Just another WordPress weblog
I bought this EZ Dupe 3 DVD Duplicator about a year ago. This item was purchased to duplicate my DVD collection. This stand alone DVD duplicator reproduces up to 3 DVD’s in less than 10 minutes. Pretty cool!
I’m now selling this item on Ebay because I dont use it ever. Check out the auction on Ebay.
This is a snap shot of the item directly from the EZ Dupe website -
This isn’t an average interview even for Google. If you have 22 minutes to spare, sit back and relax. See what Google interview questions our presidential candidate has to face.
Upon first laying eyes on this web directory, I noticed one thing. This directory’s template is rather familiar. I’m not saying that Qoobe.org ripped this template or header, but it does resemble a business template which was pre-made and purchased through one of those general template websites.
Qoobe.org is a “Business” directory; so the template actually makes sense after focusing into the specifics of their business model, and the custom details makes the directory look good with this template. Looking around the homepage in more depth, you will notice icons and H3 titles which are customized to resemble the templates theme.
Looking at the “Latest” approved links section you will notice a few approved links for today. The directory seems to be active and the owner is maintaining on a daily basis.
Qoobe.org charges 7$ for a regular link, and 20$ for a “featured” link. Although you can get 3 additional deep links with their regular option, you can get 5 deep links, plus a blog post with your link in it for the additional price to get a featured submission. I believe it is worth the extra 13$ for a blog post. They do also offer reciprocal submissions, but your site must meet a PR4 to qualify.
Qoobe has a Page Rank of 4 and a Page Strength of 6. They have an Alexa Traffic Rank of 309,668 at the time of this report.
How is Qoobe.org receiving traffic?
This is the part I like about Qoobe.Org. Not only are they maintaining their directory, but also have many out of the box ideas. Qoobe offers free Tutorials, eBooks, Gadget Reviews, and a Blog for its users. In the Blog they offer free templates for other directory owners to use on their own websites. Ultimately, if a web directory owner uses one of these templates, Qoobe will have a link back from the footer stating that the template was designed by them. This is beneficial for SEO and traffic purposes. These extra resources, such as Gadget reviews and eBooks, are a plus for SEO benefits, and definitely add value to the directory.
All in all I found this directory to be a wonderful and useful resource. Not only does it have the business industry in mind, but also focuses on some other relevant topics such as technology. The links seem to be well organized and spam submissions seem to be filtered out. Qoobe.org also has a set of guidelines which must be followed to be eligible for approval. The template is business oriented and looks professional, but I still think that it resembles many other readily available business templates. I would also like to see some more business oriented widgets, such as current business news and stock quotes.
Based on the above observations, Qoobe.org receives a MS rating of 6.5 out of 10.
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With all the requests we’ve had for directory info and advice, Mike Saf dot Com is inclined to be involved in the web directory industry. Since we’ve noticed so much interest in this niche, I believe this is the direction Mike Saf will ultimately head.
Directories are useful for all webmasters; so why not submit your site to the best? There are 1000’s of directories being created per day, and most of them are junk. For this, I’m adding a directory review section to this blog. All directories will be critiqued by human and ranked on a scale from 1-10. I am not taking review requests at the moment, but will begin soon. Look for more info pertaining this.
When you read some of the well known blogs online you’ll feel a professional impression. First impression is key. Just like, if you were to go on a blind date, the first thing you would notice is the appearance of the other person. Yes, I know… it’s hollow, but it makes sense. Really, you don’t have much else to go buy other than looks, until you start communicating and learning the person. It’s the same thing with a blog. You stumble upon a blog and the first thing you notice is the design. If the design sticks out, you might then proceed to read the most recent article. If you find the
information interesting you might advance to the next article, and so on. Eventually, if worthy enough, you might add the RSS feed to your favorite feed reader. Otherwise, you might browse around the site for a few seconds and then leave. Most blogs are stumbled upon and the reader never returns.
First impression really makes a big impact on your blog. Here are some of the key factors in making a good first impression…
1. Design
2. “About Me” Page
3. Domain Name
4. Personal Touch
5. Quality of Ads
6. Quality of Content (Grammar, Spelling)
7. Consistency
These things influence the impact on your blog’s readership. Mike Saf dot Com receives 91.2 % of its traffic from direct bookmarks. The rest of the traffic comes from search engines. That means that 91 percent of the people who read this blog return for more. I don’t even have an “about me” page written yet. Why are readers coming back? It’s probably one of the first things a reader will look for to bypass all the flashy advertisements and find some kind of personality to the blog. Well, if you take a look at this blog, not only do I not have an “about me” page, but have also left out all the flashy ads (for now). The majority of this blog consists of content. Another influence could be the personal touch in the domain name itself. Regardless, now that I’m going to dedicate my time to write in this blog consistently I might as well write up an “about me” page.
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So, as you can tell, I haven’t posted on this blog for over a month now. Yes…yes, shame on me! I’ve been occupied trying to figure out where I stand on the internet.
Currently I’m floating in the midst of multiple online projects. Besides Mike Saf (dot) Com, some other projects I’ve stepped into involve SEO optimization, evolving basic web directories into great internet resources, and building up online communities.
Well after a few months worth of online adventure, I’ve decided to come back and start posting again.
Why did I come back?
Every morning I wake up with one thought on my mind. I naturally check my emails every morning, no matter how late I am to work. There’s always time to check emails. Well, lately a few influences have come upon that have swayed me back to the Blogosphere.
Firstly, I’ve noticed reader comments coming in even after I’ve stopped posting for this long. This is obviously a positive sign that people are finding this website and enjoying the content.
Next, I’ve noticed that Mike Saf (dot) Com is PR4 now. Although there is much debate on this topic of how much Page Rank really matters, I believe that it’s still a positive sign to see the search engines enjoy my blog too :-D.
Third, Mike Saf (dot) Com is ranking high for certain key phrases which I’ve targeted. This gives me a lot of leisure in choosing which direction I want to move with this blog.
My personal favorite motivation is making money from this blog. Mike Saf (dot) Com has generated a pretty penny and it’s hardly even monetized.
Today I was streaming through some of the more known blogs in the Blogosphere, and found their ramblings quite refreshing. So; I’ve decided to go in that direction. Off course, I will still throw some useful information and tips out there for you money chasers, but I also would like to see more discussion here at Mike Saf (dot) Com. Please take this time to add me to your favorite RSS feed reader, and stay tuned for my next ramble.
Again, I want to thank everyone who has supported Mike Saf (dot) Com in the past and present, and I would like to say good night until soon.
Tags: Blogosphere, Mike Saf, SEO Optimization
I’ve been very busy lately. I have other projects besides web directories which I’m currently pertaining. Two weeks ago I rented a dedicated server for a rather large website of mine. I’ve spent these two weeks mainly uploading files. Recently I’ve been receiving requests to prolong my web directory tips and discussions. Seeing as it’s been a few weeks since my last update, I thought it would be a good idea to do so today.
The most recent request was to dwell on some of the ways to make money with a web directory. The most common way to monetize a web directory is to sell web site reviews. When a webmaster submits his website for review, you can charge a fee for your time and effort to review his or her site. It’s very important that you charge for a review, not instant acceptance into your directory. Otherwise, you can hurt the integrity of your directory, and maybe even upset a few search engines. Make it known that you charge for a review only, and don’t guarantee inclusion. Another way of monetization, if you get a constant stream of traffic, is using a pay per click program such as Google’s Adsense.
How do you get your directory known and populated with a constant stream of traffic? You can market your directory in certain webmaster forums. Most webmaster forums even have sections specifically for web directories. SEO Optimization is another good way to get relevant traffic and spark interest to your web directory. I’ve promoted my directories by both methods, and experienced extremely positive results.
If you look at ctrldir.com - recently added sites you’ll notice I’ve approved only a few links. I’ve decided not to populate this directory with thousands of links just yet. I want ctrldir.com to be more of an exclusive general web directory. I have both free and a paid option to get listed in the database. I’m receiving over 300 new submissions per day via the free option. I hardly ever check the free submissions. If I add sites, they are usually sites that I myself find and think are useful. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes I dip into the free submissions, and review a site possibly two; so eventually these submissions will be reviewed, however the paid review option is a quicker way to grasp my attention. Basically, it’s like buying a ticket to the front of the line. With my previous web directory projects it usually took one year to start receiving constant paid review requests.
With that said… what other ways are there to monetize a web directory? Now, I’m thinking outside the box. I’m getting hundreds of unique visitors per day to ctrldir.com. Most of these visitors are browsing my categories looking for relevant websites. Others are submitting their websites hoping for a quick review. If you visit ctrldir.com you’ll notice on the right side, I have a column for “recent articles”. I’ve taken the liberty of adding the recent posts from Mike Saf (dot) Com to this column. I find this a clever way to get some constant exposure to my blog. Also, I’ve signed up with an ad campaign manager, and put up a banner of a medical web directory which is also an ongoing project of mine. The ad campaign manager’s purpose is to send me updated statistics of clicks and impressions. I get around 1400 impressions to my banner ad per week. This is when someone sees the banner, but doesn’t necessarily click on it. Out of the 1400 weekly impressions I manage to get 7-10 clicks per week. This isn’t a very high number, but it can depend on how targeted your banner ad is. Impressions are good too as they pertain to brand recognition. I haven’t set up “recent articles” to send me reports yet, but I imagine they naturally get more clicks than the banner ad. Either way, with one directory you get some benefit using these methods, but imagine owning a network of web directories. I’ve seen networks of hundred directories or more. Imagine all the traffic constantly coming through which is ultimately subject to my banner ads and blog posts. If I go this route, eventually I’ll be able to establish an ad network, and charge for advertising.
I’ll go ahead and break here for now. Later we will discuss other approaches to monetize a web directory. For now, remember that running a web directory is the same as running any other business. Think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to experiment.
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Tags: How to, Making Money Online, Monetizing a Business, Traffic and SEO Optimization, Web Directory
You might be very confused right now. You might be wondering what the economy has to do with home business or gasoline for that matter. Well, here are my views on the topic.
Americans are showing signs of fear. The U.S. economy is taking a drastic dump. 153,105 job cuts were announced in 2007 at financial-services companies (source), and a bigger number is predicted for 2008. Employers can’t afford to keep the same quantity employees, and those workers kept are generally underpaid.
I’ve always believed that a good indicator of economic trend is the range and fluctuation of gas prices. Gasoline is a commodity, so it shouldn’t range much in price. If the price range of gasoline widens, it usually indicates a positive economy. Price sensitivity has declined, and convenience has become more important. Alternatively, when fluctuation is vivid, consumers are struggling to keep up with the trend. In this case a steady price increase of gas carries along a chain effect in price increase of other commodities. The last variable to take effect is the increase in worker’s salaries. This is extremely painful for the average American who depends on a periodic salary to get by every week.
Idea - Start an online business from home!
This might not seem like a quick solution, and you might be correct. I do not recommend giving up your day job to work online full time. Starting an online business simply doesn’t seem conceivable for some of us. However, for those of us who are willing to make a small effort on the side to see what this home business talk is all about, here’s a list of some of the easiest online ventures to get into.
Use Google AdSense to generate click through revenue
This method is quick and easy. Make a website, generate your Adsense code, insert the code into your website, and start making money online.
Sell items on eBay
People who sell items on eBay usually dedicate a lot of time to the business. If you are enthusiastic about selling items online, and you have time to dedicate, then eBay might be a good tool for you.
Join an Afffiliate Program
This method can either be extremely profitable or a waste of your time. If you can understand SEO Optimization, and get targeted traffic then this might be for you.
Sell drop-shipped products
People have been known to profit heavily from selling drop-shipped products. The trick is to find a drop shipper who is reliable and has quality products. They are not easy to find, but eventually you’re bound to end up with one or even a few good ones.
Write an e-Book
Writing Ebooks can take practice. Once you find the right format, and learn how to market your e-book, you can make some serious cash.
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Some people stumble around the internet trying to make a lot of money. It can take years upon years just to understand even the basic processes to conclude in making money online. Remember that making money is the end result. The amount of money you make is a trophy for all your hard work and achievements.
Looking at what others are doing to formulate money online might help you understand the functionality of the internet a bit better. This experience can help facilitate your own projects, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend copycatting in hopes of gaining the same results.
Some believe the internet is a magical place where you can jump on the band wagon and instantly get a piece of the pie. Well, they are wrong. The internet workplace must be understood as any other business. You must first select the industry you want to get into. Rather than researching on how to make that quick buck online, you should look at all the different possibilities. Once you find something you feel comfortable with, you can start analyzing the different aspects. How much time needs to be put into this business? As the old saying goes, “Time is Money”. What’s the annual intake? Is the market already satirized? Do I have enough expertise to make an impression in the field? These are some questions which need to be addressed before making the first leap. You might not consider yourself someone who wants to be in charge, or take responsibility for the final outcome.
Just like in any other business there are owners, managers, and workers. This brings up maybe the most important point– networking which is also crucial for any offline venture as well. Whatever you consider your position to be, networking is a huge factor in succeeding in business. Networking can take place on different blogs, forums, and even trade shows. You can meet people in the same or different professions which can assist with leads, traffic, or even knowledge and experience.
I’ll conclude now with a thought– If your end goal is to facilitate money, and “Time is Money”, then why waste time? Be smart, research, and plan ahead. You can be successful without even getting your feet wet.
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Tags: Free Money, Make Money Online, Making Money, Quick Money, Ways To Make Money Online
First of all, I wish everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Happy New Years to all! Mike Saf dot Com has engaged in a New Years Resolution. Content, content, and relevant traffic! I’m hoping for a very prosperous 2008. How do I plan to do this?
In the year 2008, you will see more technology and gadget related posts written at Mike Saf dot Com. Hopefully the readers who enjoy my Internet and Directory topics will also appreciate my intake on today’s technological world. These posts will help keep the blog fresh and active on a daily basis. Don’t worry though. I will still keep my readers updated on my entrepreneurial activities, and my directory projects. So… once more, a very blessed and happy New Years to everyone!
What’s your New Years Resolution?
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Tags: Happy New Years, Making Money Online, New Years Resolution, Relevant Content, Traffic, Year 2008
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