OK. It's two weeks since I started on my project, and I have set up three hubpages - here are the links for those who wish to look at them :-)
- How to cure a cold
- The Wives of Nicolas Sarkozy
- Do it yourself debt management
The Wives of Nicolas Sarkozy was a minor hit on Reddit (678 hits from them), and all the hubs are starting to get a trickle of hits from the search engines. In particular, the Do it youself debt management hub is getting hits from Google UK, which is the targetted audience.
So far so good on the creating hubs and getting some traffic front.
However Kontera has been disappointing. Some of the ads they place are irrelevant - for instance they placed dating ads on the Wives of Sarkozy hub, when people reading that page would be more interested in celebrities and politics. Naturally, people arn't really clicking on the ads. I don't know whether things will improve or not. Will give it till the 31st of this month before I decide. Everyone seems to think Adsense is a better match to hubpages (especially as they roll over any amount you make each month, instead of forfeiting it like Kontera). However, Adsense operates a "smart-pricing" formula, so you really need to build the traffic up before placing Adsense on the hub - and they like search traffic above all.
So my plan for the rest of this month is to continue to build hubs and promote them to get the desired search engine traffic. I will evaluate the advertising at the end of the month to decide whether to continue with Kontera or not.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Kontera Keywords
Unlike Google adsense, there seems to be very little information on Kontera keywords, apart from the information on the Kontera blog, which does a post about the top clicked keywords each month. So I thought I'd start from there and go through their blog and find what they have been reporting.
The data the blog reports is eccentric: they only start reporting on popular keywords in August 2008, and didn't provide reports for September and November 2008. Further, you will notice that some categories are blank for a given month: I assume this is because that category didn't feature in the "top clicked" for that month.
The value of this list is that these are keywords for which a) Kontera has ads and b) people have have clicked on these ads.
Here's the info I have collated based on category:
Category: Apparel & Beauty
Category: Automotive
Category: Books & Magazines
Category: Computing and Internet
Category: Consumer electronics
Category: Employment
Category: Entertainment
Category: Finance
Category: Government & Politics
Category: Health
Category: Holidays and Special Occasions
Category: News
Category: Real Estate
Category: Society & Culture
Category: Sports
Category: Travel
The next step is designing hubpages to take advantage of the above information.
Please note that I will update this list as and when the Kontera blog provides new information on keywords.
The data the blog reports is eccentric: they only start reporting on popular keywords in August 2008, and didn't provide reports for September and November 2008. Further, you will notice that some categories are blank for a given month: I assume this is because that category didn't feature in the "top clicked" for that month.
The value of this list is that these are keywords for which a) Kontera has ads and b) people have have clicked on these ads.
Here's the info I have collated based on category:
Category: Apparel & Beauty
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 dresses
swinsuit
hair color
makeup
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 winter hat
Coat
hairstyle
bikini
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 hairstyles
Halloween costume
Hair
short hairstyles
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 Bikini
Hair color
Swimsuit
Hair product
Category: Automotive
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 Auto repair manual
Fuel consumption
Hybrid car
Sports car
Category: Books & Magazines
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 Sports Illustrated
Vogue magazine
People magazine
W magazine
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Computing and Internet
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 Windows XP
Windows Vista
Adsense
Windows 7
Jan 09 Windows XP
windows vista
DVD decrypter
laptopr
Dec 08 free download
firmware
audio stream
MP3 converter
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 free download
Software
Application
file type
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 Free downloads
Firmware
Windows XP
Myspace
Category: Consumer electronics
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 iphone
psp game
blackberry
nintendo wii
Jan 09 iphone
nintendo wii
portable media player
Bluetooth
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 cheat code
video game
mp3
online game
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 cheat code
Video game
x-box
Nintendo
Digital camera
iphone
Webcam
HDTV
Category: Employment
Date Top clicked keywords
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 -
Dec 09 resume sample
resume example
cover letter
job application
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Entertainment
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 red carpet
Golden Globe Award
Rebecca Romijn
The Pussy Cat Dolls
Dec 08 Michael Caine
Jennifer Aniston
Brooke Burke
Chelsea Handler
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 Beyonce
lyrics
music video
celebrity
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 Bernie Mac
Dark Knight
Britney Spears
Season Premiere
Category: Finance
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 Trading
Bank
Stock Market
investment
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Government & Politics
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 presidential campaign
government
Barack Obama
citizenship
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Health
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 weight loss
diagnosis
diet plan
Mediterranean diet
Jan 09 side effect
medical condition
breast feeding
face lift
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Holidays and Special Occasions
Date Top clicked Keyword
Feb 09 Valentine's Day
send roses
Valentine's Day Greeting
Valentine's Day love songs
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 party idea
party invitation
Halloween
Gift Idea
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: News
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 Mumbai
Barack Obama
Hilary Clinton
Delhi
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Real Estate
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 affordable housing
apartment finder
apartsments for rent
home loans
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 housing
apartment for rent
rental property
apartment finder
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Society & Culture
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 zodiac sign
sun sign
horoscope
astrology
Dec 08 -
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 -
Category: Sports
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 Danica Patrick
football
Datona 500
League football
Jan 09 quarterback
workout routine
Manchester United
Junkyard Dog
Dec 08 Oscar de la Hoya
cricket
college football
boxing
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 Olympic Games
Football
Swimming
Basketball
Category: Travel
Date Top clicked keyword
Feb 09 -
Jan 09 -
Dec 08 ski vacation
flight ticket
Mexico
Turkey
Nov 08 -
Oct 08 -
Sept 08 -
Aug 08 India
National park
Hiking trail
New York
The next step is designing hubpages to take advantage of the above information.
Please note that I will update this list as and when the Kontera blog provides new information on keywords.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Kontera continued
I've just discovered that Kontera require you to make a minimum of $5 a month with them, or they won't roll over the money (i.e. you lose your month's earnings if you are under that).
Not sure what I think about that to be honest! It's a bit harsh. Another thing - Hubpages only display your ad 60% of the time (the other 40% they display their own ad ID), plus they don't display them to those signed into Hubpages, so internal traffic is useless. And Kontera block the ads when the IP address of the visitor to the page is from certain countries. So you need a lot of page impressions before you get any clicks.
Still, as this is supposed to be a proper experiment to see if Kontera works, I am determined to try for at least a month to see if I can meet their conditions. That means building more hubpages and promoting them like anything. Perhaps these kinds of conditions are the sort of kick up the backside needed to get people to take making money online seriously instead of flitting from project to project never making much from anything.
Making decent hubpages takes a lot of work - don't be fooled by those who say they can be knocked out in an hour or two - it takes much longer, especially if you are researching your topic to make sure you've left nothing out, not to mention time spent thinking of ideas for hubs in the first place. This is most definitely not money for nothing! I should be able to report in a month's time whether it pays off with Kontera. If nor, I shall simply remove Kontera and put Adsense on the hubs.
Not sure what I think about that to be honest! It's a bit harsh. Another thing - Hubpages only display your ad 60% of the time (the other 40% they display their own ad ID), plus they don't display them to those signed into Hubpages, so internal traffic is useless. And Kontera block the ads when the IP address of the visitor to the page is from certain countries. So you need a lot of page impressions before you get any clicks.
Still, as this is supposed to be a proper experiment to see if Kontera works, I am determined to try for at least a month to see if I can meet their conditions. That means building more hubpages and promoting them like anything. Perhaps these kinds of conditions are the sort of kick up the backside needed to get people to take making money online seriously instead of flitting from project to project never making much from anything.
Making decent hubpages takes a lot of work - don't be fooled by those who say they can be knocked out in an hour or two - it takes much longer, especially if you are researching your topic to make sure you've left nothing out, not to mention time spent thinking of ideas for hubs in the first place. This is most definitely not money for nothing! I should be able to report in a month's time whether it pays off with Kontera. If nor, I shall simply remove Kontera and put Adsense on the hubs.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Experimenting with HubPages
After Googling for what seems like hours, I finally came across a decent article that explained how HubPages work.
Have decided to sign up, and will use HubPages to test out my theory of writing about coping with debt in a recession (something I know quite a bit about). Hubpages shares ad revenue with members (60% to the member and 40% to them), but I haven't yet figured out whether I have to put the ads on there myself or whether they do.
Anyway for the moment I will concentrate on building my "hub".
Update 10th March 2009: OK, have produced my very first hubpage - Do It Yourself Debt Management.
Have also found out how they do the ad revenue - basically you have to sign up with Google Adsense or Kontera, and tell HubPages your ad ID - they then place the ads on your page and split the revenue.
Have decided to try Kontera only for the moment. Kontera produce little text-links in the text of your article. Payment is pay-per-click and they payout by Paypal 30 days after you reach $100 in your account.
Have decided to put Kontera on this blog too, to see how it all works out.
Have decided to sign up, and will use HubPages to test out my theory of writing about coping with debt in a recession (something I know quite a bit about). Hubpages shares ad revenue with members (60% to the member and 40% to them), but I haven't yet figured out whether I have to put the ads on there myself or whether they do.
Anyway for the moment I will concentrate on building my "hub".
Update 10th March 2009: OK, have produced my very first hubpage - Do It Yourself Debt Management.
Have also found out how they do the ad revenue - basically you have to sign up with Google Adsense or Kontera, and tell HubPages your ad ID - they then place the ads on your page and split the revenue.
Have decided to try Kontera only for the moment. Kontera produce little text-links in the text of your article. Payment is pay-per-click and they payout by Paypal 30 days after you reach $100 in your account.
Have decided to put Kontera on this blog too, to see how it all works out.
Which industries do best in a recession?
I thought I'd start my quest to earn online by Googling the above phrase. The results were mixed to say the least. There was a lot of consensus that healthcare is recession-proof - but you can't do healthcare online on a self-employed basis, especially if you have no healthcare background. The same goes for advice to work for the utilities, police force, military and so on. None can be pursued online.
One potential area that caught my eye was "debt management". Now there is an area where people would probably want free sound debt advice online. I guess the website could be paid for by advertising.
Another area that caught my eye was "comforts". People wanting to cheer themselves up with small comforts such as a bar of chocolate or a glass of wine. Cosmetics such as lipsticks also do well in recessions as women cheer themselves up with small purchases to make themselves look good. This could lend itself to affiliate marketing.
A third potential area to explore is "discount retailing" - the idea is that people become demons about seeking out discounts in recessions, and those who can provide them do the best. I'm not quite sure how a self-employed person with no money and free blogs is going to be able to get into that business though.
The next step will be working out how to exploit these areas online.
One potential area that caught my eye was "debt management". Now there is an area where people would probably want free sound debt advice online. I guess the website could be paid for by advertising.
Another area that caught my eye was "comforts". People wanting to cheer themselves up with small comforts such as a bar of chocolate or a glass of wine. Cosmetics such as lipsticks also do well in recessions as women cheer themselves up with small purchases to make themselves look good. This could lend itself to affiliate marketing.
A third potential area to explore is "discount retailing" - the idea is that people become demons about seeking out discounts in recessions, and those who can provide them do the best. I'm not quite sure how a self-employed person with no money and free blogs is going to be able to get into that business though.
The next step will be working out how to exploit these areas online.
About this blog
The interesting thing about this recession is that this is the first one to take place in the internet age. Millions will become self-employed and try to earn online. But is this feasible? Is it possible to make a living in the virtual world when the real world is in such bad shape?
Well, this blog diary is going to chart my progress in trying to do just that. Even if I don't make it, it will be a record of what happened in 2009 that I can show to my as yet un-born grandchildren when they ask, "Gramdma what did you do in the Great Recession of the 21st Century".
Well, this blog diary is going to chart my progress in trying to do just that. Even if I don't make it, it will be a record of what happened in 2009 that I can show to my as yet un-born grandchildren when they ask, "Gramdma what did you do in the Great Recession of the 21st Century".
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