So, this week marks a new chapter for my blog. I have been asked to test 3 new programs for SEO and web design, and write in depth reviews on each. This should be interesting. I don’t know if this is coincidence, but these are 3 different software developers, 3 separate software packages, plus there’s another program that I’m trying to get on the beta test list, which would bring the count to 4 (3 offers, and 1 shameless beg)

I’ve only written reviews on software that I’ve used, but never as a request from a developer, or multiple developers for that matter. If I believe firmly in a program, I will constantly blog about it to help get the name out, and I hope these programs are no exception, because I would hate to give a review on software that I do not believe in, actually, I WON’T give a review about a product I don’t believe in.

I know that all 3 of these companies who sent me offers to review their products are probably just looking at the situation like a long term investment, I mean, they have to sacrifice one license for a software review, and they get a high-quality link from a blogger. It seems pretty fair to me, especially since I will be one of the older links if these programs ever take off, so there may be some long term reward for me as well, that is, if they like my review enough to reciprocate.

Anywho, I’ll be reviewing these programs throughout the next month or so, so you’ll see the reviews soon enough.  Stay tuned…

Blog posts like this are a dime a dozen, that’s why I’m not going to pretend that I’m teaching you something new, I’m just going to tell you what works for me when it comes to WordPress SEO.

WordPress SEO Tips

WordPress is the blogging platform of the gods, IMHO. Even at it’s most basic form, search engines gobble up content that sits on WordPress like a fat kid eating donuts. There are ways to make your WP driven site better, at least from an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) standpoint.

I took some time putting together a list of WordPress plugins that I use/have used, that I believe will help you outrank your competitors. Take a look, and if you have any other suggestions, leave them in the comments, and I’ll add them to the list when I get a chance.

Read the rest of this entry

The Death of “Sponsored Post” Disclosures?

Do you remember the days when Pay Per Post blogging was the best way to make money on a relatively low traffic blog? I sure do, and I also remember when Google started penalizing publishers who participated in these PPP programs, rendering them almost useless as a legit money-making resource. I turned to affiliate networks like Pepperjam, Linkshare, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.  The affiliate networks work out great, but managing links (ie. masking links, tracking clicks, passing variables, etc…) gets to be pretty bothersome after a while, and that’s where VigLink comes into the picture.

VigLink makes it easy for anyone to get involved with affiliate marketing. They take the hassle out of dealing with affiliate networks, and managing those relationships that you have with the networks. What’s even better is that you don’t have to have ugly affiliate links, their javascript automatically adds everything needed to track clicks and get credit for your referalls and sales.

Direct Linking, FTW

Here’s an example of how VigLink works:

I write a lot of posts about Artisteer, you’ll probably notice that I either mask the links to http://nicknorris.net/artisteer2, and that automatically redirects people to the site http://artisteer.com. That’s simple enough, right? Well it has worked for a long time, but I think it would be easier for me if I could just direct people straight over to http://artisteer.com. VigLink allows me to do that.

From the Horse’s Mouth

The Universal Affiliate Program (from VigLink’s Website):

There are more than 12,500 sites that pay commissions for your traffic!

• They each have a signup form.
• They each have different ways to link with codes that go stale quickly.
• They each have minimums that you need to reach or you’ll never get paid.

One quick and easy install from VigLink and all those problems are solved! Automatically participate in every program. Stay up to date when merchants change their link codes. Enjoy one global minimum across every program. You’ll never have to register for an affiliate program again!

The fact that VigLink shaves a small percentage of your sales off the top of your rev, shouldn’t really matter, because they are providing an amazing service for bloggers. They make life a little bit easier.

What Others are Saying About VigLink

I read a great article about VigLink on SEObook. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, Google has been really quick to penalize paid links and sponsored blog posts, so the following snippet should make a lot of bloggers very happy.

So basically Viglink is suggesting controlling who you link to based on whatever makes you the most money, and not providing any disclosure of the financial relationship.

AKA: paid links.

Presumably these VigLinks will still pass PageRank, but the affiliate stuff will be layered on top of the regular links using JavaScript. Pay affiliates using VigLink a bit of a higher percent for the exposure and you bought a ton of valuable inbound links for pennies on the Dollar.

Here is where it really gets screwed up: Google is an investor in VigLink.

Given the fact that your links appear to be clean links to a site means that you don’t have to make the “sponsored post” disclosure anymore, and I like that! I can actually write normal blog posts, and link out naturally to the pages that I want to link to, and if I get some kick-back, that’s a huge WIN! But on a possible downside, since Google has money invested in VigLink, they are probably going to have more link data, as well as some back-end data about earnings from my blog, so the risk of penalty is still there, just in a smaller way.

So, to my blogger buddies, you should try this out. It’s free, and it really simplifies monetization.

VigLink Official Website

This is probably not going to be the best option for large scale affiliates. VigLink is intended for bloggers, and people just looking to monetize their websites.

Pinnacle Cart is currently offering a Free Trial

From Their Site:

Pinnacle Cart has been on the market for over 7 years and is one of the top eCommerce platforms on the market today. Built from a marketing perspective, our application is easy to use and extremely feature rich. Our product is unique in the marketplace making it advantageous for you to promote. Our company philosophy places enormous value on our network.

This shopping cart is much easier to use than Magento, Zen-Cart, or OsCommerce. If you are looking for a solid shopping cart, I would suggest trying Pinnacle Cart’s 14-day Free Trial.

So, the story of my life is what I lay out on my blog. I try to keep the narrative going, but sometimes, life is a little less than inspiring. I also don’t like to get too personal on the web. There are some people out there who let it all hang out, so to speak, and that’s just lame and sad. I haven’t updated my blog in a while, because I have nothing special to write about. This means that it’s probably time for some sponsored posts.

Brace yourself, the sponsored posts are coming!