Great free ebook on how to become a blogger

I just finished reading this excellent (and FREE) ebook by Yaro Starak and gideon Shalwick called “The Roadmap to Become a Blogger”.  It basically lays down everything you need to know about making money from your own blog (which I also discussed to some extent  in a previous post).

What I love most about Yaro and Gideon’s ebook is that it has action steps.  Meaning, there’s a list of stuff you have to do to implement their advice. I love action steps because they are practical, and they note down all the tasks you need to accomplish.  ( I used action steps in the post “How do I start as an online freelance writer?” to better explain what aspiring writers need to do.)

Anyway, going back to the ebook, you need to sign up before you can download it.  Don’t worry – if you don’t like the email updates you receive, you can always unsubscribe.  They carry out the mailing list using Aweber, which is a trustworthy, spam-free service.

Also, please note that some of the advice might not be applicable to Filipino bloggers, especially if your target audience is local. Still, it’s a great resource for beginning and veteran bloggers alike.

Click here to download this handy ebook.

Image credit: Graphic taken from Yaro Starak’s blog

FrugalPinoy Q&A: Do you need a PayPal account to make money online?

FrugalPinoy reader Cynch sent me this question via email:

Is it an absolute “must” that a person who wants to earn money online has to
have a PayPal account or bank account, there’s no other way to receive money?

The simple answer is no, you don’t absolutely need a PayPal account, but it can make things more convenient – especially if your clients or customers are overseas.  If you only deal locally, then PayPal is more of a privilege than a requirement, and may in fact cost more in the long run.

Why is it more convenient?

If you’ll be dealing with clients internationally, there are good reasons why you should have a PayPal account:

• It’s automatic.  Unlike most money transfer services where you have to fill up forms – whether online or offline -  Paying someone through PayPal just requires a few clicks. Plus, you can add PayPal buttons on your site to make the payment process automatic.
• Most foreign clients prefer to use it.  This is because the use of PayPal is so common in the US, UK,  and other developed countries.It’s a widely recognized brand, which is why it’s almost always the service that people use.

What are the alternatives to a PayPal account?

If you don’t have a PayPal account, there are other ways you can get paid for your online ventures:

Xoom. I’ve always used Xoom throughout my online writing career.  They can deliver the money to your house or you can pick it up at a Banco De Oro branch near you.

You can sign up for a Xoom account yourself, but it’s important to note that most foreign clients/customers don’t have a Xoom account, and they’ll need to fill out a form with your name and address, etc.  Plus, they’ll need to pay extra for fees  (while PayPal just deducts the fees from the total payment).  This might seem like such a hassle to some customers/clients if they’re not used to the process.  You can work around this by including the transaction fees in your prices, so that clients aren’t surprised that they have to pay extra.

The good news is that Xoom accepts PayPal payments, so if your clients are insistent on paying you via PayPal, you won’t have to worry.

Ikobo. Another online money transfer service is Ikobo.  I’ve never used it personally, but it’s a widely known service that many people trust.  If it’s your first time to use Ikobo, you’ll be receiving a Prepaid Visa card on your first transaction, and you can use that card to withdraw the funds.  Shipping the card to the Philippines costs from $11.95 to $24.95.  Since that’s the case, it’s best to make your first Ikobo transaction with a relative rather than with a client – they’re not going to be too happy about the extra fees they have to pay.  To learn more about how to use Ikobo, click here.

Western Union.  If you don’t have a bank account, Western Union is a good alternative, except you’re going to need 2 ID cards to claim your money.  There are several branches here in the Philippines where you can claim your money, and even pawnshops and banks (such as BPI and UCPB) allow Western Union transactions.  You can use this form to look for a branch near you.  Unlike Ikobo and Xoom, you can’t create an online shopping cart via Western Union.

I hope this answers your question. There are more money transfer services out there, but the ones I’ve mentioned are by far the most reliable and the most established.

Do you have any personal finance or online moneymaking questions? If so, kindly click here for the contact form, type in your question, and I’ll answer it here at FrugalPinoy.

How to Make Money Blogging (Part 2: Monetizing your own blog)

In the first part of the “How to Make Money Blogging” series, I discussed how to become a professional blogger by writing for others.  Also, in the follow-up to that post, I answered questions from readers.

Today, we’ll talk about making money on blogs you own, rather than as a hired writer for other people’s blogs.  This is just a basic outlined tutorial, because making money with your own blog is such a vast topic.  But, if you’re a beginner and you want to set up your own blog and monetize it, this tutorial is a good place as any to start learning.

Tools you’ll need:

• Domain name.  This will be the main address of your blog.  For this blog, it’s frugalpinoy.com.  I usually buy my domain names at GoDaddy.  I think it’s important to buy your own, easy-to-remember domain name, as it looks more professionaland has better recall.
• Web hosting. This is where your website will be stored.  My favorite host is CynicalDog, as I’ve never had problems with them and I’ve been with them for 4 years.  Other reliable hosts you can try: BlueHost, HostGator, WebHostingPad
• A blogging platform.  This is the software behind your blog.  For all of my blogs, I use the WordPress platform, because it is very easy to use and is highly customizable. Other blogging platforms: Moveable Type, Typepad.
• Some website-building knowhow.  Apart from learning how to use your chosen blogging platform, you may need some basic HTML or CSS skills, or at least know someone who is familiar with them.  This will come in handy when you need to paste advertising/affiliate codes on your blog, or when you’re troubleshooting.The internet is full of video and written tutorials on HTML, CSS, and blogging platforms.  All you have to do is search for them via Google.

Read more..

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