Simpleology

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Trying to Create Videos

I am so frustrated trying to create videos to help me market online. I have a Sony HandiCam and can't get the damn videos 'into' the computer. I think there is an adapter that I'm going to have to buy. It came with a USB cable that does absolutely nothing. I guess I'm going to have to spend some time googling to find out just what I need.

I've also been looking into buying Camtasia. I also came across a program called CamStudio which is like an open source camstudio. I've been so happy with wordpress that I might just give it a try. Hey, it's free so I guess it's worth a try. There is a bug where the videos don't show up with Firefox, but there is a way around that if I can figure it out. I wish I was more tech savvy - guess maybe I'm too old!

I have gotten a couple of sales in the past few days. I'm still over $200 away from my goal for the month of June and with only a day and a half left it's not looking to good. There's always next month.

I still haven't received my teaching certification from Florida so I can't start looking for a teaching position yet. I have an interview with Walmart on Thursday for a job as a part-time (32 hrs a week) Customer Service Manager. It's an hourly management position - managing cashiers, which means it will be a low paying 'sucky' job. But it will help pay the bills until I can get this affiliate marketing gig going a little better or get into a school.

I really don't think I would mind Walmart if I can get into a salaried management position. A teacher at the school where I did my student teaching was making $80k/yr as a manager at Target.

I hate this being in limbo and need to get some real cash flowing.

Wordpress Blog Site is Up and Running

I just love my third niche site. I made it using wordpress and hosted it on
BlueHost Easy Web Hosting $6.95/mo.

I added the seo-all-in-one plugin for wordpress. I've been looking at other plugins and widgets, there is just a ton of free stuff available for wordpress. Oh yeah, I also installed a stat plugin that I think will be cool - once I start getting some traffic.

I don't plan on getting too much traffic right off the bat. So far I've made four blog posts. It doesn't have enough on the site yet to consider a ppc campaign so I'm going to start with some article marketing. I just submitted the first article for this site. That will bring my article count at ezinearticles to 17.

I have high hopes for this site, I guess I have high hopes for all my sites, but remember that the first two still really suck.

It's been too long since I've had a sale. I still haven't had a two sale day yet. I keep hoping that I'll jump straight to a three sale day.

The writing is coming easier for me every day. The article I wrote this afternoon was actually fun to work with. I am getting a little faster, but still get hung up some. It's starting to get exciting and I'm having more fun with this every day. I can't wait to get up in the morning and get to the computer to see what action there was overnight.

Making My Second Site = User Friendly

I'm trying to make my second site more user friendly. It is a review site and I've been going through each of the 'reviews' trying to get all the text to look the same and to be the same size. It's a pain, but I think it will help with conversions.

The third site that I want to start is going to be a wordpress site. I'm excited to get it going. I'm trying to get together a very good list of keywords for the site. I have also been searching for a good theme. Once I get those together I'm going to begin again.

I'm not exactly proud of my first two sites. This third site I am going to try to take to the next level.

I haven't been writing articles. I have to create a new author for each site so I can be more targeted. I'm going to try to get a few done tonight.

I have to go take some motrin - too much time at the computer. I need to start taking regular breaks. I did just get a new office chair and that helps.

Another Niche Site Done

I've been busy creating another niche site. I'm not really happy with it, but it's up and it's better than the first site. I created it in the site builder that they have in Wealthy Affiliate.

I have also decided on my third niche. I registered the domain with www.GoDaddy.com. After searching long and hard I am going to have it hosted at Blue Host where you can Host Unlimited Domains - 1 Account $4.95 Per Month.

Things really are getting overwhelming. My wife is giving me a hard time about how much time I spend online. At the same time she is always complaining about money and thinks I'm crazy. She is sure going to love the money when it really starts coming. I am still making sales and it is increasing every week. She won't even look at anything I'm doing. I have to just stay focused and not let her knock me off track.

I'm going to try to get a few more articles submitted today. I have a total of sixteen live articles currently.

Wasting Time?

Well, I have to admit that I haven't been very productive lately. I have gotten to basic plus status as an author at ezinearticles. I now have ten live articles and two more pending.

I've been submitting articles that I outsourced - I don't think I'll do that again any time soon. What a waste, maybe I tried to go too cheap. I've been spending more time trying to fix (re-write) them, than I would have spent just writing the things myself.

I have been trying to watch were my time goes, I'm actually going to start logging my time so I can see exactly where it all goes. I know I spend way too much time checking my stats - it's like an addiction. That is the first thing I'm going to cut way back on, my first order of business. I've also been spending tons of time reading forums like the one at WA, also at DP, Warrior and ABW. Sometimes it seems like a waste, but I've been learning so much it's just amazing.

I've also been doing lots of thinking. I do think it's important in any business to do spend some time in the early stages learning and thinking! Not that you should ever stop.

I've also been spending too much time looking at and thinking about that first niche site of mine and yes it still sucks, but it's making a little money. So I really need to go on for the time being and start a second niche. I think my second niche will be much better than my first and so on. So by the time I get to five or six, I should be much, much better - then I'll start going back and improving my early niches with the knowledge that I gain.

So, did I waste time?

Although I didn't really accomplish much except for a couple articles, I do now have a workable plan and some real ideas.

More Sales Success and a Disappointment with My Article

My first month is coming to a close and I've made several sales in the past week. My commissions for my first month - with two days to go - total just over $270.00. Not too bad considering the very slow start. I'm very much looking forward to my second month and beyond.

I have eight live articles on ezinearticles and two are pending review. I can't submit any more until they go live and I can upgrade my account. I have sixteen other articles written that I will submit as soon as I am able.

My adwords account is costing me less than one half of the amount it was cosing me the first couple of weeks with more clicks. My cost per click has been cut to less than a third of what it started at because the quality of my site has improved. It still sucks, in my opinion, but I keep working at improving the quality.

I still haven't started a second niche. I have a few ideas that I'm still trying to flesh out.

What's my disappointment? Another author copied the title for the article that I had on the first page with my keyword phrase not in quotes and has knocked me off the first page. I'm now the first return on the second page and have a new arch enemy lol!

I'm preparing to get a mailing list going with AWeber, they are the gold standard when it comes to building a mailing list. If you've ever thought about getting your list started I can't recommend them enough and they even have a FREE test drive.