My last blog entry, I mentioned that I thought I was going to have to build my site from the ground up. I thought there were no administrative pages or options, like on Blogger and I would have to learn coding!
A scary thought indeed.
Here though, is an example of learning the ropes as you go along. I tend to try to do as much as I can on my own. I hate to bother anyone. However, it occurred to me that I am paying a fee to the hosting company and that's part of what the fee is for. SUPPORT.
I contacted them about my problem. I couldn't access the administrative page. I was coming in as if I were a visitor with no ability to change or add anything! What good was that?
In a fluster, I contacted support and explained the problem. They looked and it turns out that I was right, there was a problem. In a few minutes, they had me up and running and my website is well on its way. I have quite a bit of work to do with it, but at least I've got a good start!
Want to take a peek? Here's the link: Groom Your Dog - Tips
Hey, if you've got a critique, I'd be delighted to hear it!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Web Sites, Domains and Hosting - YIKES!
If you've ever embarked on a journey or an endeavour, you will likely understand that as you go along, you realize how little you understood at the beginning about what you were undertaking.
If you want to work from home as a serious blogger, webmaster, you will need to move from a free blogging site, like this one, to a self-owned domain and hosted by one of many companies.
Some free blogging sites such as this one, limit the kind of advertising that may be done, so if you are trying to make an income, trying to really work from home as a business, the next step will take you into a small investment in domains and hosts.
Once you set up a domain, get it hosted, you will need to download a web building program. However, unlike Blogger or other program hosted by Google or Yahoo, the site will need to be built from the ground up. It is becoming apparent to me that the user friendly set up here is only available because it has been set up by experts in the field. Your own site is not that easy! I'm getting into an area now of having to build elements into my site, which are already pre-programmed into Blogger. Like the edit feature, settings designs and the ability to monetize a site.
So, here I am stuck at a point which I think happens to a lot of us. What is the answer? Fortunately, the programs have tutorials. So its read read read, for me.
Be aware though, as I was not, of the masses of work ahead of you before you start on a site building, web marketing enterprise. Hmmmm, babysitting is starting to look pretty good!
If you want to work from home as a serious blogger, webmaster, you will need to move from a free blogging site, like this one, to a self-owned domain and hosted by one of many companies.
Some free blogging sites such as this one, limit the kind of advertising that may be done, so if you are trying to make an income, trying to really work from home as a business, the next step will take you into a small investment in domains and hosts.
Once you set up a domain, get it hosted, you will need to download a web building program. However, unlike Blogger or other program hosted by Google or Yahoo, the site will need to be built from the ground up. It is becoming apparent to me that the user friendly set up here is only available because it has been set up by experts in the field. Your own site is not that easy! I'm getting into an area now of having to build elements into my site, which are already pre-programmed into Blogger. Like the edit feature, settings designs and the ability to monetize a site.
So, here I am stuck at a point which I think happens to a lot of us. What is the answer? Fortunately, the programs have tutorials. So its read read read, for me.
Be aware though, as I was not, of the masses of work ahead of you before you start on a site building, web marketing enterprise. Hmmmm, babysitting is starting to look pretty good!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Back Links - Powerful Guides To Showcase Your Work
I have been reading scads of information over the last couple of days that talk about the importance of backlinks. It really cannot be stressed enough that backlinks are a major tool that any successful SEO optimizer must understand and utilize.
I even found an article on Squidoo that explains how to make backlinks with html coding! Now, it seemed to work on my Word program, but it didn't work on the Squidoo lens I was trying to make! I don't know at this point what I was doing incorrectly, but it may be that parts of the Squidoo program don't allow linking in the body of your article. That was true in the case of an Ezine article I was writing. You had to find the appropriate place for your links, and place them in it.
When I find that little gem, I will post it.
In the meantime, I am practising with backlinking on Blogger, and you may find this Article On Saving Money (heh heh, like my linking?) enjoyable.
In addition, here is the link to the excellent Squidoo article that I was referring to How To Create Backlinks
I guarantee, if you are a newbie, you will want to put this article in your "favourites".
While you're visiting, set up an account at Squidoo. It can play importantly in your backlinking efforts.
It is considered a "Web 2.0 property". What is that, you well may ask? It's not easy to get a definition, because apparently its meaning is a little nebulous, but I think it means the popular sites that are easy to use, interactive and are "do follow" as far as search engines are concerned.
From what I understand at this stage of the game, is that there are sites that Google simply looks at, there are others it checks for links and follows them, hopefully to your site, and therefore, the process can boost your web presence and ultimately your SERP (search engine ranking p) I think the acronym should actually be SEPR (search engine page ranking) but SERP sounds better when you say it, doesn't it!?
Now, if you are on a Web 2.0 site, and you have an account, you want to put links on your articles that point back to your blog or site. What used to be called reciprocal links is easier when you are technically reciprocating to yourself. I think it could be compared to the Hansel and Gretel story, leaving behind breadcrumbs to follow.
Visit these sites, produce and post good quality, relevant articles that can refer to your monetized site.
Squidoo has the added benefit of being able to be monetized too, so you may be pleasantly surprised to find it makes a little cash. This is what one blogger found. Read what she says. Update on Earnings
I even found an article on Squidoo that explains how to make backlinks with html coding! Now, it seemed to work on my Word program, but it didn't work on the Squidoo lens I was trying to make! I don't know at this point what I was doing incorrectly, but it may be that parts of the Squidoo program don't allow linking in the body of your article. That was true in the case of an Ezine article I was writing. You had to find the appropriate place for your links, and place them in it.
When I find that little gem, I will post it.
In the meantime, I am practising with backlinking on Blogger, and you may find this Article On Saving Money (heh heh, like my linking?) enjoyable.
In addition, here is the link to the excellent Squidoo article that I was referring to How To Create Backlinks
I guarantee, if you are a newbie, you will want to put this article in your "favourites".
While you're visiting, set up an account at Squidoo. It can play importantly in your backlinking efforts.
It is considered a "Web 2.0 property". What is that, you well may ask? It's not easy to get a definition, because apparently its meaning is a little nebulous, but I think it means the popular sites that are easy to use, interactive and are "do follow" as far as search engines are concerned.
From what I understand at this stage of the game, is that there are sites that Google simply looks at, there are others it checks for links and follows them, hopefully to your site, and therefore, the process can boost your web presence and ultimately your SERP (search engine ranking p) I think the acronym should actually be SEPR (search engine page ranking) but SERP sounds better when you say it, doesn't it!?
Now, if you are on a Web 2.0 site, and you have an account, you want to put links on your articles that point back to your blog or site. What used to be called reciprocal links is easier when you are technically reciprocating to yourself. I think it could be compared to the Hansel and Gretel story, leaving behind breadcrumbs to follow.
Visit these sites, produce and post good quality, relevant articles that can refer to your monetized site.
Squidoo has the added benefit of being able to be monetized too, so you may be pleasantly surprised to find it makes a little cash. This is what one blogger found. Read what she says. Update on Earnings
Monday, July 26, 2010
Working From Home - Quality Should Come First
Naturally, when you are online, reading about all those money making opportunities that "anyone" can do, and are so easy, it is tempting to get impatient for something to start happening.
There is no doubt about it - if you want to work at home by blogging and web marketing, you are going to have to do a lot of reading and researching before you do any writing, well, you can do plenty of writing, but the money making, that may take a while.
You will hear the ones that say easy, quick, blah blah, but there are many more saying, "quality content" "quality work". I, for one, am really glad. I remember the days of junky links! It was a real pain! Surfing was just that, skimming over the surface, because there wasn't much in the way of depth.
I'd much rather take the time and build for the long term, than try to get it done quickly and let quality suffer.
So, it is going to take time, if you want to do a good job. Take the time. It will be worth it in the long run.
I guess I can't really say that at this point in my own journey, but based on what I'm learning from others, it is truly the case.
I'd like to give a nod to some of the fabulous sites I've been visiting lately Biz Chick Blogs , Flippa Chick. Try also, and this is one I REALLY identify with, Passive Income Online
There is no doubt about it - if you want to work at home by blogging and web marketing, you are going to have to do a lot of reading and researching before you do any writing, well, you can do plenty of writing, but the money making, that may take a while.
You will hear the ones that say easy, quick, blah blah, but there are many more saying, "quality content" "quality work". I, for one, am really glad. I remember the days of junky links! It was a real pain! Surfing was just that, skimming over the surface, because there wasn't much in the way of depth.
I'd much rather take the time and build for the long term, than try to get it done quickly and let quality suffer.
So, it is going to take time, if you want to do a good job. Take the time. It will be worth it in the long run.
I guess I can't really say that at this point in my own journey, but based on what I'm learning from others, it is truly the case.
I'd like to give a nod to some of the fabulous sites I've been visiting lately Biz Chick Blogs , Flippa Chick. Try also, and this is one I REALLY identify with, Passive Income Online
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Work From Home - Other Ideas
I should say, that though I'm attempting this new venture, it isn't the first of my jobs from home.
There are lots of work at home opportunities that you can try.
Several years ago, I trained as a dog groomer. I worked at that from home for over 3 years. It is something you can work at from your own home, and the start up costs are quite reasonable. If you love animals, it is an excellent work at home opportunity.
I found that my business grew not just with grooming clientele, but also dog daycare requests. I was surprised how many people are on the look out for someone to take their pet in for a few days, in a home environment.
You should be located in a high traffic area. We are rather rural and out of the way, so my business was limited largely due to the distances involved. However, I know, that had I been in a position to move to town, I would have had a busy, full time business.
Of course, we are talking here about home based business or work from home ideas and opportunities. You could open a separate location, but that would require that you are not actually working from home.
One of the big draws of working from home, is the much lower overhead. You can work your business right out of your own premises, and that cuts down dramatically on your up front costs.
There are lots of work at home opportunities that you can try.
Several years ago, I trained as a dog groomer. I worked at that from home for over 3 years. It is something you can work at from your own home, and the start up costs are quite reasonable. If you love animals, it is an excellent work at home opportunity.
I found that my business grew not just with grooming clientele, but also dog daycare requests. I was surprised how many people are on the look out for someone to take their pet in for a few days, in a home environment.
You should be located in a high traffic area. We are rather rural and out of the way, so my business was limited largely due to the distances involved. However, I know, that had I been in a position to move to town, I would have had a busy, full time business.
Of course, we are talking here about home based business or work from home ideas and opportunities. You could open a separate location, but that would require that you are not actually working from home.
One of the big draws of working from home, is the much lower overhead. You can work your business right out of your own premises, and that cuts down dramatically on your up front costs.
Posting or Optimizing - The Chicken and Egg Question of Online Marketing
I've said before on this blog that web marketing is hard, tedious work. It takes a lot of time. I came across a site yesterday, and it is one of many programs, that claims to provide you with a way of setting up your web based, work from home business, without having to understand a lot of the technical stuff that goes with it.
Now, I know there's a lot to learn. I'm pretty sure that plunking down some money to some web hosting company, whose programs have all the "bells and whistles", would be easier. That may give me an edge on getting my blog or web page out there. But if you don't have the money, you have to do the slogging and the legwork. That is precisely what this blog is about. The slogging, the false starts, the frustration, the learning curve. I hope it will eventually be about the victory.
I find it gets discouraging when you listen to these presentations and think, "Boy, I'd sure like to just do the fun stuff" or "I had no idea about "metatags" or "links? what links? How do I get links?" You think you've gotten a handle on the process, but then you realize how little you actually know. And the bills keep piling up. Ever notice they seem BIGGER when you don't have a steady income stream!?!
Of course, I hope to understand all this stuff eventually, and to pass on what I've learned to others. Maybe, for you, the way to go is to buy they programs that the hosters offer. Whatever you choose to do, I hope it makes your work at home dreams come true!
The question of what to do first, as stated in my title, is kind of circular, just like the debate of the chicken and the egg. In reality, though, since life was created, the chicken came first, and reproduced after its kind, so I need a "chicken", a content rich blog or website. Then, with some "meat" to work with, I build the other stuff around it.
I have been busy in the background, building relationships, inviting people I 'meet' online, to check out my blog, offer feedback. I do the same for them. I think its only fair. "Do unto others, as you would have them do to you." Excellent principle. Help others and they will do the same for you.
I have, as a result, some "followers" some comments and a feeling of reaching some sort of goal.
The goal of all sites is TRAFFIC. Ultimately, your goal is to make a living. Traffic translates eventually into business.
Now, I know there's a lot to learn. I'm pretty sure that plunking down some money to some web hosting company, whose programs have all the "bells and whistles", would be easier. That may give me an edge on getting my blog or web page out there. But if you don't have the money, you have to do the slogging and the legwork. That is precisely what this blog is about. The slogging, the false starts, the frustration, the learning curve. I hope it will eventually be about the victory.
I find it gets discouraging when you listen to these presentations and think, "Boy, I'd sure like to just do the fun stuff" or "I had no idea about "metatags" or "links? what links? How do I get links?" You think you've gotten a handle on the process, but then you realize how little you actually know. And the bills keep piling up. Ever notice they seem BIGGER when you don't have a steady income stream!?!
Of course, I hope to understand all this stuff eventually, and to pass on what I've learned to others. Maybe, for you, the way to go is to buy they programs that the hosters offer. Whatever you choose to do, I hope it makes your work at home dreams come true!
The question of what to do first, as stated in my title, is kind of circular, just like the debate of the chicken and the egg. In reality, though, since life was created, the chicken came first, and reproduced after its kind, so I need a "chicken", a content rich blog or website. Then, with some "meat" to work with, I build the other stuff around it.
I have been busy in the background, building relationships, inviting people I 'meet' online, to check out my blog, offer feedback. I do the same for them. I think its only fair. "Do unto others, as you would have them do to you." Excellent principle. Help others and they will do the same for you.
I have, as a result, some "followers" some comments and a feeling of reaching some sort of goal.
The goal of all sites is TRAFFIC. Ultimately, your goal is to make a living. Traffic translates eventually into business.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Posting Those Little Buttons
Its not just a matter of cut and paste, like can be done with one line links. That's was the extent of my "link" ability. However, if you want those colourful buttons or banners, you have to make sure you are in HTML mode on your Blogger posting page.
Usually, for regular entries, you'll be on, or at least you should be on, the Compose tab. I wasn't and was having an awful time. I couldn't find my "link" icon at all.
Fortunately the good people at Google helped me figure that all out. So, I went into my Edit HTML tab when I was posting, and cut and pasted the link from the appropriate affiliate, then, I pasted the HTML code in the body of the posting, then clicked on the link icon, just above in the tool bar.
For those of you who are really new at this HTML is "hyper text markup language". Helpful, huh?
Here's a definition: A markup language used to structure text and multimedia documents and to set up hypertext links between documents, used extensively on the World Wide Web. (Thanks to Answers.com)
*Shrugs* I don't know either, but it basically means you can get those fancy buttons and those fancy buttons will connect the clicker with the affiliate website! YES! Working from home should be bringing in an income, one day!!
Usually, for regular entries, you'll be on, or at least you should be on, the Compose tab. I wasn't and was having an awful time. I couldn't find my "link" icon at all.
Fortunately the good people at Google helped me figure that all out. So, I went into my Edit HTML tab when I was posting, and cut and pasted the link from the appropriate affiliate, then, I pasted the HTML code in the body of the posting, then clicked on the link icon, just above in the tool bar.
For those of you who are really new at this HTML is "hyper text markup language". Helpful, huh?
Here's a definition: A markup language used to structure text and multimedia documents and to set up hypertext links between documents, used extensively on the World Wide Web. (Thanks to Answers.com)
*Shrugs* I don't know either, but it basically means you can get those fancy buttons and those fancy buttons will connect the clicker with the affiliate website! YES! Working from home should be bringing in an income, one day!!
Friday, July 9, 2010
What About Surveys? Is That A Good Work From Home Opportunity?
It depends on who you ask and your own personal situation. If you haven't tried them, I encourage you to give it a try. If you happen to be of the right demographic, you can do very well.
I am not much of a consumer. A lot of surveys, at least that I have come across, ask about the cereals you buy and this or that processed or pre-cooked groceries you buy. I rarely purchase things like cereal bars and I"m not much into alcholic beverages. I might enjoy an Irish Cream every so often, but beer, yech!
I also do a lot of driving, so if I'm visiting, and am offered something, I usually decline, even though I happen to enjoy that particular cocktail, because I don't even want a drop of alcohol in my bloodstream if I have to drive.
I also think that my age group may be over represented. Younger people with families seem to be in demand more than my middle aged empty nester. If my kids were still under 18, I'd be more in demand, but then, I'd be younger too!!!
I've seen SO many opportunities for surveys, so if you think that you would qualify, I'm jealous, but go ahead and give them a try. Here are some links:
OK Folks! Celebrate with ME! I just figured out not only how to put a banner in here, but it wasn't just a fluke! I actually UNDERSTAND what I did!!
Go on! Sign up and celebrate with me! 5 dollar sign up bonus.
My next post will explain what I did!
I am not much of a consumer. A lot of surveys, at least that I have come across, ask about the cereals you buy and this or that processed or pre-cooked groceries you buy. I rarely purchase things like cereal bars and I"m not much into alcholic beverages. I might enjoy an Irish Cream every so often, but beer, yech!
I also do a lot of driving, so if I'm visiting, and am offered something, I usually decline, even though I happen to enjoy that particular cocktail, because I don't even want a drop of alcohol in my bloodstream if I have to drive.
I also think that my age group may be over represented. Younger people with families seem to be in demand more than my middle aged empty nester. If my kids were still under 18, I'd be more in demand, but then, I'd be younger too!!!
I've seen SO many opportunities for surveys, so if you think that you would qualify, I'm jealous, but go ahead and give them a try. Here are some links:
OK Folks! Celebrate with ME! I just figured out not only how to put a banner in here, but it wasn't just a fluke! I actually UNDERSTAND what I did!!
Go on! Sign up and celebrate with me! 5 dollar sign up bonus.
My next post will explain what I did!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Scheduling Time-Essential To Success With Web Marketing
Working from home can sometimes make it hard to be disciplined. Making yourself do things when they need to be done, or conversely, not working all night so you don't get the needed rest.
I am instituting a plan of action for my blogging and marketing efforts. I need to allocate x number of hours per week to building my blog, but I also need to market my blog and get it noticed. One without the other won't be much good.
I also am working on a number of microjobs. I like to find ones that pay immediately, rather than make you wait for a certain minimum value. I have found that Cloud Crowd does that. It is a Facebook application that provides all sorts of interesting projects, from very simple tasks such as saying what is in a photograph to more complicated translation projects. If you speak German and English, for example, they are looking for someone to translate some text.
Here is the link, if you are interested. Microjobs on Facebook - No Minimum - Pays As Soon As Job Complete
Naturally, it is necessary to make a schedule. I'm going to spend so much time on this, so much time on that. Right now, I'm writing articles for myLot. I would like to reach a certain payout amount before the end of the month. Mylot is fun. Just be careful to follow their guidelines and you'll get along just fine.
Here's the link for myLot: Free Sign Up - Get Paid To Post - Choose Your Own Topic
There are so many sites that need to be attended to, it seems, for a successful campaign to bring your blog or website out into the light of day. It is also tough when you are getting started, and you need so much time just to get a site up and running properly. I have other ideas running around in my head, but I need to put them on the back burner so I don't get overwhelmed and lose focus.
I am instituting a plan of action for my blogging and marketing efforts. I need to allocate x number of hours per week to building my blog, but I also need to market my blog and get it noticed. One without the other won't be much good.
I also am working on a number of microjobs. I like to find ones that pay immediately, rather than make you wait for a certain minimum value. I have found that Cloud Crowd does that. It is a Facebook application that provides all sorts of interesting projects, from very simple tasks such as saying what is in a photograph to more complicated translation projects. If you speak German and English, for example, they are looking for someone to translate some text.
Here is the link, if you are interested. Microjobs on Facebook - No Minimum - Pays As Soon As Job Complete
Naturally, it is necessary to make a schedule. I'm going to spend so much time on this, so much time on that. Right now, I'm writing articles for myLot. I would like to reach a certain payout amount before the end of the month. Mylot is fun. Just be careful to follow their guidelines and you'll get along just fine.
Here's the link for myLot: Free Sign Up - Get Paid To Post - Choose Your Own Topic
There are so many sites that need to be attended to, it seems, for a successful campaign to bring your blog or website out into the light of day. It is also tough when you are getting started, and you need so much time just to get a site up and running properly. I have other ideas running around in my head, but I need to put them on the back burner so I don't get overwhelmed and lose focus.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Piggy Banks and Microjobs - Working From Home May Mean Small Potatoes, For Now
Do you pick up small change if you see it on the street? Do you gather up all the small change in your purse and put it in a piggy bank? Are you pleased when you scrape the bottom of your purse and have enough to buy yourself a coffee?
It seems to me that people who have enough for their needs are often cautious and respect money, even a small amount of it. They don't just do what one family I heard of does. They collected all the small change, of which there was plenty, and tossed it in the garbage!!!
People who save, squirrel small amounts away over a long time and eventually, are able to do amazing things with it. I don't mean being miserly, just frugal and careful. Respect.
When you are starting out with web marketing, the returns will be "piggy bank" change. Truly, any work from home opportunity is probably self employment and any entrepreneur will tell you, you don't make much, if anything at first. You've got to keep on trying and respect that small amount that does come.
That is why the microjobs and the forum posting are good avenues in which to make that piggy bank change.
Don't get discouraged. Keep working away, and who knows how your hard work will pay off in the end!?
It seems to me that people who have enough for their needs are often cautious and respect money, even a small amount of it. They don't just do what one family I heard of does. They collected all the small change, of which there was plenty, and tossed it in the garbage!!!
People who save, squirrel small amounts away over a long time and eventually, are able to do amazing things with it. I don't mean being miserly, just frugal and careful. Respect.
When you are starting out with web marketing, the returns will be "piggy bank" change. Truly, any work from home opportunity is probably self employment and any entrepreneur will tell you, you don't make much, if anything at first. You've got to keep on trying and respect that small amount that does come.
That is why the microjobs and the forum posting are good avenues in which to make that piggy bank change.
Don't get discouraged. Keep working away, and who knows how your hard work will pay off in the end!?
Another MicroJob Provider - Facebook!
Not just for chatting with your family any more!
Facebook has a new appliation that allows you to work while you chat. Good idea, I say!. I've been tapping away at a simple task, analyzing photographs, making 2 cents each one, which takes very little time. In no time, I can see my building up a nice little piggy bank of pennies!
Easy to use, and something that can be done easily and quickly.
If you are bilingual, they have some translation jobs available too! Here's the link:
Microjobs On Facebook - Free Signup - No Minimum Payout
Facebook has a new appliation that allows you to work while you chat. Good idea, I say!. I've been tapping away at a simple task, analyzing photographs, making 2 cents each one, which takes very little time. In no time, I can see my building up a nice little piggy bank of pennies!
Easy to use, and something that can be done easily and quickly.
If you are bilingual, they have some translation jobs available too! Here's the link:
Microjobs On Facebook - Free Signup - No Minimum Payout
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Forums - A Way to Communicate and Network
Online forums are a way for advertisers to be seen.
The forum attracts people who want to chat, learn, greet. They get into interesting discussions and that provides content and traffic for a site. Then, advertisers, seeing the activity and all the potential business, pay to have their advertisements posted on the forum site.
A very successful site that has plenty of users and is very popular is Mylot. Here is a link to it, if you are interested in looking at it.
http://www.mylot.com/?ref=sulynsi
Mylot pays people to post on the forum. Now, if you are going there to make a bundle, stop, because it takes a while to post enough to get paid. Besides, you want to make your posts interesting, informative, quality.
Mylot has strict rules about what is considered acceptable and substandard posting. It means the forum is both interesting and informative.
If you want to join the forum, it costs nothing, and it will pay a little over time, and gives you great networking capability and experience. Why not give it a look and see what you think?
http://www.mylot.com/?ref=sulynsi
The forum attracts people who want to chat, learn, greet. They get into interesting discussions and that provides content and traffic for a site. Then, advertisers, seeing the activity and all the potential business, pay to have their advertisements posted on the forum site.
A very successful site that has plenty of users and is very popular is Mylot. Here is a link to it, if you are interested in looking at it.
http://www.mylot.com/?ref=sulynsi
Mylot pays people to post on the forum. Now, if you are going there to make a bundle, stop, because it takes a while to post enough to get paid. Besides, you want to make your posts interesting, informative, quality.
Mylot has strict rules about what is considered acceptable and substandard posting. It means the forum is both interesting and informative.
If you want to join the forum, it costs nothing, and it will pay a little over time, and gives you great networking capability and experience. Why not give it a look and see what you think?
http://www.mylot.com/?ref=sulynsi
Understanding Web Marketing - HOW Do I Get Paid?
Looks to me like there are a number of ways of working on the net and making a few cents here and there. The real income, though, will come through web marketing.
How? It works on the same principle as flyers.
How does a publisher bear the expense of composing, printing and delivering all those flyers? How does he get paid? Simply stated, ADVERTISERS.
The advertisers see that the publisher's little flyer is distributed to thousands of households. The flyer or the paper has interesting news items, games and gossip to keep people looking for it each and every week. Therefore, advertisers, knowing that sales are largely a numbers game, pay to have their ad printed on the flyer, knowing that somewhere, someone is looking for what they are selling and their ad will get in front of their eyes.
Its a simple, yet clever concept.
How? It works on the same principle as flyers.
How does a publisher bear the expense of composing, printing and delivering all those flyers? How does he get paid? Simply stated, ADVERTISERS.
The advertisers see that the publisher's little flyer is distributed to thousands of households. The flyer or the paper has interesting news items, games and gossip to keep people looking for it each and every week. Therefore, advertisers, knowing that sales are largely a numbers game, pay to have their ad printed on the flyer, knowing that somewhere, someone is looking for what they are selling and their ad will get in front of their eyes.
Its a simple, yet clever concept.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
A Lot of Effort - Little Return
The idea of working from home has tremendous appeal. Who wouldn't want to do that?
It isn't everyone's ideal. Some people like and need the structure of going to a job everyday. They like the social aspect.
For those of us who are looking for a way to make a home based business, or a work at home opportunity, viable, it seems like an interminable uphill battle.
Not all sites that supposedly pay you for your work really pay you what they say they do. I mentioned in an earlier post that it takes so long to reach payout in most cases, that people will become discouraged long before they reach that minimum.
I am a little wary of some companies that do in fact promise a fairly large amount for something like a review. They accept your first review at the larger price, but when you go to write another review, for the same basic category that is in demand, they don't want to pay you the premium amount. I'm keeping a close eye on this company, to be sure that it isn't just scamming people. I'll report on them if they turn out to be cheating honest, hard-working people.
It may be that the second review was in a city that wasn't as much in demand. The category, of hotels is supposed to be highly in demand. We'll wait and see!
It isn't everyone's ideal. Some people like and need the structure of going to a job everyday. They like the social aspect.
For those of us who are looking for a way to make a home based business, or a work at home opportunity, viable, it seems like an interminable uphill battle.
Not all sites that supposedly pay you for your work really pay you what they say they do. I mentioned in an earlier post that it takes so long to reach payout in most cases, that people will become discouraged long before they reach that minimum.
I am a little wary of some companies that do in fact promise a fairly large amount for something like a review. They accept your first review at the larger price, but when you go to write another review, for the same basic category that is in demand, they don't want to pay you the premium amount. I'm keeping a close eye on this company, to be sure that it isn't just scamming people. I'll report on them if they turn out to be cheating honest, hard-working people.
It may be that the second review was in a city that wasn't as much in demand. The category, of hotels is supposed to be highly in demand. We'll wait and see!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Web Marketing - Work At Home Opportunity - But HOW Do I Do It?
It is an overwhelming job! So much information! So many possibilities.
How do you tie all the pieces together? Can you tie all the pieces together? The only reason I've gotten this far is the help I got from this website.
http://paydotcom.net/r/11436/sulynsi/1526721/
Now, I'm clumsy at linking, as you can see. I'm going to have to read a lot more to get this one down pat. But Laura's site has helped me a lot. If you want her info, it is a paid site. I think it was 49 bucks? With a money back guarantee. But it was well worth the purchase. Scads of really amazing information. Packed with sites and ideas. I've implemented a number of them. Not all of it is about blogging or web marketing. She gives you all sorts of ideas, training for work at home jobs, but also, how to market yourself. Really good site. Besides that, the cost of the ebook is a business write off, so to me, it was a bonus.
Many sites for the States, but a good number of sites for other countries as well.
How do you tie all the pieces together? Can you tie all the pieces together? The only reason I've gotten this far is the help I got from this website.
http://paydotcom.net/r/11436/sulynsi/1526721/
Now, I'm clumsy at linking, as you can see. I'm going to have to read a lot more to get this one down pat. But Laura's site has helped me a lot. If you want her info, it is a paid site. I think it was 49 bucks? With a money back guarantee. But it was well worth the purchase. Scads of really amazing information. Packed with sites and ideas. I've implemented a number of them. Not all of it is about blogging or web marketing. She gives you all sorts of ideas, training for work at home jobs, but also, how to market yourself. Really good site. Besides that, the cost of the ebook is a business write off, so to me, it was a bonus.
Many sites for the States, but a good number of sites for other countries as well.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
I Learned To Put In A Banner! - Does It Look Ridiculous?
Ooooh, look at me! Posting BANNERS! I've graduated.
Well, maybe not. I don't think its supposed to look quite this way, but at least I've gained some knowledge.
This banner will link you to a website that I wrote about earlier which offers Microjobs. Check it out. It might work for you. No sign up fees. I don't post jobs that expect YOU to pay THEM!!!
Well, maybe not. I don't think its supposed to look quite this way, but at least I've gained some knowledge.
This banner will link you to a website that I wrote about earlier which offers Microjobs. Check it out. It might work for you. No sign up fees. I don't post jobs that expect YOU to pay THEM!!!
MicroJob Sites - A Way To Gain Experience While You Work From Home
I just came across a new site, which I've tried out and it is working for me.
Microjobs are small assignments to help webmasters promote their sites. Building content is a lot of hard work, as I've said. Not everyone is into writing and of course, some sites are trying to sell a product or service, not write. That's where you and I come in.
Here is a site I found that you might want to try out. Sorry again for the clumsy
links. I'm still learning too! :)
http://www.webeserve.com/?webe_id=2540
Microjobs are small assignments to help webmasters promote their sites. Building content is a lot of hard work, as I've said. Not everyone is into writing and of course, some sites are trying to sell a product or service, not write. That's where you and I come in.
Here is a site I found that you might want to try out. Sorry again for the clumsy
links. I'm still learning too! :)
http://www.webeserve.com/?webe_id=2540
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
All Forums Are NOT Created Equal! Nor Do They PAY Equally.
After my last posting, I remembered something that had been bugging me for a while about forums.
I don't care if they pay a decent amount per post, .15 to .30 cents for a 25 word post isn't bad. However, many of them require you to wait until you have 20 or 50 dollars in your "account" with them, before you can be paid.
That's fine if a) you have so much to write b) time isn't an issue. It seems to me that some of my best work is languishing, waiting for that time when I finally reach payout! I have to wait and wait, because the offerings are small and it takes so long to reach the minimum.
I'll bet that many get discouraged, long before they reach that goal, and never post again to that forum. However, in the meantime, the forum has benefitted from your original comments, because it has brought activity and thereby, revenue, which they don't have to pay for you because you either didn't finish the assignment by reaching that goal, or you didn't post for a specified period of time!
Sort of like working for a company for a while and they get the benefit of your labour without being obliged to compensate you for it.
Posting to those kinds of forums, though, does have advantages. One is, they are pretty simple to join and get involved with. They can be a lot of fun. You will gain confidence and experience. So as a newbie, give them a try. They will eventually pay out, if you can keep on posting, but don't expect a lot of return from them.
The links I gave in my previous posts, they are payed through Adsense, not the forum. There is no, "minimum". It will be lumped together with all you other earnings from different streams so you can be paid when YOU want to. You can't lose the earnings that you worked hard on. Very important, I'd say.
Yes, I'll save you searching the other posts and repost them here:
http://reviewparty.com/referral/7266aa49
http://www.xomba.com/referral/778339ed
Hey, this is actually quite a good exercise for me!! Lots of practice with the mechanics of this SEO and web marketing stuff!
Don't forget to post a hello, I'd love to hear from you!
I don't care if they pay a decent amount per post, .15 to .30 cents for a 25 word post isn't bad. However, many of them require you to wait until you have 20 or 50 dollars in your "account" with them, before you can be paid.
That's fine if a) you have so much to write b) time isn't an issue. It seems to me that some of my best work is languishing, waiting for that time when I finally reach payout! I have to wait and wait, because the offerings are small and it takes so long to reach the minimum.
I'll bet that many get discouraged, long before they reach that goal, and never post again to that forum. However, in the meantime, the forum has benefitted from your original comments, because it has brought activity and thereby, revenue, which they don't have to pay for you because you either didn't finish the assignment by reaching that goal, or you didn't post for a specified period of time!
Sort of like working for a company for a while and they get the benefit of your labour without being obliged to compensate you for it.
Posting to those kinds of forums, though, does have advantages. One is, they are pretty simple to join and get involved with. They can be a lot of fun. You will gain confidence and experience. So as a newbie, give them a try. They will eventually pay out, if you can keep on posting, but don't expect a lot of return from them.
The links I gave in my previous posts, they are payed through Adsense, not the forum. There is no, "minimum". It will be lumped together with all you other earnings from different streams so you can be paid when YOU want to. You can't lose the earnings that you worked hard on. Very important, I'd say.
Yes, I'll save you searching the other posts and repost them here:
http://reviewparty.com/referral/7266aa49
http://www.xomba.com/referral/778339ed
Hey, this is actually quite a good exercise for me!! Lots of practice with the mechanics of this SEO and web marketing stuff!
Don't forget to post a hello, I'd love to hear from you!
Forum Posting - A Work From Home Method That Generates Residual Income
Before I forget the things I am learning, I thought I should post this right away.
One of the ways of making residual income is to post to forums. The idea, is that the more posts a site has, the more activity is generated, more relevant content is produced and the site climbs the hallowed rungs of Google's search engine.
I mentioned this before, but it seems I need to elaborate a little more. Let's use an illustration about WHY this is all so important.
The term WEB is a very apt one for a number of reasons. For our purposes though, of SEO (search engine optimization) we want to think of WHY spiders produce webs. To catch food, obviously, you say. What though, is it, about the web that attracts the spider? I'm sure we've all seen spiders hanging motionless off to the side. Why?
Naturally, they are waiting for something yummy to land in the web. Once it does, it is the understandable wriggling and thrashing of the captive that alerts the spider that dinner is served. Now, if insects were clever, they'd realize that moving about isn't going to help their situation. It is only going to speed up the inevitable. But insects, at least, ones thrashing around in webs, weren't exactly first in line when it came to getting brains. They would understand that if they lay perfectly still, and waited for a while, maybe gently trying to extract themselves over a period of time, spidey wouldn't come around as quickly.
That's why this illustration fits the situation. We web marketers are interested in bringing the "spiders" or bots running to find what's going on in our corner of the "web'. We want to keep 'em coming, boys! By activity! Lots and lots of activity!
Regular, fresh, exciting activity.
Anyway, getting back to the forums, this is one way for YOU to make money from home. Now, I don't know how successful I'll be at this, I haven't really had time to test it long term. But, my thought is on this one, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I won't have to invest any money, so its just my time.
The premise is, the more you post, the more chances you have of someone reading your post and clicking on ads connected with your post, through Adsense and Amazon and other forms of affiliate marketing.
They also teach you how to find audiences quickly. What I mean by that is that these sites KNOW what people are looking for. They say, "Hey! Did you know that a quabillion people were looking for information today on soccer balls? Why not write an article about soccer balls?"
Hopefully, not too many people are looking for information on soccer balls, *yawn*
because that just doesn't turn my crank. I'm sure, even with World Cup Fever, there must be a few people looking for things I'd be interested in writing about!!
In any case, that's sort of the way it works, according to my understanding. As with all my posts, please elucidate me if I've got it wrong, or if you have any observations! I'd love to hear from you!
As to the 'nuts and bolts' again, this is the site that I'm using to get all the techie stuff done. http://paydotcom.net/r/11436/sulynsi/1526721/
If you'd like to go straight to the forums, at least a couple of them to check out how they work, here are the links:
http://reviewparty.com/referral/7266aa49
This one focuses on paying to get you to review stuff, like movies and DVDs
The next one has many different categories for you to post under:
http://www.xomba.com/referral/778339ed
One of the ways of making residual income is to post to forums. The idea, is that the more posts a site has, the more activity is generated, more relevant content is produced and the site climbs the hallowed rungs of Google's search engine.
I mentioned this before, but it seems I need to elaborate a little more. Let's use an illustration about WHY this is all so important.
The term WEB is a very apt one for a number of reasons. For our purposes though, of SEO (search engine optimization) we want to think of WHY spiders produce webs. To catch food, obviously, you say. What though, is it, about the web that attracts the spider? I'm sure we've all seen spiders hanging motionless off to the side. Why?
Naturally, they are waiting for something yummy to land in the web. Once it does, it is the understandable wriggling and thrashing of the captive that alerts the spider that dinner is served. Now, if insects were clever, they'd realize that moving about isn't going to help their situation. It is only going to speed up the inevitable. But insects, at least, ones thrashing around in webs, weren't exactly first in line when it came to getting brains. They would understand that if they lay perfectly still, and waited for a while, maybe gently trying to extract themselves over a period of time, spidey wouldn't come around as quickly.
That's why this illustration fits the situation. We web marketers are interested in bringing the "spiders" or bots running to find what's going on in our corner of the "web'. We want to keep 'em coming, boys! By activity! Lots and lots of activity!
Regular, fresh, exciting activity.
Anyway, getting back to the forums, this is one way for YOU to make money from home. Now, I don't know how successful I'll be at this, I haven't really had time to test it long term. But, my thought is on this one, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I won't have to invest any money, so its just my time.
The premise is, the more you post, the more chances you have of someone reading your post and clicking on ads connected with your post, through Adsense and Amazon and other forms of affiliate marketing.
They also teach you how to find audiences quickly. What I mean by that is that these sites KNOW what people are looking for. They say, "Hey! Did you know that a quabillion people were looking for information today on soccer balls? Why not write an article about soccer balls?"
Hopefully, not too many people are looking for information on soccer balls, *yawn*
because that just doesn't turn my crank. I'm sure, even with World Cup Fever, there must be a few people looking for things I'd be interested in writing about!!
In any case, that's sort of the way it works, according to my understanding. As with all my posts, please elucidate me if I've got it wrong, or if you have any observations! I'd love to hear from you!
As to the 'nuts and bolts' again, this is the site that I'm using to get all the techie stuff done. http://paydotcom.net/r/11436/sulynsi/1526721/
If you'd like to go straight to the forums, at least a couple of them to check out how they work, here are the links:
http://reviewparty.com/referral/7266aa49
This one focuses on paying to get you to review stuff, like movies and DVDs
The next one has many different categories for you to post under:
http://www.xomba.com/referral/778339ed
Combatting Depression When Working From Home
Traditional jobs keep you busy. You are up and out the door every morning. You have to be. There is no time to think of discouragement.
You know that if you do your job, you will have a cheque every pay. You don't worry about finding work, or whether their WILL be work. That is one of the main benefits of being an employee.
Working from home, certainly in these early stages where you are trying to build enough work to keep you busy and develop a schedule, can be very hard on you.
Of course, this is self-employment from home. Obviously, if you are working for someone else out a home office, this may not be as much of an issue. Still, for some, isolation can be difficult. Depending on your personal circumstances and personality, working from home, even for an employer, can leave you feeling a little disconnected, particularly if you are used to the interaction in an office setting.
How do you keep that fire, that drive? How do you motivate yourself to keep going when you feel like you would just rather go back to bed?
This is something I am struggling with at this very moment, and, as I am documenting my journey, it may be an obstacle future readers of my blog will also encounter.
Some may say, "go for a walk" or "read something light". Trouble is, with this kind of blue funk, it saps every ounce, not so much of strength, but of will. Put brain in neutral! It is quite paralyzing.
I hope, that by adding this to my blog, by writing about the feelings I'm battling, it does two things. 1) gets them aired out 2) keeps me busy writing! thereby, getting more accomplished in my goal of activity that attracts business to my blog!
Now, there is an encouraging thought! Something positive out of the blues!
It is also good to identify what exactly is causing the problem. Is it isolation? Writer's block? I don't think in this instance it is either. I really don't mind working on my own. Being in my own home office is really nice. I can set up the way I want to. Maybe, that's what I need to keep reminding myself. All the reasons for making it work. Ideas are flowing, so its not the writing problem.
Right now, it is the nuts and bolts of making my work at home, blogging venture work. The mechanics of SEO and web marketing! Ah! So tiresome! so much reading that is making my eyes go crossed!
And yet, that is what will make this adventure worth while. Keep trucking, girl!
You know that if you do your job, you will have a cheque every pay. You don't worry about finding work, or whether their WILL be work. That is one of the main benefits of being an employee.
Working from home, certainly in these early stages where you are trying to build enough work to keep you busy and develop a schedule, can be very hard on you.
Of course, this is self-employment from home. Obviously, if you are working for someone else out a home office, this may not be as much of an issue. Still, for some, isolation can be difficult. Depending on your personal circumstances and personality, working from home, even for an employer, can leave you feeling a little disconnected, particularly if you are used to the interaction in an office setting.
How do you keep that fire, that drive? How do you motivate yourself to keep going when you feel like you would just rather go back to bed?
This is something I am struggling with at this very moment, and, as I am documenting my journey, it may be an obstacle future readers of my blog will also encounter.
Some may say, "go for a walk" or "read something light". Trouble is, with this kind of blue funk, it saps every ounce, not so much of strength, but of will. Put brain in neutral! It is quite paralyzing.
I hope, that by adding this to my blog, by writing about the feelings I'm battling, it does two things. 1) gets them aired out 2) keeps me busy writing! thereby, getting more accomplished in my goal of activity that attracts business to my blog!
Now, there is an encouraging thought! Something positive out of the blues!
It is also good to identify what exactly is causing the problem. Is it isolation? Writer's block? I don't think in this instance it is either. I really don't mind working on my own. Being in my own home office is really nice. I can set up the way I want to. Maybe, that's what I need to keep reminding myself. All the reasons for making it work. Ideas are flowing, so its not the writing problem.
Right now, it is the nuts and bolts of making my work at home, blogging venture work. The mechanics of SEO and web marketing! Ah! So tiresome! so much reading that is making my eyes go crossed!
And yet, that is what will make this adventure worth while. Keep trucking, girl!
Monday, June 28, 2010
A Journey of a Thousand Miles Starts With a Single Step! Working From Home Is Close By, But......
While it is true that I don't have to drive anywhere to work anymore, unless of course I choose to, that doesn't mean that my journey to work from home will be a short one. No. Professional web marketing has a long learning curve.
I have a few of my ducks in place, but in no way am I anywhere near where I need to be to really make this thing work. It is hard when you keep getting interrupted by LIFE, you know, that thing that happens when you are "busy making other plans"?
I know that to maximize my blog, there are a whole lot more links in the chain. At least I'm up and running!
One thing the instructions say is to not leave your blog. Keep it fresh, dynamic.
Even if you haven't got all the optimization steps worked out, working daily or certainly several times a week on your blog, giving some TLC, is definitely worth your while.
That is kind of comforting to me at this stage. I keep thinking how daunting all the steps are! I feel like I'm taking one step forward, 2 or 3 steps back! At least, I know that by writing regularly in my blog, I am forwarding my efforts to finally get this work from home opportunity off the ground.
Even if you feel you are not accomplishing much, regular blogging DOES add to the completed whole, according to my information.
So, I guess, even though they may be small, each step brings you closer to that final goal.
I have a few of my ducks in place, but in no way am I anywhere near where I need to be to really make this thing work. It is hard when you keep getting interrupted by LIFE, you know, that thing that happens when you are "busy making other plans"?
I know that to maximize my blog, there are a whole lot more links in the chain. At least I'm up and running!
One thing the instructions say is to not leave your blog. Keep it fresh, dynamic.
Even if you haven't got all the optimization steps worked out, working daily or certainly several times a week on your blog, giving some TLC, is definitely worth your while.
That is kind of comforting to me at this stage. I keep thinking how daunting all the steps are! I feel like I'm taking one step forward, 2 or 3 steps back! At least, I know that by writing regularly in my blog, I am forwarding my efforts to finally get this work from home opportunity off the ground.
Even if you feel you are not accomplishing much, regular blogging DOES add to the completed whole, according to my information.
So, I guess, even though they may be small, each step brings you closer to that final goal.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Working From Home: It's A Tough Job, But Someone's Gotta Do It! (It May As Well Be Me!)
It is an absolutely glorious day here on the Island! PEI is THE summer place to be.
What a day to be working from home! When I was working in an office, I had to drive an hour to get there, and spend my day in a windowless office, dark and a little depressing. My current office is a small room that my husband built onto the house. It has windows on three sides. My view to the south is trees, grass, buttercups, weeds,(oh, well we won't discuss the gardening issues!) My east windows look out toward my berry patches and the neighbouring fields. I can see the huge windmill, quietly whirring away, making green energy. I can smell spring from my office! I can hear birds twittering away in the copse of evergreens across the driveway. What a wondeful exchange for a "regular" paycheque!! I've just got to make this work for me long term!
I had some errands to do in town today. I didn't have to book any time off. I just simply told my client that I'm in my office at such and such a time, leave a message and I'll get back to you when I return! Oh boy! What freedom!
I went for a walk, I got my errands done, washed the car and returned home refreshed and envigorated, ready to work my little heart out! All the way in the car, ideas for writing and blogging were flying around my head. No writer's block here! Some of my most creative ideas descend on me when I've got nothing to do but stare at an empty road.
I really need to get a handle on how all the SEO and linking and networking works. SEO, by the way, unless you are alreay initiated is search engine optimization.
Its one of the parts of the puzzle that you really need to get in order to be successful.
One of the work from home, or home based job opportunities I've come across is posting to forums. This is to help boost their content and presence on the net. They actually pay people like you and I to chat or post. So if you have an opinion (ha ha), you can post! And get paid for it! I have accepted a couple of assignments. I chose a couple of forums in which I felt I could genuinely participate. No hit and run.
I like to get a feel for the site in which I'm posting, become part of their community. When I figure out exactly how this works, I'll post a link for you. If you want to leave me a message, asking for the links, I'll be happy to email you back. That way, you'll get the correct information. Remember, I'm new at this.
By the way, if you are a seasoned veteran of this game, and can offer any insights, by all means, please put your two cents in. And leave me a link to YOUR blog! I'd love to hear from anyone!
In the meantime, back to "work"!
What a day to be working from home! When I was working in an office, I had to drive an hour to get there, and spend my day in a windowless office, dark and a little depressing. My current office is a small room that my husband built onto the house. It has windows on three sides. My view to the south is trees, grass, buttercups, weeds,(oh, well we won't discuss the gardening issues!) My east windows look out toward my berry patches and the neighbouring fields. I can see the huge windmill, quietly whirring away, making green energy. I can smell spring from my office! I can hear birds twittering away in the copse of evergreens across the driveway. What a wondeful exchange for a "regular" paycheque!! I've just got to make this work for me long term!
I had some errands to do in town today. I didn't have to book any time off. I just simply told my client that I'm in my office at such and such a time, leave a message and I'll get back to you when I return! Oh boy! What freedom!
I went for a walk, I got my errands done, washed the car and returned home refreshed and envigorated, ready to work my little heart out! All the way in the car, ideas for writing and blogging were flying around my head. No writer's block here! Some of my most creative ideas descend on me when I've got nothing to do but stare at an empty road.
I really need to get a handle on how all the SEO and linking and networking works. SEO, by the way, unless you are alreay initiated is search engine optimization.
Its one of the parts of the puzzle that you really need to get in order to be successful.
One of the work from home, or home based job opportunities I've come across is posting to forums. This is to help boost their content and presence on the net. They actually pay people like you and I to chat or post. So if you have an opinion (ha ha), you can post! And get paid for it! I have accepted a couple of assignments. I chose a couple of forums in which I felt I could genuinely participate. No hit and run.
I like to get a feel for the site in which I'm posting, become part of their community. When I figure out exactly how this works, I'll post a link for you. If you want to leave me a message, asking for the links, I'll be happy to email you back. That way, you'll get the correct information. Remember, I'm new at this.
By the way, if you are a seasoned veteran of this game, and can offer any insights, by all means, please put your two cents in. And leave me a link to YOUR blog! I'd love to hear from anyone!
In the meantime, back to "work"!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Kindle? Ok, I Know About It Now, And I WANT One!
When starting any venture or business, there is a TON of reading to do. Most of the information for home based businesses, or working from home, is online. Its tiring doing all that reading in fromt of a computer screen! It sure would be nice to curl up on the couch, set your tea beside you and read from something small and portable.
Enter the Kindle Its an Amazon product that is primarily an excellent marketing tool for Amazon's main product line, the book, but I forsee another application.
From what I understand, the Kindle doesn't yet act completely like a PC in that it has a web browser, and I get the idea that pretty much everything is in PDF format. It would be nice, though, if it has the capability, at least in the future of providing a way to download and read all types of manuals, particularly in the field of working at home. I mean, you HAVE to have that couch to sit on!
There is another reason to love the idea of working from home. Taking time to research your own business venture, and ways of improving, expanding and growing. In comfort!
I suppose a laptop will have to do for the time being. Mine isn't wireless, because its old and I don't have the driver to set up the wireless capability. Even so, the Kindle looks a lot more comfortable, and apparently, the screen is not overly bright, being easier on the eyes.
Enter the Kindle Its an Amazon product that is primarily an excellent marketing tool for Amazon's main product line, the book, but I forsee another application.
From what I understand, the Kindle doesn't yet act completely like a PC in that it has a web browser, and I get the idea that pretty much everything is in PDF format. It would be nice, though, if it has the capability, at least in the future of providing a way to download and read all types of manuals, particularly in the field of working at home. I mean, you HAVE to have that couch to sit on!
There is another reason to love the idea of working from home. Taking time to research your own business venture, and ways of improving, expanding and growing. In comfort!
I suppose a laptop will have to do for the time being. Mine isn't wireless, because its old and I don't have the driver to set up the wireless capability. Even so, the Kindle looks a lot more comfortable, and apparently, the screen is not overly bright, being easier on the eyes.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
That Lonely Feeling
Any entrepreneur will probably tell you, its lonely at the top.
An entrepreneur, is, by definition "one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise" someone who undertakes a new direction, in business.
Risk, whether it is at the expense of time, or money or both, is an uncomfortable position for most people. They tend to admire risk takers when they see the positive results of their efforts. They particularly like entrepreneurs when they start needing to employ other people. It rather reminds me of the story of The Little Red Hen, who asks for help, doesn't get any, continues plodding away, and when she is about to enjoy the fruits of her labour, then others are interested in "helping" her, by also reaping the rewards of her labour.
Working from home is usually an entrepreneurial venture. It is by its very nature lonely, solitary work. Even when you work from home for an established company as an employee, you are somewhat isolated. I do part-time work for a company that does surveys over the phone. Except for a chat box, there is no contact with anyone, and the chat is only to be used between worker and supervisors to deal with any issues that arise while working.
When those around you don't understand what it is you are trying to accomplish, their negative response to your work can be discouraging. Like any job, a new business, work from home or other wise, has a learning curve. That learning curve can involve many tedious hours of research. Hours of poring over books and manuals. The results, the MONEY, comes after much effort and time has already been expended. If results were instantaneous, everyone would be jumping to the cause and supporting you whole heartedly.
No business venture is like that. All successful businesses had their period of set up. Slog in the trenches, unglamourous, tedious and not profitable. For the time being.
You kind of have to put up with the "concern" of others, that you're getting involved in a scam, do you really believe you can make money doing this? Who's going to pay you? Do you have to invest any money? As if being in business meant one safe big "employer" is going to ensure you have a paycheque this week. I guess, since most people have never been in business, they don't understand that SOMEONE along the line had to start their business from scratch, build it, invest their own time and money in it. Their big secure company, that provides their cheque, came from somewhere.
That is, until THEY get laid off.
I have been in business before, and my sister said she admired my ability to work for myself. She thought it was a great idea to work from home. She felt she couldn't do it. I said, the only difference between you and me is that you don't HAVE to. When you are out of work, again, and still needing to pay those bills, you find a way. If there are no jobs to be had, you have to find a niche and a clientele that wants what you are selling. I can understand the angst of those who have never done anything else but work for an employer.
If I hadn't had to, I'd have stayed in that safe place myself.
An entrepreneur, is, by definition "one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise" someone who undertakes a new direction, in business.
Risk, whether it is at the expense of time, or money or both, is an uncomfortable position for most people. They tend to admire risk takers when they see the positive results of their efforts. They particularly like entrepreneurs when they start needing to employ other people. It rather reminds me of the story of The Little Red Hen, who asks for help, doesn't get any, continues plodding away, and when she is about to enjoy the fruits of her labour, then others are interested in "helping" her, by also reaping the rewards of her labour.
Working from home is usually an entrepreneurial venture. It is by its very nature lonely, solitary work. Even when you work from home for an established company as an employee, you are somewhat isolated. I do part-time work for a company that does surveys over the phone. Except for a chat box, there is no contact with anyone, and the chat is only to be used between worker and supervisors to deal with any issues that arise while working.
When those around you don't understand what it is you are trying to accomplish, their negative response to your work can be discouraging. Like any job, a new business, work from home or other wise, has a learning curve. That learning curve can involve many tedious hours of research. Hours of poring over books and manuals. The results, the MONEY, comes after much effort and time has already been expended. If results were instantaneous, everyone would be jumping to the cause and supporting you whole heartedly.
No business venture is like that. All successful businesses had their period of set up. Slog in the trenches, unglamourous, tedious and not profitable. For the time being.
You kind of have to put up with the "concern" of others, that you're getting involved in a scam, do you really believe you can make money doing this? Who's going to pay you? Do you have to invest any money? As if being in business meant one safe big "employer" is going to ensure you have a paycheque this week. I guess, since most people have never been in business, they don't understand that SOMEONE along the line had to start their business from scratch, build it, invest their own time and money in it. Their big secure company, that provides their cheque, came from somewhere.
That is, until THEY get laid off.
I have been in business before, and my sister said she admired my ability to work for myself. She thought it was a great idea to work from home. She felt she couldn't do it. I said, the only difference between you and me is that you don't HAVE to. When you are out of work, again, and still needing to pay those bills, you find a way. If there are no jobs to be had, you have to find a niche and a clientele that wants what you are selling. I can understand the angst of those who have never done anything else but work for an employer.
If I hadn't had to, I'd have stayed in that safe place myself.
Friday, June 18, 2010
My Adventure Begins
I had finally found what I would call a steady, full-time position in the line of work for which I was trained.
Since our move to the rural lifestyle, work was a long line of short-term, temporary, poorly paid, service jobs. Here was, finally, something that paid fairly well, had benefits, had some measure of security. Sure it was an hour's drive one way, but it was regular.
Eight months later, I find myself, once more, unemployed, or at least under-employed.
I did convince my company to keep me on very part-time; they really couldn't afford to let me go, but they were suffering from the downturn in the economy, and some very poor management decisions, and had to cut somewhere.
So, I have some part-time work and my unemployment cheque.
What now? I'm sick of being constantly uprooted, having to regroup. I had given up a developing business for the "security" of a "real" job. Work had been agonizingly slow and I had injured my shoulder, making a hard decision a little easier. So I went "back" to a traditional job in my field.
So much for plan 'A'.
One option, in my situation was to grab whatever work came my way. Problem with that, is there just ISN'T enough steady regular work that pays enough to live on. At least, not where I live.
Should I go back to school? Learn another trade? One that seems to be in high demand in our area? Ah, operative words, "seems to be". There are NO guarantees, and after being in school a couple or more years being saddled with an even greater debt? Still not able to find a job that pays well? No, too much risk.
I'd toyed with SEO ideas and pay per click and pay to post ideas. Read enough about them to be thoroughly convinced they were all scams. Or were they? There were people, even a close relative, claiming to make a living off it. What was I missing? If it is so easy, everyone would be doing it and there would be no work for anyone.
What I discovered is that most people only read so far, and then their eyes glaze over. Its a lot to absorb. Its hard to understand how all the pieces fit together. And they MUST fit together to make them work effectively. Its not a "get rich quick" idea. It is bona fide, hard slogging, time consuming, and often frustrating work. Most people give up after a few experiences getting paid .01 cents to read an email every few days, or posting opinions on some social chat forum. I did that. A year's posting yielded me less than 15 dollars, which I have yet to bother collecting.
Now, with the timing just right, I found a website that provides tutorials on all the different threads involved in web marketing. There are many different threads. Yes, you can choose to pull only one or two, but it works better if you get them all. Chances are, you will try pursuing those one or two threads, and give up shortly thereafter, because you can't see how this is going to work! (if you are interested in the same program, I can heartily recommend it)
This time, I thought, I'm going to follow it through. I'm going to read all the material and start implementing not just one or two ideas, but as many as I can actually do. As I started doing this, it started to become more clear to me both how and why this can work.
I am making this journal in the hopes that one day, my experience will benefit others. Many tutorials are written by experts, who tend to forget what it was like as a complete novice, to undertake a venture like this. They forget to explain what to them are such basic ideas and concepts simply because they have become second nature.
This should be interesting to read sometime later in this adventure. See the progression of the project, the outcome I of which, I hope, will enable me to generate a steady income.
Click on the link to find the program that I am using. It is very comprehensive.
http://paydotcom.net/r/11436/sulynsi/1526721/
Since our move to the rural lifestyle, work was a long line of short-term, temporary, poorly paid, service jobs. Here was, finally, something that paid fairly well, had benefits, had some measure of security. Sure it was an hour's drive one way, but it was regular.
Eight months later, I find myself, once more, unemployed, or at least under-employed.
I did convince my company to keep me on very part-time; they really couldn't afford to let me go, but they were suffering from the downturn in the economy, and some very poor management decisions, and had to cut somewhere.
So, I have some part-time work and my unemployment cheque.
What now? I'm sick of being constantly uprooted, having to regroup. I had given up a developing business for the "security" of a "real" job. Work had been agonizingly slow and I had injured my shoulder, making a hard decision a little easier. So I went "back" to a traditional job in my field.
So much for plan 'A'.
One option, in my situation was to grab whatever work came my way. Problem with that, is there just ISN'T enough steady regular work that pays enough to live on. At least, not where I live.
Should I go back to school? Learn another trade? One that seems to be in high demand in our area? Ah, operative words, "seems to be". There are NO guarantees, and after being in school a couple or more years being saddled with an even greater debt? Still not able to find a job that pays well? No, too much risk.
I'd toyed with SEO ideas and pay per click and pay to post ideas. Read enough about them to be thoroughly convinced they were all scams. Or were they? There were people, even a close relative, claiming to make a living off it. What was I missing? If it is so easy, everyone would be doing it and there would be no work for anyone.
What I discovered is that most people only read so far, and then their eyes glaze over. Its a lot to absorb. Its hard to understand how all the pieces fit together. And they MUST fit together to make them work effectively. Its not a "get rich quick" idea. It is bona fide, hard slogging, time consuming, and often frustrating work. Most people give up after a few experiences getting paid .01 cents to read an email every few days, or posting opinions on some social chat forum. I did that. A year's posting yielded me less than 15 dollars, which I have yet to bother collecting.
Now, with the timing just right, I found a website that provides tutorials on all the different threads involved in web marketing. There are many different threads. Yes, you can choose to pull only one or two, but it works better if you get them all. Chances are, you will try pursuing those one or two threads, and give up shortly thereafter, because you can't see how this is going to work! (if you are interested in the same program, I can heartily recommend it)
This time, I thought, I'm going to follow it through. I'm going to read all the material and start implementing not just one or two ideas, but as many as I can actually do. As I started doing this, it started to become more clear to me both how and why this can work.
I am making this journal in the hopes that one day, my experience will benefit others. Many tutorials are written by experts, who tend to forget what it was like as a complete novice, to undertake a venture like this. They forget to explain what to them are such basic ideas and concepts simply because they have become second nature.
This should be interesting to read sometime later in this adventure. See the progression of the project, the outcome I of which, I hope, will enable me to generate a steady income.
Click on the link to find the program that I am using. It is very comprehensive.
http://paydotcom.net/r/11436/sulynsi/1526721/
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