Last month, we conducted a poll with this question: Have you ever paid for advertising for your blog/business?

And, it looks like the majority of the votes went to the option: ‘No – I don’t think I will.’ (37%) It makes me wonder if it’s primarily because JMMO readers and visitors don’t believe that advertising will help their online business, or if budget is the main consideration.

However, overall, advertising seems to be acknowledged as a way to promote one’s business. Where the next majority of voters said that they have tried advertising only once or twice (24%). And, there are those who do advertising occasionally (16%). And, there’s 9% of voters who say they do it regularly. And, a further 14% say that even though they haven’t tried advertising yet, they are planning to use it some time.

Thanks again to everyone who voted in last month’s poll. I’ll be sharing a new poll for the month shortly.

Image source: Shai Coggins

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

Poll Results: Have you ever paid for advertising for your blog/business?

First of all, thanks to everyone who promoted their online business and work in last week’s Open Mic. This week, I’d like to ask you to talk more about you and your work. Perhaps, you can respond to the following:

1) Your name (pseudonyms, welcome)

2) Blog or Site URL (if any)

3) Age? 20s, 30s, 40s?

4) How long have you been using the Internet?

5) Why do you want to make money online?

6) How long have you been reading JMMO? And, how did you find out about this blog?

7) What do you want to read more about here at JMMO (more tips, more advise [Q&As], more tutorials, etc)?

Anything else you’d like to share?

Looking forward to your responses!

Image Source: Microsoft Stock Photo; Edits: Shai Coggins

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

Open Mic Monday: Tell Me About You

A few months ago, I received this email from Jennifer Hofmann of Inspired Home Office -

Hi Shai -

I just looked through a bunch of your posts about how to make money blogging. I learned a TON! [edit]… am still learning the basic strategies behind blogging.

I have a question about making money from blogging that didn’t seem to be covered in your lineup. It’s a bit protracted, but see what you think:

When I’m not blogging, I’m running my business (the Inspired Home Office). My marketing strategy for the business is developed from Robert Middleton’s approach by Mark Silver at the heartofbusiness.com.

The strategy works like this: Use my website to describe the problem potential clients are facing and then offer them a complimentary product that can help them. In the process, I gain their email address which then allows me to email them regularly with other helpful info and also market my products and services.

This isn’t new, of course, but this model has been very effective for me so far. However, what I’m wondering is how my blog fits into that system. If potential clients are getting all the info they need from my blog, is there an incentive to get them to visit my site? Have you seen models of how websites and blogs can work cohesively?

I’m all ears!

- Jennifer

This is a common question from online business people who are using a similar niche in their websites and blogs. How do you make websites and blogs work together?

In fact, I remember a colleague who once asked me the very same question. She was running a popular website on writing and was venturing in to the world of blogging at the time. Since she started a blog on the same topic (writing), she was wondering if she was actually taking away traffic from her website.

My answer to this: Create two totally separate products with your website and your blog. Even though there might be some overlap, there’s room for creating a healthy relationship between the two.

Most websites tend to be more like “brochures” or “online shops” – they don’t usually get updated on a regular basis. Blogs, on the other hand, tend to be updated regularly. Use your blogs to direct traffic to your website and vice versa. Write about unique, short items on your blog – and point to a more comprehensive resource on your website. When you create good, unique articles on your blog, remind people about the products and services you also offer for sale on your website. Or, you can run a website that incorporates a blog section, like Sandra Magsamen.

Anyway, some examples of individuals who managed to create a relationship between their websites and blogs successfully include:

• Anne Wayman of The Golden Pencil (freelance writing blog), who also run About Freelance Writing (website).
• Artist Claudine Hellmuth, who has a website called Collage Artist and runs a personal blog on BlogSpot.
• Susan Connor, a designer of paper goods, has a SusyJack website and a Hey Susy blog.

So, yes, it is possible to make it work – having a website and blog at the same time that can work together.

What about you? Do you run both a website and blog that deal with the same topic? Or do you do things exclusively on websites or blogs?

Image: sxc.hu; Edits, Shai Coggins

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

Money Chat: Making Websites and Blogs Work Together

A survey of JMMO readers’ involvement in making money online showed that majority are doing this only on a part-time (or less) basis. So, it made me wonder what everyone does in their “day jobs”?

What exactly do you do when you’re not trying to make money online?

Image Source: Microsoft Stock Photo; Edits: Shai Coggins

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

Open Mic Monday: What Do You Do?

Another week, another great comment that cheered me up. Here’s one from a reader named Natalie:

“I don’t have a site yet or a Squidoo Lens, but I had to tell you, Shai I ALMOST just this morning gave up on the internet until I read your article here. Thanks so much for being so willing to give free advice (good advice at that).

You see, I relate the internet to the public library. The internet used to be just like a big electronic library, but now everyone wants to become millionaires by selling info that the public library provides for free. It’s good to see that SOMEONE has not given up on the art of free advice.”

I love it when readers also take the time to give feedback. I know it’s so much easier to read something online, take what we want from it, then just move on without acknowledging the people who took the time to share information.

There are so many generous souls online, giving free advice through articles, podcasts, and videos. I know I benefit on a regular basis on what people share. And hopefully, I’m able to thank people enough for what they give. Mostly because I know that as someone who shares information on the web, it always helps to know what readers and visitors think (the beauty of having comment sections in blogs rather than static websites).

The thing is, I know we want to make money online. Seeing as I blog about it, I’m all for that. I know that selling information is one way to make money. But, I also believe in the giving side of the web. Sure, there’s always a cost to everything (ads, etc). The same way public libraries come with a cost too (even if it comes in a different way). But, ultimately, I do believe that giving away things for free online eventually still help us to make money – and spread the good stuff about the web and its community.

Anyway, this is the sort of feedback that helps me to do what I do here at JMMO. And, I just want to say: Thank you, Natalie! I hope you will continue to believe in the sharing power and the generosity of the web.

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

On Generosity, the Web, and Making Money

I love ideas. I love brainstorming about them, talking about other people’s ideas, and finding ways to execute ideas. I love reading and listening to how people got their ideas for what they’re doing (or what they did).

To me, part of the lure of online money making lies in the creation and execution of ideas. The question, “What if…” comes to mind often.

So, what about you? If you’re already making money online, how did you get your idea to get started with your online business/work?

If you’re still considering what to do to make money online, where are you looking for ideas? What are you doing with those ideas that you find?

If you already have ideas – and you’re still not making money online – why? Is there something stopping you from doing something about your ideas?

Image: Based on Microsoft Stock Photo. Edits, Shai Coggins.

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

Open Mic Monday: On The Business of Ideas

It’s Public Holiday Monday today here in Adelaide, South Australia. Folks are taking the time off to celebrate the state’s biggest horse racing day – the Adelaide Cup.

I must admit that I’ve never been to a real horse racing event. But, I still enjoy the festivities. BBQs, fun hats, parties…

Anyway, I know that during public holidays like today, I have to do a bit of preparation for my online work, if I intend to take the day off or something. Things like: posting in advance in my blog/s, notifying co-workers/readers, setting vacation mails, etc. may be in order to keep my online work going smoothly.

What about you? What do you do to organise your online business when you go on holiday? What steps do you take to ensure that everything works properly, even when you’re away from your computer?

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

Open Mic Monday: Public Holidays and Your Online Business

There are a lot of things that we talk about in this weekly feature at Just Make Money Online. And, thoughts of “The Things You Love” had been on my mind.

So, I thought about the different things that I love about making money online, such as –

• The freedom of being able to work from home – or from anywhere there’s a decent Internet connection.
• The ability to create passive income. Money that come even though I’m not doing much in those particular revenue streams.
• Being able to do what I love best. It’s not easy to find jobs that you can also have fun with!

What about you? Why do you want to make money online? What do you love about it?

NOTE: Yes, I thought it’s a good time to change our weekly Open Mic Monday logo. Hope you like this better!

Image was based on MS Office Stock Photo. Edits, Shai Coggins.

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

Open Mic Monday: What You Love About Making Money Online

Based on our poll, it looks like Blogging / Writing Content is the most favourite way to make money online of JMMO readers and visitors (37% of all votes). So, it looks like I have to grow our Blogging for Dollars category more.

The next preferred mode of making money is Selling Goods (14% of all votes). It’ll be great to increase our resources in this area too.

Anyway, Creating and Maintaining Websites, Offering Services/Consultancy, and Creating and Selling Own Products received 11% of all votes votes each (33% total). Responding to Surveys, Emails, etc. is the next favourite, with 10% of all votes. Joining Contests and Teaching Online both received 2% of all votes.

There were a total of 87 voters in this poll. Thanks again to all who voted!

I’ll be posting a new poll for the month of March soon.

Chart copyright: Shai Coggins

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

Poll Results: What’s your most preferred way of making money online?