What happens when you combine Twitter, Digg and Wikipedia?

You get TipDrop.

Jon Leger (of the famous 7 dollar script fame) has created a new “social knowledge” website called TipDrop.com, where you share tidbits of information on “Tip Sheets”. It’s more focused than Twitter, as it is all based on useful information (not what someone had for breakfast or what their dog just did).

This has the potential of becoming a very focused information site, as you are allowed only 255 characters per tip.

Credibility is voted on – you can vote tips up or down, so hopefully Spammy posts won’t inundate the site.

Go take a look now, you’ll be addicted. http://www.TipDrop.com

P.S it’s free as of this writing, and you can share Adsense revenue.

I went to my Cool Little Website today to check it out, and I discovered it was gone…as are all the other Dave’s Cool Little Websites out there. When you reach one, you are presented with a page that simply states…

Due to changes in technology and eBay
policy this program is no longer available.

Interesting. Changes in technology? Meaning Dave didn’t want to update his code? Or sales were finally flat enough it was time to scrap the project? And, I know eBay has been changing policies (making it more difficult to get an ePN account) but what policy is prohibiting these sites?

Anyone got any inside information? Please share!

I just learned of a new plugin that allows you to make screencasts directly in WordPress and place them in your posts. I tried it out and it is quite cool!

Take a look here: http://www.skoffer.com

I’ve had people ask me what the deal is with Squidoo. Why create a Squidoo page? Well, take a look at this screenshot. It should be self explanatory.

I created a Lens not too long ago with a review of Traffic Drill, a site by John and Matt Rhodes. I had full intention of actually using Traffic Drill to boost this lens at least on to the first page in Google. It turns out that Squidoo did this all by itself, for the most part. I posted the lens, waited a couple of weeks, and I was number 7. Several days later, number 5. After that I briefly jumped to number 1, and now I’m sitting steady at number 3. I’m not a Squidoo expert by any means, but this clearly shows that a Squidoo lens combined with good articles with your target keywords in them can rank well in Google.

So, that is why you should Squidoo. More on this very soon…

As reported earlier, Matched.co.uk was a site that bloggers could go to get paid ads for their blogs. (Reference this post)

As of November 20, Matched is out of beta, and according to their site, out of business.

It was fun while it lasted.

Here’s proof that this whole internet marketing thing works, and can work with practically no effort. This is also proof that article marketing works, and it is probably an example of how NOT to do it.

A while back, I was doing some keyword research and found a niche that I knew something about. I say keyword research loosely, because in all reality, I wasn’t doing research. I was playing with SEOBook’s Keyword Research tools to see what it could do. I found a keyword set that had some pretty good results in a niche that I know something about (bad credit auto loans and “buy here pay here” lots, if you must know), and figured I’d write a short article on it.

I had been invited to join the affiliate program of a bad credit lender on Commission Junction (which is really what sparked this whole thing). This particular program pays 10 bucks a lead. Not too bad.

I was able to register a dot com name with the keywords in it. I grabbed a free web template and put my article in it along with the affiliate link in several strategic places throughout the article.

I then forgot about it. Did nothing with it – no promotion at all.

6 months later, I’ve made 50 bucks off of the site.Sure, 5 leads in the time the site has been up is not a lot. But you know what? It’s 50 bucks I didn’t have before.

Proof to me that organic search works, and that you CAN make something from article marketing if you even take just a little action.

Too many Internet marketing books tell you the “what”, when you really need the “how”. They tell you, “You need to upload your sales page to your website.” But, they never show you the steps of actually uploading that website – they don’t show you the “how”.

Why are so many information product creators writing “what to do” books, when they should be giving you the full “here’s how you do it” information? Because it’s much easier to tell you what to do, rather than take the time to actually sit down and show you. It’s like the difference between telling someone, “You go to 336 Pine Street” and explaining to them, “You go two blocks down this street, turn left on Magnolia Avenue, go straight a half block, and it’s the yellow house on your right.”

Kevin Riley writes the kind of detailed e-books that show you exactly, step by detailed step how to do something. He never assumes knowledge. He never skips over anything. And now, he’s created a comprehensive Home Study Course that takes you every little step of the way from the very beginning all the way to having your own profitable home-based Internet business.

With his step-by-step screenshots, illustrations, and photographs, Kevin lays out a Home Study Course that anybody – of any skill level – can easily follow. He even includes a valuable ‘Set Yourself Up For Success’ guide to get you fully organized for success.

Kevin is also well known for vastly over delivering on highly under-priced products, and this Home Study Course is no exception. Go now and get it while it’s still at the ultra-low Recession Buster price.

Click Here For More Information

If you have owned any domain for any length of time, no doubt you’ve gotten a renewal notice from the Domain Registry Of America (or Liberty Names Of America, another name they operate under). I get these all the time, and my wife now knows that it isn’t mail that I want anymore. It’s a shame that CAN-SPAM doesn’t include postal mail, since that is exactly what these notices are. You’ll get an official-looking “courtesy letter” that urges you to renew your domain name by enclosing payment. If you take the time and read these letters carefully, you’ll realize that;

1. You are transferring your domain away from your current registrar;
2. The prices to renew are quite uncompetitive ($30 for a year? That is SO 1998);
3. They got your contact information by harvesting WHOIS information.

You’ll get these urgent-sounding letters well in advance of your domain name’s actual expiration – sometimes up to 6 months before.

What you can do:

1. Write the Federal Trade Commission and complain…and hope they do something about it. (They’ve already been there once before…)
2. Simply rip it up and throw it away.
3. Type up a similar fake letter explaining that their domain, droa.com, is about to expire and send it to them – and that you’d be happy to renew it for $500 per year.

OK, the third one is a touch vindictive. Don’t renew your domain through these people. The more people that know about this, the less will fall for it and DROA will slip silently into nonexistence, or at least straighten up their business practices.

Oh, one more thing…Domain Registry Of America is a CANADIAN corporation. Hmph.

Yet another reason to join Earn1KaDay has come to the surface. Expert article marketer (5 figures a month) Tim Gorman has come on board Earn1KaDay as a “staff expert”. This adds yet another dimension of success to this already value-packed membership site.

On a side note, I just made veteran (I’ve been a paying member for 4 months) today on Earn1KaDay, and got access to the additional resources veterans get…and once again I was extemely impressed by the continual value that Dennis gives his members.

His mantra is “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”, and so far, in my 4 months of membership, he has lived up to and surpassed that mantra.

The Rhodes Brothers have hit another home run with their “10x Method”, teaching a system for creating multiple streams of income that fits you, not the other way around.

Watch The Video

If you have sat and thought about building a custom theme for your WordPress blog, but the Codex confuses the hell out of you and you just don’t have the wherewithall to spend a day with Google, I’ve got good news for you (and trust me, I’ve already got a copy on order). There is a brand new DVD out called “How To Theme WordPress: From Blank To Beautiful In 2 Hours“. I’ve not yet seen the DVD, but it sounds like a very good foundation to learn how to build your own templates for WordPress.

Keep in mind that WordPress templates are in demand and people are paying for custom templates.

So, go grab it now!

There aren’t a whole lot of wearable products out in the world related to Internet Marketing or MLM, so I decided to head out and set up a store on CafePress. Right now there are only a few designs in the store. I’m planning to add more merchandise, such as mugs and mousepads. Not to mention more designs.

Creative outlet, you ask? Yeah, I love coming up with stuff and putting it to Photoshop. You can bet that you’ll find me wearing some of these a lot. There are nights when I’m brainstorming ideas for my businesses that I will just open up Photoshop and “noodle around”. Some of these designs originate from that “noodling”! So, if you feel inclined to wear a shirt that will have your friends green with envy (or perplexed about their meaning), take a look at the store today. The link to T-Shirts above will also get you there. Enjoy!

The Great Office War from Runawaybox on Vimeo.

I got a mailer last night about this new product from Robert Plank, and I didn’t even think twice before picking it up and installing it immediately on this blog.

Do you know what happens when someone fills out an autoresponder form on your website? Yes, of course they get put on your list, but do you know what else happens? One of two things:
1. They leave your site due to the autoresponder’s “Thank you” page;
2. A new window opens with the autoresponder’s “Thank you” page.

Either way, your viewer is getting distracted and pulled away from YOUR site because they wanted to sign up for more updates. You want your viewers to stay on your site.

Here’s how to stop punishing viewers and get those conversion rates up!

Action Optin is a new product from Robert Plank that I wish the autoresponder guys had thought of years ago. With Action Optin, when someone fills out your autoresponder form, your viewer stays on your site and the form is replaced with a message of your choosing! No more distracting “Thank you” pages. Plus, it is a breeze to install – one line of Javascript (or a plugin for WordPress fans) is all it takes.

I installed this last night (a little before 10 PM central) and had an issue with getting it to work with WordPress. So, I shot an email off to Robert for support. By 11 PM, after a few email exchanges and some tweaking of code, the problem was fixed and I was on my way. Gold star for support, Robert!

Action Optin works with any autoresponder form (I have AWeber), on any kind of page. It’s easy to install, easier to use, and could boost your conversion rates. Plus it doesn’t cost very much. I seriously recommend this for any and all of your sites. Go Get It!

Kevin Riley is at it again. From the man who brought you great tutorials on Camtasia, Newbie Toolkits, and countless Recipes For (name it here), comes a great new title.  “How To Turn Lazy Summer Days Into A Lifetime Of Easy Cash” is possibly the longest-titled book Kevin’s come out with in a while, but definitely worth that long title.

Kevin is a master of helping people create quick cash by creating their own products. And his writing style is straight forward and candid to the point that any one – even the newest of newbies – can comprehend and put to use.

Yes, there are other guides out there that guide you through setting up a niche marketing business, but unlike those other titles, this one does not enter the overkill zone and leave the reader scratching their head in dismay. And, as usual, Kevin stands behind his stuff with a money back guarantee.

Pick up this great guide today! I was not, and you will not, be disappointed.

One of the nicer looking “Get Paid To” sites has gone to the great Recycle Bin in the sky. XSVCash looked to be a very promising site (ala CashCrate) with better than average payouts and good advertisers. The URL forwards to a crappy looking adult site now.

MarvaMoney and CashCrate are still alive and well, although MarvaMoney has yet to put in a user forum.

Just a heads up – Dennis Becker is raising the price of Earn1KaDay before the end of the month. If you want to get in, NOW is the time.

It’s worth way more than you’ll pay…trust me on this. I’ve been a member for a little while now and I will happily continue to pay monthly for it – it is worth 10 times the fee. Easily.

Earn1KaDay

I’m always on the lookout for online tools. Especially free ones. I ran across two that you might just find useful – I certainly do!

The first Tool allows you to create your own “sticky note” graphic. You enter some text and choose the note style and the type style, then download it. It’s that simple! Check it out here: http://notes.mastervb.net/

The second is a Tool that allows you to type in text and create “handwritten” messages. Perfect for a signature to use on a website, or make the appearance of handwriting on a webpage. Free and cool! Go here: http://www.vletter.com/design_visitor.htm

Happy 4th to my friends here in the US!

SKILL LEVEL: NEWBIE TO INTERMEDIATE
RATING: EXCELLENT 

I’ve bought lots of “how to do affiliate marketing” products in my lifetime. Some from relative unknowns, others from the cornerstones of affiliate marketing (such as Rosalind Gardner).

I learned about the Secret Affiliate Code on Earn1KaDay. I took a look at the sales page, and I originally thought that it was another dime-a-dozen affiliate marketing guide. So, I didn’t think twice about it.

Well, for some reason (I think it was because I kept seeing the author, Craig, post tidbits inside Earn1KaDay) I kept going back to that salespage. It looked good, and the price point was $67 – less than I’ve paid for other products. (I got it for $47 – there’s a $20 discount for the first 1000 buyers if you find the special link on the page to click). I had not read any reviews anywhere, so I was going into it with neutral opinions, just what I had learned from the sales page. With the money back guarantee, I figured I’d give it a shot.

I was presented with an OTO that I skipped. Now that I’ve gotten the product, I wish I had gotten it. I only downloaded the videos and the couple of ebooks that come with the package; I have not yet downloaded the bonus MP3 interviews with marketing greats (Willie Crawford, Eric Rockefeller, more).

The skill level required to follow along with the author is definitely fundamental – everything is explained. He takes the reader step by step through setting up affiliate promotions with tools such as Squidoo, Hubpages, WordPress, Blogger, Wikidot, and much more. When the author says to forget any methods of affiliate marketing that you may know, he means it. This is literally a step-by-step, with plenty of screenshots and insider “fill in the gaps” information. Inside are multi-layer methods to begin domination of the search engines, and Craig explores tools and methods that I have never seen nor heard of before. 

This is a very well planned out product. I honestly don’t see how anyone, regardless of their skill level, could not take this, learn it, and start finding and profiting from affiliate promotions in relatively short order. 

Check out Secret Affiliate Code today (Hint: The discount is the sixth checkbox)

If you were thinking about joining Article Marketer, now is the time. Prices go up this Friday, June 20. Last chance!

Go Now!