Top 10 Blogging Lessons Learned on Traffic and Monetization

Living the eMoms at Home life has been a roller coaster ride of late. LOTS has changed and improved over this [very] short span of time.

Some things have been huge successes. Some things still need… er, tweaking.

Yet in my quest to find the good in everything, here’s what I have learned so far from blogging my heart out to you wonderful readers:

1. All AdSense sites are NOT created equal

I did my due diligence and spent a good amount of time researching AdSense design, placement, etc. Thank GOD I didn’t drop hundreds of dollars on some information product promising me millions. I was doing all of the right things, but making less than $5 a day.Why?

Because of my niche. I don’t think people really trust home based business ads. Why do I know this to be true? eSelfHelp is still up and running - and languishing, because I put it on hold to develop this blog. But my click through rate on that site - with less than 50 visitors a day (more like 20 at times) is astronomical (One page in particular is nearly 9%). I am actually making more money off of eSelfHelp AdSense ads than I am off of this site, with hundreds of DUV.

Lesson learned: Though I won’t change what I write on this blog to make more AdSense dollars, it has given me much food for thought for additional projects that will generate alternative streams of income.

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2. Competition is Really Coop-e-tition

After enjoying a successful career in the cutthroat recruiting industry (actually, I really did enjoy it!!), coming into the blogging community has both surprised and astonished me at times. Now, it could be my peer group choice, but every single person I have encountered (well.. except this one) has been open, honest, willing to help, and seriously | downright | GENEROUS.

I didn’t expect it, and in hindsight, I’m not really sure why it surprised me so much. But I am honored to be a part of this community of the best and the brightest, and readers you can rest assured I LIVE to take my good fortune and pay it forward.

Lesson Learned: Take advantage of the community nature of bloggers by creating joint ventures or simply reaching out to bloggers you admire. But don’t blow it by expecting something for nothing or by being too darn pesky.

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3. Traffic Spikes ROCK

The whole reason eMoms at Home is what it is today is thanks to the LinkedIn Bloggers group. They worked together and a group of individuals linked to my blog over two days.I really didn’t understand the sheer power of this medium until this experience - the power to literally transform who I am, as well of the lives of others via blogging is astounding. This is why I started the BlogJolt project - and now I am seeing the same effects on the participants of that group.I watched it as well with ProBlogger’s List Writing Project, and also watched some really talented and funny bloggers emerge and really come into their own as their blogs received the attention they deserved.

Lesson Learned: If you have good content, you owe it to yourself AND to the rest of us to do what it takes to bring it to a wider audience. To quote Nelson Mandela,

“We ask ourselves who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and famous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world…”

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4. Traffic Does NOT Equal Dollars

The few times I have seen traffic spikes, it has not automatically translated into dollars. Now, there are times when this is absolutely true. But I have also been honest all along that I am learning this stuff along the way as you are. Don’t assume that just because you can get a lot of visitors they will pull out their pocket book (or their AdSense Ad clicking finger, for that matter). Converting visitors into revenue is a fine art - one I am working on all the time :).

Lesson Learned: Don’t get hung up on PR and numbers. Be sure to balance your time between generating traffic AND creating revenue streams.

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5. “Stats Addiction” Needs its Own 12-Step Program

Probably the most costly lesson of all is the amount of time I could (and HAVE!) spent on checking traffic and referrer stats. “Addiction” is a kind and generous term in my mind ;). It’s more like an insidious time sucking machine…Lesson Learned: I have put limits on the number of times I allow myself to check stats - 3 times a day, 5 if it’s a ‘busy’ day on the blog. Otherwise my home based business will rapidly turn into my home based GONEiness!!

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6. Online Networking is Exceptionally Effective

Boy, is it ever. I’ve talked about networking before, quite a bit. It’s a bit different doing it online vs. in person. Each has its own pros and cons. It took me a little while to get comfortable emailing people I had never come in contact with before. I was frankly uncomfortable with the whole darn thing - fearful of being a pest, being branded a spammer, or breaking some unwritten rule I hadn’t found out about yet.

Lesson Learned: Make it mandatory to get outside of your comfort zone and meet other people online who can help you - or YOU can help. I can’t stress this one more highly. Make it a MUST.

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7. Integrity is King

Our blogging community is a fragile environment, with tidal waves of change hitting us on a regular basis. The ONLY way to stay above the fray and ensure the work you are creating will serve your career goals is to make integrity one of your highest priorities.This includes pay per post opportunities (be transparent with your intentions), book and product reviews, and simply the truth behind your content. We can police ourselves, or open ourselves up to legislation - sooner rather than later if we aren’t vigilant about honesty and ethics in our work.

Lesson Learned: Just like in life, NO dollar amount is worth having if it’s had at the price of hurting or misleading others.

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8. We Live in and Write for a Small World

I used to be intimidated by the amount of blogs created on a daily basis. But considering 40% of them are splogs, and hundreds of thousands more never get beyond a post or two, I’m finding the ones that last are literally needles in the blogosphere haystack.Though it makes it a bit easier to stand out in the crowd for now, it also means that much of the time, we are really only reaching a very small percentage of the world with our blogs.

It’s a bigger topic than I can take on in a list post… but it begs to ask some good questions:

What are we doing to expand our reach?

Is there a way for blogs to make a social difference? (Toby has a thing or two to say about this subject!)

How do we get our work in front of the people that need it - but don’t even know to look for it?

Lesson Learned: The big picture is always there for us to look at. It’s up to us to contribute our part to the Big Painting of Life.

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9. Blogging is a Journey, not a Destination

For some, this one perhaps isn’t so relevant… for the REST of us, though, it’s something to consider. There WILL be blogs that are, and will be, a stand-alone business. But a more likely scenario is that they will launch you into a different career or business.

I’m not telling you to stop building your blog - in fact, DO build it into a stand alone business. BUT, in the meantime, take this opportunity to build up other revenue streams. It could be another blog, another site, an information product, a book, who knows?And JUST IN CASE your blog doesn’t make it to the “big time”, at least you have a backup plan (and if you DO make it to the big time, you’ll have even more money to enjoy at the top if you build a strong foundation now!!)

Lesson Learned: Just like in any business, don’t put your all your eggs in one basket.

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10. I Have Come a Long Way - and I Have a Long Way to Go

I am SO damn grateful for the journey to date. My thanks goes out again to those that have helped along the way - as in, hand over my heart thanks. You know who you are. (Hint :: if you are reading this, I’m thanking YOU.)But I had made some assumptions about blogging (thinking AdSense was the be all, end all… traffic would equal dollars…) that just aren’t true - at least all of the time for all bloggers. Silly me.

Building a name and getting lots of visitors doesn’t mean much if I’m not making a difference or earning an income. I’ve had a ton of fun, experienced massive growth, and now it’s time to get down to business.

Lesson Learned: I’m working feverishly on the front end to ensure I continue to add value - and on the back end to build my surprise success into a profitable business.

This blog has put me into a position with great potential. If I never had another visitor again, I can honestly say this journey has been extraordinary and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

What I do with it now will make or break me as a blogger. But not as a person, mom, entrepreneur, business woman or leader. :)

The uniqueness of Nokia E71

Announced Date
16 June 2008
Device Description:
The Nokia E71 is optimized for messaging and e-mail with a full messaging keyboard and two customizable home screens, which let users switch easily between business and personal applications. Other features include one-touch keys, intelligent input (including auto-completion), Nokia Calendar, built-in A-GPS, Nokia Maps, 3.2-megapixel camera, music player and e-mail support, including Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email among others. Supported WCDMA frequencies depend on the region where the device is available.
Compare with other device(s)
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Technical Specs
Developer Platform S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1
Operating System Symbian OS v9.2
Resolution 320 x 240
>General
Resolution 320 x 240
Color Depth 24 bit
Device Size 114 x 57 x 10 mm
Weight 127 g
Input Methods 2 Labeled soft keys
5-way Scrolling
Qwerty Key Mat
Frequency Bands GSM 1800
GSM 1900
GSM 850
GSM 900
WCDMA 1900
WCDMA 2100
WCDMA 850
WCDMA 900
Data Bearers CSD
Dual Transfer Mode (MSC 11)
EGPRS
GPRS
HSCSD
HSDPA
WCDMA
Regional Availability Africa
Americas
Asia-Pacific
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
CPU Count Single CPU
CPU Type ARM 11
CPU Clock Rate 369 MHz
UAProfile Link Profile 1
Profile 2
Profile 3
Consumer Link Product Home Page
Developer Link Developer Home Page
Remote Device Access Service Link to the Service
>Extra Features
Extra Features FM Radio
FOTI Firmware over the Internet
Handsfree Speaker
PoC (Push-to-talk over Cellular)
SyncML
Themes
Visual Radio
GPS Features A-GPS
>APIs
Java Technology JSR 139 Connected, Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) 1.1
JSR 118 MIDP 2.0
JSR 185 Java™ Technology for Wireless Industry
JSR 75 FileConnection and PIM API
JSR 82 Bluetooth API
JSR 135 Mobile Media API
JSR 172 J2ME™ Web Services Specification
JSR 177 Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ (CRYPTO and PKI packages)
JSR 179 Location API for J2ME™ 1.0
JSR 180 SIP API for J2ME™
JSR 184 Mobile 3D Graphics API for J2ME™
JSR 205 Wireless Messaging API 2.0
JSR 226 Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API
JSR 234 Advanced Multimedia Supplements
Nokia UI API
Java API Access Permissions Java API Access Permissions
Other APIs OpenGL ES 1.1 Plugin
Product ID 0x2000249B
Certificates Symbian A
Symbian B
Symbian C
Symbian D
UTI Root
>Browser & Flash
Browser HTML over TCP/IP
OSS Browser
WAP 2.0
Web Runtime
XHTML over TCP/IP
Flash Lite version Flash Lite 3.0
>Multimedia
Camera Resolution 2048 x 1536
CMOS Sensor 3.2 Megapixel
Digital Zoom 4 x
Focal length 3.7 mm
F-Stop/Aperture f/2.8
Focus range 10 cm to infinity
Image Formats JPEG/Exif
Camera Features Auto Exposure, Auto Focus, Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Self Timer
Video Recording Resolution 320 x 240
Video Recording Frame Rate 15 fps
Video Recording Formats H.263, MPEG-4
Video Features Video Call
Video Player
Video Recorder
Video Sharing
Video Streaming
Video Playback Formats 3GPP formats (H.263), Flash Video, H.264/AVC, MPEG-4, RealVideo 7,8,9/10
Graphic Formats BMP, EXIF, GIF87a, GIF89a, JPEG, JPEG 2000, PNG, TIFF, WBMP
Audio Features Audio Equalizer
Audio Recorder AMR
Audio Streaming
Music Player
Stereo
Audio Formats AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, eAAC+, M4A, MIDI Tones (poly 64), Mobile XMF, MP3, MP4, RealAudio 7,8,10, SP-MIDI, True tones, WAV
Secondary Camera Resolution 640 x 480
Secondary Camera Focal length 35 mm
Secondary Camera F-Stop/Aperture f/3.2
Secondary Camera Focus range 20 cm to infinity
Secondary Camera Image Formats JPEG/Exif
Secondary Camera Video Recording Resolution 128 x 96
Secondary Camera Video Recording Frame Rate 15 fps
Secondary Camera Video Recording Format H.263
>Memory Functions
Maximum User Storage 110 MB
Free Executable RAM Memory 71 MB
NAND Memory 256 MB
SDRAM Memory 128 MB
Memory Card type Micro SD
Memory Card Features Hot Swap
Maximum Memory Card Size 8 GB
Maximum Heap Size Unlimited
Maximum JAR Size Unlimited
>Connectivity
Local Connectivity Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR
Bluetooth Stereo Audio
Infrared
Micro USB
MTP (Multimedia Transfer Protocol)
Nokia AV 2.5mm
Nokia microUSB Cable CA-101
USB 2.0
USB Mass Storage
WLAN
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, BIP, DUN, FTP, GAP, GAVDP, GOEP, HFP, HID, HSP, OPP, SAP, SPP
WLAN support 802.11b/g
Nokia VoIP 2.3
WEP
WPA
WPA2 (AES/TKIP)
>Messaging
Messaging IM
MMS+SMIL
SMS
Messaging Features OMA Instant Messaging and Presence Service v1.1
OMA Multimedia Messaging Service v1.2
Email Solutions Mail for Exchange
OMA E-mail Notification v1.0
Seven Mobile Mail
Visto Mobile
Email Protocols IMAP4
POP3
SMTP
Document Formats Excel, PDF, Powerpoint, Word, Zip
>Power Management
Power Management 2.0mm Charger Connector
Battery BP-4L 3.7V 1500 mAh
GSM Talk Time up to 10.5 hours
WCDMA Talk Time up to 4.5 hours
GSM Standby Time up to 17 days
WCDMA Standby Time up to 20 days
Music Playback Time up to 18.0 hours
>Other
OMA Device Management OMA Client Provisioning v1.1
OMA Device Management v1.1.2
Synchronization OMA Data Synchronization v1.2
Digital Rights Management OMA DRM Forward Lock
OMA DRM v1.0
OMA DRM v2.0
Windows Media DRM 10
DRM Delivery Method HTTP Download
MMS
OMA Download v1.0
Web Services Liberty Alliance ID-WSF 1.1
OMA WS Network Identity 1.0
WS-I Basic Profile 1.0/1.1
Tools

The main Tools & SDKs page www.forum.nokia.com/tools provides all the tools & SDKs in an easy to access form. The page also includes Getting Started -articles giving an overview of the tools and SDKs.

Carbide.ui Theme Edition
Carbide.ui Theme Edition enables the creation and editing of themes for S60 and Series 40 devices. Carbide.ui provides professionals and hobbyists alike with access to more than 1,000 customizable elements in the S60 UI, which makes the S60 UI the most customizable UI available.

Carbide.c++
Carbide.c++ is a family of powerful mobile-application development tools built on the Eclipse framework, which are available free of charge to all Symbian C++, Open C/C++ and Qt developers.
Recommended SDK(s)

OpenGL ES 1.1 Plug-in
This early technology plug-in for S60 3rd edition SDK for Symbian OS, for C, enables the development of OpenGL ES 1.1 applications with N93. N93 is the first Nokia multimedia computer with HW accelerated 3D graphics/OpenGL ES 1.1 support. This plug-in enables the full usage of the native 3D graphics features supported in N93. The content of this plug-in will be a part of S60 R3.1 SDK.

S60 Platform SDKs for Symbian OS, for C++
The S60 SDKs for Symbian OS enable application development for devices based on the S60 platform using C++. The SDK includes all key resources needed for application development, such as documentation, API reference, and an emulator. An IDE is not included; Carbide.c++ is recommended.

S60 Platform SDKs for Symbian OS, for Java™
S60 Platform SDK for Symbian OS, for Java™ MIDP allows developers to quickly and efficiently run and test Java applications for devices built on the S60 platform. Using a Java™ IDE, development with the SDK is hosted on a PC.
For more details visit
www.gsmarena.com/nokia_e71-2425.php

10 secrets to a happy couple

The 10 Secrets of Happy Couples
May 20, 2009

10 Secrets Happy Couples

They might be 30, or 75. They come in all colors, shapes, sizes and income brackets. It doesn’t matter how long they’ve been together. Whatever the demographics, when you see a happy couple, you just know it!

How do these couples stay in love, in good times and in bad? Fortunately, the answer isn’t through luck or chance. As a result of hard work and commitment, they figure out the importance of the following relationship “musts.” Because few couples know about all of the musts, I think of them as the relationship “secrets.”
Happy Couples and Their Secrets

1. Develop a realistic view of committed relationships.

Recognize that the crazy infatuation you experienced when your romance was new won’t last. A deeper, richer relationship, and one that should still include romance, will replace it. A long-term relationship has ups and downs, and expecting it will be all sunny and roses all the time is unrealistic.

2. Work on the relationship.

An untended garden develops weeds that can ultimately kill even the heartiest plants. And so it is with relationships. It is important to address problems and misunderstandings immediately. Some people believe good relationships just happen naturally. The truth is that a good relationship, like anything you want to succeed in life, must be worked on and tended to on a regular basis. Neglect the relationship, and it will often go downhill.

3. Spend time together.

There is no substitute for shared quality time. When you make a point of being together, without kids, pets and other interruptions, you will form a bond that will get you through life’s rough spots. Time spent together should be doing a shared activity, not just watching television.

4. Make room for “separateness.”

Perhaps going against conventional wisdom, spending time apart is also an important component of a happy relationship. It is healthy to have some separate interests and activities and to come back to the relationship refreshed and ready to share your experiences. Missing your partner helps remind you how important he or she is to you.

5. Make the most of your differences.

Stop and think: What most attracted you to your partner at the beginning? I’ll almost guarantee that it was exactly the thing that drives you most insane today. Take a fresh look at these differences. Try to focus on their positive aspects and find an appreciation for those exact things that make the two of you different from one another. It’s likely that your differences balance one another out and make you a great team.

6. Don’t expect your partner to change; but at the same time give them more of what they want.

If both you and your partner stop trying to change each other, you will eliminate the source of most of your arguments. At the same time, each of you should focus on giving one another more of what you know the other person wants, even if it doesn’t come naturally. For instance, instead of complaining how your partner never cleans out the dishwasher, try just doing it yourself once in awhile without complaint. Your partner will likely notice your effort and make more of an effort themselves around the house. If you do both of these things at once you’ve got a winning plan!

7. Accept that some problems can’t be solved.

There may be issues upon which you cannot agree. Rather than expending wasted energy, agree to disagree, and attempt to compromise or to work around the issue. Two people cannot spend years together without having legitimate areas of disagreement. The test of a happy relationship is how they choose to work through such issues — through compromise, change, or finding it’s just not that important to stew over.

8. Communicate!

Lack of communication is the number one reason even good relationships fail. And here is a useful format for doing so, especially when dealing with incendiary topics: Listen to your partner’s position, without interrupting him or her. Just listen. When he or she is finished, summarize what you heard him or her say. If you can, empathize with your significant other even though you don’t agree. This will take your partner off of the defensive, and make it easier for them to hear your thoughts and feelings. It’s hard to argue when you use this format, and best of all, you may come up with an understanding or a solution.

9. Honesty is essential.

You may share with your partner the things he or she doesn’t want to hear. Better this than to have him or her doubt your honesty. Mistrust is one of the key deal breakers in relationships. And once trust is lost or broken, it can take a very long time to re-establish it in the relationship.The happiest couples are the ones where honesty is as natural and every day as breathing.

10. Respect your partner, and don’t take him or her for granted.

Treating your sweetheart with respect is likely to get you the same in return. And regularly reminding them how much they mean to you will enrich your relationship in indescribable ways. When you say, “I love you,” pause for a moment to really mean it. And don’t be afraid to express your feelings of appreciation with your partner — he or she will be thankful that you did.

Making these secrets an integral part of your relationship won’t be easy. In fact, your efforts may initially seem like planted seeds that never come up. If you maintain your efforts, however, you will likely reap what you sow.

Hot cars!

Golden Child
Chrome and gold flake: this CRX rolls low and hard

It takes faith to get on the cover of Hot Car List. It takes faith and a lot of hard work and planning. God damn, didn't I write this once before? Look here, didn't I say last month, and the month before that, and hell, even the month before that it takes more than a JDM-style body kit and a set of clear taillights to get your share of respect in this industry? Individual experiences will vary widely, of course, but the road to import stardom is more often than not one fraught with great sacrifice and financial hardship.

Take Ron Samonte, from San Diego, Calif., as a shining example. This is his '89 CRX, a car that Samonte has watched slowly morph into the import show car of his dreams--and when I say "slowly," I mean just that. If Samonte had a fairy godmother, he could have simply asked her to wave her magic wand and mold the Mugen body kit and custom fender flares into the factory sheet metal. She could have snapped her magic fingers and transformed the CRX's diminutive powerplant into a built, turbocharged and intercooled B16A mill. She could have sprinkled a pinch of magic fairy dust over the stock paint and watched it melt into a full-on lowrider-style, metal-flaked golden skin that entrances all who gaze into its gleaming, clear-coated depths. If Samonte had a fairy godmother, all of this could have been executed in a day, no doubt, and at no cost to him. for more information visit http://www.hotcarlist.com/hot-car-articles.htm

11 Keys to Stain Your Deck Like A Pro

Having spent my entire adult life working with paints and stains, it didn't take long for me to figure out that homeowners who stain their own decks, for the most part end up dissatisfied with their project. After all of their hard work, the stain doesn't hold up, and almost overnight their beautiful project again begins to weather from nature's elements. No matter what they have tried, the result is always the same...a lousy looking deck that seems to always look like it needs a little attention. The solution however, is not all that difficult. If you want your deck to look like a pro did it, then follow these 11 keys to success that will guarantee you'll end up with a great looking deck.

How You Can Benefit From Attending Parenting Courses

What are the advantages of taking parenting courses you may ask. Well, there are many advantages that come from taking recognised parenting courses. Advantages such as the fact that if you are a new parent, you will learn important and basically essential things that you will need to know for your children, and even if you already have a child or two, you will learn things in parenting courses that you may not have known or thought about before.

Best Lottery Systems Exposed

Everybody wants to win the jackpot prize in the lottery. For this reason, many people have formulated their own strategies and method in predicting the nest possible winning numbers for various lottery systems that exist. As for me, the best lottery system to beat is the pick 3 lottery. All you will do is pick three digits and bet and hope it will hit. Compared to other lottery systems, pick 3 is the easiest and a lot of people are placing bets.

What Cost You Most in Web Hosting

People tend to find something cheap, webmaster is not the exception especially in this recession period. But do you feel a web hosting used you $3.95/month is a cheap one? In below, we will discuss about cost structure of web host so that you can get a better understanding of your spending on it.
Basically, the overall cost of a web hosting is comprised of 3 parts:

Useful Tips in Handling Job Interviews

Many applicants fail to pass interviews because they are not prepared. There are things one should consider before going through an interview.
Landing on your dream job is not all about just being skilled and experienced. It is a combination of adeptness, aptitude and confidence elucidated during a job interview. After all, an employer has not actually seen you working yet. All he has is his first impression on you during the interview. And this is how important job interviews are.

Should You Break Up? 7 Questions to Determine Whether to Stay Or Leave a Relationship

People can be indecisive about whether to stay in a relationship or break up. If you're in a relationship and feel like you're in a perpetual state of indecision - always with "one foot out the door" but never quite ready to leave - you need to determine if you should stay or go.