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It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

markmaunder.com

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Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#171

Post by getsat »

chopsueyar wrote: post #87
augustflanagan wrote: post #32

On 150,000 pageviews a month I make about $50.00 from adsense. "1.6% CTR with 0.85c CPC" seems pretty unrealistic to me.

I have about 5,000 page views per month and make about $50 from adsense. In April, I had a 1.78% CTR. The shitty thing is, it is an AJAX app, so there is only the frontpage, and each lookup does not refresh the Adsense ad. The average time on the site is about 12 minutes. This is also not a very high volume search term. So the upside for me is pretty limited. Even if I ranked #1, ahead of the .gov site, I do not thin…

> The shitty thing is, it is an AJAX app, so there is only the frontpage, and each lookup does not refresh the Adsense ad.

It should be pretty simply to reload the contents of your ad block in the "success" callback of your Ajax library... you're probably leaving a ridiculous amount of money on the table.

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#172

Post by SatvikBeri »

This is a completely viable concept-www.freepatentsonline.com makes at least $150k/month through taking patent information and putting it online in a searchable format.

When you take useful information and put it up like this, that also creates a lot of value for people-trying to search the USPTO for patent information is a nightmare when you don't know what you're doing.

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#173

Post by ReturnTheGift »

chopsueyar wrote: post #88
tlrobinson wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What resources do you recommend for learning more about SEO?

For some grayhat stuff, take a look over at wickedfire.com to know what other people are up to. I am not condoning such methods.

Yup. If you plan to enter the internet-/affiliate-marketing space you'll want to keep tabs on what this crowd of folks is up to. You'll learn that this is a space inhabited by an interesting spectrum of people...from clever, helpful people displaying an inspiring amount of hustle to straight-up criminals.

Also, careful clicking any links in those forums. Lots of disgusting, immature people over there.

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#174

Post by danneu »

augustflanagan wrote: post #145
melvinram wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen client sites that get 10-30% CTR w/ $4 CPC and I've seen 1% at $0.20-$0.80 CPC. It really depends on a number of factors including the audience, their intent, how they find your site, the site layout, etc. It may not be common but I wouldn't say it's unrealistic. PS: If you're making $50 from 150,000 page views per month, are you open to selling the site?

You're right, unrealistic is not the right way to describe it. I don't doubt that quite a few people are able to make a couple thousand off adsense and 150,000 pageviews or less per month. However, the article is saying it is incredibly easy to do this. On that point I disagree. I think if you spend a lot of time working on finding the right niche and developing the site that you can definitely pull it off, but I don…

Just for fun, I'll throw in my own stats: I make $650/mo from 4,000,000 pageviews. However, the low rate is easily understood because I run a forum.

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#175

Post by uxp »

getsat wrote: post #170
uxp wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what I got from the article. data.gov has LOADS of datasets for the USA, as well as hundreds of other APIs from different departments that can be used to retrieve that data in real time. The problem comes just after you click "download" and realize you have a 600MB XML file listing the Ph levels of groundwater sites around the country for the past 25 years. How in the hell are you going to make that data an i…

> How in the hell are you going to make that data an interesting draw that users want to read or learn about? People are probably looking for that data. Find out exactly what they're searching for, and tailor your content/site presentation around those keywords. You can use Google Keyword Tool to find this information: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Right, but you still need to present it in a way that is easy for people to understand. XML is a fantastic way to deliver a large amount of data, but it is hardly parse-able to anyone who doesn't know what a markup language is. JSON as well. My point was that "take data, throw adsense on it" is hardly a simple plan.

Developers need to know how to display data in an easy to understand, easy to follow, and easy to consume manner in order to get people to the site. Keywords and SEO only go so far. You still need readable content for humans.

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#176

Post by getsat »

uxp wrote: post #175
getsat wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How in the hell are you going to make that data an interesting draw that users want to read or learn about? People are probably looking for that data. Find out exactly what they're searching for, and tailor your content/site presentation around those keywords. You can use Google Keyword Tool to find this information: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Right, but you still need to present it in a way that is easy for people to understand. XML is a fantastic way to deliver a large amount of data, but it is hardly parse-able to anyone who doesn't know what a markup language is. JSON as well. My point was that "take data, throw adsense on it" is hardly a simple plan. Developers need to know how to display data in an easy to understand, easy to follow, and easy to cons…

Right, you need to curate the data as you import it. I assumed that was assumed. You need to make it readable for humans and for search engines (SEO).

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#177

Post by slouch »

hugh3 wrote: post #146
slouch wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is much less work involved in maintenance if you setup sites in a way such that users create the content

Theoretically, perhaps, though the initial uphill battle for traffic is harder, and if you're not careful there's always the chance you're going to get stuck policing and removing your users' content. It strikes me that there must be huge and quiet money in some forums. One forum in particular I use a lot is Better Bidding, where people discuss how to get cheap rates on hotwire and priceline and share information on…

I agree with what you have said, here. There is definitely money in forums, and this is surely why I have seen motorcycle.com buy up lots of forums over the passed couple years.

You describe my biggest hit; people searching for something, finding my site and writing a post or a reply that helps generate more search traffic. I don't have to police much since the sites are very focused (not forums).

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#178

Post by bobbin_cygna »

swombat wrote: post #13

So, basically, create a demand-media site but without even paying writers the $3/hour to create crap articles? Just scrape them from the government? :-) I'm all for the lifestyle business thing, but there are more fulfilling ways to make $2k/month, imho... As the cost of creating businesses drops, the number of viable niches literally explodes.

> there are more fulfilling ways to make $2k/month, imho

like what?

Re: It’s OK to make an extra $2k per month if you’re a programmer. Here’s how.

#180

Post by barisme »

mattdeboard wrote: post #160
barisme wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This reply is quite hilarious. I'm bursting with laughter.

Thanks, I had plenty of upvotes until you guys started replying.

My first time being downvoted, I think. Humor falls flat == bad. Got it. Sorry for dragging you down with me.
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