If you’ve been reading PlanetSaedel for quite sometime now, you will notice that I’ve changed the posting layout of my page. Each single page now consists of 5 posts in FULL read, unlike before where you have to click “Continue Reading…” to read the rest of the topic. I know this will sound a little selfish but the reason for this is because I want my blog to be accepted by PayPerPost. One of their requirements is to have the post displayed on the page completely. If I get accepted, I only plan to write reviews related to my interests or niche. PayPerPost (PPP), in simple words, is a company that pays bloggers to write reviews. If you want to learn more about PPP, you can read my previous post here.

Traffic

In relation to to that, If you are a subscriber – either by RSS Reader or Email – my post will be delivered to you in Full Read as well. A lot of bloggers utilize RSS because it is extremely useful and time-saving. And that’s exactly the reason why I turned off the “Continue Reading…” feature. Most bloggers are busy but they want to keep updated to other blogs, so they subscribe to a lot of sites that offer RSS. I’ve read that the only time they visit the site to read the entire post is when the title and the first few paragraphs are interesting. So I figured, why not give them a chance to read the complete post via their reader before they completely skip my post?

Enabling FULL READ is a risk, as far as my traffic is concerned. As much as possible, I want readers to go to my relatively new site and give me a “hit”. But then I thought, one way to do it is to write insightful, useful, and interesting posts. So that’s what I’m going to do.

So how am I going to send traffic to my 9-week old site?

Enter the Feedburner.

RSS FeedBurner and its FeedFlare Feature

I use FeedBurner to burn my posts and deliver them to my readers. It has a feature called FeedFlare, which I found out allows interactivity to your site. If you have an RSS reader, you can check that I am able to show the following: How many Comments are there in my posts; Links to Technorati, Digg, StumbleUpon; and many more. For my non-technical readers, these simply mean a way to encourage the readers to click on my site to generate traffic, and to share my posts/articles to other social sites if they find them interesting and discussion-worthy.

How cool is that?

However, I am unsure if FeedFlare only works for WordPress or other blog software installed in bloggers’ OWN domain. Therefore, bloggers whose sites are hosted by blogspot.com and other similar free bloghosts, will have to verify on their own if they are able to avail of this service.

MORE

I’m thinking of a better site description to replace my current one. Right now, it reads: “Beginner’s guide to practical things and more“, but the more I write, the more the description becomes irrelevant. My girlfriend Andie, thought so, too. So if you have suggestions, kindly post them in the message box below; or if you are too shy, you can simply shoot me an email at: saedel@planetsaedel.com ( saedel[at]planetsaedel[dot]com ). All suggestions will be appreciated.

New PPP members get excited by the fact that they are already a member. However, new members don’t know that there’s one important step to accomplish before they can take advantage of the open opportunities: BLOG SUBMISSION. Don’t expect to earn profit right away, because your blog can still be rejected. As a matter of fact, prepare to get frustrated because PPP has 5 secrets you wished you knew beforehand:

1. Number of posts and Quality - Your blog should have at least 20 posts prior to submission. This is a piece of cake. 20 posts is nothing. But, if you are a beginner, it is an easy mistake to make because you are tempted to post anything outside your niche. I can post 5 irrelevant topics in one day with my eyes closed, but is it worth it? To me, quality is more important than quantity. So my tip is: write quality post from the get-go and make it a habit. Always check your post for technical errors (ie. grammar and punctuations) and substance (contents). Heads-up: PPP reviews your post submissions once your blog becomes legible.

Also, if you are planning to join other review companies, keep in mind that some of them might require you to have at least 10 posts a month. My posting frequency is 2 posts (3 max) per week. That way, I won’t run out of ideas and the quality remains consistent. So make sure you post in a regular interval so your site gets approved.

2. Age limit – PPP (and others) will not approve your blog if it is relatively new — it should be at least 90 days old. PPP verifies your blog’s age by getting the date of your first post, and subtracting it from your application date. In some instances, other companies check if you have archives link, so if you haven’t done that yet, set it up now.

3. Posts per Page – PPP will not approve your blog if your page shows only 2 posts at a time. For some reasons, you have to have at least 5 posts in a page. If you are serious about becoming a reviewer, it’s time to pad up the pages with more posts.

4. Post Layout – PPP and other companies require you to have your posts in FULL READ. Meaning, your post – no matter how short or long it is – should be completely displayed in the page. If you fancy the “MORE…” feature, then I suggest drop it now then re-submit your blog. (If you are into Search Engine Optimization or more commonly known as SEO, I’ve read that this is a growing concern, because FULL READ duplicates your site contents. However, I feel that it is a separate topic that needs another post so I won’t discuss it here.)

5. Traffic – This is the toughest especially for new sites. Fortunately, PPP, in my experience, does not check traffic ranking. However, bloggers with new sites who are anxious to become reviewers, are in a rude awakening when they learn that some companies reject blog submission due to low traffic ranking. Some companies won’t even bother contact you if your blog is disapproved.

To check your site’s traffic, go to alexa.com, and enter your site. If you feel you need more hits, here’s one effective tip to increase your site’s popularity: write quality posts/articles and submit them to reddit.com or digg.com and make sure you enter short, catchy title. For starters, reddit and digg are the two most popular social news sites where users can submit links, whether their own or not. If REDDITors and DIGGers like your submission, they will vote for it and share it with others. The more votes you get, the more chances your article makes the frontpage. Hence, the exposure and tons of hits.

If you think you’ve passed these requirements, then you should have no problem getting your blog accepted. Try submitting your blog again and wait if it gets approved or not. If PPP rejects your blog, take note of the reasons and feel free to post here.

If you want to help aspiring reviewers, please send them this link so they will know what to do before they submit their blogs to PPP and/or other companies and save them the frustrations.

Good luck!

** Disclaimer: This is based on my personal experience and some research, and may or may not be applicable to you. So use this at your own risk. I will not be liable for the use of information in this post. **

You’ve probably heard the news about the fascinating people on the internet popularized by their successful money-making stories. Ordinary people who became internet legends by blogging. And then you’ve asked yourself: “When is it my turn?” You want to be like them: lucky by doing nothing.

You’re wondering: why are some people so damn lucky earning lots of money sitting in front of the computer?

I’ll tell you a secret. I have read about their inspiring stories, too.

You know what I noticed?

It’s still hard-work that brings them up there on a different level. They continue to think of good, useful topics that their readers are interested in; they continue to make sure that their traffic remains on top 100,000 of alexa.com; they continue to submit their articles on reddit.com and/or digg.com to gain consistent exposures; they make sure they attract more subscribers by employing “evil” strategies; and they read books and continue to update their knowledge. You just don’t notice that they work hard because it is concealed by the enjoyment of what they are doing.

You think they just sit there content with what they have? You think luck brought them where they are right now?

Partly. Because chance favors the prepared mind.

Think about it. While you are stuck in your own box playing the waiting game, struggling to get out and to fly to a different stratosphere, the smartest thing to do is improve yourself and do your best instead of complaining why others are rewarded with material things and you’re not.

Who knows? Tomorrow might be your turn. But the question is: Are you ready?

But that is about to change because his boss confronted him one day.

The store was missing an iPod. They turned the store upside down but couldn’t find it. No receipt was produced to prove that it was actually purchased. Given that, Ernie’s boss made a decision, a foolish decision that would change the working relationship between the two: he was going to deduct the cost of the lost iPod from Ernie’s small hard-earned pay.

Ernie was furious and bravely refused to accept the owner’s decision. Taking away something that you earned, Ernie said, is inhumane. “If you do that, I’m quitting!” he told his boss with strong conviction.

That’s the last thing the boss would want to hear. It will be hard to find someone as diligent and as loyal as Ernie if he leaves.

I don’t blame Ernie if he quits. And as his long-time friend, I understand him. Loyalty is a two-way street. He’s been loyal to his employer and it is just proper to expect the same treatment from his boss. But instead of getting that, he received an unfair treatment and discriminatory judgment.

Symbiotic relationship means both parties benefit from each other. Give and take: one has to give, and one has to receive. Then reverse the roles. There should also be a mutual understanding that parties involve will not abuse one another. In the case of Ernie, only his boss is reaping all the benefits.

I remember when my principal asked me if I can take an additional job by teaching Math (besides teaching Computer). I had taught Math before, and I knew exactly how excruciating it can be to have extra classes. It means more test papers to check, more homework to give, and more lesson plans to prepare. In simple words: more headaches. So I did what I had to do: I would accept the offer but I will also ask for a decent salary increase. They agreed, without questions asked. I think I know why.

It is because my employer knows I have proven that I work hard and I’m loyal to them, and I rightfully deserve every cent of the increase. And because in reality, a simple pat on the back is not enough for a job well done. They reward deserving employees.

There’s a lot of “Ernie” in the world, but problem is, unlike my friend, they stick to their jobs despite maltreatment because they’re afraid they won’t be able to get another job. I hope you are not one of them because they are wrong. There are a lot of jobs out there, waiting to be found. They just need to look a little harder to find them. If they become unhappy, then it’s time to move and go on to a different direction where they will grow – financially, emotionally and professionally.

Those are the eternal questions newly-graduates ask themselves as they prepare to join the labor force, and most often they get confused. I was one of them nine years ago.

It took me several months before I landed a job after graduating from college. I was so concerned with the salary.

“I heard John is getting $$$ amount monthly.”

“Jane was also accepted at ABC company and is being sent to the States to work.”

I wanted to be the same. I wanted tell people how huge my salary is when they ask. I wanted a job that will pay me huge money and at the same time will give me even just a slight exposure in my field of expertise. In that specific order: money, then experience. That was how I measured success then. I wanted money right away.

My friend on the other hand, was already working as a programmer receiving a minimum to low salary. That time, I just declined a job from an IT software house that only offered daily allowance, enough to pay only the transportation. Give me a break, I deserved better than that. So I accepted a programming job from a small plastic manufacturing firm that gave me almost double of my friend’s base salary. My work as an in-house database programmer was to upgrade their DOS systems to Windows-based, not to mention technical support and computer troubleshooting.

Later, I learned that my hard-working friend was absorbed by the bank he was working for and his professional skills were honed as his company kept sending him to various seminars and workshops. Years after, he is promoted to a manager, has his own car, and is now living a life I’ve been dreaming of.

Me? I got stuck coding, and since the company I was working for was more concerned in developing their main products, I had to improve my skills on my own time.

Looking back, it was a huge mistake to prioritize salary when you are a starter. Give premium to skills and experience. In time, as your skills and experience broaden, you will be compensated properly. Forget what others say when they brag about their income but unhappy with their jobs because of lack of professional growth.

If you can get a job that will provide you experience and huge income, then take advantage and grab it. Good for you. Otherwise, go for the experience, you’ll be rewarded later. Or maybe sooner. Depends on how hard-working you are. As the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.”

And then it becomes a habit. This time, I service computers without charging people who I met just once. Not good, I think. Most of these people are professionals and businessmen, and it makes them uncomfortable when someone refuses their offer, may it be in donation or in kind. They even have to force the payment to my hands. What an awkward situation. I had to accept. And the moment that happened, the long wait was over.

If you are in the same boat, I have an advice for you: don’t let the day pass by. You have to understand that this is your chance or you’ll keep waiting forever. Politely take it, like it is an honor servicing them. Because “that someday” you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. And “that something in return” that awaits you, is already right in front of you.

Own it, like I do now. There’s nothing wrong with accepting something you rightfully deserve.

So I did what I needed to do: I applied for a credit card. I thought it was that easy. But I also was denied. How can I have a good credit history if I don’t have a card? Does everything revolve around this tiny piece of plastic card with your name on it?

Unfortunately, that’s how life goes here in the US. If you want a better life, you have to have a good credit. You have to prove you can pay.

So how do you start if you can’t even get approved a credit card?

For those experiencing the same dilemma, I have good news for you. Since I always got denied of a real credit card, I made a little research and found out I can apply for a “secured card”….

Secured card works like a credit card, but you have to pay a deposit first. Your deposit is your fund, your credit limit — or the amount allowable to spend.

When I found Orchard Bank on the internet, I was thrilled. I will “lose” $200 as a deposit as soon as I opened an account at OrchardBank. But they said I’ll get it back once I close the account. At the same time, I was scared. What if it was a scam?

I got my card few days later, along with Terms of Service (TOS), and policy, etc. I was able to use it without any problem. I can say I was happy with the service they provided. Payment can be done online as well as account management. When I had questions and doubts, Orchard Bank representative was friendly to answer my inquiries. Few months later, my credit limit was increased to $500, which means my credit rating was going well. Now I can prove I can pay.

My father warned me about credit cards: He said sooner or later, companies/lenders who denied me before will offer me cards. And he was right. Almost everyday, an offer is mailed to me.

Over the years, I was able to get four credit cards, more if I wanted to. I had to close two (the ones with high interest rate) because paying bills made me nuts. I dropped Orchard Bank as well, and I got my $200 back which I honestly had forgotten already. Now, I only have two cards: one main card, and the other as a backup which I barely use. I still have my debit card for my minor spending.

When you have good credit history already, always remember to stay out of debt by paying cash as much as possible, and only buy things you know you can afford.

Good luck!!

**This is not a professional advice. The information here are based on my personal experience and research. Use them or not, it’s entirely up to you. **