16 Essential iPhone Apps For Internet Entrepreneurs
The App Store has over 170,000 Apps. Not all of them make farting noises, but can actually be helpful when you Make Money Online while on the go. Here are my favorites, which I probably use all of them on a daily basis. Examples include apps that let you connect with others (like Bump, Facebook & Twitter), pay money on the go (like PayPal, Mint & Square) and Business Dashboards that help you view your data anywhere, anytime (like iDashboards, Ego & Analytics App).
- PayPal (Free)
In case you have no idea what PayPal is, it’s a service that allows you to send and receive money online. It’s usually the preferred payout method to most Internet Entrepreneurs, being the most widely used one online. Away from your computer? Is your hosting bill due? Simply use the PayPal app to pay for the bill. After all, you don’t want to lost your site just because you haven’t paid your bills! iTunes Link
- Mint.com Personal Finance (Free)
Did you overspend? If you haven’t signed up for Mint.com, you should. It’s a free online tool which helps you to manage your money. Now, with an iPhone app, Mint allows you to check your Bank Account Balance and budgets, on the go. No more logging in at Mint.com. Mint also allows you to budget your spending per month, For example, Mint will alert me when I’m over my $20 monthly budget for software. Mint can also alert you if there’s a large deposit / withdraw in your account, which doubles as a security alert. Getting budgeting software could help manager your finances, as well as possibly help save you more money in the long run. iTunes Link
Gallery:
- Ego ($1.99)
Yes, everyone has an ego. My blog’s better than yours. I have more followers than you on Twitter. Well, you can’t prove it without stats, can you? That’s exactly what Ego does, in an elegant interface. Your stats, at one glance. Ego supports data from Google Analytics, Mint, Google PageRank, FeedBurner subscribers, Twitter followers and SquareSpace. iTunes Link
Gallery:
- Analytics App ($6.99)
It’s a tad bit expensive, but if Ego’s Google Analytics statistics aren’t good enough for you, there’s always the Analytics App. I daresay, unless you’re a serious stats junkie and want to know your average bounce rate for the 21st week into 345 hours of the year, you wouldn’t need this. iTunes Link
- WordPress (Free)
Blogging, on the go. Sweet! With the earlier versions, I always had trouble logging in with my credentials. The current version (2.4 at the time of writing), finally works, allowing me to login with no problems. It can also support multiple WordPress installations, moderate comments, edit pages and posts. It requires a WordPress blog running 2.9.2 or above. iTunes Link
- Twitter for iPhone (Free)
Twitter for iPhone, previously known as Tweetie 2, is one of the best (if not the best) Twitter client for the iPhone. There is support for saved searches, trends, geotagging, retweets and lists. If you’re an iPhone user still using the web interface, you’re missing out not using this app. Tweetie has one of the most gorgeous interfaces I’ve ever seen. iTunes Link
Gallery:
- Evernote (Free)
Your Notes. Anywhere. What more can I say? If I have an idea, I quickly add it to my Evernote on my iPod. When I get back to my computer, the note would have synced to my computer already, ready for me to work on the idea. Forget all those napkin drawings. This blog post idea was actually noted using Evernote. iTunes Link
Gallery:
- Facebook (Free)
This is a no brainer really. Yes, it’s an app for Social Networking. But with the recent v3.0 update to the iPhone Facebook App, the new app now supports Facebook Pages, which allows me to check and post updates to my Facebook page on the go. For example, here’s the Josh Lam Fan Page on Facebook. iTunes Link
Gallery:
-QuickOffice Pro ($9.99 for iPhone)
QickOffice allows you to create, edit, access and share Microsoft Office files. One of the best things about QuickOffice is that it was actually designed for the iPhone with multi-touch gestures. Not only can you edit Word documents, but you can also edit Excel workbooks, as well as PowerPoint presentations with full functionality. iTunes Link
- Goodreader for iPhone ($4.99 for iPhone)
The name says it all. This has to be one of the best PDF readers in the App Store. Unlike Apple’s iBooks application which only provides basic functionatlies with PDF’s, Goodreader is famed for its ability to handle huge PDF and TXT files without any problems at all. You can also access files from iDisk, Dropbox, SugarSync, Email servers and more. Not only does it view PDF files, it can also support Microsoft Office files, iWork ’08/’09, .webarchives, High resolution images, audio and video files. iTunes Link
- Dropbox (Free)
Simply install their Dropbox application on your PC/Mac/Linux computer. It’ll install a folder called a “Dropbox”. Simply drag any file into it and it’ll show up on your iPhone and other devices. Simple, fast and free too. You’ll need a free account first though, sign up here. There’s also the ability to save files for offline viewing, if you’re in an area with spotty 3G or no Wi-Fi. iTunes Link
- Screens ($19.99)
For those programs without an app or an easy to use web interface, a VNC program is the solution. VNC apps with allow you to reach your computer, as if you were sitting in front of it. Although there are free alternatives available (Mocha VNC Lite), they are not as polished and easy to use as Screens. iTunes Link
- Bump (Free)
Say goodbye to Business Cards. With Bump, simply bump your phone with a new friend’s phone to exchange contact info, photos, messages, locations etc. You can even be friends on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn with a single bump. iTunes Link
- Square (Free)
Square will allow you to accept credit cards anywhere without a contract. This app can be used by everyone, whether you’re a business or an individual making a sale. It’s safe and secure – this app and its services meets all industry-standard security practices. iTunes Link
- Wunderlist (Free)
A To-do List. The App Store has thousands of these. But what makes this one so special is the fact that’s User Interface is so beautiful and uncluttered, and yet it’s completely free. It will allow you to sync your lists to multiple devices, as well as their website. iTunes Link
And while we’re on the subject of the iPhone, joshlam.com has a mobile version. Simply enter joshlam.com in your iPhone browser. An iPad version is coming soon 
Do you use any of the above apps? Which apps do you use? Share with me in the comments below.
To Your Success,
Josh Lam
Happy 2011 And A Contest
Well that was the end of that decade. Here’s my new year resolution: I seriously need to blog more. I swear to myself that I’m going to blog at least once a month here in 2011. We’ll see about that All I can say is that 2010 was a great year in terms of my earnings (I earned slightly more than 2009) although my university course was a load more demanding than I thought, which lead to the demise of blog posts.
Here’s what’s going to happen:
1. Brand New look to JoshLam.com
The current blue theme is starting to look outdated. I am currently developing a new, modern look which should appear in February.
2. More blog posts!
As I stated in my New Year’s resolution, I will try to blog as least once a month.
3. Bigger focus on Entrepreneurship and Social Media Marketing
Rather than focusing on Internet Marketing, JoshLam.com will now focus more on Entrepreneurship and Social Media Marketing, as well a bit on the Hong Kong start-up scene. Stay tuned.
The Contest!
Oh yeah, there’s a contest to start this year off with a bang. I have a 15 Hip Digital digital music downloads to giveaway. Simply leave a comment below stating your New Year resolution and I’ll randomly pick a winner on January 30th. Good luck! Please use a valid email so I can contact you if you win.
Good luck and Happy New Year!
Make Money Tweeting The Pro Way
If you’ve been here before, I wrote an awesome post before comparing all the Twitter Advertising networks. Here’s a few tips on how you can earn even more with these networks. I have personally received over $1200 from these networks, so I can assure you that these aren’t scams.
1. Gotta join ‘em all!
That’s right. I suggest that you should sign up for all 13 of the networks, even if you don’t consider tweeting ads from all of them. Why? Sometimes, great opportunities are usually only available from an advertiser to one network only. If you can’t be bothered to sign up for all of them, just sign up for Ad.ly, Sponsored Tweets & MyLikes. These are the top networks.
2. Fill her up!
When joining these networks, make sure you fully enter in all your profile details, especially when choosing your Categories in MyLikes and Ad.ly, and entering the tags in Sponsored Tweets. This is important as many advertisers look for tweeters by searching for keywords and categories.
Applicable to: All
3. Sound like yourself!
“Yo homies check out this rad app!” might not get you many clicks if you usually tweet in a formal tone & manner. Only some networks allow you to customize the message before posting it. Also you can encourage more clicks by using vocabulary such as “Click here:” or “Check it out:” before the link.
Applicable to: Sponsored Tweets, MyLikes
4. Keep it in the family!
Keep the ads related to your account CPC. When creating accounts, keep different accounts focused on one central topic. For example, an account called @realabsfitness will generally be about fitness and exercise, and not the latest iPods. This way, you’ll get more targeted ads and therefore, more clicks.
Applicable to: All
5. We no speak Americano!
The majority of twitter users are from the United States. Unsurprisingly, most ads target and cater to users in the U.S. You can check where the majority of your followers are located using Ad.ly Analytics‘ Location Overlay map. If the majority of your followers are from the United States, that’s great. If not, you should check on indivdual offers as some offers may only count clicks from United States.
Applicable to: Sponsored Tweets, MyLikes
6. Pick the ads with the highest CPC rate
This is obvious. You should always pick the adverts with the highest Cost Per Click (CPC) rate. For example, I get paid up to $0. 48 per click on MyLikes because I choose the right advertisers. You can do the same. With 2 clicks from my followers, I can already buy a burger from McDonald’s.
Applicable to: Sponsored Tweets, MyLikes
7. Check your email often!
Ad.ly and MyLikes will notify you of new opportunites via email. For Ad.ly, these are often time limited to 24 hours. So stick close to your phone or computer! You could be missing out on opportunities!
Applicable to: Ad.ly, MyLikes
8. Accept all (cost per tweet) offers
I’ve received offers ranging from $20 to $300 per tweet. I’ve accepted all of them. This only applies to Cost Per Tweet ads (Ad.ly, Sponsored Tweets) as you typically earn more than Cost Per Click ads (MyLikes).
Applicable to: Sponsored Tweets, Ad.ly
9. What time is it?
If possble, try to tweet at 1PM Eastern Standard Time, or at least within 11AM to 3PM EST. According to Sysmos, this is when the most Twitter activity happens during the day. You can get more clicks when there are more people on twitter at one time. Only MyLikes allows you to specific what time to post the ads.
Twitter is most active on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, and the least active on on the weekends. If every tweets while at work, I wonder if the productivity level has decreased
Applicable to: MyLikes
10. Multiple accounts
If you’re planning to have multiple accounts to tweet more ads, make sure you differentiate into different topics to maximize your earnings. Don’t just have 10 different accounts about Apple, and remember, don’t spam.
Applicable to: All
11. Repeition is the key to success
In Sponsored Tweets, you should enable ClickWatch to maximise the number of clicks. ClickWatch enables under performing ads to be retweeted up to a maximum of three times. Also, with MyLikes, You can schedule your ads to appear at a certain time and date with a third-party service. By repeating your ad, you can receive more clicks, and therefore bigger earnings. I personally use Twaitter, but their are other services.
Applicable to: MyLikes, Sponsored Tweets
12. Finally,
Go Above and Beyond Twitter!
Above and Beyond’s music is awesome. Anyways, back to the point. Ad.ly allows you to tweet ads to your MySpace account too, while MyLikes allows you to post your ads to Twitter, Facebook profile, Facebook Fan Page, YouTube, Blogger, WordPress, Friendfeed, Tumblr and more. Personally, I only tweet ads on Twitter and no where else. Why? Because I don’t like trying to make money off my friends. But if you have a large audience on your Blogger blog, this could be a huge earner.
I like to compare followers/fans/friends as Tensile strength of a structure. Why? If you post too many ads, your followers will reach what I like to compare to the Ultimate Tensile Strength before reaching the Fracture Point. There is a certain balance to between your tweets and ads. If you post too many ads, your followers will stand it up to a certain point (the Ultimate Tensile Strength) until they decide to unfollow / block you (the so-called Fracture Point). So, don’t over-post ads!
If you follow all these steps, you can easily earn $20-$250 a month.
Any problems? Leave a comment below and I’ll personally email/reply you back.
America Is Based On False Opportunities
Josh Here: If you liked this post, please leave a comment!
No, this is nothing racist. Or a scapegoat, as a matter of fact. But in times of recession, many people are looking for alternative ways of making money. Of course, the majority find themselves trying to Make Money Online.
Here’s the typical scenario: You buy some eBook online priced at $27, $47 or $97 (these are the best converting prices) promising you thousands can me earned online easily, with little or no effort. You finish reading the book, and starting signing up for Web Hosting, a domain and install WordPress (probably through affiliate links in the eBook) and place a few AdSense ads on your blog. You write a few blog posts, and give up. Where’s the little effort the eBook promised?
Blogging is hard. Seriously. Admit it. I’ll admit it’s hard.
You give up and wasted $250 on your hosting. Yes, some people can make thousands while they’re sleeping, but it does require (a lot of) effort, at least initially. In my case, I’ve made nothing for 9 months until my first AdSense cheque. Nowadays, I’ve made the same amount, if not more, in one month then I did in 9 months. Your income experiences geometric growth, and not a linear growth.
The great America Dream – this was the idea of opportunity of Italian immigrants in the 18th century, with the dream of jobs and money. The first glimpse of the American Dream for 8 million immigrants coming through Ellis Island was the Statue of Liberty – which represents freedom, liberty, justice and friendship. Did the Italian immigrants experience true freedom and justice? Not really.
The Californian Gold Rush is another great example of a false opportunity. Again, it’s the idea of copycats. Desperate times calls for desperate measures. People following others. Yes, the early gold miners (aka the 49-er’s) did find gold and got rich quick. But when the 300,000 people followed in their footsteps, the place was over saturated with gold miners. Most of the easily extracted gold (mainly by panning) was already collected by early gold miners. So, many often gained little (if anything at all) from the Gold Rush. Is this the real California Dream? I don’t think so.
So how does this relate to the Internet? Or being an Entrepreneur?
Look at Twitter. It’s an innovation in communication. Yet with all innovation comes the copycats. Look at Jaiku and Pownce, Twitter’s main competitors in 2008. Where are they now? Pownce is in the deadpool, and Jaiku is pretty much dead, except for the (small) Finnish population, where the founders are from. It’s now been sold to Google, whose interests are in Twitter, not Jaiku. After all, Google does have 42 Twitter accounts.
What about all those Facebook copies? Look at StudiVZ, a German Facebook clone. Facebook is now Germany’s biggest Social Network. In July Facebook had nearly 6.2 million unique users in Germany, by contrast StudiVZ had only 4.28 million uniques. On the contrast, Vkontakte.ru is still Russian’s biggest social network (it’s the 2nd most visited website in Russia), while Facebook is the 30th. Big difference? Yes, especially when Russia is the 9th biggest country by population size.
Conclusion
You need innovation to succeed. Copying some hot Web2.0 Social Network (or a trend) will get you no where. The same goes for Making Money Online. You can envy John Chow or Shoemoney, but it’ll get you no where. You need to be committed to what you’re doing. If not, you’re wasting you time. Shoemoney may make $400 for a tweet while I make $100 a tweet using Sponsored Tweets, it’s still a beginning. A beginning to a great success.
To your success,
Josh Lam
11 Ways to Maximise Traffic From Twitter
Josh here: I’m done with high school forever, and I have 5 months off till uni. I’m now going to try to blog at least once a week. Cheers and enjoy the post .
There are two parts to maximizing traffic from twitter – first, you’ll need a boatload of followers (preferably a boatload of pirates from Somalia 
) and to format you tweet correctly to allow the most number of clicks from your followers. CEOs like Ehsan Bayat are beginning to setup their own personal Twitter accounts to help build additional marketing.
So firstly, you’ll need a crane load of followers. But how do you do that?
Your Twitter Profile
1. Have a twitter Profile Picture – Hopefully a picture of your face, or a personal branding/logo. Research shows that a person with a picture has 10 times more followers than one without. But never, never have a picture of a half-naked girl. Not only are you offended the ladies, but you already lost half off your potential readers as only men are more likely to click on your tweets. (Lame, but too true). Having a picture of a half-naked picture only makes you look more like a spammer too.
2. Fill In Your Bio – with something relevant and interesting. Not just “Student”, or “Porn Director” – be descriptive, and mostly, be brief. You only have 160 characters so you’ll have to be creative. Remember, D0n’7 wr173 1n søm3 fαñcy ʎɐʍ that you find artsy – remember, you are targeting other people to follow you, and they may not be able to read your bio.
3. Don’t spam, especially spamming #trendingtopics hashtags with unrelated items – it can also get you banned – careful there.
4. Follow others! That’s right. This has to be the most effective way to meet new people (and sneakily get new followers as they follow you back). But to be honest, I’ve met some really interesting and great people by following and chatting with them. If I didn’t follow them in the first place, I’ve have never knew what I missed out.
5. You should tweet things that are generally around one central topic. For example, an account called @livetechnews should be tweeting about, well tech news and gadgets and not oral health. Also, never ever tweet about everything you are doing right now. No one cares if you just ate a ham sandwich for lunch. Tweet about things that are interesting. I totally fail at this rule, I tweet about anything & everything
6. @reply people when they talk to you. Don’t just ignore people (unless they are spammers of course, which you should promptly block and report them for spam). This may not seem like an obvious way to get more clicks, but interacting with people allows you to keep your Twitter account active. Yes, having loads of followers is good, but having a load of spam/bot followers isn’t, and won’t get you much traffic to your site.
The Tweet itself
Obviously, you are trying get the maximum traffic from twitter to your site/blog, so you’ll need to format your tweet correctly to get the maximum traffic too! Here’s how you do that:
7. Keep the tweet simple. For a blog post, the simpliest format (and the format you should use) is “[BlogPostTitle] [ShortenedLink]” – Remember the K-I-S-S philosophy – Keep It Simple Stupid. The more complex your tweet is, the harder it is for your followers to understand what you’re trying to convey.
Keep It Simple Stupid!
8. Never have an @username, hyperlink, and a hashtag in a single tweet. For example, my tweet is “@Apple launched a new Macbook http://bit.ly/link #mac #apple #macbook”. Having any of these three things make Twitter create a “link”, with shows as a different color. Your follower could get distracted on the hashtag. Then they check out @Apple. And then they totally forget about the link. Look how this looks as a tweet:
Too complicated & distracting!
Much Better!
9. Place the most important keywords at the beginning and the end of the tweet. Remember the Google Heat Map? Your most important information should be on your top left, or in the case of a tweet, the first few (and last) characters of a tweet. Confused? Here’s what I mean:
Yes, you may need to restructure your sentence to get to most clicks to your link.
10. Never ever post a full link to your blog post. eg. http://joshlam.com/2009/09/comparsion-the-13-twitter-advertising-networks/, but instead have a shortened link like http://bit.ly/3g2yd1 it’ll make your tweets look neater, and your followers will focus more on your actual blog title, rather than the long link. Also, remember, you’re limited to 140 characters - shortening links saves space too.
11. Use established URL shorteners. Try not to use some unknown URL shortener. Here’s a list of the most trustworthy (and most popular) URL shorteners: -I would generally stick to the top two shorteners.
goo.gl (Google’s own one, you’ll need to install their toolbar)
Bonus
Here’s two awesome tricks with j.mp and bit.ly – they are the same company, thus, their links are interchangeable. For example, this bit.ly link: http://bit.ly/3g2yd1 redirects to the same site as http://j.mp/3g2yd1
You can add a “+” sign to the end of any j.mp/bit.ly link to check its stats. For example, the stats for the above link, http://bit.ly/3g2yd1, is located at http://bit.ly/3g2yd1+ – this will allow you to check on your own stats, as well as the ability to spy on your competitor’s click-thru stats by adding a “+” to their link. Cool innit?
Sorry for all you “twitter gurus” out there reading this, this guide is really for marketing beginners to Twitter. I was blogging about way to advanced stuff before (according to the comments), so I hope this helps!
Review: MyLikes, Scam Or Twitter Money Maker?
MyLikes is a brand new Twitter Advertising Network. Again, with all advertising networks, some tend to be scams.
Here’s a quick overview of MyLikes:
MyLikes makes it extremely easy for you to earn money from Twitter ads, regardless of how big or small your number of followers figure is. I understand that the other networks that I have introduced in the past may be more suited to people with large number of followers (e.g. Sponsored Tweets, ad.ly) where they pay you per tweet. With MyLikes (like RevTwt), they pay you per click. And it’s not just $0.001 per click or something ridiculously low. They pay a whopping $0.5 a click. Two clicks could buy you a McDonald’s burger already.
Here’s something about MyLikes that’s also unheard of in the Twitter Advertising Industry: A $2 minimum payout. Some networks have higher payout rates, which means smaller publishers may have to wait a long time before being able to cash out. That’s not the case with MyLikes.
How do I know it’s not another scam? Well here’s why:
1. I have personally received payment from MyLikes. Here’s a screenshot of my PayPal payments from MyLikes:
So far I have made $165.97 just from MyLikes ads, from my followers clicking on the links.
This Is NOT a scam.
2. The company MyLikes is actually founded by two ex-Googlers, the former tech lead for AdSense, Arvind Sundararajan and his wife Bindu Reddy, the former head of product management for Google Apps. That’s right. I told you their names. You could knock on their door demanding your money
3. Discloses are compulsory. MyLikes won’t be a company that the FTC will be chasing anything soon for its non-compliance of its rules.
4. Their system only allows you to tweet up to one ad per day. This will cut the chances of you spamming your followers, as well as allowing your account to be potentially suspended by Twitter.
If you sign up for a MyLikes account, you’ll get a chance to win an iPad every month. Sign Up below:
How’s your earnings amount? Tell me in the comments below.
Three Steps to Make Money Online and Beat the Recession
Josh here: Happy New Year guys, thanks for all your awesome support over 2009. Have a great 2010, and here’s the first blog post of the year! Want to Guest Post? Contact me.
This is a guest post by Danny Topping.
Since 2007, the world economy has been going downhill with banks and large corporations needing help and many companies closing their doors. As a result, many people have lots their jobs, and thus a way to bring home money to support their families. Lots of folks have found since then that the ability to make money online will help supplement an income or in many cases replace it all together. People have learned ways to make money online and quit their full time jobs.
This is not easy to do, but can be done with three simple steps.
First, one must do some research. There are many business and money making opportunities on the internet and it would serve you best to research this first. Go to websites that you like and follow people who are successful at making money on the internet. Follow what they do, watch them for the changes they make to their websites, blogs, videos, and press releases. This should show you how they make money online and it is important to constantly be thinking about what they are doing, and if you think it could be something you do also.
Second, copy and replicate those who are successful on the internet by planning. Learn how they make money online, and stalk them. You cannot be successful if you are not copying and replicating those who have gotten there first. In this step, decisions must be made. Things like signing up for opportunities, paying entry fees or starter package fees, and creating accounts with blogs and videos and article sites. Do not expect to be generating income in this step. This is the game plan and the starting point for where you will be taking your online endeavors. Do not do too much in this stage because you will end up getting burnt out and you will not make money online.
Third and lastly, you must take action on your plan. Whether it is writing articles, creating videos, posting to blogs, or sending postcards you must take action in order to receive results. Do not expect to just sit back and relax at this stage but once things get going and moving in the right direction, your plan will get easier to do as you master it and do it over and over. This is where you will make money online and watch the cash roll in.
Danny Topping is an Internet Marketing guru and is loving the Home Income Alliance opportunity by teaching you how to make money online. You can learn more by visiting his website at: http://www.MakeRealMoneySolutions.com
If you want to stop working for someone else and finally start working for yourself by making money online, go to: http://www.MakeRealMoneySolutions.com
I Got A Free iPod for Christmas..
First of all, Merry Christmas to everyone! Happy Holidays!
I got the new iPod nano for free from VK.com, Russia’s biggest Social Network. I used my Social Media presence to get it, as usual. And it’s awesome. Blows my iPod touch aside. Seriously. The video camera quality is pretty good for it’s size, and the built-in FM Radio and Pedometer is a bonus.I love how the Pedometer syncs with the Nike+ Active online service, shown below. It has to be the most motivating thing for you to ditch your car and start walking everywhere. Even more than you wife, yes.
Alright. Back to the Making Money Online part. Let’s just say I’ve made more this December than I am ever made in any other month.
P.S. My iPod is better than John Chow’s Kindle for Christmas
What did you get for Christmas?
How Internet Entrepreneurship Will Save The Planet
This is a guest post by Tim Smythe.
As of June 2009 there were over 1.6 billion people using the Internet with a world population of almost 6.8 billion. This means that only 25% of the world is using the Internet! WOW the world has just barely started to plug into the Internet! Use of the Internet is up 362% worldwide since 2000 alone. This is great news for any Internet entrepreneurs that want to explore opportunities in social media or web based business’. There are still billions of opportunities yet to be had on the Internet! Throughout modern history every great invention has taking 30 years or more to really hit its mark. The Internet is less than 27 years old so if you think of the Internet in terms of car we are still in the first model year Internet Protocol ver.4 or (IPv4). This version has been in use for the past 20 years. The Next Generation Internet(NGI) or IPv6 is still in its infancy stages but once in place will certainly change and revolutionize the way the Internet looks and operates. This major change to the Internet will equal opportunity, so if your not sure if you want to try an Internet based opportunity understand this the Internet has only just begun to effect human kind!
But what does all this mean in terms of the environment? Well if you look at it terms of our carbon foot print the Internet has saved millions of trees from being used as paper and has let millions of people work from home. In the future the Internet will be integrated with every thing we own from our homes and cars to our coffee makers making them more energy efficient.
The only negative right now is that the Internet takes computers to connect to it. Computers are filled with toxic chemicals,carcinogens, and heavy metals and millions of them are ending up in land fills in the U.S. and China. There are several ways to out there to recycle your old computer. Most manufactures have recycle programs that you can use or you can turn to things like E-bays Rethink program and the EPA’s Ecycling website for information on how to recycle your computer the right way. The good news is that a study done in 2005 found out that over 70% of all old computers were being recycled or being given to developing nations. That’s the second highest recycle percentage of any product second only to the car.
So lets all find new ways to make money on the Internet and recycle our old computers together we might just Save the Planet!
GREEN GNOME OUT!
Tim Smythe is a Las Vegas native environmentalist, blogger, internet entrepreneur, and local business owner. You can follow him on Twitter @onegreengnome.
Ad.ly vs. Sponsored Tweets: Twitter Advertising Showdown
You want to make money from Twitter. You joined all 12 networks mentioned in this blog post and see that you’ll get the highest paying offers from Ad.ly or Sponsored Tweets. Here’s a comparison and my recommendation on which one you should use.
Both sites insist on disclaimers in each advertising tweet. Each Ad.ly tweet will usually have a “(Ad)”, while the disclaimer from Sponsored Tweets are customizable, with tags like “#spon”, “ad” or “sponsored”. This is the same for the tweet too, where Sponsored Tweets will allow you to customize the message (allowing it to be approved by the advertiser) that are tweeted. Yes, some people disagree to tweeting ads, but
You can cash out to PayPal when you reach $50 on both networks, but only Ad.ly offers a cheque option.
Ad.ly – So far I’ve made $152
Ad.ly is the latest Twitter Advertising network, having just launched on the 22nd of September. Similar to Sponsored Tweets
below, this service mostly caters to high end advertisers (my two advertisers were Microsoft and NBC) wanting to connect with medium to high-end Twitter users. In fact, founder and CEO Sean Rad says that he wants Ad.ly to be the Federated Media for Twitter. They have an impressive list of high-profile celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, Brooke Burke, Nicole Richie, Brody Jenner, Dr. Drew and Samantha Ronson. ad.ly also allows you to donate a portion of your earnings to a charity of your choice. Their launch party video is shown below:
Sponsored Tweets – So far I’ve made $315.18
Sponsored Tweets is IZEA’s brand new advertising network. IZEA is a social media marketing company and the world leader in sponsored conversations. IZEA operates a network of over 250000 bloggers and 25000 advertisers. Izea has numerous sponsored advertising networks prior to SponsoredTweets, including PayPerPost and SocialSpark. This being said, SponsoredTweets is geared more towards Web Celebrities like John Chow and Shoemoney, although smaller tweeters will still get opportunities.
Yes. I’ve made more from Sponsored Tweets than Ad.ly. But Ad.ly is a newer network, without the backing of a parent advertising company with an expertise in Internet Marketing (yet).
Here’s the conclusion. Sign up for both Ad.ly and Sponsored Tweets. But look out for Ad.ly, which are backed by large advertisers like Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, NBC, Nestle and Microsoft. A bigger company will usually mean a bigger advertising budget, and thus more offers available to you. For example, my advertisers are NBC and Microsoft. Ad.ly also has these “limited time” offers, where you’ll have to accept the ad within 24 hours. Check your email often!
To Your Success,
Josh Lam
Have you made anything from Ad.ly or Sponsored Tweets? Which one do you prefer? Comment below.
