Selling ads directly - Update

I successfully sold a year's worth of advertising directly a few weeks ago. I sold a years worth on 5 blogs for a little 120 x 120 little thing that has text ads in it. I was reading Tyler Cruz's blog today and he gives all the details of his deal where he sold a block (similar in size and style to the one I sold) on 7 blogs for TWO years. ...I got well over half of what he got for only committing to one year and 5 blogs...so I think I brokered myself a pretty good deal. (plus his advertiser is a porn ... and mine is shopping) It sure is nice to get a big chunk of change like that all at once. I'd love to make a habit of it!! Did I mention we're moving from a ridiculously expensive area (Boston) to an even MORE ridiculous area (San Diego) at the end of June? Oh well. We sold our condo in two days with two offers so no complaints. I'm picturing blue sky ahead!! ...oh yeah, there's blue sky every day in San Diego..... What else is going on? I've depressingly fallen below my goals for my travel site. Only 4 posts in the month of April ...but the traffic climbed an tiny bit ...(75 visitors a day avg) ....going to try to get this to 100 for the month of May.
Good luck everyone!

I'm trying Text Link Ads

I feel like this blog is a text link ads commercial sometimes. I'll show you!! I won't even link to TLA in this post. TLA has been running a "sale" forever where you can purchase $125.00 of ads for $25.00. I finally took advantage of this offer and I now have an ad on 5 blogs. I am using variations of a keyword phrase and I am linking to the home page for most of the ads and on one of the ads I am linking to a category ...it probably would have been smart to do more internal linking rather than the home page. Oh well, we'll see if I get anything from it. One or two of the blogs were very good deals in that I was paying $25.00 or $30.00 a month before the discount for a high traffic site. However, I was not able to order multiple months using this coupon. So I had to spread out my $125.00 to other less desirable sites. In other news, things are poking along. Revenue keeps going up.....slowly... and my dog went in swimming today for the first time this year.

Rest and relax

I have today off from my day job because of Patriot's day and the Boston Marathon. I feel extremely drained and needing rest. I want to do some work on my sites, however. And, of course I have freelance web work as well. (not in the mood for that today!) I just finished uploading the new text link ad plugin on six sites that allows advertisers to purchase ads on a particular post. I'm not exactly sure how it works but my text link ads inventory is pretty much sold out every month so this is an opportunity to increase earnings with Text Link Ads. ...just a side note...I do quite well with Text Link Ads, so if you are not signed up with them ...get on over there!
In related news, I am still trying to push my sites into new levels of traffic. I also believe I need to continue to build brand new sites as well. In order to increase my traffic (by increasing my links which will in turn increase my SEO) I contemplated purchasing a package for $50.00 to get one site submitted to 300 directories. Does anyone think this is worth it to increase traffic? I know I need to outsource braindead tasks like directory submissions, if I listen to the big players. I guess I am just cheap sometimes and want to do it all myself.

I also plan to start playing the article writing game. This weekend, I purchased Article Post Robot to assist me in that endeavor.

I can tell from this post that I am all over the map and not really focused. ...time to make a plan. I will research article writing tonight and start a push to do one month of article writing on one site. ...I'll start this article writing blast next weekend. In the meantime, I will keep on posting to all my blogs, to increase the content ...which will increase the traffic.

Selling ads directly - Synchronicity

Just met someone online this week. We're in a similar niche and we traded a bunch of link love ...but the cool thing that she is doing is selling a lot of advertising directly...rather than go through a middle man. It really woke me up a bit since up to this point I have sold all my advertising through text-link-ads and blogads. ...and trying a few other things with minimal success. Anyway, two days after meeting her, I got an email from a big shopping site wanting to buy advertising directly on my site. I'm just making up numbers here!! I figured I'd split the cut that TLA takes for the text link ads. (I think I under priced them!) Anyway, the person came back with no comment on my text link prices that I pulled out of thin air and wanted pricing on a 120x120 banner. I tripled the price from text link ad to 120 banner. Does that sound right? ....we'll see how it all goes. To keep things in perspective, I've made more money so far this year than I made all of last year....let's be thankful for what we got.
I love the version of "Be Thankful for What You've Got" from Massive Attack.
Happy Easter!

Update

well....I wasn't as successful with the travel blog this month as I had hoped. I posted to it 9 times. and submitted it to some directories. I got a few less visitors this month (492)...than last month (510). I am going to keep at it and keep submitting good content. I found a forum that discusses this particular niche and I will try to read and participate in the forum in order to get content (by learning what folks are talking about and what is important to them) and also to drive traffic to my site.

In other news, I hit my goal of $20.00 a day average from adsense (collected across all my sites combined). It is mostly from one site, however. Next goal ...$35.00 a day!!

I signed up with linkworth.com to try to sell more text links. I also signed up one of my sites with AuctionAds.com ...I'm not getting very targeted ads. It is a fashion site and the ads are playstation and things like that ...but I just looked and it is a wallet ...so it might work. Just trying to experiment here!!

Generally, I am very psyched how my online earnings are progressing. It really takes time day after day for things to pay off...no quick riches here in Internet land.

Next Project

I have a travel blog that is in a good niche. However, I have severely neglected it. It has averaged one or two posts a month with some months with no posts. (bad!!...very bad!!!)

Anyway, in February, (one of its busiest months) it received 510 unique visitors and 82.4% stayed on the site between 0 and 30 seconds. (bad!!...very bad!!!)

I'm going to work hard on this baby this month and give you a status report in one month. Let's see how I do!!

Monetarily, last month this site sold 8 TLAs for $102.00 a month and made a few bucks in adsense. (bad!!...very bad!!!)

This is my most neglected site.
More later....

big long weekend

Well, it is a big long weekend here in the US. with Monday being a holiday. I am taking friday off as well to make it really long. But, I've got plenty of trouble planned for myself. First up tomorrow morning I go visit a client for a web job. This website has limped along and tomorrow I want to infuse the meeting with great energy and get a plan for completion!!!

Next up is my taxes. I need to get ready for my appointment with the tax lady next weekend. This is a tedious task, but I am curious to see how much money I made last year from freelancing and from my internet marketing endeavors. (I already know how much I make from the day job)

Next up is my resume. I saw a new job I want to apply to so I need to redo my resume (haven't touched it since I landed my current job 6 years ago) ...another adventure!!

Then, I have 2 noodley client jobs. One pretty simple, the second involves creating movable type blogs which I need to create templates to match their current websites. ..I welcome this project since this is something that I want to get better at. (the only small drag is that I much prefer wordpress!!) ...but c'est la vie!

Then, I get to work on my blogs and internet marketing projects. FINALLY!!! I've been really busy lately and my posting frequency has slacked off a bit ....plus I don't think I'm able to be as humorous witty and engaging when I'm rushing around all the time. I jest ...but SERIOUSLY!!! These blogs take work people!! ...so the blogs and internet marketing is the fun stuff for me...I hope to get finished with all that other crap and be free and clear starting on Sunday (and then have Monday, too).

When I finally get to work on my money making sites, I will continue my link building and traffic building campaigns along with a bit of social networking ...reaching out to like minded bloggers with blog comments, asking for a link, asking for some cross promotion and whatnot. I should probably write an article or two but that may be pushing it. My husband has taken over writing on two of my blogs ...and people he is awesome!! I gotta get the man some traffic!!

I'm enjoying watching the work that BJ and Jen are documenting !! Those gals are so motivational!!

Hey, anyone know of a relatively cheap ebook (or free as well) that gives a blow by blow on how to set up campaigns using MSN adcenter? I've got $200.00 in free credits I need to use up.

Also anyone use a product called optilink? Thoughts on it??
Thanks!!

Traffic Update

I like to count my traffic as well as count my money. : ) and even though lots of folks beat me at the traffic game, I'm proud of what I did with one of my blogs over the last year.

Link Building

I spent some time over the weekend doing some link building work for my sites. It is very time consuming work. ...at least the way I do it. I always find appropriate sites and send a unique email suggesting either a link swap or some kind of partnership. Sometimes people email back very excited to work with me and some folks don't respond (or my email gets lost). I always sign the emails with my first and last name and my city (Boston, MA). A lot of people have lived in Boston as one point in their lives and it is a nice way to connect with folks. (plus I think it helps that I'm female and I live in the US) I kind of enjoy the work ...but as I said ...it is very time consuming.

A new approach I tried was using stumbleupon. I would set it up so that I was subscribed to one niche that I was working on (say it was weddings) then I would stumble through wedding sites until I found an interesting one and send an email for a link.

Still extremely time consuming ...but relaxing and fun work.

Blogads

I have been a member of blogads since last April. It has been a nice source of income for me. (I only have two blogs that are running ads) Recently I noticed that they are trying to sell ads that belong to a "hive" (don't ask me why they use such a silly word). Anyway there are "hives" that are centered around gossip, conservatives, liberals, gadgets, food, military....you get the picture. Anyway, there was a "shopping hive" that seemed to be neglected. I asked about it, got offered to run it and VOILA!!! I am get to invite blogads bloggers into this little hive. The cool part is a get a small cut of the profits from the folks I invite to join. For a gal like me who loves 'multiple streams of income' this is right up my alley!!


I have invitations to the Blogads network (you don't need to qualify for the shopping hive)...so if you have a cool blog and you get decent traffic 5000+ a month. Email me at liz@meditationdesigns.com with the name of your blog and I'll send you an invite.
Let's make millions together!!

Clearing out the junk!!

Okay, I have been hard at work canceling crap I do not need!! So far I have said good bye to:

1 65.00 every six months hosting account at Ipower
1 75.00 every six months hosting account at Liquidweb
2 3.99 a month hosting accounts at Godaddy
1 108.00 every six months account at aweber (this just got renewed - shucks!!)
1 29.95 a month subscription to Perry Marshall's Renaissance Club
1 15.00 a month subscription to Burt's SmArticle Template Pack
1 29.99 a month subscription to Niche Site Profits
1 100.00 a month subscription to SEOBlackHat Forum

It's the little crap that wears us down.

ADBRITE

Does anybody out there in internet land have any success with adbrite? I see some of my competitors do quite nicely, but I've made a total of .17 cents!! I need to email their support or something ...or move my ad location.

Any ADBRITE suggestions would be most welcome!!!

Keyword Avalanche

Some folks asked me about Keyword Avalanche. It really is a good forum!! You can read folks (not me) talking about it on the warrior forum
http://www.warriorforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=127772
and here's my affiliate link if you are so inclined to sign up. Keyword Avalanche

Addictions!!

Man!!! The Warior Forum is addicting. Tons of stuff to learn and try.
Gotta stay out of there and work.

Thinking about the Warior Forum, I'm drawn to think about the money I throw around learning all the ins and outs of internet marketing. I'm curious to what monthly subscription things you all belong to?

I belong to waaaaaayyyy toooo many monthly subscription programs and need to drop some. I'm going to list them here for you all to see so I'm shamed into getting rid of some.

Here's my inventory (they say awareness is the first step):
Keyword Avalanche (aff link) this one is awesome!! and I won't give up. I've learned a ton. Lots of helpful people and discounts and general good stuff. A bargain at $57.00 a month. I read it everyday.

SeoblackHat - lots of black hat tricks. I think I'm the only female on the whole board. I don't read it enough...I'm going to cancel before the next payment $100.00 a month (ouch!)

GreenBusiness.net - I'll keep this one cause it is cheap and even though I don't participate much, I have a few sites in this niche and it doesn't take much time. $12.00 a month

Burt's Monthly thingy - I don't even know what it is called -- more stuff I don't use and I should cancel. $15.00 a month.

Wealthy Affiliate (aff link) this one is new to me, I impulsively signed up a week or so ago after watching a video that came to my mailbox. My first impression is that it looks like really great info. And there is a TON of info. But probably not necessary for me. $29.99 a month

NicheSiteProfits - This one gives you four websites a month with articles, keywords and graphics. I've only belonged to this a couple of months but I have yet to put up a site with the materials !! and for this I pay $29.99 a month.

Perry Marshall's Renaissance Club - Info about doing adwords which I have never done!! I have to cancel this one. $29.99 a month

There it is!! $275.00 a month!! most of which I don't use. Okay that's the end of my dirty secret for this evening.

Oh, and did I mention I want to joing Stompernet???

New Years Resolution Time!!

Well, it has been a quiet week here in Green Affiliate Land. Time for reflection.
Last November I made a grand total of $13.92 - all in adsense.

This November I made about $1400.00 with adsense, advertising and affiliate sales.

December has also been a good month, but it will be interesting to see what January brings ...if money will backslide.

I'm trying to figure out my next move. I'm tempted by Stompernet. I'm tempted by the System Seminar. I want to go to the next level.

However, one of the battles I keep having in my heart is that I don't want to pollute the internet with more dreck. Does the world really need one more acne site? Even if I can squeeze out $100.00 a month on it?? (bad pun sorry)

However to not produce dreck is very very time consuming to produce the content. I'll keep you posted.

MUST SHARE: - earlier this week I was getting in that place where blogging is somewhat of a drag there's no spark, no pizazz...I wanted to quit.....know what I mean? I was thinking of how much money I could possibly sell my blogs for on DigitalPoint on and on. Then as I was looking through my stats I noticed I was getting traffic from the NEW YORK TIMES!!!

I got a link from the New York Times!! I was very jazzed. I didn't get a lot of traffic from the link (it was the day after xmas and it was in the "Times Select" which is content you have to pay for) ..but I plan to exploit the coup to my advertisers and I'm sure it will give me a bit of google-love.

Most importantly is that I am taking it as a sign to keep on keeping on!!

Happy New Year all my online money making friends!!!

Give yourself a Christmas Present!

I added a new adsense banner (the 728 x 90) and I am being generously rewarded!! I've always stayed away from that size since it seemed to scream "I'm an Advertisement!!" ...and it didn't really fit in my designs but I relented this weekend and I have had very nice returns every since. So, go ahead!! don't be scared ... go change stuff!! I dare you!!

Traffic update

ggg July avg = 760 goal 800 Nov avg 1337
ggs July avg = 63 goal 100 Nov avg 128
ggb July avg = 135 goal 140 Nov avg 268
ggga July avg = 37 goal 50 Nov avg 119
ggp July avg = 34 goal 50 Nov avg 107
ggw July avg = 37 goal 75 Nov avg 90

Christmas Music

This CD is awesome!!! If the holidays are stressing you out, go buy this CD!! I got it at Starbucks ...and while you're there, grab a peppermint mocha. YUM!

Wordpress plugins

I'm doing a bit of maintenance today and am installing some plugins to my wordpress blogs. New ones are Permalink Redirect, Populariy Contest (I modified this one so that the info doesn't display on the blog, but I can get the data), Subscribe to Comments(I need this on a day-job blog, so I figured I'd test it out and get ahead of the game a bit), and Ultimate Tag Warrior.

I already have installed: Wordpress Database Backup, Text Link Ads, and Spam Karma 2. Am I missing anything?

updates and such

Just in case you want the microsoft $200.00 free adwords credit that I mentioned in my last post--here is the link:
For new advertisers only:
http://www.startadcenter.com/200unoffdm/

Other than that, cyber monday was a bit of a bust here in green affiliate land. My adsense numbers are up but I haven't made any sales this week so far. My "gift ideas" page is getting a lot of traffic but no one seems to be buying. Oh well, I think I'll tweak my gift ideas page a tiny bit more over the weekend.

In other news, I got a request for a review from reviewme.com for another site of mine. Very wierd however. If you have a product out there -- listen up!!

I was asked to review a cleaning product that couldn't have cost more than $10.00 -- the sad part is that my blog doesn't get THAT much traffic, and I'm generally a nice person and I'm always looking for content on my blog. If the person contacted me and offered to send me the product, I would have reviewed it for free!! And I would have had the added avantage of actually USING the product. Instead they chose to pay reviewme $60.00 and I wrote some superficial crud and made $30.00.

Oh well....would you have done it differently?