Internet Writers Walk a Fine Line

As all of my readers know, I love the idea of making money with my internet writing. I've been a professional writer for over 20 years and that is what I do. I also love helping other internet writers make money with their internet writing. It is my way of "giving back" to those who helped me get where I am today. However, there are certain causes and issues that are close to my heart. As a "niche-less gut writer," I write about those causes and issues. I make money off the internet article I write about them.

"How do you justify taking advantage and exploiting of the victims of the Westboro Baptist Church by writing about them and making money off them?" an email I received recently asked.

Excellent question. I am writing about their horrible encounters with the Westboro Baptist Church. I am making money off those encounters. How can I justify that? It is a fine line that internet writers (and all writers) walk. The purpose of writing is to educate, inform and entertain. And, of course, to make money - for those of us who write professionally.

That question has made me pause and consider my true motives for writing about the Westboro Baptist Church as well as other issues and causes that make up my writing portfolio. Is making money off the pain and suffering of others my main objective when I write about the causes and issues I feel strongly about? If it isn't my main objective, how heavily does the money weigh in my decision to write about them? Thankfully, I didn't have to ponder those questions too long. I know my heart and I know my motives.

Truth be told, I made a huge mistake in writing about the Westboro Baptist Church. I never really considered the money I would be making. I got mad. I thought about what they were doing and I got even madder. My anger at those "failed humans" completely overrode the business side of my brain. I knew I would page views. I knew that people would be reading my articles, but that is where it ended. I wanted the truth to be told and so I wrote.

I am going to continue to make mistakes when I write about the Westboro Baptist Church. I'm going with my gut and with my heart. I won't go back and tweak the keywords which is what a good internet writer would do. Whatever travels from my brain down through my arms and fingers onto the screen is what will be published.

That, too, is a fine line I must walk. I know that when I write straight from the heart that is shows on the screen (or page) and there is nothing I can do about that. Those "straight from the heart articles" usually do better than my others. I call that "accidental and unintentional money."

I suppose I could stop writing about things I feel passionately about to maintain some sense of integrity as a writer. If I did that, I would no longer write about politics, animals, my family, the elderly, my faith...The list would be never ending. I would become a "fluff writer" without any substance. That is when I feel I would lose all sense of integrity as a writer. I make no apologies for writing about those topics. Whether money is made off those internet articles is not the reason I write about them. I write about them because I'd go (even more) insane if I didn't. 

This blog has been about making money as an internet writer. I am also ashamed to say that. Not once have I addressed the emotional side of writing. It has been all about writing for money. I truly apologize for that. I have left out the real reason that real writers write. That real reason is because we have a thought or a feeling we can't get out until we put it into words.

Despite the fine line between writing from the heart and making money off those causes and issues, that is what we must do as internet writers. Writing fluff is fine; there are reasons to write internet articles like that. Writing those heartfelt internet articles and making money off of them is also fine. We must each find our own moral compass and go where it leads.

Make Your Own Breaks as an Internet Writer

As internet writers, we do all we can to get our internet articles read by as many people as possible. We add our links every place we can think of. We tweet them. We post them to Facebook. We add them to similar work by other internet writers. Sometimes, it feels like we aren't getting anywhere. Seeing I don't believe really believe in luck, I am a firm believer we must make our own breaks as internet writer. Sometimes, those breaks we make come from the most unlikely places. This is an example of how I stepped out on a limb (and maybe "into it") and made my own break...

On March 4th, I wrote and published "The Westboro Baptist Church is Right" on Associated Content. Don't panic and think I've "gone to the dark side." Remember, I write teasers. I wanted as many people to know the truth about the Westboro Baptist Church as possible. I was getting page views, but I wanted more. What internet writer doesn't?

Just for fun or maybe from boredom, I decided to tweet the link to that particular article to Margie J. Phelps. I added "Thought you and your church would like this one! The Westboro Baptist Church is Right." I was expecting a nasty response from her and nothing more. I was so wrong about that!

For the record, Margie J. Phelps is the daughter of Fred Phelps, the founder of Westboro Baptist Church. The Westboro Baptist Church is that group of hate-spreading wackos from Topeka, Kansas that protest funerals all over the country. They hate everything, except themselves and their hatred.

She didn't respond to me directly. Instead, Margie J. Phelps retweeted my link, adding "best" to it. Obviously, she never read it. I quickly retweeted her retweet of my original tweet (that is a mouthful!), in case she caught her mistake. I also sent a "thank you tweet" for retweeting me.

After all the hate tweets had almost calmed down, some were even deleted and apologies sent out, I had another idea. I started sending Margie J. Phelps retweet to news organizations around the country. I sent it to MSNBC, FOX News and CNN. I even created a CNN iReport, telling the story of Margie J. Phelps major mistake on Twitter.

I was far from being finished. I wrote a follow-up article on Associated Content. This particular article was entitled "Westboro Baptist Church Member Makes Major Mistake on Twitter." It outlined the mistake made by "Mensa Margie."

My page views were increasing. After tweeting Margie J. Phelps and creating the CNN iReport, "The Westboro Baptist Church is Right" page views more than tripled in one night. They have been steadily increasing since then.

For those of you who know how tenacious I can be, you will not be the least bit surprised to learn I wasn't finished. I continued sending out all my links to all my Westboro Baptist Church articles to anyone and everyone I could think of. I was a woman on a mission - a multi-purpose mission. First, I wanted to spread the truth about the hate-spewing Westboro Baptist Church. Secondly, I wanted to increase my page views.

I wrote an additional article for Associated Content - "Is Westboro Baptist Church Avoiding Oklahoma?" Seeing I had to be relatively nice about the situation with the Westboro Baptist Church, I was not satisfied with the "nice" slant I had to use. The series of articles I was writing, that I'm still writing, were too politically correct for me.. I wanted to find a way to really "let it rip" and share what was really in my heart. That is when I was struck by what I consider a brainstorm...

I created a highly focused blog on Blogger that is devoted to my true feelings about the Westboro Baptist Church. I carefully created a URL that would be well-searched - "The Westboro Baptist Church." I entitled the blog "Westboro Baptist Church News." I wasn't too crazy about add the word "the" to my URL, but just "Westboro Baptist Church" was already taken.

Since this whole thing started, I haven't felt this energized to write in quite while. As you can tell I haven't been posting here as much as I should be. I haven't felt like it. My brief hospital stay didn't help matters either. I had been neglecting all of my blogs and my writing other places as well. With my failing health, it was easy to stop writing as much as I should have.

I've always known that I write my best when I am mad and something came along that "charged my battery." I created my own break. Not only are my page views increasing and I'm sharing the truth about the Westboro Baptist Church, I have my passion for writing back.

I want to encourage all of you to make your own breaks. Try new things. Mix it up. Step out on a limb and do something you never thought you would or could do. It certainly worked for me. I may not get rich with my Westboro Baptist  Church articles, but I am writing. With a smile on my face and ideas flowing. That is what all writers should be doing!

Promoting Your Internet Articles with Twitter Just Got Easier

Promoting your internetwork isn't always easy, but I came across a handy a little tool that will make it a bit easier. This is especially true for those who use Twitter. When is the most opportune time to tweet? Knowing that can keep you glued to Twitter, trying to use charts and graphs so you can tweet your internet articles at the best times. No more.  I just found When To Tweet!

This little jewel is wonderful. I don't even have to explain how to use it. If you can spell and type your Twitter name in the only space available on the page, you can do this. It is truly that simple. That isn't entirely true, you also have to click on "When should I tweet?" to get the results. Type in your Twitter name and click on "When should I tweet?" and wait for the results. The more followers you have, the longer it takes. I have quite a few followers and it took less than a minute.

I did find one problem with it. It is in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). But, I've solved that problem. My readers in the United States need to visit this map of the United States and then click on the state where they live. For my international readers, visit the same site (different page), select your city/country and GMT will be converted for you.  I've written "-6 hours" on a Post-It Note and stuck it to my computer screen. I'm in the central time zone - for those of you who do not want to check out the GMT converter page.

I would love to say I found this great tool on my own, but I didn't it. A Facebook friend posted it and I am running with it! Remember to check back with the When To Tweet tool often because it will change as you add followers and your followers' patterns change. Despite this, it is a great guide to knowing when is the best time for you to get the most out of your tweets.

Big Changes for Internet Writers: Google's New Algorithm

I would love to say that Google's new algorithm hasn't changed anything for me and other writers. That would be excellent news for all of us. Unfortunately, it has changed things. As internet writers we must learn to adapt to Google's new algorithm and all of the changes it has brought about.

This changes in the way that Google is indexing and ranking internet articles were meant to cut the spam and poor content that many writing sites are publishing from their search engine. This makes sense. Google wants those who use their search engine to find only the best information. Like me, they are preaching "quality over quantity."

Unfortunately, quality writers who produce quality internet articles are finding it harder to be indexed and ranked with Google. Because we write for those writing sites, our page views and our earnings are down. Google is not using their vast resources to go after "hacks" on those writing sites, but the all the content those sites publish.

What can internet writers do to adapt to these changes? I wasn't sure if there was much we could to work with these changes. Boycotting Google isn't going to help much. Throwing in the towel is definitely not an option. There are several things we can do to make sure our earnings do not decline, "drop" and "disappear," as some of my readers have explained has happened to them:

• Look For Other Writing Websites -Find writing websites that have not been as drastically effected by the new Google algorithm. Do your research and find new websites to write for. Revisit writing websites that you considered before, but decided against. Consider re-applying for writing positions you were turned down to write for in the past.

• Be More Selective -  Choose carefully which of your current writing sites you write for. Spread yourself a bit thin and write for several different websites. As with most internet writing, trial and error is probably the way to go. See which writing sites will pay off for you. Write for the websites that have haven't been as as hard with the changes in the Google algorithm.

• Increase Your Quality -If there ever was a time to do your best work, it is now. Use reputable sources. Include links to websites that have the highest quality of information as well as the highest page rank. Although I am not a fan of sending readers away from you own work, I am willing to make this sacrifice to help increase my own ranking, page views and, hopefully, getting indexed on the front page of Google and other search engines.

• Write More -Increase the amount of quality internet articles you are writing. It is a numbers game, I hate to say. The more internet articles you write, the more chances you have of being indexed on Google. DO NOT sacrifice your quality though! I understand. We are already as much as possible. However, if we could produce just one more quality internet article per day, it could make a difference in our earnings.

• Find Your Niche - Consider finding your niche. Look for something that you are a wealth of information about, love writing about and others are not writing about. Carve out your niche. This is the area where I will be putting a lot of my effort into. I'm not a niche writer, but I'm working hard to become one. When you (and I) find a specific area of internet writing that others aren't writing much about, the more likely we are to be indexed by Google.

• Watch Other Writers -  Pay attention to what other internet writers are doing. Which writing sites are they writing for? Which ones are they writing less for or have quit using completely? Read the internet articles that are on the sites that you write for. If you notice problems with the internet articles, follow the sites guidelines and common courtesy to help the writer improve their work. If you are alerted to problems with your internet articles, do not take it personally and do all you can to fix those problems.

• Hang On Tight -Yes, hang on tight. It is unsure exactly how much the new Google algorithm with change how we "do business," but we have to keep an open mind and keep writing. This isn't the time to throw in the towel. We are writers and that is what we do. For many of us, it isn't just a career - it is who we are. Do not give up your love and passion for internet writing simply because things are getting tough.

• Stick Together - Internet writers, more than ever, should stick together. We need to share information. Let other internet writers know what is working for us and what isn't. If nothing else, lend a compassionate ear when our internet writer friends tell us things are looking bleak for them.

The only thing constant in life is that it is always changing. We must learn to adapt to those life changes. Just like we must learn to adapt to Google's new algorithm. It isn't the end of the world. We will weather this storm and come out on top. It may not be easy and it may take some time, but we will do what we do best - write quality internet articles that get indexed with Google, get the page views and make our money. I know we can do it

Pen Names and Professionalism

Pen names have been a part of writing for centuries, just as professionalism. Both pen names and professionalism play an important role in internet writing today. With all of the safety concerns involved with the internet, using a pen name is probably a good idea. However, when you choose a pen name, you must maintain the highest level of professionalism - as with every aspect of your internet writing.

Choosing a pen name is much like naming a baby. It will go with you for your entire internet writing career. It will set the tone for how you and your work are perceived by readers and clients alike. You pen name will open or close doors for you as an internet writer.

When you choose a pen name, think like a "real world writer." Your authority as a writer may hinge on your pen name. Would you go to your local bookstore or library and ask for a book about wedding planning written by ClownCollegeGrad1992? Would you consider seeking advice about roses from Buddy Boy? Neither one of those names are professional. They do not demand the respect of your readers and they do not help you sound like an authority on most subjects.

When you choose a pen name, you should choose one and stick with it. Having several different pen names will only complicate branding yourself and your work. It can make promoting your work extremely difficult. Keeping track of "who you are" and your writing style for the different pen names is a waste of time, energy and effort.

You should also consider your readers and your fans when you choose a pen name. How will they be able to find all of your work when you use different names? Will they understand why you use different names? Will they be able to trust you as an internet writer if they learn you use different names?

Once you have narrowed your choices for pen names down to a few, google those names. You will want a pen name that isn't overly used on the internet. When I first started my internet writing career I was writing as Emma Sutton. Several months later, I searched my name and learned there was an English actress with the same name. I knew I wouldn't make it to the first page of search engines competing against her. I added my middle name, Riley, to all of my work and VIOLA! I was no longer competing with an award-winning actress. When you search my name, you will find pages and pages of my work with only limited interruptions by others with my name or a similar name.

If you have already been using several pen names, there is little you can do to change that. If you write for several different niches, it may work for you. I don't recommend it, but it is possible to make it work. You may want to consider choosing one pen name and using it. It will make your internet writing career much simpler.

Your pen name is an important part of you and your internet writing career. Choose carefully, making sure your pen name is professional and will demand the respect you deserve as an internet writer. And, as with all things pertaining to internet writing, have a little fun with it. There is no reason your internet writing career has to be dull or boring.

Page Rank Factors

Internet writers are always seeking a higher page rank. Page rank is the elusive dream that slips through the fingers of many internet writers. With all the internet articles, websites and blogs, it is hard to obtain the page rank we all need to be successful - truly successful, not just making "some money." These are a few factors that determine page rank of your blogs and websites:

• Internal Links - By using internal links, you can increase your page rank. Link the pages of your blog (or website) together to help with your page rank. This will also help to keep your readers on your work and not elsewhere.

• External Links - Link your blogs and websites to other blogs and websites. Check into the page rank of the sites you will be linking your work to. The higher the page rank that they have will help increase your page rank. Be careful not to add to many external links. Not only will this take your visitors away from your work, it can also "drain" your page rank - allowing it to leak onto the sites your linking your blogs or websites to.

• Number of Pages - The number of pages that your blogs and websites have can also increase your page rank. The more the pages you have, the higher your page rank will be. Never add pages only for the sake of increasing your page rank. Your additional pages should always be relevant and contain excellent copy.

Increasing page rank is something that every internet writer should be conscience of and constantly working to increase. It isn't easy because of all the competition on the internet, but it is possible - with hard work and diligence. Keep these factors in mind as you create and update your blogs and websites so you can watch your page rank increase over time.

The Secret Formula for Internet Writers

"...I am just about desperate here....I have been reading and re-reading your blog. I have been writing online (feverishly) for over 2 years. I get that residual pay takes time. What I don't get is what I am doing wrong....I try writing about timely/popular subjects...excuse me for mostly writing from my heart but that is what I do. Can I not expect to earn money unless I figure out the "secret" formula for success?"

The above is a message I received yesterday from a fellow internet writer. My heart went out to this writer. I've been there, frantically looking for "the secret formula for success."  The one thing I have learned from years of internet writing is that there is not one secret formula. There are several formulas, none of them secret, that must be mixed and matched with each other to fit each individual internet writer and their internet articles. These are just a few of those formulas I've discovered:

• Write Every Day - Internet writers must write every day. Whether it is published or not, we must produce new content every single day. This is part of honing our craft - improving our work. As internet writers write each day, we must see improvement. Internet writers must learn from their mistakes and not repeat them.

• The Devil is in the Details - Yes, it is true that the devil is in the details. No one is writing "War and Peace" or "Gone With the Wind" for the internet - it is all short snippets that will fit into our hectic lives and crazy schedules. Despite this, internet writers must weigh the details that will fill their "snippets" and make their concise and clear internet articles even more concise and clear.

• Original Only - Internet writers must produce original internet articles. We can't being writing duplicate or "almost the same" content as others. With millions of internet writers out there, we must put our unique spin on everything we write. The personality and spirit of the individual internet writer must shine through. The only way I know to do this is to write from the heart. If you aren't writing from the heart, you are missing the boat and the potential of a profitable career of an internet writer.

• Trial and Error - All writing, especially internet writing, is trial and error. My "writing philosophy" is quite simple: Throw everything against the wall and see what sticks. What works for one internet writer may not work for another internet writer. Yes, there are rules all internet writers should follow. Think of the old Air Supply song..."I know all the rules and I know how to break them and I always know the name of the game." The name of the game is "Making Money" and, as internet writers, we must break some rules to win that game.

• SEO - Always have SEO on your mind. I have Post-It notes on my edges of my computer screen, reminding me of SEO. Internet writers can't forget that SEO is what gets their internet articles indexed by search engines and increases your page rank. Without both, you will struggle with earning a living as an internet writer.

• Keywords - As with SEO, internet writers must be mindful of keywords. Use them and use them wisely. Use the keyword tools available to internet writers online. Pay attention to the specific keywords you use and their ratio in your internet articles. Avoid using too many different keywords in individual internet articles. Use trial and error to find the mix that works best for you.

• Branding - Internet writers must brand themselves and their work. This is key; an internet writer must be remembered by their readers. Develop your specific brand and stick with it. Use that brand to increase your readership. As your readership increases, so will your earnings.

• Promotion -Internet writers must promote their work! Never count on getting indexed on the first page of major search engines. This does happen and it happens often, but you must promote your work to help the search engines pick up your internet articles. Use Twitter, Facebook, Digg and other forms of social networking sites to increase your page views. The more page views you have, the more like you are to make money.

If I had "the secret formula," I would have it in bottles on shelves everywhere and the internet would be saturated with this formula. The formula would have a pretty bow on it and a nice price tag. I don't formula. Personally, I don't think it exists. You will see so-called formulas all over the place. Many of them will have giant price tags on them. Please don't fall for it. The internet is always evolving and changing; our internet writing should do the same. Because of that, those secret formulas are often outdated and obsolete. What what last year or last week may not work today, tomorrow or in six months. As internet writers, we must learn to adapt and change. We must hone and craft, constantly "putting it out there" for the world to read.

Jobs Scheduling Tips for Internet Writers

One of the hardest jobs for internet writers is not the actual writing of internet articles. It is scheduling time to do their internet writing. That, in itself, is a full-time job. Many internet writers do not think about "jobs scheduling." They write when they can and never give it a second thought. Although that method can work, there are better ways that will allow internet writers to manage their time more effectively. These are just a few tips that will give you some scheduling solutions to your scheduling problems:

• Job Scheduling Software -There are many different types of job scheduling software available. Most are not designed for freelance writers, but can still be used for your internet writing. Job scheduling software can help you with all sorts of time management issues you may be having.

• Blocks of Time -Consider scheduling your internet writing in blocks of time. With this method, it is not necessary to schedule your online writing for the same time each day. Internet writers can "block" specific time periods throughout the week for their writing. This option works great for stay-at-home moms and students who are making extra money with their internet writing because it can be modified to fit into variable schedules.

• Project Scheduling -Internet writers can also schedule their time according to the different projects they are working on. This allows internet writers to allow themselves a specific amount of time for their different writing sites, blogs and private clients. When scheduling with this method, be sure to allow enough time for the different projects - keeping in mind that different projects will need specific amounts of time to finish. Project scheduling software is available to help you with any scheduling and time management issues.

• Snatch and Grab Scheduling -"Snatch and grab scheduling" is just as it sounds. Whenever you have spare time, you can do your internet writing. This form of scheduling requires the most amount of discipline. Without a set schedule, it can be difficult to find the time to write. However, internet writers who have full-time jobs, families and other commitments may find this works best for them.

• Other Scheduling Software - Keep in mind there are several different types of scheduling software that can help you with time management. In addition to job scheduling software and project scheduling software, internet writers can also use work schedule software, service scheduling software and time schedule software. Almost any of them can be modified to help internet writers with scheduling.

No matter what form of jobs scheduling you decide on, it is important that all internet writers have and maintain some sort of a schedule. Once internet writers have developed a schedule for their internet writing, it becomes easier to write and meet all deadlines. Remember to schedule your internet writing for when you will be "in the mood" to write and when you feel the most creative. This will help you be able to stick with your schedule and get the most of the time you have for your internet writing.

Blog Layout and Design

After my blog hopping adventures, I had to take some time to fully comprehend all of the different blog layouts and designs available to a blogger. I realized long ago that the layouts were almost limitless, but I had no idea how people were using those layouts and designs. These bloggers were using their creativity and imaginations to benefit themselves and shoot themselves in the foot. There is only one rule that bloggers should always follow - "Think like a reader." These are just a few tips that will help bloggers think like a reader:

• Purpose of My Blog - Consider the purpose of your blog when you are deciding on the layout and design. Are you sharing valuable information? Are you wanting to entertain your readers? Are promoting specific products and services? All of these will determine how you layout and design your blog.

• Follow the Eyes - Consider how the eyes of your readers will move across your blog. As a blogger, you will want the most important aspect of you blog to "grab" your readers attention immediately. Remember that as your readers' eyes wander around your blog, so will their minds. A blogger should also place important information at the last place the reader will look.

• KISS - "KISS" stands for "Keep it simple, Sutton." This isn't as easy as it sounds. With so many widgets, gadgets and other options available to a blogger, it is hard to keep it simple. A great rule to follow is to do all you can as blogger to keep your reader on your blog as long as possible. Bloggers want their readers to stay on their blog as long as possible and not visiting other sites.

As a blogger, you need to pay close attention to the colors and design you use on your blog. Bright stripes and pretty polka dots will grab a reader's attention. They can also be distracting and make your blog difficult to read. Keep your blog as professional-looking as possible, even if your blog is about the least professional of topics. Color combinations should be simplified and easy to ride. They should inviting to all readers.

Avoid cluttering you blog with non-essentials. This is especially true of gadgets that will take your reader away from your blog. Is it necessary to have the number of visitors your blog gets posted? Do you need newsreels and slideshows of photos you haven't personally taken? All of this may distract your reader from you internet content - the reason you want you people to visit your blog.

As a blogger, you need to always think like a reader. Create a blog that is geared to the reader and is easy for the reader to use. Always keep in mind, as an internet writer and blogger, you want your readers to remain on your blog as long as possible without being lured away to other sites or distracted with unnecessary clutter.

Blogs or Websites - Which is Best?

Internet writers have several different ways to present their internet articles to the world. I've mentioned different writing websites in the past that will publish your work and pay you for it. However, they take "their cut" of your earnings. That is the main reason I prefer having blogs and website. Of those two, blogs and websites, which is best for the internet writer?

The answer to that depends on the writer and the purpose of the blog and/or website of the internet writer. There are pros and cons to both that much be weighed carefully before making a decision. As with everything here, I really on my experience and the experience of other internet writers that I trust. This is my take on the blogs or websites debate:

Blogs work well for niche writers who have narrowed down their niche to something quite small. My standard example is gardening...A blog works great for a niche writer who writes about their garden. It is a small topic that can be written about for years. Pages are limited on blogs so the internet writer can dedicate specific pages to their flower garden, their vegetable garden and their herb garden. Links can be added to your niche blog that will take your readers to your internet articles on writing sites.

Websites work well for niche writers who have a broader niche. An internet writer who writes about rose gardens or gardens that do well in certain areas would benefit from having a website instead of a blog. There is more "room" to expand on the topic. Pages can be created for specific types of roses and then "sub-pages" can be created for the care of each of those roses, where they grow best and other information. Links can be added that will take your visitors to other internet articles you have written.

Blogs work well for non-niche internet writers, especially those wanting to promote their internet articles on writing sites. The "Day In the Life of" blogs are excellent for building links to the internet articles you want to promote. Websites are difficult for non-niche internet writers to write copy for. Don't even think of copy - try to find a URL and title for your non-niche website. It is probably hard to even know where to begin.

Websites and blogs work well together. My website, Travels Oklahoma, has a "companion blog" that goes with it. My website is the "business side." I write about all the wonderful places to visit in Oklahoma. My blog, which has the same name, is the "personal side." I write about my personal experiences as I travel Oklahoma. I provide links between my website and blog to my readers can see both the business and personal sides of traveling in Oklahoma.

Blogs are a full-time job. You must post several times each week to attract more followers and readers. You must also do this to stay on the first page of search engines and increase your page rank. Do you have the time every week to devote to a blog? A blogger's job is never done. There is always another post to write and more links to create.

Website can be difficult to create, much harder than many blogs. You must decided if you will have the skills to create a website. I recommend OfficeLive. They are economical (an annual fee instead of monthly) and their support staff is great if you have problems creating your website. The good news is that once your create your website, it is done. You will need to go back to add information and tweaking, but the website is finished. You will need to create links to your website to increase traffic and it's page rank.


Do you want to know about the money? I know that money is often deciding factors in whether to go with a blog or website. There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to the money you could potentially make.

Blogs can be more difficult to monetize. There is limited space and you don't want your blog to be covered in ads. Blog hosting sites may limit the type of ads or number of ads you can place on your blog. Some do not allow you to monetize your blog. Be sure to read all the fine print before you decide which blog host to go with.

Websites can be easier to monetize. You have several pages where you can place ads. Usually, you can use as many different ad programs as you like. Of course, you want to make sure those ads do not interfere with your copy. Affiliate programs, such as LinkShare, have large, bold ads that looks best on websites.

Blogs are usually free and websites come with a monthly or annual fee. I suggest that you start with a free blog. If your blog earns enough to cover the fees of having website, you can always create a website based on your blog.


Once again, I have made things as clear as mud. There are so many variables to consider that each internet writer must think long and hard before making a decision between having a blog or a website. They both have wonderful attributes and disheartening drawbacks. Decide which is best for you and run with it.

ClickBank - Keyword Experimentation

As an internet writer, I am always looking for new ways to improve my internet writing, my blogs and my income. Because of this, I have tried all sorts of things. Some worked and some have failed miserably. That is why I say I have a "Ph.D from the School of Hard Knocks." I am currently doing some keyword experimentation now that may help and I wanted to share it with you.

As I hope you didn't notice, I have added ClickBank ads to Keyword Crazy. I had heard of it and even did a little research a while back, but never did anything with it. I revisited ClickBank and decided now was the time to give it a try. There are a few reasons I felt this was the best time for me to add ClickBank to my blogs:

• Keywords - I love that fact that ClickBank lets you select the keywords for your ads. Unlike other ad programs whose ads "follows" my readers, ClickBank has ads that are based on my keywords instead of the habits of my readers. It makes a great mix, in my opinion. I love that ads my readers are interested in will show up on my blogs and I also love that ads about what I am writing about also will appear on my blog. I truly believe by mixing those two ways of advertising, my earnings will increase.

• Easy to Add - Adding the ClickBank ads to my blogs was fairly easy. I didn't worry about colors or sizes when I created the ads on the Clickbank website. I copied and pasted the code "as is" directly to the blogs. I then tweaked the colors and sizes to match my blogs and the columns. I tried making the codes perfect on their website, but fixing them on my blogs was easier for me. Hey - whatever works for best the individual is the only way to go. I also "labeled" my ClickBank ads and made them appear different from the ads I have on my blogs That is due to the terms of service of the other ad programs I use.

• Earning Potential - From the information on ClickBank's website, the commission for a sale can be as high as 75%. That exact percentage will vary from product to product, but I like the idea of 75% being a possibility. I also love the "payment threshold." You can chose a payout amount that ranges from $10 to $1,000,000. Seeing I am new to this, I chose a lower payout amount. Once the money starts pouring in (the power of positive thinking), I will raise my payout amount. I would prefer ClickBank deposited my earnings directly into my PayPal account, but a check will work almost as well.

I am giving this new ad program a three to six month "trial period." That should be enough time for me to know if my readers are interested in the ClickBank ads and if the ad program is profitable for me. During this trial period, I will be "swapping out" old ads with new ads with different keywords and rearranging them on my page to match the post they are closest to.

We will see how this works. It sounds great to me, but shoulder pads in the 1980s sounded good as well. As with everything I do - if something better comes along, I will go with that. As much as I would love to find "the perfect formula" to monetizing blogs and websites that will make all of us the most amount of money, I don't know what that formula is or if it even exists. Should I ever find it, I will be sure to pass it on to you.

Limiting Your Keywords

For internet writers, it is all about keywords. We need them to survive. Without keywords, search engines would not index our internet articles. We would not be able to have a great page rank. The SEO would sink. Internet writers would be writing for themselves - with few readers and little revenue. Despite the need for internet writers to use keywords, those keywords need to be limited. No, I'm not talking about keyword density. I am talking about too many keywords in an internet article.

An internet friend of mine recently asked, "How do we get 'win no fee,' 'Coffee AM,' and 'wrongful death attorney Los Angeles' in one article?" For the record, as of the date publication, the CPC for "win no fee" is $241.35; the CPC for Coffee AM is $127.73 and the CPC for "wrongful death attorney Los Angeles" is $73.73. She was joking, of course, but it did bring up an interesting topic - limiting the individual keywords in an internet article.

How do you do it? Well, you don't. Unless you are writing a schizophrenic internet article that is "all over the place." Instead, you would write three different internet articles. Each on of those articles would concentrate on of those keywords. Even though you could mix "win no fee" with "wrongful death attorney Los Anglees," your internet article would do better only one keyword.

I'm sure your thinking "But this blog post has lots of keywords in it." It has a few - keywords, internet writer and internet articles. However, my goal with my blog is to have it indexed according to several keywords. I am not particularly concerned with this one post being indexed. That is a luxury a blog has as opposed to one internet article.

The tip of the day is to limit your internet articles to one keyword and limit your blog to several similar keywords. This will help get indexed by major search engines, increase your page rank and the internet article's SEO. Please don't think of it as more work; think of it as helping with the quantity and quality of your work.

Ad Placement on Blogs

I just received an urgent email from a reader that I feel the need to address immediately. This internet writer was begging for my help.  This is what she wrote:

"Emma, I just started reading your blog and I am inspired to make money with my blog. I have over 1,000 followers and I get about ten new comments on my blog each day. I haven't made a penny off my blog because I am afraid to put ads on it. I've seen so many blogs that are all ads and I don't want to make that mistake. I don't know where to put the ads so they are seen and don't interfere with my posts. I think I could make money with my blog, but I don't want to mess it up. What do you suggest? Please help me."

It is wonderful that my reader has that many followers. It is even more wonderful she is receiving that many comments. She doesn't just have followers - she has readers! People are interested in what she has to say, so interested in her internet writing that they interact with her. It doesn't get much better than that. All we have to do now is get that blog to be profitable!

My first suggestion is to make your blog as large as possible. Adjust the widths of you blog to the maximum. This will give you more room for everything - copy, ads and the (must-have only) gadgets. Another part of enlarging your blog is to get rid of all the unnecessary gadgets and gizmos. As you are deciding which gadgets to get rid of, keep in mind you want to keep your readers on your blog for as long as possible. Any add-ons that take your readers elsewhere (unless it is to more your internet writing) should go. The links that you use to boost your page rank should be "buried" as deeply in your blog as possible.

My second suggestion is choose a lay-out that allow you get all of your ads "above the fold." "Above the fold" is an old newspaper term that means just what is says - information, ads, photos, whatever that is above the fold and seen without the reader needing to put forth any effort to see them. Obviously, blogs do not have folds. Instead, blogs have what I call "the scroll line" - the point where the reader must scroll down to read more of the page. You want the majority of your ads above "the scroll line" so they are easily seen.

As bloggers, we must think like a blog reader. Where will the reader look first? What will the reader be most interested in? Where will the reader "linger" on your blog? Those are the places where ads should placed without interfering with your copy. Ads placed at the bottom of the blog are less intrusive of all ads, but you must place your ads where they will seen. How often do you scroll down to the end, the very bottom, of the blog?

One of my pet peeves with blogs with ads is when those ads are bigger than the column where they have been placed. When you column is only 180 pixels wide, do not put an ad there that is 200 pixels wide. The ad will either be cut off and the reader can't get all the information or it will cover up your copy. Make sure your ads fit in the space available to them! Bigger isn't always better; match the size of blog ads with the "sections" of your blog. If you use small sections for your copy, use smaller ads to match the size of your copy. If you use large sections of your blog for copy, you should do the same with the ads on your blog.

Unlike children (throwing in some of my parenting philosophy), ads should be "seen and not heard." It is also my firm belief that ads should be "seen and not noticed." You want your ads to blend in as much as possible, to look like your copy. Contrasting colors for ads are almost a turn off to readers. They scream "Here I am! I am an ad!" It is also my personal preference that ads be "text only" instead of "image and text." Unless your blog contains a lot of photos and graphics, image ads can distract your readers.

The best thing you can do when adding ads to your blog is simply to play with the ad placement and see what looks best for your blog. Try different lay-outs that work well with your copy and will flow nicely. Ask friends and family which lay-out looks best. Pick a lay-out that you think will work and use it for a while (a week or so) to see if your ad revenue increases. If your revenue doesn't increase, try another lay-out. As much as I would love to give you a "map" to the best ad placement, it doesn't work that way. As with most things in life, trial and error will help you find what is best for you blog.

If you have any other questions about ad placement on your blog, please feel free to leave a comment with the link to your blog(s). I would be more than happy to take a look and give you feedback. I would also love for my readers to look at those blogs as well and share their ideas on improving the ad placement.

SEO - On-The-Page Help

One of the ways that search engines decide how to rank your internet articles is by what they find in your internet article. Improving your page rank can be as simple as editing your internet article to improve it's SEO. These are just a few ideas that will help you increase the SEO value of your internet article:

• Keywords - Remember to always use keywords in internet articles. It is best to plan your internet article ahead of time so you know which keywords you will be using. Use these keywords as "tags" or "labels." This will help the search engine "spiders" to find and index your internet article and increase the SEO value of your internet article.

• First 50 Words -Search engines love the beginning of your internet article. In fact, many search engines pay more attention to the first 50 words your work than the rest of it. It is important that you include your keywords at least once in the first 50 words of your internet article. Those first 50 words not include the the title or the header of internet article.

• Keyword Density - Keyword should be between three and six percent. That means you should use your keywords three to six times in every 100 words. Check your keyword density to ensure that you are getting the best SEO available. I wrote more about this topic in a previous post entitled Keyword Density-Finding the Right Mix for Your Online Article . I also wrote about using Keyword Analysis Live in this earlier post.

• Internal Links -As you can see from my previous paragraph, I used the keywords of this blog post in the actual hyperlink. This will increase your SEO. Instead of the typical "click here" hyperlink, I used my keywords to direct my readers back to a previous post. Search engines will notice that and it will increase the chances of my posts being indexed by search engines and the page rank of my entire blog.

• Original Content - The best way you can take advantage of SEO is to use original and quality content in your internet articles. Search engines work hard to "weed out" duplicate content. Despite what you might have heard, there aren't really penalties for duplicate content - other than not getting indexed and lower page rank. With all of the internet articles it can be difficult to create completely unique copy. When you write for a writing site where the articles often have the same titles, use synonyms as often as possible. Move your paragraphs around to make your internet article as different as possible. Whenever possible, change the title as much as possible.

These SEO tips may seem quite basic, but many internet writers forget to use them. I am guiltiest of not using my keywords as my hyperlinks. So, we all have specific areas that need a little work. Use these tips increase your SEO and see how much it will help you get your internet articles indexed by search engines. Then, watch as your page rank increase.

Curve Your Competitive Nature

Writers are a competitive group of people, especially internet writers. As internet writers, we all want the "good keywords" that are the most "searchable" and that will attract the highest paying ads. We want our internet articles to listed first on search engines and have the highest page rank. I have a little news flash for you...The internet is big place and there is enough room for all writers. Writers, yes; hacks, no. There is not enough room for hacks anywhere in the writing world, but that is completely different topic. With the limitless possibilities of topic we can write about, we should learn to curve our competitive natures and do all we can to help to help other internet writers.

I love sharing what I have learned along the way of my writing career with other writers. I also love it when other writers share their thoughts, tips and tidbits of advice with me. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have in the writing world, especially the world of internet writing, if not for the help I received along the way.

I am writing this in response to an email I received. I was asked why I share my writing secrets with the world and if I thought that could damage my future as a writer. I share because it is the right thing to do, a sort of "pay it forward" for all the help I've gotten in the past. And, to make money, of course. You didn't think those Google ads and links to Amazon products just showed up on their own, did you? I'm not kind and wonderful! As for damaging my future as a writer, I have done the best I can to brand myself and my work. I have a unique voice. I am not a niche writer so no one can push me out of a particular "slot" in the writing world.

As internet writers, we need do all we can to perfect our craft and to help other internet writers do the same. The better we all look, the better the world of internet writing will look. That is a win/win situation for everyone. Instead of hoarding the information we have that will improve our internet writing, we need to pass it on to any and every internet writer that will listen and learn from it.

It Isn't Writer's Block

If you think writer's block is bad, you must have never suffered from "Don't Wanna Write Syndrome." That is the worst. With writer's block, there are techniques that can used to overcome those temporary problems.  With "DWWS," it is nothing but forcing yourself to do it.Trust me, I know. I'm having a severe case of DWWS at this very moment. Contrary to "my norm," I am as interested in writing as I am in giving birth to a blue hippo.

For the record, writer's block is physical problem. Your brain is unable to think of things to write about. And, this is complicated by "blockage" between your brain and hands that stops ideas from getting to the paper or screen. DWWS is a psychological and emotional problem. You are physically able to write and you have ideas to write about, but you can't seem to get it together.

At this moment, I have oodles of ideas to write about. I just don't want to. I can think of hundreds, if not thousands, of other things I could be doing beside writing. I could watch it snow and blow during what is being called "the storm of century." It is historical; I can't miss it. I could clean out the litter box. Okay, I just did that. The entire Egyptian protests/revolt/uprising is very interesting. Even Rupert Murdock talking about his newspaper created just for iPad is fascinating. Yesterday, I was disciplined writer. Today, I am ready to scrap it all for no particular reason.

What am I doing about it? It is a painful procedure. I am forcing myself to write. I have become an evil dictator and will not allow myself out my chair until I am finished writing what I need to write. I am not a big fan of myself now, but I am getting it done. I should also mention the "dictator mentality" was the last resort.

What did I try before this? I thought of you, my readers, and how disappointed you would be if I didn't pass on some sort of information about online writing. I thought of my goal to provide new content on a daily basis. I thought of all the money I would be losing if I didn't write any internet articles today. I finally had to lump all of these together, become a dictator and get to writing.

You are probably wondering why I am bothering to post this. Well, I want you to know you aren't the only one who has days like this. Internet writers need to know it is possible to push through DWWS and get something accomplished. It takes discipline and, at times, sheer stubbornness to do what is necessary. We are internet writers. This is our job and we must do our job. Good luck. I hope you handle DWWS better than I do.

Focus Your Blog

So, you want to be a blogger? You've heard or read that blogging is a great way for an internet writer to make money and you are ready to get started. With all those ideas floating around in your head, along with the dollar signs, you feel as if you can do anything. Well, you can. Within reason. You've heard "too many cooks spoil the broth." The same holds true with being blogger. Too many ideas can ruin a great blog.  And, blogger. The key is to being a successful blog is to focus to your blog.

Focusing your blog is fairly easy. Think of all the topics you enjoy, have knowledge about and would want to write about until the end of time.  For me, obviously, that was writing. Use the Google Keyword Tool to find "searchable" and profitable keywords for those different topics. Create a blog centered around one of those topics and get started blogging. As searchable and profitable as all bloggers want their blog to be, it is more important to select a topic within your area of expertise and something you feel passionate about - passionate enough to write about it for many years.

Staying focused is a horse of a different color. One blog post leads to another and that one leads to another. One day you look at your blog that started out being about "gardening" and now you have a blog about how your children do not like to eat vegetables. How did that happen? You had focused your blog and it never should have happened. More than likely, you weren't disciplined enough to keep your blog focused or the topic you selected was too broad.

Gardening, at first glance may seem like a great topic for a focused blog. Then again, there are rose gardens, vegetables gardens, gardens that grow well in your area and your own garden. Remember flower gardens, rock gardens and tips about gardens. The possibilities of that one topic is not so narrow now. You should have a topic of your blog that is narrow enough not to become "cluttered" with other topics yet not narrow enough to limit yourself to a few posts a month or year.

Once you decide on the narrow yet limitless blog topic, you are almost ready to begin your career as a blogger. Stay tuned for information about creating your actual blog, ad placement and the like. There is a long to do list you must go through before you are ready to actually start blogging.

Sharing Goals as Internet Writers

I am quite pleased with how well my website, ad/traffic revenue online articles and my blogs are doing so far this year. I have been pleasantly surprised at how much more money I am earning compared to this time last year. In fact, I am so pleased that I am setting goals for myself that I never thought of before. These are just a few of the goals that I have set for myself as an internet writer:

For my website, I want add new content every other week. Perhaps go as far as to add another page. I want to double the amount of traffic and Adsense revenue from the previous month, January. I want to maintain those "doubled" amounts for three months - until the last of May. Starting in May, I want to double the average amount of the previous months.  I will continue that pattern until the end of the year - every three months doubling my previous monthly average Adsense revenue. In December, I will start setting goals for the next year.

For my ad/traffic revenue online articles, I have different goals. I want to continue to write one list per day at List My Five until I have reached, at least, a total of 500 lists. At Helium, Associated Content and Factoidz, I want to find new ways to promote my online articles there (which I will share with my readers) and promote the work I have there on a daily basis. I want to add new content at least once per month.

As you have probably have guessed, the majority of my time will be spent on my blogs - this blog in particular. I want to continue posting every day for, at least, the next three months here. I want to post at least three times per week on my other blogs. I want to incorporate the "double every three months" goal I have for TravelsOklahoma to each of my blogs. I also want to increase my followers on a weekly basis.

Of course, I want to continue helping internet writers with all of their writing needs. I want to make this blog more interactive. I want to pull out the stops to ensure that my readers are getting the best information possible from me. I want to encourage everyone to continue with their online writing and never get discouraged, despite those lest than wonderful spells that will happen. I want to read comments such as "my earnings increased X% since..." and "My traffic is increasing and I have more followers than before."

Getting started with my "interactive" goal...What are your goals as internet writers? Do your prefer to make monetary goals or content goals? Do you make "emotional" goals - such as having more fun or writing about your favorite topics? Please feel free to share. I know that as an internet writer, I want to know what your goals are and I am sure other readers are interested as I am.

Internet Writing: Your Never-Ending Job Interview

Internet writers must understand that the internet articles they post can remain online for as long as the world wide web exists. Readers can access internet articles for decades, centuries perhaps. Internet writers must always produce internet articles of the highest quality.

Of course, there is a learning curve. As internet writers grow as writers and hone their online article writing skills, their articles will improve. In fact, every internet article must be better than the last. This is a daunting task. It isn't easy to produce ever-improving internet articles.

I consider internet writing to be a never-ending job interview. Readers will begin to notice you and your work. This is especially true if you have properly branded yourself and your work. Readers will judge your work based on your other work and other internet articles they have read as well as by their own standards. Based on their opinions of your work, they will be deciding if they want to continue reading - hiring you as their "personal internet writer."

The quality of your internet articles must always be of the highest caliber. There is little, if any room, for errors. I am a firm believer that it is best to have one quality internet article than several low-quality internet articles. Those low-quality articles may earn your money and readers in the short-term, but do all sorts of long-term damage that can not be corrected. Internet writers must remember that they are only as good as the worst online article they have written.

Google Keyword Tool - Just the Basics

I have mentioned the Google Keyword Tool in previous posts. I have gotten several emails about this. Many of my online readers have never heard of it and, if they have heard it, they don't know how to use it. Internet writers are missing a wonderful opportunity when they aren't using "the tool." This tool will help internet writers pick keywords to use in their online articles.  Sit back, take a deep breath; it isn't as hard as it might sound. These are just the basics to using the Google Keyword Tool.

Think of a topic you would like to create an online article about. It doesn't matter what it is. Concentrate on the words that you know you will repeat in the online article. For the purpose of this post, I will use "coffee" as the topic of the article. Pull up the Google Keyword Tool and type in "coffee," without the quotation marks.

On the far right of you computer screen you will see a rectangular box entitled "columns." Click on that box. You will see all sorts of options as how to customize your columns. I recommend that internet writers only click on "global monthly searches" and "estimated avg. CPC."  Remember that "CPC" stands for "cost per click." This is NOT the amount you will be paid when someone clicks on the ad. This is the amount that the advertiser pays Google when someone clicks on the ad.

To the left of the columns box you will find "sorted by." Click on the box next to it and check "estimated avg. CPC." This will allow the results for coffee (the topic of our pretend internet article) to be sorted from highest CPC to lowest CPC.

Now click the "search" box which is located beneath the "word or phrase" box. The results for the keyword coffee will pop up. At the time I am writing this, the results from the Google Keyword Tool list "coffee am," "green mountain coffee" and "green mountain coffee roasters" as the three words (phrases) with the highest CPC.  The highest CPC is $117.10 - for "coffee am." Scroll through the search results for coffee and find the keyword(s) that will best work with your internet article about coffee. Remember that at the bottom of the page you can also add more rows, up to 100.

Start thinking about the internet article you will be writing about coffee. How can you incorporate the keywords you found? Keep in mind that you want to use the keywords with the both the highest CPC and the highest global monthly searches. If you were going to write an internet article about where to buy coffee, "coffee am" is the the obvious choice.  Coffee AM is a website that sells coffee.

Not quite what you were wanting for your online article? It is time to brainstorm. Try "expresso," "caffeinated beverages" or "hot drinks." Keep brainstorming different options until you find something that will work for your internet article. You can even change the slant of your internet article to fit a more profitable and more "searchable" keyword.

Keep in mind as you use the Google Keyword Tool that you want to write a quality internet article! Internet writers should always write about what they feel passionately about and not what is most profitable. (Look at me! I'm writing about internet writing and internet writing. I feel passionately about it. If I was only "in it" for the money, I would have chosen a blog topic that is more "searchable" and more profitable.) Your passion will shine through and draw readers in. Also, you need to remember that Google is personalizing the ads - the subject of ads your readers have clicked in the past will follow them to your internet article no matter your topic. Internet articles will still have some content-based ads, but as many as before.

Now write your internet article. Remember to use Live Keyword Analysis to get the correct ratio. For more information about this, please read my previous post about using this great tool. Do not force the keywords. Let them flow naturally. You can always go back to the Google Keyword Tool to tweak the keywords you have used in your internet article.