My Blog

Free PPV Webinar Tonight At 10PM EST

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:35:32 +0000

This is a reminder post. The free PPV webinar with Super Affiliate Jonathan Volk starts tonight at 10PM EST (7PM PST). If you haven’t registered for it, I highly recommend you do so now. The seating limit of the webinar software is 1,000 and we’re pretty close to that number now.

Jonathan’s guests include PPV experts David Ford and Corey Bornmann. Corey is the owner of AffPortal, an invaluable toolset that literally has changed the way people build their PPV Campaigns. David is the owner PPVPlaybook’s Coaching Forums and has helped hundreds (maybe thousands) of students learn how to become masters of affiliate marketing with PPV.

This webinar will include more information about PPV, how to use it, and will even have time for Q&A. Free Q&A with the gurus of PPV is worth it alone. They will also be going over the following:

What is PPV Marketing?
What are the benefits of PPV traffic?
Where can you find PPV traffic?
What is the potential of PPV?
What is Automatic Niche Research and how can you benefit?
What makes a good PPV landing page?
How can PPV campaign building be automated?
How can you learn more about using Pay Per View Traffic?

The webinar is open to anyone who has downloaded Jonatha’s new Affiliate Marketing 101 guide. If you have the guide, you’ll be receiving an email with the webinar information. If you haven’t downloaded the guide yet, then you can get it here.

Even if you can’t attend tonight’s webinar you should still download Affiliate Marketing 101. It’s one of the best affiliate marketing guide I’ve ever read. And it’s FREE!

I hope to see you at the webinar tonight. Make to sure to say hi if you see me!

Discover the SECRETS I’ve Learned to go from zero a month to over $40,000 a month from blogging. Download Make Money Online with John Chow dot Com for FREE!

Do You Want A Copy Of My Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers?

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:30:30 +0000

It was early 2006. I had been blogging for over a year and felt I had achieved something.

My blog had recently surpassed 1,000 RSS subscribers (what is RSS), making it at the time the most popular website I had ever built. The income was solid – up to $2,000 a month at best – and it was growing. I loved what I was doing.

My plan, based on all the Internet marketing advice I studied from the experts to “create a product”, was to start by releasing an ebook to test the waters as my first product. I had already begun to grow my email list, focusing on the idea of teaching other bloggers how to build traffic, since I felt that was something I was becoming good at.

One of the keys to my success with traffic was how well I was doing in organic search results. I was literally famous in the Internet marketing space because all the top Internet marketers would find my blog when searching for their name or their products or terms related to our industry.

This is incredibly powerful leverage, if you want to meet important people in your industry, or as an affiliate marketing technique, because you can just write about something often enough if you want a top ranking for a certain term or name.

My blog’s solid search engine performance has continued as a trend today, with about half the traffic I attract to this blog still coming from Google search queries. Considering how much more competitive the environment is now, with so many blogs on the same topic as this one, I consider my consistency an achievement.

I don’t really talk about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) much on this blog anymore, mainly because I don’t believe much has really changed over the past few years. The fundamentals are still the fundamentals. You will find plenty of articles on SEO in my archives under the SEO category if you’re keen for study materials.

However, SEO was a huge part of my early studies of Internet marketing, primarily focused on attracting more traffic to the business I used to own, BetterEdit.com, a proofreading service. When I was running that business, 50% of new client acquisition came from Google search, which was important – it made the business much more hands off for me to run when you have a steady stream of customers coming in without advertising expense.

As a result of the focus I had back then and the results with my blog, I considered myself half-decent at SEO. By no means was I an expert, and I certainly didn’t pretend to be one, but I felt I knew enough that I had something to share.

As a result of this, my intended first product, was to be an ebook called “The Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers“, which as you can guess, was designed as a guide to help bloggers improve their search engine rankings and attract traffic from Google and the other search engines. The ebook was almost complete and I even went so far as to have a cover created for it, which you can see inset (including the big haired, old suit photo version of me).

The book was never sold publicly because I decided to release a course on traffic. I can’t really remember why I decided to switch gears so late in the development of this product. It could have been because I thought selling a course at a higher price would make more money, but it was more likely due to some kind of fear based decision making or distractions. I just didn’t have the follow-through at the time to do a launch.

I registered the domain name BlogTrafficSchool.com, which I still own, and focused on releasing that program instead.

Of course if you know my story, the product never saw the light of day either, so I ended up having a 75% complete course on Blog Traffic, and a near complete ebook on SEO for blogs. Thankfully the third time I finally got something out the door, and released Blog Mastermind as my first product. The rest is history.

Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers – Revamped And Ready For Release

I recently began reviewing my ebook on SEO for blogs and was quite impressed to see that it’s still full of fantastic advice. It only requires about 10% revision work and I believe it could become one of the most helpful, and true to my style – simple guides – to follow on how to get more traffic from Google to your blog.

The book is over 100 pages and includes insights into how search engines work, how to optimize the internal structure of your blog, some very solid advice on linking strategies – including 75 link building techniques, with some case studies of my own experience using them – a quick launch checklist, and more.

It’s all content of course, direct from my experience and research, into your hands.

So do you want a copy?

I will release the book for sale later in the year, however I have some good news for you if you want a copy now.

I’m going to include a fully revised and updated version of my Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers to every person who joins Membership Site Mastermind by Tuesday the 16th of March at midnight Eastern US time.

This is the primary bonus (there’s more below) I’m throwing in as an enticement and I can’t think of a more powerful companion ebook to go along with the membership site course.

To launch your membership site you’re going to need an audience, and using a well search engine optimized blog has to be the most affordable (almost free) and long-term viable technique available. You just need to do the work, and the Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers explains this in some detail.

As one final enticement to make this an irresistible offer (or bribe!) to get you into my membership site coaching program, I’m going to throw in my entire mega-bonus pack, which I’ve outlined below.

How To Claim The Bonuses

All these bonuses will be sent in an email to all members of Membership Site Mastermind (including any person who has already joined this week and all my previous members – see I look after you too!) on Wednesday the 17th, that’s next week.

To make sure you get that email with all the bonuses, you have to join the program by Tuesday at the latest, if you join after, you will miss the email.

Note you won’t get the bonuses immediately after joining, you get them on Wednesday, so busy yourself with the course itself until then.

Here’s the sign-up link when you’re ready to go –

Membership Site Mastermind Sign-Up

The Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers Plus Mega Bonus Pack

Here is a break down of all the bonuses –

Bonus 1: The Definitive Guide To SEO For Bloggers (Revamped for 2010 and never before released)

You score the entire 100+ page ebook written by me (Yaro) as a complete guide on how to optimize your blog for search engines and attract waves of free traffic.

Inside the guide you will learn –

My simple three step secret formula that is the foundation of my blogs search engine success
An outline of how search engines work so you can give them what they want, rather than fight them (this is so simple when you think about it, yet incredibly important too)
A guide on how to optimize the internal structure of your blog to give it the best chance of ranking well – and you only need to do these things once, it all happens on autopilot after that
A link building guide, including 75 detailed link attracting strategies where I explain techniques I’ve used to attract authority links to this blog
How SEO fits into the overall blogging formula, which if followed, can result in life-changing income, fame and real recognition for your work

Bonus 2: My Live Presentation On Buying and Selling Websites

I very rarely present on stage, and besides the people in the audience when I’m on stage, most people never see me talk in person.

This presentation is from an Andrew and Daryl Grant 4-day workshop held in Brisbane, Australia. My talk was about how you can buy and sell websites for profit, and includes -

A breakdown of my formula for website flipping, which focuses on a certain type of website
Three real life case studies where I show you what websites I purchased, how I made them more profitable, and then sold them
How I automated the management and “renovation” process so I could flip sites as a passive income strategy
Where you can go to find websites for sale and how to get the most money for your website when you are ready to sell

Bonus 3: My Live Presentation Of How To Build A Massively Profitable Blog

This presentation is also from a Grant’s workshop, but this time in Sydney and the topic is all about making money from blogs. This is a comprehensive presentation, talking about the foundation of a successful blog and includes -

What structure you need in place to start blogging the right way
How to create powerful blog content that attracts people like a magnet
What methods are available to really ramp up your income from blogging, that goes way beyond just adsense
How to use your blog as a lead generator for a proper online business, not just a hobby

Bonus 4: The Keys To A Powerful and Profitable Blog Training Videos

These are special recordings of some of the key concepts that go into building a successful blog. This content has only ever been viewed by the paying members of the Become A Blogger Premium program and features 100% content from me, Yaro Starak.

The focus of these videos is very practical training on how to build and then profit from your blog. If you are looking for the specific techniques I used to build my blog and still use today to profit from my writing, this series of 13 incredible videos will help you. Topic covered include –

The critical pages your blog must have if it is to succeed
How to find your focus when blogging
An in-depth look at what Pillar Content is and how to create it
7 Quick and easy ways of getting Traffic to your Blog
How to profit selling advertising and promoting other people’s products
And loads more on Building Traffic and Making Money through blogging

This really is an incredible bonus, you don’t want to miss these videos.

You can join here -

Membership Site Mastermind Sign-Up

Bonus 5: “How To Use The Power Of Video To Market On The World Wide Web” – Teleconference Recording With Gideon Shalwick

During this fantastic call with Gideon Shalwick I drilled him on how exactly he creates quality video using both PC and Mac. Gideon started off as a PC user and later switched over to Mac, so you’re going to learn why he did this, and what exact software and tools he uses to create video.

Here’s what you will learn in this audio download -

Exactly what kind of equipment you’ll need to record perfect video
The secret formula for creating powerful video scripts
How to setup your shooting area to increase the quality of your videos
How to capture and record your first video
How to edit your video using a free and easy to use editing program
How to get your new video onto your own blog or website

Bonus 6: “How To Boost Critical Conversion Points In Your Blog Business” – Teleconference Recording With Will Swayne on testing elements of your blog and email newsletter to improve conversion rates

Will Swayne and his company, Marketing-Results.com.au, helped manage all the conversion testing for my business in 2008. They tested my opt-in forms and sales pages to increase conversion at each point in my business process.

In this recorded teleconference with Will, we reviewed the critical conversion points of a blog business, including -

What are the critical elements of a blog post to test to make more sales
How to sell more affiliate products by improving upon what you already do
Simple tweaks you can make to your email newsletter to improve open and click-through rates
How to change your newsletter opt-in form to boost how many people join your email list
And lots more simple tips to improve your conversion rates…

Mega Bonus Pack Available Until Tuesday Next Week

All the above bonuses are going to be sent via email to all the members of Membership Site Mastermind on Wednesday the 17th of March 2010. If you don’t join by Tuesday, then you will not receive these bonuses.

All the details about my membership site coaching program and the order form are here –

Membership Site Mastermind Sign-Up

I can’t wait to see you on the inside of my program, and congratulations if you qualify for the bonuses.

Yaro Starak
Throwing In The Kitchen Sink

Get your bonus copy of my book
“How To Start An Internet Business
& Make Your First $1,000 Online”
Download Here

Blog Security: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Scares Me Into Taking It Seriously.

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:30:24 +0000

guest post by Kelly Diels

warning: there are lessons and even actionable advice in here, but it is buried inside a story. I write stories because I love you and don’t want to bore you and because if you laugh then chances are that you’ll remember the educational bit, too. There’s actual research that this works – it is not just because I am in love with bloviation but hey, tomato tahmahto.

I have big love for tech. You could not pry my dishwasher out of my house without bloodshed and death, most likely yours. And the internet? Don’t even get me started. I want to french-kiss the web. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s my job or at least my blog’s mission statement.

Still, I’m more of install (or pay someone to install) and hope-it-works kind of gal. I want the fuss without the muss.

And I have this theory about tech: some key pieces of hardware and software make a huge difference and everything after that amounts to tweaks and hacks. But the good tech, like a great love, (initially) inspires awe, affection, and respect and make your life much better on a daily basis. You think: how did I ever live without you, front-loading washer? We wasted so much time.

And then, after the infatuation fades, you get on with your happily functioning and newly-enhanced life and start taking your love, machines, shockingly-white-whites and programs for granted.

I like it like that. I like low-maintenance relationships (don’t tell anyone) and I LOVE that electricity just works and I don’t have to think about it. I like finding the right things, that work, and let them do that in the background. Nearly invisible function is hawt.

WordPress is one of those key pieces of tech that made a big difference in my life. It is like a long distance lover. I don’t quite understand it and I should probably spend more time with it but damn I like it a lot. It does me right, mostly virtually.

Actually, let’s be honest: I LOVE WORDPRESS. My blog is my boyfriend. I adore it. I spend all my time with it. Because of all the fabulous people who love me up in the comments, my blog sates my unabashed lust for attention – which, in turn, has started saving me from terrible IRL relationship decisions.

(Wordpress is saving the world from needy girlfriends. Someone call the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.)

So the thought of someone getting their sweaty, malicious hands on my boyfriend blog and doing dirty things to it makes me nauseous.

It happened to a friend of mine, Kelly Livesay. One of her blogs was hacked and posts and theme modifications deleted. It happened to journalist Helen Mosher. If you Google her name, the first search result is now “Cheap Viagra Online”. This is not – perhaps obviously – what she intended for her blog. It happened to Robert Scoble, who lost two months of blog posts and gained a very serious sense of personal violation.

And that sense of violation is exactly the prompt for this post: the movie The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo completely FREAKED ME OUT (capitalization absolutely appropriate and required).

Do you know The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? It is the first of a trilogy of books by Swedish author Stieg Larsson who completed this epic series and then promptly dropped dead. It is a gripping book and it almost killed me, too. I read it in five hours.

And then I got my hot little hands on the movie. Lisbeth, the main character and dragon-wearer, is one tough chick. You don’t want to mess with her. She’ll hack you.

Because that’s what she does. Lisbeth is a freakishly talented hacker. She works as an investigator and conducts her investigations from the convenience of her laptop. She gets into your computer and reads your naughty e-mails, your work memos, your sexts, your bank statements, your browsing history, and then uses that information as she sees fit, for her clients, or herself.

And if you’re on her side – I mean, who doesn’t want her to catch the lady-killing villain? (the villain) – then you’re with her, all the way, as she uses her scary powers for good.

So: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Wrenching read, haunting movie. Great entertainment, especially if you’re looking for a new reason to become deeply paranoid about all the ways people can screw with you online.

Robert Scoble’s not kidding when he says that he feels his virtual house was burgled. Thanks to this paranoid movie, I now feel his paranoia pain and I’m deeply worried about my boyfriend blog.

Still, I don’t understand the point of hacking blogs, so I asked my friend Dave Doolin (Website In A Weekend), who knows Serious Stuff about WordPress, code, programming and How Things Work.

Kelly Diels: What’s the point of hacking a blog? Why would someone want to break into a blog and make it say BUY VIAGRA! instead of just building a sex blog to sell Viagra?

Dave Doolin: Honestly, I’m not really sure, but I’ll hazard a guess: it’s cheaper to spray spam by the trillions than it is to create your own site and work at building traffic. It costs next to nothing to hire people to send a e-mails, so even a really tiny conversion rate generates profit.

Kelly Diels: So how do we keep hackers out of our blogs? On your site, you recommend that bloggers change “Admin” to something specific and then delete the Admin user, so I did that, and Amanda Farough told me to make a unwieldy, ridiculous password that is actually a sentence with random capitalization and characters.

Dave Doolin: Yeah, those two things are a good start. You do want a long, complicated password. The other thing that everyone should do is read the WordPress Development Blog and Other WordPress News. They’re both in your dashboard, and they’ll keep you up to date on the latest hacks and security threats.

(I studiously ignore those two boxes in my WordPress dashboard but now, as of right this minute, I’m going to pay attention.)

And, now that I’m paying attention, I checked in once again with Amanda Farough, who is my designer/developer/chief-cupcake-sharer/coder-extraordinaire. She takes care of my site, because, as I mentioned, I like my tech to work but I’m not really inclined to make it work myself.

Kelly Diels: So, Amanda, what are we doing to keep my site secure? And by “we”, I mean you. What advice do you have for bloggers to keep their blogs on the unhacked side?

Amanda: Here’s my security short list:

Change your .htcaccess to protect your database name and password by adding the following line of code: deny from all. In the event of someone hacking your blog, they won’t be able to determine where your tables are, protecting you from losing everything.
WP-DB-Backup is your new best friend. Get it emailed to you once a week or, if you’re really paranoid, once a day (note: Dave Doolin said we should do it once a day and I heart paranoia. That’s totally where I’m living right now. Thanks, Dragon Tattoo conspiracy). Don’t trust your server or your email server. Save copies of the database to your local drive as soon as you get the email. That way, you’ve got two copies: one on your email server and the other on your local drive.
Update Wordpress every single time you’re prompted to. These releases are the blogger’s equivalent to driver updates: they fix holes in security, functionality, and usability. If you’re running 2.8 when we’re on 2.9.2, then run that update. You’ll be glad you did.

And that – according to my friends in the know, because trust me, I didn’t know – is the short story of how to keep your blog safe and out of the sweaty, dragon-tattooed hands of malicious hackers itching to delete your hot copy and sell us sex aids in your name.

WordPress Security Summary:

Get rid of your Admin user account
have a long, complicated password
keep up to date on WordPress tips and news by reading WordPress
Development Blog and Other WordPress News
BACK IT UP, baby
Protect your database name and password
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

__________________________

Join the Dragon Tattoo Blog HUNT - an internet wide scavenger hunt tied to the feature film launch of bestselling book The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Win great prizes – free movie tickets, books, movie soundtrack, posters and more. To join the contest, start at the beginning of the HUNT by visiting www.dragontattoofilm.com/contest for full details and the first clue. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is in theaters near you starting March 19th.
THE NEXT CLUE:

This site explores everything Apple, but don’t tell Steve Jobs because this weblog is officially unofficial.

Kelly Diels writes for ProBlogger every week. She’s also a wildly hireable freelance writer and the creator of Cleavage, a blog about three things we all want more of: sex, money and meaning.

Post from: Blog Tips at ProBlogger.

Blog Security: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Scares Me Into Taking It Seriously.

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Blog Security: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Scares Me Into Taking It Seriously.

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:01:09 +0000