Undoubtedly, Wordpress is the most popular blog software (there are many websites that use this software to power the entire websites, not just blog sections).

Its advantages: it is free, with great support, enormous number of plug-ins, easy to set up and use.

Wordpress powers this websites as well as all other websites I own. Just to enhance the possibilities of the software you need certain plug-ins that are a breeze to install with wordpress.

What wordpress plugins do I use? Here is the list of those that I find useful and necessary with all my websites:

• Akismet – this one helps to fight SPAM
• Chitika MiniMalls – this one helps to integrate Chitika affiliate code anywhere in the posts (I am thinking to adding a similar plug-in for Google AdSense).
• StatTraq – your blog statistics
• Most popular – most popular posts featured (you need the above plug-in for this to work)
• SimpleTags – A WordPress Plugin for generating Technorati Tags
• Social Bookmark Link Creator – self explanatory
• WP-DB-Backup – plugin to quickly backup your WP database. You may download the backup file, or have it emailed to the address of your choice.

Summary: Wordpress plug-ins are really helpful stuff. It is hard to keep an eye on all new plug-ins that regularly turn up on the market. Many just repeat the ones you use, but offer a better design or functionality. To start with your own list of plug-ins, visit the official website.

If you would like to see what wordpress plugins more advanced web guru use for their websites read Greywolf’s post on this very topic.

[tags]blogs, blogging, wordpress, trends, tendencies, web design, online community, staff hiring, seo, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, blogs, content generation, make money online, work from home, home based job, earn your living online[/tags]

I have recently posted on my unbelief in search engine optimization; I also have posted a few times about social websites that along with communities should help you to succeed in the short and long run.

Social websites welcome all sorts of viral marketing products – they are fast to spread around. Social websites are as a rule places where people search for information and fun, not products.

So if you target social websites and online communities with information then it is a good idea to explore viral marketing and its techniques. I think the classical sample of viral marketing of the past decade is free e-mail from Hotmail that was very popular with the Internet audience of that time.

What is viral marketing?

Viral marketing refers to marketing techniques that seek to exploit pre-existing social networks to produce exponential increases in brand awareness, through self-replicating viral processes, analagous to the spread of a computer virus. It can often be word-of-mouth delivered and enhanced online; it can harness the network effect of the Internet and can be very useful in reaching a large number of people rapidly.

Its characteristics:

1. Free products or services
2. Easy transfer to others
3. Scales easily
4. Exploits common motivations and behaviors

Sex, humor, celebrities are good candidates to become a successful viral marketing product. Standard forms for online viral marketing products: images, jokes, videos, websites, animations, audios.

According to Seth Godin, viral idea:

No one “sends” an idea unless:
a. they understand it
b. they want it to spread
c. they believe that spreading it will enhance their power (reputation, income, friendships) or their peace of mind
d. the effort necessary to send the idea is less than the benefits

No one “gets” an idea unless:
a. the first impression demands further investigation
b. they already understand the foundation ideas necessary to get the new idea
c. they trust or respect the sender enough to invest the time

I have posted my ideas on MillionDollarHomePage. It is also a product of viral marketing of the recent time (2005).

Summary: When you read these lines you think that it is an easy task to make a nice viral marketing catch. Once you turn to your website the ideas that come to your mind are commonplace and far from being original – an image or joke or something. How to keep within the viral marketing principles and stay original? The only answer you can get – experiment.

I also recommend you researching the List of Internet phenomena – explore success stories, it should help you with the ideas.

[tags]viral marketing, myspace, seo, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, blogs, content generation, make money online, work from home, home based job, earn your living online[/tags]

I was unaware of this affiliate network until I became a regular of the forum where this network is regularly discussed. Imagine my surprise to discover that AzoogleAds is #1 ranked CPA affiliate network by a number of authority resources. I was sure that CJ, LinkShare and Performics are top players in the industry:

AzoogleAds™ Honored
AzoogleAds.com was quite honored to recently be ranked #1 Affiliate Company in 2004, by industry newsletter Adbumb, and 25,000 online media experts.

Read the news article here:

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2004-02-23c.html

A Winning Profile
Since 2000, AzoogleAds™ has grown in leaps and bounds. Our advanced network of websites, and publishers has grown to over 2,500 hand picked and constantly monitored partners. This online reach, helps draw in over 100 top tier advertising partners, many Fortune™ 1000 and 500 companies. Our proprietary backbone of technology and sites, tracks over 1.7mm unique transactions, with 100mm unique click-thrus monthly, ranking us amongst the top tier online advertising networks.

Application process is neither so easy nor fast with AzoogleAds. It was much easier to get approved with the three mentioned services. I had to contact AzoogleAds a few times, to complete an online form and e-mail questionnaire, mail them my tax information, then contact them by e-mil again. One more e-mail. Finally a message with ‘you are approved; our manager will get in touch with you shortly’.

I logged into my account to browse the offers that are divided into categories. Some categories make this affiliate network different from its top competitors (these offers attract numerous webmasters eager to set up relations with AzoogleAds as publishers):

- Free
- Incentivized
- Holiday
- Exclusive

My research for tips on working with this affiliate network did not return many results (that make me wonder why top ranked affiliate network does not generate much online buzz and discussions in the forums and blog posts). The forum is likely to be the best source for ideas and advice on AzoogleAds – probably it has some kind of relations with the affiliate network – (though there are other mentions of the affiliate network) at this point in time:

- how to find good offers with AzoogleAds
- how to make quick buck with AzoogleAds
- useful AzoogleAds tips
- incentivizing offers

Summary: In general AzoogleAds functions the same way as CJ or any other CPA affiliate network. The categories I mentioned make it unique and help webmasters to get high conversions from running their promotions (according to their posts).

Other benefits you get from the network – net 15 payouts and great customer support.

The process of approval is neither easy nor fast. Is it worth your time and efforts? It depends on the type of web property you run. But I do not doubt that it is worth experimenting – you can sign up here (aff.)

[tags]azoogleads, cpa, affiliate networks, social bookmarking, web 2.0, domain names, links buying, myspace, seo, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, blogs, content generation, make money online, work from home, home based job, earn your living online[/tags]