Not too long ago, the latest biggest buzz in new browsers launched: Google Chrome. But, being primarily a Mac Girl (Chrome is only currently available on Windows) + the initial reviews I’ve read online, I didn’t rush to check it out.

However, this short review on Google Chrome for Online Entrepreneurs from SubHub almost made me wish I can go and play with it too. Not quite, but almost. I’m sticking to Flock at the moment.

What about you? Have you checked it out yet? Are you making the switch? What do you think of Google Chrome?

In any case, if you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a YouTube video on Google Chrome’s various features:

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Google Chrome for Your Online Work?

One of the challenges of working online is the difficulty in tracking workload and tasks. Enter IDidWork.com. This is a free, web-based work logging tool that virtual workers can use to track their progress in their tasks and projects.

Other than being a free and simple application, IDidWork also has the following benefits:

• It can be used in conjunction with fellow workers’ work logs via feeds (so you can find out about each other’s work accomplishments easily)
• It can automatically (or manually) send your manager a report of your work log, depending on your settings.
• Your manager can also send you feedback/comments using IDidWork.
• You can tag each completed log, for organisation purposes. You might even want to add amount of time spent on the task.
• You can star entries that you deem are important.
• There’s a built-in analyse function that will help you to graph tasks based on # of entries done in a day or week, types of tags used, and starred entries.

I can still see several areas of development for IDidWork. For example, I would like an ability to have some kind of ‘To Do’ list that can easily be ticked and logged as a ‘completed task’, once finished. For that reason, it’ll be great if it can sync with various productivity applications and/or calendars, such as Google Calendar. It might also be handy to have multiple areas for one account, as it might be useful for people with several jobs (i.e., freelancers, serial entrepreneurs, etc).

Anyway, I’m still in my early stages of testing IDidWork. We’ll see if it ends up in my regular work apps list.

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

IDidWork: Virtual Work Log Tool

Images help everyone get noticed. That’s why businesses try to use them as effectively as possible. That’s why they’ve become staples in blogs and websites.

Now, you may have noticed that I’ve been testing out this image service that’s currently still in beta called PicApp* here at JMMO. Over the last couple of weeks or so, I’ve been trying to incorporate more images in this blog, using their service. Before trying out PicApp, I’ve only ever used photos that I took myself – or free stock images from Microsoft, sxc.hu, and public domain.

So, what do I think of it so far?

The Good:

• The service is completely free. All that’s needed for anyone to use their images is to sign up at their site.
• They have a huge amount of photos. They have stuff from various events (like the Olympics) and celebrities – to conceptual photos (similar to the ones I share here primarily). They even photos from the big photo agencies like Getty Images and Jupiter.
• They have built-in embedding/sharing functions. So, when you post them on your blog or site, people can easily share those images in their own blogs, social networks, and such.
• You don’t need to worry about copyright! They take care of that for you.
• The site offers a search function to help you find the right image you need.
• There’s SOME image control: You can choose from 3 different sizes, alignment, and text wrap.
• Well I haven’t had direct contact with them, I’ve heard a lot of good things about the folks that run PicApp. I believe they’re genuinely interested in trying to keep improving the service.

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

To PicApp or Not To PicApp?

Are you looking for a way to sloganise your business? Try this fun tool from thesurrealist.co.uk.

Here are some that I liked for Just Make Money Online:

Which one do you think is best?
Anyway, why don’t you try it out yourself -

If that doesn’t work, go to this link.
Then, share some of your own favourites here.

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Advertising Slogan Generator

One doesn’t need to be an expert web designer to see if a blog’s design is best for making money online. What are the common design elements of a champion make money online blog? Here are my observations:

1. Gigantic RSS Feed Chicklet

One of the main goals of make money online bloggers is to build a large RSS readership. What’s the best way to do this? NO it’s not to embed the codes of the largest RSS feed there is in the online world, it’s that and producing very useful content.

The more visible your RSS feed chicklet is, the more chances of scoring RSS subscribers. But again, it should be coupled with great content. Also, an FAQ or a page explaining the importance and how to use RSS can help educate those clueless about RSS. In every post or in your key content, it’s also good to directly ask your readers to subscribe to your feed if they want to keep on getting updates.

How does this help in earning more?

Aside from the RSS feed monetization services, the number of your RSS subscribers may help in sealing direct ad deals.

2. Newsletter Form

Aside from RSS feed subscribers, the list needs to be built. One of the most popular ways to do it is get ‘em to subscribe to your newsletter form. Whether you use Zookoda (anyone still using this?), Feedburner, Aweber or whatever, it’s very important to get one or you risk not having to say hi to your potential best readers/fans/clients ever again. I call it a blog’s dreamcatcher.

The form alone won’t get you anywhere if the blog content doesn’t get the reader anywhere – yes content’s still the priority here. Please make it a point to also inform your visitors that you’re not going to spam or sell their email addresses.

How does this help in earning more?

If you’re using Feedburner, they can up your RSS subscriber number. If you have a product to sell, you’ve already pre-sold it to your list. So you get the idea.

3. Ad Section

The trend with these sponsor’s sections is having those blocks on the upper right side bar that can extend to as far low as possible depending on the number of advertisers that want to enjoy your site’s traffic.

No need to expound on how this will make you more money online. But if you want to read more about it …

So aside from top quality content and those three sections or forms, what other portions or design elements do you think one needs to optimize for more moolah?

image credits to sxc.hu 

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Top 3 Blog Portions to Emphasize to Make More Money Online

Just a few hours ago, one of my clients introduced me to the use of Google Apps. I’ve been using gazillions of Google products but most of those I use are free.

Google Apps comes with a hefty price tag ($50/year) so although I was so excited to use it, I kept my calm and gingerly checked out the product. What I’ve started toying with is its Start Page since that’s what my client asked me to set up first.

The personalized start page is a syndicated version of iGoogle, allowing you to set up dynamic homepages for your users that bring together your content, Google services, and the best of the web.

I have an iGoogle page but I don’t really use it so I don’t know the difference between the Start Page and iGoogle. But I definitely enjoy adding all the Google gadgets that are designed to make life more enjoyable for online workers like me.

My only problem right now is I don’t know how to import my BlogLines feeds. Anyone who can help me with this?

Also, I’m looking for a similar online collaboration software program that comes for free. If you are using anything similar, I’d appreciate it a lot if you can tell me something about it.

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Google Apps for Online Collaboration

Blogging about making money online entails receiving emails about how to.. you guessed it right – how to make money online. And just this week, I’ve received one from a blogging friend asking about ways to work at home and earn with the help of a computer.

My usual reply commonly includes questions probing what activity interests the person the most and knows best. But since I know that she has a flair for writing, I suggested that she tries becoming an SEO-skilled web content writer. I would also usually hint the person to blog.

So that’s the story behind this post. That and Shai’s Christmas wish list and the Yuletide season, of course.

Although this might be somewhat late, what gifts would I recommend that you give this Holiday season to those who would like to venture into income-generating activities through the Internet?

Domain Name and Hosting

For just one dollar, you can pay for a one-year registration of a domain name. For as low as $4/month you can pay for the web hosting. This of course depends on how the person wants to make money through the Internet but it’s usually advisable to have a blog/website.

Quality Make Money Online Books/E-Books
I, myself, would be delighted to receive Aaron Wall’s SEOBook, Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Work Week and Rich Jerk’s ebook. I’ve read lots of great reviews of these books.

E-courses or Coaching Programs Membership

It’s got to be Yaro Starak’s Blog Mastermind for newbies in turning blogs into money-making machines or Brian Clark’s Teaching Sells for those who are into more advanced methods. If you want to gift someone who wants to be a virtual assistant, VANetworking is one that offers VA coaching programs.

Gadgets and Accessories for More Internet Income

If you can afford it, a MacBook Pro or Asus EEE PC for a problogger wannabe or a lovely digital SLR camera for someone who wants to earn from taking pictures won’t hurt! Or if you know one who’s planning to earn from making online videos but has a rusty camcorder, receiving black Ultra Flip Video Ultra Camcorder I imagine would make him/her flip in joy! (I will! Hehe.) Someone who wants to earn through the Internet, most probably, is a technophile and would definitely appreciate receiving gadgets.

Gadget accessories are definitely going to be nice gifts too if you can’t afford to give hefty-priced stuff. How about a keyboard cover, a padded mouse pad or a custom laptop skin? These are items that won’t directly help people to make money but might motivate them in some way.

Can you suggest other stuff that someone who wishes to make money online would appreciate getting this year?

image credits: sxc.hu

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

What Gift to Give Someone Who Wants to Make Money Online

I’ve been meaning to write more optimized content for my blogs. But new projects caused its getting pushed to the last part of my never ending to-do list. But since JMMO is one of those projects, I thought of finally starting to get the juices flowing through writing about these sneaky little tools that I’ve learned to use to spark the fun part of SEO content writing – keyword research.

Many use Google Analytics to see what keywords people use to get to their sites. Now how about checking out what keywords drive traffic to your competitor sites?

SiteMeter

If you think SiteMeter is only for newbies, think again. Ok, most of the time it’s used by web analysis noobs. But it’s also for the bold and feisty who don’t mind showing their price keywords. Take a peek into your most favorite competitor blog’s highest-traffic generating keywords, if you’re lucky enough that his/her site sports a publicly viewable SiteMeter stat account, that is.

SEODigger

I’ve mentioned it as the next pagerank toolbar alternative because of its ability to display the keyword-richness of a website.

SEODigger shows the list of keywords that a website’s ranking well for. Through it you can also know the number of searches it received from a certain keyword. One neat tool for those who’d like to be updated with the most happening keywords websites are benefiting from.

KeywordSpy

KeywordSpy, isn’t it a very fitting name for a tool that helps you sneak into the list of magic keywords your top competitors are earning from?

It shows the top sites that have the most keywords used to advertise. This keyword research tool is most useful for those who’d either want to earn from AdSense or use paid ad campaigns for their websites.

Know of any other effective tools that lets you into the keyword secrets? Please leave a comment below.

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

3 Sneaky Keyword Research Tools

What tools do you use for your online business? Do you ever make use of social bookmarking sites like Digg and Stumblepon? Or, social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace?

Do you use organisational tools like Backpack? Or perhaps, create a Squidoo page?

Do you only use free web tools – or are you happy to pay for some tools?

Technorati Tags: open mic mondays, online business, web tools

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Open Mic Monday: Web Tools for Your Online Business

Everybody’s talking about it. This most recent pagerank update didn’t bring good tidings for those who were expecting higher ranks. It actually brought disaster — for those who worship the Google PageRank toolbar at least.

I’m not trying to be self-righteous here since I also benefit greatly from the value that search engine marketers give to the pagerank toolbar. However, with how my niche blog is doing, I can see that soon many SEO experts will get wiser and use other metrics for website appraisal. My blog is only PR3, which has decreased to PR2 by the way, but I’m starting to love the growth of its pageview rate and the number of text links it sold. I just hope that it’s not too soon to conclude though that this pagerank update won’t really affect that blog’s traffic.

But I digress – just a few minutes ago, I’ve read the Text-Link-Ads’ Link Buying Guide and noticed that Tip no. 1 is Buy Relevancy, Not PageRank. I’m not sure but I thought I a few days ago I only read about Relevancy without the mention of “Not PageRank” or was it there all this time?

Although I don’t know what Google is really up to, I just wish that monetizing sites would not only involve pagerank. How about more transparency with the keywords that a blog is ranking high with? Will tools like SEODigger.com be the next best thing then?

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

October 2007 PageRank Update: Wake Up Call?