SUCCESS!

I am excited! Who would think $9.15 would get me so excited? That is the amount I just got paid from Associated Content! Yep, they paid me for an article. Me. I love this site. Love love! It is a 400 more or less word article titled, Simple yet Spooktacular Halloween Party Ideas for Kids. It is onsite now, if you go to Associated Content you can read this literary masterpiece yourself! Can you tell I'm excited??
The amounts paid for articles vary at AC. I have garnered from my reading that the average offer made is $5.00. You have the choice of accepting the offer or declining it. I accepted my offer 0f $9.15. That payment was in my paypal account within 2 days of my clicking "accept". I love this site....did I mention that yet?
I have about 6 articles submitted and awaiting offers, hopefully (fingers crossed). There is no guarantee of AC making you an offer. I'm not sure what inspires offers the most, but it seems that articles relating to current events, holidays, and reviews of products generally do well. What people are searching online for the most will probably be a good topic. I am learning so much at AC by reading the forums. The people there seem genuinely interested in sharing and giving their advice.
If you are looking to make some money at home, this site is a must to check out! I am planning to submit at least 1-2 articles everyday, hopefully increasing this amount as I improve my writing skills. I will keep updating on my AC adventures...keep reading ( and writing!).

Associated Content

OK. This is a site where you get paid for writing short articles ( min.400 words ). I have signed up, and have been reading the message boards there, and trying to get acclimated. It all seemed a bit daunting at first, I admit, but the more I read on the forums, and the more I checked out what people have written, the more I became eager to give this a try. So, I have now submitted 3 articles as of today. One is on kid's halloween parties, another on celebrating Fall and Fall activities, and one more on organizing toys in your home. Not earth-shattering subjects, nor deep provactive stuff. But that seems to be ok....it apparently is more important to do "how to" type articles and Reviews, if you are looking to make money. I'm still getting my feet wet at this site, but I've read lots of good stuff about AC, and everything looks legit, and they really will pay for content. There are guidelines, of course, and I am hoping that my articles so far will meet the guidelines. If the AC editors want to publish your content, they will notify you in your message center that they have an offer. From what I've read so far, you can expect the average offer to be between $3-$5 dollars. But articles also alot more also...some have gotten $50.00. I am really excited, so far, with this site. I plan to submit at least 2, but hopefully 3-4, articles daily. It is supposed to take appx. 2 weeks to get a response ( offer or returned ), so I figure I will spend the next couple of weeks submitting, and see how it goes. I am hoping to submit enough content so that enough will be bought, and I won't feel too badly about the ones that aren't bought. I also am hoping to learn quite a bit more about the type of writing that pays the best, and at the same time, improve on my own writing skills ( very much needed!).

I will most definetly be updating on my experiences with Associated Content, and will update when and IF i do actually make $$$$! There is a link on my page if you would like to check this site out yourself.

My next goal is to absolutely dedicate time to working on getting traffic to my blog!
I have been so caught up on the trying to make some money at the sites I've signed up at, that I am not working on the marketing, referral, and advertising aspects of these programs. This is something I must commit to do.

Happy Friday!!

Aw.....Frustrations.......

I have been busy the last few days working online trying to research ways to get traffic to my blog, make some more money on cashcrate and treasure troopers, and getting frustrated!

Ugh...everytime I think I am making progress...I either get confused with what I am reading, or overwhelmed. The internet and marketing is not easy light reading---to be sure! Also, trying to work at all around my 3 kids ( and even my needy husband ), is challenging and often inducive to my wanting to throw my hands up in the air and say " I Quit! ".

But then I come to find out that I really WANT this.....it is all mine, this endeavor, darn it, and it's the first thing in alooooong time that I have done for myself. So I am determined to continue...I do not know where these steps I try and take each day will lead...I am shooting for success, but realize there are no guarantees. But I am not giving up....onward and upward....ah....positive thinking and deep breaths!

So for today, I have no real updates or constructive steps to relate. But tomorrow is a new day. I have done alot of reading....other people's blogs mostly, and hope to incorporate the suggestions and advice I've picked up into my own online pursuits.
So stay tuned for tomorrow...I promise some real updates and tips.

Some New Updates......About Time, Uh?

So, I haven't updated in a few days. My big news ( for me it is big anyway ), is that I finally figured out the "copy and paste " methods for placing HTML, Banners, and Buttons on my blog. I know its easy stuff for most, but believe me, it took me two days...could not figure it out! Now I know, through trial and error, and reading and reading, it is just a matter of copying the HTML Code that you want ( for example, on the mineral girlz site, there is a page that displays several banner options you can put on your blog...each banner has a code displayed next to it ), so I now know to 1)Highlight that code, then 2)Go up to "edit" on my toolbar, click on "copy". That copies the code. Next, I go to my blog, go to "layout", click on "add page element", and then a smaller window pops up w/some choices for me....the one I use for adding HTML actually says "add HTML...". I click on that choice, and then a window opens that is like a blank template. I click on the inside of that blank template, then hit "ctrl and v, ( Paste ), and the code I copied should appear! Then I click on the button, " add to blog"...and voila!! when I check my blog the banner is there! Now you can check out my banners and such on the sidebar...click on any of them to go to that website.
What else have I done?
I have made some money with Treasure Toopers and Cashcrate. Both easy to use, free sites that you can instantly start making money with. No, you won't get rich, but yes, you will make some cash! I will discuss these and some other sites much more, hopefully tomorrow! But for now, I need to start dinner and spend some time with my family.......
Till Tomorrow.....more steps to take!!

More Baby Steps....

OK...this is what I did today as I continue my attempts to become a successful wahm:

first, I listed my blog with the blog directory known as TECHNORATI. From what I am reading about blogging, it is important to get your blog on directories to increase traffic to your blog. Technorati is mentioned everywhere....apparently that is the one directory you want to make sure your blog is listed on.
I will give my impressions and insights into directories, in particular this one, as I learn more about them myself!

second: I signed up to Pay Per Post....a site that "connects bloggers and advertisers". I haven't done much except sign up, and try to read about how it all works, but it does look interesting. More to follow.

third: I have signed up with Mineral Girlz. It looks like a good company with excellent possibilities to earn money. This will also have followup coming.

Besides getting signed up with these sites, I mostly read and researched. Time was limited today as crying and fighting, and general boredom amongst "the natives" kicked in to high gear! ACK.

I will be adding links, etc., as soon as time allows....keep checking back as I take more steps towards success!!

Adsense

Today I worked on setting up my adsense account. Finally got it going ( took me longer than most, I'm sure!). I am trying to read as much as I can about blogging, advertising, adsense, links, marketing, etc....!! Ugh....sometimes it gets overwhelming....but after a break ( or two ),I managed to get refocused and read more. What is hard right now is managing to spend time with my children, and supervise them, and still pop on the computer enough to work. I am hopeful that in time things will be more organized and I will not be so crazed. Here's to hoping!!

Online money making wise:
I am doing Crash Crate, and so far enjoying it. Will update and give a better review of this site as more time is spent on it, and hopefully my checks start to come in.

Stay tuned for my "baby steps" progress!!

Irene

Sunday, August 12, 2007

This is my first entry...actually my first blog attempt EVER! I am sure I will be trying different things over and over, but I am determined to get this right!!

Ok...My main focus here is to document my daily attempts at successfully working from home!
I hope to share tips, successes, failures, and fun with anyone reading my blog.


I plan to update daily ( really PLAN to!! ), so please check in for my latest "tidbits"

Irene
Wannabe Successful WAHM!!