Blogging for Pennies Post Google Panda

As I trudge out of the Google Panda trap - it is time for me to take a closer look at my resources and objectives. I have been proud to call myself a (sort of) professional blogger the last few years. However lately I find myself looking at job ads more closely. So the need for a closer look. At whether one can still blog to make money post Google Panda?

Where has my money come from the past couple of years?

99% from Google adsense

99% of that from Xomba.com

I am going to look at the 1% figure more closely.

I have earned some dollars from Amazon.com. That is the (less than) 1% I have not earned from Google adsense. I feel that has been more by fluke than effort. However from notes from the numerous making money online sites that I visit - I find that Amazon is a substantial source of income. How is it so? Well effort, I guess.

My interest here is - can I make money from Amazon? Can I increase the 1% to lets say 10%? Of course. But again a professional effort is needed for that. The upshot is it can be done with the help of lots of effort but not necessarily any monetary investment. Lots of articles and reviews targeted for Christmas posted about yesterday. Does Blogger look askance at Amazon targeted posts? Dont think so. They have after all included Amazon in the "Monetise" section.

Now about adsense but non-Xomba income. Xomba is coming out of its hubpages, bookmarking hangover. But there still seems to be some confusion about where it is positioning itself. It touts itself as a writing community for geeks and fanboys...what is that? I have a lot of effort and sweat poured into Xomba these last 4 years. Just hoping it doesnt go waste. In the real world- if you have some experience at a company - you can carry that to the next job. In cyber world - i think you have to leave behind your CV and start anew. So more the reason to start your own blog! But of course I am too emotionally involved with Xomba to really leave the site. Its got a great community, some cool stuff in features - and Nick is a dear;-)

I have a few blogs around - and it is actually making me a few pennies EVERYDAY. I think that's important. I used to get a few pennies a month - a few months back. My income from Best - Reviewer has also picked up. However I am not sure of the commitment of the James guy towards the site. I mean he has a lot of big plans - so why wont he ditch the site midway and go onto something bigger? A pity, for it is a fun site. 

Other sites I look at sometime - yousaytoo.com and shetoldme.com. Any other suggestions? Of course I must be registered at a dozen sites like infobarrell, hubpages, squidoo, triond, etc etc. Just no point spreading out so thin!

So what's plan A, B, C...?

• Attack Amazon
• One blog post a day
• More research on what I write
• Write original - no more posting the same thing at Xomba and on my blogs - no point
• Take it seriously - while surreptitiously looking at job ads;-)

Why it should work? 

The no. of people searching for stuff wont dwindle.
Advertisers cant afford not to use online ads
And you should be ready with stuff to be at the right place at the right time.
Right place and right time - still undefined - so make sure the stuff's good!

Cant think of anything else!

Has Google Panda been Successful?

From personal experience - I would say - YES! The party is over. Adsense money wont come easy. But if you are new to the internet writing - make money by online writing - breed, the news is good. The implementation of Google Panda must have thrown up so many orphaned keywords. All the keywords and SEOed content by content farms - would be working minimally. So just identify a niche - do some quality writing - and grab that space! There is money to be made out there. The good thing is trash, duplicate content - is not going to make that money.

For me it has been a very disappointing month at Xomba. Xomba has done a 360 degree turn. No writing for money. However, is there still money to be made at Xomba? I think so. Lists are all the rage. Xomba still gets good eyeballs - so if you write for Xomba - make use of lists and reviews. And wait.