Our iPhone development team is responsible for some great apps in the iTunes app store. iVote Mobile was in the first batch of 500 apps that were released in the app store when it first went live in Summer of 2008. Last holiday season, iFart took the world by storm. It has gone on to become one of the most frequently mentioned iPhone apps in the world. Our team was among the first to develop... Continue Reading

For over one year, Dan Nickerson and I co-hosted a live video stream every Wednesday at 11 am. The show was called Joel Comm LIVE!. For one hour we would discuss internet marketing, answer questions from viewers, welcome guests and be silly. However, with my travel schedule becoming busier and busier, it became more difficult to pull off a regularly scheduled live program. Continue Reading

Nearly one year after the release of iFart, the app continues to sell like clockwork. I believe that iFart is also the most-referenced app in iPhone history. It seems like every week one media outlet or another is referring to it. A Google search for iFart now turns up 106,000 results. Continue Reading

We knew it would happen. It always happens. Not long after Twitter's popularity hit the stratosphere, the spammers began swarming. Now direct messages boxes are packed with Mafia invitations, follower lists have been infiltrated by pornbots, and I had to put up with dozens of impostors trading on my name before my verified account was able to show who's really me. Whenever something gets big and successful on the Internet, you can bet that there... Continue Reading

Creating a successful Internet business is all about bringing in users and turning them into cash. The more of those users you can convert, the more money you'll make. Your clickthrough rate - the percentage of users who click on an ad - is a measure of your ability to convert your users. A good website will have a clickthrough rate (or CTR) of around 3 percent. Or to put it another way, even a... Continue Reading

I have a confession to make. I am a packrat. It's not like when I die they are going to find stacks of National Geographic magazines in my house, but I do have a tendency to hold on to stuff that I think is cool. My old software collection always blows away people who visit my home. Perhaps I'll make a video of that someday. Continue Reading

The Internet has grown at an incredible rate. Online business is big business. And wherever there is big business there are bound to be scam artists. Due to the sheer number of people being deceived by unscrupulous marketers (though I hate to even call them marketers), the Federal Trade Commission has seen fit to intervene with a new set of regulations due to go into effect on December 1st, 2009. If you do ANY kind... Continue Reading

I offer a lot of different products. Some of those products I create myself. Others have been created by people I know. All of them, I firmly believe, can bring real benefits to the people who use them. If I wasn't 100 percent convinced that someone who is prepared to use the ideas contained in my books and products, and in the products that I recommend, couldn't achieve massive success, I wouldn't offer them for... Continue Reading

Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear about a new Twitter app, web tool or other utility created to make the use of Twitter easier or more interesting. It's pretty hard to keep up with them. And it's pretty rare that I endorse a tool or app. Just as I wait to see new sites pick up steam before jumping on board, I usually don't start using new tools until they demonstrate widespread... Continue Reading

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of traveling to London to speak at Andrew Reynold's Entrepreneur Bootcamp 2009. For the past few years, Andrew has put on an annual event that has dwarfed other marketing events in both size and scope. This year sought to outdo them all with a massive two-day event at the London O2 Arena. Continue Reading

I seem to spend a lot of time on the road these days. I've been up and down the country, backwards and forwards, and from state to state. I've even been to the other side of the world and back. It's hard work, with lots of jet-lag and too much time away from my family. That always hurts. But I enjoy it. I like speaking. The people I meet at events and conferences tend to... Continue Reading

What do people see when they look at you? Initially, they see your physical appearance. However, I believe our bodies are really a small part of who we really are. Man is a three-part being. We are body, soul and spirit. The body is just a casing (or an earthsuit as John Eldredge likes to say) to give our real selves something to walk around in during our brief stay on this planet. And yet... Continue Reading

Last week the FTC dropped a bomb on the marketing world. They released new guidelines for the use of testimonials and endorsements in marketing. I immediately contacted my attorney, Kevin Houchin, to get his take on the latest guidelines. With Kevin's permission, I am republishing the entire text of his interpretation. It is essential that all marketers, online and offline, pay attention to this content. And understand that if you have ANY questions, you should... Continue Reading

Twitter isn't the only microblogging service on the Web. It's not even the best microblogging service on the Web. In Twitter Power, I describe a number of sites that also let members post short notes to tell friends and followers what they're up to. Plurk, for example, is alive and kicking, and it looks great. It has neat icons, a clever, horizontal timeline and all sorts of add-ons and gizmos that make it look a... Continue Reading

Alright, so maybe it wasn't the legal dispute of the century. But you've got to admit, for two little iPhone flatulence apps, we sure did make a stink! As you may recall, the fun and games began when Air-O-Matic, the creators of Pull My Finger, contacted me with a demand for $50,000. Why? They claimed that my use of the phrase "pull my finger" in a small portion of our online marketing campaign was responsible... Continue Reading

Big changes don't usually happen overnight. There are usually a few quiet moves first -- little tweaks and adjustments that no one really notices. And then suddenly, one more little change makes a huge difference, pushes it over the tipping point and forces everyone to pay attention. Continue Reading

The Internet has been good to me. No, I'll say that differently. The Internet has been fantastic to me. It's changed my life, brought me some incredible deals and continues to deliver a reliable and generous revenue stream. It's allowed me to build a successful business and lead the kind of life I've always dreamed of. I don't know where I'd be without the Web. Still selling encyclopedias probably. Or disc jockeying at weddings. We... Continue Reading

Affiliate products make up a large part of my income. They're one of the revenue streams that I use on my websites and I often recommend selected products to the people on my mailing list. I use them for all sorts of reasons - and money is only one of them. Sure, an affiliate commission will always be worth more than an ad click but that's only the start of it. I also like the... Continue Reading

Twitter looks so easy, doesn't it? You don't have to plan and research like you do when you're writing a blog post. You can write whatever's on your mind and hit the Update button. Random thoughts make for perfectly good tweets. You don't have to think about search engine optimization. Tweets do turn up on Google but links in tweets don't count towards page rank and there's no way - or reason -- to optimize... Continue Reading

It's all your fault. I'm not going to beat about the bush. Nor am I going to try to save your feelings. I'm going to be brutally honest because I think direct is always the best way to go - and because you can handle it. It's all because of you. Continue Reading

I have to warn you now. This entry is not going to be pretty. But someone has got to say something. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Fine... sigh... I'll do it. Continue Reading

By now, you know that I am the creator of the world's most-talked about iPhone application, iFart Mobile. Although most people know me these days as the best selling author of "Twitter Power - How To Dominate Your Market One Tweet At A Time" and a successful internet entrepreneur, my staff and I eagerly jumped into iPhone development as soon as the app store launched. If you have been following me on Twitter, you are... Continue Reading

One of the most exciting developments that has occurred on Twitter in the months since I put together Twitter Power has been the release of all sorts of statistics about the site. We've learned, for example, that many of the site's users are middle-aged, high earning business types rather than the kids that create pages on MySpace. We've found that only a small proportion of Twitter's users are writing most of the tweets while the... Continue Reading

I love meeting new Internet entrepreneurs. I love seeing the sparkle in their eyes, the passion for their new businesses and their drive to succeed. I think it's great that people know where they're going. It's fantastic that they understand it is possible to build a successful online business, something that can give them a stable six- or even seven-figure income, and it's wonderful that they're determined to get there. Continue Reading

What do users really want? It's a question that publishers ask themselves all the time. We look at the comments our articles receive. We review our stats. We check the popularity of keywords. We ask for ideas on Twitter. And we do all sorts of other things that try to second-guess what's going through our users' minds so that we can deliver content that interests them most. But maybe we're asking the wrong question. Continue Reading

You've heard of the "paralysis of analysis." It happens when you think too much. That's not something that many people have accused me of doing very often (the opposite does tends to crop up quite a bit though) but it is something that I know afflicts many entrepreneurs, especially new ones. Continue Reading

I love it when academics launch studies of the entrepreneurial world. Sometimes, they come up with truly valuable and fascinating information. I can't think of any off-hand, but I'm sure they must do sometimes. More usually though, the buffoons claim that their observations have discovered something truly amazing and revolutionary... something that those of us who were actually doing it knew all along. While the prof. is getting another publication and a nomination for a... Continue Reading

There's a rumor going around. It's growing. It's dangerous. And I think I may have encouraged it. People are starting to believe that Twitter is a sales tool. They see the site as a valuable resource that allows them to broadcast their sales messages and land new deals. Continue Reading

When I was working on Click Here to Order, I had a problem. How could I describe all of the accomplishments achieved by the people I was interviewing? Although each of the marketers I spoke to was usually best known for creating one unique model, which they were now sharing with others, almost all of them had hugely rich pasts as well. Continue Reading

I'm scared of change. There, I said it. It's not big news though. Everyone is scared of change. Change is a scary thing. It means giving up what you have now for something better that you can only hope you'll have in the future. It's risky. It's dangerous. It's disruptive. It's also thrilling, exciting... and inevitable. Continue Reading

Everyone needs a motto to live by. For some it's "do unto others as they do unto you." For others it's "get all you can while you still can." And still for others it may be "eat, drink and be merry!" I'm good with whatever works for you, but I've been settling into a motto of my own. Continue Reading

In my book, Twitter Power, I describe a number of different kinds of tweets that twitterers are posting on the site. I talk about news tweets and customer service tweets, random thoughts and feedback, and a whole lot more besides. I explain how businesses are using them, why they work and how to make them work for you. You don't have to use all -- or any -- of those tweet models if you don't... Continue Reading

I consider myself very fortunate. I have a beautiful home with a beautiful view of the Rockies in a beautiful part of the country. I also have a great office staffed with fantastic people. And the two are separate. That isn't everyone's goal. I've met lots of people whose dream is to give up the commute and start working from home. I can understand that. I've done that. Continue Reading

There's about a million and one reasons why I love Internet marketing. It pays, of course, and that has to be important. It's fun too. I'm having a ball doing this and it's rare that someone can say that about their work. But one of the things I love the most about Internet marketing is that it's democratic. Anyone can do it. And I really do mean anyone. Continue Reading

I've been an Amazon.com Associate since the beginning. I'm not sure when they started their program, but it's been over ten years that I've promoted Amazon's products and services. Imagine my surprise when I received an email from Andrea, an Associates Account Specialist (is that for people who can't get jobs with the post office? I'm kidding.. relax...), that informed me my account was being closed. First of all, let me say this. I am... Continue Reading

When I started work on Twitter Power at the end of September 2008, I had about 5,000 followers. That was a pretty good amount back then: it was only a year ago that Twitter's blog was reporting that anyone with more than 80 followers was among the site's top ten percent of users. Boy, have things changed! Continue Reading

Here's something you're not going to hear too often these days. I'm glad I don't have a job. I'm happy that I don't have to commute to someone else's office, make nice to the boss, wonder what I have to do to move up in life... and hope and pray that I still have my job next month. That's the situation for many people these days, and I'm so happy that I've discovered that it... Continue Reading

Twitter has experienced massive growth in the past year, with the number of people signing up each month accelerating. It has also become the media darling of the day. It seems that everyone is Twittering. However, with only 10-12 million people on the site, its clear that everyone is NOT Twittering. Don't fret. They will be soon. So where is the media paying the most attention to Twitter? You guessed it. It's all about the... Continue Reading

With Twitter becoming such a powerful force on the social media scene, there are those who get it and those who don't get it. There's a certain number of the "don't get it" crowd who will invariably take an outright aggressive posture and make a statement like this... "Twitter is a waste of time. Who cares what you had for breakfast?" Many on Twitter will hem and haw about the content of the question, almost... Continue Reading

Editors are newspapers, radio shows and television programs are human beings, just like the rest of us. They have deadlines to meet and a never-ending stream of work they must do in order to deliver newsworthy content to the public. You can imagine how difficult it must be for them to find quality sources for stories on a regular basis! Continue Reading

I like to think I've come a long way since I first started turning The Dallas/Fort Worth Software Review into WorldVillage.com. I now have a string of profitable websites. I speak regularly at conferences across the country. I've produced a top-selling iPhone app. And I've written a bunch of books, including a New York Times bestseller. But I know I didn't do any of this alone. Not only did I always have the support of... Continue Reading

This week, I had the pleasure of being asked to speak to Microsoft employees on the subject of Twitter. Eckhart Boehme invited me to talk about how businesses are using Twitter, demonstrating that Microsoft is taking a very engaged position on social media. I was treated quite well by Eckhart and his team, and I met a number of very bright Microsoft people. The campus is ENORMOUS. I saw buildings numbered all the way up... Continue Reading

There are times when I've sat in a conference, looked around a room full of bright, hopeful entrepreneurs and wondered how many of them will become successful. I don't mean how many of them will be successful this time next year or how many will be millionaires in five years' time. I mean how many will be successful at all. Continue Reading

In a landmark decision that will be sure to usher in a new world Internet order, a World Wide Web judge has just granted Internet marketing guru and entrepreneur Joel Comm the exclusive trademark rights to the ".com" web address suffix, placing all websites everywhere with a ".com" domain under the jurisdiction and discretion of Joel Comm. The decision came about when Joel Comm successfully sued Al Gore, who had previously laid claim to "inventing... Continue Reading

I do not use my Gmail.com account for business. It is my personal account that I use to correspond with friends, family and close business associates. But I DO use the account and have a number of messages that I have saved for one reason or another. Around 2 pm MDT I went to check my Gmail account and was SHOCKED to see that my inbox was EMPTY! I thought, "surely this must be a... Continue Reading

I remember when Guerrilla Marketing came out. I was so excited. Here were a bunch of different methods to run powerful marketing campaigns without spending a dime. It was revolutionary. At last, the average Joe could build a business even with a marketing budget no deeper than his pant pockets. The philosophy laid out in that book still holds good. It is still possible to sell products without buying a 30-second spot during the Superbowl. Continue Reading

I've been a fan of UStream.tv ever since I discovered them a little over a year ago. Every Wednesday, I do a live show with my co-host Dan Nickerson. It's called Joel Comm LIVE! UStream has proven to be innovative as they continue to add cool features for broadcasters, including the ability to bring in co-hosts from other locations, add titles and also play YouTube or local videos within your program. Continue Reading

I love coming up with new ways to demonstrate the power of Twitter. With such a massive network of users, it's fun the push the boundaries and see what is possible. I decided I would make myself available to anyone who wanted to interact. I had to set aside time to do this because its just not possible to answer every @ reply that comes your way. So around 2:20 pm MDT today, I decided... Continue Reading

I've seen some really clever things done with ads on the Web. I've seen some pretty dumb things too, like whack-a-mole banners and flashing skyscrapers that make you want to look anywhere but at the ad. But some of the ideas have been incredibly creative. When Kontera first wheeled out its system, I loved the fact that its ads were so unobtrusive. When Chitika created its eMiniMalls and then its Premium ads, I thought the... Continue Reading

You've heard the saying about not being able to fool all the people all the time. You probably also know then that you can't please all the people all the time too. It's an impossibility. It doesn't matter how good your content, how wonderful your website or what a great job you do, you're always going to get people who write in and complain. Continue Reading

Whenever I sit down to write a book or prepare a talk, I always have one goal in mind. I want to make it easier for other people to achieve success. That's easier... not easy. I know my limitations. And I know Internet marketing. And I know that there's no such thing as a successful Internet business that was built easily. Continue Reading

I love giving things away. I know, I'm supposed to be a marketer. I'm supposed to know how to get the full value for everything I supply. But every year, I give away tons of fantastic freebies. I give away content, e-books, videos, training sessions, teleseminars and all sorts of other wonderful things. If I had to calculate the total value of the goodies that I pass out for nothing every year, I'd need to... Continue Reading

It's a national holiday! I know, it's not on the calendar. But I am declaring a national holiday. In fact, I am calling it a GLOBAL holiday! What's the special occasion? It's Twitter Power Day! Yes, that's right. Today is dedicated to recognizing and embracing the power of Twitter to build relationships, enhance branding and grow your online business... ... and it's all FREE! Continue Reading

I recently attended a mastermind event featuring some of the greatest thought leaders of our generation. Attendees included Tony Robbins, Alex Mandossian, Les Brown, Tony Hsieh, Ivan Misner, Chet Holmes, Bill Bartmann, Stephen Pierce and many others. It was a fantastic three days of learning, networking, and building relationships. On Saturday evening we were told that we had a surprise speaker. It turns out that Janet Atwood has a friend that knows Paula Abdul. I'm... Continue Reading

I can't tell you how many times I've done it. I reach a website, enjoy the content, then head for the search box to look for more. I type in the keywords, hit the Search button... and find that I'm searching in the subscription field. Now I have to look for the search box and start typing all over again. Or more likely, I'll give up and look for another website. Putting the RSS subscription... Continue Reading

A year or so ago, I started my own book publishing program. Essentially, my goal was to provide opportunity to a select group of new authors who I felt needed greater exposure. Made Easy Publishing has accepted a handful of manuscripts and I'm pleased to announce that our newest author has just hit #1 on Amazon.com! My friend, Ewen Chia, has just released his book "How I Made My First Million on the Internet and... Continue Reading

Many of the people who turn to Internet marketing do it because they feel that their career ladder has got stuck. They work hard, they're ambitious, they know they've got drive, skills and talent but their boss isn't giving them the breaks they need or their company just doesn't have anywhere higher for them to climb. So they start dreaming of branching out on their own. If they build their own career ladder, they think... Continue Reading

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of enjoying a weekend in the mountains with my family. We stayed in a neighborhood called Summerwood, located in Dillon, Colorado. It's about two hours from Loveland, where we live, and it was an absolutely perfect retreat for the weekend! Just a few minutes from Dillon AND Keystone resort, you could spend the entire weekend inside this massive home and do nothing but enjoy the spectacular views... Continue Reading

Wow. I should probably just end the blog post with that one word, as I am speaking about Tweet-a-Thon 2009. Just wow. But you know I can't stop there! It's the morning after. I am still exhausted. But I am basking in the afterglow of what I shall remember for the rest of my life. Continue Reading

I get asked for joint ventures all the time. A day doesn't go by without some message landing in my mailbox from someone saying they've got a killer product and that I should tell my entire list about it. And each of those days ends with just about all of those emails landing in my trash box. Yes, some products I'll be happy to recommend to people who are trying to build Internet businesses. Usually... Continue Reading

My team and I came up with the idea for an iPhone fart application in summer of 2008. We knew it would be a hit. We just needed to develop it. We took great pride in developing iFart Mobile. It was more than another iPhone application. It was a true entertainment machine with a unique interface. It didn't LOOK like an iPhone app. When we submitted the application to Apple, it was put "in review... Continue Reading

There are lots of great things to say about being an Internet entrepreneur. You get to be your own boss, setting your own hours and working from home if you want. You get to define your own goals and connect your earnings directly to your efforts. And you get to be in full control of your life, instead of working a J.O.B. that you just can't stand. All of those things are true but there's... Continue Reading

There are two kinds of people in the world. There are people who dream. And there are people who act. Both types of people are important, and both skills are needed when you're trying to succeed. What's rare though is to find both those skills in the same person. Most of us are either brimming with ideas or overflowing with energy. We're either the type who spots opportunities or the type who spots the problems... Continue Reading

I'm currently vacation in Dillon, CO with my family, staying at a friend's vacation home. I walked outside and it was such a gorgeous day that I decided to do a spontaneous live show! So from the Rocky Mountains, you can check out the replay now. Watch for special appearance from Socrates the Philosopher Dawg. :-) Continue Reading

A few weeks ago we announced the release of our Mobile Syndication Solutions turn-key system where anyone could easily get their own iPhone app developed for a fraction of the going rate. I'm excited to say that a new app using this system has just been unleashed into the Apple iTunes App store. Not only that, but it is for a musician that you all know, none other than Grammy-Award winning MC Hammer! The HammerTime... Continue Reading

As I'm sure you read on my blog or elsewhere on the web, Facebook had suspended my account. After sending a few emails and having some friends with contacts at Facebook work on my behalf, my account has been reinstated. Here is the email I received from them... Continue Reading

I've been a fan of Facebook for a couple years. I think it's a great way to network with others and build your business. I've used the site create my own groups, build a fan page, post videos, interact with family, friends and fans, and basically enjoyed its functionality. I've always abided by their terms of service, even though thousands of people break the rules every day. I'm a credible marketer with a 15-year history... Continue Reading

It shouldn't be a difficult question. If you want to know whether your site is a success, you don't have to look further than the last line in your AdSense stats. If you're happy with the amount that's going to appear on Google's check this month, you're successful. But what if an advertiser asked how successful your site is. What would you say then? You wouldn't tell him how much you're earning each month, would... Continue Reading

There are a lot of worried people out there. You might even be one of them. People are losing their jobs, seeing their wages cut, watching their revenue charts change from a steep hill to vertical cliff. These aren't great times. But they are times of opportunity. When I was researching Click Here to Order, there was one story that I came across time and time again. It was the story of the entrepreneur whose... Continue Reading

I'm sure you've heard all the reasons for working for yourself. You can set your own schedule. You can be your own boss. You won't have to commute. You can work in your underwear. (Does anyone ever do that?) Yada yada. All true, all wonderful (except maybe the underwear bit) and all good reasons for setting up your own business. Bu there's one reason that no one ever talks about, and that's very strange because... Continue Reading

You've probably noticed that I'm a big fan of video content. I don't think text is going to disappear from the Web completely but I do think we're going to see more and more video content appearing on the Internet. I also think that users now expect to find clips on the sites they visit. I'm not the only one who thinks that way. Google obviously thinks so too, which was why it bought YouTube... Continue Reading

As of this writing, There are over 13,000 applications in the iTunes app store. There are games, utilities, novelty apps, lifestyle apps, social networking, weather and several other categories. New apps are appearing every day. Some apps are original, but many are just more of the same. That's why I am excited to announce an entirely new genre of apps. Several months ago I and my team were considering ways to deliver our content to... Continue Reading

It doesn't happen often. But it does happen. And when it does, I have to shake my head and wonder what some people are thinking. What am I talking about? Well, let me set the stage for you with a little anecdote. Continue Reading

You already know that most small businesses fail. It's a warning that's been given out to every entrepreneur with an idea, drive and the imagination to succeed for as long as people have been saying, "I should be working for me." Well, here's something you probably don't want to hear. Most blogs die too. People start them with the best of intentions. They tell themselves that they'll write every day, they'll pick up masses of... Continue Reading

The start of any new business always contains the scariest moments. On the one hand, you're never going to feel more enthusiastic about your idea than during those first few months. You'll get to see your plan take flight and discover whether it really does have wings. On the other hand, you also have to cope with the fear that it's going to fail -- that what you thought was going to bring you a... Continue Reading

Yesterday I posted a video of my brother-in-law's legendary karaoke performance. Many have asked if I was going to post my performance. Being a high-profile marketer, I should no better than to do that. After all, why would I want people to see how badly I sing? But I thought about it and decided that transparency is a good thing. In fact, the more you share your life with your customers, the more they have... Continue Reading

I just returned from a one-week cruise to the Mexican Riviera with my extended family. We enjoyed a wonderful week aboard the Norwegian Star. I'll be providing more details of the cruise in the future, but for now I want to focus on the first video that I've uploaded. In what can only be described as a legendary performance, my brother-in-law Michael Costantini dominated the Karoaoke floor one evening with his rendition of this classic... Continue Reading

It's all changed. It happened so fast, we hardly even noticed. But looking back, it's incredible how different everything is today. When I started out in Internet Marketing, no one had any idea who I was. No one needed to. All they had to do was know where my websites were and enjoy the content I was putting up. It was impersonal and it worked both ways. My users might only have thought of me... Continue Reading

You know what I like best about Twitter? It isn't the fact that it's easy to use and a ton of fun (although those are important). It isn't the fact that I can communicate with some fantastic people, get answers to questions and pick up information and advice that I couldn't have learned any other way (although those are important too.) And it isn't even that it's a fantastic marketing tool that drives traffic, builds... Continue Reading

'Twas the night before Christmas and all across Twitter Tweeples eyes were lit, they were all a-glitter. The tweets they were flying with speed and delight as each one made plans for that great winter's night "I'm traveling", "I'm eating", "I'm hanging with family" "I just wrapped the presents, I can say now so happily" The news it broke fast, from Mumbai - attack we all were there to say "we've got your back" And... Continue Reading

I love meeting people who are just starting out as Internet entrepreneurs. I love their enthusiasm, I get a thrill out of hearing their plans for the future, and I pick up a buzz from their energy. They've got J-O-Bs that they often H-A-T-E. They've got every motivation they need to swap their spare time for marketing time, and they absolutely believe that it's only a matter of hard work and patience before they'll be... Continue Reading

I've seen it. It's a glint in the eye, an intensity in the look, a feverish scribbling of notes during a talk. It's the desire for passive revenue - to set up a system that produces money while you spend the rest of your life on a beach in Cancun, occasionally checking how much you made today while doing nothing. I love to see that desire because, frankly, I have it too. That's why it's... Continue Reading

Invesp Consulting has been taking nominations for their list which includes one-hundred marketers from around the world. Based on the number of votes received, they have ranked from one to one-hundred. I ended up receiving an award and coming in as #62. Thanks to all who voted for me. I didn't even know it was taking place. They even gave me a cute little badge... aw.... Click here to see entire list of winners Continue Reading

It's been an interesting week in Apple-world. A few months ago, a news story broke that Apple was rejecting certain applications based on their "lack of utility." The application that made news was a fart app that allowed the user to simulate flatulence noises on their iPhone. Like most guys, I have to laugh. I don't know why. It's in our genes, I guess. Anyhow, at the same time, similar applications were submitted to Apple... Continue Reading

I had the privilege of speaking to one thousand people at a seminar this weekend. One the things I hear from attendees again and again is how "real" I am on stage. I take that a compliment, because to be otherwise would be to act "phony." After considering these kinds of comments, I wonder how many people aren't "real" on stage or some other part of their lives. I think one reason that speakers/performers struggle... Continue Reading

I spoke at Harv Eker's Never Work Again seminar in Rancho Mirage, California today. We had a great time. His attendees are always so engaged and eager to learn. At one point I burst out into a spontaneous stomp-stomp-clap, which led to a chorus of Queen's "We Will Rock You." Don't believe me? See for yourself! Continue Reading

You never know what web 2.0 site is going to take off like crazy. Just yesterday I found a new awards site intended to highlight the best of Twitter, called The Shorty Awards. As the site says, "The Shorty Awards honor the world's top Twitterers." I have been nominated for a Shorty Award in the #business category. If I have helped you in any way, please consider seconding the nomination for me! It's easy to... Continue Reading

I'm getting ready to bust loose with a four-letter word. You aren't going to like it. It might make you cringe. Too bad. It needs to be said. "Debt" There I said it. Do you feel relieved or does the word stress you out? Continue Reading

"Focus on what's meaningful, not what's measurable." I wish I'd said that. It wasn't me though. It was Warren Buffet, a man much smarter -- and a great deal wealthier -- than me. And not surprisingly, it's great advice and it's especially important for online marketers. The Web gives us access to all sorts of figures. Our AdSense stats tell us our clickthrough rates, our eCPMs, how our channels are doing and of course, our... Continue Reading

I often hear grumbling from people who tell me how hard it is to make money online. And then I see a 16-year old kid do it and think "huh... maybe not so hard after all?" That's exactly what happened with my friend, Stanley Tang. Stanley understands the power of mentors... following those who have gone before and modeled the success you want to achieve. As a result, Stanley has found success on the Internet! Continue Reading

Here's a new time-waster that may be fun. The application is called Photoswap. The concept is simple. Take a photo with your iPhone and send it. Photoswap will send it to a random user who is also taking a photo. They get your photo, you get theirs. Continue Reading

It happens even before your site really starts to make money. You post articles, market your content, pick up comments and find that other sites are talking about you. All of a sudden, you've moved from being one person with ideas you want to share to being the center of a community, part of a circle of online friends with a keen interest in what you have to say. Continue Reading

Putting together a conference is no simple task. In October of 2008, my team and I conducted our first live event, Elevate 2008. People from eight countries joined us for a three-day intensive in which we revealed strategies and techniques for building a successful online business. Take a look behind the scenes in part 1 of this video series. Be sure to leave comments, especially if you were an attendee! Continue Reading

I've been a huge fan of Amazon.com since Bezos launched the site out of his garage. When the pundits said "It'll never work", I said they were clueless. Of course it will work. I spend more money on Amazon then any other online store, as do many of you. I'm also a huge fan of my iPhone and I've used it to shop at Amazon many times. I joined Amazon Prime a couple years back... Continue Reading

Did you feel it? It was just a tremor, but the effects are global. In fact, I'll say this... The world just got smaller. Alright, Joel. WHAT are you talking about? Continue Reading

I'm fed up. I've really had enough. I've just seen it too many times. Again and again, I meet people who wonder why they aren't Internet millionaires yet. When I ask them how long they've been online, they say "Three months, and it's just not working!" It takes about ten minutes to buy a computer and another two minutes to turn it on. Continue Reading

I usually visit my extended family in the Chicago suburbs over the Thanksgiving holiday. This past weekend, we left the kids with their aunt and uncle, and spent a couple nights downtown. Mary had never been to a Morton's steakhouse before, so it was a great opportunity to share a fine dining experience with her. Many have never been to Morton's, so I shot a video of our server, Matt, presenting the menu. Watch out... Continue Reading

Whenever I attend a conference I always try to listen to as many of the other speakers' talks as possible. I can't think of a single talk that hasn't taught me something. But some of the most powerful and valuable information that I've learned at conferences didn't come while sitting in front of a professional marketer. It came while sitting in the café afterwards and chatting with my students. Continue Reading

I recently had the opportunity to do a book signing at our local Barnes & Noble store in Loveland, Colorado. The team at the store was very friendly and accomodating, setting up an area for me to do a couple presentations, interact with customers and sign books. They ordered plenty of copies of Click Here to Order and The AdSense Code, so there was enough for everyone. They placed a nice sign on the table... Continue Reading

Life must be hard for television executives. To decide how much to charge advertisers and whether they should commission another season of a show, they have to know the size of their audience. The only method they have to do that is by using a survey. The Nielsen ratings track what television viewers watch and then, based on demographics, make certain claims about what everyone else was watching at the same time. Those figures could... Continue Reading

I got an email from someone the other day asking me which "gurus" they should listen to. There are SO many people teaching how to make money online. How DO you know who to trust? Here's a checklist for you to help you determine the answer to this question: Continue Reading

It's easy to assume the role of a celebrity on Twitter, but how do you know which ones REALLY have the true celebrity behind the name and which are fakes? I have just persuaded an old friend, David Lawrence (portrays the eeeevil Eric Doyle on the hit TV show Heroes), to sign up for Twitter. So I can vouch for the validity of his account. You can follow him at twitter.com/dhlawrencexvii Other verified celebrities include... Continue Reading

Online publishing is a business. Like any business it requires work. It requires paying taxes. And it requires investments of cash to keep going. That last hurdle is the one that many people stumble over. They think that because the only equipment they need to set up an online publishing business is a computer, that's the only expense they'll ever need to pay. Wrong. Continue Reading

What would you say if I told you that you can boost your profits by typing just 140 characters? (That's about the length of this paragraph.) If you're smart, you might say "Which ones?" If you're really smart though, you'd say "I know." That's because the power of Twitter isn't a secret any more. CEOs are using it. Bloggers are using it. Marketers are using it. Everyone's using it (including me) and not only are... Continue Reading

There are times when I really don't like surfing the Web. I'll toss a search phrase into Google, get a list of results that look interesting and when I click on a link... I'll get a junk page that's stuffed with ads. Back I go to Google to try again. I know, I could have clicked an ad. I could have done, but I didn't. In fact, I often won't even read the content on... Continue Reading

No, this isn't another invitation to a webinar. (There will be another of those along soon, don't worry.) And it's not about another live video release. (There will be another one of those soon too.) In fact, it's not about me at all. It's about you. Continue Reading

Stuck for a blog post? Fed up writing how-tos and list posts? Want to write a piece of content that will not only be original, unique and genuinely interesting but which is almost guaranteed to deliver at least one return link from a targeted traffic source? So try Continue Reading

Online publishing has all sorts of advantages. You become your own boss, you have your own schedule, you get paid to produce content and bring in users. It's all great fun... and you can do it without leaving your house or having to cope with office politics. It's those last benefits that can look so appealing and be a little dangerous too. Social networking sites have made it so easy to chat with other people... Continue Reading

Here's a campaign ad that goes directly to the heart of this election. Who knows better how to spend YOUR money and run YOUR life? You or Government? We're at a crossroads. I pray we make the right choice. Continue Reading

There's a reason that online publishing is profitable. It's a fantastic reason and it's one of the things that makes earning income as an online entrepreneur so enjoyable. People want to learn. They want to know how to be a better gardener, a better dad, a better soccer coach, a better entrepreneur too. Anyone who can provide that information can make some money -- and help others too. And anyone can do that. You might... Continue Reading

Did you ever walk into one of those old mom-and-pop hardware stores, the sort of place where piles of dusty boxes filled with metal things are stacked from floor to ceiling and nothing's got a label on it? You walk up to the counter, explain what you're trying to do and the store owner nods, starts bringing down boxes and in no time at all finds exactly the widget you were looking for. Those people... Continue Reading

Become an Internet publisher, and you'll need to learn a whole bunch of new marketing skills. You'll have to unwrap the mysteries of search engine optimization, figure out how to make pay-per-click advertising pay for you and get to grips with "link bait," banners and keywords to name just a few. None of it is really very difficult and all of it can be learned but for anyone just starting out, it will all be... Continue Reading

I've written a lot of content since I became an online publisher. I'd like to think that I've got better and better as the years have gone by but sometimes I'm not so sure. Although there are plenty of posts that still make me proud when I read them again, there's also no shortage of articles that really make me wince. They might have sentences I want to rephrase, points that aren't made clearly, and... Continue Reading

I don't go to the movies much. I enjoy movies, I just don't enjoy the theater experience. Why pay top dollar to sit in a crowded cinema with chatty teens and people noisily crunching popcorn and nachos when I can buy or rent the DVD for less and enjoy the peacefulness and comfort of my home theatre. I choose to go to the Metrolux today in order to get a glimpse of An American Carol... Continue Reading

There are two reasons that people will visit your website. They'll visit to read great content. And they'll visit to feel part of a community. There's one way in which you can add valuable content to your site, get that content for free and build up your community at the same time. By receiving comments. Continue Reading

If you do your job well, you shouldn't get paid anything at all for it. That doesn't sound fair, does it? But as an online publisher, that's exactly what should happen. Your job is to provide information to your readers. That could be information that educates them. It could be information that makes them think. And it could be information that just makes them happy to read it. If the information that you're offering is... Continue Reading

Want to know the difference between a successful entrepreneur... and an entrepreneur who wants to be successful? It's really very simple... An entrepreneur acts. An entrepreneur who wants to be successful thinks of acting. But successful entrepreneurs don't just act. They act at the right speed. Continue Reading

This is a hugely exciting time to be an online publisher. It used to be the case that if you wanted to earn from ads on your website, there was only one thing to do. You signed up to AdSense, pasted in the code, optimized the units and brought in traffic while following your stats. You still have to do that. But these days that's just the beginning. Continue Reading

It's been a long time since I optimized my first AdSense ad. Many things have changed since then. Some things have stayed the same. The principles of AdSense optimization have stayed the same. You still have to blend your ads into your site. You still have to produce good quality content. And you still have to bring in traffic to look at that content. The content itself has changed though. Videos are now an important... Continue Reading

Click Here to Order continues to sell very well and is showing up in more and more stores. I'd love to hear your CHTO Sitings if you spot it in your city or town. However, thanks to my friend Michael Copeland, I've discovered a way that you can read my new book for free and get some extra bonus material along the way! How can that be? Continue Reading

It's probably the most important decision you can make as a publisher... What are you going to create a website about? So much depends on your choice: The value of your ads. The pleasure you get out of writing your content. Continue Reading

If you were publishing a newspaper, you wouldn't care who read it. As long as the number of readers was nice and high, it wouldn't matter too much to you whether they all read one article or absorbed everything from cover to cover. That would be true even if you were publishing a free newspaper. Continue Reading

There are easy ways of bringing traffic to your website, and there are hard ways. Most people focus on the hard ways. They spend hours playing around with their keywords and their Search Engine Optimization. They spend vast sums on AdWords and other forms of advertising. And they send out email after email in an attempt to swap links and create exchanges. That's fair enough. It's all part of the job of being an online... Continue Reading

I've got no idea how many blog posts, articles and pages of content I've written for the Internet. I've been doing it for years, so if you're wondering if there are ever times when I sit in front of the computer and wonder what I can write about today, the answer is... Yes. Continue Reading

New media may be taking over the world, but millions of people still listen to their radios everyday. I listen on my way to and from the office, usually to talk-radio. A few weeks back I had the pleasure of meeting a living legend of radio, Dan O' Day. A former disc jockey and leading radio guru, I instantly connected with Dan and invited him to come spend a day with me and my team... Continue Reading

I'm always going on about the importance of networking at conferences. That's because I don't know of any strategy that can improve an online publishing business's success rate faster. Networking puts you in touch with opportunities that you can't find any other way. It builds the sort of business relationships that can last for many profitable years. It really does make running a business fun. And there's just no better place to do it than... Continue Reading

It sounds like a terrible idea. You spend ages thinking up an idea for an article, doing the research and writing it out... then you give it to someone else to put on their website. They get all the ad revenue and you get... what, exactly? Well, you get a link and if the site is good that could be worth more in steady streams of traffic than Continue Reading

You've probably noticed that I'm often talking about seminars and conferences. That's not just because I talk at some of them. It's because I think that they're essential stepping stones to online business success. I'd like to believe that's because the information that I and other marketers provide at these seminars is more valuable than magic-encrusted gold dust. As soon as someone takes it home and applies it to their business they immediately become an... Continue Reading

When I was researching "Click Here to Order," there was a story I kept coming across time and time again. Marketers would tell me how they were down to their last penny, ready to throw in the towel, on their way to looking for a day job... when something happened. For copywriter Michael Fortin, who had already declared bankruptcy by the age of 21, it was the discovery of the power of a well-written sales... Continue Reading

There's nothing better than welcoming a new child into the world and your family. Being a father of two, I can tell you that the health and welfare of your children is the utmost priority. We had a bit of a scare when our daughter was born and spent the first few days of her life wondering when she would be able to come home from the hospital. It all turned out well, but some... Continue Reading

With all the speculation that John McCain would select Mitt Romney to be his running mate in the 2008 election, I find it rewarding to see that he has chosen far wiser. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been thrust into the limelight as McCain has selected her to be his Vice President should he be elected in November. I am very pleased with this selection for a number of reasons. Continue Reading

Over the years I have spoken at a number of Internet marketing and personal development conferences. The one question I am asked again and again is "when are you going to hold you own conference?" The time has arrived! On October 24-26, 2008, I am going to welcome fifty (50) people to join me for a 3-day event in Denver, Colorado. It's called "Elevate 2008" What is going to take place at this event? Continue Reading

I was joined today by my friend, Nathan Anderson. Nathan is famous for developing MetaWebs.com and is now the owner of SEO Club. Rule #1 of SEO Club? Don't talk about what you learn in SEO Club! On today's program we discussed search engine optimization, answered questions and had a great time. Check out the episode below! Continue Reading

Earlier this year I had the privilege of welcoming Dave Woodward to Colorado for an interview. Dave was filming a series called "Legendary Marketers" and he had asked if I would be a participant. The series would visit successful marketers at their homes (and office in my case) to give the viewers a better sense of who we are and what we do. I was thrilled at this opportunity and am even more pleased with... Continue Reading

I was all set. Today was going to be the day. I knew from the pre-orders on my new book, "Click Here to Order: Stories of the World's Most Successful Internet Marketing Entrepreneurs", that we were on the verge of making history with an instant best-seller. And then... it happened. I received a call from my publisher, David Hancock. David is not one to be given to overexcitement, but there was something in the sound... Continue Reading

Social Media is all the buzz right now. It started with MySpace, continued with YouTube and has brought about Facebook, Twitter and a host of other sites promising the help people interact in new ways. These sites have become very popular and two were purchased for a tidy sum. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp purchased MySpace for $580 million and Google bought YouTube for for $1.65 BILLION. I'm sure the boys from Facebook and Twitter have... Continue Reading

Want to spend a day with me and my team in our Colorado offices? You can win it in the "Click Here to Order" contest! My new book, "Click Here to Order, will be available on August 1st. In celebration, I am giving away thirteen prizes, including signed copies of the book, telephone consultations and a grand prize day with me in Colorado. Find out how to enter now! Click here! Continue Reading

While attending an Internet marketing conference in Chicago, I spent a lot of time networking with my peers. As I sat at the dinner table last night, I noticed that a bunch of us were twittering on our handhelds. Simon Leung, Donna Fox, Eric Farewell, Anik Singal and several others had their PDAs or phone out and were twittering away... sometimes to each other other, even though they were sitting across the table from each... Continue Reading

What do you do if you are 38 years old and told by a doctor that you have just one year to live? That's exactly what happened to my friend Sylie Fortin. Shortly after getting married, Michel and Sylvie were face-to-face with the horrible diagnosis of breast cancer. But if you know Sylvie, you would know that this is not something she would take lying down. She pursued radical treatment and is alive two years... Continue Reading

Today's show featured Jason West, my friend from the U.K. Jason has a knack for launching niche ecommerce sites and making great profits. In today's program, there is a Q&A with Jason, a new Top Ten list, some new toys, flying monkeys and more fun. Be sure to watch for the latest news about my new book, "Click Here to Order" Continue Reading

I was in San Francisco last week and I had a great opportunity to visit with Sterling Valentine. Sterling is an former DJ who has become a great friend. And on this trip I also discovered that Sterling is a man of many talents. He is a singer/songwriter. So I asked him to pick up his guitar and play for me. He did. Here's a portion of Sterling singing "Someday". Oh, and somehow he got... Continue Reading

What is hype? From dictionary.com, one definition is "exaggerated publicity" For example... "The amazing super-duper fantasmagorical stapler can save thousands of dollars each year in lost time and help you lose 30 pounds in three minutes!" Ok, that IS over-the-top hype. What about where Internet marketing products are concerned? Is there hype? Continue Reading

You know that I am a huge fan of creating online video. We are most definitely a visual people and video is the natural way to communicate your message on the web, especially since broadband is now widely accepted. My friend, Jim Kukral, is quickly becoming an expert in video blogging. He does a video series called "The Daily Flip", filmed entirely with his Flip Video camera. I recently heard from him and he has... Continue Reading

Growing up, I did a lot of things with my older brother, Michael. He's got two years on me, so I was frequently wanting to hang out with him and his friends. We don't see each other much since he lives in Illinois, but he just came to Colorado for a visit. What do you I do with my guests when they come to town? Invite them to join me on my show, of course! Continue Reading

Question: What is the one of the biggest obstacles that people have to creating an online business? Answer: Building a web site! I have a confession to make. I am NOT an expert at building websites. In fact, I hire out all website design and creation. I am just not good at it. But what if you can't afford to pay someone to do it? Continue Reading

I've been frustrated lately. Here's the thing... As you know, I speak at a number of conferences. At these conferences, I teach people how to make money online and many of them purchase one of my products to help them build their online business. I know that what I teach works and that the products I offer have value. I know this because I receive testimonials from people all the time. But its the ones... Continue Reading

I need to back up a bit because I left out Sunday from my journal. On Sunday, I spoke at Chris Howard's "Ultimate Wealth Symposium" on the grounds of the Sydney Olympic Park. I had a fantastic time sharing my story with 800 or so people. I've got to say, the Aussies are a bit difficult to get moving, but I think everyone had a good time and learned a thing or two. I also... Continue Reading

I'm currently in Los Angeles for the annual Book Expo America, otherwise known as BEA. Why BEA? I have a book coming out on August 1st and I showed up to support my publisher and do some networking. Now I must confess. I am a trade show junkie. I love the vast conference centers with aisles and aisles of vendors hawking their goods and services. I'm especially a sucker for the freebies and swag. It's... Continue Reading

I decided to bring my son with me to the Book Expo in Los Angeles. I knew that I had a pass to get in, but I was told that I would need to purchase a pass for Z. Turns out it would cost me $230. When we arrived at the conference center, I decided that I would find a friendly face behind the exhibitors registration desk and see what I could do. I asked... Continue Reading

I boarded my flight from Dallas to return to Denver yesterday morning, hungry and certain that my first class seat would get me some sort of meal. As I boarded the plane, I asked the flight attendant if there would be food service. He informed me that there would not be and I quietly expressed my disappointment. I didn't really ASK for food, but I did make it known that I was hungry. Continue Reading

There are people who get things in life and there are those who don't, What's the difference? I find that those who get things and make more things happen are unafraid to ask for them. Whether we are talking about making the sale, getting a complimentary upgrade on an airline or getting a date, I find that there is an axiom that rings true across the board... "It never hurts to ask!" Continue Reading

What is it that makes successful people stand out from the crowd? Or perhaps I should ask the question this way... What are the things that successful people DO that everyone else does not do? I believe we are all dealt a hand in life. On very rare occassion that hand is stacked with a full house, but in most cases we're fortunate if we are dealt a pair of twos. And whether or not... Continue Reading

I love giving things away. I know, I'm supposed to be a marketer. I'm supposed to know how to get the full value for everything I supply. But every year, I give away tons of fantastic freebies. I give away content, e-books, videos, training sessions, teleseminars and all sorts of other wonderful things. If I had to calculate the total value of the goodies that I pass out for nothing every year, I'd need to... Continue Reading

Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting a gentleman who I have sinced dubbed "The nicest guy in Internet marketing." His name is Ken McArthur and he is the chief architect behind the highly successful JV Alert Live conferences. You see, Ken is incredibly successful because he continually pours himself into the lives of those around him. Whether it launching careers of other marketers or freely sharing his knowledge and expertise with anyone... Continue Reading

Dan Nickerson is on vacation, so today I was joined by my friend and joint venture partner, Eric Holmlund. We answered a bunch of questions about Internet marketing and played with our toys. Our sponsor for this week was KeywordExcavator.com Enjoy the show! Continue Reading

I've been blogging since 2003. That seems like an eternity in Internet years! If you aren't blogging yet, you are missing out on a KEY component of your Internet business and online presence. The thing is, many people are totally and completely intimidated by the thought of blogging. You may even be reading this and thinking, "I'm too embarrassed to tell Joel that I don't even know what a blog is!" Don't sweat it. You... Continue Reading

I'm going to let you in on a little secret... I can't write computer code. It's true... I can't code my way out of a paper bag. Well, maybe that's not a big surprise, but here's another secret... I can't do graphic design. That is, unless you count stick figures. I can draw those. May I tell you another secret? Continue Reading

Everyone has heard of Chicken Soup for the Soul and the zillion titles that were derived from this massive best-seller. What you don't know is that I am friends with the man who helped make that series so huge! His name is Rick Frishman and he knows a few things about getting attention. ;-) Rick has just released a new book of his own called "Where's Your Wow?" that reveals 16 ways to make your... Continue Reading

I remember seeing Ben Stein for the first time in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Who could forget the monotone deadpan teacher repeating "anyone... anyone... Bueller... Bueller". And then there was "Win Ben Stein's Money", a campy television quiz show that demonstrated Ben's ability to stand toe-to-toe with the best of them. I sure would have liked to have seen him go up against Ken Jennings. As a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a... Continue Reading

On January 30, 2005, website owners all over the world rushed to pick up a copy of Google AdSense Secrets. It was the first edition of the ebook that has now become the definitive guide to making money with AdSense. That summer, I released a second updated version of AdSense Secrets. In March 2006, the much-demanded third edition hit the virtual newstand. Checking in at 199 pages, it is the bible of the industry and... Continue Reading

While I'm still enjoying my family vacation here in Hawaii, I wanted to take a moment to let you know about a ground-breaking new tool that is guaranteed to increase your sales. Part of the reason I am able to enjoy vacations like this is because I've leveraged technology and employees to keep my business running, even when I'm away from it. Most people understand the concept of hiring employees, but many people don't understand... Continue Reading

What would you do if you were able to come to my home and office and ask me whatever you wanted? Would you have some questions for me? Dave Woodward did. A few months back, Dave contacted me and told me he was putting together a brand new series called "Legendary Marketers", and he asked if he could come visit with me at my home and office to find out what made me tick. Of... Continue Reading

What is the definition of true success? Is it having a large bank account? Is it having a garage full of cars? Is it having a mansion with so many rooms you can't fill them all? I would say that all of these material things are an indicator that a person may have succeeded in business, but without one key component I don't believe a person is truly successful. Continue Reading

Who would have thought the rock band KISS would have survived for decades? I remember when Rock n Roll All Nite came out. I was just a young teen. And yet, all these years later, KISS has endured. It only makes sense that there would be KISS cover bands. Why not, right? Grab your instruments, throw on some makeup, act like you are anti-establishment and find a guitar player with an exceptionally long tongue to... Continue Reading

It was fall of 2005 when I was scheduled to speak at Robert Puddy's Focus 4 the Future Internet marketing conference. It was the first time I had spoken at an event and I was on a roster with Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose and Craig Perrine. Yes, I was nervous. But why should I be? My AdSense ebook was a huge success and my name had begun to spread in the Internet marketing community. The... Continue Reading

I recently had the privilege of spending time with Mike Filsaime. The guy is one of the most brilliant marketers in the world, and he told me how he is "moving the free line"... again! Mike knows viral marketing unlike anyone else and he understands the power of providing free high quality information to people. He also understands the power of branding the reports and allowing others to give them away for you. Continue Reading

In March of 2006 I attended Yanik Silver's Internet Marketing Underground seminar in Washinton, DC. It was a life-changing date with destiny, for it was there that I met my future JV Partner, Eric Holmlund. I was also impressed by the high caliber of people who attended this seminar. It seemed that there was an awful lot of success in the room filled with over 300 people. Two years later and Yanik does not disappoint... Continue Reading

There are those who start at the bottom of a company with the aspiration to rise to the top, and there are those for whom the words upwardly mobile do not apply. I encountered Mr. Latter attending to the United Skycap station in LAX today. My associates and I bring our bags to the guy and we go through the regular procedure. "What is your destination?", "Show me your identification" and "How many bags will... Continue Reading

If you were publishing a newspaper, you wouldn't care who read it. As long as the number of readers was nice and high, it wouldn't matter too much to you whether they all read one article or absorbed everything from cover to cover. That would be true even if you were publishing a free newspaper. You'd just want know how many people your publication reaches so that you can charge advertisers the right price. Online... Continue Reading

I'm not a big fan of the major airlines. In fact I have written several entries that demonstrated poor customer service by United and American. However, I had a uniquely good experience on United a couple days ago and wanted to share it with you. I was traveling to Los Angeles with Joel Ownby and Tim Prince, en route to Yanik Silver's Internet Underground conference in Los Angeles. The three of us board the 737... Continue Reading

Be careful... If you don't add the right amount of each ingredient, you could ruin the entire meal. Easy now... If you mix those chemicals incorrectly, it could be explosive. Watch it... If the calculations aren't perfect, the shuttle may never make it off the launching pad. Many things in life demand precision. There are some absolutes that do not allow for the least bit of give. One wrong step and the greatest ideas can... Continue Reading

I love to experiment with technology. And on Wednesday at 1 pm EST, I am going to give you an opportunity to experiment right along with me! You've participated in teleseminars... And you've participated in webinars... But now I invite you to join me for the very first "Joel Comm LIVE!" TV show streaming direct to you over the web! During this one-hour program, I will be answering questions from viewers in real time. Simply... Continue Reading

I've got a pretty colorful past. I got my first job when I was fourteen-years old, working behind the counter of a fast-food restaurant at Northbrook Court shopping mall in Northbrook, Illinois. After all, I needed to save up money to buy a TRS-80 Model I computer from Radio Shack! Once I acquired my driver's license, I worked in the health & beauty department at Venture. Yes, I was a stockboy. At the age of... Continue Reading

Just got a fun email from the Google AdSense team. They have printed up a batch of AdSense stickers and are offering them for free. All you need to do is send a self-addressed stamped envelope to them and they will drop a sticker or two in it for you. AdSense has been good to me, so I'll probably find a good place to put my sticker. Would it be sacrilege to deface my Macbook... Continue Reading

Last summer, Revenue Magazine did an interview with me to discuss The Next Internet Millionaire. Lisa Picarille put together a great piece that you can read here. But one of my favorite things about the article were the photos taken by Alison Rose Williams of Fort Collins. Revenue hired her to come on location and take some shots of me for the magazine. While she was there, I asked if I could pay her to... Continue Reading

Here we are knee-deep in the political season. Who will be the next President of the United States? Regardless of the results, you can rest assured that the political discourse will not cease. I used to spend a good deal of time discussing politics online. But I had a hard time finding sites where people would not flame each other. Continue Reading

I've long been a proponent of using contests, sweepstakes and giveaways to drive traffic to web sites. In fact, if you do it correctly, you can get others to provide all the prizes in exchange for a link back to their site! Gyutae Park of WinningTheWeb.com has done just that. Gyutae has pulled together over $7600 in prizes and I am guessing that the amount will grow as more people catch wind of this contest. Continue Reading

So I've got this great idea for a screenplay. The story goes like this... Due to severe beatings she had received as a child, a thirty-something year old woman develops a strange phobia and doesn't leave the bathroom for two years. I know, bizarre, yes? It gets more interesting. The woman spends the majority of her time on the toilet. Yes, on the toilet. In fact, she spends SO much time on the toilet that... Continue Reading

There's a fun game people like to play that goes like this. Take any sentence or phrase and add the words "in bed" as a suffix to make it funnier. For example, "John ate a steak... in bed" or "Jill picked out the latest hat to wear... in bed" It's especially fun with fortune cookies, where the game has become part of our pop culture. For example, "You have very good skills and exceptional talents... Continue Reading

I try to be very transparent about the ways I make money on the web. It's really no secret and I've nothing to lose by sharing this information with you. I don't like to hold back as that doesn't contribute to your success at all. So I'm about to reveal one of my biggest secrets for profiting online. Ok, it's really more along the lines of "incredibly obvious", but I'm amazed at how many people... Continue Reading

I'm about to share a hard truth with you. I hope you are sitting down, cause here we go... Most of the people reading this newsletter will never make money online. Ouch. Sure, read it again. You heard me right. Now before you go questioning me, calling me insensitive or flat out cursing me out, let me say this... Continue Reading

I have a confession to make. I love shopping online and I love using online coupon codes. I've been doing online shopping online since Amazon.com launched in 1995. In the early years, merchants would regularly offer fantastic discounts on merchandise in order to get new customers to their stores. For example, Reel.com (nbow defunct?) used to offer $10 off coupons on a regular basis. So I would buy DVDs for approximately $5 each. What a... Continue Reading

Wow, what an incredible day! Wait until you hear this. I thought it was going to be a day like every other day. But you never know what kind of curve balls life is going to toss your way. Here's how it started... First of all I wake up and find this email in my box from a producer at a MAJOR cable network ... "Congratulations on your show, 'The Next Internet Millionaire.' We've reviewed... Continue Reading

Do you ever go to Google to search for your name? A search for David results in 719,000,000 web pages. Zoiks! A search for Brenda presents 31,500,000 results. And search for Fred will get you 120,000,000 results, including a stock chart for Fred's, Inc, whoever that is. Last year, I Googled my name to see where I came up in the results. Continue Reading

I regularly receive joint venture proposals from people. A small percentage of them have some really good ideas and products, but the majority of them are not good at all. Today I received an email from a couple gentlemen in Australia. I hope the email and my response will be instructive for the recipients and for others as they seek to do joint ventures. Continue Reading

You can have a great idea for a web site. And developing the site can be a very rewarding experience. But without one thing, it doesn't matter how nice your site is... That thing is traffic. Traffic is really the "life blood" of our business. Without traffic you can't make sales, you can't generate affiliate commissions, you can't build a list... (you get the picture). So today I want to focus on traffic, and tell... Continue Reading

I've just spent an incredible three days in Las Vegas at the Affiliate Summit. This gathering of nearly 3000 people was one of the largest concentrations of affiliate marketers in history. While I did enjoy some of the workshops, the greatest benefit was from networking with others in the industry. I finally got to meet famous bloggers such as Amit Mehta, John Chow, Andrew Wee and Zac Johnson, just to name a few. All these... Continue Reading

I've been wanting to meet Jason Calacanis face-to-face for some time. For those that don't know, Jason is the co-creator of Weblogs, Inc., which was sold to AOL for $25 million. I'm at Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas where Jason Calacanis delivered the keynote address this morning. I really didn't know anything about Jason as a person, so I was looking forward to an insightful talk with fresh ideas. Wow, was I in for a... Continue Reading

I'm in Las Vegas for Affiliate Summit and am looking forward to the a few days of networking and learning. And while I have nothing to say about the conference yet because it hasn't started yet, I do have an experience to share with you. As you know, I enjoy blogging about my customer service experiences... especially the bad experiences. Why do I do this? I place a very high value on customer service and... Continue Reading

Admit it. You are passionate. Oh, I don't know what you are passionate about. But I guarantee that you are passionate about SOMETHING! You may be crazy about parakeets. Or perhaps you know more about bonzai trees than anyone on the block. Maybe you are one of the world's leading experts on Mt. Everest. Or it could be that you make the best french silk pie in the hemisphere! The point is that everyone is... Continue Reading

A few months back, I launched this groundbreaking Internet marketing course to the world... The Secret Classroom ... and the feedback has been fantastic! I regularly receive emails from people telling me what an impact this course has had on their online business. I wanted to take a moment today and share one of these emails with you. I think it says way more about the value of The Secret Classroom than I could ever... Continue Reading

The Pink Floyd classic album, Dark Side of the Moon, is though to be the greatest rock album of all time. I might support that assertion. If you listen all the way to the end of the album, Roger Waters says, "There is no dark side of the moon. Actually, it's all dark." I know, it's profound. Still, the album is an absolute classic and one for every music-lover's collection. And speaking of the moon... Continue Reading

I am finding Facebook to be a great tool for networking and connecting with people. Since I started using last fall, I have connected with old friends, family members, new associates and some pretty big names. With Facebook, you can make contact with people who might otherwise be very difficult to reach. I've added over 1000 friends, started a handful of groups and have discovered how to post items so others can see what I... Continue Reading

Last week, I sat down in my office with several members of my team and we began doing a brain dump of all the great ideas for sites, services and products that we had. We filled my fairly-large whiteboard in no time at all. The fact of the matter is that we have more ideas than we have time or manpower to accomplish! But ideas are not exactly in short supply, are they? There are... Continue Reading

World of Warcraft has now occupied a part of my life for three years. No, I am not one of those people that plays hours each day, let alone every day. But I do enjoy the game and am eagerly anticipating the next expansion set titled "Wrath of the Lich King". Apparantly I am not alone. There are now over 9,000,000 people around the world who play World of Warcraft. Continue Reading

My new blog has been up for over 24 hours now, and the verdict is in! Visitors to this site overwhelmingly approve of the look and feel of the new JoelComm.com. In fact, many people are asking me questions as they want to know how I put this new site together. Well, I've got nothing to hide and I will tell all... Continue Reading

I consider myself a fortunate person. Every day, I sit in a beautiful office, surrounded by great people and look out of my window towards a fantastic view of the Rockies. I think it's a great thing. Not everyone agrees with me. I know that lots of people want something different. They want to work from home. Continue Reading

I'm a big fan of Amazon.com. I spend far too much money there but they also give me a fair bit of money too through book sales and affiliate links. I think they've done a fantastic job of selling products online and helping website publishers earn from their content. They might be the Walmart of Internet retailing, but they're definitely not the Apple of whiz-bang gadgetry. Their new Kindle book-reading machine is a great idea... Continue Reading

My mother, the world traveler, recently spent time in Phnom Penh, Cambodia Today, she sent me this amazing video. For $18, you can visit a studio and they will transform you into a Khmer princess or Aspara dancer. Before you watch this, you have to understand that my mother is 67 years old. Yes, she is a young 67, but she's still 67. Watch this video to the end and be amazed at the transformation! Continue Reading

I recently won a Mac Mini in Marlon Sander's affiliate contest and wanted to show him how I was putting it to use. So I made this video and then decided it would be fun to share it with everyone. I'd like to say thank you to Marlon for the Mac Mini, and recommend that folks check out his InfoProduct Dashboard tool for making information products quick and easy. Enjoy the video... Continue Reading

I just got done having an email conversation with my friend, Jeremy Gislason. We communicate via email because he is in Japan and on a totally different schedule. Anyhow, Jeremy and Simon Hodgkinson have been working on putting together a new member site that has tons of great content to help you build your member site! Basically, this site teaches you everything Jeremy and Simon know about building member sites... and they have over 100,000... Continue Reading

Psst... want to know a way to get tons of free users to your website instantly? And when I say tons, I mean the sort of numbers that will crash your servers, send your page views spiking through the roof and make you dizzy when you look at your AdSense stats. Here's how to do it... Just get your Web page on the front page of Digg.com. I didn't say it was an easy way... Continue Reading

I wish I had thought of this. It's so simple, yet it's brilliant. If you are like me, you own a few domains. Ok, you may own a LOT of domains. I own approximately 400 domain names. The problem is that most of the those domains do not have a web site on them. They are "parked" pages. Continue Reading

I've had several people ask me what I'm going to be up to in 2008. I'm very excited, because this is going to be a breakthrough year for many people who will increase their online revenue. AND, I am excited because I am going to be doing several things that have never been done before! That's kind of a mantra with me. I don't like to do what everyone else is doing. You have to... Continue Reading

In November of 2005, I went to Armand Morin's Big Seminar for the first time. My eyes were opened to brand new possibilities, and I can say without reservation that it was one of the most significant events of my life. Since that time I have gotten to know Armand as a friend and a mentor. I've been a guest speaker at Big Seminar, he has been a guest teacher on The Next Internet Millionaire... Continue Reading

Does American Airlines have good customer service? Once again, I find myself on the "I can't believe this is happening" end of a telephone conversation with a customer service rep. Here's the story. I had booked a flight using reward miles to fly someone from Dallas to Denver in a couple weeks. As it turns out, he is going to drive here a few days early and won't require the initial leg of the flight... Continue Reading

Blogging is a huge opportunity... and a lot of people are missing out. They're missing out for one reason. They don't believe they can write. They might have slept through their English classes at school. They don't know what a semi-colon is for. And since entering the workforce, they might never have had to write anything longer than a grocery list. And now I'm telling them that they can make their living -- and more... Continue Reading

I make no secret of it. I am a 43-year old man who loves playing computer and video games. And why not? I was a teenage when Space Invaders, Asteroids and Centipede took over the arcades. I was sixteen when I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. It was great for primitive gaming. And I've got a great collection of old computer software in a special room in my basement. Perhaps I'll do a video... Continue Reading

Before we left Oklahoma, we used to eat at Moe's, a tex-mex fast food joint. It was pretty good. I especially liked the way they trained their staff to yell out "Welcome to Moe's!' every time someone walked in the front door. It made for a friendly environment where they recognized every customer on every visit. As a sidebar, Moe's only played music featuring dead musicians in their restaurant. Interesting... But when we moved to... Continue Reading

I'm at a loss for words. I've started this newsletter half a dozen times trying to find the right way to share some information with you. Sometimes the words don't come. Eloquence doesn't seem to be in the cards for me today. It's not that the topic isn't interesting. It's just that I've got writer's block. Has that ever happened to you? There are days that I am able to create new content for my... Continue Reading

At conferences, you can spot them a mile away. They're shaking hands with everyone they meet. They're passing out business cards like they're free hundred dollar bills. They attend every talk and scribble notes furiously through each of them. And you can bet that when they go home they'll spend every waking hour -- which might be twenty in a day -- sitting in front of their computer working on their site, building traffic and... Continue Reading

Happy New Year! It's officially 2008, and you know what that means. It means I'll probably mess up a bunch of checks by writing 2007 as I get used to the idea of the new number! But it also means the holidays are over. Time to get back to work. It's a good thing I enjoy my work! How about you? Maybe you've bought revenue-generating training material and software but you aren't using it. Is... Continue Reading

I'm at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City, getting ready to make the trek home to Colorado after a week of visiting with family and friends. I've had some time to reflect on the year and would like to take a stroll down memory lane. The year started with a crazy idea. I knew that others had dabbled with the idea of doing an Internet reality show, but no one had really taken the concept... Continue Reading

I'm a huge fan of developing online communities for revenue generation. The wonderful thing about community sites is that the members create the content for you. However, it can sometimes be tricky to kickstart your forums in order to get people posting. If you launch forums and people visit only to find that there is no activity, odds are they aren't going to register, post or return. This is the primary reason most forums don't... Continue Reading

I don't know where I'd be without joint ventures. I'd still have my AdSense income, which is nice, but I'd certainly be a lot poorer. I'd have fewer friends. And the people who acted on my recommendations would be a lot worse off too. Joint ventures are a vital part of my business. They should be a vital part of yours too. I still say that the best place to find joint venture opportunities is... Continue Reading

The day has arrived! I don't think there has ever been such excitement over one of my product launches, and I am excited to say that the excitement really has nothing to do with me! Instead, this product is all about YOU, and the opportunity you now have to receive the Internet marketing education that can last a lifetime. The Secret Classroom It's not an ebook that overpromises and underdelivers. It's not a software tool... Continue Reading

You've heard this phrase a thousand times. "It's not what you know, it's WHO you know." Do you believe it? It's true! At the age of 17 I got a dream job at the local computer and video store... ... because I knew the owner. At the age of 20 I got a summer job at an advertising agency and learned a ton... ... because my mother worked there. At the age of 24 I... Continue Reading

It's a sad moment, but it was easy to see coming. Google has now officially killed off site targeting. The function that allows advertisers to choose to advertise directly on your Web pages still exists. But now it's called "placement targeting." There are two differences. Continue Reading

A few months ago I wrote an article discussing why I dislike network marketing. One of the main reasons is because many organizations suggest that you recruit your family and friends to join you in your quest to get rich. Bah. I just don't like that. BUT, as I mentioned on my blog, the Internet now affords an opportunity to get involved in network marketing without having to sell to your "warm" market. Continue Reading

It was only a matter of time. Google is coming out with their own phone. But Amazon has beat the Big "G" to the punch with their own electronic device. It's called Amazon Kindle, and it appears to be a contender for the coolest device of the 2007 holiday shopping season. Imagine being able to access thousands of books wirelessly and read them on a crystal clear display anywhere you go. Continue Reading

When I was at Blogworld last week, I came upon the booth of a company called "Entrecard." Their display caught my attention and I introduced myself to the CEO, Graham Langdom. To my surprise, Graham is also the creator of The Million Dollar Wiki. The reason I was surprised is that I had become familiar with that site the week before and had purchased a few pages on the site! Anyhow, knowing how innovative Graham... Continue Reading

Google is continually looking for ways to put the kabosh on click fraud. It is important that they protect the rights of their advertisers by making sure each click is an intentional click. That is, they want to be certain that the person clicking the ad is doing so deliberatel. Otherwise, the advertiser is paying for a visit that is not purposeful. So it has recently leaked out from a number of blogs that Google... Continue Reading

If you aren't doing video.. ... do I really need to finish this statement? Ok, I will. If you aren't doing video, you are missing out on one of simplest and sure-fire opportunties to promote your website, business, yourself and your services. Missing out. Those who keep an eye on hot trends know that video is it! This is why I want to you to RUN, don't walk, to the site I am going to... Continue Reading

What if I told you could pick the brain of a former Google employee for $100. Would you seize the opportunity? Frankly, I can't imagine anyone with even the slightest curiousity not taking advantage of that offer. What if I told you that this person was on the original Google AdWords team? I don't know about you, but I'd pay over $1000 to hear what this person has to say! Well, I've got some bad... Continue Reading

The blogging world is cursing the big "G" and scratching their heads as their Google pagerank has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Not unlike a stock market tumble, this change caught everyone off guard and has left many bloggers and content-based sites wondering what they did wrong. The pagerank algorithm has been a supposed indicator of the authority and value that Google has placed on a web page. On a scale of zero... Continue Reading

Last month I was in Atlanta for the Big Seminar. Now usually I'm not much of a morning person, but when I took a peek at Friday's schedule, I knew I had to wake up early... Over the past five years or so I'd been hearing the first  speaker's name over and over again... "Joel you've got to check out this young kid Jermaine. He's from the inner-city, but Corey Rudl is taking him under his... Continue Reading

Cost-per-click advertising, contextual advertising, cost-per-mille advertising, domain name investing, affiliate networks, joint ventures, resell rights, floating ads, banner ads, video ads... It's enough to give anyone a headache. There are so many ways of monetizing a website these days that it can all get a bit overwhelming. How can you tell which ads would best match your content and which system you should be using to squeeze the most out of your pages? Continue Reading

I recommend a lot of products to people, and sometimes I get emails from readers complaining that they can't possibly buy everything I recommend. I don't expect you to. Not all of the products I recommend suit everyone. All of them though will help someone. If you decide not to buy a product I recommend, that's fine. Just make sure that you're not turning down something that could genuinely help your site to grow and... Continue Reading

I finally persuaded my mother to buy a video camera to take with her on her adventure travel excursions. She bit the bullet, got a Sony camcorder, and shot some video on her recent visit to Tibet. She has been visiting me this weekend, so I helped her make her first videos and get them uploaded to YouTube. Check out her YouTube Channel here. Continue Reading

Reality TV. The words conjure up images of people doing crazy things for cash. On Survivor its having the endurance to brave the elements and make it on a deserted island with a bunch of strangers. On American Idol its being embarrased before the entire country as Simon Cowell makes you his whipping boy. On The Apprentice its about giving up your well-paying business to take a lower paying job with Donald Trump. And what... Continue Reading

Are you an entrepreneur? From Dictionary.com, an entrepreneur is "a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk." Considerable initiative and risk. Because of this, entrepreneurs expect to win some and lose some. But one thing an entrepreneur will never do is stop trying. Continue Reading

It's one thing to have consenting adults eat worms on a reality show. It's a totally different story when children are being exploited for entertainment. And that is exactly what is taking place with Kid Nation, CBS television's much-hyped reality show. Continue Reading

I like to call episode 4 our "fear factor" episode. Eric Holmlund, my partner and the Director of The Next Internet Millionaire, insisted that we include a task that would dare the contestants to do something they would not want to do. What did they do? You'll have to watch to find out! Continue Reading

I know I am opening myself up to criticism for this post, but it's been on my mind and I really just want to put it out there. I dislike the way multi-level marketing has been done by many companies. I don't dislike multi-level marketers, mind you (well, most of them anyway). I just think that business model has proven destructive to many individuals and families. Continue Reading

If there's one thing I keep saying time and time again, it's that anyone who wants to make lots of money online needs to go to conferences. And every time I say it, I see some people looking back at me with blank faces. I understand. Conferences cost money. If you're just starting out, it can feel like they cost a lot of money. And if you've never been to a business conference before, it... Continue Reading

Facebook. The first time I heard about this site had to be over a year ago. I was told it was a social networking site for college students, so I didn't give it much of a look. After all, I've been out of college for many years. (I won't tell you how many!) But about a month or so ago I started receiving invitations to use facebook from some friends and associates of mine. Hmmm... Continue Reading

I have a confession to make. I haven't watched the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon in years. And I honestly feel like I am missing something. As a child, I would watch the show religiously, year after year. I remember the parade of celebrities, Jerry Lewis' banter with his guests, Ed McMahon, the volunteers answering phones, and of course, the magical toteboard that would light up with huge numbers indicating that the cure for... Continue Reading

I did it. I bit the bullet and picked up an iPhone. I've been a faithful Treo 650 user for two years, but the buzz regarding Apple's new device won me over. So I ponied up $599 + shipping and tax to get one of these puppies in my hands, though I was unsure of what I would find once I actually got to try it out for myself. I may now render the verdict... Continue Reading

I've been doing a lot of radio interviews lately. The media is very interested in The Next Internet Millionaire and I feel like I am spending hours on the phone! Well, I just got off the phone for a radio interview and was asked what is the first thing that anyone who wants to create an Internet business should do. My answer came with great clarity and without hesitation... Continue Reading

I like to keep things short. I know that you're busy. I know that you've got a million things to do today. And I know that if you're reading this, you're not building your online publishing business. So I don't want to take up too much of your time. That's why I tend to keep my posts brief and to the point. In general, my philosophy is that if I can't say what I want... Continue Reading

Deciding on a topic for a blog post isn't always easy. Sometimes, you'll know exactly what you want to write. Other times, you'll struggle for an idea. But there are times when a subject just seems unavoidable. Whenever Apple releases a new product, Nintendo brings out a new game system or Harry Potter hits the news again, it seems as though everyone is writing about the same thing. And of course, those aren't the only... Continue Reading

There are lots of things to enjoy as an online publisher. There's the thrill of creating content. The pleasure of meeting friends at conferences. The sheer freedom of being your own boss and setting your own schedule. And then there's publicity. That's a whole other world of fun. Not every online publisher uses publicity to drive traffic to their website. Some think it's a bit like a lottery. You'll send out hundreds of press releases... Continue Reading

Tag me once, tag me twice. What the heck. Both Rosalind Gardner and Kris Jones 'tagged' me to create this blog entry. Here goes... Continue Reading

I've Got Three Little Words To Say To You... No, not those words (although I'm sure you're very nice). I mean these three little words... Just do it. I know, Nike got there first. But they were right. You get nothing by doing nothing. Back when I started out on the Web, becoming an online publisher meant buying a book about HTML the size of the Yellow Pages. It meant spending half a year reading... Continue Reading

I'm not a negative person. Generally, I've got a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. But the moment I got off the plane in Miami for Affiliate Summit, I felt like I needed a shower. No offense intended to any of my subscribers or friends that live at the tip of Florida, but I found it to be just a notch below absolutely miserable. Continue Reading

It was fall of 2005. I was in Charlotte, North Carolina, preparing for my very first public speaking engagement. I would be speaking before an audience of 25 people who had paid to hear me and a handful of other Internet marketers share how we make our millions online. It was at this time that I had begun preparing the manuscript for my first traditionally published book. But I was lacking a title for the... Continue Reading

I am freshly returned from Hawaii, slighty tanned, somewhat rested, and ready to share some great stuff with you! Please read all the way through as you aren't going to want to miss any of this... First of all, we have officially announced TWO of the contestants for The Next Internet Millionaire. Want to meet them? Meet the Contestants Be sure to join the discussion on the forums with your comments as we look forward... Continue Reading

Google's referral programs have never impressed me very much. Although the commissions are now fair, they started out very low. But even at the new(ish) rates, few sites are going to benefit from them. They're only good for publishers who aim their content at other publishers. That's always been the problem with Google's referrals: there were too few products aimed at too few topics. But Google has been working on a whole new referral system... Continue Reading

Thousands of people start businesses every year. And thousands of people fail miserably at their businesses every year. The reasons for failure are wide and varied. But more often than not, the problem comes down to marketing. After all, a useless or inferior product can be made quite popular with the proper marketing. Continue Reading

Aloha! As you know, I am on vacation in Maui. As I write this, I am watching the sun rise behind the mountains, listening to the waves crash and enjoying the small birds that are landing on my balcony railing. Yes, it is just another day in tropical paradise. And yet, I am compelled to write... to share what is on my mind. Because with all the success I have enjoyed, I am reminded that... Continue Reading

Recently, I told you that I was pulling out of the Bookwise program. It looked like a good opportunity -- it still does look like a good opportunity -- but when they objected to the domain name I was using to profit from it, I decided to leave. One door closes... and another one opens. I've been playing around with AuctionAds, and I have to say, I've been very impressed. AuctionAds lets you put eBay... Continue Reading

A couple months ago, I shared the Bookwise opportunity with you. It appeared to be a solid MLM with potential. I've seen some people jump on board this, but the past few weeks I've been skeptical that they could really make it work. I've been using the domain BookWiseProfits.com to build my BookWise business.... until today. Continue Reading

Running your own business and making money online is fun. But if you don't stop to enjoy the blessings that come from having financial freedom... well, what's the point? I've spent the better part of this year setting up shop in Colorado, creating new materials to help you make money, traveling and speaking at seminars, and preparing to shoot the world's first Internet marketing reality show. Let's face. I've been busy! And now I am... Continue Reading

I wish I could tell you that becoming a successful AdSense publisher is easy. I wish I could tell you that all you need to do is sign up to AdSense and hey presto... at the end of the week, you'll be lighting your barbeque with hundred dollar bills and using fine china dishes as Frisbees. But it doesn't work that way. Optimizing your AdSense units is hard work. And it's work that never ends. Continue Reading

How long is a piece of string? No one would ever ask such a stupid question, would they? Well, I get asked some pretty silly questions sometimes. Like "How long will it take before I become a successful online publisher?" There's no one answer to that. Not just because it depends on the number of hours you work each day, the quality of your content and your skill at generating traffic. But also because it... Continue Reading

Video is definitely the wave of the future online. Our world has already become accustomed to television and movies, so it makes sense that video will become a dominant force for information delivery and entertainment on the web. Naturally, this is one reason I've chosen to launch the reality show, The Next Internet Millionaire, on the Internet. But I just came across something very cool on YouTube. Continue Reading

Pssst. I've got a secret. Actually, I've got a LOT of secrets. Do YOU want to know the secret? No, not THAT secret. "That" Secret is the biggest bunch of nonsense served to the public on a shiny platter all year. But that's a topic for another newsletter. ;-) Continue Reading

It's one small change for Google. It could be one giant leap in your income. Or at the very least, a nice little increase. Google has changed its policies (again). Want to know what the change is and what it could mean for your revenue stream? Read on... Continue Reading

I had the pleasure of enjoying the company of my brother and his family this past weekend. They live in suburban Chicago, so it was a treat for them to come to the mountains and enjoy a little slower pace for a few days. By the way, you'll want to watch for my bro. He is a brilliant CPA with some keen insights into money management. I foresee a website and a book in the... Continue Reading

It's one of the biggest challenges of building a profitable online publishing business. It's also one of the most important. Generating traffic. There's no easy way to do it. Yes, you have to have good content. Without that, you're never going to get the sort of traffic that arrives naturally, comes back and gives you referrals. But even good content isn't enough. It doesn't matter how good your content is if no one knows you... Continue Reading

I've been pretty lukewarm about Google's referral products. They've been pushing them pretty hard but I haven't been impressed. I'm not convinced that the Google Pack contains anything worth writing home about. I don't care enough about Mozilla to recommend that everyone downloads Firefox. And the commissions that Google is offering for its downloads just aren't big enough to take up real estate on my Web pages. I'd rather put together a joint venture with... Continue Reading

I can't take it any longer. I've seen a few trends taking place in Internet marketing lately, and I don't think they are right. It's time to take off the gloves because I've got something to say. I'm throwing caution to the wind because I think someone has got to stand up and speak the truth. If I take heat for it, so be it. Here goes... Continue Reading

"It was a dark and stormy night." That may as well be the beginning of this newsletter, because I have started writing it five times now. I get past the first line, read it, and delete it. So I figure you just can't go wrong with "It was a dark and stormy night." Well, perhaps if I was writing fiction... The fact is that I've got a lot to tell you this week and I'm... Continue Reading

Google's done it again. When Google declared that publishers could no longer put ad units near images, it set the forums-a-buzzing. How far do the units have to be from the images? Does it matter if the images aren't related to the subject of the ads? Has anyone actually been banned for putting ad units near images? Google didn't exactly clear up all those questions, but it did make its reasoning clear. Images shouldn't look... Continue Reading

"Take this job and shove it... I ain't workin' here no more" And so went the lyrics of the popular country-western song belted out by Johnny Paycheck. It is a common practice to place a phone call to a local radio station and ask them to play this song when you "fire your boss" Let's face it. It's a fun tune. And more people than ever before are telling their bosses to "take this job... Continue Reading

One of the things that I love most about attending seminars is hearing people's stories. Everyone has their own reason for wanting to set up an online business. For some, it's the pull of being their own boss and working on their own terms. For others, it's the push of a job they can't bear and a lifestyle they want to change. For a few people though, it's not much of a choice. They might... Continue Reading

My friend Eric just pointed out this site to me. Warning! Before you click, be prepared to have minutes and hours sucked out of your life faster than you can say "It's already dinner time?!" You've been advised. Don't say I didn't warn you. Byokal - The Toy Continue Reading

You asked. I answered. You have made it clear that you want direct answers on a number of topics related to Internet marketing, AdSense, list building, advertising, joint ventures, affiliate programs and any number of other topics under the sun. I believe that video is the wave of the future, and I intend to use it to its maximum potential. That's why I am pleased to announce the launch of AskJoelComm.com, a video-based blog designed... Continue Reading

OK... We all know most people are concerned about hackers and the safety of shopping online. And we all know that trust seals can help. But is there a best seal program to address this problem? Are there any real, proven benefits of one over the other? HACKER SAFE is proven to be the most effective trust seal... Ever! Think about it for one minute... * Used by over 75,000 websites * Seen on over... Continue Reading

Google has been doing a bit of spring cleaning lately. First it redesigned its ad units. Now it's changed the look of the AdSense home page. What effect have all these changes had on your revenues? Almost none, I would think. The new ad units are slight more attractive than the old ones. But I doubt if the new look is worth more than a click or two each month. Continue Reading

Writer's block. Like the cement barricade at the end of an unfinished highway, the writer's block stands before me... mocking me... challenging me... It happens to everyone, but I sure didn't expect it to hit today. Because content creation is such a critical part of making money with your blog, writer's block can be the site owner's worst nightmare. What do I write about today?!?! Here's how I handle writer's block. Continue Reading

Here's a hot tip... Actually, TWO hot tips! First... If you want your website to have lots and lots of traffic, you need... links. Okay, that didn't sound so hot, did it? But it is hot, because so many people ignore it. I'm not talking about incoming links. Everyone remembers that they have to work their fingers to the bone to get those. I'm talking about outgoing links. Continue Reading

I'm sitting at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia, awaiting my return flight to Colorado. After living on the front range for nearly three months, I already find myself missing the beautiful mountains and am eager to get home. I wanted to send this newsletter today because I have just spent the last few days at Big Seminar #9, where I had the privilege of speaking to four hundred attendees and teaching how anyone can make... Continue Reading

The day has arrived! For the past few months, I have been hard at work at a project that I am very excited about. I told you that I would be doing something that has never been done before in the Internet marketing world. In fact, it is revolutionary for the Internet in general! Attendees to Armand Morin's Big Seminar have just seen the world premier of this ambitious project... ... and now it's your... Continue Reading

What is The Secret? No, no... not THAT Secret. That's an email for another day. MY secret is actually going to be revealed live at Armand Morin's Big Seminar on Friday morning. And the buzz is building. Everyone is asking me "What IS it, Joel?" My reply? You'll have to wait until Friday to see... just like everyone else. Continue Reading

Nickelmania strikes again! Right, I know. What the heck is Nickel-Mania? It's the brain child of Gary Ambrose. Basically, Gary releases one of his tremendous products and starts the price at a nickel. That's just five cents! And with each person that purchases, the price of the product goes up a little bit at a time. Continue Reading

There isn't a day goes by that I don't receive at least two or three emails asking me to do a joint venture. Everyone and their mother (and their mother's dog?) has a product, ebook, software, telecourse or some other idea that will make me a zillion dollars. Now don't get me wrong. I am all for people pursuing their dreams and fervently believing in their product. It's just that I can't possibly look at... Continue Reading

I'm impressed. I don't say that much these days. While on the hunt for the absolute best resources and services that actually help people make money online, I find myself wading through a lot of nonsense. A LOT of nonsense. When a friend told me about a new product called "My Affiliate Store", I had to laugh. Continue Reading

Internet publishing is a strange thing. On the one hand, you can do everything yourself. It doesn't take two people to write a blog post. It doesn't take a team to design an attractive website. And it doesn't take an entire office to optimize your ad units. But on the other hand, it does take thousands of other publishers to place links to your site on their Web pages to push you up the search... Continue Reading

The hype for Spiderman 3 is building faster than any movie I can recall since the last Star Wars film. Could this end up becoming the highest grossing film of all time, perhaps knocking Titanic off it's perch? Only time will tell as we still have a few weeks before the film launches on May 4th. At the very least, the teasers and trailers are a fascinating study in pre-launch marketing. Will you be seeing... Continue Reading

Financial Success - Purpose = Meaninglessness It's a formula you can't deny. If your goal is just to succeed monetarily, but you don't have a real reason for wanting that success, what's the point? I don't really discuss how I choose to spend the money I earn. That's between me and my God. But you should know that I have goals that go beyond earning a few bucks. It's not the money that is the... Continue Reading

Does $10,000 for sending one email sound impossible to you? How about $25,000? Would it floor you to think you could make almost $75,000 with just two email promotions? To be honest, at one time I wouldn't have believed it either. But the fact of the matter is that it is far more possible than you think. Continue Reading

*** This just in! *** Actually, TWO things just came in. Please read both items carefully... 1) I JUST received an email from John Reese, the Internet marketing legend who created the now-famous Traffic Secrets course. When this course came out, it was considered pricey, and somewhat out of reach for people. Don't get me wrong... At $997 it was worth EVERY penny. But STOP THE PRESSES! John just told me that his inventory is... Continue Reading

They say variety is the spice of life. I have to agree. I love variety. It keeps things exciting. It's why you see me doing multiple projects and always coming out with something new. I just can't sit still. (My wife says it is ADD, but I think she is.. Oh! Look at the butterfly!) ;-) Well, you know how I teach people to find a niche and become the expert in that niche by... Continue Reading

Work in any industry long enough, and you'll find that there's a knack to it. Get that right and it doesn't matter what else you do, you'll always make money. For retailers, the rule is to treat the customer as king. For racing drivers, speed is king. For Internet publishers, content is king. And for Squidoo publishers? Well, that's a little different. I've been having a lot of fun with my Squidoo lens recently. I've... Continue Reading

I was on the phone with Armand Morin last night, and I've been thinking about something he said ever since. We talked about the great ebooks that are out there... We talked about some of the cool software tools that are now available... And of course, we talked about AdSense. But here's what he said that stuck with me. Continue Reading

The Million Dollar Template. Is there such a thing? You know I am a big fan of templates. Each month, hundreds of subscribers receive AdSense templates from me so they can shortcut the creation of their web sites and get down to the business of building original content. Apart from the ones I have created, I have not seen any templates that are really worthy of emulating... Until now! Continue Reading

I recently received an email from a reader. May I share it with you? "Joel, I appreciate your newsletters and great tips. Out of all the so-called gurus, I feel like you deliver more real value in your email than anyone else. But I am feeling very confused about all the different ways you discuss to make money. You tell us about a new software tool that is the supposed answer to our problems, but... Continue Reading

Last July, I wrote about how Amazon.com was breaking into contextual advertising with its Omakase program. Now they're at it again with another context-based advertising system. This time though, they've taken a leaf right out of Kontera's books. Instead of placing ads in ad units, they're linking to keywords in the text and serving floating ad balloons. You can see samples here and here. Continue Reading

Where in the world are you? I thought it would be cool for people to check in and share their location on this planet we share. Maybe even tell us what you like the most about where you live. I recently arrived home from Washington, D.C. where I attended an internet marketing seminar. While I as there, I got to spend some time with Tom Kulzer of Aweber.com. For those that don't know, Aweber is... Continue Reading

Everything has changed. I remember when I first discovered computers. I was in high school when Radio Shack came out with their TRS-80 Model I personal computer. I remember going to the store and staring at it... ogling it... feeling the power of its keyboard... Hey, I guess I just wasn't into girls yet. That time came along eventually as well. ;-) Oh, those were the days. Continue Reading

I am currently in the Nation's Capitol for an Internet marketing conference and I am the victim of a crime, even a felony. It happened while I slept. I was robbed and left for naked... and didn't even know it until late in the afternoon. Amazingly, there isn't a bruise on my body. Nor have I lost any material possessions. So what happened? Read on... Continue Reading

It seems like everywhere you turn, people are talking about Web 2.0. What's the deal with Web 2.0 and why should we care? In the past weeks, I have shared with you how I built my lists, increased my visibility and made more sales by using Squidoo. Many of you have written me thanking me for the free report on the topic as you are seeing results from using this new web technology. But did... Continue Reading

I recently saw a post on a forum that described me as an Internet marketing "guru". I had this picture of me sitting on a mountaintop in the lotus position with a line of inquisitive people waiting to ask me my secret for making money online. Then I had a good laugh and realized how ludicrous the term really is. I'm not a "guru". I'm just a guy who found success online and now pass... Continue Reading

I love to write my own newsletter. It gives me an opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings with you in a very personal way. However, my friend Eric Holmlund has written such a brilliant piece that I have asked him if I can reproduce it in its entirity. Being a great guy, Eric said no problem. With no further ado, here is Eric's post... ---------------------- I want to tell you about a young woman... Continue Reading

What's the truth about global warming? Is it as the media is currently reporting and as Al Gore's movie says? Or is it an issue being driven by a political agenda? I am skeptical, as I have already read much that debunks "An Inconvenient Truth" as "A Magnificent Lie". And now, a group of dissenting scientists have gotten together to create a documentary that makes it look like a tremendoes hoax. Whatever you currently believe... Continue Reading

I love it when people add comments to my posts. Sure, I write a blog to share my information and tips... and to tell the world what I think sometimes too. But it helps to know that someone out there is actually reading what I'm saying. It helps even more to see what they think about what I'm saying! But comments at the end of articles aren't just a nice boost for the writer of... Continue Reading

Andy Warhol once said that every person gets their fifteen minutes of fame. I don't know if that is true, but I do know that every person has a story to tell. I am in the process of writing a new book centered around Internet marketing and individual success stories... ... and I am looking for real life stories to include in the book! So what's your story? Continue Reading

When I talked recently about Darren Rowse's poll into the reasons that people unsubscribe from RSS feeds, I mentioned the biggest issue: the number of posts that publishers send to subscribers. That issue took up the first two reasons that people unsubscribe. But in third place was a much tougher question, and it's one I often wonder about: whether to include the whole article or just part of the article in an email or RSS... Continue Reading

Last time I visited Arizona, I had the pleasure of visiting the Grand Canyon. Undoubtedly, one of the most moving experiences of my life, there is absolutely nothing on the face of the earth that compares to standing on the edge of the canyon face and looking down one mile into it's deep, deep enormity. It was an experience that actually moved me to tears. (Hey, when you spend the majority of your life on... Continue Reading

You already know that ad units placed above the fold tend to get the most clicks. But did you also know that Google automatically places the highest-earning ads in the first ad unit on the page? That's very helpful. Before you've done any optimization, you're already getting the most valuable ads in the best spot on your page. The problem comes when you start optimizing. Continue Reading

There's something you should know about me. It's kind of embarrassing, actually. I am terrible with my hands. More specifically, I am not mechanically inclined. In simple english, don't ask me to build stuff. Don't get me wrong. I can fix absolutely anything Continue Reading

Let's play a game. Take the following quiz by filling in the blanks... 1) A _______ in the hand is worth two in the bush. 2) A rolling stone gathers no _____. 3) A penny _______ is a penny earned. 4) A stitch in time saves ______. 5) Without ________, you can't make any money with your website. Continue Reading

Important. Urgent. Critical. Essential. Crucial. There are so many words I can use to describe how imperative it is that you read today's email, and listen to what I have to say... REALLY listen, because this comes from the heart. Continue Reading

Darren Rowse has an interesting post over on ProBlogger.net. He explains the most common reasons that users unsubscribe from blog RSS feeds. Can you guess which reason came out on top? Nope, it wasn't poor content. (That came in at numbers 6 and 7.) It wasn't the advertising. (Only three people said that.) And it wasn't too much selling. (That was number 14 on the list.) It was too many posts. Continue Reading

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you've probably noticed that I tend to say exactly what's on my mind. Sometimes, that will have nothing to do with AdSense or Internet marketing. It might be something to do with my life. It could be something that happened to me. Or it might just be one of my occasional rants brought on by... well, anything really. I'm not what you would call "politically correct... Continue Reading

Do you remember the television commercial for a hair shampoo where the key concept was viral marketing? The phrase in the commercial went... "They'll tell two friends... and they'll tell two friends... and so on, and so on..." Yes, it was a very clear example of viral marketing. And whether we are talking about shampoo, automobiles, candy bars or web sites, viral marketing still works! If you were able to take your next visitor and... Continue Reading

There are over 29 Billion web pages in the world. There are over 108 Million web sites in the world. There are over 85,000 Squidoo sites in the world. And mine is now #3... ...in the world! Continue Reading

Saturday morning ramblings. I know, it might be Saturday afternoon or Sunday... or even Monday, when you receive this. Nevertheless, it's Saturday morning as a write. So there. :-P Here come the ramblings, kind of a stew from me to you :-) Continue Reading

Five days ago, I wrote about my experience with American Furniture Warehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was not a glowing moment for their customer service team. This morning, my home phone rang and my wife informed me that American Furniture Warehouse wanted to speak with Joel Comm. I had been anticipating a call from them. Surely they monitor the web for mention of their name, and just 48 hours after blogging about my experience... Continue Reading

Momentum. From Dictionary.com... "A force or speed of movement; impetus, as of a physical object or course of events: The car gained momentum going downhill. Her career lost momentum after two unsuccessful films." Let me throw in one more example... Continue Reading

Ever since Google changed its Terms Of Service to allow other contextualized ad systems on the same pages as AdSense, I've been busy taking another look at its competitors. And what I've found was that Kontera has been pretty busy. Kontera has created an ad system that turns keywords on a Web page into double-underlined links. When users mouse over those links, they get a floating tool box containing an ad. It's unobtrusive and looks... Continue Reading

I'm going to do something I've never done before. No, I'm not talking about sky-diving or bungee-jumping. I'll leave those for my friend, Yanik Silver. I'm talking about giving you an opportunity to resell one of my best-selling AdSense ebooks... ... and keep 100% of the profit! Here's the deal... Continue Reading

NOTE! - This issue has been resolved by American Furniture Warehouse customer service as of February 22nd. Please see this blog entry for the rest of the story. We now return to you the initial entry as originally posted... American Furniture Warehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado is officially on my "naughty" list. I write this entry today as an open letter to Jake Jabs, owner of this furniture chain. Since we moved to Colorado this... Continue Reading

Change. It's the one constant we can depend on. Moving to Colorado has been a big change for me and my family. And it has not been without it's share of stress! The stress took a toll on me and I have felt physically depleted. In fact, I cancelled my appearances at JV Alert Live and StomperNet this weekend due to my physical condition. Whether its a virus or just pure exhaustion, I knew that... Continue Reading

Take a look at some of the most famous web site brands online today. Imagine that it is 1994 and the World Wide Web is a new novelty. What would you name a store that would sell books at discount prices? How about Amazon.com What would you name a site that would become the world's largest garage sale. How about Ebay? What would you call a site that would become a premier portal to the... Continue Reading

The writer Anne Lamott likes to tell a story of how her brother had to create a school project describing a huge number of different birds. He didn't know how he was going to complete it. Lamott's father had some wise advice. He told his son to do it "bird by bird." Lamott used that analogy to describe the process of writing a book. You can think of it as a way of creating a... Continue Reading

Road Trip! I remember when those two words were shouted out in my college days. It meant, "grab what you can get yer butt in the car and be ready for anything hurry up the engine is running dude good times ahead!" hehe... Fortunately, none of us every got arrested. ;-) Continue Reading

I hope it got your attention, because what I am about to share with you can be HUGE. And I have THREE things I need to share with you. So be sure you read all the way to end or you might miss out on the best stuff! Ok, here's the deal (pardon my excitement, but this really is big!) As you know, AdSense is not the only contextual advertising service on the web. Google... Continue Reading

When you sign up to an ad program, one of the first decisions you'll have to make is where to put your units. Should you cram them into the sidebar? Place them above the fold? Embed them into the text? Or relegate them to the end of the page? Although there are some general guidelines you can follow, the best way to decide which are the best spots on your Web pages for your ad... Continue Reading

I'm sure you've heard the 'buzz' about social networking and Web 2.0. Millions of people have signed up for their own MySpace site, including me! Have you actually discovered how to make *REAL MONEY* with it and generate TONS of free traffic with MySpace and other social networking sites? Recently I managed to get hold of a "private" two-hour telephone conversation featuring two 'under the radar' experts discussing how they are driving BIG traffic and... Continue Reading

Change. It's one thing in life we can depend on. And it can be the thing that frightens us most. I've known people who don't like the least bit of change in their lives. They are most comfortable in keeping the status quo. Change implies risk. And risk... well, sometimes things don't turn out the way we hope they will. And sometimes they do. Continue Reading

I hate it when it happens. I'm sure you do too. You've set up your site, you've optimized your ads, you've watched your income rise and at last you're getting your rewards. Each month you receive a nice fat check from the generous people at Google. And then all of a sudden, the numbers start to shrink. You haven't changed a thing. Your ad units are still in the same places. You're still discussing the... Continue Reading

There’s More To Marketing Than SEO... It’s the first thing most online publishers do. Right after they’ve built their site, picked the images and added the content. They start optimizing for the search engines and working a million hours a day to get the top spot at Google. Search engine optimization is always going to be an important part of marketing your website. After all, the only thing better than targeted traffic is free targeted... Continue Reading

Ack! It was the only word uttered by Bill the Cat of Bloom County fame. If you don't know who I am referring to, here's a quick refresher course. Bill the Cat And now that we are on the same page, I felt a bit like Bill the Cat yesterday when I received questions about my Monthly Templates membership program. They were very GOOD questions. And I can't believe that I blew it by not... Continue Reading

Take a look at your calendar. You probably have it marked up with important dates. Many calendar manufacturers do us a favor by including holidays and other special days preprinted for convenience. Christmas New Years Day Valentine's Day President's Day Groundhog Day Yes, they take time to remind us of the furry little rodent that somehow is able to predict the weather every February 2nd. Whatever. Now, I don't suppose the calendar's will ever come... Continue Reading

It was a moment in time... ... and it went by in a flash. Did you miss it? Don't feel bad. Thousands of people did. Three months ago, I leveled the playing field as much as it could possibly have been leveled. On October 10th, the Instant AdSense Templates VRE Building System hit the web with a fury, and became one of the most-talked-about and valuable products of the year! On October 15th, the product... Continue Reading

It's time to drag out the cliches. "Wow, can you believe it's 2007 already?" "Man, that year zipped by so fast!" "Before you know it it'll be 2008..." You get the picture. It's another turning of the page. Continue Reading

I'm always going on about the importance of great content. It really is the most important thing you'll put on your website. Sure, the way you format your AdSense units is important. The affiliate products you choose to promote will affect your earnings. The design and layout of your page will determine whether it looks professional and invites users to stick around and come back for more... or send them screaming back where they came... Continue Reading

Pssssst... I've got a secret... For those who are pay close attention to my newsletter, you know that I am a STRONG believer in attending live events in order to take your business to the next level. STRONG believer... Many of you understand once you actually attend a live event. I see how networking with other successful people has changed many lives! And I want everyone to experience this for their business. So it's time... Continue Reading

Yesterday, we went to church for Christmas Eve service. And the pastor put a twist on the message that I hadn't really considered before. He asked "How many of you believe that Jesus is the reason for the season?" Hands went up throughout the sanctuary. And then the room when silent when he said, "Jesus is NOT the reason for the season!" Continue Reading

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes along and spoils all the fun? For a long time now I’ve been recommending that publishers put little images next to their AdSense units to draw users’ eyes. So if you were showing ads for televisions and cameras, then you could put pictures of televisions and cameras right next to the ad unit. Your unit would have all the eye-catching attention of a graphic ad without the... Continue Reading

Building a successful website doesn’t happen overnight. You have to create the pages, write the content, optimize your ads, drive traffic. You can be up and running within minutes but to earn the sort of revenues that make the whole thing worthwhile (and more) you’re going to have to invest time. And much of that time is going to be spent troubleshooting. A poorly-designed, badly-optimized site might make a little bit of money. A site... Continue Reading

I love this time of year. It remind me just how fortunate I am. While many people across the country will be looking forward to spending some extra time with their families over Christmas, I get to spend as much time with my family as I want every day of the year. That was always one of the big motivations for me as an online publisher: I wanted to be free to decide when to... Continue Reading

How would you like to get 10 hours of EXPERT Internet marketing coaching for just $25? And what if you knew that your small investment would not only help put money in your pocket, but would also benefit a very worthwhile cause? Read on, my friend... For many, Christmas morning will be met with the joy of exchanging gifts and seeing the smiles on the faces of children. But there are many children who won't... Continue Reading

I remember when I bought my first DVD player, many years ago. I instantly fell in love with the high quality audio and video that came from the DVD. And I also loved the "special feature" aspect that DVDs allowed... deleted scenes, out-takes, behind the scenes documentaries, etc. I've got a DVD collection featuring over 750 discs to date. Now I just need time to watch them! And speaking of DVDs, my friend Russell Brunson... Continue Reading

Deck the Halls with boughs of holly... Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way... Frosty the Snowman, was a jolly happy soul... You'd better not pout, you'd better not cry... You get the idea! Christmas is coming! And you can spice up your AdSense blocks with a little holiday cheer using their "themed ads". Want to know how? Continue Reading

I'll be the first to admit that I have made some mistakes in my life. Hey, I'm human and I don't expect to always get it right. It was a mistake for me to tell people about Mike Filsaime's report, "The Death of Internet Marketing" before it was actually time to do so. Ooops. My bad. Sorry, Mike. It was a mistake to accidently use another marketer's trademarked name in reference to a different marketer's... Continue Reading

As an AdSense publisher, one day can be much like another. Each day, you update your content, check your stats and make sure that your traffic is flowing freely. With users coming, clicking and giving you income all day every day, it can be very easy to forget which day, week or even season it is. That’s a waste of an opportunity. It’s also not true that Internet time is separate from real time. You... Continue Reading

If you read yesterday's entry, you'll see that we had a heck of a time getting home from Chicago to OKC. Our flight was cancelled and we ended up rescheduled for an 8:55pm departure. Of course, the flight didn't leave until closer to 9:30 pm. And then we sat parked outside the gate in OKC for 30 minutes waiting for the plane at the gate to leave. All told, it was twelve hours from door... Continue Reading

I am blogging from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where I am my family are awaiting an 8:55 pm departure to Oklahoma City. We've been here since 1 pm and our first flight was cancelled. With bad weather in Chicago and OKC, I'm not sure we're going to make it home tonight at all. Such is life, right? So I thought I'd make the best use of my time and write for a bit. In particular... Continue Reading

The information age really does move at the speed of light. Technology is advancing faster than we ever conceived possible. I've been online for 26 years now. In 1980, I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. This machine had 4K of RAM (not 4MB... 4K) and a cassette player that was used as a storage device. There wasn't even a floppy disc drive! I owned a 300 baud modem that I used to dial into... Continue Reading

Alright, we are now headlong into the holiday season, and I wonder... Would it be ok with you if I follow a rabbit trail today? I just want to get something off my chest. It may just end up being instructive, but right now I just need to... um... well... er... rant? Yes, that's it. I need to rant. So, if you aren't interested in my little hissy fit, go ahead and delete this email... Continue Reading

I’m always going on about the importance of great content. I don’t apologize for that. You can have ad units that are perfectly optimized, blended completely into your site and packed with high-paying ads. But if your content’s garbage, no one’s going to click on them because no one’s going to come to your site. I meet so many people who dream of getting rich with AdSense but never give a thought for building a... Continue Reading

You know, I haven't always taught people how to make money online. In fact, I didn't write my first ebook until January 2005. But I've been creating content-rich sites since 1995. One of my most popular sites is perfect for this time of year when everyone is looking for great deals and coupon codes DealofDay.com has become one of the web's leading bargain-hunting sites. With dozens of new coupons, bargains, discounts and special offers added... Continue Reading

For those who were online in 1999, you may remember the very first "Get paid to surf" program. It was called AllAdvantage. Basically, by displaying the AllAdvantage toolbar while you surfed, you got paid. And when you referred people to the program and they surfed, you got paid. It worked VERY well, except that the management team at the company messed up the opportunity. Don't get me wrong. I earned THOUSANDS with this program. And... Continue Reading

When I first started playing around with AdSense, I knew nothing. Now, I like to think that I know a few things about AdSense, but I am still learning. Want to design direct-mail flyers? Don’t ask me. I haven’t a clue. Need to know how to fill a restaurant to the rafters every night? Never owned a restaurant. Not my thing. Want to build a deck? Follow my advice and you’ll just end up with... Continue Reading

The business-in-a-box. You've heard of 'opportunities' like this before. Usually, all you get is a box... ... and no business. When Paul Smithson (of XSite Pro fame) approached me with his "Build an Empire" business-in-a-box, I was VERY skeptical. In fact, I ALMOST didn't it listen to what he had to say. However, when he mentioned an industry that I happen to know is one of the fastest growing industries next to digital music, he... Continue Reading

Nintendo Wii? Sony Playstation 3? Which is better? And does it really matter? Watch this for my honest assessment and to find out why this video is WAY more important than which game system is the best. Wii or PS3? Read on for my review... Continue Reading

I regularly receive questions from my readers and subscribers. In fact, I get WAY too many questions to even begin to address them all. Today, I have a question for YOU! In fact, I am soliciting your input. First, a little history... Continue Reading

Let's play a game. I am going to list several quotes from people, and you have to guess what they are talking about. These are all REAL quotes... Ready? Person #1 says... "Even though I am at loss for words I want to thank you again from the bottom of my heart for an experience that I will NEVER forget" Person #2 says... "I've met with more JV extraordinaires, created more wonderful relationships, and have... Continue Reading

Can I simplify the steps to succeeding online? 1) Find a niche 2) Create a web site featuring a product or service in your niche 3) Sell to your market 4) Repeat Step 3 Ok, I know. That is WAY simplified! What's missing? Continue Reading

Most new businesses fail. It’s a fact we’re all familiar with... and as entrepreneurs, one we all ignore. It’s easy to do. For one thing, online those statistics probably aren’t that bad. With AdSense, you’re almost guaranteed some income. Use the right strategies and techniques, and there’s no reason why that income shouldn’t be very good indeed. Continue Reading

I've got three little words to say. No, not those three words. They aren't about love, but I do love them. Here are the three little words... Ready? Continue Reading

We live in a reciprocal Universe. All of us are trained at a very young age to take. Hopefully, we are also trained to give. Give and take. Someone asks you how you are doing... ... and you ask them how they are doing. Someone gives you a gift... ... and you are more likely to give them a gift in the future. Give and take. That's the way the Universe operates. Continue Reading

It's just been an incredible month for new revenue-generating resources! First we had the SEO product of the year, The Stomper from Brad Fallon. Then Instant AdSense Templates helped people get a site up and running quickly. Next, Anik Singal and Rosalind Gardner launch their Blog Classroom, which is only available for a couple more days, by the way. If you haven't signed up yet, visit Blog Classroom And now, there's this... Continue Reading

I've been looking back at what's been happening in the world of AdSense over the last ten months or so... and I've been amazed at what I've found. I was able to count at least fifteen innovations that could affect the way publishers earn through AdSense. Some of those changes, such as larger image ads, are relatively minor. Others, such as video ads and multiple channels for ad units, have the potential to radically change... Continue Reading

As I travel to conferences and receive email from people, the questions I am asked have a recurring theme. One of the most frequent questions is not so much about technology as it is about individuality. The question is, "What kind of web site should I build to make money online?" And that, my friends, is the wrong question. The right question is not about web sites or keywords. The right question is about you. Continue Reading

Traffic. It is the one thing that anyone with a website hopes for again and again. You can have first-site site design. You can have incredible content. You can make sure your pages are totally optimized to be search engine friendly. Continue Reading

With the help of my friend Mike Koenigs from the Infomercial Toolkit, I have made my very first professionally produced infomercial! The video was created to promote my Instant AdSense Templates product (which is currently on sale). We were able to easily create the script using the Easy Scriptwriter, shot the video while I was in Minneapolis teaching at a conference and Mike did the final editing and production for me. Want to see the... Continue Reading

I can't believe what I am about to tell you. In all sincere honesty, I can not believe it. But it's all true. I have just totaled up the data size of Instant AdSense Templates... Continue Reading

Hardly a week goes by that you don't hear about the newest/latest/greatest/world's-best-thing-since-sliced-bread ebook, software or member site. I confess, I do like to share quality products and services with my readers, but there are many that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Why not? Because they aren't in your best interests. Yes, there is money to be made in selling "stuff". And while I have no problem with earning commissions, my reputation is... Continue Reading

Tick... tick... tick... Can you hear that? It's the sound of the countdown clock leading to Tuesday, October 10th. At 12 Noon EST on that day, I will be revealing my greatest AdSense product EVER! Continue Reading

I've had a BUNCH of people ask me if Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkins' product, StomperNet, is a bunch of hype... or if these guys and their product is the 'real deal'. I've known Brad Fallon for six years. He and I have shared many meals and spoken at length about what he does... and what he knows. I can say without a DOUBT, that Brad is THE leading expert on search engine optimization on... Continue Reading

When I was at JV Alert Live in Philadelphia, my friend Mike Stewart put together this video promotion for my book, The AdSense Code. It's quick and entertaining. Check it out! Continue Reading

Are you overwhelmed? I don't know about you, but I can get involved in so many projects that I occasionally feel like my brain is going to explode. Someone get the duct tape! The reality of the situation is that there is more opportunity on the web than anyone can possibly grasp. You may already be succeeding online... ... or you may be struggling. I've been both places at various times in my life and... Continue Reading

One of the most important things you can do to get traffic to your AdSense sites is to incorporate the use of a mailing list. With a list, you can mail your members and invite them back to your site again and again. With a list, you can profit by sending offers that your members would find interesting and useful. With a list, you have both momentum and leverage, two of the greatest keys for... Continue Reading

Listen... Can you hear it? It's the sound of panic. Hysteria. It's the sound of fearmongers, making as much noise as they can... to scare you. I can hear it. Can you? Continue Reading

I'm blogging from my office PC... only I'm not in my office. I am, in fact, in the American Airlines Admirals Club at D/FW International Airport, awaiting my flight to Oklahoma City. With GoToMyPC, I can login to my office PC from any PC in the world. It's pretty cool stuff! And I must say, the Admirals Club is awfully nice. I'm on a one-time visit pass and am not sure it's worth the annual... Continue Reading

2007 is really just around the corner. Can you believe it? And as sure as Christmas displays are starting to pop up in select stores, it is time to start shopping for your 2007 calendar. I've used this site to find my calendar for the past couple years, so I thought I'd recommend them to you as well. Continue Reading

There are many exciting and life changing events happening all over the calendar this fall that will help you grow your businesses and take your business to a higher level of profit and development. Attending seminars and meetings and talking with the speakers and attendees there, is one of the main methods I have used to be able to take my businesses to the next level. Continue Reading

Today is a day of reflection. I can't believe it has been five years since Islamo-fascist terrorists barbarically hijacked airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. Time really does pass by in an instant. As we remember the destruction wrought by evil people, lets take time to remember the lives that were lost and the impact that it has had on so many other people. I'm sure that the trauma... Continue Reading

My friend Dr.Mani is a heart surgeon who innovatively uses online marketing to help kids born with heart defects. On Saturday Sep.9th, in a very special event called the Heart Kids Blogathon, he is blogging non-stop for 24 hours to raise funds for the 'heart kids'. The fundraiser is off with a bang, with over $3,700 donated already. Every $2,500 raised means an additional operation can be funded - so please try and help, in... Continue Reading

I am writing this entry from Heathrow Airport in London. I've been here with my family since August 30th and we're ready to be back on American soil. As of now, our flight is delayed and I'm afraid we'll be sitting for a few more hours. I've been unplugged for all but one hour while on vacation (holiday, as they call it here). It has been refreshing to get away from the computer. But, like... Continue Reading

I met Eric Rockefeller this past summer at an Internet marketing summer. This young guy was full of energy and questions. He was catching the vision of what is possible on the Internet, and he began telling me that he was working on his own product. Well, it's happened. Actually, it launches TODAY. The List Monster Eric has succeeded in putting together an incredible series of interviews with some of the world's very best list... Continue Reading

One of the fastest ways to get started with a web site is to create a blog. Absolutely anyone can get started with blogging in less than FIVE minutes by setting up a free blog at Blogger.com. Yes, it's free. Once you get the blog set up, follow their simple instructions for creating your blog content. And then, the real fun starts... Continue Reading

Citibank credit cards - I have them in my wallet. Why Citibank? Because these are American Airlines Aadvantage credit cards, and I charge absolutely everything in order to earn as many air miles on American Airlines as possible. I do a lot of traveling and enjoy flying free or upgrading to First Class when I can. But I am really upset with Citibank at the moment. Continue Reading

Today's entry has nothing to do with Internet marketing, making money online, AdSense or anything else of this nature. It is of far greater importance and consequence. Several weeks ago, a church that we had visited had announced an upcoming series called "My Secret". Acknowledging that people within the church have just as many problems as people outside the church, the point of the series is to help people see that they are not alone... Continue Reading

On September 27th, I am going to award FIVE people with a free one-year membership to the Premier AdSense Coaching Club, my members-only site designed to help people increase the profitability of their web sites. How can you enter to win one of these five memberships? Easy! I present you with... The AdSense Code Sightings Contest! Here's the deal... Continue Reading

November 4, 2005. That date stands as a milestone for me, and for the growth of my business. It was the date I stepped out on faith, put my money on the table, and attended Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles, California. Why was it such a milestone? Continue Reading

Once upon a time I promoted an offer from Ray McNally. I've only met Ray virtually and it was my understanding that he would do as promised. Due to the number of complaints received for his "pay once hosting" offer, and the apparant inability for people to contact Ray for support, I have redacted my support for the offer. I am leaving this entry online because of the comments only. Continue Reading

Alright, it's time for some fun and games. Are you familiar with the abundance of "tycoon" games on the market? You know the ones... Lemonade Tycoon Sim City Mall Tycoon Rollercoaster Tycoon etc... I thought it would be fun to put together an online game focused on making money with AdSense, and I'm pleased to invite you to come and try out The AdSense Game now! Be sure to follow the instructions so you can... Continue Reading

Here are some quick answers to questions that have been recently submitted at AskJoelComm.com. I read in your book "The Adsense Code" about taking ebooks and making them as free content website(s) and adding Adsense to the pages. I have several books I have authored over the years. Should each book (topic) be its own website or is a one "master" website with pages or directory by topic okay? This is a great way to... Continue Reading

I've gotten to know Mike Filsaime over the past year, and consider him a good friend. Not only is he an incredibly smart marketer, but he is a good-hearted guy who really wants to see people succeed. When Mike launched Butterfly Marketing earlier this year, he hit a huge run. Not only did he sell tons of copies of his course, but the results have been equally impressive. Testimonial upon testimonial of success stories find... Continue Reading

In every industry, there's a powerbroker in the background - an advisor who is known to just a handful of people, but who helps build empires for the top "stars" who are household names. I recently discovered Janet Switzer. For the last 16 years, Janet has been quietly creating empire-building campaigns, products, promotions, deals and distribution for many of the biggest celebrity experts you've heard of. Jay Abraham... Mark Victor Hansen... Chicken Soup for the... Continue Reading

Wouldn't it be great if we could optimize our websites for AdSense then just kick back and enjoy the income? We wouldn't have to worry about trying new ad formats or checking new strategies or wondering what else we could be doing to increase our revenues. We certainly wouldn't have to watch out for the sort of change that could radically affect the way our pages are arranged. One such change could be just around... Continue Reading

The kids have gone to bed and it is getting late. I decided to check in to the database of questions that have been asked recently at AskJoelComm.com and attempt to answer a few of them here briefly. As you might imagine, I receive more questions than I have time to answer. So if don't get to your question, please don't think I am ignoring you. There just isn't enough of me to go around... Continue Reading

When I give talks explaining how people can use AdSense to earn high revenues, I focus on some very specific strategies. I do the same in my book. I explain which ad formats work best, discuss where to put them, how to blend them into the page and how to influence the ads that appear so that you can make sure you’re always earning the highest revenues possible. Continue Reading

What's in an hour? Yes, I see the hand in the back of the room. Sixty minutes, you say? Ok, smart aleck. You can put your hand down. You've probably heard the old adage that we all get the same number of hours in a day. You've probably also heard Gerber's advice to spend an hour a week working on your business not "in" your business. And both are true . . . and false. Continue Reading

Omakase is a Japanese word meaning 'leave it up to us'. It is commonly used in Japanese restaurants for a meal where the chef uses their experience and knowledge to select and prepare the meal for a customer without specific directions. And with the beta launch of Amazon.com's new contextual ad service, Omakase takes on a new meaning. DId you just say, Amazon.com and contextual ad service in the same breath? Yes... yes, I did. Continue Reading

My good friend Lee Dodd, who I feel is the king of online forums has recently rocked the forum world with the creation of Earners Forum. Watching the growth over the past 2 weeks has been an amazing experience, seeing the forum go from nothing to more than 1,000 members and 15,000 posts. Continue Reading

I was at the Big Seminar in Los Angeles last year when Rich Schefren got up to speak. He began talking about the way most people do business online. I was listening with half an ear. Then he started talking about all the hats the online entrepeneur wears at the same time. I was all ears. Continue Reading

Last night, my family and I went to see Glenn Beck at the Mabee Center in Tulsa. For those not familiar with Beck, he claims to have the third most popular radio show in the country. I guess that would be behind Limbaugh and Hannity. I started listening to Glenn a few years ago when his program began airing on our local radio station. He says that you need to listen to the show for... Continue Reading

I picked up a copy of Crash on DVD this week because I had heard that it was a fantastic movie. Mary and I watched it last night. I really wanted to like it, but I feel like it fell short. When I learned that it was awarded "Best Picture" by the Academy, I was amazed once again at how out of touch Hollywood is. Continue Reading

I knew my word cloud advertising page, 500Words.com would get some attention. I had no idea that it would be as big as it is! In the first 12 hours that the site has officially launched today, more than one-third of the words have been claimed! Traffic is pouring into the page and I see no end in sight. It may very well sell out its first week. So what's next? Continue Reading

I've been writing about Anik Singal's upcoming affiliate training course, The Affiliate Manger 1st Edition, for a week or so now. I created a special 15 minute video review of this course that has been viewed hundreds of times at Affiliate Classroom. This much-anticipated comprehensive course will go on sale at 12 noon on Tuesday, June 27th. And I've got a special BONUS DVD for those who order a copy of Anik's course through a... Continue Reading

I am pleased to announce that my AdSense ebook is now available in a fourth language. Joining the english, spanish and japanese versions is the brand new french version! The name of the book is "Ce que Google ne vous a jamais dit sur la facon de gagner de l'argent avec AdSense", or "What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense". It is the complete third edition, fully translated for our french-speaking friends... Continue Reading

On the road again... Just can't wait to be on the road again... ... that is as long as I am either on vacation with my family or traveling to a seminar! And that's what I am doing tomorrow... heading to Philadelphia for Ken McArthur's JV Alert Live seminar, where I will be joining other speakers and attendees for three days of intense learning, brainstorming and networking. I absolutely love going to seminars. Want to... Continue Reading

Did you know that I have been doing business online since 1995? Many people assume that I came out of nowhere with my AdSense training materials, but the fact is that I've been online creating profitable websites for eleven years now! (Wow, has it been THAT long?) One of the ways I generate revenue is with affiliate programs, that is, where I make a commission on products that I sell for OTHER merchants... Continue Reading

Everyone has their pet peeves, present company included. Being Saturday, I had to go to the store for a couple different things. I needed to pick up a framed poster at Hobby Lobby and I took my son to Best Buy so he could spend a gift card. At Hobby Lobby, I approached the checkout lanes and found there was only one girl handling all the customers. I took my spot in line behind the... Continue Reading

Who would have thought that my post about Arbonne would have generated so much discussion? Admittedly, it does get heated from time to time. But I have allowed the post to be a forum for free speech as long as people keep it clean and don't abuse each other. If you try to read it, expect to spend at least an hour... it just keeps going and going... A few months ago, I put up... Continue Reading

About six years ago, I met a guy named Todd Vinson. Todd is one of the most incredible people I have met in my life because he has dedicated his life to serving others. In particular, he has a heart for helping teenage boys who are displaced or whose families are in crisis by providing a long-term home solution where they will be properly cared for. This happens at Willow Springs Boys Ranch in Chandler... Continue Reading

Search the web for AdSense and you will find an absolute avalanche of products and services related to Google's popular contextual advertising service. Most of the these products are software or tools designed to game the system, taking advantage of the weaknesses in the search engines in order to generate a quick buck with AdSense. You know what I am talking about. These are the tools that build "garbage" pages that exist for no reason... Continue Reading

Henderson Hills Baptist Church (HHBC) is located in Edmond, OK, just off I-35 at 15th street. This church, pastored by Dennis Newkirk, is a fast-growing contemporary church with a superb music program and good teaching. We've been attending this congregation since 2001. Continue Reading

First you are born. Then you go to school. Year upon year upon year of the best public education your tax dollars can buy. After twelve years, you hit a fork in the road with a choice to make... Do I get a job or go to college? For many, the decision to go to college seems clear cut. After all, we're told that you need a college degree to get a good job in... Continue Reading

If you've been following my life at all, you know I've been working with my mother to help her build her website, TravelsWithSheila.com. Acting on my advice, my mom has issued a press release today. Continue Reading

I am leaving Las Vegas after speaking at Carl Galletti's Internet Marketing Superconference. It has been a great weekend of learning, networking and hanging out with friends. Before I spoke on Saturday, I ordered some breakfast at the hotel restaurant. The portion was very large and I just didn't want to eat it all. So when I took the platform to speak, the first thing I did was ask if anyone was hungry! A lady... Continue Reading

The Sony PSP is a handy little gadget. I've been getting a lot of entertainment mileage out of it while traveling miles across the country. It acts as a great diversion to pass the time on an airplane. From Hawaii to Orlando to Vegas, I've enjoyed playing Daxter and have just about finished the game. But the PSP is good for more than just playing games. Whether you want to listen to music, surf the... Continue Reading

Deal or No Deal. Admit it. You watch it too. It's like the irresistable black light of a bug zapper, drawing you in to the flavor of the day... Howie Mandel, the briefcases, the ladies, the contestants and the banker. It's Deal or No Deal. Continue Reading

Here's a question I get again and again... "Joel, what are the best AdSense tools available?" With such a proliferation of "me-too" products on the market, it can be difficult to wade through them all and select the tools that will truly benefit you as an AdSense publisher. So I have created a site called Best AdSense Tools where I will be writing about the tools you should own and the tools you should avoid. Continue Reading

I'm just back in town from Michael Penland's Internet seminar in Orlando. It was a great seminar with two dozen fantastic speakers. I know the attendees must have gotten alot out of the time spent there. I want to take a moment to tell you about a guy I met in Orlando this week. His name is Keith Wellman. Continue Reading

I received this question via AskJoelComm.com Joel, I can't find my passion. I have been a workaholic my whole life in areas that I do not enjoy. I don't even know what I enjoy doing. To make matters worse, my experience is not something that can become a product unless I compete with the top corporations. I have gathered and researched a lot of information on how to market, sales pages, setting up websites, etc... Continue Reading

I am currently in Orlando, Florida, attending Michael Penland's Internet Marketing Super Conference. I've been spending time with some great people, including Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose, Brian Edmondson, Keith Wellman and Tom Beal. Being here reminds me of how incredibly important it is to attend conferences if you want to be successful. Continue Reading

Internet entrepreneur Joel Comm and his new book: "The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense." reveal how anyone can generate passive income on the Internet. Since only those books that appeared on Oprah ranked higher, Comm figures Oprah and her audience would find his Internet income strategies the real story. Read on for today's news release... Continue Reading

A week does not go by that I don't get an email from someone telling me that their AdSense account was closed. Most often, the email from the AdSense team starts with... "It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on the Google ads on your site(s). We have therefore disabled your Google AdSense account. Please understand that this step was taken in an effort to protect the interest of the... Continue Reading

A few weeks ago, Andrew Fox phoned me and asked if I would speak to him for a bit about my AdSense strategies. I've known Andrew for a bit, having met him at Big Seminar in Los Angeles last year. (Remember, I always say how important it is to network at these seminars?) Anyhow, Andrew is a great guy... and he's pretty darned smart, too! Beating me to the punch, Andrew has put together a... Continue Reading

One of the biggest attractions of becoming an online publisher is that you get to become your own boss. You can work from home, at the hours you want... and completely alone. Well, the first two at least are right. Optimizing your ad units is certainly lonely work. It’s a task you have to do yourself and it involves no one but you, your computer and your stats tables. But playing with your ad units... Continue Reading

I'm sitting in a conference room in Dallas, Texas, attending the Focus 4 the Future "No Limits" Internet marketing seminar. At the moment, Perry Marshall is sharing his story and telling people about making money with Google AdWords. Perry is a super-nice guy and his success story is totally legit. Continue Reading

They say that what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas. And I guess that is frequently true... But if you come see me at Carl Galletti's Internet Marketing Super Conference in Las Vegas, June 1 - 4th, 2006, I promise that you will be able to take a WEALTH of information back with you to wherever you live! Continue Reading

Friday, May 5th, was my 42nd birthday. So I decided that I would throw a virtual birthday party and invite some of my readers to join me! I scheduled a teleseminar and began thinking of who I wanted to interview as a special guest for my birthday. Now, I could have called up one of my Internet marketing buddies, but I decided to invite an "unknown" to join me for the call. Continue Reading

Lara Croft is back. And this time she means business. Back in the late nineties, Lara Croft came on the scene in the game Tomb Raider. A female "Indiana Jones"-style character, Lara spelunked tombs in ancient ruins of Rome, Mexico, Egypt and Atlantis, fighting off creatures and bad guys while on the hunt for priceless artifacts and treasure. Rather than just shooting to kill stuff, Tomb Raider challenged the player mentally with a series of... Continue Reading

Maybe I spending too much time at Google Video, but this one made me laugh so hard I could not catch my breath! David Copperfield Spoof Ok, back to work... Continue Reading

Internet Marketers Invade MySpace... Or so the headline goes on Lynn Terry's blog entry. Remember a few weeks ago I mentioned how MySpace can be used to create a network of contacts? Remember how I indicated that the site can be used to link to your other sites and perhaps bring more visitors to your primary business? Continue Reading

As you might imagine, I get LOTS of email. Questions, questions, questions... and most of them are good! What do people want most? They want to see exactly how to implement AdSense properly on their sites. Did you get that? They want to SEE... Continue Reading

I love to play games with my family. Board games, card games, party games. We like them all. Sure, sometimes we have a hard time agreeing on what to play. But once we get going we usually have a fun time. We are always on the lookout for new games to play. And with so many choices, how do you know which games will give the biggest bang for the buck? Continue Reading

So here's the deal. I met this bloke in Charlotte, North Carolina last November. I can call him a "bloke" because he is decidedly British. His name is Robert Puddy... Continue Reading

There are so many ways to promote business online. Adsense is a focus for me, because it has been so lucrative, and because there are so many businesses building their brand through the Adwords program. What's very interesting is that there are entire worlds of promotion outside of the Adwords Pay Per Click model. "Sponsorship" type programs are one example, which can bring traffic to not only your web site, but to your brand, through... Continue Reading

A friend told me that he had something to show me that had to be seen to be believed. He said it is called a hydroflyer. Ok, I'm game. What's a hydroflyer? Go to the site and watch the video. You'll see. And like me, you will probably say "WOW!" Continue Reading

I like the food at The Cracker Barrel. It's usually pretty good, whether we go there for breakfast or dinner. They have done a great job of positioning themselves as the "Old Country Store", a combination restaurant/retail shop, where every store is positioned on a major U.S. interstate. And every store looks virtually the same. Continue Reading

I did it. I bit the PSP bullet and forked over my cash to Sony. I've been playing video games and computer games ever since there was such a beast. I remember when Pong first arrived on the scene. I owned a Fairchild Channel One video game system (the failed precursor to the Atari home video game system that sold millions of units). I've owned Nintendos, Playstations, XBox's and who knows what else. It was... Continue Reading

It's been just over a year since I first discussed my experiences with Arbonne, the multi-level marketing skin-care company. Since that time, over 600 comments have been posted to that single entry! Diehard Arbonne supporters and vehement detractors have enjoyed spirited discussion and debate via my blog. Isn't the Internet great? My take on the company remains the same. They have good product, albeit overpriced... and an unfair Internet marketing model that favors those who... Continue Reading

With over 65,000,000 members, Rupert Murdoch's My Space is a juggernaut in the online world. Sure, it is largely a wasteland of 18 to 22 year olds trying to "hook up" with each other. But I can see where the networking tools of the site can be used for those who aren't just looking for a "date". Continue Reading

There are two things you can't avoid in life. Death and taxes. And McDonalds. Ok, THREE things you can't avoid in life. Out of the three, one of them signifies the end, one of them tastes bad and one of them becomes more prominent every April. I hate taxes. But I am a good citizen and I pay my taxes. "Render unto Caesar" ... yada yada yada If you haven't filed your return yet, April... Continue Reading