So I'm sittin' here at 6 in the morning because I can't get a full night's sleep to save my life, when suddenly it hits me:
Nascar sucks.
Yeah that's right, I said it. I know millions of people enjoy Nascar, and they drive thousands of miles and camp out and replace their birthdays with Nascar events, but that doesn't change a damn thing.
What's that you say? Nascar is cool, and it is really I who suck?
ENHHHHHH [buzzer noise], wrong. I don't suck, Nascar sucks.
But all is not lost, Nascar. Chin up. There is a slight modification that could be made that would interest me. I would watch Nascar on TV (but I still wouldn't attend the events) if the drivers would get "co-pilots" whose job it is to disable the other cars in the race with whatever weapons and tools they can contruct out of a junk yard.
I'm talking about throwing scrap metal, pipes, old tires and maybe even towing junked cars into the road to muck up the other drivers and win glory on the racetrack.
Nascar, I know your business is struggling, so take note and save yourselves while there's still time.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
ING Accounts
The days of depositing your money into a normal checking account at the bank are over. If you have money sitting in a savings account earning a typical 1 or 2 percent interest, you're losing out on some easy, automatic money.
The secret is in the ING Direct Orange accounts, which you've probably heard of on TV advertising 4.5% on the money you deposit.
I heard these commercials too, and I thought, what's the catch? So I looked into it and found out a few things.
First of all, the only drawback to an ING Direct account is that ING Direct isn't what they call a "brick and mortar" bank, meaning there's no building you can walk into and take your money, like a normal bank. That's the single "downside," if you can even call it that.
Your Orange account is FDIC insured, so there's no risk involved. It's simply a high yield savings account, with no minimum deposit, no hidden fees of any kind no restrictions on taking your money out.
In fact, your money remains in the checking account you already have.
You can make hundreds of dollars more every year just by opening an ING Direct savings account. That's the bottom line. I just took advantage of a particular offer where I opened an account and they threw 25 bucks into it just for being a new account holder.
Makes a lot more sense than the old-fashioned banks. Literally!
The secret is in the ING Direct Orange accounts, which you've probably heard of on TV advertising 4.5% on the money you deposit.
I heard these commercials too, and I thought, what's the catch? So I looked into it and found out a few things.
First of all, the only drawback to an ING Direct account is that ING Direct isn't what they call a "brick and mortar" bank, meaning there's no building you can walk into and take your money, like a normal bank. That's the single "downside," if you can even call it that.
Your Orange account is FDIC insured, so there's no risk involved. It's simply a high yield savings account, with no minimum deposit, no hidden fees of any kind no restrictions on taking your money out.
In fact, your money remains in the checking account you already have.
You can make hundreds of dollars more every year just by opening an ING Direct savings account. That's the bottom line. I just took advantage of a particular offer where I opened an account and they threw 25 bucks into it just for being a new account holder.
Makes a lot more sense than the old-fashioned banks. Literally!
Look Beyond Adsense?
It may be a good idea for you to find other means of monetizing your blog besides Google Adsense.
Some blogs benefit from supplementing Adsense through programs such as Amazon Affiliates, where you can feature books and merchandise that you mention in your posts, and collect a commission if any of your readers click through your link to make their purchase.
There are other advertising affiliate programs, like Yahoo and Amazon's Omakase ads, but keep in mind that you cannot include other brands of targeted advertising on the same page as Adsense, as this is a breach of the Adsense Terms of Service.
When considering finding other means of monetizing your blog, also keep in mind that "excessive advertising" can get your Adsense account cancelled, and while there are other advertising programs out there, none pay so well as Google Adsense, so you wanna stay on their good side!
Some blogs benefit from supplementing Adsense through programs such as Amazon Affiliates, where you can feature books and merchandise that you mention in your posts, and collect a commission if any of your readers click through your link to make their purchase.
There are other advertising affiliate programs, like Yahoo and Amazon's Omakase ads, but keep in mind that you cannot include other brands of targeted advertising on the same page as Adsense, as this is a breach of the Adsense Terms of Service.
When considering finding other means of monetizing your blog, also keep in mind that "excessive advertising" can get your Adsense account cancelled, and while there are other advertising programs out there, none pay so well as Google Adsense, so you wanna stay on their good side!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Avoiding Blogger Burnout
Consistency is one of the most important traits a successful Internet Publisher can have, especially for college students who have classes to keep up with.
The biggest killer of consistency is blogger burnout. You get to a point where it doesn't seem like you're making any progress, or you just don't feel like making that nightly post, and your all-important schedule is broken.
But you've got to maintain your schedule. This means making that nightly post even if you don't feel like it, but it also means going out with your friends when "work time" is over. You have to use your free time to relax. Blogging and updating, particularly when Adsense is involved, can become an obsession. You have to make sure you don't overdo it by forcing yourself to spend your free time away from the computer.
Carry a notebook, so if you're out somewhere and you get a great idea for a post, you can jot it down. Don't forget that living a fun and varied life can add to the flavor and perspective in your blogs.
There comes a point where you just have to be able to say, the blogs will be fine for the weekend, I'm going skiing. Or, I could spend a few hours optimizing my Adsense advertising, but I'm gonna go to the park with my dog instead. And when you return, you'll have fresh energy and ideas to help you keep to your schedule and build your Internet Publishing empire.
The biggest killer of consistency is blogger burnout. You get to a point where it doesn't seem like you're making any progress, or you just don't feel like making that nightly post, and your all-important schedule is broken.
But you've got to maintain your schedule. This means making that nightly post even if you don't feel like it, but it also means going out with your friends when "work time" is over. You have to use your free time to relax. Blogging and updating, particularly when Adsense is involved, can become an obsession. You have to make sure you don't overdo it by forcing yourself to spend your free time away from the computer.
Carry a notebook, so if you're out somewhere and you get a great idea for a post, you can jot it down. Don't forget that living a fun and varied life can add to the flavor and perspective in your blogs.
There comes a point where you just have to be able to say, the blogs will be fine for the weekend, I'm going skiing. Or, I could spend a few hours optimizing my Adsense advertising, but I'm gonna go to the park with my dog instead. And when you return, you'll have fresh energy and ideas to help you keep to your schedule and build your Internet Publishing empire.
Making Money on the Internet: Ebay Stores
What do you need to do in order to earn a good living as an Internet Publisher? As a college student, you can be successful in this business if you have
Open an eBay Store
- drive
- ambition
- writing ability
- a strategy.
The last one might be the most important. Having the right strategy can mean the difference between making a few pennies a day through Google Adsense alone, or earning an ever-increasing dollar amount through a diversified collection of websites and money-making methods.
One cash generating method is opening an Ebay store, providing items that you can find locally and making them available to customers across the country and around the world.
- Integrate your websites and blogs to feed into and promote your Ebay storefront.
- Offer to use your Ebay store to sell other peoples' stuff and collect a commission.
- Sell your old books and textbooks for WAY more than the stupid college bookstore will give you for buy-back.
Look into wholesale distributors, yard sales, thrift shops, and going-out-of-business sales. These places are treasure troves of good cheap stuff that someone, somewhere is gonna pay you more for than what you paid for it. The way you find those particular buyers is through an Ebay storefront of your own. It's just one more building block in the foundation of your Internet Publishing empire.
Open an eBay Store
Monday, December 18, 2006
Awkward Camera Work
This is completely off topic, but I couldn't believe what I just noticed on Inside the Actors Studio with Dave Chapelle. James Lipton brings up the subject of Chapelle's sketch with the Blind African American White Supremacist who doesn't know he's black.
And immediately, the cameraman zooms in on an older blind white woman wearing black sunglasses in the audience! Zooms in for a solid 6 seconds on this poor blind woman who's enjoying the show.
And I thought, that's some nice camerawork. That's pure instinct, you can't teach that.
And immediately, the cameraman zooms in on an older blind white woman wearing black sunglasses in the audience! Zooms in for a solid 6 seconds on this poor blind woman who's enjoying the show.
And I thought, that's some nice camerawork. That's pure instinct, you can't teach that.
A Workable Blogging Schedule
As you become more experienced in the art of Internet Publishing through blogging and website publishing, you'll begin to wonder: just how many websites and blogs can I juggle effectively before it all comes crashing down?
You need to be able to update and improve your blogs consistently, multiple times a day, with quality content. This may mean staying in on Thursday nights just to sit on the computer and get some posting and updating done, and you have to be willing to pay that price if you want to be successful.
It helps to develop a rigid schedule and stick to it. Write down your blogging schedule on an average day: you might post on two blogs at 6 in the morning, spend an hour or so around midday updating links and writing an in-depth piece on another blog, and then update a few more later that night. The more time you can devote to updating your blogs and websites, the closer you'll be to becoming a true Internet Publisher.
You need to be able to update and improve your blogs consistently, multiple times a day, with quality content. This may mean staying in on Thursday nights just to sit on the computer and get some posting and updating done, and you have to be willing to pay that price if you want to be successful.
It helps to develop a rigid schedule and stick to it. Write down your blogging schedule on an average day: you might post on two blogs at 6 in the morning, spend an hour or so around midday updating links and writing an in-depth piece on another blog, and then update a few more later that night. The more time you can devote to updating your blogs and websites, the closer you'll be to becoming a true Internet Publisher.
Amazon Affiliation to Monetize Your Site
Not all websites are well suited for Adsense. Some pages might be bigger earners with product placements from Amazon.com.
By filling out an application and submitting your website to Amazon, in much the same way that you became an Adsense publisher, you can become an Amazon Affiliate and begin listing the Amazon products of your choice on your website.
A particularly good example of a blog that makes good use of Amazon.com links is The Science of Salvation blog. This blogger makes his daily posts, and any books referenced in those posts he provides for sale through Amazon links, thereby offering his reader the best price from a reputable company, but also making himself a decent commission from Amazon on each completed sale.
A combination of Amazon affiliation and Google AdSense may be the way to go, or some percentage in between. This is something that you have to experiment with and find out what works best for your site.
By filling out an application and submitting your website to Amazon, in much the same way that you became an Adsense publisher, you can become an Amazon Affiliate and begin listing the Amazon products of your choice on your website.
A particularly good example of a blog that makes good use of Amazon.com links is The Science of Salvation blog. This blogger makes his daily posts, and any books referenced in those posts he provides for sale through Amazon links, thereby offering his reader the best price from a reputable company, but also making himself a decent commission from Amazon on each completed sale.
A combination of Amazon affiliation and Google AdSense may be the way to go, or some percentage in between. This is something that you have to experiment with and find out what works best for your site.
Save Money This Christmas
Buy everyone on your list books from cheap online books dealers. They're in brand new condition but most are way under 10 bucks, I'd say the vast majority are 75 cents plus like 3 bucks shipping.
Check it out. These two are used book sellers right here on blogspot:
Bessie's Books
Sarah's Used Books
Check it out. These two are used book sellers right here on blogspot:
Bessie's Books
Sarah's Used Books
Adsense Terms of Service
Once your website is approved for Adsense, whatever you do, do NOT click on any of the advertisements. Google is not kidding, and trust me, if you click on your own ads they will catch you.
After Google cancels your account, all the work you've done on your site is for nothing, because it's tough to get a new account; not only that, but if you do manage to get a new account, and you put the Adsense code on your old pages that you put so much time and effort into, they'll cancel your NEW account.
So please. Do yourself and everybody else a favor and don't click on your own ads.
But what if you click one by accident?
Simple. Make sure you report it right away as a violation to Google. Explain in professional, simple and polite terms that you clicked on your own ad accidentally, and give the day and time of the infraction.
Make sure to tell your friends and family not to click on your ads just for the sake of earning you money, either! Google will catch any kind of suspicious activity, and you have to assume that your friends and family don't know what the rules are, so just politely let 'em know. Or not so politely, depending on how good of a relationship you have with them.
It's simply not worth the risk of getting your account cancelled, so be honest and be careful what you click!
After Google cancels your account, all the work you've done on your site is for nothing, because it's tough to get a new account; not only that, but if you do manage to get a new account, and you put the Adsense code on your old pages that you put so much time and effort into, they'll cancel your NEW account.
So please. Do yourself and everybody else a favor and don't click on your own ads.
But what if you click one by accident?
Simple. Make sure you report it right away as a violation to Google. Explain in professional, simple and polite terms that you clicked on your own ad accidentally, and give the day and time of the infraction.
Make sure to tell your friends and family not to click on your ads just for the sake of earning you money, either! Google will catch any kind of suspicious activity, and you have to assume that your friends and family don't know what the rules are, so just politely let 'em know. Or not so politely, depending on how good of a relationship you have with them.
It's simply not worth the risk of getting your account cancelled, so be honest and be careful what you click!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Making Extra Cash With Surveys
There are always going to be slow times with internet publishing, and everybody is looking for ways to make a few extra bucks on the side.
But you're not going to make quick cash filling out surveys. That's the bottom line.
And if you give your email address to the wrong survey site, you'll be flooded with tons of spam. Having to pick through pages of spam to find your real email gets old REAL fast, trust me.
That said, some surveys are actual scams, whereas some are up front about what you have to do and what you'll earn. Usually, what you'll earn are coupons, "prizes" of dubious value, gift certificates, etc. But not cash.
So if you enjoy filling out surveys and would like to earn points toward prizes, then by all means, go for it. But think of it more as a hobby, and not cash flow.
If you're interested in doing surveys for cash, I'd suggest looking into a local marketing or product testing firm. There are legitimate companies out there that will pay you and your friends to try new products like deodorant, shaving products, toothpaste, etc. Normally, you do have to go to the company and try the products there, so they can observe and ask you questions; but they pay quite well, too.
So check your local yellow pages and ask around. You can get paid for trying products, but it's probably not going to happen online.
But you're not going to make quick cash filling out surveys. That's the bottom line.
And if you give your email address to the wrong survey site, you'll be flooded with tons of spam. Having to pick through pages of spam to find your real email gets old REAL fast, trust me.
That said, some surveys are actual scams, whereas some are up front about what you have to do and what you'll earn. Usually, what you'll earn are coupons, "prizes" of dubious value, gift certificates, etc. But not cash.
So if you enjoy filling out surveys and would like to earn points toward prizes, then by all means, go for it. But think of it more as a hobby, and not cash flow.
If you're interested in doing surveys for cash, I'd suggest looking into a local marketing or product testing firm. There are legitimate companies out there that will pay you and your friends to try new products like deodorant, shaving products, toothpaste, etc. Normally, you do have to go to the company and try the products there, so they can observe and ask you questions; but they pay quite well, too.
So check your local yellow pages and ask around. You can get paid for trying products, but it's probably not going to happen online.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
