Should You Spend Money to Make Money Online?

Today over at BloggingTips, I wrote the last part of a three-part series that talks about how to know when it's a good time to spend money to make money online.

As a self-published ebook writer and publisher, I've gotten a lot of response from readers. I think it's because I'm "Joe the Plumber," in a manner of speaking. Meaning that, there are a lot of people who want to make money online, but they don't have huge marketing budgets -- or any marketing budget for that matter. So when I say I'm a small-time marketer who's kind of just figuring things out as I go along, a lot of people can identify with that.

Spending Money to Make Money with Ebooks: The Series Continues

I'm extending the series because of the amount of interest it's generated. Here is what I'll be talking about next week.

On Monday I’ll list the websites I've advertised my ebooks on, as well as those I'm thinking about advertising on.

On Tuesday I’ll tell you how I found affordable outlets to advertise on, and how you can do so too if you’re an ebook writer.

On Wednesday I’ll talk about the tangibles that go into placing an ad (ie, how long the ad should run, how to glean info from the sales numbers, whether or not to advertise with an outlet again, etc.).

Tomorrow: 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report! Tomorrow I'll be publishing a monster freelance writing jobs report. It will cover niches that are hot right now -- and will continue to be so for the next year or two based on my forecasts. I'll explain why these niches are going to remain red hot and how you can capitalize on them.

If you want to increase your freelance writing income, you won't want to miss this special industry report.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Make money selling ebooks online. How? Sign up to our ebook affiliate program and get a cut of every ebook we sell.

Recent Hot Blog Topics
Marketing Advice for Freelance Writers: How to Create “Sticky” Clients & Make More Money

Why Being Told Your Freelance Writing Rates are Too High is a Good Thing

How Would You Like to Make $1,000 in an Hour?

How to Start a Freelance Writing Career in 24 Hrs or Less for $0
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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 $500/Month or in Passive Income. Unlike a 9-5 job, freelance writers don't have company-sponsored 401K plans, medical benefits, paid days off, etc. All these are paid for by us. Wouldn't it be nice to create a passive income stream that brought in $1,000, $3,000, $5,000 a month or more? Affiliate marketing can do this. Interviews with three successful affiliate marketers reveal how. One is only 25 years old and is working on his first five-figure month after only 9 months! 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.

When to Spend Money to Make Money Online

Three things today dear readers:

(i) BloggingTips.com: The title of today' post is my post over at BloggingTips.com (BT). I've been hired to do more posts at BT -- from once a week to three times per week (M-W; 10 am EST). An excerpt from today's post reads:

I’ve been writing and publishing ebooks since 2004. I’ve never spent money to promote my line until recently. So, how did I decide it was time to take the plunge? Following are some guidelines – and my reasons – for deciding to take this route.

Do you have a product/service that you're thinking of promoting online? Wondering if you should start spending money to promote it? Maybe the guidelines and reasons I wrangled with will help you come to some conclusions. Read Internet Marketing: How to Tell When to Start Spending Money to Make Money Online for some helpful insights.

(ii) IW's e-Junkie Affiliate Program: It's finally up and running. If you become an affiliate, you get a portion of every ebook we sell on e-Junkie, even if you only promote one product. Why is this? That's the way the program is set up.

For example, if you just want to promote the SEO writing ebook, then you can do so. But, when visitors click through from your site and they buy two ebooks, you receive a commission from both sales, not just from the SEO writing ebook. FYI, we have 11 ebooks for sale on e-Junkie, and 25-30% of purchases are multiple sales.

BTW, the freelance writing e-course is not sold on e-Junkie yet. I want to revise it a little before adding it. I'll do this either this week, or over the weekend. Click here to find out all the details on the program -- and to download the 4 free affiliate marketing reports. They help you sell more online, no matter what you're promoting (our products or someone else's).

(iii) Finding Information on InkwellEditorial.com: I receive a lot of queries from readers that I am simply unable to answer personally. Most of the time it's about marketing. Some other popular topics are ebook writing and publishing, seo writing and freelance contracts (I get this one quite often).

Many times, the info is on the site, which has over 300 pages -- and is growing weekly. As I'm unable to respond to every query, here's how to find info on InkwellEditorial.com.

Here's to a profitable week and I'll see you back here tomorrow!

Sincerely,
Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com

Recent Hot Blog Topics

Marketing Advice for Freelance Writers: How to Create “Sticky” Clients & Make More Money

Why Being Told Your Freelance Writing Rates are Too High is a Good Thing

How Would You Like to Make $1,000 in an Hour?

How to Start a Freelance Writing Career in 24 Hrs or Less for $0
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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 $500/Month or in Passive Income. Unlike a 9-5 job, freelance writers don't have company-sponsored 401K plans, medical benefits, paid days off, etc. All these are paid for by us. Wouldn't it be nice to create a passive income stream that brought in $1,000, $3,000, $5,000 a month or more? Affiliate marketing can do this. Interviews with three successful affiliate marketers reveal how. One is only 25 years old and is working on his first five-figure month after only 9 months! 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.

Internet Marketing: How to Use the News to Drive Traffic to Your Website or Blog

In my regular Wednesday post over at BloggingTips.com, I talked about how to use current events -- eg, what's happening in the news -- to drive traffic to your website or blog.

This is not only a fun way to drive more traffic, but it keeps your posts fresh and timely because it forces you to think about the totality of your demographic's lives. Doing this creates true bonds with your readers, which leads to trust, which leads to sales.

Tomorrow, I'll post an article that illustrates this in detail. In the meantime, enjoy this post.

Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
Over and out for tonight!
P.S.: The newsletter came out on Monday and it was all about how to make passive income as a freelance writer. A delicious read, if I do say so myself. Want it? Subscribe!

Recent "Hot" Blog Posts
Quick Money-Making Tip for Freelance Writers

Why SEO Articles are the Best Free Marketing Tools on the Web Today

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Freelance Writers: Why an Ugly Website Can be Good for Your Business
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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. Spotlight on How to Make $500/Month or in Passive Income as an Affiliate Marketer. Unlike a 9-5 job, freelance writers don't have company-sponsored 401K plans, medical benefits, paid days off, etc. All these are paid for by us. Wouldn't it be nice to create a passive income stream that brought in $1,000, $3,000, $5,000 a month or more? Affiliate marketing can do this. Interviews with three successful affiliate marketers reveal how. One is only 25 years old and is working on his first five-figure month after only 9 months! Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Previous 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.

Traffic-Generating Lessons Learned from Internet Marketing Firms

As an SEO writer, I work with a lot of internet marketing firms. This has been a great learning experience for me on many levels about how to market on the web.

Why Internet Marketing Firms are Hired

To generate traffic -- this is the number one reason all internet marketing firms are hired. Serious web entrepreneurs realize that to get recognized on the web, you need to first get found on the web. SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing) firms help their clients achieve these goals.

I've learned a ton about how they go about doing this, which I discuss in my post, Traffic Generating Tips I’ve Learned from Working with SEO Firms, over at BloggingTips.com today.

As I wrote, "Think about it this way: if the traffic generation experts (ie, Internet Marketing Firms) are using these methods to drive traffic to client sites, shouldn’t you be doing the same for your site?"

Want to start a successful freelance writing career? Visit the Inkwell Editorial Freelance Writing Bookstore. And 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.: 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.

P.P.S.: Did you know that InkwellEditorial.com is the authority site on freelance writing? From summertime marketing to search engine optimization -- if it pertains to freelance writers, you'll find 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: 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.

2 Free Effective Marketing Tips for Online Writers

Following is an in-depth look at two time-tested, free marketing tips for new and/or online freelance writers. I think it helps to know why a marketing method is effective. That way, you’re much more likely to stick with it instead of just doing it because everybody else is.

Although there are many ways to promote yourself as a freelance writer, your budget will dictate how you market. Getting familiar with free and low-cost marketing tactics means you will always be able to market your services – no matter what your financial situation. Read this in-depth tutorial here.

INKWELL EDITORIAL NEWS & NOTES

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.

Article Marketing Contest Update: On Friday I posted Blog Marketing: How to Use Blog Commenting to Drive Traffic to Your Website/Blog to Ezinearticles.com.

On Saturday I posted How to Make $5,000/Month, or More, Writing SEO Articles to IdeaMarketers.com and How to Let Go of the Fear of Starting a FT Freelance Writing Career to Amazines.com.

On Sunday I posted The Quickest Way to Build a Profitable Freelance Writing Career to IdeaMarketers.com.

Yesterday I posted The 4 Fundamentals of Making Money Online to IdeaMarketers.com.

Article Marketing Contest Update: On Thursday I'll report on the incredible success I've had since I started submitting articles daily to article directories. I'm suprised, although I shouldn't be considering the success I had with it in the past.

Useful Freelance Writing Links

Start a Freelance Writing Career with Our "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.
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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.

Blog Marketing: How to Get Free PR for Your Blog

I recently “hired” a PR firm for my blog. Why is hired in quotation marks? Let me explain.

I turned a tip I got from reader Viqi French’s blog into a post on my blog. After I completed the marketing task written about here, I went back for seconds and completed another marketing task (#2) mentioned in this post on her blog.

This is when I got hit with a Eureka moment – why not “hire” this blog as my firm’s PR rep! After all, I was already implementing some of the suggestions listed here. If I checked back on say a weekly basis and just did even on thing suggested by this online marketing firm, in a year’s time, I could be deriving some real benefit from my PR efforts.

How to Hire a PR Firm for Your Blog/Website -- FREE

Following are some things to look for in an online marketing firm – whether it’s paid, or free.

Marketing Expertise: The first thing you want to look for is if the firm has the type expertise you’re looking for. Viqi French, the author behind FiercelyStrategic.blogspot.com is, according to her online bio, “… a Chicago-based publicist and writer who operates a marketing and publishing boutique, Pet Leopard Communications.”

Industry Expertise: Over and beyond overall marketing and PR expertise, any firm you hire should have expertise particular to your niche.

I like Viqi’s blog because she understands the industry I work in – e-publishing. So, she knows about traditional offline methods (eg, brochures and press kits) in addition to online methods like article marketing and ebook publishing (she’s authored her own ebook).

The fact that she’s authored her own book means that the advice she dispenses comes from firsthand experience – which I know from publishing my blog/website is the best kind of advice.

Detailed Advice: Some blogs are written as snippets. There’s no real meat; that’s saved for paid membership clubs or some kind of fee. And, let me rush to say, this is fine.

If you’re going to “hire” a blog to get some PR help from though, it needs to be one that is detailed. As you’re going to be doing the actual work, you’re going to need some kind of depth to the posts.

Check out my revamped, completed Squidoo Lens here. I had set it up a few months ago, but never published it. Upon reading this post on Viqi’s blog, I went back and completed it.

NOTE: Many of the tips you're going to run across you may already be familiar with. However, like hiring a personal trainer, you may know what to do, but when you "hire" someone to tell you what to do, you feel more obligated and dedicated. And, this is what most need to keep them on track with their marketing efforts.

Today’s a holiday; ostensibly you have some time. So, log on and see what PR you can get done to further your online marketing efforts! See this post to get started.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day everybody.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
http://seo-article-writer.com/
http://seo-articles-for-sale.com/
http://money-making-videos.blogspot.com/
How to Start a Successful Freelance Career Newsletter
P.S.: Read about my $250/day as a freelance writer -- with less than two weeks of marketing!
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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: How Much do Freelance Web Writers Really Make? This issue features a roundup of freelance writer income from around the web. Features salaries from a few hundred a month, to a website that earns over $30,000/month -- and the site owner doesn't even sell anything! Subscribe to read this , and all previous, issues.

Current 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.
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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 $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.

How to Optimize Your Website to Get More Traffic: Post #9 of Freelance Writer's Technology Month

Freelance Writer's Technology Month is winding down. There will be two more posts after today's entry. I've learned a lot and I've tried to pass it all on to you in this series.

To that end, today's topic is How to Optimize Your Website to Get More Traffic. A boring topic, perhaps. BUT, if you're serious about makingmoney online as a freelance wwriter, it's one you need to know at least the basics about.

I'm not a techie and I'm comfortable with that. HOWEVER, I've learned in my research that if I want to create passive online income, SEO is something that I must know about. What I discovered is that you don't have to be a techie to incorporate some basic SEO into your online marketing efforts -- basics that generate more traffic for your website (exactly what you need to increase your online income).

This article outlines 7 basic search engine optimization things you can do to increase your web traffic (the emphasis is on "basic!").

Good luck!
Yuwanda
Coming Soon! SEO-Article-Writer.com and SEO-Articles-for-Sale.com (stay tuned for some freelance writing opportunities)
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UPDATE 11/30/07: Following is a link to every post in the Freelance Writer's Technology Month series.
Intro Post: New Series - Freelance Writer's Technology Month
Post #1: The 4 Fundamentals of Making Money Online
Post #2: SEO Content Development: How to Drive More Traffic to Your Website
Post #3: Niche Marketing: How to Choose a Profitable Niche
Post #4: Software Tools for Niche Websites
Post #5: Turn $1/Day into an Online Empire: How to Make Money with Minisites
Post #6: 4 Controversial Ways to Get More Traffic for Your Website
Post #7: 5 Ways to Get a Job Writing SEO Articles
Post #8: How to Determine What to Charge as an SEO Article Writer
Post #9: How to Optimize Your Website to Get More Traffic
Post #10: Social Bookmarking Software & 9 Money-Making Conclusions from Freelance Writer’s Technology Month
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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 all previous issues.

Previous Issue: Sue Fagalde Lick, author of Freelancing for Newspapers. Whether you are an experienced or inexperienced freelance writer, this is one market that eagerly accepts freelancers, as Sue outlines in her book.

Current Issue. Ghostwriting: Want to know what type of work is out there in this genre? How much it pays? Where to find it? How to go about getting it? Ghostwriter Amanda Evans gives us the skinny on this freelance writing niche.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here and subscribe to read all previous issues.
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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. Freelance success stories, e-courses, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Get the e-report, How to Make $100/Day as a Freelance Writer -- free! Log on to http://www.freelancewritingwebsite.com/ for details.