Earning Adsense Income As An Armored Knight
64Birth Of A Simile
Say what? What on Earth does earning with Google Adsense have to do with knights in armor, shining or otherwise?
Patience, please. The title wording announced itself loudly, but a bit of background helps. Here's the story:
A few days ago, while reading work by other Hubbers with an eye toward understanding both differences and similarities between us, I noticed that Embitca--by her own undoubtedly true statement a writer who does make money with Google--has produced at least some Hubs (I didn't read them all by a long shot) that were much, much different in style and even length than seems to be the norm for such wordsmiths as Hal Licino or Ghost32 (me). Embitca gets in, makes her point, and gets out with absolute keyboard economy, sometimes in no more than 300 words or so (I'm guessing, since I'm not the best word counter around). Her "fighting style" made me think of the Plains Indian warriors (before such were restyled as Native Americans) who prided themselves on counting coup, which amounted to simply touching an armed enemy with a specially designed and designated coup stick.
Another "Embitca image" that came to mind: Bullfighting. Not with her cast as the matador who kills the bull with a sword, but as a banderillo, the ballet star of the bullfight. The banderillo does not kill the bull but, early in the action, sticks barbed darts into the animal to--shall we say, stir the soup and bring it to a boil. Okay, okay, to get the critter even more irritated. Don't get me wrong: My preference would be to protect the bull and tell everyone right down to the matador to go get a real job. It's just that I have to admire the grace, skill, and speed of the banderillo...and of Embitca's writing.
Sadly or otherwise, I don't write like that. My verbosity is legendary: If two words will suffice, I'll use only three. Or four. I hate leaving out even relatively minor details that cut down on the overall color, depth, and emotional adventure a reader might experience. Three hundred words? I'm lucky to get a Hub "terminated" in much under 1600 words--again, I think, because my word counting is amateurish at best. Since the slide show feature became part of the everyday statistics at HubPages, I couldn't get myself to include fewer than five photos in a Hub if I beat myself with a wooden spoon. Ten relevant links every time. With all of that....
Oh. You saw it coming. Right. Whether with an eye toward earning Adsense income or not, I write like an armored knight. Packing a steel tipped lance, a two handed broadsword, and a mace for weapons, encased in nearly 300 pounds of literary armor, lumbering across the countryside on a humongous Percheron stallion with the faceguard bars of my boiling-under-the-sun steel helmet blocking way too much of my vision, looking for a fight with someone dumb enough and slow enough not to sneak up and bop me about the head and shoulders with a coup stick or jab my horse in the rump with a banderilla.
Different Styles
The Sixty-Four Coup Question
The coup stick and broadsword provided food for thought. Three questions came to mind.
1. Could I change my style? The answer to this was an extremely muddled "maybe", but eventually it became obvious that the wrong question was being asked.
2. If I did change my style, would I risk destroying my entire Internet persona, established readership base, and credibility-to-date with the search engines? That answer was crystal clear, a resounding, You'd better believe it, buddy! Which conclusion led to a third obvious question, the "Sixty-four Coup Question":
3. Could I learn to use my same existing style and yet increase my current Google Adsense income from its current $100 per year (approximately) to $100 per month...and then go from there? The answer to that: Don't see why not.
Let's Double The Take
Sharpening The Sword
In order for anyone to succeed at--well, pretty much anything, he or she must first believe the thing can actually be done...by them...at a price which can be willingly paid. Sylvester Stallone was quoted in the media some decades back as saying that if he'd known how impossible getting Rocky (the first one) to the silver screen was going to be, he'd never have started. Or words to that effect, pardon the paraphrase. Quite often, the price you have to pay for success is far higher than could have been anticipated up front.
Even so, part of the dues have been paid. Competing for number one Google ranking no longer seems impossible, even when the pool is sizeable...at least if my Hub titled Guns Are My Friends is any indication. That one was published two nights ago and hit the top spot about twelve hours later in a pool of 16,400,000 results. [ Note: ...and was deleted in August of 2010. Google, after lovng it for more than a year, suddenly felt they didn't like something about it. Easier to delete than dig.] Never mind the coup sticks. In terms of edged weapons, it might be said that I've learned to use my old, battered pocket knife (getting great ranking on Google) to whittle out a penny or two. Now to learn to use the Roman gladius (stab a dollar here and there via improved keyword selection)...and maybe someday the glorious, two handed broadsword (put it all together for an actual monthly check large enough to take my anorexic wife out to dinner once a week).
Thanks for reading,
Ghost32
Pick Your Weapon
CommentsLoading...
Ivorwen, thanks for the Comment. I wasn't going to share this just yet, but: I've set myself a goal of writing 100 Adsense-topical Hubs in the next 60 days, all in "armored knight" style...hoping that I'll get it figured out by the end of that time. Stay tuned!:D
What a GREAT read Ghost! Enjoyed it thoroughly - and well, I like your style with its color, depth and emotional adventure. Of course, we are of like mind - most of my hubs are lengthy and almost intended to shun those with a mere passing interest in the subject. Might be simply my own personal belief, and erroneous at that, but I'm pretty sure there are few "original" thoughts (things I couldn't read in any book available) with the hubs that have only 300 words (unless poetry)
I suppose it depends on what you're writing for. If it's for the money, I already did a bit of calculations on the time it would take to make real money via hp. The bottom-line = hp is either a labor of love or you're an SEO/techy pretending there's tons of money to be made and thus roping in those who want to believe it's that easy. There are too many other hubs and authors who've written about the "real" scoop. Even on the competition recently - $67.00 for 100/30 in 30 days? No thanks.
Hp is an awesome global community of extremely interesting folks and a place to write about some floating around thoughts or lessons learned that might just be worth sharing. I will however offer you a $5 bill if you need it :) (just teasing)
Understood and appreciated, SEM Pro. One of the things that keeps me percolating the thought/hope that there MIGHT be a "magic combination" (note I avoided the trite word "formula") is the fact that once, just once, a few weeks back, I had an actual $4.11 Google Earnings day. None before or since that I know of, though I've only been tracking it daily for about the last 45 days. If I ever see a TEN dollar day, I won't have to write about it--you'll hear me anyway. LOL.
I understand fully Ghost and my intentions are definitely not to discourage you from writing! As mentioned, I like the way you write. Simply, I found a huge difference in who I wrote for and thus, how I wrote once I realized the majority of readers are hp community members. Initially I was writing for an impersonal world-wide audience. Granted, a couple of my "impersonal" hubs seem to attract many from surprising connections.
When it really comes down to it though, I haven't "put them out there" yet, as far as PR on other sites, or linked in all my social sites etc. (or even upgraded most to include hp). As with any book, or internet marketing, it's the strategic incoming links and one's own spreading the word that will bring the traffic. Then, as though you just received a billion dollar check, Google will be all over it like Uncle Sam for their "cut". Not a bad thing - just reality.
In other words, I think it's less how many words as the keywords and targeting your particular audience - finding your specific niche. Once that's clear, you create a following of them, then they'll share it with their like minded friends, and on and on with a "viral" goal if in it for the money. At least, from my studying it, that's the greatest avenue for success.
Appreciate the input, SEM Pro. Figured you knew what you were talking about from the first. I actually do have a plan (which any planner would be foolish to fully reveal until/unless said plan is actually accomplished). As it happens, what I've learned from a bit of experience (a nominal amount, but some) is that I'm just flat not capable of doing the social marketing thing per se. Every hour I've spent working to get incoming links for the only site of my own that I've fully built and do maintain has...not exactly backfired, but definitely been an exercise in futility. I know it works; I just don't work it--correctly or sufficiently, at least. It requires multitasking, and I'm flat out lousy at multitasking.
But I can say one thing without talking out of school ahead of time: Fortune has smiled on me in the matter of being able to get number one Google ranking for a page (or even my own poetic humor site as a whole), and my approach at least through August of 2009 will be wrapped around that positive pole in my vehicle-cranking battery.
Best of luck to you Ghost! The social networking does seem to be a full-time job in and of itself. I too am waiting until I launch my book and the series before spending that full-time effort twittering about. Looking forward to your hub after the s.a.t. - you will share the results right?
SEM Pro, absolutely yes, I will share the results.
Thanks for posting there are many different things to learn on this subject, im happy to have come across your information
Hi Ghost32. I caught a comment from you to Eastern Rainbow, who I think has to be the champ at getting followers even with limited English skills. After reading this hub I see a humor that fuels my own and that is rare on the HP. I understand the reason to set your sail toward more profit, but, as Molly said to Roy in Tin Cup, sometimes you have to "just kick back and let the big dog eat!" Pleasure to make your acquaintance and I will be back for more. Cheers.
I appreciate all the comments on this Hub but have to confess that lately my focus has shifted entirely away from earning money on the Internet via AdSense or, for that matter, through any other venue.
The reason? After an incredibly tight summer of 2009, finances improved suddenly and dramatically. Some mineral rights that had passed down through numerous generations (beginning in 1941) were suddenly determined to be worth something, and I drew the long straw. (My Dad was ticked off about that, even though he's been dead now for 14 years--we had an interesting confrontation in the dream state.)
Anyway, we're not exactly competing with Bill Gates for Big Dog status, but I'm now building a home (on the cheap, single handed) during daylight hours and writing pro-Sarah Palin hubs after dark.
The point, then: I'll of course be monitoring comments to this article as always, but that's about it for now...:)
Ah...music to my ears! Well met, Sir Ghost! I am partial to the broadsword myself, but for real carnage, nothing beats the 2 handers! LOL Nothing like battle up close and personal! But, if you want less effort and little mess, a good sniper rifle fits the bill! As for editing words, hmmm...can't think of a good weapon for that at the moment, except the 'delete' key, but that is so mundane! ROFL
I guess you can tell that I have a high interest in the Middle Ages and the 'knight' ear...that is when men were men and women were women! Nothing like a good workout with a hundred pounds or more weight to carry around!!! Talk about a cardiovascular workout!!!!
A cardiovascular workout indeed--and a really good explanation for why quite a few knights started out at around age fourteen, when they were too young and dumb to know any better.
I do understand swords (of all types) but must confess that were we to meet on the field of battle (old style), you probably wouldn't have liked me very much. I'd be the guy strewing caltrops and pit-traps in your path to cripple your horse, maybe working to design weapons that could pierce your sweaty armor from ambush, and shoot you in the back whenever possible.
Never give a knight an even break.
I do agree about the "when men were men and women were women" part, except of course for the gay folk, who've always been part of the social fabric, openly or otherwise. But I'm in no way nostalgic per se. Back in the day, they also considered bear baiting and execution by drawing and quartering high entertainment.
Uh-h...do I sound a bit jaded here? LOL!
A week ago, I did not know what caltrops were and had never heard of them. I don't even have to look it up today. Nothing like taking a knife to a gun fight. Aw, heck, good post. I found it interesting. Something like writing a 1500 word paper with enough research for 3000. That is something I can relate to.
Bit of a perfectionist, are you? :)
Not a perfectionist but I always feel I don't have enough research done. Then I write my paper and have to edit. A lot!!! LOL
Most of my writing requires only minimal editing--more proofreading, really--though there have been some notable exceptions. My first science fiction novel went through something like 8 or 9 "polishes" before it was published in 1982.
I don't have to edit for perfection. I have to edit to get it down to the size it is supposed to be. For some reason, the professors get uptight when they tell you 1500 words and you give them 4500 words. It is a wonderful, detailed paper. Why don't you want it?
Oh, I see. Well, if we're talking professors, I don't recall heaping too much paper on their heads, but there WERE a couple in college who seemed less than prone to remembering me with fondness. The classes:
1. Meat Cutting 101, a required class for all agrictulture majors, which I was for a (fairly brief) time. We also had to slaughter the animals whose meat we processed. I ducked doing that for as long as possible...and when finally cornered by the prof and ordered to do the killing one fine day, REFUSED to kill for a grade.
"Been killing animals to put meat on my family's table since I was ten or so," I told him, "But I won't kill for a grade."
He was livid. I'd just denigrated his entire life, livelihood, whatever. So he tried to flunk me.
But couldn't. He was trapped in his own very strict "point system". Gave me zero points for killing, obviously, but I'd racked up enough along the way in all other areas that the worst he could do was a C.
Which was fine with me.
2. Econ 205. I reared back and ranted on him at the top of my longs for being a lousy teacher for a good 3 minutes.
No idea why that bothered him so much....:)
I have been taking Business. I got an A in Creative Writing, English Grammar, Business 101 and 201. Lots of papers in each of them.I ace the papers.
I've no doubt!
I never was too thrilled about writing papers required by others, so usually provided enough to get the A but no more.
Ivorwen Level 1 Commenter 2 years ago
I've wondered the same thing.