Rice Blogger

There is too many people out there trying to make money from blogging. Don’t you know that there is little to be earned when everyone is trying to grab something from the same pie.  Do not fall for those who writes about how much they earned, some are very true and some out there is just trying their luck to get reader to fall for their trick.

It is not an easy job blogging. I am trying hard to come out with topics and thinking about what others may want to read from my blog. Getting a niche is definitely better than fighting with everyone for the same piece of pie.  But note that most blogger does not see much money for the first 6 months or even the first year. Even then, money is slow and may not be comparable to your daily job pay. My word of advice for those new bloggers, DO NOT QUIT YOU JOB TO BLOG (unless you know what you are doing and your blog is pouring in some good income).

Through the years (I may not have blog for that long, but I have read blog longer than a year), I learn that driving traffic and marketing the blog is far more important compare to the content. Although content is the main driver for return readers. There is word of mouth, advertisements, directory submission, SEO, friends and much other ways.

Blogging is hard work, and earning money from blog is even harder. I do it because I like altering with codes but money would be a nice token of rewards.

How would you like a free PageRank 6 link. With the sudden change in Google algorithm, it seems that a lot of website out there does not carry PR6 any longer and people are more caution in exchaging link and spreading the link love around. This require some effort but it is simple and a good way to advertise your blog too.

I did not manage to get a PageRank 6 link back but a PageRank 5 is a pretty good deal. Here is what you need to do.

1. Register a microblogging account – Twitter is the best because it is open for registration. While Pownce and Jaiku is Invite only. (Could also do this with MyBlogLog).
2. Add friends and make friends online.
3. Wait for update.

Here is an example of a PR6 link back from Twitter profile. Look at the right panel of the website, you will find a link to his blog. It does not have any tags on it. Easily with this, you could do a PR3-4 when you add some friends to your account.

Start registering now and add me to your profile:-

8dee’s Jaiku
8dee’s Twitter
8dee’s Pownce
8dee’s MyBlogLog

Overall I like my Jaiku as it accepts feeds from blogs and also promote them on my behalf, but I am unable to share good stuff as I do not have anymore invites. Also, Google have acquire Jaiku, and I see better future in Jaiku compare to others.

I have a huge increase in traffic to RiceBlogger dot com when my Blogs with Top Commentators Plugins post is StumbleUpon-ed. Although there is some drop in traffic after that, overall traffic have been constantly increase daily.There was someone asking for tips on the way he could add StumbleUpon link onto their blog. Here is how you could add them. I found out 2 ways of doing it, I belief there is more ways to do this out there. One way is to install Sociable Plugin for WordPress and another way is to code it manually, which is what I have done for my blog.

Add Digg it!

<a href=”http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=<?php the_permalink() ?>”>Digg it!</a>

Add StumbleUpon

<a href=”http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=<?php the_permalink(); ?>&title=<?php the_title(); ?>”>Stumble it!</a>

Add Furl

<a href=”http://furl.net/storeIt.jsp?t=<?php the_title(); ?>&u=<?php the_permalink() ?>”>Furl</a>

Add Reddit

<a href=”http://reddit.com/submit?url=<?php the_permalink() ?>&title=<?php the_title(); ?>” >reddit</a>

Add Del.icio.us

<a href=”http://del.icio.us/post?url=<?php the_permalink() ?>&title=<?php the_title(); ?>”>Del.icio.us</a>

Copy the code and paste it in both Main Index Templates and Single Post. Look for

<?php the_content

and paste it somewhere before or right after this code.

This social bookmark could also be applied to other new social bookmarking website. But you will need to find out the link which they use to add a new bookmark. Also, this only works in WordPress.

As of last month, Google Adsense allows withdrawal through Western Union. I have successfully withdraw do that yesterday through RHB Bank, Giant Bukit Tinggi, Klang.  The whole idea of getting money via Western Union is very good and hassle free.

Here is a list of benefits:-

1. Faster – This is the main and the absolute advantage to make your change the payment option to Western Union. Usually I get the check on the 10 to 11th of each month. Clearance of the check is like until then end of the month. While I did it yesterday on the 1st of Nov, I manage the cash out on that day itself.
2. Cheaper – I clear the check using HSBC around RM11.30 each month. I earn an extra RM11.30 as I do no have to pay for the overseas check clearance.

Disadvantage

1. You have to line up for it.

It is obvious that the advantages using Western Union supersede the disadvantage. All I did was to print a copy of the Western Union Payment information from Google Adsense, fill up a form at RHB Bank, show my IC and spend some time there.

The only complain I have on this whole thing is that the Bukit Tinggi RHB Branch is bad, I mean real bad. Here is my complaints:-

• Only one person knows how to use the Western Union terminal, I was so unlucky that she was out for lunch. I also overheard that 2 other employees asking each other why you did not learn and blaming each others. They are actually offered the course but they did not take the effort to learn.
• Asked to wait for 10 minutes for the lady to come back from lunch, and she was there 25 minutes later.
• Then I was passed to another lady to process my payment when Western Union have already approved it. She was doing her own sweet stuff while I waited right in front of her face and she show no expression and not explaining why the hell I am waiting there for.
• Okay, after all this time waiting, I manage to see the brochure for “Customer Survey”. Wow, I was so happy, I took one and read what they were asking for. There were some basic question and one particular question got my vision was the name of the employee who served me, I had 3 employees servicing me like a football and none of them had name anywhere. Also, there is no box to drop the Customer Survey or any address where I can send them to. What kind of company tries prove that they are improve their customer service but actually does not have the intention to do so? I know that RHB is definitely one of them.

Enough of banging the bank in Malaysia. Overall, it is a fruitful experience as I manage to cash out some money. $$$

As of today, Adsense have confirmed the payment via Western Union. This is my first try at this service and I hope that it will not be a problem to receive the fund. Although it is not a lot, but it is fun to have payment this way everymonth.

Previously I used HSBC to clear my checks and I will have a call each time I bank in the check (or cheque).

To check if your payment is ready. Go to

1. My Account > Payment History
2. Click on “detail” after Payment Isuued on October 2007 row.

After that, you will see this screen.

I suggest that you print a copy as you will need quite a few information in order to get your payment.

1. Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN)
2. Payment Amount
3. Government Issued ID (Passport, Driving License, National ID etc)
4. Senders’ Information:-

Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
USA

Here is the link to find location to withdraw money from Western Union in your area.