Blogging

Buy, Sell and Hold: Javascripts for my blog, and Yours!

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I recently added up the number of Javascripts and Plugins that are on my blog… It’s like 20 plugins and 17 javascripts. So, if you are noticing a slowdown, and longer page loading times, then I apologize. I have to cut down some of the less essential ones. I am awarding grades out of five for verdicts to help figure out what is a ‘buy’, what’s a ‘hold’, and what’s a ‘sell’.

All my javascripts are listed here:

  • BlugRush – I was enticed to readd this with the promise of better quality traffic. So far, BlogRush shows lots of traffic, but I didn’t see ANY click throughs directly from BlogRush. … still I will leave it right now for a while longer, even though it is mostly spewing spam blogs with nothing but links to articles. Verdict: **/5
  • RealTrafficExchange – I recently added this as a way to generate additional traffic, but it’s a waste of time. My blogs haven’t been approved at all. Verdict: */5.
  • ScratchBackWidget – I can’t make up my mind on this javascript, I took it down, then replaced, then took it down again. Then I replaced it. I guess I’ll keep it. Verdict: ***/5. I’m looking for this to improve with age.
  • ADDTHIS – Definitely keep this. In fact I have three on each page. Is that too many? Verdict: *****/5.
  • Forbes – I joined this ad network because of its supposedly prestigious advertising connections. But it seems to be turning into a lame duck for me. Unprofessional. Sharon Gitelle sent out the first code for the badge: it wasn’t even HTML or Javascript. Bad… Out. 350 impression, and only showing one network ad. I also have the blogger badge. This slows down the loading. Verdict: */5.
  • MyBlogLog: Actually, I have three scripts installed from them apparently: my bloglog widget, my bloglog profile, and my bloglog visitors (at the bottom). That’s likely two too many. Overall, the verdict: ***/5. I’ll keep one of them.
  • Blogmad: BlogMad is a network of Bloggers who operate a traffic network system. I like to show my blog in there amongst blogs of a similar category. It helps to build traffic and visitors.
  • Alexa: A largely inaccurate way to measure traffic and visitor depth to a website as an objective measurement. Seriously inaccurate for all but the biggest sites as its data sample is far too small. I keep it for measuring some traffic as its generally the only independent measurement of some standing. Still. It is not worth more than – Verdict: ***/5.
  • RealRank: Another way to measure the traffic to a website, it was first touted by Payperpost (later Izea) as an answer to the Google RankSpank. Well, it’s now available, but SocialSpark is not. Useful but not worth more than – Verdict: ***/5.
  • NetAudioAds was purported to be a new concept in ads that allowed an ad to be played when a visitor went to a particular page. Unfortunately, it has been beta-testing for quite a long time. We keep being promised a roll-out, but all I can say is Verdict: */5 largely for tardiness.
  • PPP: This code allows me to participate in the PayPerPost Network. Since I haven’t had an opportunity to write about anything there (not even ones that I set up), I’m considering removing it, but haven’t gotten around to it. Also, since PPP isn’t no_follow yet, this presents a conundrum. Verdict: before: *****/5 now */5. Who knows about tomorrow?
  • Google Analytics: Essential code for making sense of the traffic that visits your blog or website. Highly recommended, even if it’s from the Google Grinch. Verdict: ****/5

I guess I’ll be removing most of these in the next few hours. Why weigh down your blog? Eh…

Make money like the top bloggers – in one easy download

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The Brief Intro’

Too many great blogs to read everyday? Struggling to keep up with the John Chow’s, the John Cow’s, the Ades, etc. of the world?

In one easy download, you can now just download one simple zip file, unzip it and import it into an OPML compatible reader. Why waste any more time, just find the …

Top 20 Money Making Blogs Download

More Details

About ten posts or so ago, I released a download (my first). It was simple in concept: just create an OPML file of my favorite blogs, zip it and upload it to my website.

Well, the file is still there, and I’m thinking of updating the feed to include 8 more blogs. Have you any favorite blogs for money making that you can recommend?

What is OPML?

It is a file that contains the data for 12 top money making feeds. Download the file, then open it your favorite OPML supported reader: online and offline. Google Reader, RSS Bandit, Bloglines, and more all work well. This is an image of the file.

image of opml file

Now in a recent comment, Mark @ TheLocoMono asked me a simple question: “Pardon me if I sound dumb but what is OPML? Do you have this on the blog right now? The only feed I can see is the Making REAL Money but I am not sure if it is the same thing you are talking about.”

OK. Mark, thanks for the question. OPML is a file format that allows data to be read between different applications, esp. as a way to exchange details about feeds between feed reading programs and sites. Read Wikipedia for more information.

Import that file, boy!

So, the feed is a file that you can use. But it’s not active in MY blog, because you need to import it into a feed reader. Open your Google Reader or Bloglines Reader, download the file to your desktop, then import it to your preferred application/online reader. It’s a widely supported format.

Once imported, it will look something like this view of the actual feeds:

top feed subscriptions

And the posts are now visible in your individual feed window (wherever that is).

feed details

Who’s in?

There are currently 19 blogs in the OPML file. I’m looking for a good 20th entry but haven’t found one.

  • AdesBlog
  • Blogging with Cents
  • JohnChow dot com
  • John Cow
  • EMonitized
  • Dosh Dosh
  • Andy Beard
  • Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
  • Caroline Middlebrook
  • Consumerist Commentary
  • Genius Types
  • Grace Cheng
  • Carlo Cab’s Blog
  • NetBusiness Blog
  • ProBlogger
  • ShoeMoney
  • SuperAffiliate
  • Tyler Cruz
  • InvestorBlogger dot com (of course!)
  • Timothy Sykes*

One EASY download

So now you can keep up with your favorite money making blogs (and mine!) in one easy download. It’s virus-free, but you will need to unzip the file first. But you can do this easily in Windows XP, Mac and Linux.

And thanks, Mark @ TheLocoMono, for that question. Do comment any further questions here!

2nd Update

I’ve added a couple of new entries to the list, and updated AdesBlog feed which stopped working probably when Ade switched his blog hosting company.

3rd Update

I’ve added all 20 feeds now! *marks the last added.

Best Wishes
Kenneth

Four solid reasons to start a blog: audience, content, skill and a feel for business

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A couple of months ago I got together with Steve Sutherland, one of my friends in Taipei, who was wondering if he should start a blog or not. If you remember from earlier posts, he runs the Education Agents website, AgentsChat dot com. He was thinking about installing the WordPress software on a separate domain, and starting a blog about the World of Education Services. So should he run a blog? That got me to thinking: should he?

I can outline four reasons (and two caveats) why I think he should consider starting blogging:

1. He has an audience: His community already has 1500 members and it is growing constantly. In the forum, there are ample opportunities for writing post like articles, and in fact, Steve has already done some writing in the forums. It’s quite clear that while forums are good for chatting, longer articles are often the backbone of a good community as they allow writers the space to expand their ideas, develop their content, and write top quality articles. With an audience already present, he’s got an easy start, and by integrating SMF with WordPress, he’d be able to take advantage of the strengths of both applications.

2. He has something to say: As you’ve seen, Steve is already well capable of writing good pieces that his audience would enjoy reading. I’ve spoken to Steve on many occasions, and I think he has a lot of incredible ideas about his industry that would easily find an very specific niche. In fact, I have a strong sense that with his insight into his industry, his blog would quickly establish itself as a top blog because of its first-mover chance. I amn’t aware of any blogs that would be competing for his space.

3. He has the technical skill to manage a blog: Learning WordPress can be a little daunting at times for new users, but in general the principles of managing a blog are similar to, and easier than, managing an online forum. By fine tuning the operation of the blog, you can be left with the primary task of just focusing on writing. He’s also familiar with many of the Internet resources that he would need to develop a blog properly.

4. He has the business skill to run it well: Many bloggers (myself included) started blogging without much concern for the business side of it. For the most successful ones, monetization almost came as an afterthought to the blog itself. This isn’t necessarily the best way to build a business. Steve’s got a rich experience, and knowledge of, running businesses, advertising, marketing, etc., all of which would serve him well to get started. Combined with an established audience, advertisers, and networks, he’d likely have a solid foundation for the blog to be successful in the long term.

So I believe that these four “Winds of Blogging” are all blowing now and it could be the perfect opportunity for him to start. But I also know he has reservations about blogging, especially on the commitment side; and the confidence side.

So, let’s deal with the confidence issue first. Most people, when confronted with the idea of ‘having’ to write, react in a similar way – with HORROR! And, rightly so.

Your words, ideas and organization are all going to be read by dozens, possibly hundreds of readers, are you good enough? Is your writing good enough? Do you really have something to say? To which I have only one thing to say: blogging is pretty much an adventure… as such, you’re allowed the space to develop as a writer (hey, look at my posts a year ago, and you’ll see what I mean!).

Too often to new writers, the goal is to write the perfect piece of writing with the best organization and best content. Well, it isn’t going to happen any time soon. So quit worrying! Once you quite worrying about your writing, you’ll really begin to enjoy the process, the adventure of blogging.

To progress as a writer, and as a blogger, you DO have to make a commitment: with yourself, with your blog, and with your audience. What the nature of that commitment is can be totally up to you! If you want to post daily, then you can. If you want to post weekly, or even monthly, then you can. Obviously, you’ll experience different results whichever method you choose. But there’s no obligation to post on a daily basis. But like most skills, the more you practice, the better you will become.

So, in short, to people who are considering blogging, and can’t decide. Perhaps this post will help to clarify what it is that is holding you back. For me, though, it was a nexus of different things that helped to get me posting regularly: I already had a blog and a hankering to write something, I also had a strong motivation in my content area, then I discovered BlogDesk, and later Payperpost. Somehow all of this coalesced last year, when my daily posting schedule came about.

What helped you to get started blogging? When did it happen? Share with us in our comments section below.