Appealing to the high counsel of Hubbers for advice

1. 73

   funneboneposted 16 years ago

   As some of you may know, I write nontraditional hubs. I pull in what I would consider ok traffic from outside Hub ( 2k a week average) but I am only making 30 cents a day on adsense anymore and very little on ebay. Now I know that my topics limit me as far a s associated income streams and this is what I am seeking. Does anyone have any advice on how I can generate more income from my insanity inspired hubs? I sometimes think my type of writing would do better on my own blog so I can ad banners but I like the hub community. I have tried to find afiliate links but most of them are not text links that can be used here.
   Any words of advice will merit an old spice soaked thank you letter along with an 8x10 of me in a thong washing a monster truck

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2. 65

   Mishaposted 16 years ago

   LOL You know all well there is no secret recipe to this.
   
   Keyword research is crucial. It is a foundation, and if you spare the effort here, you shoot yourself in the leg. Do keyword research. You need to find key phrases that enough people are searching for, and relatively few sites offer. In addition for HP (and other Adsense applications), those same or similar phrases should be more or less expensive on Adwords, so you don't end up with 1c clicks.
   
   You use your keywords in title and several times in the body, without overdoing this. Searching for your keywords with tilde (~) gives you LSI neighbors you want to use in the body, too.
   
   And then you promote. Article directories, social bookmarking, web2, blog comments, forum posts, any other places you can stick your links into. And yes, your anchors should include your keywords.
   
   That's all.

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3. 73

   funneboneposted 16 years ago

   The King has spoken.
   So I must compromise my artistic creativity ( kids begging, strippers and underwear models) and write about what people actually want to hear about?..wow..that sounds really silly!
   I tried to use 2 article services but nothing has been posted yet. Perhaps the demand for posts about how not to find a mail order bride does not appeal to the masses as I had hoped.
   
   I post on mixx but I don't think I have gotten one click back to my hubs.
   I am starting to think I should sit outside of walmart and ask for money.

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      SweetiePieposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Funnebone, I see the top google search of the day is anacin and I am sure you could find something creative and clever to write about that .

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4. 81

   embitcaposted 16 years ago

   Have you ever thought about recording some of your insanity? If you can manage to do on video what you do in print, I'm thinking you would probably do well on Youtube if you did a regular podcast and then you could use Youtube to drive traffic to your hubs.
   
   If you decide to invest the time in that though, get your own domain, set up a blog on it, post your Youtube videos on the blog and post links to your hubs on your blog as well. You can also post your videos to all the other video sites and you could get your podcast listed on iTunes. This would all drive traffic to your own website.

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   1. 73

      funneboneposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I made a practice video ( you can see it on my hub about obscure independent videos) and after watchign it I realized a: I was really drunk, B , I was bloated and have a strong northeastern accent and c , I should stick to writing.
      Ive posted on the philly craigslist looking for people to make videos but nobody follows through. I have been tinkering witgh a movie script and also post on FunnyorDie. At this point I need to get some money rolling in as it is hard building a Chiropractic office and a comedy career.
      Thanks again for your help. I read your post on building an ebay affiliate and I may try that.

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5. 61

   Eric Graudinsposted 16 years ago

   Funnebone,
   I'm not on any "high counsel" of hubbers, but I'll respond anyway.
   
   You write well and I enjoy your hubs.
   Misha and Embitca have given you some good advice.
   
   I believe you could easily develop your own following on your own blog, where you would be free to monetise in various ways.
   If you get enough readers to your blog, you'll be able to choose from a range of options to generate income.
   
   Perhaps offer to become a "guest" on the blogs of already popular identities - and write something  they would publish.
   Or write a screamingly funny celebrity insight piece - or something - and put in on EZine articles - with a bio and link back to your own site. This could be picked up by hundreds of sites, and newsletters, and put your work in front of millions of people.
   
   Perhaps publish a "Print On Demand" book of your best articles on Lulu or similar, and sell it.
   
   Or send some of your words to Letterman - You're better than some of the stuff he uses.
   
   There's heaps of options - work out a plan, take some risks, and give it a go.
   
   Cheers, Eric G.

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6. 73

   funneboneposted 16 years ago

   Thank you guys...I just feel like opening my own site is like..well..breaking up with HUBpages. I am working with two people, one is producing an animation and the other has a website. Is there an advantage to buying a domain and opening a website vs building the ugly blog I have now?

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7. 61

   Eric Graudinsposted 16 years ago

   No - don't look at it from the view of breaking with hub pages.
   
   Use your own blog as an adjunct to Hub Pages. You're providing value here, and in return you are entitled to gain the benefit of the backlinks, exposure for your own site.
   
   If the blog you are building now is with at somewhere like blogger or wordpress.com, then it's definitely in your interest to have it on your own domain, and under your control.

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   Lissieposted 16 years ago

   Have you thought about checking what is hot on trends : http://www.google.com/trends/hottrends?sa=X and then writing about it in your own style: there is a lot of comedy in the trends of what people are searching for anyway! Do you write fast? Trends come and go you cant afford to wait on trends Google will loveyour post if you kw stuff it as suggested above :the reason something is on trends is that often there are lots of  people asking a question and few sites with an answer
   
   I dont really understand your last question: you can either have a free blog on blogger or wordpress.org or install your  own copy of (usually) wordpress on your own domain  I think from a n SEO point of view a blog is better than a static website

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9. 78

   Lissieposted 16 years ago

   Comedic chiropractors would be a unique niche!

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10. 73

    funneboneposted 16 years ago

    I have a blog on blogger right now but it is kind of ugly and a little limited. I guess my question was is there any advantage to having  website ie domain name over just staying on blogger?
    
    Yesd I write fast. Almost all of my hubs have been done in a few minutes.
    Once I have a general idea of what I wewant to write about I usually go find images and the story develops from there. I have about 6 unfinished hubs that I started after reading another hub and getting an idea. Some ideas:
    
    Replacing the astrological signs with the members of the brady bunch
    A Single mothers guide to sex and relationships with guys who dont have kids
    Why I hate babyboomers
    
    I am goping to post something now that is unique ...

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    1. 61

       Eric Graudinsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       In case you missed my earlier post,
       
       YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.
       YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.
       YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.
       YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.
       
       
       Getting your own domain name is the first, most basic item for anyone who uses the net for any sort of business activity.
       
       And  don't bother sending me a picture of yourself in that thong. Use it as a prize on your new domain which targets the very profitable niche of gay monster truck fans.
       
       And check out Ed Dale's Thirty Day challenge if you need to learn some web related technical and promotion stuff.

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11. 81

    embitcaposted 16 years ago

    Well, I am probably biased because I'm a Bostonian, but strong regional accents have a certain appeal. Obviously performing on video takes some practice and you need a bit of a persona, but I think if you were performing something rather than just speaking off the cuff it would turn out a different experience.
    
    Search for "Fitzy" on Youtube and check out some of his videos. I don't think his strong accent hurts him at all. I think it helps   Also, he's very funny.
    
    I think Lissie has a great idea too. Hub about stuff that's sort of hot now, but with your own take on it.
    
    And I agree with Eric, you need your own domain. The main advantage is that it is YOURS and you will OWN it. You will never own your blogger.com or wordpress.com blog and they can be deleted without notice.

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12. 73

    funneboneposted 16 years ago

    One more question...who is the best site to use to buy the name and provides tools to create the page...i dont care for hostgator, i tried them before and didnt like them...thanks for all of your help

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13. 65

    Mishaposted 16 years ago

    The general rule of thumb is you buy domains from one firm and host them on a different one(s). That's a safety precaution in case your hoster goes underwater or just crazy.
    
    I did not follow that rule though when I bought mine, so I can't advise on where to buy. As for where to host - I'm pretty happy with bluehost.com

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14. 61

    Eric Graudinsposted 16 years ago

    Namecheap.com  is one of the best places to buy domains.
    
    (Most people would suggest GoDaddy - but there are many reasons why I would steer clear of them)

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15. 73

    funneboneposted 16 years ago

    funnebone.com was bought in the two hours between the time I looked it up and when I went to go check now. I suspect there is some kind of program that sees what people are looking for and snatched them up. This is the type of underhanded crap that makes me sick and hate humanity.

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    1. 61

       Eric Graudinsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       You're dead right.
       
       Network Solutions, and I believe GoDaddy, and other monitor the searches for domain names.
       If you don't register it straight away, they register it themselves as a "client service".
       
       They then make it available to you at a premium price.
       If you don't register it - they either keep it for themselves - or may make it available for sale again. Often at a higher price.
       
       So - the lesson is: If you want a domain name and it is available - register it on the spot.
       
       (Namecheap does not do this sort of stuff - which is one of the reasons I recommend them.)
       
       Anyway - wait a week or so, and if the above scenario is what has actually happened, you may be able to register the domain again.
       
       Welcome to the grubby little world behind the smiling facade of the flashy Internet corporations.
       
       UPDATE: The domain name funnebone.com was registered today  through NICREG, and is temporarily assigned to a company called EUROBOX with an address in Russia. They own over 100,000 other domain names.
       They either have an association with a domain registrar, or are getting an almost live feed of domain name searches.
       
       They have quite a reputation as domain name squatters.
       Here's just one of many articles about them.
       http://www.camnet.com.kh/cambodia.daily … 9-7-05.htm
       
       Here's one of many actions taken against them by the WIPO
       http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/deci … -0156.html
       
       What will happen now is they'll put advertisements onto the site, or an offer to sell the domain.
       
       And THIS is the reason that it's SO BLOODY HARD to find a good domain name these days.
       
       This is one of the topics on my list for my blog, and is discussed in the ebook I'm writing.. Perhaps I'll make a hub on it. Is it OK to use you as a relevant case study? Or if you want to do a hub on it - go for it.

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16. 56

    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    funnebone -
    
    There is some good advice here. In fact, I think it is all good advice, but I have a suggestion:
    
    Write some hubs that are designed to make money. You can still be yourself That's what I do:
    
    "If you don’t mind looking like a pretentious wanker and annoying the life out of everyone in earshot, a Bluetooth headset is a must-have accessory for your Apple iPhone."
    
    http://hubpages.com/hub/Five-Best-iPhon … h-headsets
    
    And you will definitely make more money out of a self-hosted wordpress blog. Particularly if you write on random subjects.

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17. 66

    DJ Funktualposted 16 years ago

    I am in the same boat and have learned so much.  Thanks everyone.

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18. 68

    Bonnie Ramseyposted 16 years ago

    Funnebone,
    
    One of the things I love the most about owning my own domains is the control that I have over the content, what is listed and where it is listed, design, you name it. All that is up to you when you own the site. While I registered one of my sites with Godaddy, I registered another with my site host. I have found that siterightnow.com has been an excellent host and has made it easy for someone like me who only knew how to email, copy and paste when I built my first site with them LOL. The have excellent plans ranging from a basic plan for $9.95 per month to an unlimited site for $24.95 so they are very reasonable. To me, the best feature is the customer service that they have there. I have never had to wait over an hour or so for a reply email when I had questions! To me, that is worth every penny of the monthly service fee just to get that kind of customer service these days!
    
    Bonnie

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    1. 68

       pjdscottposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       funnybone - I like what you're doing since it is different, original and engaging. I endorse what Bonnie and everyone else says about owning your own site - control. One tool I find very useful (and can't be used with HubPages and the like) is Google Webmaster Tools
       
       https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/
       
       which gives vital information about your site and how Google searches it. It also offers up regular lists of the terms users like when finding your site - crucial when you're considering SEO.
       
       The Yahoo Site Explorer is also very good
       
       https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/mysites
       
       but Google drives the vast majority of search traffic.
       
       As Eric says, get buying your domain, set up your server space and you're off!
       
       Good luck,
       
       PJD.
       
       
       
       

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19. 71

    Inspirepubposted 16 years ago

    Funnebone,
    
    Have you considered adding Cost-Per-Action and other affiliate products?
    
    I'm sure you could have an absolute blast writing about MoreNiche's biggest product category - penis enhancment products - and they pay pretty good commissions for a sale ...
    
    You're best hosting your own blog, definitely, because you can access more ways of making money from it when you are hosting it.
    
    Jenny
    
    P.S. We LOVE Bluehost - cheap and very reliable. And we often register domain names through them, too, and have never once had our domain names sold off to cybersquatters by them.

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       embitcaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       And don't forget the man boob products on Clickbank

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20. 73

    funneboneposted 16 years ago

    Do these CPA's have codes hub pages accepts?

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21. 71

    Inspirepubposted 16 years ago

    No, that's why you need to have your own blog.
    
    Jenny

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22. 73

    funneboneposted 16 years ago

    You guys are the greatest...if you ladies were closer I'd kiss you and if you men were closer...I'd still kiss you but in a boxer kind of way. I am on my new project today.

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23. 61

    Eric Graudinsposted 16 years ago

    I'm going to have to adjust my monitor.
    Embitca's hair has turned blue.

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24. 71

    Inspirepubposted 16 years ago

    LOVE the new avatar, Embitca!
    
    Stunning ...
    
    Jenny

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    1. 61

       Eric Graudinsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Here you go Jenny.
       A couple of my people knocked this up for you 
       You can tell your kids you're "groovy" now
       
       
       
       
       
       P.S. Must report this thread to the moderators for going WELL off topic.

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       1. 65

          Mishaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

          Love both avatars! And both ladies, too!

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    premsinghposted 16 years ago

    Although 2K per week is not a big traffic, even then its good . If all this traffic is from search engines, funnebone may earn three to four times of present earnings. Besides traffic, click value is also important as value of the displayed ads differs from 0.01 to 7.50 or even more. However, unfortunate part is that hubbers have no control over the selection of ads. The only thing a hubber may do is to look for ads presently being displayed and their values. If low valued or irrelevant to content ads are being displayed, hubber should try to modify the content to get high valued ads display in their hubs.

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    1. 73

       funneboneposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       You look so angelic in your picture...I don't know whether I should take your advice or carve your likeness out of a tree trunk in my yard. Thank you.

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    Inspirepubposted 16 years ago

    Why, Eric, how thoughtful of you ...
    
    
    
    Jenny

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27. 61

    Pat Merewetherposted 16 years ago

    funnebone - this is a great thread, lots of laughs and also info.   I'm knew to the whold Adsense thing and even though my ebay and Amazon links say 'Active", I've yet to see any activity - sigh.   I've made about $5 in three months - wahooo!
    
    Anxkously awaiting my Old Spice Thong Photo.

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