Anybody making money off their content providing website?

[Jonathan F/2]

Just wondering if anybody making money off their content providing website? I have several ideas floating in my head, but just want to get input from others making income from their web based ventures? Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Chris Kelleher]

I have a web site running discussion forums, similar to Nikon Café here. I make a little bit of money from displaying Google AdSense ads, mostly to offset the costs of the server hosting. Site is www.progresstalk.com

 

[Jonathan F/2]

I have a web site running discussion forums, similar to Nikon Café here. I make a little bit of money from displaying Google AdSense ads, mostly to offset the costs of the server hosting. Site is www.progresstalk.com

I was thinking of doing more a blog format site, but provide weekly content from both me and reader contributed material.

I don't think I'd have the patience to admin a web forum!

 

[Walter Rowe]

Jonathan - you might try Google's Blogger tool or a WordPress blog combined with Google AdSense. AdSense costs you nothing, you have control over what types of ads appear, and Google handles all of the advertiser billing and payment to you. I'm investigating this for my own www.TravelPhotographers.net website to generate some revenue to support my hosting fees.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Thanks Walter for the info! I've been thinking of doing a blog specific to the LA street/editorial scene and everything in between with a little gear talk thrown in. Still trying to figure out a URL for it. :wink:

 

[turtile]

Just wondering if anybody making money off their content providing website? I have several ideas floating in my head, but just want to get input from others making income from their web based ventures? Any input would be appreciated!

It depends on how much money advertisers are spending in your content area and how well you can get your website out there.

Expect to spend a lot of time getting to your goal! Don't do it unless you like it.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Got my blog up and running. I'm basically detailing my job and daily musings while living and working in Hollywood. I don't know how big the market is for content like mine, but here's my blog so far! I'll be posting daily! Just waiting for the Google AdSense approval. :wink:

http://www.jonathanfriolo.com/

 

[Jonathan F/2]

It depends on how much money advertisers are spending in your content area and how well you can get your website out there.

Expect to spend a lot of time getting to your goal! Don't do it unless you like it.

Hi John, I'm determined to get this blog thing going! :smile:

 

[hotrod4x5]

Whatever you do, if you get an Adsense account, do NOT have your friends click the ads. I didn't ask my friends to do it, but they thought it would help me, and I got my account revoked for fraudulent ad clicks.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Whatever you do, if you get an Adsense account, do NOT have your friends click the ads. I didn't ask my friends to do it, but they thought it would help me, and I got my account revoked for fraudulent ad clicks.

They seem pretty thorough about it. The online world is a lot of work. I don't how people manage to handle online marketing on top of shooting. My neighbor who is into social marketing told me you need to have a blog, Google +, Pinterest, FB, Behance, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram! That's a lot of online fiddling!

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Any ideas on how to drive blog traffic?

 

[hotrod4x5]

Get a facebook page, twitter, google + write entries as often as you can and then share the blog on those outlets.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Get a facebook page, twitter, google + write entries as often as you can and then share the blog on those outlets.

I got the FB page, blogger, tumblr, google+ and twitter going (Instagram will also be up soon)! I'm starting to get a little tired already and it's not even the first week of blogging! haha

 

[hotrod4x5]

Looks like you have multiple entries per day. Slow down to one per day maybe.

 

[Chris Kelleher]

Take a look at http://www.problogger.net/ for some good tips, they have a book that's good as well.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Quick question you guys, I keep getting disapproved for AdSense and it's telling me it's due to, "Difficult site navigation" which I don't get? I originally had it set to dynamic view, but switched it to simplified (HTML based) and I'm still getting disapproved! I asked on the Google AdSense forum and someone mentioned it could be due to the dynamic view settings making it difficult for the AdBots to skim through the site, but once I switched to a regular HTML format I'm still getting the same disapproval.

Can anyone chime in, because Google's FAQ is completed convoluted!

 

[hotrod4x5]

I was using the google blogger software, just a basic skin and got quickly approved. Then, as I said, my account was closed due to invalid clicks.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

I was using the google blogger software, just a basic skin and got quickly approved. Then, as I said, my account was closed due to invalid clicks.

Hmm, you think my keywords are interfering with the AdBots?

 

[hotrod4x5]

I honestly wish I knew the answer. Have you searched to see if there are forums for google adsense?

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Just found something out today, equipment review post get more hits than picture post! No wonder all these guys review gear!