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Monetizing — what is it, and how do I do it?

TerryMcNamee
Posts: 30
Message
on 05/05/2013

I seem to be hitting a brick wall. I am signed up with VigLink (which I don't understand, what is it anyway?) and it says I have 1 monetized click all-time and 0 for May. But I have decent traffic to my few articles (I have 19 stories so far).

Next I go to Google AdSense. I have a mostly dead blog and that seems to be the source of my clicks (zero earnings, which is fine). But why none for either Wizzley or for the stories I have had stolen by Suite? (I say stolen because I can't get any answer out of them about removing my content.)

Under Analytics I have Wizzley and Suite. Suite shows traffic. Wizzley shows NONE. None!!! "Zero people visited this site." Not true, so why doesn't it show up?

With Amazon, it says to add HTML code for links. Well, I do have links up (and it is a slow and painful process to do it), but I have no clue how to add HTML code to anything. Where? How?

So far I have "earned" one penny. Whee, I will retire.

I link all my stories on Facebook (public access) and on Twitter. I use AllPosters for some pictures, when possible.

What am I doing wrong? How can I do things right? I feel like I am lost in a big vat of quicksand with no way out. I write and write, I get the page views, but earn zip. I am not a computer geek......HELP!


Gifts for animal and nature lovers! http://www.cafepress.com/rosewoodstudio
PeggyHazelwood
Posts: 27
Message
on 05/06/2013

I'm no help with VigLinks. I just signed up for it myself last week. I have 6 monetized clinks but $0. So I'm also clueless. ???

 

I did want to say I hear you about Suite 101. I can't log in to remove my articles. I emailed them several weeks ago for a new password with no response other than a form email that says they're busy and someone will respond ASAP. I don't believe them. I want to remove my articles there and rewrite them here or at Squidoo. So, if you hear anything from Suite, please let me know!

 

Good luck!


Peggy Hazelwood is an online writer and blogger.
Guest
on 05/06/2013

Counting myself lucky to have been kicked out of Suite (with articles!) before they closed the site. Honestly, they don't seem to be doing themselves any favors now.

Also terminally confused about VigLink, but that seems like nothing new!


Described by one of my clients as 'a literary grammarian', writing, researching and reading are requirements for sanity, at least this side of the keyboard.
belinda342
Posts: 2
Message
on 05/06/2013

Terry:

My first question to you is this: Do you have your own Amazon Affiliate code? If yes, then the monetization world is your oyster.  If not, then you probably need to rely on VigLink, which I know nothing about...yet. (On my to-do list since I need it to fully optimize my pages here.)

If you are lucky enough to live in a state where you can have your own Amazon Affiliate code, then the HTML part becomes easy. Amazon does it for you and you simply copy and paste it where you want it. Plus Wizzley has that great Amazon module with so many great layout options! On half of your page visits that module and all your links use your code, the other half of your visits use Wizzley's code. No HTML needed at all to use them, either!  They make it really simple here!

My next question is this: Did you make sure to add your Google Analytic code to your Wizzley Profile? Without it, Google won't be able to track your traffic.  If you added the code, double check it to make sure there are no typos in the code.

If you can't get AdSense to work for you at all on Wizzley, then you can always opt for Chitika (not sure of spelling) instead, but you would have to sign up and be approved by them. Once in place, on your share of page views the Chitika ads display and you get the clicks. I've heard it isn't quite as profitable as Adsense, but it is an option.

Let me know if you are an Amazon affiliate and I can help you further.  Shoot, maybe I'll even build a Wizzle about it!

Anyways, hope this helps!


Belinda White TheBenandanti.com Your Helpful Guide to All Things Were
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RupertTaylor
Posts: 108
Message
on 05/06/2013

I hear you Terry.

After almost three months, I have 28 Pages, 3936 Impressions,  2472 Unique visitors, zilch revenue (You're lucky you made a penny). I'm pretty sure I've done something wrong, but I have no way of knowing what. I read explanations of how to do things but my eyes glaze over, because a lot of it is in a language I don't understand.

On April 6 my Analytics flat-lined and show no page visits since.

Amazon shows 47 Module Clicks (not quite sure what these are) and zero revenue. I suppose this means some people are clicking on the links but not buying?

As far as Suite is concerned, everybody is in the same (sinking?) boat. There's a discussion on Facebook and we are all reporting the same thing. Complete silence from headquarters no matter how pleading or angry the emails and a growing suspicion that former contributors there are getting shafted.         

chefkeem
Posts: 3100
Message
on 05/06/2013

We do have a VigLink tutorial here on Wizzley: http://wizzley.com/viglink 

VigLink has a history of lagging behind with their reporting (on their site), but it always seems to work out in the end.

 Also, there are many helpful wizzles on Amazon, Analytics, and just about everything else. Just type a keyword in our search bar on top of any page, then hit "Enter".


Achim "Chef Keem" Thiemermann is the co-founder of a pretty cool new platform called...um...er...oh, yeah - Wizzley.com.
humagaia
Posts: 626
Message
on 05/07/2013

This may come as a surprise to some, but the only way you are going to make money with adsense etc., from writing, is to write about something for which there are businesses requiring click-throughs to their websites.

For instance, there may be many people looking for information about horses

BUT

how many website owners will gain a profit from a click-through by someone looking for that information? More importantly, how many businesses are advertising on Adwords for those click-throughs?

IMHO there are very few, if any.

A similar result may be obtained from articles in the 'Culture & Society' category.

If you want to make some income, first think whether there might be a large number of businesses vying for click-throughs regarding a particular subject. Some indication for this may be the amount of money they are prepared to pay for those clickthroughs - use Google Keyword Tool (Free) for this: https://adwords.google.com/

Use it other than for pure keyword analysis - use it to determine categories of articles which can be written, with at least a chance to earn income.

Viglink IMO is only useful if you write articles about products - it is of little use for purely informational topics.


Https://chazfox.com/
Guest
on 05/07/2013

Ahhh....but keep in mind that if you are writing on a topic with money as sole motivator, yet you have zero passion about it, many readers will feel your lack of interest through your words...

Monetizing blogs and articles is a skill. I certainly haven't mastered it, but I absolutely will not write about something I can't have some enjoyment talking about. I worked my butt off my first year learning on how to find keywords with little competition (even if they aren't big traffic draws, they catch those looking) and, when sales articles, using titles that have buyers in mind "best books on roses" vs "types of roses" as examples.

It takes time to learn all of this "stuff" and the "stuff" keeps changing the rules. But I had notebooks full of every tip I saw in forums, online, etc. to get a jump start and it got me off on a much better start when I was a newbie.

I'll never be "rich" but I've never wanted to be rich...just want to be comfortable and enjoy what I do each day.


In 2009 we sold everything and hit the road! Follow us on our blog at Cheap RV Living
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RupertTaylor
Posts: 108
Message
on 05/07/2013

My sentiments entirely Robin and Jim.

When I first started out in the writing racket (when the Earth was still flat) on a trade magazine I was required to write glowing reviews of products whose manufacturers might turn into advertisers. I felt like a whore then, but, just like a whore, I needed the money and did what I was bid.

Now semi-retired (I only work 8 hours a day instead of 12) with a bit put aside I refuse to do that kind of writing again. I'll write what I damn well please and if the great god Google doesn't like it, so be it. Not everything is for sale.

Guest
on 05/07/2013

Rupert, will you run for president?! You've got our vote...

Your choice of words is excellent...

Jim and I are planning to scale back in the online world over the next year, and are already taking some strides. We started doing it to support our cheap rv lifestyle, so we could be "free." But with Google and Pandas and Penguins and the inbox NEVER being empty, we simply changed one stressful lifestyle for another...which defeats the purpose as to why we started doing this in the first place!

Now we do a little writing in the mornings and call it a day - sitting in an rv and staring at a computer is not the simple life.


In 2009 we sold everything and hit the road! Follow us on our blog at Cheap RV Living
Online
RupertTaylor
Posts: 108
Message
on 05/07/2013

Can't run for president as I don't have access to the billions needed - perhaps if I made nice with the NRA - Naa. Anyway, I'm excluded because I was born in England and live in Canada. But, thank you for your votes. Can I put "one-time presidential candidate" on my resume? I already have the Nobel Peace Prize on account of my having been a citizen of an EU country.

I admire your courage in eschewing the consumer-driven lifestyle and heading out for Jack Kerouac-style adventures. Only, stay off the grog that killed him.

Cheers

TerryMcNamee
Posts: 30
Message
on 05/09/2013

Thank you all for your help. I have tried a couple of things and now have to wait and see if they work!


Gifts for animal and nature lovers! http://www.cafepress.com/rosewoodstudio
TerryMcNamee
Posts: 30
Message
on 05/13/2013

Have to add that I succeeded in getting my stories deleted from Suite. It took about a month.


Gifts for animal and nature lovers! http://www.cafepress.com/rosewoodstudio
Guest
on 05/13/2013

w00t. About time they let the old stories/articles/work revert to those who would.

Look forward to reading some of it here in due course. Would advise checking in Copyscape first to be sure no one else scammed it though, as one or two of my older articles have been splatted across the web like bad eggs and will need serious attention before I can republish.


Described by one of my clients as 'a literary grammarian', writing, researching and reading are requirements for sanity, at least this side of the keyboard.
TerryMcNamee
Posts: 30
Message
on 05/13/2013

Don't know how to do that since the pages are gone. Do I just search for the titles? Some I have rewritten & put on Wizzley with added content.


Gifts for animal and nature lovers! http://www.cafepress.com/rosewoodstudio
Guest
on 05/15/2013

Sorry Terry, I've had a long day, so my brain is not at the best. Do you mean you don't know how to check for Copyscape plagiarism because the articles have been taken down from Suite?

I keep drafts of my work on a flash drive or the computer I'm working on, so I can access them again if needed. I have a Copyscape subscription (5 cents a check, minimum spend $10 or 200 checks) where I can paste in anything up to 2,000 words and have it checked for plagiarism.

Chef is good about hosting old articles - which are now on a 404 - on here, as all my work was given back when I left so links show as 404 unless it's plagiarised or quoted.

Do let me know if I can be of further help. I'll be OK after a decent night's sleep, so try me again tomorrow.


Described by one of my clients as 'a literary grammarian', writing, researching and reading are requirements for sanity, at least this side of the keyboard.
TerryMcNamee
Posts: 30
Message
on 05/15/2013

Yes, they are gone from Suite and Copyscape seemed to want the original URL, which of course is no longer there.

All old Suite articles that I posted on Wizzley were rewritten and added to. I have no idea what a 404 is. It sounds like a highway in Ontario!


Gifts for animal and nature lovers! http://www.cafepress.com/rosewoodstudio
Guest
on 05/15/2013

Do you have copies saved anywhere else? I can run them through my Copyscape account if you do.

Sleep or no sleep I am still capable of running Copyscape checks...


Described by one of my clients as 'a literary grammarian', writing, researching and reading are requirements for sanity, at least this side of the keyboard.
TerryMcNamee
Posts: 30
Message
on 05/17/2013

I have copies of the articles in a text program. Do I just search for some of the text to see if they are out there?


Gifts for animal and nature lovers! http://www.cafepress.com/rosewoodstudio
Guest
on 05/17/2013

 

TerryMcNamee: 05/15/2013 - 04:25 PM

 I have no idea what a 404 is. It sounds like a highway in Ontario!

It's computer-speak for a page that no longer exists.

If it would help you, I can check the text of your articles for you with my Copyscape account if you send me the files. I'll DM you my email addy. No obligation to use it...just want to help you out.


Described by one of my clients as 'a literary grammarian', writing, researching and reading are requirements for sanity, at least this side of the keyboard.
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