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

A few days ago I became the first app store developer to reveal sales-to-rank data. Some other sites have confirmed an interest in this data, such as The UnOfficial Apple Weblog. With iFart continuing its move up the charts, I want to continue sharing data with you, especially since something very interesting has happened since we broke into the top ten apps in the world. 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

I'm amazed that there are people out there -- somewhere -- who aren't making money from AdSense. It's not as though you need a doctorate in computer studies and a professorship in literature. You just need a website and an AdSense account. And ever since blogging came along, the website bit has been a breeze. It takes all of about five minutes to sign up on Blogger and it's a perfect match for AdSense. 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

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

We had a great time in Glenwood Springs. From taking a Segway tour of the area and a day at the world's largest hot springs pool to downtime for rest & relaxation and a trip to a rain-covered Snowmass, my family and I enjoyed our brief vacation. I may put up some video once I get the chance. But I've had a lot of people curious about how the return train ride went on Amtrak... 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

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

Ah... Kauai. We were here two years ago and had a great time. I think we did all the touristy stuff that week. Helicopter ride. Driving around both coasts... etc. Last year we went to Maui, and although beautiful, it doesn't match Kauai for beauty. Maui was also way overpriced and I can't see going there again just for a vacation. Anyhow, I don't think I've ever been in such need of a vacation and... 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

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'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

On Sunday at Affiliate Summit, I bumped into Shawn Collins in the hallway. He had rented a Segway scooter for the day and I had an opportunity to take it for a test drive. It's really an amazing device! It takes just a few seconds to find your balance the first time and then to get a handle on how to make it move. But in just a matter of moments, the Segway becomes an... Continue Reading

I've been blogging now for nearly five years. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't get started until 2003. Over the years, my blog has had several designs and the site regularly receive thousands of visits each and every day. But it was time for a face lift. (Not my face, the blog!) 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

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

It's the most wonderful time of the year... And Santa Joel is pulling into your neighborhood with a virtual sleigh full of goodies! Yes, it is that time again. There are several gifts for you under the tree, including a BRAND NEW set of five Instant AdSense templates! So click now if you are ready to unwrap them! Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah! :-) Gifts from Joel Continue Reading

I'm not a big sports fan. I used to watch a lot of baseball when I was a kid. And I watched a good bit of football in college. But as an adult, I just haven't made much time for sports. 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

You are invited to a one-of-a-kind webinar that you are going to love! On Tuesday, July 17th, you have the opportunity to listen in and watch as I interview Sheila Simkin, a seasoned world traveler who has been just about everywhere and knows how to travel the world on a budget. There is no one quite like Sheila. Not only does she blog her adventures on her site, but she provides tips that even the... 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

"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

When Google takes action, they really take action. The forums have been buzzing recently with news that Google is in the middle of a content "quality initiative." There's nothing about it in the AdSense blog, but Jennifer Slegg of Jenstar.com has reported that a number of publishers have received emails telling them that they have "an unsuitable business model" and that their account will be closed within two weeks. They will be allowed to keep... 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

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

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

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

I love giving gifts. I can't help myself. I am one of those who prefer watching others open presents on Christmas morning to opening my own. There's just something special about seeing a smile on someone's face when they open a present I've given them that brings joy to my heart. 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

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 have selected five random winners for The AdSense Code Sightings Contest! I received dozens of entries and posted a handful of the photos on the web site. I then randomly selected five entries, each of whom will now receive one year entry into my Premier AdSense Coaching Club. And the winners are... 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

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

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

Bionicles. A Lego creation that has an incredibly rabid fan base and has spawned numerous made-for-DVD videos and a comic book series. Why am I writing about Lego Bionicles? Because my son has been collecting them for years. And because he just dropped over $100 on the newest sets to hit the market and is incredibly upset. So much so that he is returning them to the store, disheartened and disappointed. I suggested that he... 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

Here's a copy of the news release that went out on PRWeb today. Edmond, OK (PRWEB) May 9, 2006 -- With Internet publishers looking for ways to monetize their sites, Google has become one of the most revered sites due to their contextual advertising program, Google AdSense. This text-based ad service is generating four, five, and six-figure incomes for many website owners. With this increased interest in this revolutionary revenue-generating program, site owners are looking... 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

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 can't remember the last time I had so much fun playing guitar. No, I'm not talking about my Yamaha Strat knock-off or my Ibanez steel string. I'm talking about a plastic guitar with no strings and five frets. Huh? Continue Reading

Launching a new product can be both an exhilirating and terrifying experience. The thrill of launching out into the unknown is matched only by the trepidation in wondering if the launch will fail. However, it doesn't need to be this complicated. Continue Reading

All you hear from the liberal democrats these days is "Bush lied... no weapons of mass destruction... Get out of Iraq... Saddam was not tied to terrorists... etc and so forth." I came across this series of quotes from the beloved liberal leadership that should make anyone who has supported them in the past go "hmmmm" Their own words nullify their objections with this administration, and make clear that they have absolutely no platform to... Continue Reading

I will never forget the thrill of seeing my first video game. Pong opened the doorway to electronic gaming bliss and most in my generation have never looked back. I remember when Space Invaders and Asteroids came out, displacing the pinball machine as the game du jour. I remember begging my father for a Fairchild video game system, the predecessor to the Atari 2600. I remember playing games on my TRS-80 and being absolutely floored... Continue Reading

When I first heard that Tim Burton was doing a version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I thought "Oh no. He's going to butcher it." Don't get me wrong. For the most part, I like Tim Burton's work. Yes, he is bizarre, and probably somewhat twisted. But I like his creative flair. I enjoy his unusual characters and camera angles. But I also have read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and thoroughly enjoyed Willy... Continue Reading

I'm in the midst of reading "Under the Overpass: A Journal of Faith on the Streets of America" by Mike Yankoski. Essentially, Mike left his upper-middle class life and became a homeless street person for five months. He felt it was important to put his faith in God to the test to see if it would get crushed or blossom in the face of extreme adversity. His other motivation was to get a clearer picture... Continue Reading

I've been running my coupon site, DealofDay.com, for over five years. (That's 35 in dog years). I decided to be innovative and start including all the coupons on WorldVillage. So, I present you with WorldVillage Coupons. Continue Reading

If you have followed my blog at all, you know that I am a long-time Tivo user. I have been a subscriber for approximately five years, making me an early adopter. Tivo has been going through the ringer lately and it looks like they have just made a deal that is going to seal their fate as a household brand. Today, Tivo announced that they will be creating a custom-built digital video recorder for Comcast... Continue Reading

I love my Tivo. I have owned one for over five years and I have charmed many friends with live demonstrations of what Tivo can do. Unfortunately, Tivo has not been able to accelerate their subscriber base enough to become profitable. The word on the street is that Apple is interested in Tivo. Of course, the companies aren't responding to the "rumours". But I think it would be a perfect match. Tivo is the Macintosh... Continue Reading

Spongebob is everywhere. He's on TV. He's at the movies. He's on tshirts, socks and underwear. He's on my watch (really...) Let's face it. Spongebob is a mega-superstar. Remember those Spongebob Inflatables that were being stolen from Burger King restaurants last year? My friend, David Lawrence, is giving away FIVE (5) of these Spongebob Squarepants inflatable characters via his web site and radio show, Online Tonight Enter to win one of these cool thingamajigs, and... Continue Reading

Well, well, well. Look who is in deep dookie.. Richard Hatch, the first winner of CBS's "Survivor," was charged today with failing to report his $1 million reality TV windfall to the Internal Revenue Service. The below two-count criminal information, unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, charges Hatch with filing a false 2000 tax return that omitted his seven-figure "Survivor" winnings. The nudity enthusiast, 43, is also charged with filing a false... Continue Reading

I remember signing up for Columbia House's irresistable 12 CDs for a penny offer several times before I turned twenty-five. Like most people, I would place my order, purchase the bare minimum and cancel my membership. I guarantee that will never happen again for myself and many others. Why not? Columbia House is entering the pornography business. The objectifier of women and the destroyer of men's souls, Pornography has a foothold in western civilization like... Continue Reading

Ok, let's face it. The only people who think that Jesse Jackson is the leader of the black people is the mainstream media. They adore this man, even though he makes no sense. Top it off with the fact that he has had decades to make a difference in the black community, and he has failed terribly. Which makes it all the more entertaining when the "Reverend" Jackson says something as absurb as he said... Continue Reading

And I thought it was going to be as simple as getting on an airplane... Our flight home was initially scheduled for 6:30 pm, putting us into OKC around 8:30 pm. However, our schedule for the day was clear, so we decided to head to the airport early in hopes of catching an earlier flight on standby. We arrived shortly after 12:15 pm and attempted to book on the 1:11 pm flight. It had been... Continue Reading

The Kerry campaign has repeatedly criticized the President for his tax cut which they claim gave tax breaks to the wealthy. (Which they DESERVE, incidently). So what do we learn from Teresa Heinz-Kerry's release of her 2003 income tax report? From Newsmax.com... Heinz Kerry Hiding $45 Million in Income, Paid Just 1.2% in Taxes Teresa Heinz Kerry earns approximately $50 million in annual income, ten times what she revealed on tax forms released late Friday... Continue Reading

I watched the President last night and was inspired. It is so refreshing to have a man in the White House who is "real". I know, I know. The Dems will scream about how "stupid" I am for believing the "lies" of the Bush administration. Save your breath. Your comments will be deleted. After surviving eight years of the worst Presidency to ever curse the White House, I can spot a liar and a con... Continue Reading

Amazingly, there are still liberals and democrats repeating the "Bush lied about WMDs" mantra. Let's put it to rest once and for all. Before we went to war in Iraq, what did DEMOCRATS say about the connection between Saddam and WMDs? "One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." - President Clinton, Feb... Continue Reading

It was just like any other day. I booted up my computer and started to check on my web sites. And as happens from time to time, my sites were not coming up quickly or at all. My first thought is that a server is down. I test another server and see that it is not communicating either. Now I start thinking my T1 to the office is down. So I apply the test to... Continue Reading

Mary and I attended a marriage conference at our church the past two days. It featured Gary and Michael Smalley of the Smalley Relationship Center. Gary is a best-selling author and speaker, with over 30 books in print. He has spoken to millions regarding relationships, marriage, parenting and so forth. His son, Michael, is equally gifted, and now has a counseling center and his own syndicated radio talk show. The seven hours spent in the... Continue Reading

I just finished reading Shadowmancer by G.P. Taylor. I bought it for my son to read and he really enjoyed it. On his recommendation, I gave it a read. A fantasy novel with a spiritual twist, Shadowmancer turned out to be a pretty good read. In the past, authors such as Frank Peretti and Randy Alcorn have managed to write some excellent Christian fiction that dealt with the spiritual dimension, that being the world of... Continue Reading

I am one proud papa tonight. Zachary has been taking piano lessons since he was five years old. It took him a while to get going, but he has steadily improved over the years. Like his mom and dad, he has a natural love for music. This past year, I have noticed a marked difference in his playing. I am very impressed with the skill he has developed since turning twelve! Tonight was his piano... Continue Reading

For your entertainment pleasure, I present five fun sites to liven up your surfing experience... Chicken Shoot - a barnyard blast! Home of the Underdogs - Download old computer games Just Adventure - a dying genre of computer games Yahoo! Games - Look for my face as an avatar in the table games Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - play the original Douglas Adams/Infocom text adventure online Continue Reading

I saw The Passion of the Christ last night. I have to agree with something Glenn Beck said after viewing the film. It's unreviewable. Yet, there is so much to say. I hope you will endure my babbling to find something worthwhile in the words to come. By now, you have heard about this movie. I have been writing about it for nearly 9 months now as the opening day has drawn closer. One entry... Continue Reading

Groundhog Day? Not the movie, the holiday. (Thought I WILL be talking about the movie as I continue my series on The 15 Best Movies Ever). Why talk about ">Groundhog Day today? Because from what I just learned, the great majority of you have no earthly idea what day it falls on! Somehow, Mary and I got into a discussion about Groundhog Day and she asked me when it was? I said, "Seriously? You don't... Continue Reading

Oh, this is rich! The very people who preach "tolerance" as a virtue... those bastions of all that is good who want to outlaw the beast known as "hate speech", are putting together an event that reveals their blatant hypocrisy for all to see. From the Drudge Report: HOLLYWOOD DEMS GATHER FOR 'HATE BUSH' MEETING AT HILTON Top Hollywood activists and intellectuals are planning to gather this week in Beverly Hills for an event billed... Continue Reading

We departed from Conway, Arkansas around 10 am. About five hours later we pulled up to our home. The month flew by. It seems like yesterday I turned to Mary and said, "Are we really going to do this?" Now, it is over. We high-fived and I said, "We did it!" 2 kids 1 dog 31 days 1 packed minivan 1 flat tire 4720 miles 15 tanks of gas 103 hours of driving 16 hotels... Continue Reading

Woke up bright and early to begin our tour of the Nation's Capitol. We found a subway station just across the street from the hotel and were at The Mall in a few minutes. Bam, there we were, surrounded by the greatness that is Washington, D.C. The Washington Monument to my left; the Capitol Building to my right; and The Smithsonian beckoning to us from all directions! It was my first glimpse of the city... Continue Reading

We had a horrible night at the Quality Inn in Lyndhurst, NJ. It was supposed to be a non-smoking room, but the odor was there just the same. I went to the front desk and they gave me an ionizer to use in the room. We gave it a shot, but it didn't do the trick and the odor was giving Mary a headache. It was late and the kids were already falling asleep, so... Continue Reading

We started the day at Ro and Kyle's Bed and Breakfast. What great people these two are, and what a blessing it was to spend the night with them, enjoying good food and conversation. They are planning on driving to Boston on this weekend to spend more time with us exploring the sites. We hit the road around noon and set course for the Boston area. We weren't in a hurry and figured that we... Continue Reading

Woke up this morning and decided that Bennington, Vermont would be a very nice place to live. The colors of the leaves are absolutely beautiful. I know it won't last long, and before you know it, the cold weather will come and the snow will fall. I don't care. The town has so much charm, history and beauty. After a quick breakfast in the room, we followed the usual ritual of packing the car and... Continue Reading

Finding a church to worship at while out of town is always a challenge. You just never know what you are going to get. As it turned out, I opened the yellow pages, placed a call to a church, asked a couple questions and decided that I had found a place. Redeemer Bible Church is a medium-sized church about five miles from the falls, just off the highway. The church placesa high emphasis on music... Continue Reading

Mary and the kids needed to take some extra time for school today, so I dropped them off at the Cleveland Public Library. I then excitedly drove down the street to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I've always want to visit this place and was thrilled to have the opportunity. The architecture of the building was very cool with a wide open atrium and six levels of exhibits. I only had a couple... Continue Reading

I have absolutely HAD it with MSN (ie: Microsoft Network). I need a dial-up service for when I am on the road, so I decided to cancel my Earthlink service just over two years ago and I signed on for two years with MSN at Best Buy. They were offering a $200 store gift card to sign on, so I figured what the heck. My two years is up and I am going to cancel... Continue Reading

Mary and I just finished watching a television series called Manor House. This 3-part, 6-hour PBS series aired in 2002 and is now available on DVD. Manor House ranks as one of the best TV shows I have ever had the pleasure to watch. This was reality television at its very best, putting Survivor and Big Brother to shame (well, they are pretty shameful to begin with.) Basically, nineteen volunteers from the modern world move... Continue Reading

You've got to see this. Honda has come up with one of the best tv commercials I have ever seen. The ad took five months of pre-production and 605 takes to get it right. It is called "Cog". Enjoy it here Continue Reading