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

In the fifteen years I've been doing business online, I've done just about everything. In the beginning, it was all about content sites. My first domain, WorldVillage.com, is still online. In fact, it's getting a facelift soon. I started adding games to the site and soon launched ClassicGames.com. The site was acquired by Yahoo! in 1998. As I became enamored with saving money online, I decided to build my own bargain-hunter site in 1999. DealofDay.com... 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

Joel Comm LIVE has been absent from the Internet since the spring. For over one year, Dan Nickerson and I welcomed guests to our program in a live format. We interacted with viewers, answered questions about Internet marketing, played with flying monkeys, read a number of humourous Top Ten lists and had a generally fun time. However, with my travel schedule being so heavy, I was unable to do the live program each week. And... 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

Since I've been online, I've seen some amazing changes take place on the Web. Perhaps the biggest though is how easy it's all become. Building a website used to be a chore that took months of planning, preparation and coding. By the time you'd finished putting it all together, the programming language was out of date, the design was old fashioned and it was time to start again. These days, you can put up a... 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

In the beginning there were blogs. And yea, God saw that they were good. After all, what a fantastic way for anyone to become an online publisher. Sure, the word "blog" doesn't roll off the tongue. It sounds more like you are about to upchuck yesterday's hot dog. But being short for "web log", it does work in a "oh well I guess it will do" kind of way. 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

Everyone and their grandmother is calling themselves a Social Media EXPERT these days. I'm not sure what the term really means any more. While I still use the term from time to time (even on this blog for SEO purposes), I fancy myself more of a Social Media EVANGELIST. I'm out there beating the drum to get businesses to use social media as part of their marketing mix. 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

I've made a lot of money out of Internet marketing. I live in a beautiful home in a wonderful part of the country. I work with some fantastic, clever, creative people who together generate more profit-making ideas than we know what to do with. And most importantly, I have an amazing family and while I do have a busy life, being my own boss gives me the freedom to enjoy time with them. I feel... 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

Whatever your biggest motivation for starting your business, you want to make your life easier. You want to make it wealthier, happier, freer, more comfortable... but also easier to manage. That doesn't go too well with running a website, even a small one. Being an entrepreneur is difficult, especially at the beginning when you'll be doing almost everything yourself. Even if you hire freelancersfor coding or design, you'll still have to manage their work, set... Continue Reading

Twitter divides people into two camps. To those who use it, it's a whole new Internet. There's the Web of pages and content, and there's the Twitter of people and connections. Both are valuable and both are enjoyable, but they do different things and they do them in different ways. To people who aren't on Twitter though, the service looks completely bizarre. It's a place where people go to tell strangers what they had for... Continue Reading

There are about seven billion people on the planet. Every one of us is different. Every one of us has opinions, tastes, inclinations and preferences. And every one of us is difficult to please. If you work hard at marketing your website and your products, you'll be able to put them in front of a few thousand of those people. Work really hard and build successful products, and maybe millions will see them. 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

People create Internet businesses for all sorts of reasons. Some of them are looking to give up their J.O.B.s. Some dream of being of being their own boss. And others can't wait to make tons of cash, retire to their private island and leave the work of traffic generation, content production and ad monitoring to their staff. That's all fine. I don't have a problem with any of those reasons. Provided they're all accompanied by... 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

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

In Twitter Power, I described blogs as one aspect of the social media revolution. I think that might have surprised some people. Blogs, after all, pre-date the kind of interaction that we can see on Facebook and LinkedIn. They're more like old-fashioned publishing, in which information comes down from a publisher instead of being created and shared by contributors. But there is one aspect of blogging that's often forgotten by Internet publishers, and it's incredibly... Continue Reading

Apart from Twitter's own terms of service which prohibit obvious things like harassment, transmitting viruses and spamming other members, there really aren't many rules to the site. You can essentially use Twitter however you like. However, for people and businesses who want to use Twitter successfully (eg: build a following and grow their circle of influence), there are a number of best practices that can be observed. I cover many of these in my book... 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

I've been talking about social media a lot lately and one of the questions that comes up time and time again is how effective it is. It's not an easy question to answer. Ask me how effective an AdSense placement is and I can open my AdSense journal, look at the stats and tell you exactly how much extra I earned when I moved an ad unit on that page from here to there. I'll... 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

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately. I've been from California to New York, to Utah and Seattle, and to Denver more times than I can count. In theory, none of that traveling should be necessary. Twitter, after all, is the ultimate networking tool. I can be sitting anywhere and by firing up Tweetie on my iPhone, find myself swapping tweets with Tim O'Brien of the New York Times or exchanging ideas with best-selling... 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

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

A recent question in USA Today by Steve Strauss in the "Ask the Expert" column asked the question, "Should Entrepreneur's Twitter?" Mr. Strauss answered the question with a definitive "No" and gave several reasons. One must wonder how someone who so clearly does not understand Twitter was able to speak as an "expert." As a true expert on the subject, I wish to set the record straight and dissuade entrepreneurs from acting on Mr. Strauss... 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

Every time I go to a conference or take part in a seminar I meet a bunch of amazing people. I meet people who are experts at marketing. I chat to entrepreneurs who are wizards at search engine optimization. I swap ideas with other bloggers who are making six-figure incomes on the strength of their posts. Every one of those people is special. But they aren't successful because they're special. They're special because they're successful. Continue Reading

Now that my book, Twitter Power, is moving up the charts (#15 on Bookscan last week!), I have a lot of people asking me how effective Twitter actually is for business. Certainly, it is difficult to put a price tag on relationships that have been built on Twitter. It's also very hard to quantify the effects of branding on a Twitter profile page correctly designed. But the question remains... Does Twitter use convert to sales? 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

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

The Flip Mino HD video camera is one of the coolest gadgets I have purchased in the past year. It's powerful, it's portable and it's fun. I'm going to give away one of these video cameras in a new contest I just started Want to know how you can win one? Click here for more information 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

Few Internet companies have succeeded in seizing mindshare more than Zappos.com. One of the truly great ecommerce success stories, Zappos has built an incredible brand based on a culture-centric philosophy. They believe that their company culture is what drives their employees to provide premium customer service. And you know what? They are right. It works. 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

Twitter Power is quickly moving up the charts, entering Bookscan at #45 in its first week! The first book on Twitter to receive mainstream distribution (it's at your local bookstore), my hope is that this is the big breakthrough for more businesses to understand how social media can be used to grow their business. I invite you to pick up your copy of Twitter Power at any of these fine booksellers. Barnes & Noble Amazon.com... 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 wish I hadn't done it. And I wish I could tell you all the things that I wish I hadn't done but there are too many incidents to remember them all. I probably smack my forehead about a dozen times a day and wonder what I've let myself in for. I know lots of people say that they have no regrets. They might even be telling the truth. But that doesn't mean that they've... 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

I use Twitter very naturally. I rarely schedule a tweet. If I have something to say, I say it. If I feel the notion to reply to an @joelcomm tweet, I reply. If I want to take photos while on the move, I'll use Tweetie and Twitpic. And if I want to talk business, I talk business. I am not on Twitter all the time, but I also do check in at least once/day to... Continue Reading

When John Wiley & Sons asked me to write the definitive guide on using Twitter for business, I knew we would have a best-seller on our hands. The pre-orders on the book are strong and the buzz is spreading without me doing any real promotion. So I've decided to do something very special to celebrate the launch of Twitter Power. On Thursday, February 19th, I will be conducting the world's first live broadcast Tweet-a-thon! The... 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

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

You've probably noticed that some of my websites don't have any AdSense units at all. Some people certainly have. They find it surprising. After all, I make a living teaching people how to use AdSense. I get fat checks from AdSense every month. I think that AdSense is the greatest money-dispersing invention since the automated telling machine. And yet I still don't put AdSense on all my sites. Neither should you. 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

He's been President for just twenty-four hours, but we're already seen a global impact. On today's show we discussed the top ten signs that Obama is President. We also introduced our new Mobile Syndication Solutions service for those who want their own iPhone application. I also have a new sound button to push, which makes Dan crazy. All that and more on this edition of Joel Comm LIVE! 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

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

I said I was going to go into silent mode regarding our sales, but so many people have asked me what happened through Christmas Day that I have decided to release stats just one more time. We left off December 23rd with stats current from our release date on 12/12 through 12/22. Everyone is curious about what happened next. You may be shocked. I know I was when I saw the numbers. Continue Reading

Well, we've done it. A combination of marketing, timing, quality and providence has landed our application as the #1 best-selling app in the iTunes app store. I appreciate the coverage we've received through media outlets and blogs. Now that we've hit #1, I am going to post one more set of stats to add to those previously posted here. 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

Since the iTunes App store launched, many developers have been wondering exactly how app store rank relates to actual sales. I haven't seen anyone release this data as of yet, and while mine is incomplete, it can give you a glimpse into how ranking translates to units sold. Our application, iFart Mobile (app store link) , was finally released last week, alongside other novelty apps that had been rejected or placed "in review." 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

How many people REALLY use Twitter? And what percentage of people account for most of the activity on Twitter? These are questions I posed on Twitter today. I asked "Would you say that 1% of Twitter members do 99% of the tweets?" Some answers from my followers and some of my own research has uncovered some interesting data. Continue Reading

I believe that anyone can make money as an online publisher. I've always believed that and I've seen enough people set up websites and generate income to keep believing it. But I know there's something wrong with this picture. I'm not going to kid myself and it would be plain wrong to try to kid anyone else. Some publishers are going to have an easier time than others. 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

Google doesn't just have the best search engine on the Web. It doesn't just have the best contextual advertising system on the Web. Heck, it doesn't just have the best advertising system of any form of media in the world. It also has the best corporate slogan. "Do no evil" is a great attitude for any business. Continue Reading

A collective groan was heard from domain parking services as Google stepped up to take ground and plant an AdSense flag. AdSense for Domains allows you to point your parked domains to a Google server where they will be all-too-happy to manage them for you. There's really nothing to it. Simply tell Google which domains you want to park with them. Continue Reading

It's been assumed that the more followers you have on Twitter, the more power you have. However, I think true Twitter power comes from the ability to have your followers follow your links. That's why I am not using TinyURL to shorten my urls any more. I am using Twitpwr.com. Dan and I discussed this new site on Joel Comm LIVE! today. We also answered questions and revealed our new iPhone application. Watch the replay... 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

There are two ways to write a blog. The first is to sit at the computer and type up the first thing that comes into your head. If you have interesting ideas, fun experiences and can write well, that can certainly work. There are plenty of bloggers who make a good income writing about themselves, their lives and their families. But it isn't easy. 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

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

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

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

Black Friday is upon us once again, and it is time to hunt down the best deals online. I will not be braving the Friday morning crowds. It makes much more sense to sleep in and find deals at my favorite online merchants. Where do you go to find those great deals? No doubt about it. It's DealofDay.com The oldest and best bargain-hunting site, you'll find tons of online bargains here. Ready to save money... 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

If you've got nothing nice to say, say nothing. It's a great rule to follow when you're offline. Online though, saying nothing just isn't an option. As an online publisher, you have to publish. You have to keep a steady stream of new content appearing on your website so that your users will keep coming back, your ads will keep appearing... and your money will keep rolling in 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

Every Internet business -- every business of any sort in fact -- starts in the same place. In the future. Most entrepreneurs think first of how they want their business to look when it's all set up. They imagine the products prepared, the marketing streams in place and the revenue flowing in while they relax and cash the checks. Continue Reading

It's the day after election day and Barack Obama is President-Elect of the USA. On today's episode, we had a fun time discussing the election, Internet marketing,flying monkeys and more. Joined by Eric Farewell and Dan Nickerson, we fielded a number of questions and had some laughs. Watch for the official recount and a new top ten list. It's all here. Enjoy Continue Reading

There's a huge amount to learn when you set up an online business. You have to know how to build a website, how to bring in traffic, and how to monetize your visitors so that your site gives you an income. There are plenty of very experienced experts around who can teach people how to do all of those things. There's one thing though that no one ever has to teach a new business owner. Continue Reading

Me and my family traveled to Steamboat Springs for fall break this year. This has always been my favorite place to ski, but there is no skiing taking place here... yet. Pretty soon the snow will fall and the slopes will be crowded. As it turned out, we were here for Halloween. And Halloween in Steamboat Springs is a big deal! They shut down the main street going through downtown, the merchants all have a... Continue Reading

It took me a while to figure it out. It took me a little longer to accept it. (My wife, by the way, was way ahead of me on this one. She'd been telling me this for years...) I'm not... 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

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

I often talk about the different tools that you can use to complement the AdSense units you put on your site. Sure, AdSense is always going to be the most effective ad system on your pages. But you also want to earn for your impressions, and from affiliate links too. A mixture of different revenue generations systems will help to increase the value you receive for your users. 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

Recently, I wrote a post laying out what I think of multi-level marketing (MLM). I thought long and hard before I wrote that post. I knew that there would be a lot of people who wouldn't like it. I knew that some people might even stop reading my blog as result of it. And I also knew I wanted to write it. 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

I'm going to tell you a secret. It's the secret of continued success that every successful publisher knows and benefits from them. Here it is... The secret of continued success is.. to be successful. I know, it doesn't sound very helpful, does it? 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'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

Today we released v1.1 of iVote, the mobile application for the iPhone. The app has been out just a couple weeks and we've already surpassed 10,000 users. Even more exciting is that there have been over 500,000 votes cast via this application and we're picking up steam! People love voting on the dozen or so new questions we add to the application each day. You can read some of the recent results on the official... 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

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

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

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

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

The long-awaited day has arrived. Not only is Apple releasing the brand new iPhone 3G phone, which promises to do everything but do your dishes, but they are also releasing the new iPhone 2.0 firmware which promises to bring new functionality to current iPhone hardware. I woke up early today and plugged in my iPhone to find that the 2.0 update had rolled out to my area. I told iTunes to download v2.0, backup my... Continue Reading

Do you know which Internet marketer used to be a vacuum cleaner salesman? Which one was a car salesman? Who was a youth pastor in their previous vocation? What was the first spam email? Who wrote the first ebook that taught people how to make money online? These and many more questions are answered in my new book, Click Here to Order: Stories of the World's Most Successful Internet Marketing Entrepreneuers. 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

Have you ever wondered what people did BEFORE they become Internet marketers? It's pretty cool to see that the greatest success stories are people just like you and me. I will tell you this about me. I used to be a DJ. Yup, I worked in the nightclubs to begin with, but then the entrepreneur in me discovered that there was more money to be made in playing music at private events. So I started... 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

On Saturday, we toured downtown Sydney on the bus, hopping on and off at will. These clips include shopping at the Queen Victoria Building, a ride up the Sydney Tower and a stroll through the botanical gardens. 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

Around noon on May 22, 2008, I was at Denver International Airport waiting for a plane to Dallas. My phone rang and it was my daughter calling from her school to tell me that Loveland and northern Colorado was under a tornado warning. Apparantly a tornado had been spotted and they had the students go to the safest place in the building. A tornado? On the front range? I spent 21 years of my life... 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 am a PC user. I am also a Mac user. That's right. When it comes to computers, I enjoy the best of both worlds. In fact, I have used BOTH Apple and PC-based computers since they became available almost three decades ago! I am leaning Mac-heavy these days, but my home computer is still a PC. But when it gives up the ghost I will probably make the switch to Mac. Continue Reading

I am out of town today, so I asked The Graphic Mavericks to host my show. Rob and Danny thrashed my set and talked about internet marketing, movies, and a whole lot more. Continue Reading

I came into the world without a goatee and mustache. Surprise, surprise. But sometime after I got married, I decided to give the goatee and mustache a try. It must have been around 1992, I believe. As it turned out, my wife really liked it. So I decided to keep it, rarely shaving it off over the years only to grow it back again. But times have changed... Continue Reading

When Mike Filsaime visited last week, he suggested that I get a the DVD documentary, "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters". It is the story of a the men who are completely dedicated to owning the world record for the highest score in the videogame, Donkey Kong. Yes, you heard me correctly. There are people who obsess about having the high score for a videogame. After all, there is an entry in the... 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

I had an opportunty to sit down with Bart Baggett at Yanik Silver's Underground conference in Los Angeles in March. Bart is an interesting character (I'm being nice in case he reads this...), and as it turns out, a handwriting analysis expert! So I asked if he would analyze me, knowing that I was probably in for it. Here are the results... Enjoy! Continue Reading

Can I be honest with you? I have written the first few lines of this entry several times and I just can't seem to find the words to tell you what I want to tell you today. The fact is... I'm so freakin' excited about something I just came across that I couldn't wait to share it with you! 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm currently in Atlanta for Matt Bacak's Marketing Madness conference. I'm set to speak to 150 or so people tomorrow. So Dan Nickerson and I are in our hotel room right next to the airport. I mean DIRECTLY next to the airport. Our balcony overlooks all the runways, so we've enjoyed the sights and sounds of planes continually taking off and landing. But as we were coming back from dinner tonight, I noticed lightning in... 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

Google is a behemoth that continues to swallow everything in its path. Back in April 2007, Google offered Doubleclick over $3 BILLION to buy them out. Today the transaction is complete... I received this email from Kim Malone at Google today... 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

Whenever something big happens in the world of online advertising, I'm left scratching my head and wondering what it means for me. It doesn't get much bigger than Microsoft offering tens of billions of dollars for Yahoo!. So what does that mean for me... and for you too? At the moment, nothing. Yahoo! has rejected Microsoft's bid and probably holding out for more money. If the deal goes through, it won't happen overnight. Even then... 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

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

I grew up watching The Three Stooges. There was nothing better than watching Moe, Larry and Curly do their schtick. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk, and woob woob woob woob... absolutely classic. I apologize to those of you who have no idea what I am talking about. Go buy a Three Stooges DVD and enjoy. One of the Stooges' greatest comic routines was little more than a poke in the eye. Continue Reading

I'm glad I broke it. I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't broken it. No, I'm not talking about a vase I won in a church raffle. And I certainly don't mean the world 100 meter sprint record. I didn't break a nail, though I could probably use a good manicure. And I didn't break a vow of silence. I'd have to be silent for more than ten minutes for that to take place... 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

The Benson Sculpture Garden is one of Loveland's most unique attractions. Placed in a beautiful outdoor settings with trees, ponds and bridges, this garden contains over 110 original sculptures from a number of artists. On nice days (which are frequent), you will find people strolling through the park, walking their dog, holding hands or interacting with some of the more interesting pieces. 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

I love quick and easy changes that make a significant difference. A few months back, I learned of a contextual advertising service that was compatible with Google AdSense. It took me less than 15 minutes to place their code on my pages. In my first month, I made an additional $1000 just from that fifteen minutes. Not bad! And it gets better... 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've been paying close attention to customer service wherever I go these days. In my business, I tell my support team to go the extra mile when assisting customers. I believe this pays off big time in the long run. But I am amazed at how many businesses do not pay attention to the simplest of customer service details. In the past few days, I have made observations at Best Buy, Gamestop, Qdoba and... my... 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

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

Well, here we are on the brink of another New Year. I've recapped the highlights of 2007 on my blog As we enter 2008, I am more committed than ever to provide you with the best content... the best books... the best software... the best reviews... the best sites for making money online... the best of everything! 2007 was a groundbreaking year in many respects, but 2008 is shaping up to be even bigger. I... 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

'Twas the Night Before Christmas An Internet Marketing Adaptation for 2007 ----------------------------------------- 'Twas the night before Christmas and all cross the 'net Marketers were hoping that clickthroughs, they'd get. The products were finished and ready to go outsourced and prepared by those "in the know" Continue Reading

I love keeping my eye out for new ad services that can make you and me money. Google AdSense continues to pay off. Kontera is a winner is my books. And I've had some positive things happen with YPN and Chitika. But I've come across something new which pays off INSTANTLY! 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

Buzzword. Defined as a word or phrase connected with a specialized field or group that usually sounds important or technical and is used primarily to impress laypersons. But Buzzword is more than that now. Look out Microsoft Office... there's a new player in town. Adobe announced the launch of their free online word processor, Buzzword. And I gotta say, it is a class act. There is a simple registration requiring your name, email address and... Continue Reading

Twitter this. Twitter that. Twitter, twitter, twitter. I must confess. I'm still not sure what the point is of Twitter. Basically, Twitter allows you to tell the world what you are doing at any given moment, embed a clever little widget on your site so they can keep up with you, and you in turn can see what they are doing. I'm not sure I get it. Nevertheless, apparantly millions of people do get it... 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

Do REAL people make money online? Well, I consider myself real people! Let's face it, before I became known for my AdSense ebook, I was just another anonymous Internet entrepreneur. It's true! Now my success story may seem out of reach... ... but it's not. No way. If I can do it, ANYONE can do it. Trust me. I know myself and am still amazed that people consider me an Internet "celebrity." 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

Hey Are you sitting down? I hope so. It would be strange to check your email standing up. The reason I ask is because what I am about to show you is going to absolutely blow you away! How would you like to receive of $10,000 worth of bonuses for the price of one absolutely incredible book? Seriously. Continue Reading

It's not always easy thinking up something to write about. However frequently (or otherwise) you update your site, you have to think of a topic, decide whether your users will find it interesting, estimate whether it will bring in ad clicks and turn it into content. Often, that's not a problem. You might be bursting with things you want to say. Sometimes though, you'll be left scratching your head and wondering what on earth you... 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

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

A few years ago, making money on the Internet was a breeze. All you had to do was open the dictionary, register each of the words you saw on the page as dotcoms and sell them to someone in California for the price of a South American country's national debt. It doesn't quite work that way any more. These days, domain name buyers want to see figures. They want to know how much traffic a... 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

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

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

I'm not easily impressed. As I said yesterday, if a product isn't innovative it probably isn't going to get my attention. But I've just seen something that makes me say "wow!" If you are looking for an incredibly cool way to put advertisements on your site, I've got just the thing for you. Go ahead. Click the link and check out how compelling this is... 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

One penny. One cent. 1/100th of a dollar. Uno centavo. That's all it takes for you to instantly own your own Internet store! Yes, I'm serious. My customers have been asking me for a simple solution where they can tell people about great products and earn easy commissions... Continue Reading

What do poker, real estate and product launches have in common? Find out in episode 3 of "The Next Internet Millionaire", now available online! Last week found Laura and Steve joining Carly and Debbie in the"sandbox." This week, all four sandboxed contestants will have an opportunity to get back in the game. Will they succeed or fail? 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 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

Everyday I receive emails from people telling me that they have the best product since sliced bread, and asking me to do a joint venture with them. It is physically impossible for me to promote every product that comes my way. In fact, I am becoming more and more selective, making sure that I only share products with my customers if there is great value. Honestly, you wouldn't want to see a lot of the... Continue Reading

I have just come from the office where I have seen the rough cut of Episode One of The Next Internet Millionaire. WOW! This thing looks great! The intro is cool. The music is awesome. The teaching is solid. The storyline is compelling. The cast is entertaining. I am absolutely sure that you are going to love this show. 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

It's history in the making... ... and you will be able to say that you were there! For several months, I have told you I was very serious about producing the world's first competitive Internet reality show. Sure, there were those who questioned what this would actually be. 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

OK, you know that I love AdSense... it's a great way to build a business. But if you've been watching me, you know that I like all kinds of different online businesses. And one type of website that has COMPLETELY transformed MY business is membership sites. Or another fancy term for this is "continuity programs". Continue Reading

I keep saying that anyone can make money out of an AdSense site. I still think that's true. Anyone can find something to write about that will interest other people and bring them in to click on ads. Everyone has a job, a favorite activity, a hobby, a pastime or some other interest that they can write a few hundred words about several times each week. And yet, so many people choose to write about... Continue Reading

Bada-bing bada-boom. You know what I'm sayin'? Yeah, probably not. But it seems like everyone is talking like a New York mafia thug in all the emails I have been receiving about The Site Stealer. It's all in good fun, of course... ... but it's fun with a purpose. 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

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

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've got some. In fact, I've got a few. They've helped me get to where I am today, and they keeping me moving forward all the time too. Know what I'm talking about yet? Role-models. 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

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

Let's play a game... Simon says start your own website. Simon says sign up for Google AdWords. Start building your list. Hey, I didn't say "Simon says!" 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

Let's run down the basic flowchart and checklist for creating a money-making website. 1) Do you have a website? If so, go to #2. If not, you need to start right there. The fastest way to get started is with my training, tutorials and templates. Joel's System Continue Reading

Whenever I see a news story about Google's development plans, I usually give it a read, make sure it's not going to affect my AdSense earnings... and daydream for a minute or two about running a multi-billion dollar business. Google's recent spat with eBay though caught my attention. It was one of those rare times when Google's news could actually affect my income. In case you missed it, Google scheduled a party to promote its... 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

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

One of the challenges of building pages for AdSense is that until the page is up and running, you can't really tell which ads you're going to get. And that's vital information. Apart from the fact that you can't know which ads to filter out if you don't even know which are going to show up, seeing the ads before you go live can help you decide which keywords to focus on. 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

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

You've heard it all before... $20,000 in one day! $100,000 in a week! A Gazillion dollars in a month! The Internet marketing community is being inundated with messages telling people how they can make outrageous sums of money in a very short period of time. Sometimes these claims are valid. Other times they seem like "pie in the sky". 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

"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

Darren Rowse's blog at ProBlogger.net is always worth a read. He's a guy who's making a great income out of online publishing, and he's not afraid to share his knowledge. Recently, Darren put up a very interesting post about giving a second chance to old content. Sometimes, he points out, you'll put up a post that you're sure will get lots of traffic only to find that it dies away without doing anything special. There... Continue Reading

It's a basic AdSense strategy. One page. One topic. One group of nicely targeted ads. But what if your website covers more than one topic? Suppose you have a blog that's about cars, for example, and occasionally you like to write about satellite radios or travel destinations. Is it enough to put an off-topic post on a separate page or should you put it on a whole different website? You'll need two pieces of information... 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

Survivor. The Apprentice. American Idol. We are drawn to reality television like a moth to the flame. We watch... and we watch some more, intrigued by the characters, the challenges and the inevitable prizes. Let's face it. Secretly, many of us wish that we could be a contestant on one of these shows. Now imagine this... 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

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

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

I like to think I've come a long way. It didn't happen overnight and it didn't come easily. But there's a world of difference between where I am now and where I was when I put up my first website. For one thing, I've now got more than one website. For another, I have a lot of speaking appointments, a small staff to help me and I've written a lot of books that -- best... 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

FreeIQ is already gathering momentum. Just a few days after I mentioned it on this blog, I have recevied numerous emails from others who are excited about the concept. If you haven't signed up yet, you should go do so right away. FreeIQ Thousands of people have already signed up, and there is a new FreeIQ community site where people can discuss FreeIQ, as well as ask questions of Brad Fallon. It's called FreeIQ Talk Continue Reading

You've probably already noticed it. The look of your AdSense units has changed. No, you didn't push the wrong button and accidentally wipe out all your formatting. And no one hacked into your code and played with your Web page. Google has redesigned its ad units. The changes aren't radical but they do offer a couple of small advantages. First, the "Ads by Google" tag is now at the bottom of the unit instead of... 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

Easter morning. New beginnings. A reminder that although the world seems somewhat messy, there is hope. I must confess. I enjoy marshmallow peeps, coloring easter eggs and baskets filled with goodies. But the Western world's twist on Easter is not what it is really about any more than Santa Claus has anything to do with Christmas. No, Easter means much more. 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

As an AdSense publisher, I've become accustomed to earning passive income. And in doing so, I've trained myself to watch for revenue-generating opportunities. Late last year, I told you about Agloco, a new company that would be releasing a viewbar that would pay you to surf the web. The naysayers thought it would never happen. 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

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

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

I treat my online businesses pretty seriously. I have to. They feed and house my family and that's a pretty serious business. But sometimes I wonder if I'm not missing something. Just surf at random around the blogs at Blogger.com and you'll come across a bunch of sites that have been put up for no other reason than to make the people who write them smile. They might make the half-dozen or so regular readers... 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

Ever since Google changed its Terms of Service to allow publishers to place other ad programs on AdSense pages -- provided those other ads don't look like Google's ad units -- publishers have been wondering how to make the most of this bonanza. It's like telling a child he can put as many different types of cake on his plate as he wants. On my blog for example, I'm using Kontera's text links to supplement... 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

Buzz! No, you didn't get the answer wrong. In fact, that would be impossible since I haven't even asked a question yet. I'm talking about a different kind of buzz. I'm talking about the kind of buzz that has generated over 1500 comments on one blog in just one week. I'm talking about the kind of buzz that indicates something BIG is about to happen. Here's the buzz... and the big news... 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

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, "How many sites do I need in order to make money with AdSense?" The answer is simple... just ONE site can do it! The truth is, I make the majority of my AdSense income from just one of my sites, though I do enjoy a little here and a little there from some of my other sites. With that said, I know of several people... 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

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

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

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

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

Let's face it. Google's AdSense program is absolutely ingenious. It's not perfect, but it is ingenious. Occasionally, an ad will display that is not relevant to the content on the page. But more often than not, the AdSense bot knows what ads to show. This was never truer than the ad I saw displayed on my blog entry from yesterday. Continue Reading

Clutter. Our lives are full of it. And to be honest, I've never experienced more clutter in my life than right now. As I type this, movers are hauling my "stuff" into my new home in Colorado... ... and I can't believe how much stuff there is. I feel like I am being overtaken by boxes and furniture. And just when you think they've brought it all in, there is more. Clutter. Continue Reading

I love the way Google works. The company has created a fantastic system for turning space on Web pages into fat checks. Even though it's got a bunch of competitors all with their own methods of delivering contextualized ads, Google is still top of the pile. But not everything Google does is as big a success as AdSense. Its referral programs, for example, never brought me a great deal of revenue. I haven't heard of... 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

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 love checking my server stats. It always turns up a ton of great information. Sure, I can see how much traffic I’ve received, where my users are in the world and, more importantly, how they reached my site -- and all of that information is hugely valuable. But mixed into all that data is often a bunch of details that just have me scratching my head. Like the search terms that have brought people... 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

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

Well, Christmas is over and 2007 is just around the corner. I hope this has been a great year for you. But regardless, we must now look forward to the coming year and all that it has in store for us. I'm not a huge fan of resolutions for the new year. I find I'm not that great at keeping them. But I see nothing wrong with taking stock of where I am in my... 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 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

There’s something to be said for monopolies. Obviously, they’re great when you own one but they have another advantage too. They make life easier. They don’t make life better. But they do make life easier. Just think how much time you’d save if you were to walk into a supermarket and find only one type of bread and one brand of laundry powder and one sort of breakfast cereal. The bread might taste like chalk... 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

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

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

Like most things on the Internet, marketing can be divided into two distinct periods: Before Google and After Google. Before Google, getting a link to your site on other sites took a huge amount of work. You'd have to write to each publisher separately. You'd have to try different CPC networks until you found one that worked for you. And you'd have to create a new Web page just for reciprocal links. After Google... well... Continue Reading

The results of my experiment are in! Over the past week, I've told you a bit about the power of video to get traffic to your web site. Now I can demonstrate conclusively that video does indeed work to get your pages listed higher in the search engines, thereby driving more traffic to your sites. Watch this 4-minute video that shows you exactly how I got over 2700 new visitors to my web site in... 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

Remember the hype about "The Death of AdSense" a few months back? Of course, that turned out to be a load of silliness because AdSense is more alive than ever before. So what are we to think when Mike Filsaime releases a free report called "The Death of Internet Marketing"? At first glance, I thought Mike was going to give away this report and then try to sell me something. Guess what? Continue Reading

Finding what you want online is a daunting challenge. The search engines are PACKED with billions of pages on every conceivable topic. That's why I'm pleased to announce a BRAND NEW search engine just for Internet Marketers! Whether you are looking for information on AdSense, AdWords, copywriting, search engine optimization, traffic generation, product creation, shopping cart systems, content creation or any number of other topics related to making money online, you will want to bookmark... 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

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

Can you believe how quickly this year is flying by? 2007 is approaching VERY quickly. What changes have you made this year that are going to impact your life and business in 2007? Among the changes you make, I hope you are working on building your list. I know you've heard me say that the money is in a relationship with your email list. It's true! Continue Reading

Rich Schefren has just announced the release of The Final Chapter of his report that has taken the Internet marketing world by storm. I have posted this brief video to tell you more. The Final Chapter You need to go download this free report first chance you get! Rich Schefren's Report - The Final Chapter. 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

It was real exciting the first time my book hit the Amazon.com Best Seller charts. But it is even MORE exciting to see the book on the charts a second time! As of this writing, The AdSense Code is #56 of ALL books sold on Amazon.com. And even cooler, it is #1 in Computers & Internet category! I'd like to thank each one of you that has purchased this book. I hope it has helped... 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

It's here. And it's a work of art. Not like a DaVinci or Rembrandt. But a work of art nonetheless. Three months ago I took a survey of my customers and asked many questions related to Internet marketing. In particular, I was interested in what they wanted in a revenue-generating product. 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

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

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

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

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

I've been getting a LOT of email about Google's new policy change related to their AdWords program. Thousands of advertisers had the prices per click raised DRAMATICALLY overnight. It has been very costly for some, perhaps unfairly so. Are you one of the people that got hit by this Google "slap"? Are you still trying to recover and to find your lost traffic? Many people have pleased with Google to let them have the lower-cost... Continue Reading

Eric Holmlund has been telling me about HyperVRE. He's like, "Joel, this is perfect for your AdSense students... and it's free!" I said, "Reeeeally..." So I took a look at it. And I am impressed. Eric said that I could show you his video that demonstrates exactly how this free tool works. HyperVRE 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

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

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

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

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

It's come to my attention that some more Link Sizzler sites are popping up online. If you are interested on getting a word link on one of these sites, the prices seem to be right. 300 Jobs for Moms - This one is great if you want to advertise your work-at-home opportunity 300 Blogs - Blogging is the hottest way to get your name out there. Place a link on this site and see if... Continue Reading

When my book, The AdSense Code, was published in May, I was thrilled to see it go to #3 on Amazon.com. But it just got more exciting... I found out that the book is now a New York Times Paperback Business Best Seller, reaching #6 on the charts! Click here to see a PDF of the chart 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

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

Did you know that MySpace.com is one of the most popular sites on the internet with teenagers? And are you aware of the type of content that MySpace users are regularly accessing? If you are a parent, you might be SHOCKED to find out what your kids could be viewing! If you have teenagers that could be using MySpace, I want you to RUN, not walk, and download a copy of... "My Space 4 Parents... Continue Reading

Who's Matt? Just some guy who likes to dance. Well, he likes to dance and he likes to travel. In fact, he likes to dance in the places he travels to. Sound confusing? 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

Remember the pixel ad craze started by milliondollarhomepage.com last year? It was definitely a novelty that fuled a huge windfall for the owner of the site and a bit of notoriety for some of the sites that bought pixels. However, there was ultimately no linking benefit to the sites that paid for the pixels. Enter 500Words, a site that takes linking to the next level... one that should be of far greater interest to those... 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

I recently received a review copy of Anik Singal's brand new training product, The Affiliate Manager 1st Edition, and have had an opportunity to preview the set. In the video below, I take you item-by-item through the entire package and demonstrate why it is so important for anyone selling anything online to acquire a copy. 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

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

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've known Russell Brunson for a year of so. He is an incredibly smart young man who has become very successful online in a very short amount of time. Wildly successful. How has he done it? He has learned how to master the power of affiliate marketing. And now, Russell is offering a FREE CD called Affiliate Inferno. 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

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

So, I am at this conference in Orlando and Paulie Sabol says, "Joel, you have the most recognizable face on the Internet". He is referring to the fact that my face appears as an avatar on Yahoo! Games. Recognize this guy? I'm pretty amused at the thought. I know that Brad Fallon is the coolest guy in the world (go ahead, Google the term "coolest guy in the world", but I hadn't heard of anyone... 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

I feel a rant coming on. Yes, it is time for "Joel's pet peeve". So what's my beef today? It's fast food restaurants that treat you like a second class citizen if you request water instead of a soft drink by giving you a special cup for your water. And this cup is different than the regular soft drink cup. It's always smaller than the smallest soft drink size. Continue Reading

I used to blog about current events all the time. But lately, I've been writing far more about Internet marketing and my travels. Why? It isn't for shortage of material. On the contrary, popular culture and politicians provide a plethora of opportunities for sharing a more rational point-of-view My reasons for avoiding current events are far simpler these days. 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

When I look at the Internet marketing landscape, I often see a vast wasteland of "me too" products and services. It seems many people are simply trying to capitalize on someone else's success. However, every now and then I see an ORIGINAL product come along... and I am excited to share it with you! Today I want to tell you about ZipSense, the world's first ZBook! 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

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

Google AdSense is currently the reigning King of contextual advertising services. But the King always faces challengers to the throne. Kontera, Chitika and Intellitext have managed to absorb a small piece of Google's market, but they've barely made a dent thus far. So who can take on the 100 pound gorilla? Only another gorilla. Enter Yahoo! 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

Tupperware. Say it with me. Tupperware. One more time. Tupperware. Continue Reading

My family and I just returned from a wonderful week in Kauai, Hawaii. I'll say this. Six nights is not long enough to be in paradise. And a paradise it was... Continue Reading

I recently received a phone call from Jason Dinner, an associate of Mike Filsaime's. Since Mike is a superstar in my book, I wanted to hear what Jason had to say. As it turns out, Jason and Dennis Mecca are putting together a fantastic, content-packed, live educational teleseminar series. And it won't cost you a dime. (I like free!) The series is called the Accelerated Success System 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

A few months back, I started a blogging network that would allow beginners to get started with blogging and allow them to earn some AdSense cash for their efforts. The WorldVillage Blogger Network is really starting to take off and I am pleased to announce that we are accepting more new applications to join this fast-growing network. 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

I am currently in a top-secret location with an unnamed group of people. What do we have in common? We are all online entreprenuers. Why gather? Because when people get together and begin discussing their lives, powerful stuff takes place. Continue Reading

I occassionally receive email that looks like this... "Dear Joel, I have purchased your ebook and applied your strategies to my web pages. It's been a week and I am not making any money. It just doesn't work" Welcome to our microwave society. We want our popcorn done in sixty seconds. And if we can get someone else to put it in the microwave and prepare it for us, all the better. So what is... Continue Reading

I offended Vern Troyer, the actor who played the role of "Mini Me" in the Austin Powers movies. Why would I do such a thing? I didn't mean, to, but it happened anyhow... If you've been following my blog, you would know that I've been in D.C. attending Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar. Yanik was very clever in putting the seminar together. He gave the entire thing an "Austin Powers" secret agent feel, which each attendee... Continue Reading

As you may know from my blog, I am currently attending Yanik Silver's Underground Internet Marketing Seminar in Washington, D.C. I'm meeting so many brilliant and fascinating people, and I'm constantly learning more about ways to grow my business, and ultimately help YOU grow your business online! Anyhow, I just got back from lunch at Subway. Subway is NOT my restaurant of choice. I ate there by default. You may like it, but it's blech... Continue Reading

I'm coming to you live from Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar in Washington, D.C. I'm sitting in my hotel room with Tim Carter and Christopher Knight. We've just enjoyed a long meal at a fancy-schmancy restaurant a few blocks from the JW Marriott. And, of course, we've all got our laptops jacked in as we catch up with our email and discuss ways to capture more doubloons! But I have another reason for blogging tonight... Today... Continue Reading

Arrived in Washington, DC today for Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar. I'll be writing about my experiences this weekend. I've already encountered many friends, some fans and some folks that I hadn't met before. But that's another story. There's something wonderful about coming to this city, especially for someone who isn't jaded by living inside the Beltway. Continue Reading

Spore is Will Wright's latest computer game, and it is set to revolutionize the PC gaming world. Creator of Sim City and The Sims, Spore is unlike anything else you have ever experienced in computer gaming. Due out in 2007, Spore will offer an open-ended gameplay style that will appeal to a wide variety of gamers. Continue Reading

When I was sixteen years old and purchased my first computer (A Tandy TRS-80), my mother asked me "What are you going to do with a computer?" Many years later, she now knows exactly what I will do with a computer... My mother has been slow to adapt to new technology, but I have nudged her along gently and she now can't imagine not using the Internet to research her adventure travel escapades. Continue Reading

I must confess, the XBox 360 does have amazing video quality. I purchased a game called "Kameo", which is the closest thing to a platformer on the 360. However, I did not have a memory card, so I could not save my game. I also went to the store to see about getting a XBox game from the original selections. As it turns out, the XBox 360 is backwards compatible to many games, but you... Continue Reading

When I came out with "What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense" in January 2005, I never imagined that it would become so popular. Since that time, I have released a second edition, several other ebooks, a member site, a telecourse series and find myself booked for multiple speaking engagements. Life is funny... Today marks another milestone for me as I am pleased to announce the revised and expanded third edition of... 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

If you are an AdSense publisher, you know that Google tells you very little about your ads. They tell you how many ads you have displayed. They tell you how many ads have been clicked. And they tell you how much money they are paying you. If you use channels, you are able to gather a bit more data regarding the success or failure of a page or an ad to deliver revenue. But other... Continue Reading

Yesterday I wrote about TextPayMe and their free service that allows you to send and receive funds from any cellphone. It's like PayPal, only more 21st century. I also mentioned that they have a cool referral program. Simply get 36 other people to sign up with their service and they will give you a FREE XBox 306. The people who sign up get paid $5 just for signing up as well. This morning I received... Continue Reading

Courageous people take courageous action. I applaud South Dakota for being the first state to stand up for women and the unborn in the battle to put an end to the culture of death. I have no doubt that the history books in the future will reference two points when discussing abortion in America. Continue Reading

I don't like fishing. I couldn't care less if I ever catch another fish the rest of my life. However, my alter-ego, Zorigon, enjoys fishing quite a bit. It's even more enjoyable when I am providing fish for my son, BRMadcat. Sound weird? It's just another day in the alternate universe known as World of Warcraft Continue Reading

Ok, so Dick Cheney accidently shot a guy. The mainstream media has had a grand old time focusing on absolutely nothing. I figured by this weekend it would be over. Not so. Continue Reading

Ever since I attended Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles last November, I have been telling others about the incredible experience and value of this bi-annual Internet marketing event. I can say with no reservations that Big Seminar CHANGED MY LIFE! The conference opened my mind to new possibilities and revenue streams that I had under my nose all along. And the networking opportunities... the people I met... were the most valuable part of... Continue Reading

There's only one thing I hate worse than email spam. It is junk fax spam. I got a fax machine so that I could send and receive important documents for my business. I use it for this purpose maybe once each week. But my fax machine is active far more frequently due to fax spam. I HATE junk faxes! So I decided to do something about it. Continue Reading

Did the overgrown rat in Philly see his shadow this year? It doesn't really matter as this winter has been incredibly mild. Six more weeks of sixty to seventy degree days, huh? Brrrrr.... bring it on. Continue Reading

How can articles be used to make more money with Google AdSense? That is the topic of the first module in my telecourse series, The AdSense Code. Starting on Thursday, February 2, 2006 at 8 pm EST, I will be speaking with Christopher Knight, owner of EzineArticles.com. Chris is the web's foremost expert on article content creation and syndication. His site features over 100,000 articles created by over 17,000 expert authors. And along the way... Continue Reading

I am at an undisclosed location with an undisclosed group of people conducting classified business. It's the "secret seminar." I could tell you more, but you you would have to eat this blog entry afterwards. And I'd really like to see you try to get your mouth around your computer monitor... especially those of you with widescreen monitors. That would be funny. Continue Reading