Monday, January 30, 2012
Snipsly : Earn Through Adsense Revenue Share from your Articles
Snipsly is yet another Adsense revenue sharing sites, which are seems to be sprouting like mushrooms all over the web. Here is a look at Snipsly to help you decide whether the site will be worth your while:
Publishing Policies of Snipsly
As of now Snipsly only publishes unique and previously unpublished articles and it is unlikely that it will change anytime soon. Apart from that however, their publishing guidelines are pretty modest: reasonably correct spelling and grammar and a minimum article length of 3 sentences (though I trust you will have to write significantly more to attract any sort of search engine traffic). They accept posts on just about any topic but has a separate Topics that Earn which is one of the most comprehensive and comprehensible idea banks to be found anywhere on the web. Another great think about Snipsly is that unlike a number of similar sites, like Xomba and Bukisa, all links in your Snipsly article are Dofollow allowing you to use Snipsly to create quality backlinks to your personal website or blog.
User Interface of Snipsly
Snipsly uses the standard WordPress 3 interface which makes it a very comfortable place to write, especially if you have maintained a WordPress blog before. For those who do not have any such experience, the WordPress writing platform is probably the simplest and most minimalist one available today and great for churning fast articles along with text wrapped photos and videos. However, it lacks the fancy stuff like RSS feeds, News capsules and Amazon and E-Bay modules of Hubpages and Squidoo.
Author Compensation Policy of Snipsly
Snipsly offers a very competitive 80% Adsense revenue share by author-admin display ratio. However, you need to have an approved Adsense account to be able to earn from Snipsly. Alternately you can use your Snipsly profile to get an Adsense account (but this is probably not as easy as it sounds).
A Few Things You Should Know About Snipsly
Sunday, January 29, 2012
How to Associate Godaddy Domain with a cPanel Host
It is really quite simple to link your Godaddy registered domain name with your web host, specially if it provides a standard cPanel admin section. Still first timers can have some problems sorting things out for themselves. So here is a lucid step by step guide teaching you how to associate your domains (registered at Godaddy) with your cPanel hosting account:
- On purchasing a domain from Godaddy, you are assigned a Godaddy.com account. Log in to your Godaddy account and click on the My Account tab to the extreme right of the options bar.
- In the central part of your Dashboard you should find a link to your registered domain. Click on it.
- You will be directed to a new page called Project Dashboard. In the top half of the page click on the tab labelled Nameservers.
- A new dialog box will open. Choose the last option or the one that reads something like “I have specific nameservers for my domains.“
- On doing so you will find 4 boxes asking for your name server info. Replace Godaddy’s default name servers with those provided by your web host.
- Now log in to your cPanel admin section which comes with your hosting account.
- In the top part of your screen there is a section tittled Domains. From there choose if you want an Add-on domain or a Parked domain.
- Fill in the name of your newly registered domain in the prompt box.
- Wait for several hours (typically 4-6 for add-on and 48-72 for parked domains) and you are done!
- WAIT A MINUTE: Don’t forget to thank me for such a detailed guide!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Boddunan :Online Earning Opportunity for Freelance Indian Writers
Boddunan.com is a new content based website which pays its author upfront for articles. Though, still quite young, Boddunan is creating quite a lot of noise, with a wave of freelance writers (mostly Indians) flocking to it. Very intelligently Boddunan is taking full advantage of Associated Content and Helium’s decision to ban Asian authors. Here is a look at the site:
Content Accepted by Boddunan
Boddunan accepts content in almost all legal niches and the editorial system is pretty standard, meaning most articles are reasonably well written and provides value to the site. Watch out for Boddunan’s science channels, they are simply great as a Wiki Answers alternative. They are also a great place to finally make those long dull high school classes pay their due and make you some money.
Apart from English, Boddunan also accepts texts in Telegu and Hindi, though they are earning potential is obviously much less.
Facts about Boddunan Freelance Writer Compensation Plan
There are four ways of making money from Boddunan :
- Each article or review is entitled to receive an upfront payment of upto Rs.200. Maximum cash bonus for Reviews is Rs. 50.
- Boddunan has a Revenue Sharing Program whereby it distributes 25% of its total revenue amongst a few of its most active members and this can some times amount to a sizable sum.
- Referrals can earn you as much as Rs. 250 depending of the activity of the referred member.
- You can also earn through Boddunan’s various competitions like Best Forum Supporter of the Week, Creative Poll of the Week, Daily Contests, Group Discussion Contests.
- The cash credits usually given out to average articles is very low, seldom crossing the Rs. 20 mark.
- The threshold pay out is very high at Rs. 1500. However, if you meet their quality standards and participate regularly then it may be reduced to Rs.750.
- Rs. 50 is deducted during processing of your monthly payment–an almost unheard of practice in the amateur freelance circuit. (this is usually restricted to pro sites like Elance, PeoplePerHour etc.)
Though quite tight pocketed, Boddunan is created on a very sound platform and is growing every day, having reached Google PR3 within a matter of months. But three things about Boddunan are for sure: it is 100% legit, 100% open (even publicly tells you exactly what it paid the author for each article) and it definitely won’t go down without a fight.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Leading Microstock Sites
Wouldn't it be nice if you could somehow rake in a cool passive income from your holiday photos? Well actually you can do just that by signing up for a microstock site! Microstock sites essentially connects small time or amateur photographers willing to sell their photos to publishing houses willing to buy them.
From the seller's perspective, the biggest advantage of using a microstock agency is that they seldom claim exclusive rights to your photos meaning the same photo can be sold over and over again. From the buyer's perspective also, microstock is often preferred over regular stock photos because they are a lot cheaper (often costing less than $1 per photo).
Following is a list of some of the most popular microstock sites available to international citizens.
iStockphoto
A subsidiary of Getty Images, iStockphoto is the oldest and probably the largest (profit wise) microstock agency. A very stringent quality control policy ensures that only the best photos get approved and it is very difficult to become a contributing photographer for them. However, they also provide industry leading contributor compensation schemes making sure their photographers can enjoy a steady and substantial income.
Apart from photos iStockphoto also accepts vectors and video clips.
Shutterstock
Another major player in the microstock industry is Shutterstock. Unlike most other microstock agencies Shutterstock operates on a subscription basis, which means instead of single photos, large publishing houses buys hundreds of photos from them at a bulk rate. This in turn ensures their photographers have a greater chance of selling a large number of photos in a short period of time, generating a sizable income. Reportedly,some contributing photographers are earning as much as $10,000 a month from Shutterstock alone.
Another great feature of Shutterstock is their support forum which contains lots of interesting discussions and tips and tricks from some of the industry leaders and is a treasure trove of information for any budding photographer.
Shutterstock is always on the look out for editorial photos and can even provide you backstage passes if you are willing to cover any newsworthy event in your locality.
Dreamstime
Dreamstime is a much smaller microstock site, but still a lot of people are making hundreds of dollars with them every month. An unique feature of Dreamstime is that they offer critical reviews of the photos they have rejected, giving the photographer a chance to either plead his case or make the necessary adjustments and resubmit the photos.
Dreamstime also allows the selling of exclusive rights at a recommended price of $350 (negotiable).
Bigstockphotos
A subsidiary of Shutterstock, Bigstockphotos have well over 3 million photos on their database. Their editorial team is a lot more lenient making it a good place to start for beginners. Unfortunately, however, at present it is rather difficult to generate any sort of revenue with Bigstockphotos.
A few other well known and reliable microstock sites include Fotolia, Crestock and Canstock Photo.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
C++ Tips and Tricks for Beginners
I am learning a bit of C++ as part of my Engineering curriculum and I am picking up a few interesting tricks along the way and I thought I'd share them with other new learners of C++ hear today. This article is not meant for the pros but you are welcome to read through anyone and I hope you will be kind enough to point out any mistakes I have committed. So here goes:
Tip 1: Use Parenthesis and Logical Operators Whenever in Doubt
It is a rather common mistake to think that the computer is your maths teacher because it can interpret your mathematical expression in an entirely different manner. For example, suppose you want to accept a value and find out if it's between 500 and 1000 (ie. 500<x<1000). But you use a if loop like
if(500<x<1000)
The computer will always evaluate it as TRUE. Why? Because it evaluates the function from left to right and because < is a binary operator the evaluation is in fact (500<x)<1000.
Now, 500<x is either 0 (false) or 1 (true) but in either case it is <1000. So the if loop always evaluates as TRUE.
Tip 2: Use Do-While Loop to Your Advantage
The main difference between the do-while loop and other common loops like the for loop or the while loop is that the checking is done at the end of the loop rather than at the beginning. Which means, no matter what the loop will evaluate AT LEAST ONCE. You can use this to your advantage in more ways than you may think and make your program more convenient to write and also create a few nice tricks. Here is a very easy trick you can perform with the while loop:
int main()
{
define your variables
int rerun;
do{
write your statements
cout<<"Enter 1 to try again"<<endl;
cin>>rerun;
}while(rerun==1);
Tip 3: Evaluate Functional Value While Using Non Linear Equation Solving Algorithm
If you are using computer programs for non linear equations solving by methods such as Regula Falsi, Bisection and Newton Ralphston, then keep in mind that the programs have a tendency of returning false roots, ie, values at which the functional value is not sufficiently close zero. So, it is best to CHECK if your functional value is actually zero before returning the answer.
Tip 1: Use Parenthesis and Logical Operators Whenever in Doubt
It is a rather common mistake to think that the computer is your maths teacher because it can interpret your mathematical expression in an entirely different manner. For example, suppose you want to accept a value and find out if it's between 500 and 1000 (ie. 500<x<1000). But you use a if loop like
if(500<x<1000)
The computer will always evaluate it as TRUE. Why? Because it evaluates the function from left to right and because < is a binary operator the evaluation is in fact (500<x)<1000.
Now, 500<x is either 0 (false) or 1 (true) but in either case it is <1000. So the if loop always evaluates as TRUE.
Tip 2: Use Do-While Loop to Your Advantage
The main difference between the do-while loop and other common loops like the for loop or the while loop is that the checking is done at the end of the loop rather than at the beginning. Which means, no matter what the loop will evaluate AT LEAST ONCE. You can use this to your advantage in more ways than you may think and make your program more convenient to write and also create a few nice tricks. Here is a very easy trick you can perform with the while loop:
int main()
{
define your variables
int rerun;
do{
write your statements
cout<<"Enter 1 to try again"<<endl;
cin>>rerun;
}while(rerun==1);
Tip 3: Evaluate Functional Value While Using Non Linear Equation Solving Algorithm
If you are using computer programs for non linear equations solving by methods such as Regula Falsi, Bisection and Newton Ralphston, then keep in mind that the programs have a tendency of returning false roots, ie, values at which the functional value is not sufficiently close zero. So, it is best to CHECK if your functional value is actually zero before returning the answer.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Online Publishers Beware of the Chitika Revenue Audit
Undoubtedly, Chitika is one of the most popular Google Adsense alternatives and many people swear by their service and often they are the only option for Bukisa and Infobarrel contributers who do not have an approved Adsense account.
Definitely Chitika has a lot of advantage over Google Adesense, but an issue that has been coming up a lot in the recent past in a number of forums is the highly controversial Chitika Revenue Audit, and you will be best advised to know about this before signing up for Chitika Publisher Network.
What is a Revenue Audit?
In case you have not yet guessed what a revenue audit is, it simply means evaluating or rather estimating the number of VALID clicks (as decided by your Ad server's T & C) and paying you accordingly. This amount will be definitely lower than or equal to the raw data displayed on your account dashboard which is displayed throughout the month (assuming your ad provider pays Net 30).
Is the Revenue Audit Unique to Chitika?
NO! If you would care to read through the fine print, you will find that almost all ad providers including Google Adsense performs a revenue audit before charging their advertisers and paying their publishers. This is the reason why some ad providers will tell you your ESTIMATED earning for the month is $x.y
So What is Wrong with the Chitika Audit?
The concern with the Chitika audit is that they are regularly decreasing the raw amount earned from your site by around 20-30% and may even be as high as 90% according to some publishers whereas for Adsense the numbers are almost always less than 10% and generally varies between 2-5%.
According a forum post one publisher allegedly had his earning reduced from $28.03 for 44 clicks to $3.05 for 4 VALID clicks!
So Is Chitika a Scam?
Chitika is positively NOT a scam in the sense that they always pay your audited revenue on time, in fact they are probably the best Adsense alternative available in terms of the ability to serve contextual ads on your site and has a remarkably high click through rate. However, whether their auditing technique is faulty is a totally different issue. And before we get too judgmental, bear in mind click frauds are not entirely unheard of and it is just possible that some unscrupulous publishers may have taken the efficiency of the Chitika click tracking system a bit too lightly.
My Personal Take on the Chitika Audit
I have had no personal experience with the Chitika audit yet, and would stick with Chitika at least until I get approved by Adsense. I will just have to be careful I don't buy that DSLR camera I'm after before my Chitika earning is safely deposited to my Paypal account.
Read more »
Definitely Chitika has a lot of advantage over Google Adesense, but an issue that has been coming up a lot in the recent past in a number of forums is the highly controversial Chitika Revenue Audit, and you will be best advised to know about this before signing up for Chitika Publisher Network.
What is a Revenue Audit?
In case you have not yet guessed what a revenue audit is, it simply means evaluating or rather estimating the number of VALID clicks (as decided by your Ad server's T & C) and paying you accordingly. This amount will be definitely lower than or equal to the raw data displayed on your account dashboard which is displayed throughout the month (assuming your ad provider pays Net 30).
Is the Revenue Audit Unique to Chitika?
NO! If you would care to read through the fine print, you will find that almost all ad providers including Google Adsense performs a revenue audit before charging their advertisers and paying their publishers. This is the reason why some ad providers will tell you your ESTIMATED earning for the month is $x.y
So What is Wrong with the Chitika Audit?
The concern with the Chitika audit is that they are regularly decreasing the raw amount earned from your site by around 20-30% and may even be as high as 90% according to some publishers whereas for Adsense the numbers are almost always less than 10% and generally varies between 2-5%.
According a forum post one publisher allegedly had his earning reduced from $28.03 for 44 clicks to $3.05 for 4 VALID clicks!
So Is Chitika a Scam?
Chitika is positively NOT a scam in the sense that they always pay your audited revenue on time, in fact they are probably the best Adsense alternative available in terms of the ability to serve contextual ads on your site and has a remarkably high click through rate. However, whether their auditing technique is faulty is a totally different issue. And before we get too judgmental, bear in mind click frauds are not entirely unheard of and it is just possible that some unscrupulous publishers may have taken the efficiency of the Chitika click tracking system a bit too lightly.
My Personal Take on the Chitika Audit
I have had no personal experience with the Chitika audit yet, and would stick with Chitika at least until I get approved by Adsense. I will just have to be careful I don't buy that DSLR camera I'm after before my Chitika earning is safely deposited to my Paypal account.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Squidoo or Hubpages ? We Have a Winner
Squidoo and Hubpages are two of the most popular Web 2.0 publishing platforms, offering a similar range of features and thus making a comparison between the two inevitable. And if you Google something like ” Which is better Squidoo or Hubpages? ” you are sure to get 100s of posts and articles most of which are inconclusive or are written from a particular view point (which may not concur with yours). After being a member of both Squidoo and Hubpages for over a year I have had considerable experience with both these internet giants and am in a position to tell you exactly what I think of their services in a author’s-purpose specific manner.
Hubpages or Squidoo : Which is Better for Content Writers ?
In my opinion, Hubpages is more suited to content writers than Squidoo, especially if you your SEO skills are as lousy as mine. In my experience, Hubs (on Hubpages) gets listed lot more easily than a Lens (on Squidoo). Moreover, Hubpages is more adept at directing its members to new Hubs and also has features like Hub Hopping to help you gain more page views. Moreover, Hubpages offers roughly 60% revenue compared to Squidoo’s 45%
However, in the unlikely event that you are a SEO wizard then you should definitely go Squidoo, but you will probably earn a lot more just maintaining your own blog.
Hubpages or Squidoo : Which is Better for Bloggers ?
If you are keen on maintaining one or more mini blogs(such as a blog dedicated to your pet) then you should go with Squidoo. In fact, the Squidoo lens is specifically designed to be used as a mini blog offering the blogger TOTAL HTML control of the lens and even allows you to use your own affiliate banners, amazon codes etc. Like Blogger, Squidoo also comes with an impressive set of popular and profitable modules like amazon, zazzle, cafepress, e-bay etc.
Hubpages or Squidoo : Which is Better for Article Marketeers ?
As far as article marketing is concerned Squidoo is way better than Hubpages. In fact whereas Squidoo encourages you to use their platform for marketing your products Hubpages’ article acceptance policy is designed to hinder your efforts. Here is quote from an e-mail I received from them not too long ago:
“The rules – read these carefully:
* If your Hub’s content is unique to HubPages (doesn’t appear anywhere else on the internet) then your Hub can have a MAXIMUM of 2 links to any one domain (tinyurl and other cloakers are considered wildcards). Links in the image source field of images count toward this limit.
* If your Hub’s content appears anywhere else on the internet, then you may NOT add links to sites or offers you are promoting. This means that you can not have any promotional links on Hubs that appear elsewhere on the internet.
* You can not give a short teaser and a link to “read more” or “continue”. The Hub must have the full content you want to present and that your title implies.
* You can NOT add links to sites irrelevant to the Hub’s topic
* Your Hub may not contain an RSS feed that directs to the same site as a link within the body of the hub”
Hubpages or Squidoo : Which is Better for Content Writers ?
In my opinion, Hubpages is more suited to content writers than Squidoo, especially if you your SEO skills are as lousy as mine. In my experience, Hubs (on Hubpages) gets listed lot more easily than a Lens (on Squidoo). Moreover, Hubpages is more adept at directing its members to new Hubs and also has features like Hub Hopping to help you gain more page views. Moreover, Hubpages offers roughly 60% revenue compared to Squidoo’s 45%
However, in the unlikely event that you are a SEO wizard then you should definitely go Squidoo, but you will probably earn a lot more just maintaining your own blog.
Hubpages or Squidoo : Which is Better for Bloggers ?
If you are keen on maintaining one or more mini blogs(such as a blog dedicated to your pet) then you should go with Squidoo. In fact, the Squidoo lens is specifically designed to be used as a mini blog offering the blogger TOTAL HTML control of the lens and even allows you to use your own affiliate banners, amazon codes etc. Like Blogger, Squidoo also comes with an impressive set of popular and profitable modules like amazon, zazzle, cafepress, e-bay etc.
Hubpages or Squidoo : Which is Better for Article Marketeers ?
As far as article marketing is concerned Squidoo is way better than Hubpages. In fact whereas Squidoo encourages you to use their platform for marketing your products Hubpages’ article acceptance policy is designed to hinder your efforts. Here is quote from an e-mail I received from them not too long ago:
“The rules – read these carefully:
* If your Hub’s content is unique to HubPages (doesn’t appear anywhere else on the internet) then your Hub can have a MAXIMUM of 2 links to any one domain (tinyurl and other cloakers are considered wildcards). Links in the image source field of images count toward this limit.
* If your Hub’s content appears anywhere else on the internet, then you may NOT add links to sites or offers you are promoting. This means that you can not have any promotional links on Hubs that appear elsewhere on the internet.
* You can not give a short teaser and a link to “read more” or “continue”. The Hub must have the full content you want to present and that your title implies.
* You can NOT add links to sites irrelevant to the Hub’s topic
* Your Hub may not contain an RSS feed that directs to the same site as a link within the body of the hub”
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