Learn How to Earn 101

Link Building Mistakes - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Mistake #1: Not Getting Reciprocal Links
Reciprocal linking is still an important part of getting your site recognized. Whether it's a PR0 site or a PR5 site, just make sure it is a quality site. You don’t want to reciprocal link with a spam or adult or hate type site.

Mistake #2: Not Getting Back Links From Low PR Sites
Why, oh why do some of those ‘expert’ webmasters not want PR0 site back links? This is just crazy. Can they foretell the future? Like maybe, one day, some of those PR0 sites might get a PR5 or better rating. It really doesn’t matter who links to your site. You can’t control it. And the fact is it looks really strange if the only sites pointing to your site have high Page Ranks.

Mistake #3: Not Linking to Other Sites
Link! Link! Link! It is typical for one site to link to another. This is normal and Google expects this. Link to authority sites in your niche.

Mistake #4: Not Checking Up on Your Reciprocal Links
You need to follow up on sites you exchange links with. Check to see that the link is still there. Web sites change. They go down, accounts close, sites are sold, etc. Stay on top of your link partners.

Just Found A Great Stocking Stuffer

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:37:00 +0000

I know. Christmas is still over two months away.

It's just that I found this real neat gadget. It's a bottle opener that looks like it will make life a lot easier for a lot of people and I just wanted to share my 'find' with my readers.

Use Forums To Drive Traffic - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:51:00 +0000

(In case you missed Use Forums To Drive Traffic - Part 1)

*Ask for an honest review of your site

You can’t be too sensitive if you go this route. I have seen some posts tearing a site apart. But if you want to improve your site, this is the way to go about doing it.

Ask for critiques from a niche forum and from a marketing forum. You’ll probably get quite different feedback from each forum.

*Ask!

Ask forum members what they are looking to buy. A lot of marketers guess what their market wants to buy and move forward from there. Instead of guessing, ask. Forum members will have no problem telling you what they are looking for and how much they are willing to pay.

The way you get the information you need is to post a thread with a question, such as....”What is your biggest question about…..?” or “What do you feel is the most important thing to know about…..?” As part of your post, be sure to ask if they would be willing to pay for a solution and how much.

*Be helpful

Do you see the same type of question posed over and over on forums? Do you have a solution? Write a post about it and include a link to your solution.

I use this technique all the time. If I don’t already have a post with a solution, I’ll write one. It doesn’t have to be THE solution. It just has to be helpful and informative.

Follow these steps and you’ll soon see increasing traffic to your site.

New Frames Have Arrived At Zenni Optical

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:14:00 +0000

New styles have arrived! If you will be needing new eyeglasses, be sure to check out Zenni Optical before heading anywhere else.

They sell stylish prescription glasses online from the low, low price of $8. There have been some very positive reports about them on Fox News TV or you might have heard about them on your local radio. They have even been recommended by Clark Howard of The Clark Howard Show. For those not familiar with Mr. Howard, he is a consumer advocate and his program is nationally syndicated.

The web site has a full selection of frames, including single vision lenses, sunsensor lenses, tinted glass, bifocal and even progressive lenses. They are able to sell the glasses so cheaply because they sell only their own manufactured frames directly to you, the customer. There are no middlemen involved and no advertising budget.

I know I’ll be needed new glasses soon. I just got a notice from my optometrist that I am overdue for my checkup. So I took a look at some of the many, many frames available and picked out one I like. In case you can’t guess, I’m partial to purple.

All you need is the prescription from your eye doctor and you are set to go. Pick out your frames, enter your prescription, choose, if you want from a wide range of options, and place your order.

Bank Roll Bucks Goes Platinum

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Bank Roll Bucks is now a proud Platinum Seal Partner @ BeenPaid.com

What does this mean? It's means they have paid on time every month and have done so since it opened in Oct 2007!

This is a GREAT site with an honest and responsive admin. The site has total offers worth almost $2000 and lots of opportunities to increase your earnings with promotions.

For instance, for the month of October, if you complete 50 offers you'll get a $25 Gifts.com Gift Card - NO LIMIT

Just click on the banner below, sign up and get started making some money!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:54:00 +0000

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and lots of things are turning pink.

If you are over 35 and haven't had at least one (baseline) mammogram, it is important to get one scheduled.

If you are over 50 and are not having annual mammograms, it's also time to get an appointment.

And please help those less fortunate. Click To Give Free Mammograms. Site sponsors contribute to a fund to provide mammograms free to those who cannot afford one. The more clicks, the more money raised.

PLUS, this month, if enough money is raised for 500 mammograms, the sites primary sponsor, Bare Necessities, will contribute ANOTHER 200 mammograms.

So please help out and start clicking.

My Adsense Results from September 30th

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Here is a screen shot of my adsense earnings from yesterday. It is the most I've made in one day and I'm excited!

And it also proves my point that a lot of traffic isn't necessary. It just has to be the right (targeted) traffic.

Blog Carnivals

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:46:00 +0000

You can significantly increase your traffic by submitting your blog to a blog carnival. Blog carnivals are collections of blog posts around a particular topic. These posts are gathered and posted together on another blog which is called the host blog. The host blog post is published, with links to each of the posts that have been submitted to it.

Blog carnivals can help general traffic, provide backlinks (LOVED by Google!), and are also a chance to meet other bloggers.

Get starting at Blog Carnival - Blog Communities Publishing Magazines. Scan the topics listed and the next publication date. You can submit to multiple carnivals. Just be sure the topic is right for you.

For Residents of Downey, California

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:59:00 +0000

Need to find a local collision repair shop? If you live in Downey, California, finding a collision repair downey is just a click away.

You’ll receive information on everything from damage analysis, through the repair process, final preperation and finally to your vehicle delivery back to you.

Check it out to see if this is the right shop for you.

Cash4Offers and CashCrate Updates

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Cash4Offers has been added to the Boycott list at gptboycott.com

And CashCrate is now on their Watch list. This last one really disappoints me as I've been a strong supporter of the site. I was reading the forum and there are some very mixed opinions about the site. Plus, I do know, personally, of at least one person who never received their payment on a purchase they made through the site. Guess it's time to pull those ads.....

Use Forums To Drive Traffic - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:52:00 +0000

I have posted my links on forums many times and I then sit back and watch the traffic numbers go up. It works. No doubt about it. Here is a guide on how to do it:

*Find forums that relate to your niche

In the Google search box type
+”your niche” +forum
or
+”your niche” +”discussion board”

*Register and set up your signature

Put your web site address into your signature. Some forums allow only text and limit the number of characters. Some allow a banner (I use my Feedburner banner). Some forums require a certain number of posts before allowing a member to update the signature box. Which brings me to…

*Read the forum rules and regs!

You don’t want your posts deleted by the admin. And you don’t want to be banned. And don’t spam. Instead of starting new posts, provide helpful input and answers to already existing posts. Establish yourself first.

*Ask for feedback

Ask for a review of an article you’ve written. Ask forum members to read the article and ask for input: did you miss anything, is it clearly written, etc. If it’s a well written article, you might even get someone linking to it from their site….another back link and more traffic!

Sturdy Outdoor Clothes

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 02:09:00 +0000

If you need good, solid, sturdy outdoor clothing, then 511 tactical is a site you want to check out. There’s tactical pants, shirts, shorts and more.

In addition to clothing they also carry accessories like eyewear, gear bags, and watches. Plus, there is free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Prepare For Holiday Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:57:00 +0000

I know when I do my holiday shopping I like to get the most for my money. That's why a site like BigCrumbs is where I start.

You get cash back for shopping, on line, at MAJOR store names like Macy's, Linens-n-Things, Sears and whole lot more.

Do your shopping from the comfort of your home AND earn money while doing it. What could be better?

Do You Exercise?

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:52:00 +0000

I do. At least twice a week. I go to an exercise class held at my local community center. It’s a great program that I’ve been doing for a few years. The instructor includes a lot of aspects of exercise including stretching, balance, muscle tone and relaxation.

I know I should do it more than twice a week. I’ve often considered getting some videos or DVDs to exercise at home. Particularly once winter sets in and I head out the door even less and less.

I spotted XFLOWSION on the Internet. While I can’t imagine ever looking like one of the models on the page, what caught my attention was that the program meshes together a workout from martial arts, power yoga and dance. This makes it sound a bit like my regular exercise class which is also a whole lot more than just abdominal crunches.

I really do need to try another exercise program because I do feel I’ve reached a plateau. XFLOWSION™ claims that with new, constantly changing moves, it can break through that plateau and get the body continually improving. And doing it while never getting me bored. I have to admit the site makes it look like it would be a lot of fun.

Stockbroker Misconduct? - Continued

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:18:00 +0000

(These posts start here: Stockbroker Misconduct? )

My step-mom called me last night and gave me the go-ahead. She sounds awful. I think this is making her physically ill.

I emailed her with the information that I needed and she replied today. I called the firm and ended up speaking with the operations manager. When I asked about the branch manager, the op manager told me that he was not in...could she help me?

I briefly and calmly explained the situation. She said that this was definitely something for the branch manager. He was out of the office but due back in about an hour. She took my name, phone number and account info that I had for my step-mom.

Did you get a call back today? I certainly didn't. And the truth is I didn't expect one. Either he didn't come back as expected, or he came back and there is a pow-wow going on in that office with my step-Mom's paperwork.

Either way, if I don't get a callback by tomorrow afternoon, I'll follow up with my own call.

Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Is it really too early to think about Christmas cards? Not according to vistaprint.com.

The holiday card page is all set up. There are seven different basic styles to choose from: letter, postcard, 4”x8”, caricature, folded, photo and foil accent. And within each style are loads of choices for design, text, and typestyle. I think it would be hard not to find a great holiday card at this site.

Prices at vistaprint.com are great. It would be hard to beat what can be found on this site. Plus, there is a promotion for free cards. Place your holiday card order, use the code XmasFree and receive 10 free holiday cards.

I have used vistaprint.com for business cards. The site is so easy to work with and it was so easy to customize my order. One thing I really like about the site is that once I set up an account, I could work on my design over a few sessions. I could go back to the site, review it, make changes and save it, ready for me to take a look at next time I signed on. Plus, my order shipped in a timely fashion and I was very satisfied with the quality of the product that I received.

SponsoredReviews - Surprise! Surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:07:00 +0000

This was in my email tonight:

SponsoredReviews.com to me
show details 3:58 PM (6 hours ago) Reply

An advertiser has accepted one of your bids (Quality Travel Related Blogs Only).

Review Details: Quality Travel Related Blogs Only

Site URL: http://www.easytahiti.com

And here I had just about given up hope about every making money with SponsoredReviews. What a surprise!

For those that would like to read the post I wrote:

http://www.travelsnippetsandmore.com/2008/09/south-pacific-is-on-my-wish-list.html

Web Design Services

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:43:00 +0000

I write a lot on this blog about search engine optimization, keywords and Internet traffic. These are all important parts of having a successful web site, one that gets lots of visitors, keeps the visitors and earns the web site owner money. But it also takes a lot of time. It takes time to learn about SEO. It takes times to search out the proper keywords. And not everyone has the time.

There is an alternative. It is to hire a company, like networksolutions.com for their web design services.

They have designed over 2000 sites. Located within the United States, all of their expert designers use the latest techniques and are full-time professionals.

You can choose from a Standard Design Package or a Premium package. Whichever one you choose, it includes 1-on-1 attention, telephone contact to discuss ideas, and a completed SEO friendly web design and content. But most importatly, you are involved throughout the entire process.

networksolutions.com can handle it all for you. Their services include not only web design but domain name registration, site hosting, email, e-commerce and web site security. If you are looking for a service that can provide it all for you, then you have found it with network solutions.

Stockbroker Misconduct?

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:45:00 +0000

I'm livid!!! Yes, I know this is SO off-topic but I am so angry I had to write about it somewhere. And 'somewhere' turned out to be here.

For those that might have a question as to what exactly defines stockbroker misconduct, I found a few definitions online:

"Unsuitable Recommendations. Because stockbrokers serve in a fiduciary capacity, they are obligated to recommend to their customers only those transactions which are "suitable" for the given customer's financial situation and needs. Simply put, the stockbroker must act in the best interests of the customer and not induce them to make trades in a manner that is inconsistent with their investment goals and the risk they want or can afford to take. "

and

"The federal securities laws require investment professionals and stockbrokers to make appropriate or suitable recommendations to their customers, based on, among other things, the customers tolerance for risk. The sale of unsuitable investments is a form of stockbroker fraud and stockbroker misconduct. Suitability is based on a customer's age, income, net worth, education, stated investment objectives and prior investment experience. "

and

"The most common examples of unsuitable recommendations by a stockbroker or investment advisor relate to:
Excessive risk

The recommendation of a risky investment to a customer who is seeking more conservative investments or cannot afford significant losses is a form of stockbroker fraud or misconduct.

Over-concentration

The recommendation or failure to diversify a portfolio that is over-concentrated in a small number of stocks or one asset class is a form of stockbroker fraud or misconduct. "

I recently visited my 88 year old dad and 86 year old step-mom in Florida. She was upset because of recent loses in her retirement portfolio. She told me that her broker had recently (May '08) put some of her money into common stock of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. She was very upset. I was livid.

I don't do 'financial' for a living but even I know that these two have been in trouble for over a year. I took a close look at her statements and, in May, her broker moved a fair share of her money into financials, including the above, Merrill Lynch and Wachovia.

In my opinion, her broker is quilty of misconduct. I checked with two other financial planners, laying out the above scenerio, and the fact that my step-mom has made it clear to her broker that she has no tolerance for risk and wants a conservative portfolio. Both gentlemen were very surprised at these investments and both said they were not made with the clients best interest.

I have received advice on the path to take if a formal complaint is to be filed against this broker. I am willing to assist my step-mom, make all the phone calls and stand behind her. But I can't do it without her permission, of course.

And as yet she hasn't given it to me. Why? She is 'embarrassed' because she was 'so stupid' and she doesn't want anyone else to know. Is that how these guys get away with stuff like this???

Movado vizio

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:25:00 +0000

When I see Movado watches, I think of elegant special occasion watches. But then I discovered the Movado vizio. This is a line of great looking watches perfect for everyday wear.

Thinking Movado watches are too expensive for you? Then you need to check out a site like thewatchery.com. Like most consumer items, watches can now be bought on the internet at significantly reduced prices.

Shopping at this site is easy. You can shop by brand name, check out what is on sale or clearance, shop by men’s or women’s designs and also shop by price. Not only that, thewatchery.com offers free luxury watches with almost any purchase or 80% off on the purchase of an additional watch.

All of the watches that they sell are 100% authentic with serial numbers. They are all brand new. Thewatchery.com does not sell refurbished pieces or manufacturers rejects. They also offer free FedEx and UPS shipping within the United States.

If you are in the market for watches, be sure to check out thewatchery.com and be sure to bookmark the site. Yes, I know it is only September but for some reason, Christmas shopping always sneaks up pretty quickly. Wouldn’t it be nice to be prepared?

Adsense Ads Inside Your Posts

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:00:00 +0000

I've seen Adsense ads inside posts. And often wondered how it is done. After some research, I turned up the information that I would have to make changes to my blog's html code to accomplish this.

If this is something you would like to do with your blog, check out Insert Google Adsense Into Blogger XML Post Body. This post has complete easy to understand instructions on how to add Adsense ads to various locations in your post.

Are You Moving?

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:16:00 +0000

I spotted the site MoveMe.com. At first I was going to brush it off. The site is for people moving within the United Kingdom. And how could this possibly apply to most of my readers who are from the United States and Canada?

But then I took a closer look. And I am glad that I did. I discovered that the site holds a wealth of information no matter where you live.

For instance, there is specific advice on Moving With Family, Moving Your Parents, Moving With Pets and Moving With Disabilities. There are some great tips for first time home buyers, if you are buying and selling, renting or just selling.

If you do live in the United Kingdom, this site can be extremely valuable to you. For starters, the site can help buyers obtain mortgage quotes, plus quotes on other services needed for someone who is moving.

They have a wonderful Free Move Planner tool. All you have to do is enter the postcode you are moving from, the postcode of your new house, and the date of your move.

When the Move Planner loads, it presents a calendar for each month leading up to the move, with all of the key moving tasks and when they need to be done. You’ll also find the tools that you need to do these tasks, such as Royal Mail forwarding forms, Change of Address letters, Voter Registration, Parking Permit applications and more.

The Move Planner can be your one-stop moving guide. It will save you time and it will also probably save you money. You will find links on the Services page to get removal quotes, plus quotes for Conveyancing, Utilities, Storage, Van Hire and more. You will have the opportunity to get immediate quotes from reliable sources who are offering special discounts to moveme.com customers.

This is really an impressive site. No wonder it won the Yahoo Innovation Award and the Yahoo People's Choice Award.

It is easy to get started. Just start with your free mortgage quotes and then continue from there.

Another Great Way To Generate Traffic

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:07:00 +0000

Interview a fellow blogger. Post the interview on your blog with a link to the other site. Your fellow blogger will probably publish a link on their site to the interview on your site.

This is a very good way to generate traffic and to meet new bloggers. All you have to do is ask.

Photoshop Brushes

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:56:00 +0000

A great looking site for graphic designers is Brusheezy. It is a resource for Photoshop Brushes and Photoshop Patterns.

The site offers previews, ratings and easy downloads, with hundreds of designs to choose from. Some of the designs are free for personal use and some ask for a donation to the artist. Great resource for anyone who is a graphic designer.