Article Marketing: The Plan I Use to Bring in $100-$200/Day

That was the title of my post over at BloggingTips.com yesterday. I just wrapped up a three-week series over there detailing my foray into affiliate marketing and how I'm using article marketing to make $100-$200/day promoting one affiliate product.

The last post in the series can be found here, along with instructions on how to access all nine posts in the series.

The 3 Most Important Things I've Learned in My Limited Foray into Affiliate Marketing

1. Choose Products/Services You Know About: Or, at a minimum, those you have an interest in learning about. The reason is, affiliate marketing takes a sustained, consistent effort to make money. This means putting in some marketing elbow grease. You must be interested in a product/service in order to do the marketing tasks it takes to make money with it.

Note: IMO, you don't have to be passionate about a product/service -- as many will tout. But, you do have to have a sustained interest in it; it must be more than just than passing interest.

2. Try to Choose Products You Can Build On: For example, my product has to do with foreclosures. Right now, I'm just promoting the one product. But, my partner and I are creating 4 more products that complement this existing product.

By doing this, we can increase our sales without putting in any more effort. How? We'll list those products on our same affiiate websites. So all the marketing we've done to drive traffic to our existing sites will benefit us.

Now, this won't be possible in all cases, but it's just something to think about (ie, stay in the same niche to maximize the results of your marketing efforts).

3. Do Something Every Day to Promote Your Affiliate Product: And by every day, I mean every weekday (I take weekends off). If not every day, then at least every other day. The web is a very competitive place, and I'm amazed at how "slacking off" for a few days decreases my sales.

So, keep the marketing metal to the pedal. It's why I like article marketing. I'm a writer, so I bang out 3-5 articles a week for my affiiate product. I put in on my calendar, right alongside the work I have to do for clients. That way, it's a "must do", instead of a "if I have time to do" project.

Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Article Marketing No No's

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how I increased by ebook sales by 166% using article marketing. That seems to have fired quite a few of you up by the questions I'm receiving. Good for you!

Today over at BloggingTips, I wrote about some article marketing directory submission no no's. Article marketing is time consuming -- no doubt about it. But IMHO, the rewards greatly outweigh the drawbacks, especially if you stick with it. These tips will help you avoid some of the article marketing sins I still commit. That way, you can start reaping the benefits of it that much sooner.

Want to start a successful freelance writing blog? Get the latest ebook available in the Inkwell Editorial Freelance Writing Bookstore, How to Start a Profitable, Popular Freelance Writing Blog. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to the newsletter.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Did you know that InkwellEditorial.com is the authority site on freelance writing? From article marketing to saving for retirement -- if it deals with freelance writing, you'll find info on it here. Pass it on!
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Increase Ebook Sales with an Article Marketing Blitz Campaign

How many articles do you think you have to write and submit to article directories to make one ebook sale a day? This was the question I posed in my post at BloggingTips.com last week entitled How to Stretch Your Articles into Dollars.

This week, I answered it in the post, How to Increase Ebook Sales with an Article Marketing Blitz. In this post, I also lay out how to create a step-by-step article marketing blitz campaign.

I've recently come back to article marketing as a way to drive traffic to my website and blog, a way to increase ebook sales and just as a general way of keeping my name front and center to my audience. Article marekting is a lot of work, especially if you write all of your own content - which I do and highly advise. I think it's the main reason though that it works so well for me (but, talk about paying your dues!).

Luckily, I take a long range view of it. My target date to be completely self-sufficient -- eg, earning a living from just my ebooks -- is January 2012. So I'm laying the groundwork now.

The #1 Reason Article Marketing Is So Effective

You see, the main reason article marketing works so well is that it drives traffic to your site for years to come. And, this is what I'm banking on. So while finding the time to write now is literally painful most days because I'm so busy with client work, I know I'll be glad in a few years that I stuck it out.

You can achieve article marketing success too! Read the article at BloggingTips.com today to get started.

Want to start a successful freelance writing career? Visit the Inkwell Editorial Bookstore. And if you enjoyed this post, subscribe to the Inkwell Editorial newsletter.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for more on How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

How to Stretch Free Articles into Dollars

Yesterday over at BloggingTips.com, I wrote an article entitled How to Stretch Your Articles into Dollars. It's generated quite a few comments. I was surprised by this because article marketing has been "talked" to death on the net. It's not new, it's not exciting and it can be a lot of work. BUT, it just goes to show you, when you have concrete proof that something works, it will still get attention.

I think what really got everybody going was when I said how I'd increased my ebook sales by 166% by submitting an article a day to article directories -- for 30 days. No one joined me in my article marketing experiment, but the results speak for themselves. So, if you're on the lookout for a marketing strategy that works -- give this old internet marketing favorite a try.

Read the entire entry here. If it inspires you, you might want to check out the Inkwell Editorial Article Marketing Tutorial before getting started. If you like this post, don't forget to subscribe.

Want to start a successful freelance writing career? Visit the Inkwell Editorial Bookstore.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for more on How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
***********************************************
Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Two Types of Content Every Website and Blog Should Use

If you visit this site regularly, then you know I’m an avid fan of article marketing. My recent article marketing experiment just reconfirmed what I already knew – article marketing works – if you put in the work.

I increased my ebook sales by 166% during this recent article marketing experiment, which has made me start to do it again on almost a daily basis. And, this is where the title of this post comes into play. With all that being said, what exactly are the two types of content every website and blog should have? Read the rest of this post here. If you like this post, don't forget to subscribe .

Want to start a successful freelance writing career? Visit the Inkwell Editorial Bookstore.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for more on How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
***********************************************
Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Wanna learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

How I Increased My Ebook Sales by 166% in Just 30 Days!

In Tuesday's post, I promised to update you on my article marketing success. I was supposed to do it yesterday, but a bear of a deadline was staring me right in the face. Sorry about that. Here's the update . . .

"I've sold 6 times more ebooks in the last 30 days than I did in the 30 days before that! That works out to a 166% increase in sales."

Even I'm shocked by it. Let me give you some specifics of how all of this panned out. Read the entire mini case study here.

Upcoming Changes at Inkwell Editorial that Affect You

As an aside, one of the changes I have in store for the site after the redesign (which is in progress right now) is longer, tutorial-like posts. The reason I decided to start doing this is that I think the web is maturing to a point where people no longer want skimmable content.

Especially when readers come to a blog like mine that touts, "How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career." You can find so much information on this subject on the web. A lot of it is regurgitated content that offers no real value.

I've always been longwinded as a writer, so I've decided to turn this into an asset. When I dispense information (write articles), I try to take the reader by the hand and walk them through a problem to a solution. This can rarely be done in 300, 400 or even 500 words. My posts tend to be in the 600-1,000 word range. Tuesday's post was close to 2,000 words. That's why I dubbed it a "tutorial."

My goal with longer posts is not to indulge my long-windedness (is that a word?), but to make the impression that if you want to know how to start a freelance writing career, this is the first site you should visit. Please pass this along. This has always been my purpose, but it is now my mantra, the very foundation of why the site exists.

I hope you will join me in this quest by becoming involved. Send in your questions, feedback, experiences, problems and alliances. To help the entire freelance writing community, it helps to have as many diverse experiences as possible.

Next Tuesday's Tutorial: On Tuesday, I'll explore content creation. A few things ran though my mind that I jotted down over the last month. These tips should help your content "go viral" and get the most bang out of your article marketing efforts.

Have a Burning Freelance Writing Question? I'm devoting the next issue of the newsletter (6/25) to questions from readers. So, if you have a question you want to ask me, send it in [info [at] InkwellEditorial.com]. I'll answer as many as I can (in truth, I'll try to get to all of them). If I don't have the answer, I'll tap some of my sources (time permitting).

If you've been wondering about a particular niche on freelance writing, have a marketing question, a how to deal with a client question, a pricing question -- anything on freelance writing (or blogging), just send it in. You can remain anonymous if you want.

Useful Freelance Writing Links

Ebooks on How to Start a Freelance Writing Career

Need to Drive Traffic to Your Website?

Get Affordable Content for Your Website, Ezine, Etc.

Advice, Tips, Case Studies & More on Freelance Writing

Enjoy the weekend everybody. I know I will. For the first time in over a month, I have no pressing deadlines hanging over my head that means I have to work on Sat/Sun.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher

How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter

P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for more on How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.

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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on How to Make $75,000 to $100,000/Year as an SEO Writer. In this issue, I dispense the 8 keys to my success as an SEO writer. There are some definites that must gel to find success in this field. I outline them all here. And of course, it’s based on my own personal experience. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Wanna learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? And, there's also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

How to Increase Your Blog’s Traffic with Link Bait Articles

I was supposed to write this post on Friday, but alas, got buried under some work. I’m still buried, but the weekend gave me some breathing room. Sorry for the lateness, here’s the post.

What is Link Bait?

If you’re not a techie, you may be wondering what the heck link bait is.

Link bait is content created for the specific purpose of driving traffic to your site. “But,” you may be thinking, “isn’t that the goal of all content?” Yes, it is. However, when most of us write, we write to update, inform and/or “because it’s time to update my site,” etc. We don’t write with a defined traffic-building plan in mind.

As explained in the article What is Link Bait and How Can It Help Me? “Specifically, linkbait is used to attract visitors to your website whether through interest, anger or knowledge seeking. Linkbait is content that is specially written to either educate, entertain or inflame your readership and prospective readers. These articles create buzz, and the buzz spreads virally from site to site in the form of links and comments that others make about what is written on your site.”

Now that you have an understanding of what link bait articles are, I’ll tell you a little technique I sometimes use to increase traffic to my blog and website.

Use the news!

How to Use the Media to Create Link Bait Articles

I wrote the link bait article, Avoid High Gas Prices: 3 Easy-to-Start, Online Work-from-Home Careers, after watching the news one morning. Why?

Every morning when I get up, I turn on CNN while preparing breakfast. I usually watch for at least half an hour before I start my day. What’s been in the news a lot lately – the price of gas. In fact, I swear for like three days straight, I turned on at the exact moment the announcer was saying something to the effect of, “Gas prices have hit another record high. For the sixth day in a row, gas prices have hit new highs . . . “

One morning – before I even had coffee mind you – the article idea above came to me. I was standing sleepily by the coffeemaker trying to decide if I had enough time to run upstairs and brush my teeth before the coffee finished brewing and the idea came to me in a flash. I quickly sat down and fired it off (I brushed my teeth after I’d finished the article and had my coffee ).

This article makes good link bait copy because it capitalizes on a hot topic that is already in the news. This means it’s already getting good search engine traffic. Taking a hot topic and making it relevant to your niche can increase your website’s traffic easily.

Why Link Bait Content is Good SEO Practice

And not for nothing, this is what writing SEO (search engine optimization) content is all about, ie, creating content that drives traffic to your site. Using the media to create link bait articles is a simple marketing technique anyone can use to drive more traffic to a website or blog. And, it’s free!

Here’s another link bait article I did, just so you can get your juices flowing: Why a Recession is a Great Time to Start a Freelance Writing Career. Does it get your “link bait” wheels turning?

To read more on link bait, click here.

Article Marketing Contest Update: I didn't post to any directories on Thursday or Friday. I posted the article, Freelance Writers: Why SEO Content Development is the Next "Hot" Thing in Freelance Writing to IdeaMarketers last night (so I made up for one day). Want to know more about article marketing? Click here.

Useful Freelance Writing Links
Get "How to Write from Home" Ebooks
Need to Drive Traffic to Your Website
Get Affordable Content for Your Website, Ezine, Etc.
Advice, Tips, Case Studies & More on Freelance Writing

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for more on How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
***********************************************
Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on How to Make $75,000 to $100,000/Year as an SEO Writer. In this issue, I dispense the 8 keys to my success as an SEO writer. There are some definites that must gel to find success in this field. I outline them all here. And of course, it’s based on my own personal experience. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Wanna learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours! And, there's also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
***********************************************
Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Could Article Marketing Be THE Perfect Marketing Strategy?

Today over at BloggingTips.com, I wrote about article marketing. As my little article marketing contest is showing quantifiable results, I thought, "Hmmm, mabye it's time to revisit this old lover!" Read When Article Marketing is THE Perfect Marketing Strategy to find out if you should give this "ex" a chance.

Article Marketing Contest Update: It's 10:48 pm EST and I'm about to submit the article Avoid High Gas Prices: 3 Easy-to-Start, Online Work-from-Home Careers to Amazines.com right now. It's a "link bait*" article I fired off last week, but contained an interesting bit of info freelance writers should take encouragement in, as I note below. Want to know more about article marketing? Click here.

Why SEO Writers Will Never Be Out of Work

FYI, did you know that conservatively (as I wrote in the above-referenced article), it is estimated that about 100,00 new websites are added to the web each day. Most of these are businesses. And, what do they need to get noticed? Content. The smart ones soon figure out that they need SEO content, ie, content that allows surfers to find them online.

So you see SEO writers -- we'll never be out of work!

*Note: I'll talk more about link bait writing on Friday. No post tomorrow, I have a client's website to finish up -- I'm sssooooooo behind!

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
http://seo-article-writer.com/
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com/
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for a selection of ebooks on how to start a successful career as a home-based freelance writer. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
***********************************************
Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on How to Make $75,000 to $100,000/Year as an SEO Writer. In this issue, I dispense the 8 keys to my success as an SEO writer. There are some definites that must gel to find success in this field. I outline them all here. And of course, it’s based on my own personal experience. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. In this issue, one freelancer tells how he garnered enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours! And, there's also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more! Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Guest Posts, Article Marketing Contest & Blog Update

Today's post is a hodge podge.

Blog Difficulty Update. I've moved BACK to blogger. It's 10:15pm EST and I'm dead tired. What does this have to do with my blog trouble? It's taken hours out of my work day, leaving me backlogged and pissed beyond belief. But, like most things in life, it's a blessing in disguise.

I've been wanting to have my blog professionally designed and hosted on my own domain for about a year now. So, in light of this debacle, I'm biting the bullet and getting it done. Just hired a firm, and it should be completed by the end of the first week of June -- at the lastest.

To repeat, I've left wordpress and will continue to blog here -- for at least the next three to four months, if not longer. This URL has good search engine juice, and until I can get my new blog established, I'm just gonna keep updating this one.

Guest Posting Opportunity at an Established Blog: Meryl.net, which gets 4000-5000 visitors a day and has been online since 2000 is seeking guest posters. Meryl, the "maven" behind the content there is going on vacation and for the first time is opening up her blog to guest posters. I've already hopped on this wonderful opportunity and submitted my guest post!

FYI, guest posting is an excellent way to drive traffic to your site/blog, especially when it's written for an established blog like Meryl's. Meryl writes:

Authors get entries into author-only prizes for their contributions. Articles can cover any of the following: Writing, Freelancing, Marketing, Web site design, usability, etc., and/or Technology.

Find full details here.

Article Marketing Contest Update: I submitted the article Make Money w/Instantly Downloadable Ebooks: Turn into an e-Junkies to Amazines.com. I also posted it to AssociatedContent.com, which I've come to think of as more of a social bookmarking/article marketing site. I explain why in this post (start reading at the subheading Why I'm Making More Money with AssociatedContent (AC) Since They STOPPED Paying For My Content).

Two bright spots of news today: Had a phone consult with a potential new client. Once I sign their confidentiality agreement, they said work would be forthcoming. So, I go to bed a bit frustrated at the technological side of my business, but always grateful for the this thing I call -- the freelance life!

On a personal note, an impromptu dinner invite from my girlfiend, who cooked a delicious meal. The three of us (me, her and my fiance) had a grand time. Even though we live in the same subdivision, we don't get to see each other that much. What I particularlarly loved about this was that it broke up my routine. Socializing on a week night, lord it's been so long. I DO need to get out more!

One load of laundry to put in, a bed to make up, a shower to take -- and I'm off to sandman land!

Hope your Tuesday was indeed grand.
Yuwanda
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
http://seo-article-writer.com/
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com/
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for a selection of ebooks on how to start a successful career as a home-based freelance writer. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.

Drive Traffic to Your Site/Blog: Join the Article Marketing Contest!

In the most recent post, I forgot to report my article marekting contest posting for today. My search engine stats have increased yet again. As I reported in the inital post, my results were boosted by 1,000 in only 3 days of article marketing.

Today, I checked again, and it's grown from 26,200 results returned last Thursday, to 26,500 today -- 300 more searches returned. Read the initial post about the contest to see what all this means.

Today's Article Marketing Entry: I posted the article 3 Reasons to Write for Low-Paying Online Sites to two article directories today -- IdeaMarketers and Amazines. In the initial post entry, the top 10 article banks are listed so you can choose which ones you want to submit to -- or get really ambitious and submit to all of them!

Want to learn more about article marketing? Get the ebook, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Article Marketing: Results of a 30-day article marketing experiment, here.

Where did YOU post today? (If you haven't started, it's not too late to get that search engine juice flowing!)

Yuwanda
P.S.: On 4/30/08, Inkwell Editorial's blog moved to WordPress. We're having some technical difficulty, so I'll be posting here until it's resolved. You didn't really think I'd let a lil ole thing like WordPress technical difficulty keep me off the information superhighway, did ya?!

P.P.S.: Have you heard about how some freelancers are getting a pretty fast start (I'm talking literally just days to land their first client) making money as SEO writers? What is this, and how do I make $200-$500/day doing this kind of easy writing? Click here for details.

Thinking about writing and selling an ebook? Don't make this critical mistake

In a post over at Poewar, John Hewitt (the insightful webmaster), has an interesting discussion about content vs. commerce. I usually don’t post on Fridays, but because of the article marketing contest I roped myself into, I will be for the next 4 weeks, at least. So, here goes.

The following comment from John’s article got me to thinking, “Bloggers like to feel as if they are part of a community. A heavy sales pitch can take you right out of that community."

Why Building a Community is Important to Writing and Selling Ebooks

What this made me think about was community. If you’ll read the comment section of the aforementioned article, you’ll see that John and I see selling on your blog/website a bit differently. BUT, what we both agree on is that you must build an audience first before you start.

Besides Google ads, which I don’t think I added for months after I started my blog, I had no other advertising there other than my ebooks. But, remember, I’ve had a website since 1999, so had a built-in audience who followed me over to my blog.

So, if you’re thinking about writing and selling an ebook, while you’re getting the writing done, spend a few months building a community. Then, you’ll have an audience who are already pre-sold on your product, which makes the sale that much easier.

Article Marketing Contest Update: I posted this article to ArticleDashboard.com today. They usually approve them within 24 hours.

Proof that Article Marketing Works! The article I posted there just two days ago on the 14th has already been downloaded 16 times (Freelance Writers: How to Earn 6 Figures by Keeping a To Do List). Imagine having 20, 30, 50 or 100 articles working for you in various article marketing directories. Post every day, and you will!

Go get that search engine juice! To which article directory have you posted today?

Want to learn more about article marketing? Get the ebook, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Article Marketing: Results of a 30-day article marketing experiment, here.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com
http://inkwelleditorial.wordpress.com
http://seo-article-writer.com
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for a selection of ebooks on how to start a successful career as a home-based freelance writer. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Multiple Streams of Income for Freelance Writers. An interview with multi-talented freelancer Shel Horowitz. Shel shares tips on how to market your freelance writing services on a shoe-string budget (he’s written five books on grassroots marketing); how he created multiple streams of income (writing, speaking, consulting) and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on How to Make $75,000 to $100,000/Year as an SEO Writer. In this issue, I dispense the 8 keys to my success as an SEO writer. There are some definites that must gel to find success in this field. I outline them all here. And of course, it’s based on my own personal experience. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

3 Days of Article Marketing Boosted Search Results by 1,000

I recently bumped up my article marketing again. This past Monday, I started submitting my articles to article directories on a regular basis. [See Article Marketing Contest particulars below.]

I hadn't done this for a while, but when I noticed that I've made more passive income from AssociatedContent since they changed their payment policies* (see memo about this below), I decided . . . hmmm, let me get back into this.

Results from 3 Days of Article Marketing

My goal is to submit one article to at least one top-rated article directory (aka article bank) a day. I started on Monday and noticed that a search of my name has generated 1,000 more results since Monday. How do I know?

Well, when I started on Monday, I did a Google search for "Yuwanda Black". It returned 25,200 results. Today, I did the same search and it returned 26,200 results. And, I noticed that my Google AdSense earnings have ticked up just tiny bit too.Now, in the big ole scheme of things, this doesn't mean much. But it does clue me in that my content is being picked up and distributed, hence my website and blog are getting valuable search engine link juice. All of this means I'm getting more blog/website traffic and making a little more money -- so this little bit of article marketing is working. So, I'm running with that!

The Top 10 Article Directories

Wondering which article diretories are the best? The following 10, as listed by Marnie from IdeaMarketers.com:

http://www.amazines.com/
http://www.articlealley.com/
http://www.articlecity.com/
http://www.articledashboard.com/
http://www.articledepot.co.uk/
http://www.articlefinders.com/
http://www.certificate.net/
http://www.ezinearticles.com/
http://www.freesticky.com/
http://www.ideamarketers.com/

FYI, Marnie, who is the brains behind IdeaMarketers.com and quite a few other sites, dispenses some interesting info on article marketing in the article, Top 10 Article Banks. She talks about duplicate content, how many directories you should submit to, generating traffic, etc. She should know, as she runs one of the Top 10 Article Banks on the net.

ARTICLE MAREKTING CONTEST: How I Can Help You Drive More Traffic to Your Blog/Website w/Free Article Marketing

I'm inviting you to join me in what I'm calling a "link juice" contest. Here's how it will work.
You commit to posting one article a day (M-F) for 30 days at any article directory you want. You then leave a post on this blog everyday with a link to the article and/or the title (eg, I submitted the article "How to Drive More Traffic to Your Blog" to EzineArticles.com today).

Sometimes, article directories take couple of days or weeks to post your article, so that's why leaving the title (the exact title) is important because once it does show up, surfers will be able to find it via a title and "your name" search.

Are you up for the challenge? To start things off, today I posted Blog Marketing: 7 Ways to Make More Money by Weekend Blogging to IdeaMarketers.com. FYI, most of my posts are recycled from older blog posts that I think deserve a little new life based on the questions I get from readers.

Your turn! Where did you post today? In 30 days, I'll be asking you for updates on your site/blog traffic, so try not to miss a day. (NOTE: There are no prizes or anything; this contest is all about staying motivated. Just think of how many new readers you have to chance to get in front of). On that note . . .

I encourage all participants to actively read and link to the post of others in the contest -- if you find the article relevant to your blog/website. For more on this, read the insightful post, Don't be a Comment Whore: Attract Traffic Not Annoyance by Jennifer over at CatalystBlogger.

Note about Article Marketing Directory Guidelines and Stipulations

Time to Post: Articles post instantly at ArticleDashboard.com and IdeaMarketers.com. EzineArticles.com takes a couple of days, as does Amazine.com. ArticleAlley.com can take up to two weeks (those are the ones I've submitted to so far this week).

HTML & More: Also note that each article marketing directory has different posting guideliens (ie, use of HTML, links), which can make some of them a pain to post to. I find EzineArticles.com to be the biggest pain to post to, but it is the #1 article marketing directory on the web, so I recommend it.

Want to learn more about article marketing? Get the ebook, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Article Marketing: Results of a 30-day article marketing experiment, here.

*I'll talk about how I've made more passive income from AC since their policy change in Monday's post. Don't forget, you can get freelance writing jobs here (I've been a little lax this week, but you can always saunter over to Craigslist and Helium's Marketplace to find new gigs).

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.wordpress.com/
http://seo-article-writer.com/
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com/
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S.: Want the liberty of working from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet? Click here for a selection of ebooks on how to start a successful career as a home-based freelance writer. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Multiple Streams of Income for Freelance Writers. An interview with multi-talented freelancer Shel Horowitz. Shel shares tips on how to market your freelance writing services on a shoe-string budget (he’s written five books on grassroots marketing); how he created multiple streams of income (writing, speaking, consulting) and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on How to Make $75,000 to $100,000/Year as an SEO Writer. In this issue, I dispense the 8 keys to my success as an SEO writer. There are some definites that must gel to find success in this field. I outline them all here. And of course, it’s based on my own personal experience. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

NOTE: On 4/30/08, Inkwell Editorial's blog moved to WordPress. Please bookmark this and visit us regularly at our new home.

Get SEO Writing Work With No Experience: How One Freelancer Did It

Today’s post is an update on “Mary’s story.” Who is Mary? Mary is a freelance writer who recently started to do SEO writing. She bought my ebook on the subject and started to get queries from clients before she even started to market. Read about that here.

Along the way, Mary has generously allowed me to chronicle her story, from her panic of answering that first email query from a client, to advice I gave her on how to grow her business to make $5,000/month, or more, by outsourcing work to other freelancers. Here’s the latest on Mary’s foray into the SEO writing sector.

Email Received from Mary

“Yuwanda . . . I just finished an e-mail "blast" to 15 SEO companies. I'm making some progress. I just checked my site's stats . . . after sending out queries the last couple of days. And this time they [site visitors] stayed longer . . . and looked at almost all of my site's pages, something that hasn't happened yet. So I'm rather pleased.

Email I Sent to Mary

Mary that's great! Keep up the good work, and let me know about that first PAYING project.

Email Received from Mary Later that Same Day

Mary: So I come home from work and what do I see, this e-mail from one of my queries:

Read the rest of the story here.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
http://seo-article-writer.com/
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com/
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S: I'm looking for freelance writing websites that accept ads. Know of any? Shoot the link to info *at* InkwellEditorial.com.
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Read Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial's newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, "starving freelancer." Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Previous Issue: Spotlight on SEO Content Writing. How to make money at it, effective marketing tips and more. Long-time freelancer Sharon Hurley Hall shares her success tips on this and so much more. Sharon can be found online at http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/ and http://sharonhurleyhall.com/. Subscribe to read this and all previous issues.

Current Issue. Interview with author and freelance writer Misti Sandefur. Also, info on 4 quick, simple things I do on a daily basis to increase traffic to my website and blog (and you can too!); how I made $4,000 in 30-days from one client -- and a whole lot more!
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Get the e-report, How to Make at Least $100/Day as a Freelance Writer -- free! Log on to http://www.freelancewritingwebsite.com/ for details. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Is It Time to Give Up Free Article Marketing?

Every Wednesday at noon, I post on BloggingTips.com (BT). Today I wrote about free article marketing, as in, is it time to give it up as a marketing strategy.

As many of you know, I literally wrote the book (ebook) on article marketing entitled Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Article Marketing: Results of a 30-day Article Marketing Experiment. And, while I do think it still has its place, it's a method I'm using less and less, as I discuss in my BT post. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.
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Want to learn how to make at least $250/day writing simple 500-word articles? Read how here.
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$4,000 in 30 days from One Client Alone!

FYI, the latest version of Inkwell Editorial's newsletter was published today. What's in it? An interview with freelance writer and author Misti Sandefur; details on a freelance writing contest, 4 quick, simple things I do to increase traffic to my website and blog (and you can too!); how I made $4,000 in 30-days from one client alone -- and a whole lot more!

Subscribe to get your copy.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
http://seo-article-writer.com/
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com/
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
P.S: I'm looking for freelance writing websites that accept ads. Know of any? Shoot the link to info *at* InkwellEditorial.com.
**************************************************
Read Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial's newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, "starving freelancer." Subscribe to read this , and all previous, issues.

Previous Issue: Spotlight on SEO Content Writing. How to make money at it, effective marketing tips and more. Long-time freelancer Sharon Hurley Hall shares her success tips on this and so much more. Sharon can be found online at http://getpaidtowriteonline.com/ and http://sharonhurleyhall.com/. Subscribe to read this and all previous issues.

Current Issue. Interview with author and freelance writer Misti Sandefur. Also, info on 4 quick, simple things I do on a daily basis to increase traffic to my website and blog (and you can too!); how I made $4,000 in 30-days from one client -- and a whole lot more!
***********************************************
Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com: Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Get the e-report, How to Make at Least $100/Day as a Freelance Writer -- free! Log on to http://www.freelancewritingwebsite.com/ for details. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

4-Eyed Writers & Free Ebooks!

I went to the eye doctor today, which got me to wondering, "Are there any writers with perfect vision?" I dare say if there are, it's due to laser surgery.

Good things come with four eyes is my mantra -- and I'm sticking to it! BUT, I digress.

My doctor put some drops in my eyes -- some kind of eye test -- and it burnt like the dickens. My point -- I can't see close up. It's going to take 3-5 hours for my vision to get back to normal (which, in reality, I should not be excited about).

Anyway, I will be posting the entry scheduled for today, Are freelance writers the poorest internet entrepreneurs? tomorrow. I had planned to finish and proof it today -- but I can't see clearly enough to do so.

Thank God for willing mates to bail you out (he wasn't about to stay still long enough to type and proof the entire post, however).

Here's something you might like: Get a FREE Ebook on Article Marketing. How? Click here for details.

Hasta manana and send up a prayer for me wee ole eyeballs!

Yuwanda (Don't know who she is? She can be a chatty matty; find out more here.)

Lessons Learned from Two Years of Blogging (Part II of III)

Today’s post is a continuation of yesterday’s post entitled, Lessons Learned from Two Years of Blogging. Without further ado:

6. Use Photos: This is something I very recently started doing. It makes sense as, as human beings, we are visual beings.

A photo works much like a great headline/article title – it draws readers in.

Tip for selecting photos: Of course, make it pertinent to the story. Also, make it funny if you can. Making people laugh is almost never a bad idea. (Image courtesty of ChrisAbraham.com)
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Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com to learn how.
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7. Don’t Be Afraid of Running Out of Things to Say: I wish I had a dollar over the last two years for everytime someone has written to me, “If I update my blog more often, I’m afraid I’ll run out of things to say.”

This is particularly true if they blog within a niche.

All I can say is, don’t be afraid of this. LIFE will provide you with topics to write about. Once you start to write regularly, strangely enough, you will have MORE to say, not less.

A prime example -- this list. When I first sat down to write about what I’d learned over the last two years of blogging, I had five initial points that I wanted to make. BUT, once I started writing, the ideas kept flowing.

And, as I’ve said elsewhere, when you write on a regular basis, you will pick up topic ideas from everywhere – eg, watching the news, talking to friends, reading other blogs, reader queries, etc.

You’ll just have to trust me on this point – you will not run out of things to say.

8. Longer Posts Fare Better: In my post, Article Marketing: Long or Short Articles -- Which Is Better?, I explain this in detail, so I won’t rehash it all here.

The gist of it is, shorter articles don’t explore a topic in enough detail to be beneficial. And, as you’ll remember from Part I of this article (Point 6), I advise all bloggers to respect their readers enough to give them useful information not found anyplace else.

Post Continued Below
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ARTICLE MARKETING E-BOOK: I conducted a month-long experiment on article marketing and published an e-book on the findings. Is article marketing profitable; how it works; which sites work best; how often to submit; what to submit; how much money will you make, results to expect; etc. All of these questions – and more – are answered! Learn more.

If article marketing is part of your promotions arsenal, this is a must-read! Click here for ordering info.
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9. Don’t Stress about Feedback: I’ve been blogging for two years now, and only get a few comments on my posts. Does it mean that my blog is not popular, or that nobody’s reading it?

Not from the amount of email I get. If your blog is but a slice of your marketing efforts, then whether or not you receive massive amounts of feedback shouldn’t bother you. That’s why I advise bloggers to figure out why they blog (Point #1 in Part I).

If your blog is your living like Darren Rowse over at ProBlogger.net, then if you know that going in, then you can start marketing it like the from the beginning.

As my blog is only a part of my marketing plan, it serves its purpose just fine. Massive amounts of feedback/interactivity is not what I need from my blog.

10. Clearly Define a Niche for Your Blog: Some may disagree with what I’m about to say, but I’m a firm believer in niche marketing. Why?

According to the CNNMoney.com article, Getting pizza coupons by text message:

The average customer is targeted with more than 3,000 marketing messages a day, so people have developed a resistance," says Erik Hauser, CEO of Swivel Media, a
creative agency which has done mobile marketing work for clients like Wells
Fargo.

We are inundated. One of the most effective ways to get through is target marketing – ie, target people who have a pre-disposition to hearing what you have to say. How do you do this?

Become an “expert” in your field (eg, niche it) and build up a relationship of trust over time with a highly targeted market. In the October 2003 article, Calling All Marketers, on FastCompany.com, Bill Blundon, chief marketing officer of Extraprise, a consulting firm in Boston says:

It's time to get back to understanding your customers . . . When I get a call
from American Express, I always listen to what they have to say. I have a
23-year relationship with them.

While some blogs achieve popularity without being niche blogs, eg, Kottke.org, these are rare. Jason Kottke, the owner of Kottke.org, had been blogging for years as a hobby before he tried to make money off his blog. According to his site, he has updated his blog almost every day since 1998 – that’s 9 years.

How many blogs do you know that have been around that long?! Most flame out after four or six months because there’s no immediate payoff. Blogging is no easy road to riches. Anyone who has a successful one will tell you that.

Blogger Makes History! Jason Kottke has quite an interesting story – in 2005, he quit his job as a web designer to blog full-time. While this may not sound like news now, it was big back then -- he was among the first to do this.

To this day, his full-time job is writing his blog. Tool around his site – interesting stuff (much of which I don’t understand or have an interest in; but, the simple breadth of material is impressive).

Tomorrow: Part III of this post.
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com to learn how.
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Labels: blogging advice, monetizing your blog, tips for bloggers