Blogging for Dollars: How to Optimize Your Blog for Monetary Profit
October 27, 2008
Everyone wants the inside track to making money from blogging. “Give me 10 steps to a quick million dollars, and I’ll be happy.” There’s so much wrong with that outlook, I wouldn’t know where to begin if I had to counsel someone who truly believes such a statement. I’m a firm believer in making money the old fashioned way.
The Way of the Web
Websites that proclaim they make millions of dollars from a blog that is painful to read, is either lying or has very loose business ethics. But the sad fact is that websites who claim to make tons of money do get tons of traffic from poor souls looking for a better way to earn a paycheck. (Or not earn a paycheck, but collect one anyway.)
Blogging for Dollars
I’ve been blogging nearly exclusively for SEO companies for a couple of years now. (I could tell you which ones, but then they’d send out a team to waterboard you and your family in retaliation. 
) What I know about SEO and marketing is from on-the-job experience. I’ve taken a few classes, read dozens of books, and had hands on training by SEO executives. I work for reputable companies that have been in business for many years and take pride in a job well done.
Can you use Black Hat SEO to increase traffic? Sure. Can you choke your blog full of flashy ads and affiliate programs to bring in a few extra bucks every week? Of course. The real question is, should you deceive the average Joe to line your own pockets.
Tune in tomorrow for Part Two of Blogging for Dollars.
Blog Nirvana: Communication, Swinging Vines, and 3 Drag Queens
October 25, 2008
“I bet when you read that previous paragraph, you could almost hear my voice in your head saying those words, a far more intimate and effective style of communication than the dry alternative.” Dave Taylor http://www.copyblogger.com/write-with-a-distinctive-voice/#more-957
“Occasionally, one is lucky enough to get “an expert” to write a Guest Post. This Post, written by Artur Urbanski of http://artursattitudes.blogspot.com, is so much more than luck: it is Artur’s story of living what we consider “history” behind The Iron Curtain as a boy and young man. For decades, Western Society has been trying to trade on truths and fictions of what REALLY happened in countries under Soviet Rule. Artur’s story is NOT a “Guest Post.” It is an HONOR – one for which I cannot possibly thank him enough. I am certain that readers will agree.” Rita’s Digest http://bloggrrl.com (NOTE: This is Rita’s note about an AMAZING series of posts by Mr. Urbanski. These are must-reads!)
“Once you feel inspired by basic elements, don’t stop. Release your imagination and figure out how to make the elements you’ve discovered unique.” Harrison McLeod http://menwithpens.ca/artistic-creative-proces
“It would be a shame if a great story were not shared, if it went to the grave with you, for we are a race of storytellers.” Brett Legree http://6weeks.ca/2008/10/24/viking-fridays-tears-in-the-rain/
“If I was a mugger I’d use vines to swoop down on my victims because that would be very entertaining and they’d feel like they were getting something for their money” Jenny AKA The Bloggess (This is like the best title ever written!) http://thebloggess.com/?p=677
“Find your own voice. Flaunt it like a bright pink feathered boa. Get naked, wrap your arms around it, and take it to bed. “ from :How Three Drag Queens in a Bus Lead to Better Blogging by James Chartrand http://www.copyblogger.com/priscilla/ (Okay, maybe this one gets the all-time greatest title award. I can’t decide.)
“Communication problems happen because you don’t like what the other person has to say” Corey http://zenhabits.net/2008/10/listen-up-how-honest-communication-can-save-your-marriage/
Have a great weekend everyone, catch you on Monday!
Hospitals, Doctors, and Tears. Oh My!
October 24, 2008
All is well here at Blue Duck. Please allow me to apologize for the lack of posts this week. My hiatus has extended much longer than I expected. For those who don’t know, I’ve had a busy week. Two family members had surgery this week, throwing me back into my former life as a Registered Nurse. 
To add to the chaos of trips to the hospital, fixing meals, and doling out TLC, my son had his first appointment for ADHD management this week. Anyone who has been through the process of reading massive information about ADHD, trying various forms of diet and behavior modification, and endless discussions with teachers, knows how agonizing such an appointment is.
We finally decided to “try” medication after many discussions with the little guy. The first day was very productive and wonderful, until noon. Then the medication wore off with a vengeance. Following an hour’s conference with the teacher, I took home a tearful and emotional little one. (after a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream)
My son expressed his delight at the way he felt during the morning hours, and was devastated when he felt powerless to continue to control his impulses and emotions in the afternoon. My heart broke for my boy and I began to doubt the decision to try medication.
Like most parents, I would rather pull out my toenails than watch my children suffer. But in the end, reason won out and after a call to his doctor, we agreed to continue the medication and monitor his behavior through Monday. One of the most powerful deciding factors was the look on my son’s face when he asked me to give him the medicine again the next day. He’d had a taste of so-called normalcy and wanted more. My heart broke once again as I stared into his eager, pleading face.
While this normally isn’t a parenting blog, I thought many of you might be able to relate to our story. I also felt I owed an explanation for my absence this week. Bodies are healing slowly and little lives are being changed in the Simmerman household.
I will be catching up my feed reader tomorrow and posting another round of weekly summaries late in the day. God willing, things will be closer to normal come Monday morning. Thanks for your patience, support, and emails. Each of you is more precious than you know.
The Cure for Depression: Nick Vujicic
October 19, 2008
As part of our One Month to Live small group study this week, we watched an absolutely amazing video. I mean amazing as in no one could rip their eyes from the screen as the video played. Kerry Shook interviewed Nick Vujicic, a man born without arms or legs.
Nick’s Story
This man is phenomenal. He knows what it is like to feel desperate, powerless, insignificant, frustrated, helpless…. all those feelings that overwhelm us and often are the root of deep depression. He has felt intense emotional pain, yet faces each day with a heartfelt smile, a terrific sense of humor, and palpable hope.
As I was watching the video, I was thinking that this man’s pain puts many things in my life into proper perspective. I am a firm believer that love from others, and a genuine love for others is the best treatment for depression. Nick is the embodiment of that love.
The Mandatory Disclaimer
Since it’s Sunday, this video is a little more “preachy” than is normally acceptable in blogging circles, but since it’s my blog, it’s all good. If you are offended by words like: God, Christ, love, Satan, and hope, this post and Nick’s video will be most distressing to you.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.”~Jeremiah 29:11-14
God had a plan for Nick’s life, and He has a plan for you. He can bring you out of the captivity of depression. If you liked Nick’s story, please visit http://lifewithoutlimbs.org.
Have a wonderful, hope-filled day. I’ll catch you all tomorrow.
Update!
This post is still drawing comments over 3 weeks after it went live! Because this message is so powerful, it is catching on all over the Net!
My awesome fellow-blogger Lance has recently posted an inspiring video from Nick on his blog, The Jungle of Life. This video is much better than the one above, so be sure to visit Lance’s site for the heart-wrenching version. Thanks Lance for spreading the Word.
Weekly Wrap Up: Take Three
October 18, 2008
First off, I have been wracking my brain for a catchy title for these lovely weekly summaries with link love. So far I’ve come up with… zilch. Nothing worth mentioning and certainly nothing brilliant enough to use. I’m open to suggestions. My brain is running on caffeine fumes and it shows.
This week’s summary of the best of blogopolis (in my opinion at least, and since I’m paying the Blue Duck bills, the remote control is all mine, hahahaha) has two parts. One is this snazzy compilation below, second is the Blog Action Day Summary from earlier this week. Please feel free to browse both while many bloggers (without OCD) take the weekend off. And just a warning, after this week’s Life with no regrets, Ive been feeling pretty sentimental, so most of these excerpts are about life, not building your business.
The Best of the This Week’s Quotes
“When we write, we discover what’s inside us, bubbling beneath the surface, about to erupt. By getting it down, we’re learning about ourself. E.M. Forster said, “How can I know what I think, till I see what I say?” Word. When we write, we discover what’s inside us, bubbling beneath the surface, about to erupt. By getting it down, we’re learning about ourself. E.M. Forster said, “How can I know what I think, till I see what I say?” Word.” Writer Dad’s guest appearance at Remakablogger. http://michaelmartine.com/2008/10/09/blogger-biographies-writer-dad/
“They’ll tell you things like “Don’t be mean to commenters”. That one really gets on my tits. Sometimes I get assholes on here. If I want to tell them they’re an asshole – that’s my choice. Heck – I even had some idiot show up on here once claiming that blowing up the Twin Towers was an entrepreneurial act. What was I supposed to say? “Great idea – I really admire those entrepreneurs who blow up buildings and murder innocent people.” ?? You will not make money from a blog by being nice to assholes. Assholes don’t visit you to buy and even if they did, you wouldn’t want them as a customer.” Cath Lawson http://cathlawson.com/blog/2008/10/13/making-money-from-a-blog-mistakes-to-avoid/
“I would be lying if I didn’t admit to being scared. Fear nips at my feet and lurks in the shadows, its venomous tongue giving voice to my self doubts. “Who are YOU to think you can write? Everything good has been done. There are no new ideas, no new ways to say things. You suck. Just give up.” But I can’t. There is too much riding on this. This is my earliest dream – to create.Blogger Dad” http://www.bloggerdad.com/
“I love writing. It’s harder than breathing, but easier than doing the dishes.” Sean Platt, http://writerdad.com/writing/on-being-a-chooch/
“In a sugar-rush from a bowl of Captain Crunch, Clark Kent’s Lunchbox hit me. Really, my blog has been like having a child grow up. It was born and I named it, then the next ten months were spent just babbling, drooling and learning how to walk, which is to say I was still figuring things out, but I was growing too.” Ron Mattocks http://www.bloggerdad.com/eight-questions-interview-with-ron-mattocks-of-clark-kents-lunchbox/
Life Happens
I’ll be taking a couple of days off to care for a sick family member out of town, but hopefully I’ll still be able to sneak in a few posts for your entertainment. (We wouldn’t want anyone going through Blue Duck withdrawal, now would we?) But, I may not be around as much to read and join in on the lively discussions that are sure to materialize this week. 
Find Your Own Zen with Leo Babauta
October 17, 2008
Leo Babauta is possibly one of the busiest men in the blogoshphere. His blog ZenHabits.net boasts a whopping 74,200 subscribers as of today. He’s environmentally friendly, has six (yes 6) children, loves to run marathons, eats mostly fruits and veggies, and is my personal inspiration for change. Leo has drastically changed his life for the better since 2005, and teaches others that life habits can be relearned. (With Leo and Havi in my feed reader cheering me on, I honestly believe I can change my world.) If you want a terrific example of Leo’s writing, he wrote a truly phenomenal post for Blog Action Day.
As if life change motivator wasn’t enough to qualify Leo for the blogger extraordinaire category, he’s a genuinely down to earth nice guy. Despite his crazy schedule, he was one of the first bloggers to respond to my request for a mini-interview, and he didn’t hesitate to agree even though I’m sure he was thinking, “Jamie, who?” Thanks Leo for participating and being so kind.
Enough with the warm fuzzies. Let the Zen picking begin, shall we?
What writing habits do you practice daily?
First, I try to make a regular time to write, every single day — that habit ensures that I write a lot. I also make my writing come before administrative tasks, because if I don’t the writing will get pushed back. Writing is the single most important thing I do in my work, so it gets top priority.
What is your process for improving your writing?
My writing is mostly about finding my voice. When I can do that, I’ve succeeded. Often that means removing things that are getting in the way of my voice, but most often it’s just a matter of listening to that voice in my head and allowing that to come out on paper. I strive to do that every day, and when I fail, I try to figure out why.
I also listen a lot to my readers. That’s what I love about blogging — in no other form of writing can you get such instant and direct feedback, from a group of interested readers. They call me on it when I’m not putting my soul into my writing, and they let me know when I’ve done well. That’s invaluable feedback for a writer.
Lastly, I read a lot. I read fiction, non-fiction, blogs, magazines and more. And the more I read, the better I get.
What books or blog posts have influenced the mechanics and heart of your writing the most?
There are way too many to name. I’ve been influenced by so many great writers, from Fitzgerald to Vonnegut to Hemingway to Shakespeare to Nick Hornby and Ann Patchett and Douglas Adams and Jonathan Lethem and William Gibson and Haruki Murakami. Even among my favorite bloggers, I couldn’t choose just a few … but some of the bloggers who’ve been most influential include Gina and Adam of Lifehacker, J.D. Roth of Get Rich Slowly, Dooce and Darren Rowse of Problogger. I have many more favorite bloggers and authors — it’s too hard to name them.
A blogger that admits to listening to his readers~ you can’t get much more genuine than that. I think that statement alone is sage advice for all of us. Thanks again, Leo for letting us peer into your well organized and healthy mind, and thanks for inspiring us all to live better.
Leo has written a couple of amazing eBooks to help you in your business, and your personal life.
Click here to find out more about Zen to Done: the Simple Productivity eBook.
Click here to find out more about The Zen Habits Handbook for Life.
