updated on a regular basis and are therefore more popular, and appear to be more current. It may also be because there is a blogspot community, whereas pages created with Google page creator are out fending for themselves in the barren wasteland of the internet.
Google page creator seems to be geared more toward people who have little to no experience with web design, and no knowledge of html code. Whereas on a blog like this, you have to do some work with html to add a custom header, Google pages is basically just cut and paste, using nothing more than Paint or Photoshop, if need be.
That said, I think Blogger is a lot more customizable than Google page creator. Blogger may be more technical, but the final results just seem a lot more solid and professional than anything I've been able to come up with on Google page creator.
Some people might like the fact that Google pages is more automated, but the downside to that is that images can slide around all over the place on their own, and things can just go really wrong really fast.
Blogger is a great way to get your information on the web quickly and in an attractive format, as well as being a decent stepping stone to more advanced web applications and design. Holla atcha boy.
Increasing Traffic with Helium
No, I'm not talking about inhaling helium to make your voice higher, although that is funny and may increase traffic.
I'm talking about the new writing/information website at Helium.com that allows you to contribute your articles on a number of given titles like "Best Vacation Destinations" or "How to Insulate Your Home," or to write titles of your own if no similar topics exist.
After writing an article, your article is rated and ranked by fellow members, and in turn you rate other articles, so the best rise to the top.
The best part is, you get a share of the advertising revenue. How much you can earn depends on how many articles you write and how good those articles are, but it's not going to make you rich by any means.
Put your blog name and web address in your profile, and increase your visibility by writing a few good articles. Use the existing titles and topics as inspiration for content on your own blog during a dry spell, and make a few bucks while you're at it!
Get published instantly, and get paid for your writing!
I'm talking about the new writing/information website at Helium.com that allows you to contribute your articles on a number of given titles like "Best Vacation Destinations" or "How to Insulate Your Home," or to write titles of your own if no similar topics exist.
After writing an article, your article is rated and ranked by fellow members, and in turn you rate other articles, so the best rise to the top.
The best part is, you get a share of the advertising revenue. How much you can earn depends on how many articles you write and how good those articles are, but it's not going to make you rich by any means.
Put your blog name and web address in your profile, and increase your visibility by writing a few good articles. Use the existing titles and topics as inspiration for content on your own blog during a dry spell, and make a few bucks while you're at it!
Get published instantly, and get paid for your writing!
Making the Bigtime with your Blog
When you've written a really great post, sometimes it'll be picked up by a big website that features the best blogs on the web, and by linking back to your site, you're bound to get a HUGE increase in hits.
But will you be ready to harness those hits for the long term?
If you want to make the most of your big break when it comes, you've got to be ready for it beforehand. You want to make your new visitors "sticky" by providing them with content that they'll want to come back and see over and over again.
Make sure you've optimized your Adsense ads, and always keep a nice, clean, attractive blog.
And no matter what, keep writing and improving your content, because great content is what will keep new viewers coming back "again, and again, and again," to quote the hit movie Gladiator.
But will you be ready to harness those hits for the long term?
If you want to make the most of your big break when it comes, you've got to be ready for it beforehand. You want to make your new visitors "sticky" by providing them with content that they'll want to come back and see over and over again.
Make sure you've optimized your Adsense ads, and always keep a nice, clean, attractive blog.
And no matter what, keep writing and improving your content, because great content is what will keep new viewers coming back "again, and again, and again," to quote the hit movie Gladiator.
Using YouTube to Promote Your Blog
One of the best parts of having a blog is coming up with cool ways to promote it.
If you like making videos or have caught something cool on film, edit it to include your web address and upload it to YouTube!
I'm sure you've seen internet movies that include a web address right on the sreen throughout the whole film, and this is a good thing. But even adding your web address as an end title is a great way of getting your blog recognized, and it's easy, too.
You'll need a video editing program like Windows Movie Maker. Upload your video footage, and click "add title" to your movie. Drag the title to the end of your film, and you've got a tag on your video promoting your website!
You can add effects to make a smooth transition from the actual video to the display of your web address. I recommend fading the video out to black, then fading your web address in from black, and fade out to black again to wrap the video up.
And remember, the better, funnier and more interesting your video, the more hits you'll get on youtube and the more people that'll come to your site!
If you like making videos or have caught something cool on film, edit it to include your web address and upload it to YouTube!
I'm sure you've seen internet movies that include a web address right on the sreen throughout the whole film, and this is a good thing. But even adding your web address as an end title is a great way of getting your blog recognized, and it's easy, too.
You'll need a video editing program like Windows Movie Maker. Upload your video footage, and click "add title" to your movie. Drag the title to the end of your film, and you've got a tag on your video promoting your website!
You can add effects to make a smooth transition from the actual video to the display of your web address. I recommend fading the video out to black, then fading your web address in from black, and fade out to black again to wrap the video up.
And remember, the better, funnier and more interesting your video, the more hits you'll get on youtube and the more people that'll come to your site!
More Adsense Tips
It's called optimization.
Once you have a blog up and running, and you've got AdSense on it, you'll probably want to get away from the skyscraper and leaderboard ad configurations. And you'll also want to configure the color patterns of your advertisements so that the ad link matches the other links on your page, the backround matches your backround, and the text matches your text.
You want your advertisements to appear as part of your page, rather than ads that scream, "Hey look at me, I'm an advertisement, IGNORE ME!" When ads stand out, your readers may develop what it known as "ad blindness," where they will focus on your content and completely ignore the advertising.
But you want to provide content as well as useful and relevant advertising as a service to your readers.
You can optimize your colors by taking the following steps.
1. Identify your blog's colors. You need to be able to identify the backround and link colors by a six digit alphanumeric code (letters and numbers) so that you can then customize your Adsense ads to use those same color identification numbers.
Go to your blog's template settings, and click on fonts and colors. From here, find the colors you want to match from your blog, click on them, and write down the color codes.
2. Match your Adsense colors to your blog. Now go into your Adsense homepage, click Adsense Setup, and select Adsense for Content. Next, select "Ad unit" and click "continue."
Now you should see a color pallet next to boxes with the six digit alphanumeric codes. Plug in the codes you've written down, and watch the new colors pop up. Make the border and backround color the same.
The more your content and advertising looks like a coherent unit, the more pleasing your website will be to the eye of your reader, and the more likely they are to make use of your advertising!
Once you have a blog up and running, and you've got AdSense on it, you'll probably want to get away from the skyscraper and leaderboard ad configurations. And you'll also want to configure the color patterns of your advertisements so that the ad link matches the other links on your page, the backround matches your backround, and the text matches your text.
You want your advertisements to appear as part of your page, rather than ads that scream, "Hey look at me, I'm an advertisement, IGNORE ME!" When ads stand out, your readers may develop what it known as "ad blindness," where they will focus on your content and completely ignore the advertising.
But you want to provide content as well as useful and relevant advertising as a service to your readers.
You can optimize your colors by taking the following steps.
1. Identify your blog's colors. You need to be able to identify the backround and link colors by a six digit alphanumeric code (letters and numbers) so that you can then customize your Adsense ads to use those same color identification numbers.
Go to your blog's template settings, and click on fonts and colors. From here, find the colors you want to match from your blog, click on them, and write down the color codes.
2. Match your Adsense colors to your blog. Now go into your Adsense homepage, click Adsense Setup, and select Adsense for Content. Next, select "Ad unit" and click "continue."
Now you should see a color pallet next to boxes with the six digit alphanumeric codes. Plug in the codes you've written down, and watch the new colors pop up. Make the border and backround color the same.
The more your content and advertising looks like a coherent unit, the more pleasing your website will be to the eye of your reader, and the more likely they are to make use of your advertising!
Making Money with Adsense
Everybody wants to earn money through writing, and internet publishing is a very accessible way of doing just that.
Here are a few tips for starting your own internet publishing business:
1. Start a blog. It's quick, it's easy, it's free. You'll have an instant audience. How much this audience grows is completely dependent upon your own efforts. How much time do you want to invest in writing posts? How creative can you be about promoting your blog? Do you have anything to talk about that people will want to hear about? ie, not Nascar?
2. Get AdSense. This is a fast and simple way to monetize your blog. Just write a few posts, and try to capture the breadth of the topics you wish to cover, keeping in mind that Adsense will crawl your page and find keywords from your posts, which will then determine what kind of ads will be targeted on your site.
So if you plan on having a blog about independent film making, don't write your first three posts about Walmart wedding supplies, or (God forbid) Nascar.
3. Write about what you know. Think about your interests, your field of study, your job, your passion in life. If you write about what you know and love, that will come through in your writing, and you'll actually enjoy posting frequently. It can be a highlight of your day if you write about what you love, and NOT about what you think will be most profitable (although if what you love has to do with science, personal finance, computers, or Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, you're golden.)
4. Post frequently. You want to write posts of a high quality, and yet quantity is also important as it drives up traffic. Lots of the most popular blogs post 4 to 5 times a day, and some post up to a dozen. Granted, these blogs often have teams of writers working for them, but you need to know how the big dogs play if you wanna roll with 'em.
Now I'm not suggesting that you should write posts about nothing, or worse, Nascar (last Nascar dig, I promise), but you should try to provide a few posts a day, and never go more than a few days without updating, or folks will just plain lose interest. As you probably already have. Moving along..
5. Promote your blog. Your blog is a virtual storefront for your inventory of knowledge and charm, to turn a phrase, and once you build up a few Pulitzer-level posts, you'll want to think about promoting yourself. Look into making bumper stickers with the name of your blog, so you can stick them on random cars, and also street graffiti, and maybe even streaking naked through your hometown while holding a sign with your blog's address on it.
Just kidding about the first two; the last one, use your own discretion.
6. Comment on Other Blogs. Be social in the blogosphere and make your thoughts known about other blogs by leaving them comments. Praise a blog that you admire. Keep up to speed with other blogs so you can see what everyone is talking about. You might even get some inspiration for the layout of your own blog while you're surfing around other popular blogs.
So there you have it. The foundation for your internet publishing business has been laid. Good luck, and get writing!
Here are a few tips for starting your own internet publishing business:
1. Start a blog. It's quick, it's easy, it's free. You'll have an instant audience. How much this audience grows is completely dependent upon your own efforts. How much time do you want to invest in writing posts? How creative can you be about promoting your blog? Do you have anything to talk about that people will want to hear about? ie, not Nascar?
2. Get AdSense. This is a fast and simple way to monetize your blog. Just write a few posts, and try to capture the breadth of the topics you wish to cover, keeping in mind that Adsense will crawl your page and find keywords from your posts, which will then determine what kind of ads will be targeted on your site.
So if you plan on having a blog about independent film making, don't write your first three posts about Walmart wedding supplies, or (God forbid) Nascar.
3. Write about what you know. Think about your interests, your field of study, your job, your passion in life. If you write about what you know and love, that will come through in your writing, and you'll actually enjoy posting frequently. It can be a highlight of your day if you write about what you love, and NOT about what you think will be most profitable (although if what you love has to do with science, personal finance, computers, or Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, you're golden.)
4. Post frequently. You want to write posts of a high quality, and yet quantity is also important as it drives up traffic. Lots of the most popular blogs post 4 to 5 times a day, and some post up to a dozen. Granted, these blogs often have teams of writers working for them, but you need to know how the big dogs play if you wanna roll with 'em.
Now I'm not suggesting that you should write posts about nothing, or worse, Nascar (last Nascar dig, I promise), but you should try to provide a few posts a day, and never go more than a few days without updating, or folks will just plain lose interest. As you probably already have. Moving along..
5. Promote your blog. Your blog is a virtual storefront for your inventory of knowledge and charm, to turn a phrase, and once you build up a few Pulitzer-level posts, you'll want to think about promoting yourself. Look into making bumper stickers with the name of your blog, so you can stick them on random cars, and also street graffiti, and maybe even streaking naked through your hometown while holding a sign with your blog's address on it.
Just kidding about the first two; the last one, use your own discretion.
6. Comment on Other Blogs. Be social in the blogosphere and make your thoughts known about other blogs by leaving them comments. Praise a blog that you admire. Keep up to speed with other blogs so you can see what everyone is talking about. You might even get some inspiration for the layout of your own blog while you're surfing around other popular blogs.
So there you have it. The foundation for your internet publishing business has been laid. Good luck, and get writing!
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Puggle Feud Erupts
I've thrown gasoline on the fire that is the puggle community. Apparently, my peace offering of two days ago wasn't enough to appease the puggle gods, and they will never love me again as they love their delightful pug/beagle mixes. So I have two things to say about puggles as a breed.
1. They're not called "puggles" because they're half pug half beagle, but because they're "pugly."
2.
1. They're not called "puggles" because they're half pug half beagle, but because they're "pugly."
2.
Monday, December 4, 2006
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