Making Money Online Forum

Online forums and communities present a largely untapped opportunity for making money — at least according to Dan Gill, cofounder and chief executive of Huddler.

The San Francisco startup is officially launching today. It’s one of those weird launches where the company has actually been working with customers for more than a year, and is only now getting around to telling the media that it exists. Gill said he wanted to make sure the technology was solid before doing too much to publicize it and attract competition.

Community-building software is a broad category, but Huddler approaches the market with a specific audience and mission. It’s looking for popular, product-focused forums that are built on either vBulletin or phpBB technology. Huddler contacts the owner of the site, offering to modernize the forum and bring in more money too.

Gill gave me a long list of benefits that Huddler can offer over older platforms. It gives the sites a makeover, so they look a bit less old-fashioned, not to mention more advertising-friendly. It optimizes the pages for search engines, and also makes them easier to share through Facebook Connect. And all the software is hosted online, rather than installed on someone’s computer, which means there’s less hassle for whoever’s managing the site.

Financially, there’s not much risk to the forum owner, since the software is free. Huddler is only paid by through a percentage of the increased revenue that it brings to a site. That revenue boost comes in a number of ways, Gill said — since the sites are product-focused, Huddler creates a product page with a link where visitors can buy the item in question. It also allows companies selling related products to create their own pages on the forum and engage with the community. And of course the sites can run advertising.

The transition to Huddler can be a challenging one because of the technology issues, as well as the likelihood that change will upset some forum members. Gill didn’t offer any details, but he hinted that he has seen his share of angry comments from users who didn’t like a new forum. But Huddler has become more proficient at both moving content to a new site and preparing users for the change, he said.

There are now 24 sites using Huddler, adding up to a total of 9 million unique monthly visitors. The success stories include EpicSki, which saw a 70 percent increase in natural search traffic after switching to Huddler, and DenimBlog, which doubled pageviews in two months and is now bringing in three times the amount of revenue.

Huddler raised $5.5 million in funding from New Enterprise Associates last year. For now, the company is focusing on existing forums because they’ve already got the audience, but Gill said, “There’s no reason you won’t be able to start your own Huddles in the future.”

[image via Flickr/Daniel Borman]

Next Story: Salesforce: Yes, Chatter really does improve productivity Previous Story: Otoy scores important deals for its server gaming technology

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Mobile payments are the logical extension of online shopping; a way for customers to buy what you have while they’re on the go. But the technology has some added perks that make it a powerful purchasing tool for small businesses.

There are a lot of resources and articles out there telling businesses to pay attention to location-based networking or to maximize their social media presences, but there is a lack of information on the monetary benefits of these investments. Mobile payments, however, are a great way for businesses to make money.

It should be noted, there are two related fields of mobile payment: First, using your phone as a credit card in-store, and second, paying while on the go. We’ll be focusing largely on the latter.

Below is just a selection of reasons that small businesses should care about mobile payments. Add your voice to the comments below: Is this just another fad? Are mobile payments still years away? Why has North America been so slow to adopt?

It’s Going to be Everywhere/>

We already use our phones for everything: Calling, texting, surfing the web, video chats (thank you, Phone), and updating our social networks. class='blippr-nobr'>Societyclass="blippr-nobr">society, by and large, has grown accustomed to using phones for daily activities. Why shouldn’t instant purchasing be added to that list?

Total worldwide mobile payments stood at USD $68.7 billion in 2009, according to a study from Telecoms Market Research. That number is predicted to rise by more than 800% in the next four years. Simple, DIY credit card processing solutions, like the Complete Credit Card Solution and Square, have already hit the iPhone market, and more services are expected in the future for all platforms.

Social Impulse/>

Phones are inherently social, and advanced functions like geo-location are making it easier for users to connect with others in their networks to share consumption habits and recommendations. Location-based services, for example, enable users to recommend their favorite restaurants, shops and others venues. And group buying sites like Groupon have expanded the possibilities for quick, social purchases.

By adding a mobile payment option, small businesses can capitalize on these peer recommendations with a purchase. Rather than direct your customers to an online shop site or have them note it down for later, they can instantly buy your product.

Mobile payments take advantage of impulse purchases; essentially when you buy something based on spur-of-the-moment decision making. class='blippr-nobr'>Impulseclass="blippr-nobr">Impulse buys are usually associated with emotional reactions to a product. They are partly why ringtone sales have been so successful. Like a tone? You can often download it instantly with just a couple clicks, no secondary sites necessary. Make sure your customers are able to buy your product the instant they want it.

Micro-Transactions/>

The real heart of small business mobile payments is the micro-transaction. Paying less is generally better than paying more. People are also more willing to pay frequent small payments rather than throw down a lump sum. Using ringtones as an example, more people would pay $1 for several ringtones than shell out $5 in one go for five ringtones.

Small business can follow this trend by selling less-expensive goods online, as smaller goods could be a real hit for the mobile payment crowd. Customers can more easily rationalize those smaller purchases and drive more sales to your business.

Another perk for biz owners is that mobile transaction fees are usually less than credit card fees. Sales through mobile could save you a small amount on every purchase.

Customer Data/>

Mobile payments enable merchants to collect data in much the same way as your everyday credit card purchases. Adding mobile payments to your business can help keep track of customer phone numbers, buying histories, and any other necessary information. Having this extra source of data about customers and their purchasing habits will enable you to offer more targeted and relevant deals, discounts and products to specific purchasers.

Collecting data can be a bit tricky, since it gets into privacy rights and issues (e.g., Facebook privacy concerns), so make sure your business is aware of how you can and cannot use customer information.

Regardless of your purposes, whether it be data, profit, or social loyalty, mobile payments are definitely an area for small businesses to watch.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Choose the Best Workspace for Your Business/> - 5 Winning Social Media Campaigns to Learn From/> - 10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them/> - 10 Free WordPress Themes for Small Businesses/> - 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, photo_smart

For more Business coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

benchcraft company portland or

Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

benchcraft company scam

Online forums and communities present a largely untapped opportunity for making money — at least according to Dan Gill, cofounder and chief executive of Huddler.

The San Francisco startup is officially launching today. It’s one of those weird launches where the company has actually been working with customers for more than a year, and is only now getting around to telling the media that it exists. Gill said he wanted to make sure the technology was solid before doing too much to publicize it and attract competition.

Community-building software is a broad category, but Huddler approaches the market with a specific audience and mission. It’s looking for popular, product-focused forums that are built on either vBulletin or phpBB technology. Huddler contacts the owner of the site, offering to modernize the forum and bring in more money too.

Gill gave me a long list of benefits that Huddler can offer over older platforms. It gives the sites a makeover, so they look a bit less old-fashioned, not to mention more advertising-friendly. It optimizes the pages for search engines, and also makes them easier to share through Facebook Connect. And all the software is hosted online, rather than installed on someone’s computer, which means there’s less hassle for whoever’s managing the site.

Financially, there’s not much risk to the forum owner, since the software is free. Huddler is only paid by through a percentage of the increased revenue that it brings to a site. That revenue boost comes in a number of ways, Gill said — since the sites are product-focused, Huddler creates a product page with a link where visitors can buy the item in question. It also allows companies selling related products to create their own pages on the forum and engage with the community. And of course the sites can run advertising.

The transition to Huddler can be a challenging one because of the technology issues, as well as the likelihood that change will upset some forum members. Gill didn’t offer any details, but he hinted that he has seen his share of angry comments from users who didn’t like a new forum. But Huddler has become more proficient at both moving content to a new site and preparing users for the change, he said.

There are now 24 sites using Huddler, adding up to a total of 9 million unique monthly visitors. The success stories include EpicSki, which saw a 70 percent increase in natural search traffic after switching to Huddler, and DenimBlog, which doubled pageviews in two months and is now bringing in three times the amount of revenue.

Huddler raised $5.5 million in funding from New Enterprise Associates last year. For now, the company is focusing on existing forums because they’ve already got the audience, but Gill said, “There’s no reason you won’t be able to start your own Huddles in the future.”

[image via Flickr/Daniel Borman]

Next Story: Salesforce: Yes, Chatter really does improve productivity Previous Story: Otoy scores important deals for its server gaming technology

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Mobile payments are the logical extension of online shopping; a way for customers to buy what you have while they’re on the go. But the technology has some added perks that make it a powerful purchasing tool for small businesses.

There are a lot of resources and articles out there telling businesses to pay attention to location-based networking or to maximize their social media presences, but there is a lack of information on the monetary benefits of these investments. Mobile payments, however, are a great way for businesses to make money.

It should be noted, there are two related fields of mobile payment: First, using your phone as a credit card in-store, and second, paying while on the go. We’ll be focusing largely on the latter.

Below is just a selection of reasons that small businesses should care about mobile payments. Add your voice to the comments below: Is this just another fad? Are mobile payments still years away? Why has North America been so slow to adopt?

It’s Going to be Everywhere/>

We already use our phones for everything: Calling, texting, surfing the web, video chats (thank you, Phone), and updating our social networks. class='blippr-nobr'>Societyclass="blippr-nobr">society, by and large, has grown accustomed to using phones for daily activities. Why shouldn’t instant purchasing be added to that list?

Total worldwide mobile payments stood at USD $68.7 billion in 2009, according to a study from Telecoms Market Research. That number is predicted to rise by more than 800% in the next four years. Simple, DIY credit card processing solutions, like the Complete Credit Card Solution and Square, have already hit the iPhone market, and more services are expected in the future for all platforms.

Social Impulse/>

Phones are inherently social, and advanced functions like geo-location are making it easier for users to connect with others in their networks to share consumption habits and recommendations. Location-based services, for example, enable users to recommend their favorite restaurants, shops and others venues. And group buying sites like Groupon have expanded the possibilities for quick, social purchases.

By adding a mobile payment option, small businesses can capitalize on these peer recommendations with a purchase. Rather than direct your customers to an online shop site or have them note it down for later, they can instantly buy your product.

Mobile payments take advantage of impulse purchases; essentially when you buy something based on spur-of-the-moment decision making. class='blippr-nobr'>Impulseclass="blippr-nobr">Impulse buys are usually associated with emotional reactions to a product. They are partly why ringtone sales have been so successful. Like a tone? You can often download it instantly with just a couple clicks, no secondary sites necessary. Make sure your customers are able to buy your product the instant they want it.

Micro-Transactions/>

The real heart of small business mobile payments is the micro-transaction. Paying less is generally better than paying more. People are also more willing to pay frequent small payments rather than throw down a lump sum. Using ringtones as an example, more people would pay $1 for several ringtones than shell out $5 in one go for five ringtones.

Small business can follow this trend by selling less-expensive goods online, as smaller goods could be a real hit for the mobile payment crowd. Customers can more easily rationalize those smaller purchases and drive more sales to your business.

Another perk for biz owners is that mobile transaction fees are usually less than credit card fees. Sales through mobile could save you a small amount on every purchase.

Customer Data/>

Mobile payments enable merchants to collect data in much the same way as your everyday credit card purchases. Adding mobile payments to your business can help keep track of customer phone numbers, buying histories, and any other necessary information. Having this extra source of data about customers and their purchasing habits will enable you to offer more targeted and relevant deals, discounts and products to specific purchasers.

Collecting data can be a bit tricky, since it gets into privacy rights and issues (e.g., Facebook privacy concerns), so make sure your business is aware of how you can and cannot use customer information.

Regardless of your purposes, whether it be data, profit, or social loyalty, mobile payments are definitely an area for small businesses to watch.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Choose the Best Workspace for Your Business/> - 5 Winning Social Media Campaigns to Learn From/> - 10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them/> - 10 Free WordPress Themes for Small Businesses/> - 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, photo_smart

For more Business coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

benchcraft company portland or

Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

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benchcraft company portland or

Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

benchcraft company portland or

Online forums and communities present a largely untapped opportunity for making money — at least according to Dan Gill, cofounder and chief executive of Huddler.

The San Francisco startup is officially launching today. It’s one of those weird launches where the company has actually been working with customers for more than a year, and is only now getting around to telling the media that it exists. Gill said he wanted to make sure the technology was solid before doing too much to publicize it and attract competition.

Community-building software is a broad category, but Huddler approaches the market with a specific audience and mission. It’s looking for popular, product-focused forums that are built on either vBulletin or phpBB technology. Huddler contacts the owner of the site, offering to modernize the forum and bring in more money too.

Gill gave me a long list of benefits that Huddler can offer over older platforms. It gives the sites a makeover, so they look a bit less old-fashioned, not to mention more advertising-friendly. It optimizes the pages for search engines, and also makes them easier to share through Facebook Connect. And all the software is hosted online, rather than installed on someone’s computer, which means there’s less hassle for whoever’s managing the site.

Financially, there’s not much risk to the forum owner, since the software is free. Huddler is only paid by through a percentage of the increased revenue that it brings to a site. That revenue boost comes in a number of ways, Gill said — since the sites are product-focused, Huddler creates a product page with a link where visitors can buy the item in question. It also allows companies selling related products to create their own pages on the forum and engage with the community. And of course the sites can run advertising.

The transition to Huddler can be a challenging one because of the technology issues, as well as the likelihood that change will upset some forum members. Gill didn’t offer any details, but he hinted that he has seen his share of angry comments from users who didn’t like a new forum. But Huddler has become more proficient at both moving content to a new site and preparing users for the change, he said.

There are now 24 sites using Huddler, adding up to a total of 9 million unique monthly visitors. The success stories include EpicSki, which saw a 70 percent increase in natural search traffic after switching to Huddler, and DenimBlog, which doubled pageviews in two months and is now bringing in three times the amount of revenue.

Huddler raised $5.5 million in funding from New Enterprise Associates last year. For now, the company is focusing on existing forums because they’ve already got the audience, but Gill said, “There’s no reason you won’t be able to start your own Huddles in the future.”

[image via Flickr/Daniel Borman]

Next Story: Salesforce: Yes, Chatter really does improve productivity Previous Story: Otoy scores important deals for its server gaming technology

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Mobile payments are the logical extension of online shopping; a way for customers to buy what you have while they’re on the go. But the technology has some added perks that make it a powerful purchasing tool for small businesses.

There are a lot of resources and articles out there telling businesses to pay attention to location-based networking or to maximize their social media presences, but there is a lack of information on the monetary benefits of these investments. Mobile payments, however, are a great way for businesses to make money.

It should be noted, there are two related fields of mobile payment: First, using your phone as a credit card in-store, and second, paying while on the go. We’ll be focusing largely on the latter.

Below is just a selection of reasons that small businesses should care about mobile payments. Add your voice to the comments below: Is this just another fad? Are mobile payments still years away? Why has North America been so slow to adopt?

It’s Going to be Everywhere/>

We already use our phones for everything: Calling, texting, surfing the web, video chats (thank you, Phone), and updating our social networks. class='blippr-nobr'>Societyclass="blippr-nobr">society, by and large, has grown accustomed to using phones for daily activities. Why shouldn’t instant purchasing be added to that list?

Total worldwide mobile payments stood at USD $68.7 billion in 2009, according to a study from Telecoms Market Research. That number is predicted to rise by more than 800% in the next four years. Simple, DIY credit card processing solutions, like the Complete Credit Card Solution and Square, have already hit the iPhone market, and more services are expected in the future for all platforms.

Social Impulse/>

Phones are inherently social, and advanced functions like geo-location are making it easier for users to connect with others in their networks to share consumption habits and recommendations. Location-based services, for example, enable users to recommend their favorite restaurants, shops and others venues. And group buying sites like Groupon have expanded the possibilities for quick, social purchases.

By adding a mobile payment option, small businesses can capitalize on these peer recommendations with a purchase. Rather than direct your customers to an online shop site or have them note it down for later, they can instantly buy your product.

Mobile payments take advantage of impulse purchases; essentially when you buy something based on spur-of-the-moment decision making. class='blippr-nobr'>Impulseclass="blippr-nobr">Impulse buys are usually associated with emotional reactions to a product. They are partly why ringtone sales have been so successful. Like a tone? You can often download it instantly with just a couple clicks, no secondary sites necessary. Make sure your customers are able to buy your product the instant they want it.

Micro-Transactions/>

The real heart of small business mobile payments is the micro-transaction. Paying less is generally better than paying more. People are also more willing to pay frequent small payments rather than throw down a lump sum. Using ringtones as an example, more people would pay $1 for several ringtones than shell out $5 in one go for five ringtones.

Small business can follow this trend by selling less-expensive goods online, as smaller goods could be a real hit for the mobile payment crowd. Customers can more easily rationalize those smaller purchases and drive more sales to your business.

Another perk for biz owners is that mobile transaction fees are usually less than credit card fees. Sales through mobile could save you a small amount on every purchase.

Customer Data/>

Mobile payments enable merchants to collect data in much the same way as your everyday credit card purchases. Adding mobile payments to your business can help keep track of customer phone numbers, buying histories, and any other necessary information. Having this extra source of data about customers and their purchasing habits will enable you to offer more targeted and relevant deals, discounts and products to specific purchasers.

Collecting data can be a bit tricky, since it gets into privacy rights and issues (e.g., Facebook privacy concerns), so make sure your business is aware of how you can and cannot use customer information.

Regardless of your purposes, whether it be data, profit, or social loyalty, mobile payments are definitely an area for small businesses to watch.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Choose the Best Workspace for Your Business/> - 5 Winning Social Media Campaigns to Learn From/> - 10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them/> - 10 Free WordPress Themes for Small Businesses/> - 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, photo_smart

For more Business coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

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Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

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Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

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Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

benchcraft company scam

Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

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Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

bench craft company reviews

If you’re broke, unemployed, underemployed or just want so some more cash, you’ve probably wondered how to make money online. It seems like every other I internet ad these days promises the secret of how to bring in the bucks: make money online taking surveys or make money online from home or make money for free! I have spent the last few years making (some) money online as a teacher, consultant and writer and would like to offer my take on how you can put the internet to work for you. Take my take for what it’s worth!

Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
Your credit cards are overdue. Your spouse’s salary is coming up a little short. You need some extra cash. So what do you do? Most people I know who have looked into “online money making” have done so in moments of these sorts of financial crises with this mindset: “I just need MONEY!!” They go to the quickest, seemingly most simple thing: sites that in fact say “Make Money Online!”. If I were to advise a friend how she can actually make some money online, I would advise against these “home survey” taking sites and their off-shoots (answer trivia for money, go to free web product ads for money, etc. ) for a variety of reasons.

First, these types of sites just fundamentally don’t make sense. I’ve never signed up to take surveys or do online data entry, so I can’t speak for all the companies out there offering this type of work; I’m sure some of them are quite legit and nice. However, I can say, as could anyone who has managed any kind of money from a business to a personal budget, that it’s really bizarre that any company would offer a person $75 to take one survey. Why would they do that? In fact, it’s not just bizarre, it’s somewhat INSANE. It reeks to me of get rich quick scheme. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Second, there’s a ton of gambling involved that doesn’t seem to make it worth the effort. For instance, most of these survey companies are simply offering databases of “clients” who need surveys done. That means, until you give the company some of your personal information or, even worse, pay them, you have no idea what you’re going to get out of the deal. It could be no one in the database needs any surveys taken this month. It could be they all pay three cents a survey. It could be none of them pay 'til you make $50 or over or only pay you once a month. You have no idea the number of potential surveys, the pay rate, or the pay policy. So, the company gets what they want, your info and/or your money, but you start off by gambling. You know what they say about making money by gambling? Don’t!

Third, this is not how people get out of the hole. Trust me, as a teacher and freelance writer, I have spent most of my adult life broke; I know what it’s like when every dollar counts. But, to make money online to help get yourself or your family out of that cycle of scrounging for $3 survey taking deals, I advise people: don’t waste time scrounging for $3 survey- taking deals! Instead, think about how real money is made. Real money is made when people work hard, provide a quality good or service, invest time into their product or service and deliver. You want to make money online? Make a plan, make an investment of time and effort, and make it happen. Will you be the next Amazon.com? Probably not. God knows I haven’t. But do you even want to be? Probably not. But, can you make decent-ish money and maybe even enjoy yourself instead of doing grunt work for some online scammy lou’s? I think yes. Which brings me to point #2.

Find Something To Sell
To figure out how to make money online, think about how you spend money online: you give people money for stuff they have that you want. If you want to be on the other side of this money equation, consider what you have to sell. This is how it’s worked for me. I’ve made money online in a few ways, each of them involved selling stuff other people wanted. In some cases, the stuff I sell has been information, either through my online teaching gigs and consulting work or through selling articles on subjects people want to know about. Other times, what I’ve sold has been actual stuff, as in random items I’ve had that I’ve sold to other people on Ebay or other place. In either case, I had something and I used the beauty of the internet to get paid by someone who wanted it. Of course, this isn’t easy. The first step though, is to figure out what you have to offer and them, how you can use the web to offer it.

Answer these questions about yourself to see what stuff you can sell:

1. Do I have a special skill or advanced education people
might be in need of?

2. Do I have material items people might want: crafts
I’ve made, collectibles I don’t want anymore, etc.

3. Do I have a pre-existing business I could promote on the internet to gain more exposure and business?

4. Is there a “sellable” angle to my favorite hobby? For
instance, if I love fishing, could I offer one-on-one fishing tutoring to novices? Don’t knock it: weirder things have happened.

Ask these questions and come up with what you can sell. Again, we’re not looking for a billion dollar enterprise here, just a way you can make some decent, honest money online with something you know, like, and can offer other people. 

Find Your Market
Once you’ve decided you’ve got something to sell, you need to know where to sell it. This is where research comes in. Everything can’t be sold to everybody. You need to find a nice cozy niche. I call upon the example of EBay. A lot of people think you can sell anything on ebay. Annnnything. The truth is though, a lot of times, selling stuff on ebay is difficult because a lot of people are flooding your market. If thirty people are trying to get rid of their copy of “Children of The Corn Part 6” for example, and only one person wants it, you’re not going to have much luck making money off that. So, what do you do, throw in the towel? No, you find out what everyone on Ebay does want  and see if you have that. Disney DVDs. They love Disney DVDs on Ebay. OR, you go somewhere else where that first item may be wanted, like a Horror Movie Collectors website, or something. In either case, you have to match what you have with people online who are in the market to buy.

Another example? I’m a writing consultant. I don’t advertise my business on OrangeGrowersOfAmerica.com; I advertise it on a writing site. I post my services on message boards for writers. I email people I know who may have writing students. Okay, that last one I didn’t do, but, now that I think of it, it’s a good idea. The great thing about the online world is it’s diversity. If you look around, you will find someone or some group that needs what you have and will be willing to pay (at least something) for it.

So, search the “web” in the truest sense: the web of groups, businesses, forums, clubs, etc. connected to your “salable” product or service and see what sales may come. 

Take Care of Business Like It’s A Business
Organization is key if you want to make money online. Not only do you have to find something to sell and people to sell it to- but you actually have to sell it! That means figuring out a ton of stuff: pricing, shipping, payment policies (check, paypal, credit card, cash?) , return policies, getting the word out to your potential buyers, keep tracking of websites and email addresses, knowing how to get repeat business. It’s usually simple stuff, but still, you need to be on top of things to maximize what you get out of things.

To be organized and optimized, budget. I don’t mean just money (if you have any) I mean time and effort, too. Know how much time and energy you can devote to making money online. Some people can afford to spend a little cash on a website, and a little time on designing it (it’s so easy!). Other’s can’t. Some people can spend time making crafts to sell to online buyers, others can only afford the time it takes to sell the ones they already have. Do a cost-benefit analysis. Is it worth spending time setting up an Ebay store if you only have three items to sell? Probably not. Know what you have to offer and what you have to invest and budget your time and resources accordingly.

I’ll use myself as an example here. I spent less than $5 a month on my consulting website and less than $8 a month to list it on a relevant website for writers. I charge $40-100 for my services. So it pays off. Cost-benefit analysis made simple.

Also, to be organized, I suggest you get a computer file set up especially for your online selling, whether it’s a list of places where you’ve submitted freelance articles, addresses of web forum’s you’ve posted your services on or ebay listings you’ve got running. I also suggest you look into a free or cheap website for purposes of advertising and conveying all the necessary information. (I use Homestead which is not only cheap but has the easiest designing system in the universe. You basically point and click.)

For example, I have students and clients from different schools and sites; I need to keep track of who goes where. With a website and a couple of MS Word files, I’ve got my online money making world under control. Well, most of the time. And the last thing a broke person needs is chaos! 

Be Persistent In Pursuit of Reasonable Goals
Judging from what you have to offer and what you can afford to invest in time and money and effort, be reasonable in your expectations. It could be that you’re on your way to a longterm business-ish enterprise that will grow over time, or that you have found a source of ongoing freelance income. On the other hand, maybe you just have a few items to sell on ebay or to a collectibles store. In either case, don’t expect to break the bank right away – or even ever- online. And keep at it if it doesn’t work right away. Build connections, ask people with experience in your niche for advice, and don't look for short cuts. You can make money online the same way you can make money anywhere: with a confluence of hard work, ingenuity, and luck!



big seminar 14

Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

big seminar 14

Fox <b>News</b> Ratings | Chilean Mine Rescue | Chile - Cable <b>News</b> | Mediaite

Americans were gripped Tuesday night by images from the scene of the Chilean miner rescue. But whose images gripped them most? While CNN won during one hour, Fox News Channel, dominated prime time as usual, ahead of CNN, MSNBC and HLN.

Public Address | Hard <b>News</b>

If Len Brown – cleverly claiming the mantle of Mayor Robbie – can help make that experience possible across more of the big news, city, he'll have done a good thing. View Gallery � View Printable � Link to this Post � Send Feedback to ...

Bill Simmons on breaking <b>news</b> in a Twitter universe » Nieman <b>...</b>

A brief treat for sports fans and future-of-media junkies: Bill Simmons' column at ESPN.com about his accidental tweeting last week about Patriots wide receiver.

big seminar 14