In other words, how to make money blogging by selling more text link ads. Can you see my effort in trying to make my headline unique?
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Selling text links and banner ads are the biggest money makers on my blog. Right now, I have 9 text link ads under ‘Featured Sites’ that are sold, some expiring soon and some are going on for a long term. For those who have yet to make any money from your blog by selling these ad spots, here are some tips that I would like to share with you to increase your sales opportunity.
1. Make Your ‘Featured Sites’ Section Obvious
Some advertisers buy link for SEO benefits while there are still a good number of them who buy links to build traffic. There the position of your text links play an important role in helping the decide whether it is going to bring them some good traffic. For example, you place the links at the bottom of your blog, what are the chances that your readers will click the and visit the advertisers? Close to zero. Hence, most advertisers who are looking to build traffic through a low budget text link ad instead of banners, will look for blogs that position their ‘Featured Sites’ in the most optimum position.
2. Place Your Own Links If You Have No Sales Initially
This is one method that I have seen most bloggers using. Some call it cheating, some call it seeding. Whatever it is, it is going to help you get some sale at the end of the day. Advertisers are no super-being, most likely they do not want to be the first to advertise. They would probably look for blogs or sites that people have placed ad on and they would follow suite. Monkey see monkey do? Well their mindset would be that if someone has placed their ads on this blog, this blog is probably a good place to advertise theirs as well.
P.S: If you would like to seed links for your ‘Featured Sites’, you can link to me with anchor text ‘Make Money Online‘. =D
3. Give It Any Name But Sponsored Links
Unless you want to have a digital war with Google, you should not call these text link ads sponsored links. Why? Google detests web owners or bloggers who pay for link in return for seo benefits or traffic. They believe that web owners and bloggers should build links the traditional way. So, how will Google know which site or blog has a sponsored links section in it? Simple, just do a search and pick out those which has a label call sponsored links! By giving your text link ads section a different name would definitely get you more sale and advertisers who are more ‘google conscious’ will feel more secured to place their ads on your blog.
Some of the names I recommend would be:
1) Featured Sites – The exact same one that I am using! This is the best name in my opinion because it is short and simple and it gives an indirect explanation that these are paid links and do visit them.
2) Sites I Recommend
3) Don’t Miss These Sites
4) My Recommendations
If you have a better idea on these titles, do leave your suggestions on the comment section below!
4. Make It Cheap For Your Loyal Readers.
This is a no brainer. The people who are mostly to buy ad spots on your blogs are your loyal and frequent readers. If you are willing to make it cheap for your readers and I mean really cheap like 1 or 2 dollars, they will probably go along with the flow and great offer and purchase one. Make use of these cheap offers to prove that your blog can really drive them some good traffic and only by doing so will they continue buying ad spots from you for a longer term. Building credibility is important my friends!
By the way, the best comment award goes to two readers this week. They are… *Drumroll*
1) Dennis Edell’s comment on blog post What You Actually Need To Start An eZine
2) Wei Liang | ABloggerBlog’s comment on blog post What You Actually Need To Start An eZine
Congratulations to these guys and they have been consistent on their comments here so its worth a mention. If you have what it takes, leave your best comments and get featured here too! For more information, Click Here To Read More
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Good writing. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed my Google News Reader..
Matt Hanson
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Thanks Matt. I hope you continue to get some good info here!
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Nice post, Ben, but aren’t you worried that, by writing about it and telling what you did, that one jealous person will report you to Google? I’ve heard that’s how they find out about text link ads sometimes.
Otherwise, good article.
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Now that you mention it.. I am alittle worried but well, if they do so they might just lose someone who is going to share lotsa tips and resources right? lol..
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True, but you never know how these things will go. They did go after John Chow after all, but then again he was pretty blatant with things. They also went after Problogger some time back, but neither of us are in their class,… yet.
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Yeah I know John Chow was attacked pretty badly but well wait till I get there! =)
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You go for it Ben. I don’t see how it any of Googles business whose paid link who choose to display on your blog. As long as it doesn’t lead to any porn or hate site, I don’t see how it is any of their business.
Sire’s last blog post..Wassup Blog’s Mean Woman Blues
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Good or bad, people are look for tips and techniques to earn cash online. Provide step by step instructions is perfect to gain readers interest. Constantly I try to provide step by step instructions for people the make money online on my blog. The best way to gain costumers is to solve there problems, and providing a person with instruction on how to solve their problem is perfect.
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Nice tips, I got a featured section nor a featured site.
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That sounds good too!
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Having sponsored links on your blog is a good way to bring in a couple of dollars monthly but it’s not for me at this stage, i am pushing my affiliate links in hope of higher sales.
Jason
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By the way Jason, I sent you an e-mail. Did you receive it?
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Ben , I replied to you via the warrior forum, ill leave it with you ?
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Yup I got it thanks. Giving it some considerations.
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i am really looking a money making blog site to have idea on how to make money online. Good post you have, i bookmark your site!
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Great! I am sure you could find some help here..
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Hi Ben,
Thanks for the link love in here. Advertising has always been the bread and butter for most bloggers. But times are getting tough for advertising with the rise of blogs and bloggers are now slashing prize to get advertisers.
Wei Liang
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No problem WL. You deserve it!
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Ben you are doing a great work,
and ya this site and this post is definitely going to help me a lot,
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Glad to hear that =)
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Good tips Ben, Thankfully I do not have to rely on text links to make money at this time, but I know in the future when I have a BIG reader base, the sales will come.
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Yup I see that you have installed the Topspot widget on your blog and I hope you will sell them well!
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I’ve been wanting to sell ad spots since day one, but figured I needed extreme traffic…tell me in your honest opinion: how much steady traffic is necessary to pull this off since it’s your “biggest money makers”
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Hmm, I have been receiving constant flow of traffic and my blog ranking has been rising on a constant level. It may not be the top but it should be able to generate some sales.
Make them alittle cheaper for your loyal readers and I am sure you will find someone to start up with.
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Great article and nice tips. Keep it up!
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Thanks Salwa. =)
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It doesn’t really matter what it’s name is. If – err – when Google finds do follow links, they can go after it just on “suspicion” of being sold if they wanted to.
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Thanks for the award dude!
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No problem dude. You deserved it!
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Google can be over paranoid sometimes
Blog Tips’s last blog post..Top 5 SEO Mistakes Made By Beginners
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What to do..
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And? That’s kinda the point. They can be as paranoid as they want and do whatever they want with it.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..How To: Evaluating Competition For New Site Niches
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Nice tips Ben.
I do earn some small income with the links and you do share a very good technique in not naming them “sponsored links” especially with Google’s strict rules
Erwin Tan’s last blog post..Unleashing The Niche Genius In You
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I just added Text Link Ads to my blog yesterday. Right now I only have the affiliate link, since you need to wait three days to start seeing ads. But I hope I notice some results, and am glad to see it’s worked for you.
Great article, and thanks for the tips.
Diana Freedman’s last blog post..Wordpress Plugins that Encourage Blog Comments
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I am glad you like it! Did you follow all these steps? If you did I am sure you will..
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Haven’t followed the steps yet, I can’t customize my links for another three days since I’m using text-link-ads, and just added the code yesterday.
Question for you: did you find people to buy links in your Featured Sites section yourself, or did you use a service like text-link-ads?
Thanks!
Diana Freedman’s last blog post..Wordpress Plugins that Encourage Blog Comments
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I sold them myself. Through forums, referral and my readers.
How did you add the text link ad? What did you do after you installed the plugin?
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Good idea not to call them sponsored links Ben
Alan Thomas’s last blog post..The Hidden Advantages Of Online Education
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Ben,
Do you think that Google may have other ways to find out that you are selling inks besides the obvious text like ’sponsored links’. I’ve heard that they can spot TLA scripts and that’s why I’m a little scared here too.
BTW I think you’ve accidentally taken out my blog in your blogroll(we exchanged sometime ago) and my recent 3-month banner ad prize I won. ‘Think it’s due to your new theme. May I trouble you to put them back. please.
Peter Lee
work from home business blog’s last blog post..100 Subscribers For Work From Home Business Blog
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Google may find a way, but it is TLA should know how to tackle this. If TLA didn’t put any remark on the code, then I think it is fine
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Ben,
Oh sorry, I could see the blogroll now but not the banner ad. Sorry still trying to get used to your new theme. Very nice though.
Peter Lee
work from home business blog’s last blog post..100 Subscribers For Work From Home Business Blog
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Ok no worries Peter. Its still there, I won’t forget them. Been doing some tweeking to the theme and hoping to make it better.
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You are an idiot and there is NO DOUBT about it! Have you ever bothered to read the google TOS? You are NOT allowed to sell do follow text links! I hope you know what happens? Do you know what happened to John Chow? If you don’t you should! He sold these links the same way as you and got his PR Screwed up! Though his traffic was not effected since he had alot of subscribers.. pfs… Take Care.. I wouldn’t be shocked if Google kicked you off and removed your page rank..
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Sorry Monty, but who are you referring to.
Sire’s last blog post..Does Google Control Your Blog?
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He is probably referring to me. I find this alittle wierd.
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I thought as much, I just couldn’t understand why.
Sire’s last blog post..Does Google Control Your Blog?
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Hi Monty,
Thanks for your reminder but I would appreciate if you could hold back alittle with your writing because it gets alittle offensive.
I do know what happened to John Chow and I am only here to share my ideas and tips that I think would work for most people because it had worked for me. Moreover, you purchased a text link from me didn’t it? What is that that made you respond this way? I hope to hear from you soon Monty.
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Ben, his comment was the type that I was worried about, because that’s the type of person who’d try to report you to Google.
Mitch’s last blog post..ScratchBack
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I find it wierd because he wasn’t talking like this when he was buying the link from me.
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Duplicitous options. Doesn’t mind buying from you, but doesn’t want you talking about it and possibly getting found out either. Then again, it may not have been him; it’s odd, if you ask me.
Mitch’s last blog post..ScratchBack
Hi Ben and PeiProfit Readers..
Ben this blogpost is a great help to someone like my-self who is new to blogging business. Two months to be exact. Im not good as yet…one thing always makes me think is do you write your articles or do you get a pro to write your articles? They are very much in depth and I feel like im reading step by step guide to some ebook which I have not paid for. Thanks for the tips and help so far.
Tips to your readers from a very new blogger for this time is…
LIST BUILDING… $$ MONEY $$ IS IN THE LIST !!!
Money is in the list… If you have a blog either wordpress or blogger, you can get a free GetResponse Account and get the codes and have the list building box on your website. If you’re not sure how to do it, Please subscribe PeiProfit.com via RSS or email and then just email Ben. I will send a step by step guide on how to do this. Other’s are charging $47 for this info..You can have it free once you have subscribed to PeiProfit.com.
If you would like to see examples…please visit..
http://www.instantwork.blogspot.com ( Blogger Platform. )
http://www.monsterblog.info ( Wordpress platform )
Both of these are my blogs and Im slacking on artcles due to my wife’s ill health, so if you wish to write on my blog just send me an email via my my blogs or moon.earth@gmail.com
Till the next time…Success Together…
Mayur Sangani
http://www.monsterblog.info.
p.s Ben, If anyone emails you with details please let me know I will be happy to send you an pdf format of this guide which I have created my self.
Mayur Sangani’s last blog post..My Top 5 – Themes, Plugins and Widgets !
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Some use a company called Text-Link-Ads for this.It can be useful if you need instant cash, but if you have time to do this yourself it is always better.You get to keep all your earnings. TLA takes 50% of your earnings.
Tom Lindstrom’s last blog post..How To Become More Creative
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Yup I would suggest we try to sell text links on our first.
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Nice post there. I totally agree with what you have to say but i would add another point. Not to sell to many links otherwise the chances of some one clicking becomes less.
Money Money’s last blog post..How To Have Success In Networking Business
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True.. I have noticed that! Thanks.
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Hi Ben,
Just a question. Do you sell a lot of TLA text links on this blog.
Peter Lee
work from home business blog’s last blog post..7 Interesting Facts That You Must Know About Forum Marketing
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Sadly somehow the TLA plugin doesn’t work with my theme so all my text links are sold personally. 100% commission that way anyway..
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It don’t sound very sad to me!
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Lol I mean maybe I could have gotten more sales with TLA promoting for me!
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Ben,
Believe me I had lots of problem too with the TLA codes with both my old and new theme and I took a long time to work with their helpdesk before I got them fixed.
Peter Lee
work from home business blog’s last blog post..100 Subscribers For Work From Home Business Blog
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So what was the code that you inserted?
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Its the usual TLA script and one of the problems was how fast my site loads and where I positioned my code. So a lot of trial and error took place before finally it got resolved. If you said you have problem with your new theme, one way you could try to fix this is move the code to another location, preferably much higher to the top as that loads faster
Peter
Work From Home Business Blog’s last blog post..How Good Content, Blog Marketing Drives Massive Traffic
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Hmm I mean what was the exact php call that you typed into your sidebar?
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Ben,
There are some who have different views about selling ad links so cheaply like $1.00. They are of the opinion that your ads should be priced according to what your blog is worth (I guess this depends on some factors like PR, Alexa and Technorati rankings, traffic etc). It may give the wrong impression to others about the quality of your site. What’s your take on this and will you continue to sell ads space this cheaply?
Peter Lee
Work From Home Business Blog’s last blog post..How Good Content, Blog Marketing Drives Massive Traffic
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I limit the no. of “On sale” text links that I sell and they are normally sold to frequent readers. Otherwise I go back to my actual price. So I don’t think there is a problem with that.. I see it as a reward to my readers.
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Good post, Ben Pei. Keep up the good work.
I just subscribed to your feed by email.
indocontest’s last blog post..Blog Contest – Pay it Forward
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Thank you. I appreciate that =)
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Thanks Ben for the tips, I have already implemented all and some of my own, I hope this will work great.
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Nice tips man. At first, I was afraid that Google will surely penalize you. But I kept on reading this post, I discovered that it is basically not on the wrong side of Google’s policies. I like the idea of “featured sites”. I think it is great. Two months ago, one guy wanted me to sell him links by modifying my posts to incorporate his text links. I did not buy his idea but I will now try the featured the idea of “featured sites”.
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I just stumbled upon your site after do a search for some ways of making money online. My question is if I just started a site and it doesn’t have too many views everyday, how will it help me by putting up a “Feature Site” list to draw the attention to a different part of my site. Shouldn’t people first focus on getting traffic then try selling things!?
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I tried buying links from TLA where I ask for free quote. How can I be listed in their free quote?
invest money’s last blog post..How to Make Your Car Save Gas
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Thanks for sharing this tips, however TLA still concern about PR except for inlink. I hope more programs will follow inlink advertising method. Don’t need to concern much on our PR since google 100% will slap a site that sell a link. Cruel right?
Gmaster’s last blog post..LG KP500 – Touchscreen Cookies
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Nice tips, I found it really practical, the question is will you have to search for the buyers or they will find you naturally?
China Travel Blog’s last blog post..Foshan Trains
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Nice tips. I look forward reading good tips on your blog. Thanks !
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Keep checking back!
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Actually selling do follow link will affect your PageRank. Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves “important” weight more heavily and help to make other pages “important”.
PR is decided by how many links is linking to you. The quality of the PR it pass is determine by the number of outgoing links from that page. Your non home pages are linking to home page, that means they are giving your homepage PR too. If you have many links linking outside from that page, you only pass little PR.
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“Make It Cheap For Your Loyal Readers” this is a very fair point and sometimes newbie blogs can price themselves out of the advertising market. My advice is to do a little research, contact a few blog owners and ask them how much they charge for links or speak to blog owners in web forums like digital point or site point. That way you find out how best to price you sites advertising
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True.. You think mine is expensive?
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Thanks for this article. Yeah Selling links is one of the good way to make money from your blog but don’t put more sponsored sites coz it could affect your SERP
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very nice tips..
Now, i will login to my blogs and change all the title
“sponsored links” to featured sites LOL.
cheers for the article, I am glad I stumble upon this great site.
very informative and effective for me.
linn’s last blog post..Blogging Essentials For Everyone – FREE e-book
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LOL do check back!
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great insight i will probably be able to sell more text link ads a lot easier now just because i learned a thing or two from this blog thats for your advice
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You’re welcome. ALways love to help..
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Lately I’ve had the diabolical idea to put “Ad Sense” on my links page. My competitors would be on this page, and then I’d invite all my asian friends at DP to visit said links page, reminding them to “click on my sponsors.” LOL — just kidding, but it looks like Google has created their own monster!
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That are some cool ideas about features sites on the blog.
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i lost my pr3 by selling links if i have only read your post before it couldn’t happen to me i’ll take your advice seriously selling links is a good way to earn but i’m still earning doing paytoblog programs
kyrious’s last blog post..GET PAID TO WRITE
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Hi Ben,
It’s very good tips here. I’m planning to do this and found this post on your blog. Thanks
Kha
Computer Work At Home’s last blog post..No Brainer Blog Contest from Ben Pei dot com
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As your blog gets more popular, have you increased your text link prices, or are you keeping them the same? I’m never sure what to do on this front…
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I amy start selling text ads on my site.
Melesha’s last blog post..Try A Southwest Table Runner For Wonderful Ranch Style Decorating
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I sold text ads through TLA’s Feedvertising program so that the links are not appeared on my sites. For other text ads, I use “Partner Links” instead of “Sponsored Links”, what do you think?
BTW, I found great posts here, sure will be checking more. Thanks for sharing.
ways to make money on internet’s last blog post..The Power Of Niche Review Sites
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i agree that “Sponsored Sites” or “Sponsored Links” is just too blatant, after all you want people to be interested enough to click through.
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Hi Ben,
I find your articles are pretty helpful, and I have added your blog RSS into my RSS reader. Good job for you and keep up the good work.
Cheers
Jerry
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Nice post, Its always good to give out cheap text link prices, vut once your blog starts getting really good traffic and starts to become a really popular blog I think you’ll need to raise the prices.
But i’ve also heard that selling text link ads wil make google penalize your blog. So i would consider what is more valuable making money with text link ads or keeping a solid pagerank and use other sources to generate income for your blog.
Just my 2 cents.
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Yes, true. Google will penalize bloggers selling text links ads by downgrading their Page Rank to Zero. That was probably the most possible reason why I didn’t have my page rank back until now.
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Having text links on the blog is a good way to bring in a couple of dollars monthly but the site needs to have a decent traffic in order to make it big income.
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i am looking a money making blog site to have idea on how to make money online. i bookmark your site! Advertising is the bread and butter for most bloggers. But times are getting tough. great effort
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It is a great post with some good tips
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I have a general website that owned an buytextlink account but there is no one link sold… Thanks for your article. I would like to set up a featured site.
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