Written on February 4th, 2007 at 08:02 pm by mahor dave

AdSense ‘Custom Placement Packs’ Program

Adsense 11 comments

I’m hearing tonight from a few bloggers that they’ve received an email from AdSense asking them if they’d like to be involved in a new program that they are running called ‘Custom Placement Packs’.

This seems to be a program that clusters similar sites together to be sold to advertisers as a package. It is based around 300 x 250 pixel rectangle image and text ad units.

To be involved publishers who receive these emails are asked to place the rectangle image/text ad units above the fold and utilize the new ‘ad placement feature’ which labels ad slots.

Update - more discussion on this at digital point and webmaster world.

Here’s the email AdSense have been approaching sites with:

Dear Publisher,

After a recent review of your site, we would like to include xxxx.com in our custom placement packs program. Custom placement packs are selections of individually-reviewed sites designed for our largest brand advertisers.

We would like to feature your site more frequently in these advertiser packages, but to do so, we need you to place more image and text-enabled medium rectangle ad units (300×250) on your site. Visit https://www.google.com/adsense/adformats to see a sample of the medium rectangle unit.

The medium rectangle is the most demanded size among our brand advertisers that utilize these packages for both text and image ads. These advertisers want to ensure they reach visitors on high quality sites like yours, and are willing to bid more for ads prominently displayed on these sites. They require that the units be placed “above the fold” on a page so that the ads are immediately visible to your site’s visitors without scrolling down.

If you decide to add medium rectangle units to your site, please notify us by replying to this email so that we can begin featuring your site in more of our advertiser packages.

We also recommend you use the newly launched ad placements feature to define your ad slots to advertisers so they can bid on specific placements on your site. For instructions on how to create ad placements, please visit https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?answer=50691.

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Written on February 3rd, 2007 at 10:02 am by mahor dave

Which Blogging Platform Do You Use and Why? - Open Mike

Blogging Tools and Services 117 comments

I get a lot of questions from people just getting into blogging about which blog platform to choose. I have my own preferences and opinions but try to be objective with my answer. I usually point people to my blogging for beginners post on blog platforms for starters - but I’m aware that even that is skewed by my own experiences of blogging.

So - I’d like to be able to give a more independent set of reflections to my readers also and would love for you to share which blogging platform you use and recommend. Here’s a few questions that you might like to answer in comments below (or feel free to write a post about it on your blog and leave the link below so others can find it).

• Which Blog Platform do you Use?
• Why do you use it?
• What do you love about it?
• What do you wish they’d improve?
• What type of blogger would benefit from using it?

I’m looking forward to reading your responses.

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Written on February 3rd, 2007 at 10:02 am by mahor dave

Is this Advertising Agency Hiring Comment Spammers?

Pro Blogging News 21 comments

Just came across this ad (via Dave) on Craigslist which is somewhat concerning. Does it read like they’re looking for a comment spammer to anyone else? Here’s how the ad reads in case it’s removed:

Contract Writing Position for Blogging Campaign
We are an advertising agency that is looking for somebody to work from 2/14 - 2/26 as part of a viral marketing campaign. The job will essentially consist of contributing to a variety of blogs and message boards. Candidates should write well and have the ability to think creatively on their feet. An interest in music and technology is a big plus.

To be considered, you must include “Blogger” in the subject of the email.

So we’ve got a viral marketing campaign that is based around blogs and message boards - where applicants need to be able to track where comments have been left…..

It’s not quite comment spam - but how close to the line is it?

PS: the same email address has advertised for similar positions previously - here’s another similar one looking for people to promote another startup. At least in this one they say they’re looking for people to do ethical communication in forums and on blogs….

“You will visit these communities and interact with them honestly using good “netiquette” while helping to answer questions by community members. You may also help us with some viral marketing through other Internet forums. We are focused on good ethics and want somebody who can communicate our message ethically and effectively.”

I know this kind of thing has been going on for a while on blogs but it’s interesting to see the advertisments for such positions being advertised more and more.

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Written on February 3rd, 2007 at 07:02 am by mahor dave

AdSense Referrals Payment Changes are Official - And there’s a $2000 Bonus!

Adsense 14 comments

The AdSense/AdWords Referrals changes that I reported here yesterday are official with an announcement today on the AdSense Blog. Not only can you now earn up o $255 for an AdSense referral - you can also earn a $2000 bonus for referring 25 publishers who earn over $100 within a 180 day period.

There’s also a bonus for referring 20 advertisers to AdWords who spend more than $100 in a 180 day period. That bonus is $600.

The full details of AdSense and AdWords Referrals are:

• When a publisher who signed up for Google AdSense through your referral earns their first $5 within 180 days of sign-up, you will be credited with $5.
• When that same publisher earns $100 within 180 days of sign-up and is eligible for payment, you will be credited with an additional $250.
• If, in any 180-day period, you refer 25 publishers who each earn more than $100 within 180 days of their respective sign-ups and are all eligible for payout, you will be awarded a $2,000 bonus (bonus payouts are limited to 1 per year).

AdWords Referrals:

• When an advertiser you refer spends $5 within 90 days of sign-up (in addition to the $5 sign-up fee) you will be credited with $5.
• When that same advertiser spends $100 within 90 days of sign-up, you will be credited with an additional $40.
• If, in any 180 day period, you refer 20 advertisers who each spend more than $100 within 90 days of their respective sign-ups, you will be awarded a $600 bonus (bonus payments are limited to 1 per year).

There is also a recursive nature to this. If you’ve referred publishers previously that are yet to reach one of the earning thresholds then you will still be paid out when they reach that mark.

“These rules will also apply to users that you have already referred but who have not yet reached one of the new earning/spend thresholds. For example, if you referred an AdSense publisher who has currently earned $2.00, you will be paid $5.00 if that publisher reaches the $5.00 mark. But, if you have referred an AdSense publisher who has already earned $10.00, you will not be paid $5.00 retroActively for that referral reaching the $5.00 mark. However, should that publisher eventually reach the $100.00 earnings mark within 180 days, you will be paid $250.00.”

This is a much better system than they previously had. Over the last 12 months I’d previously signed up many hundreds of referrals but only a handful had ever converted. At least with this system those using referrals will make a little something out of most referrals and there is some very nice incentive to send more than ever.

Now - if only they’d allow a little more flexibility in how we could use their links. I’d love to be able to use 3 per product per page and to be able to use them as html text for starters.

PS: looking over the AdSense Referrals setup pages there is another change being rolled out too. There’s no more Picasa referrals options to put on your site. No official word on this or whether those of us promoting it have to remove code from our sites yet.

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Written on February 3rd, 2007 at 04:02 am by mahor dave

How John Chow Made $3,440.66 Last Month from His Blog

Pro Blogging News 25 comments

I love reading posts where other Pro Bloggers talk about their earnings. It’s really exciting and inspiring to see how others make their living from blogs and is always a great source of ideas.

John Chow (you might know him from his AdSense advertising here on enternetusers where he says ‘I love Kevin - very clever) has given some insight into his January earnings at Making Money From A Blog - January 2007 - as with most bloggers who go full time John’s experienced growth from a number of avenues over the past few months.

The main reason he’s been able to keep increasing his earnings have not been traffic increases (they’ve been up and down a little) but as a result of his diversification of income streams. He’s increased his focus upon direct ad sales (banner ads, text ads) and has also been experimenting with a variety of affiliate programs and ad networks.

There comes a point for most blogs where traffic does tend to stagnate a little (particularly at this time of year) and the main way to increase earnings is to ad income streams or optimize current ones. I suspect John’s also getting better at his ad placement and design too.

The only danger for bloggers diversifying is that they can end up with more ads than content. I don’t think John’s at this point - but there is always a temptation to go a little too far with ad placement and numbers.

PS: the only question I have for John is ‘where’s the Chitika (aff) figures’ in his earnings? I know he has them on every individual page - but there’s nothing about them in the post.

My own experience with Chitika on a blog like John’s (and enternetusers) is that it tends not to perform too well as it’s not directly product related. I took them off enternetusers pretty quickly and left them on the sites where they worked best.

Update: Oops - John doesn’t use Chitika - as is pointed out in comments below they look like Chitika ads but are in fact his own type of ad.

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Written on February 2nd, 2007 at 09:02 pm by mahor dave

More Details on the New AdSense/AdWords Referral Payments - Two Tiered System

Adsense 13 comments

Here’s an update on the previous post about AdSense changing their AdSense/AdWords referral payment system. It’s looking like a promising two tiered system.

More reports are coming in now that different AdSense offices around the world are confirming changes in their referrals payments. Here’s the translation of a response from the Danish office:

“Thank you for the email. I’m happy to say that we’ve now changed the payment model for referrals so you’ll earn more from now on. You’ll, as it has happened, get $5 when a user you’ve signed up earns $5. When the user has earned $100 and complies with the general terms of service for referrals you’ll get additionally $250 on top of the $5 - total $255. This is brand new and we’re right now updating our help center with this information.”

Hat Tip to Stefan.

I’m yet to see this officially on any AdSense sites but it’s pretty good news for bloggers - the $5 for $5 is great because many publishers never get to $100 in the 180 days that AdSense allows - the $250 almost looks too good to be true and I’ll be interested to see if it is and if so what the time limit is on it.

Looking at my own stats I’d say that the payments are retrospective to some point - perhaps the last few weeks.

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Written on February 2nd, 2007 at 03:02 pm by Tony Hung

The Biggest Question Any Blogger Must Answer

General 11 comments

So in your quest for blogging awesomeness, you may have had a chance to reflect on things and ask yourself a few questions.

• What can I do to grow my blog?
• Should I try that next marketing trick?
• What will my next post be about?
• How does Darren produce as much as he does?

But there’s one question that you might not be asking — that might be the most important one you, or any blogger could ask him (or her)self. Assuming that you’re a blogger who is interested in creating a blog that is read, well regarded, and well trafficked, there’s only one question that should preoccupy your mind at all times.

That question is “what is making my blog an indispensible read?”

What are you doing with your blog, from the granular every day details, to the sky high 50 000 feet planning that is making your blog a “must” read? Why should readers be adding your blog to their RSS reader? And what about your blog makes it the first thing they need to read every day? Or, perhaps, the last thing they need to check at night?

The question is a spin on the existentialist question every blogger faces — but spun 180 degrees. Every blogger from the beginning of their blogging careers to the end asks themself “why do I blog?” But the question about making your blog an indispensible read spins that question around so that you’re not asking it from YOUR perspective.

You’re asking the question from the perspective of your reader.

Its a critical distinction.

There are all kinds of blogs that exist. Personal narratives. Family blogs. Photoblogs.

If you’re interested in creating a successful blog, one that garners significant traffic and a devoted readership, you’ll need to have a different mindset from those other types of blogs. Because you won’t be blogging for yourself, but for your readers.

But getting back to the question of indispensibility — about making a blog so particularly great that its read first (or last), is a must-read addition to your readers news reader — is an issue of making it important enough to your readers. You might think the answer is in “great content”.

And it is.

Whether it be news, gossip, opinion, how-to information, or entertainment, the content is of course the building blocks of any blog. However, truly great blogs are more than just “any” great content. It is focused content. It is consistent content. And those blogs know who they are, what they are, and why they are.

So the biggest question that you need to answer is actually above the content.

Its what determines your content.

The path to blogging greatness is often littered with wrong turns, wrong decisions, and wrong connections. Granted, all blogs evolve as do the bloggers behind them. However, for enternetuserss of all stripes and experience levels, there is a way to strategically and deliberately ensure that the path is as straight and efficient as possible.

Great blogs have a distinct, unique and light-house element to their identity that is reinforced by every aspect of their blog. How it looks. How it sounds. How it feels. And how it interacts with you. The question, of course, is what can you do to achieve a similar identity. And what kind of identity should you assume?

Because your blog’s identity is something that comes before your content, and will ultimately be the weathervane for producing great content.

You may have heard of these kinds of strategies. Positioning. Creating your blog’s “USP”.

But I have a better word for it — Branding.

Over the next few weeks I will be writing a four part series on “blogging branding”, delving into several exercises such as where you should start, they key players in whom you should understand, the unique challenges of branding a blog, and of course, how to build your blog’s own brand.

All blogs have their own brand. Just like all businesses do. The question is how good they are. Most brands are lousy because they’re unfocused and improperly positioned. For enternetuserss have a great brand is a higher order strategy than just “creating great content”. It allows you to avoid looking like everyone else, by creating the foundation for unique content that makes sense. It leads to devoted fans.

And ultimately it is the bedrock for a great blog. Not all great blogs start off with a deliberate brand, but all great blogs end up as great brands. Stick around for the next few weeks as we discover how to create the best foundation for a great blog in as few mistakes and in as few steps as possible.

Because creating indispensible content starts from getting things right — even before you start writing.

* Tony Hung also posts at DeepJiveInterests.com

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Written on February 2nd, 2007 at 03:02 pm by mahor dave

Digg To Stop Making Their Users Famous

Social Media 19 comments

Digg have decided to scrap the top Diggers list - as of tomorrow. This comes as a result of increasing numbers of people attempting to pay top users to get them on the popular page.

This will cause a big stir among some digg users (especially those who have built quite a reputation on digg) - but what do you think it’s impact will be?

I think one of the things that is behind the success of sites like Digg is that they make their users famous and give them incentive to build a reputation/profile. While it might not impact their day to day user I’ve already talked to one top 40 Digger who’s not particularly happy about it.

Kevin does say that they’re working on new ways of connecting and rewarding users - it’ll be interesting to see what they do.

Hat tip - Tony

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Written on February 2nd, 2007 at 02:02 pm by mahor dave

AdSense Lower AdWords and AdSense Referral Threshold and Payments

Adsense 7 comments

It looks like AdSense might be changing their payment structure for their AdSense and AdWords referrals.

After a tip from a reader I just logged into my account and saw that today I have XX conversions for my AdSense referrals for a total of $XXX and X conversions for AdWords referrals for a total of $XX (not sure if I’m allowed to disclose actual figures - but the payout is $5 per conversion).

This is unusual for two reasons:

1. They usually pay $100 for a conversion for AdSense and $20 for AdWords.
2. I rarely get any conversions - it’s unusual to have 1 per week, let alone 35!

Either this is some sort of glitch - or this is a new approach to paying publishers for AdSense conversions. Perhaps instead of paying the $100 when a new publisher makes their first $100 (or when an Advertiser reaches $100 in advertising) they are paying a lesser amount at a lower earnings level?

I can’t see any official notice of this yet - but will be watching with interest.

Thanks to Wentworth for the tip

Update: The previous payout structure for AdSense and AdWords referrals was:

AdSense: When a user you’ve referred to AdSense first earns US$100 within 180 days, AdSense credits your account with US$100.
AdWords: When a user you’ve referred to AdWords signs up and spends US$100 within 90 days, AdSense will credit your account with US$20.

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Written on February 2nd, 2007 at 02:02 pm by mahor dave

The 5 ‘Bloody Good’ Laws of Persuasive Blogging

Miscellaneous Blog Tips 4 comments

I often am asked for the key elements of a successful blog - it’s something that I struggle to answer (as much as I’d like to be able to box it all neatly) as there are many slippery aspects to consider.

However today Brian writes The 5 Immutable Laws of Persuasive Blogging and gives some great foundational ‘laws’ to keep in mind if you’re wanting to build a persuasive blog.

I’d hesitate to call them ‘immutable’ (’not able to change’ - I had to look it up too) - however they are ‘bloody good’ (as we Aussies would say).

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