New Year Resolutions

Here are Some of the New Year Resolutions I have made for Working at Home on the Internet and my other sites.

1. Build Readership... Without people Visiting my Sites, How can I Succeed?

2. Increase Networking... I can always learn more from other people, and they may Visit and/or Refer others to my Sites.

3. Improve Tracking... Start a comprehensive log of Clicks, Visits, Type Ads that work, and what doesn't.

4. Number of Posts... Increase exposure by additional posts, possibly by writing on other Blogs.

5. Tweak Ads... Look at which ads by what companies work best on what site, including placement.

6. Involve Readers... Use comments, suggestions, and critiques in Posts to make them more relevant to people's interests.

7. Update Business Plan... Review and Update at least once a month, More if needed, and Adjust as necessary.

These are only a Few of the Pertinent things I need to address EARLY in the New Year.

I would like to hear from you regarding Your Business Resolutions for the New Year.

Use the Comments Section to join in on the conversation.

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Suggestions Needed

If it seems a little much that I continue to ask for your suggestions, guess again.

I want to give you as much information about Working at Home as is possible. If I just keep giving you my opinion, then that is all you really get. I know from experience that, although fun at times, Surfing to get an answer for your specific question is difficult.

One of the reasons for changing the Blogs name, as explained in a previous post, was to better portray the contents. In order to make the Posts more relevant to visitors, I feel that Input from Readers adds to the experience.

If you followed the input from Vishal, you will understand why suggestions and comments are important. This is why I opened comments, there may be a better way than I alone can find.

You can always use comments, or any of the other ways provided to contact me.

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Using Comments

In the last few days, I have gotten some comments regarding previous posts. Most notably from Vishal P Rao (Work at Home Forum). Since I always find his comments helpful, I have included his comments and my answers within the last few articles.

What I have been thinking about and will soon implement, is asking for comments on individual posts. Althought I have always welcomed participation from the readers, I think it is time to include the conversations so that all may share.

If you would like to participate, just Click Here to add your comments about this idea.

You could also read my answer to Vishal at Using Meta Tags.

As always, you can ask any question regarding Working at Home.

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Using Meta Tags

Vishal P. Rao said...
There is one major disadvantage of using this approach for sites made from Blogger. The META tags are the same for all the posts which makes it difficult to list individual post pages on search engines for THIER content. I mean the post may have some information but the META tags will have information related to the overall theme of your site.
If there are plugins to create unique META tags for each posts, extracting top few lines and including them in description, then there is no better thing that that. Otherwise, I feel it's better not to include them at all.
Just my suggestions :)
7:03 AM

Thanks Vishal,

While this is true of Blogger and some other Blog sites, I feel the Trade Off is well worth it.

If you use the Title field in the individual posts, and have Each Post set to Publish individually, it Will come up in the Search Engines for that Post as whatever your Post Title happens to be.

EG. Look up Meta Data on the Google Blog Search and the second listing (as of this morning) will be a Link to this Blog, specifically the Post of that Name.

So, I feel that using the Meta Data and Meta Decriptions, in conjunction with Post Titles and Publishing Individually, may just give a Wider Coverage as a Total Package.

Although this process is not an actual plug-in, it does seem to work as long as the Title is descriptive of the post content.

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Building Readership

This is One of the biggest problems when trying to Make Money on the Internet.

No matter what you are trying to sell or promote, you need to be visable. There are the old standby's of using various Feeds such as FeedBurner, Technorati, Postami for Blogs. There are also some RSS feeders that I have mentioned in previous posts.

There are a couple of other ways to get your site seen by interested parties.

If you read a few different Blogs or Websites throughout the day, leave Pertinent Comments to on their posts. Don't try to Sell yourself or your product, just leave a Good Comment. All of the Sites I have visited have a place for your E-Mail and URL addresses.

Another place to go is to some type of Forum, you probably read them to get info anyway. Join the Forum(s) that are related to your Site in some way. They all have a Signature section, that's where you put Your Link. Join in the conversations, ask questions, answer questions. A Lot of people (myself included) will try the links for additional information.

Whatever you do, Don't SPAM the Site, in other words, Don't put a Bunch of Unnecessary Links in the Comments. Let your Ideas speak for themselves.

If you have any Additonal Suggestions, Use the Comment Section.

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Holiday Blues, A Time to Look Ahead

It seem that this is the Wrong Time of Year to make money on the Internet.

From everything I have read, the end of the year is when Everyone's Stats Drop. From Readership to CPM's, the bottom seems to drop out. When they fall, so does the Income.

All of My Favorite Sites, Blogs and Forums are like Ghost Towns. Visiting them is like Shouting as the Train goes by, No one hears you.

Some sites have had Posts like the one I did yesterday, or nothing at all. The only one I visited that had Anything of Interest was ProBlogger, and since Darren is on Holiday, as they say in Australia, He has Guest Writers Posting in his place. He is spending his time on the Beach (it's Summer Down Under).

I, however, will continue to post. I think this is a Good time to Build Readership, since there isn't too much happening around the Blogoshphere.

Working at Home on the Internet is an ongoing process, so I feel that people are still looking for opportunities and advice on the subject.

I will be spending More Time Researching, trying to Improve My Blog. I will also be Working on My Other Sites with the Same Intent and Determination.

Some things you can look for in the Future are: Lists of Scam vs. Valid companies, Various Business Opportunities I have come across, and Ongoing Tips, Advice and How To's.

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Holiday Greetings

Merry Christmas to ALL

I'll be back writing again Tomorrow...

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Tweaking Meta Data

The main reason for you to Tweak your Meta Data at all is for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You want your site to be read by as many people as possible. Therefore, you want the Search Engines to Find you.

I did post some things regarding this subject back in October with an update in Mid-November.

When you list your Meta Information, look for the "$BlogMetaData$" Tag enclosed in "<>".
Below this add your New Tags. Most likely you will Not See Tags for Description or Keywords. They are usually contained in the MetaData Tags.

What you want to do is ADD Description and Keywords for your Site.

The way to do this is:

Decription Format: < name="description" content="place your description here"> "Meta name" in place of "name" (no quotes). Use relevant terms in your description, ie. Work at Home, Internet Business, possibly your title, whatever best describes your site. Not necessary to separate by commas.

Format for Keywords: < name="keywords" content="place you keywords here"> (remember "meta name" no quotes). Make sure you use Keywords that Best Describe your site. ie. Work,Home,Internet. You get the Idea. Must separate words with a comma.

These Tags are placed somewhere after <"head"> and before < /head >. You will have to make an adjustment to your < $ BlogMetaData $ >, in most cases REMOVE TAG, depending on your Blog Publisher. If you don't remove the Tag, the Search Engines will use IT and not your NEW TAGS.

You shouldn't have to worry too much about the "Title". As this is usually picked up as is, unless your Title says something like "your title here". In that case, REPLACE with your own TITLE.

If you have any Suggestions or Questions, leave them in the Stocking by the Chimney...
(don't forget the Cookies and Milk)

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Tweaking Your Template

It seems most of the people who read this Blog have either their own Webpage or Blog. If they (or you) have only been at this a short time, then they probably used one of the Templates provided, just as I did in the beginning.

I thought my Very First attempt was ugly, and proceeded to change the Template, losing all of the information in the Sidebar and anything I had placed within the Template itself (Links, Ads, etc). I did keep the posts, which I retrieved from the Edit posts section.

But I digress, this is about Tweaking Your Template. The reason I brought up the former is that it was all part of the Learning Process. After you are sure that you have the Basics set the way you want, it may be time to Tweak for Peak Performance.

Once you have an Idea of what you want to accomplish, ie. circulation, sales, subscriptions, you will want to add some Links to the Sidebar. One of the easiest ways is to Cut & Paste. You FIRST need to Look at the Template, locate the Sidebar portion (where your profile resides) and decide where you want to place you link. It will be somewhere between the "Begin #sidebar" and "End #sidebar" Tags.

With the Template screen open, Open Another Window (eg. IE6) and bring up the location of the Link you want to add. COPY THE LINK, Access the Window that contains the Template, PASTE THE LINK in the Location you want. You may have to put a "break" Tag after the link for aesthetics.

After you have copied all the Links you need there, use the Preview to see what it actually looks like. Make any changes you feel are necessary, and once you are done, SAVE TEMPLATE, REPLENISH BLOG AND PUBLISH.

You will have to repeat the same steps as above in order to add any links to either the "head" "post" or "bottom" if you want the same link to appear every in post. Just make sure that you locate the proper section in the Template.

MAKE SURE TO PREVIEW BEFORE YOU SAVE, REPLENISH AND PUBLISH.

Tomorrow will be ...Tweaking MetaData...

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Name Change (continued)

Something I did not take into consideration when I made the Name Change was how that would affect FeedBurner and all the other Feeds and Pings involved.

Feedburner will pick it up by itself as far as your feed, however you need to change the Feed Name on their site. They will make all the other Pings listed there for you. But, again, you have to make sure places such Technorati, Postami, and Ping-O-Matic are changed as well. If not, they will not pick up the Ping on the New Name.

Another thing you must consider when you change anything, is how it affects your Subscriber list. If someone is subscribed with FeedBlitz, they will NOT get notification of Posts or Changes as they pick up your feed by NAME. If your Subscriber goes through one of the many RSS feeds, there should be no problem, as long as you didn't change the actual Site Address.

I'm glad I made the Change after only a couple of months, since there is little damage done to the distribution list I utilize.

Overall, I think the Name Change is for the Best.

Update:

Don't forget to Change links in your Template that contain the Old Name.

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Name Change

I changed the Name of the Blog in order to better reflect the actual contents of my posts. I never really thought the old title quite fit. Since I write more about Working at Home on the Internet, I felt the NEW Title was more appropriate.

Although you can Improve Yourself and your situation by Working at Home or Running an Internet Business, I thought the Self Improvement part was a little misleading.

I hope this doesn't stop anyone from visiting or disappoint any of my readers. Actually, I hope it will encourage others to add this site to Their Favorites List.

Please feel free to give me your impression of the change.

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Google and AOL get Married

I'm sure you already heard about the Wedding. Google sold 5% of itself to AOL. Now that doesn't seem like much, it's only about $1 Billion. (Not including the $300 Million Credit to Buy Ads on Google's Web site).

They say that there will not be any banner-ads on Google's Web pages or in Search Results.

Sorry, I don't believe it. That's not the way AOL works. They are so proprietary, They Paste a Big Banner-Ad on the TOP of Every AOL Hometown Homepage. For those of you who don't know, that is supposed to be an Individual Web Page included in the package when you Subscribe to AOL. You must have AOL's Website running at all times when you are on the Net, no matter what. You have to keep it running in the background if you want to use IE, Outlook Express, or any other service. As we all know, the more you run at one time, the slower your compter's response time.

I PREDICT that once things get rolling, you will see a LOT of AOL ADS when you do a Google Search, that the TOP SEO's will either be AOL related or lead to something through AOL.

Look out if you use AdSense, your content may be Keyword rich for AOL Products. There is a provision in the deal that REQUIRES Google to help make AOL's content more visable in the Search Results.

If that happens, you won't see Google Search, or AdSense on this site.

Source:
The Associated Press article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10550571/

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Spreading the Word

I have tried many different ways to try to get my site read by people who are interested in Working at Home, Internet Business etc. I use Feedburner, Technorati, Postami and others. I have Submitted my URL to Google, Yahoo and MSN. I have joined various Forums, in which I use the Blog Address.

I have used Meta Keywords and Meta Descriptions within the Template as well. Still, the MOST READERS I have ever had in one day is 12. That is nowhere near what I expected.

This is probably caused by 1 or 2 reasons: Too many related sites to choose from or I am REALLY BORING and don't have anything RELEVANT TO SAY.

I research Every Day to find different topics that are Work at Home related. Most times I find things that interest me, therefore I include them in various posts. I also try to include personal experiences while Working on the Internet, getting new programs and ways to make the experience enjoyable.

Please give me some Feedback if you have any suggestions. If this Blog is Boring or Irrelevant, maybe it is time to think of something else to do.

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Getting Side-Tracked

It is relatively easy to get distracted from the task at hand. As anyone who Works at Home can attest to, especially with the Holidays coming up, keeping focused grows more difficult. Decorations are already put up, Cards have been sent, and Tree is in place. Now it's time for all the Last minute shopping, Set up the Guest room for Family, Make sure we have all the Right Food (not everyone eats the same thing). I'm Glad there is only (6?) Days left 'til Christmas.
No matter What Holiday you celebrate, it could very easily get you Side-Tracked from trying to accomplish anything Business Related, ESPECIALLY, When you Work at Home.
So, at least TRY to Stay Focused until the company comes, and have a Happy CHRISTMAHANUKWANZIKA.

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Comment Spam

What Goes Around, Comes Around. A while back I added Comment Verification to my Blog. The main reason for this was Some of the comments I had gotten were auto-generated. This did seem to aleviate the problem for me.
Today, I visited Problogger as usual. What was Unusual was that Darren's Post was a tiraid against Comment Spam. He is usually very evenhanded with everyone who leaves comments for articles he writes. Although he was (I think) still evenhanded, he was irate about a particular person and company's practice of using Comment Spam to promote themselves.
The article: "12 Daily Pro and Andrew Hillman are Comment Spammers" speaks to only ONE Company and ONE Person. Even after many E-mails to them (according to Darren), the practice continued. His only real way to (in leiu of reverse spam) try and combat the problem was to give them Negative Press. This may just work because ProBlogger has over 3,000 page views per day and has a high SEO.
Although my little problem with Comment Spam seems like nothing, when it affects some of the Major Sites, it becomes a Major Problem.
...and now for E-Mail Spam???

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Recurring Theme

It seems that the further back I looked in my archives, the more I noticed a Major Recurring Theme. Working Hard...
It's not something I really think about much anymore, since I put in so many hours doing various projects. None really takes all that much time by itself, maybe an hour or two. But, by the end of the day, I realize that if I got paid by the hour, I would have made a lot of money.
Most of what I do is research. I keep trying to find better ways to promote myself, what I do and getting exposure. My main objective in the beginning was promoting Computer Consulting, since that is my background.
At this point (as stated in many posts) I have adapted. I still Consult on a limited basis but now it seems I have become more a publisher of my ideas, giving what advice I can and hoping that I get enough exposure to make some money. Yes, I have, and continue to try various techniques in getting the word out.
I think that is one of the "Hard Work" areas that will continue, at least for the forseeable future.
So, if someone tries to tell you that you can "get rich quick working only minutes a day", DON'T BELIEVE THEM.
Working Hard is the only thing that will make you a SUCCESS. So, keep up all the Hard Work and you just May get Rich.

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Archives (Treasures)

I went through some of my Archives yesterday, and found out something I already knew. I DON'T KNOW MUCH. When I first started I had visions of grandure, thinking since I knew something about computers, how hard could it be to start an Internet Business. It ain't easy...
I takes a lot of time and knowledge. You have to have an understanding of Business in General, Advertising, People, SEO's, Taxes, Finding a Niche, Time Management, Human Behavior, and on and on...
I think that reading the Archives shows me something of importance, I have had to learn so much more than I thought. And I have... I'm still learning more everyday. The more I read, and absorb, the more successful I can become.
Most of the articles I read are written by people who have already succeeded in their particular field of expertise. But, I find it interesting to go back into the Archives of their Blogs, Websites, etc. to see how they started, hopefully learning from some of their mistakes and early successes.
They say "History repeats itself", but by learning From History, I may be able to avoid some of the pitfalls others have encountered.

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Keep on Keepin' on...

Today is another one of those days. Nothing really to write about. You all have been great with your questions. Ask whatever you want anytime. The biggest problem now is the "Where do I go from Here" syndrome.
There are still plenty of things that need to be done... finish the Ads, Just Ads page, Write the XML for syndication, and contact more Advertisers, just to name a few.
The apathy comes in when I look at the stats I have. Not too promising, especially after seeing the results of the poll Darren at ProBlogger shared. That was just for AdSense, but I checked my stats for ClickBank and Chitika, they weren't much better. It's too soon to get results from Commission Junction, I've only been with them for a little over a week. Since they are the main source of Advertisers for Ads, Just Ads I still feel confident they may be fruitful.
That being said, I am NOT ready to give up yet. I may start another Blog (suggest a subject), but that may not be for a little while. There is still a LOT to do with the Ads page. Since I plan on updating that no less than once a week, it will never be "done".
So, as the song says... I'll just Keep on Keepin' on...

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Some AdSense Stats

This morning I went to one of my Favorite Blogs (ProBlogger) and found some interesting stats.
I would like to thank Darren for taking such a poll, as he gets Many more readers than I.

Many of us use AdSense and have varying degrees of sucess. I for one did vote (guess where I was on the graph).

You are probably right, since I happen to be in the Majority.

There are obviously a lot of bloggers at the bottom end making less than 34 cents per day with AdSense (27% of those who responded) with a further 10% making under the $1 per day mark.

This is very important to keep in mind if you’re just getting into blogging with dollar signs in your eyes. Drink in these figures and give yourself a reality check if this is you.

While there are some nice earnings in this mix the vast majority of respondents are not getting rich from blogging. Quote from Darren Rowse at Problogger

This is one reason not to depend on ONLY ONE REVENUE STREAM.

Make sure you have a REAL game plan for making money on the Internet. Very few will succeed using just one source of income. I'm quite sure that the TOP 18 are some of the Better Known Bloggers (I'm not sure if Darren included himself) and have MANY other Revenue streams they are using.

Visit Darren at Problogger and cast your vote (please, be honest).

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Perception and Eye Movement

In regards to importance of updating websites regulary, dynamica vs. statica.
A research I heard about, that studied surfer behaviour online found that if a surfer returns to a site for the second time, and sees the same page as the first, chances for this surfer to return for the 3rd time are greatly diminished. There are more researches like this that study human behaviour, another one looked at eyemovement when scanning a typical webpage, what place of the screen people look at first, on what part of the screen do the eyes have a natural tendancy to linger, etc. Unfortunatly I have forgotten the details and am to lazy to google for them. ;)

--
Posted by Viator to Self Improvement by Working at Home at 12/10/2005 10:15:31 AM

Thanks Viator.
There have been many, many studies done regarding human behavior and their habits and how they perceive what they read. As long as you keep things fresh to peak someones interest, they should return to your site. This is one reason I profess updating a Blog or Website regularly. You should try to involve them with the site, whether it is by offering something they are looking for or answering questions (asked or not).
In answer to the Eye movement question, it really depends on what language you are reading.
If you are reading English, or any European language the tendency is to start on the left. If you are reading a Mid or Far Eastern language, it is reversed. They start on the upper right.
In both cases, we ALL start at the TOP.
Most researchers agree, place what you want people to see at the Top Left or Top Right depending on where you are. The next best is at the Bottom Middle of your article. Still others say placing Ads within the text is an advantage.
So, as usual, it depends on who you ask. These are guidelines, nothing more. Experiment... See what works for you, just remember... KEEP IT FRESH.

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Ads, Good or Bad

Jesse Skinner said...

I just removed the ads from my blog after taking a look at the numbers. I was only making a few cents a week, so I decided I could afford to remove the ads. I will probably put them back once my site gets more traffic.

Until then, I'd rather my site look a bit more professional and cleaner and be more pleasurable to look at. I write more about this topic on my blog.

So I agree with you, it makes sense to focus on another website to make money, and try to keep the blog as commercial free as possible.
2:15 AM

Thank you, Jesse.

As you can see I still DO have Ads on this site. I try to use Ads that are relevant to the Work at Home topic. By offering links that could be to a readers advantage, I may be able to keep them returning.

As you know, the main reason for most Blogs is to get an Idea or Message across. If an Ad can help (and keeps on subject) someone else achieve their goals by offering a source of additional revenue, All the Better.

No One hates commercials more than I. But, if it is something I need or want, I Do write down that number.

So, I Don't think you need to forego Ads entirely. As long as you stay on topic, they may be an advantage to you and your readers.

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Niche (Find your own place)

In answer to Viator regarding the Ads, Just Ads blog.
Firstly, if you read my post yesterday (Cencorship or Protection?) you will notice that Blogger deemed that particular Blog SPAM.
So, I created a new Webpage with the same Concept and Name (Ads, Just Ads). The Name speaks for itself. The Concept is a different story.

The reasons behind it are multi-fold:

1. I don't want THIS BLOG to become nothing but Ads, but rather an informative log of my progress Working at Home.
2. I need to make MONEY on the Internet (see my explaination 12/5 Questions and Answers).
3. It works for QVC, the only people who watch are looking for something to buy.
4. A variety of products are availible.
5. I have not seen anything like it on the Internet (same products, different advertisers).
6. Why are there so many Info-mercials? (see#3).
7. If I offer something Unique, maybe I can get in on the ground floor.

The idea may not be unique, but if it works for TV, why not on the Internet?
As I have said before, everyone has their own NICHE. We'll see how well it works...

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Censorship or Protection?

Two days ago (Word Verification on Posts) I wrote about how much of an inconvience it is to have to deal with Blogger's Word Verification. I did get an E-Mail from them regarding this Blog saying that it was Whitelisted, HOWEVER, I got NO word at all on my other Blog, Ads, Just Ads (notice there is no link).
This is because THEY deemed it SPAM and DELETED THE WHOLE BLOG WITHOUT NOTICE.
I read the WHOLE TOS (terms of service) and NOWHERE does it prohibit using Ads on Blogs.

Relevant Excerpts from TOS:

Member agrees: (1) to comply with US law regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States through the Service; (2) not to use the Service for illegal purposes; (3) not to interfere or disrupt networks connected to the Service; and (4) to comply with all regulations, policies and procedures of networks connected to the Service.

Member agrees not to transmit through the Service any unlawful, harassing, libelous, abusive, threatening, or harmful material of any kind or nature. Member further agrees not to transmit any material that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law or regulation. Attempts to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems are prohibited.

MEMBER CONDUCT You understand that all information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages or other materials ("Content"), whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, are the sole responsibility of the person from which such Content originated. This means that you, and not Pyra, are entirely responsible for all Content that you upload, post or otherwise transmit via the Service. Pyra does not control the Content posted via the Service and, as such, does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content. You understand that by using the Service, you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable.
You agree to not use the Service to: (a) upload, post or otherwise transmit any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable; (b) harm minors in any way; (c) impersonate any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a Pyra official, forum leader, guide or host, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity; (d) upload, post or otherwise transmit any Content that you do not have a right to transmit under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships (such as inside information, proprietary and confidential information learned or disclosed as part of employment relationships or under nondisclosure agreements); (e) upload, post or otherwise transmit any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any party; (f) upload, post or otherwise transmit any material that contains software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment; (g) interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers or networks connected to the Service, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Service; (h) intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, including, but not limited to, regulations promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any rules of any national or other securities exchange, including, without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ, and any regulations having the force of law; (i) "stalk" or otherwise harass another; (j) collect or store personal data about other users; (k) promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities, promote physical harm or injury against any group or individual, or promote any act of cruelty to animals. This may include, but is not limited to, providing instructions on how to assemble bombs, grenades and other weapons, and creating "Crush" sites;

The do leave an out for their actions...

TERMINATION Either Member or Pyra may terminate the Service with or without cause at any time and effective immediately. Pyra shall not be liable to Member or any third party for termination of Service.

The only mention of Ads is...

PARTICIPATION IN PROMOTIONS OF ADVERTISERS Member may enter into correspondence with or participate in promotions of the Advertisers showing their products on the Service. Any such correspondence or promotions, including the delivery of and the payment for goods and services, and any other terms, conditions, warranties or representations associated with such correspondence or promotions, are solely between the corresponding Member and the Advertiser. Pyra assumes no liability, obligation or responsibility for any part of any such correspondence or promotion.

Who are the ADVERTISERS mentioned? Are they just Affiliates of Blogger and Google?
I was vetted by all the Advertisers I used and I also approved their Ads for placement.

BEWARE, don't use too many ads from one service (Commission Junction, ClickBank, etc.).
If you do, Blogger will pick it up as SPAM and DELETE YOUR BLOG.

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Blog vs. Website

This morning I visited the Work at Home Forum. One of the questions asked was: "What is the difference between Blogging and having a Website".
The biggest difference between the two is one is Dynamic and the other is Static. I think you can guess which is which.

Blogging is the Dynamic choice for someone who has something to say, sell or portray. Once you start a Blog it is best to try to update it every day. That way you can build a readership and potential customers since that should be your objective. You want to keep to the subject matter as much as possible. Put a link to anything you find that is pertinent to your content (just don't over do it). If you DO have a Website, make sure to put a link to it in an accessible spot on the Blog so that people can see your main products and services.

A Website is Static. This is where you actually describe your products and/or services. You can update a website as often as you like, but this is usually only done if your products change, you have a Sale, or something of that nature. You should have a link to your Blog on this site to allow customers to get updates as often as you post them.

If you have both Blog and Website, use them in conjunction with each other. Make sure people can find both as easily as possible. If you use RSS and Blog Feeds, list each in the appropriate catagory, the more exposure the better.

Remember, BOTH could have a place in your plan for Working at Home. Optimize your use of the Internet for your Business.

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Word Verification on Posts

For the past FOUR (4) days and counting, I have had to endure a procedure when I write a post. WORD VERIFICATION... This is all well and good for comments, which helps in weeding out Spam on comments and ensures a real person is responding.
Some way or another Blogger has picked up that my Blogs are SPAM (I think it's some joker who put a flag in the Blogger Bar). Since there is no way to get rid of the Bar, I guess anyone who wants to be vindictive or thinks a blog is competitive, can put a flag on just to complicate things.
The Biggest problem is that once the flag is on, you have to request it be taken off and WAIT for Blogger to make a decision. Since I do all my Blogs manually, and don't send them to anyone, I don't see how someone could think this is SPAM. Anyone who reads My Posts has to (voluntarily) link to the site.
The only E-Mail is if someone SUBSCRIBES THROUGH FEEDBLITZ.
I hope none of you have to go through problem, it really detracts from the experience of Blogging.
Sorry for being so negative, but I guess we all have problems to endure.

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Links on the Ads, Just Ads Page

Back on November 29th I introduced My NEW Site Ads, Just Ads.

The reason is simple, the process was not. As referenced the following day, 11/30, my main objective was to create a Site that was all advertisements and make some money.

The problem I ran into was you can't use JavaScript in a post on Blogger (still no answer from them). I wanted to use the Chitika Ads as a mainstay because they are adaptable enough to advertise various products in certain catagories. I still use them, however they are more static in their placement due to the fact they can only be placed within the Template of Blogger.

SO, I did what I suggested to others, I ADAPTED.

I found Commission Junction, and the variety of advertisers is MUCH more of an Advantage to the original concept. Since I wanted to present Different Products in Various Catagories, I found what I think is one of the Best Affiliate links yet.

Some of the Clients I have are: EBay, Yahoo, IXWeb, Bluehost, and Buy.com just to name a few.
The Catagories range from Computers to WebHosting at present. Soon to expand to Whatever I think will sell.

I hope you take advantage of my good fortune and try some of the links I have provided.

Update: This Blog was DELETED as a SPLOG...
Live and Learn

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More Questions and Answers

I have gotten a few Questions and Answers in the comments section of the Blog. I will share them with you here.


Anonymous said...
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, and I look forward to watching you learn and grow and improve over time. All the best!
3:42 PM

Viator said...
Hello, I´m also one of those that daydream of making a living working online. I´ve thought of setting up a blog like you do for motivational reasons where I would write about how that mission is going. One issue I´m stuck on is whether I should tell all about my plans and ideas or if that would be to invite competition from copycats. What do you think about that?
4:51 PM

Anonymous said...
I think if you're doing something truly unique where others copying would directly ruin your plans, well, patent what it is you're doing. Otherwise, if you're plans have been done before, you have nothing to lose to be open and transparent. In fact, being open and transparent may bring you more attention and devotion from fans (ie., customers). And if you are open and enough people recognize what you are doing, and someone else copies it, you can hope they will be branded as a copycat trying to catch up to you, whereas you will be held up high as the one who did it first.
4:55 AM

Viator said...
Thanks for the answer Anon, what I am thinking of has been done before but not in the same way. What I fear is that while I´m creating my site on my own, and describing what I intend to do beforehand, some semi-successfull company with manpower and money might notice the blog and beat me to it. However what you say about fans is right.
11:19 AM

Hey guys,
I Thank both Viator and Anon, the dialogue is fantastic. That is the Biggest reason I started this Blog, to Help other people get Started on the Internet Business Experience.
I think Viator is on the right track, but don't get discouraged by worring about what other Companies are doing or may do. If you keep to your Idea and Principles, you can Succeed by building a Loyal Readership (customers). Let me know how you make out, send me a link to your New Site.
Keep up the Good Work, and again Thanks.

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Answers to Questions

I'm interested in self improvement by working at home. I'd love to read about who you are, what made you start working at home, what you spend your time doing. How has working at home improved your life? What have the troubles been? I'd like to hear what your short term and long term goals are, and I'd like to watch you achieve your goals over time.
--Posted by Anonymous to Self Improvement by Working at Home at 12/04/2005 10:39:55 AM
First let me say, Thank you Anonymous.
Who I am is pretty much explained in My Profile. It shows some of my likes, and interests.
The road to Working at Home has been varied and long. I worked on computers long ago, integrating and running two Main Frames on an Auto Dialer. When that company (who will remain nameless) decided to Involuntarily Resign me for starting my own business, I turned into a Consultant for that Company. I made a lot more money that way than as an employee.
Then the market changed and my expertise was pretty much out of date. As the incoming requests for consulting began to dwindle, I took on side jobs doing Tree Work of all things.
I really enjoyed working in the great outdoors, and as I became better at my job, I began getting offers from different companies for my services. I became a Subcontractor, and liked the idea of being my own boss. Then the unforseeable happened, my leg was run over by a truck on the job. Insurance covered the injury, but I can't do the heavy labor needed for tree work anymore.
That left me only one option... Fall back on Computers. I never really stopped using computers, but it was mostly for entertainment.
This leads me to the Here and Now. I have had to re-learn what I used to take for granted. I have learned about HTML and XML which I never knew. I have learned some things about Advertising, both for Clients and Myself. I was prepared to work long hours, but didn't realize how much more I would have to learn just to get up to snuff.
I think that the MORE YOU LEARN, THE MORE YOU IMPROVE YOURSELF. As long as I learn something new, and I do everyday, the Sky is the Limit. The Goal for the Short Term, is to succeed enough to actually Make a Living on the Internet. Even though Most Internet Businesses fold shortly after inception, I think, with enough Hard Work and stick-toitive-ness I will be able to be in that 1% that SUCCEEDS.
I hope this answers some of your questions, and I Thank You again for taking an interest.

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Speaking of Writing...

Actually, it is as much about reading as writing. I have found a new E-Book that is very informative in regard to Working at Home on the Internet. It seems to be well adapted to ANY Business that utilizes the Internet. It's called the FREE SEO Ebook. It shows all the ways to, and pitfalls of, getting Page Rank on the Major Search Engines.
I have included this in my Free E-Book Library, because Search Engine Optimization is one of the most important aspects of Internet Business.
I hope the new addition is as useful to you as it is to me.

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Writers Block

Sometimes it is really difficult to come up with a subject to write about, which is why a little while ago I asked for YOUR QUESTIONS.
Again, I think that it is necessary to get Feedback from the readers in order to keep this site relevant.
At this point I'm beginning to think that NO ONE reads this Blog. Am I just wasting my time spouting off what I think? I do keep track of how many people actually visit here, but I am not getting any responses to my request for Questions. There are many different links to reach me, and NO Question is irrelevant.
So, I am asking for any feedback, Good or Bad. I really want this site to be a place that people want to visit.
Thanks for any response...

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Chitika Audit

The newest buzz I got about Chitika is about their Audit performed yesterday. Apparently, there are some really dissatisfied publishers.

As you may or may not know, Chitika keeps a tally of Unaudited Clicks from a publishers site. They audit on a monthly basis. This is stated up front when you join. They also discount any invalid multiple clicks and clicks from Asian countries and South America. (They do not service these places)

The reports I've heard vary from 10% to 90% discounted, therefore a loss of revenue in corresponding amounts. Most of the people complaining are (by their own admission) getting a lot of clicks from the non-service areas.

The biggest problem I see is that they only audit once a month. If they audited weekly or better yet daily, I think they would have less of a public relations problem. Don't forget, Chitika is a new Advertiser, and just out of Beta.

Personally, I intend to continue to keep Chitika on my site, they have been good to me so far.
If you would like more info on the subject I suggest reading Darren's write-up at ProBlogger.

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Help Responses

With all of the problems I have been having with JavaScript and Blogger, I have used the Help Tabs on the Major Players sites. Of course, NONE has specific answers on Technical Questions. The answers given are obvious to anyone who has the least bit of computer experience.
The next logical step is to send an E-mail to the Support Team.
When and if you get a response, it is usually computer generated. Both Blogger and AdSense did respond in such a way. They just refer you back to the original Help Tab that was usless in the first place.
Chitika is the only one who actually responded with an E-mail from a real person. No real answer, but at least there is someone that I can correspond with. Hopefully, Chitika will find a way to fix the problem. If not, I will have to adjust my game plan and try a different approach.

The Saga continues...

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