Shoemoney Webinar Report
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I just finished listening to a Shomoney Webinar (Blog Monetization from Soup to Nuts) hosted by Big Jason that took place on March 11th, 2009 8 om CET . Here is the link to the webinar page. Jason said that audio and video will be posted on his site. Winners of the prizes will be notified by email i think. Prizes? Yap! Check the prizes.
Here is a recap:
The Webinar was on 8PM Central standard time and was about 2 hours or so. Shoemoney explained how he started online and how he is making money right now. At the end he took time and answered lots of questions.
One of them was also mine so I feel kinda cool today. A few days ago I was thinking about starting this blog and today one of my internet marketing idols answered my question – for free. I just love the power of internet.
On this page:
- Video. From Shoemoney`s website.
- Transcript/Notes. I was trying to put down as much notes as possible and was writing really fast so I am sorry if some answers are incomplete or missing.
- I also did some printscreens (bottom of the page).
Anyway there is a lot to learn from Jeremy.
Thank you Jeremy and Jason
I would like to thank you for your time and effort you put into this. It was very educational for me!
Video of the webinar:
Transcript of the webinar:
First slide was about starting online:
Shoemoney started in2004 – giving tips on forums, making decent money with adsense.
Started his own site: google____.com – he predicted google will eventually claim this domain so Shoemoney.com was born.
1st post was about meeting Paris Hilton.
His advise: Don`t try to break news! – Try to connect with users – people come to your site because of good advice.
Whats your passion?
Focus on building your content – find your own niche.
You dont need google -
Don`t kill your site before it starts – keep going with your passion, connect with your readers – celebrate your failures and success.
What is your edge?
Connect with your readers
Find your story!!
Credibility – you need to create credibility – Shoemoney took the picture of him with his famous Adsense check – and others didnt! (Between the lines: you need to risk and be different. Get out of the crowd! )
Ways to monetize
Contextual Ads (Adsense) – made (making) lots of money with it, but from usability point of view its not good because users actually need to leave your site.
Donations (Buy me a cup of Coffee) – he likes it and recommends to use amazon wishlists
Subscriptions – Definately a great way to make money
Physical Goods – T-shirts, any products actually
Affiliate Marketing – needs a lot of experimenting, ups and downs
Direct Ad sales – FAVORITE WAY TO MONETIZE – flat month or impressions
Text Links and Paid Posts – does not recommend it but it is up to you
Shoemoney blog charges $600 for paid post – but more likes to talk about what he wants. Anyway that is his price.
My Blog income (Shoemoney.com)
80% comes from direct ad sales (Azoogle, Facebook)
25% from affiliate commisions
5% misc
Affiliate Marketing
1st post was a coupon code for free $100 advertising on Yahoo
Other interesting post was about book that got Jeremy motivated… (Amazon gives you a commission for everything for 24 hours – I did`t know that. But have seen it on Drugstore aff. program on Linkshare)
Visa Black card – long conversion route, but works
Pricing Direct Ads
Give super low price at the beginning – if they leave and then come back give them a higher price.
10-15% raise when adding new advertisers.
Making Money Online business is not in a recession! (Zac Johnson also said this some time ago – )
My Blog Income – Shoemoneys of course
2007 – 108 thousand dollars
2008 – 514 thousand dollars
2009 – 750k thousand dollars – projected – Jeremy said he will be disappointed if they don`t reach it.
Dont Loose That Deal
Prepare a media kit – (it seems so obvious but I often forget this!)
Make it easy for advertisers to contact you. (this is ultra important)
Follow up with everyone who is interested in advertising – don`t refuse people with gmail and similar (from Shoemoneys experience these guys most often bring the biggest money – so don`t underrestimate this!)
Provide as many sizes and pricing you can handle – let people contact you and try to arrange specific deals.
Before I go
Know your Goals (This makes sense, ya.)
Test Test Test (on college we had a course about multivariate testing so this is cool… )
Tools of the trade ( This is already on my tasklist for this week – 9-15 March! Yeey!)
Don`t sell out
What to do – SUPER TIPS!
Write 1 great post every day.
Contribute to other blogs.
Don`t try to break news, writing about your favorite tv show can actually bond you with your audience (people identify themselves with situations).
Here are the questions and answers from Shoemoney:
(sorry if I missed some things)
How to organize many websites?
Basecamp software – Shoe says he is not very organized. He uses pen and paper. (I also struggle with several notebooks, google docs, project managers and password managers – think about it!)
Quality over quantity – you will sell more with quality targeted visitors
Shoemoney is not sucking up on companies, but tells his opinion no matter what…and this has actually proved to get him more respect from this companies. (It makes sense if critic is constructive we can learn a lot)
My question:
Originally my question was:
Hi Jeremy, Hi Jason!
I am already earning some money with adsense, amazon and cj, but because of my day job I never had time to kick it full time. I am now on my own, left my job and want to move on fast lane. I am thinking of joining Wealthy Affiliate or getting a mentor. What do you suggest to speed things up?
Jason asked Shoemoney in this way: What would you do if you needed to make money…if someone put a gun on your head and said you need to make money today…
Have enough content!
Write 10 ways to get sth done than get it on digg, social networks.
Ebay aff. network?
Never used their network
But uses Commission Junction a lot.
What aff. programs are the best?
Ringtons are the best – affiliate.com -they pay $20 for ringtones
google money tree stuff
Should I give away free advertising?
Yes! It is hard to get a first advertiser.
Social proof of having an advertiser is ULTRA big. It is not about traffic, but how you present yourself.(This is such a great advice. We learned at college that advertisers actualy give credibility to medium. So why not make it a 1 dollar! It will be funny but it will start the snowball rolling. Once things evolve advertisers will compete for placements. )
Techcrunch – gets 2millions readers
2 Tips about advertising:
If people can get a return on their investment, then they will advertise.
How to knock off “I will give you 70% commision guy:) Don`t get fooled. Ask him how much does he plan to make and offer him slightly lower flat fee. Then you will see if he is serious.
Name of tha wp plugin!
cforms – great contact form for WP (I used it on some other blog and is really cool -here is a link if someone needs it http://www.deliciousdays.com/cforms-plugin )
Some Shomoney`s tips for intermezzo:
Be yourself!! Tell about when you went to Strip clubs! Dont be afraid to be yourself!
Own all the traffic for your keywords with several domain names.
General rule for posting on blog?
Once a day – but sometimes 3 posts per day if things are happening
keep a rhytm!
He writes posts all the day…write a post before 6am. …have lots of post prepared to be posted…shoemoney has 50 ready at all time (I need to develop this habit!)
Tracking performance of advertisements
Keep it as easy as possible- if they see a positive return than ok, if not its all good. (probably at the beginning this will not be possible, but once I become more known applies.)
Finding time?
Thats what he loves to do
Gets home at 5 every day!
Do you find it better to link directly to offer or link to presell landing page?
On his blog – he links directly.
“the affiliate marketer” – for PPC he links directly to seller
Take the baseline: for instance 10% conversion …try to rotate and test what works best – (there is no rule).
Ringtones -you better have a presell page with phone selector, carrier selector.
Local advertising
check post on shoemoney blog
Current goals
Be happy for the rest of life, enjoy family, have fun.
He knows the economy is crazy so appreciates his life.
Do you still subscribe to blogs?
Yes! techcrunch, mlm? junkie
Best place to start without money?
Start writing. Write every day about things you love.
Blog hosting company
Media Temple – best but but pricy
Hostgator – most economical – (I use hostgator for 2 and a half years and they really deliver for me – this blog is on Hostgator too.)
Motivation!
Sacrifice – time -working all day, all night
Hates to work for somebody other than hisself…can`t take orders. (Me too.)
Key tips for ppc aff. marketing
Bid on as many keywords as possible for a nickle…doesnt work anymore.
Content network -extremely tight campaigns (need to research this field)
Is it possible to start blogging with your day job?
yes! But sometimes you need a kick.
Making money by bloggin
Start with what you like.
City directory
Local is the next frontier.
Become the authority on local market.
Restaurant directories, dental
Starting out with great content – How to attract readers!
Unethical -get avatar of hottest girl online (hahah – I know what you mean Jeremy…)
Connecting with your readers – it needs to do something for someone. Guest posting on other blogs! Its gotta be pretty good. 40-50.000 visitors exposure (Absolutely great advice – Jeremy If you are reading this – I will polish my skills and then contact you to make a guest post on your blog!)
Thoughts on starting when someone is passionate on technology. Should he blog even there is competition?
Auction ads – when started looots of competition – it is how will you differentiate? If you see an angle an see its something wrong than tweak it, improve it. (Yup this one is true -but it might take lots of time and if you are not passionate about it you are doomed…)
Do you recommend rotating links?
yes
Local advertising tutorial?
Explain it to your dentist -hey, that happened to me…i said i am making sites and the dentist didnt even charge me.
Ways to increase alexa ranking?
Check John Chow:)
All you have to do: monitor what is being sent and mimic in multiple ips – livepatterns, proxies – doesnt matter anymore
What happened to Laura ? hehe Who is Laura? Sorry guys I don`t know this girl. But she is kinda pregnant so…
Best way to promote blog?
Build cool sites because they provide value.
He gets direct traffic because people tell their friends. (also known as word of mouth advertising 
Yeey!)
Do you ask people to guest post?
In the beginning yes, but now its too much posts.
Do you know a good mediakit?
Will twitter it. In the meantime check compete.
Subscribed to new blogs?
Not often, but yes.
How can you follow 1000 people?
tweat ?? (sorry didn`t catch this one – is someone knows please let me know)
How does your wife manage with you?
pretty good…:)
One thing you would recommend to somone with 100 niche sites making small amount? Concentrate on one or get more?
It is not easy to do it. If you want to build sth good you need to focus!
Do you read all comments on blog and visit sites?
Yes, switches to new comments and checks. He likes it. Hot chick avatar works cool!
Main source of income other than blogging?
Shoemoney tools is surpassing other ways.
Affiliate marketing is more fluid.
Did you do any non web page business?
Got $5000 -was buying used IT stuff from Wells Fargo and then sell it.
How much time do you speng on your blog?
10 – 15 minutes a day on blog – up to an hour.
What does your day look like?
5 am – wake up
5-7 – takes care of children
7 – shower
work till …noon -12
go out of office
work till five 17
get home and stay with kids
Is Shoemoney Tools your 1st product?
No. it was tips.com? (again missed it – let me know)
70.000 paying subscribers
It would be cool to have a Webinar on Shoemoney Tools.
Being prepared.
Guest posting ok?
Yes!
Shoemoney playbook.com ?
…it is going very slow and thinking about canceling the contract…2.5 years of work.
Iphone or Blackberry
Iphone fun, bb work.
What wp theme did you have on beginning?
Got default theme and pimped it.
Outsourcing link building?
If its cost effective
Not a seo fan.
“san diego chiropractic” – ranks high – but guy doesnt want to change site because he is afraid of going down on serps.
Article marketing to get traffic?
Works pretty good. But does not have articles on ezinearticles.com
This is the end of questions…It is pretty late so I will think about the whole webinar tommorow and make some conclusions. Hope you like the transcript.