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Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

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Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#21

Post by run4yourlives »

antonovka wrote: post #19
run4yourlives wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet both business still exist and are extremely profitable. Like I said, if you choose to discount the entire industry as unethical, believing it can teach you nothing, so be it. I however would like to examine what and how they continue to be successful, with the thinking that these people - ethical or not - have clearly captured a way to monetize their customers that has been very effective. These principles can no…

Yet both business still exist and are extremely profitable. Like I said, if you choose to discount the entire industry as unethical, believing it can teach you nothing, so be it. I'm curious what you think people who sell other people on selling people on selling people have to actually teach someone that owns a company that survives by creating ? Other than how to sell the Brooklyn Bridge, that is.

Well, how about the fact that you the value of said creation is determined by the customer, not the creator?

I'm curious as to why you're so emotional about the whole thing. It's really not worth such a long discussion.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#22

Post by paulshort »

antonovka wrote: post #12
greyman wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi You might be somehow right in general sense, but this particular critique is uninformed. Darren is a well-known and successful blogger, and he also runs other blogs like Digital Photography School or Twitip. I think the reason he discloses the amount of money he makes is because it is relevant to do in Problogger. In his other blogs he doesn't do that.

http://www.twitip.com/the-proper-way-to-pitch-on-twitter/ "I don’t want to make 4,000 [dollars] per month with Twitter (I do this fine on my own thank you)" These sorts of hucksters survive by selling you on an ideal that you reinforce by buying into it. Like any multi-level marketing scheme, you are the target market, not consumers.

Hucksters?

Cocky, maybe. But huckster? No.

Darren Rowse is one of the most successful bloggers out there when it comes to monetizing his sites and he discloses the details of how and why he earns money on his problogger.net site.

In addition to several of his own successful blogs, he's also one of the co-founders of b5media which has gotten (approximately) 8 million in funding since it's launch in 2005. Darren's expertise in blogging and their monetization was a crucial factor in getting that funding.

This reply will probably be downmodded but I don't really care about that. Before shoving him into the 'huckster' category, do a little more open-minded research next time.

By the way, that huckster is also the minister of a small youth oriented church in his city.

Apologies for seeming harsh, but your comment was blatent and unfair.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#23

Post by antonovka »

run4yourlives wrote: post #21
antonovka wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet both business still exist and are extremely profitable. Like I said, if you choose to discount the entire industry as unethical, believing it can teach you nothing, so be it. I'm curious what you think people who sell other people on selling people on selling people have to actually teach someone that owns a company that survives by creating ? Other than how to sell the Brooklyn Bridge, that is.

Well, how about the fact that you the value of said creation is determined by the customer, not the creator? I'm curious as to why you're so emotional about the whole thing. It's really not worth such a long discussion.

Well, how about the fact that you the value of said creation is determined by the customer, not the creator?

If that's they way you want to look at it. I don't do business with that kind of person, since they usually try to sell me on the idea that something is worth far more than it actually is.

I'm curious as to why you're so emotional about the whole thing. It's really not worth such a long discussion.

I'd prefer to not see more SEO/MLM/MakeMoneyOnline posts on Hacker News, so I stated my disagrement with your comment.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#25

Post by antonovka »

paulshort wrote: post #22
antonovka wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://www.twitip.com/the-proper-way-to-pitch-on-twitter/ "I don’t want to make 4,000 [dollars] per month with Twitter (I do this fine on my own thank you)" These sorts of hucksters survive by selling you on an ideal that you reinforce by buying into it. Like any multi-level marketing scheme, you are the target market, not consumers.

Hucksters? Cocky, maybe. But huckster? No. Darren Rowse is one of the most successful bloggers out there when it comes to monetizing his sites and he discloses the details of how and why he earns money on his problogger.net site. In addition to several of his own successful blogs, he's also one of the co-founders of b5media which has gotten (approximately) 8 million in funding since it's launch in 2005. Darren's expe…

In addition to several of his own successful blogs, he's also one of the co-founders of b5media which has gotten (approximately) 8 million in funding since it's launch in 2005. Darren's expertise in blogging and their monetization was a crucial factor in getting that funding.

Funding is not a direct indicator of anything but the funding party's evaluation of perceived or likely value -- just like any testament to Darren Rowse and his success.

By the way, that huckster is also the minister of a small youth oriented church in his city.

I was speaking generally, but regardless, I'm not sure what that has to do with being (or not being) a huckster.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#26

Post by ProBlogger »

antonovka wrote: post #6
run4yourlives wrote: post #3

Not enough examination on monetization strategies on this site (HN) in my opinion. As much as these "get rich on the interweb" bloggers get a bad rap, they can teach us a lot; both overtly and by observation of their methods about how to create financial success. I'd love to see more like this discussed on Hacker News, in place of a good chunk of the VC capital obsession. This is real money, this is what startups sho…

My parents taught me to not disclose the amount of money I make, and to not trust people who do -- they have every incentive to lie, be it due to ego or simply a desire to leverage an appearance of success into actual (but usually much diminished) success. A 'professional blogger' is blogging about how to make money blogging. What does that tell you? It tells me that what makes this blogger his money (however much he…

Hi there - I actually welcome your skepticism on this one - there's a lot of people claiming a lot of things online these days.

The reason I actually revealed the amount I've made with Amazon in this post was simply that I constantly get people telling me that Amazon is impossible to make good money with because it's just lots of tiny tiny commissions (ie 5% of a book sale isn't much).

In terms of what makes me my money - if you read the article you see that I'm linking to my photography blog. That is my main blog (in terms of both traffic and earnings). I do make some from ProBlogger but it's small in comparison with the photography one.

Yep I sell an ebook from my site - it's done ok but it's not my main income source by any means.

In terms of inflating the amount - not quite sure how to 'prove it' - I don't like to post screenshots of earnings pages because people tend to say they are photoshopped - but if you know anyone in Melbourne Australia and want to set up a meeting I'm more than happy to show them my reports live and have them verify them for you.

I'd also say that if I was going to inflate the numbers I'd probably go a little further than I did - $119k in 6 years isn't really the most amazing claim of making money online that I've heard :-) It's more than pocket change but it's small time in comparison to many.

Again - happy for people to be skeptical - I actively encourage people to be in this game, there's a lot of big claims, hype and empty promises going around. I myself pride myself on not promising big easy money - in fact I've written many times on how hard it is to make this kind of money, I've worked my butt off for 7 years building my blogs up - it certainly doesn't happen over night.

Happy to chat with anyone who wants to raise concerns over my approach and shed as much light as I can on the topic.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#28

Post by ProBlogger »

paulshort wrote: post #22
antonovka wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://www.twitip.com/the-proper-way-to-pitch-on-twitter/ "I don’t want to make 4,000 [dollars] per month with Twitter (I do this fine on my own thank you)" These sorts of hucksters survive by selling you on an ideal that you reinforce by buying into it. Like any multi-level marketing scheme, you are the target market, not consumers.

Hucksters? Cocky, maybe. But huckster? No. Darren Rowse is one of the most successful bloggers out there when it comes to monetizing his sites and he discloses the details of how and why he earns money on his problogger.net site. In addition to several of his own successful blogs, he's also one of the co-founders of b5media which has gotten (approximately) 8 million in funding since it's launch in 2005. Darren's expe…

I should clarify - that I don't work as a minister any more. I did that for 10 years but transitioned out of it a couple of years back.

Of course that doesn't really prove anything - I'm not one to claim that all ministers are above doing dodgy stuff but I wanted to clarify that. Thanks for the encouragement though.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#29

Post by run4yourlives »

antonovka wrote: post #23
run4yourlives wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, how about the fact that you the value of said creation is determined by the customer, not the creator? I'm curious as to why you're so emotional about the whole thing. It's really not worth such a long discussion.

Well, how about the fact that you the value of said creation is determined by the customer, not the creator? If that's they way you want to look at it. I don't do business with that kind of person, since they usually try to sell me on the idea that something is worth far more than it actually is. I'm curious as to why you're so emotional about the whole thing. It's really not worth such a long discussion. I'd prefer…

If that's they way you want to look at it. I don't do business with that kind of person,

That is reality my friend. The customer and market determine the value, not the creator. You can choose to ignore this, but if you compare successful and unsuccessful startups, it usually comes down to the fact that the customer believes that the creation adds value, nothing more.

Re: Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

#30

Post by antonovka »

run4yourlives wrote: post #29
antonovka wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, how about the fact that you the value of said creation is determined by the customer, not the creator? If that's they way you want to look at it. I don't do business with that kind of person, since they usually try to sell me on the idea that something is worth far more than it actually is. I'm curious as to why you're so emotional about the whole thing. It's really not worth such a long discussion. I'd prefer…

If that's they way you want to look at it. I don't do business with that kind of person, That is reality my friend. The customer and market determine the value, not the creator. You can choose to ignore this, but if you compare successful and unsuccessful startups, it usually comes down to the fact that the customer believes that the creation adds value, nothing more.

If you sell an individual on a perceived value that's higher than what you know they'll actually receive, that's dishonest, no matter how you try and dress it up.

How you couch that reality doesn't change what it is, and that's why I won't do business with that kind of person.

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