Chitika Premium Failuires With YPN

Posted on May 6, 2010 by cldnails

Chitika has skipped over the downward spiral and jumped right off the back of the slide. I’ve been using Chitika for 1 year this month and never before have I seen such a drastic change in policy, earnings, impressions, and general contempt from support in dealing with issues. On April 28, 2010 my Chitika Premium impressions dropped from an average of 2,700 per day to just 3. You can guess what my earnings have done.

Domain Review and Approval

It all started when Chitika announced that they were taking on advertisers from the Yahoo Publisher Network, which then required all domains to be approved and reviewed. This review process went above and beyond previous requirements to be a Chitika Premium publisher, although no guidelines have been published or responded to in support tickets.

In addition, even though I had already received Premium ad approval on 2 of my domains, the system now required me to submit every domain Chitika ads would be shown on. This change in policy was ushered in via email and an automatic sign up to Chitika Select , which promised increased impressions and revenue. Review of a publishers domains were not supposed to take more than 3 weeks, however that was more than 5 weeks ago and my domains have still not been reviewed.

Generic Responses To Drop In Impressions and Revenue

The worst part about this whole ordeal is the actual feedback and responses I’m getting form the Chitika team. Originally in May of 2009 when I signed up with them, the support team was outgoing, easy to contact, and offered plenty of advice to get going and maximize my earnings. However, lately it takes longer to get a response and even then most are canned copy and paste explanations that never really address my questions.

My last support ticket with them took 4 different replies before I could get anything close to an actual response from a real person. Even after this, I was still left with more questions than answers, most dealing with what kind of guidelines are set for a domain to be approved for Chitika Premium.

Good Enough For Testimonial But Not For Chitika Premium

Another downfall with the latest changes going on at Chitika, which are closer relating to the eBay Partner Network, are that their testimonial pages are filled with publishers who used the old Chitika system. One of the testimonials proudly displayed on their testimonial review page is one of my own, which is a far cry from how I feel now about the company and Ad network. I’ve requested my testimonial removed, since its not an accurate representation of how I feel about Chitika anymore and I would encourage others to do the same.

It’s disappointing after a year of publishing for Chitika that now I’m thrown to the curb, without so much as an explanation. Looking back I’m embarrassed at all the people I referred to Chitika and glorified the program as the next step in online advertising and earning potential for publishers. Shame on you Chitika.

Conversion Failing of Their Own Design

It’s no secret that the success of Chitika ads were due to the image in place next to the text advertisement. Many people were using this technique with Google Adsense, until it became obvious that such clicks converted far lower than normal display methods for advertisers. Adsense was quick to change policies and prohibit the use of images next to their advertisements on a web page.

Chitika adopted and fleshed out the potential for higher traffic and higher earnings through volume clicks, with the help from the images next to ads. But it looks like YPN has decided that they want higher converting traffic from a network of publishers molded and supportive of the way Chitika was. Their own ad design allowed for lower converting traffic for advertisers, but now they are punishing the publisher for their mistakes.

Pending Further Review

Lastly, one of my sites is pending further review, which means they are looking into ways to bring my abysmal impressions back up. Yet this domain is still not good enough for Chitika Premium ads, so what’s the point? My automotive website has been good enough to draw advertising campaigns from large automotive companies from all over the world, who have continued to use my site as a way to advertise their product. How is it not good enough for Chitika Premium? How do I make it better and improve performance for Chitika Premium? Without published guidelines it’s anyone’s guess.

I hate playing these types of games with advertising companies and the changes in Chitika remind me too much of EPN. I’ve already removed the majority of my Chitika code from my sites, not that they will miss me, but I’m hurt, angry, and plan on letting everyone that I can know about what I’ve experienced.

Alternate Post Title – 1 year Chitika Review, Stay AWAY!

Is Chitika Select Right For Your Site?

Posted on March 24, 2010 by cldnails

More impressions. More Revenue.

Hard to pass up a tag line like that, but maybe Chitika Select ads aren’t right for your site. There have been many discussions surrounding the costs and benefits of utilizing the new Chitika Select addition to Premium ads, which bring up great points, regarding missed opportunities and not just revenue. Feel free to follow the discussion on the official Chitika Blog’s Chitika Select post.

Darren, from Pro Blogger, made some very important points regarding return visitors. The temptation of using Chitika Premium ads came from being able to place blocks of advertising to only be shown to search engine visitors, without disturbing normal readership.

Also, the addition of Chitika Select is setup as an Opt-Out instead of an Opt-In, which means if you weren’t paying attention these ads are being served whether you want them to or not. Luckily, it’s a simple fix and is quickly being made public that the change needs to be made if you don’t want advertisements always being shown to your visitors. Keep in mind, these ads will most likely be a lot less targeted, since arrival from a search engine is not required to trigger the impression.

I left the Chitika Ads Select run on my automotive website and after a little bit of tweaking on location I managed to increase my revenue by 50%. My impressions were up a full 30%! I’ve yet to see the result after Chitika’s dreaded audited report, but for now it looks like I’ll be leaving Select ads running. I’d also recommend to almost anyone to leave them running as well, just understand what you are doing.

Scottrade 1 Week Review

Posted on March 8, 2010 by cldnails

I began March with a change in focus, from web development to the ever changing stock market. However, so far I feel like I’ve only jumped from one sinking ship to another and my feet are still wet. However, despite the market fluctuations, I signed up with Scottrade and feel it’s time for an early 1 week review of their website and service.

Signing Up

First of all, signing up to Scottrade.com can be a daunting experience. Unlike most websites, this investment website requires sensitive information like Social Security numbers, which some people may not feel comfortable sending over the tubes. Also, there are a number of forms that must be electronically signed and filled out, which were written by main street’s lawyers, meaning myself and others may not completely understand what we are agreeing to.

Luckily there is an answer to the above woes, Scottrade offers the assistance of local offices. As a matter of fact there is a manned office less than 10 mins from my home. The employees of Scottrade were more than willing to help me get signed up, answer my noob questions, and allow me to make a check deposit. So, other than be daunting to sign up via the web, the initial ‘sign up’ process was a breeze, once the professionals were called in.

Deposit

It’s odd, but there is only one electronic option for placing funds into a general Scottrade account. For example, my initial deposit could only be completed by Money Direct or by physically mailing or dropping off a personal check or money order. I would have much rather preferred linking my PayPal account for transaction and purchase fees, oh well.

I opted to drop off a personal check, since Scottrade’s offices were so close. The deposit showed up immediately, however the funds were not available for purchase until the next business day. There were also restrictions on my funds for 2 additional days, stating that I could not purchase shares under $4 ea. Therefore my penny stock trading had to wait until the full clear process, 3 days after my initial deposit.

Again, the employees of Scottrade were very helpful and explained the restriction process to me. This also opened up the conversation to what will happen during my first trade. Right inside the office the personnel walked me through a mock transaction, complete with commission fees and different purchase options.

First Stock Trade

Smooth. It’s true, my first purchase within Scottrade was a smooth transaction that qued, completed, and showed in my account within 10 minutes of me left clicking confirm. As a matter of fact the entire Trade tab is simplified and easy to understand your options. Anything that might not be clear is explained in the right hand column or has a question mark link, to take you to an explanation.

A typical trade is done by selecting the stock symbol you wish to trade, amount of shares, type of order, and then the length of time you want the offer to be made. I only purchase on limits, so a time frame is always required, which I typically set to expire at the end of the day. After completing the fields you will be given with a review of your order and then a final confirmation. It’s easy peezy, even for someone who has never traded stock before. Furthermore, the employees at Scottrade are available to assist you over the phone, should you be nervous or have some questions.

Recent Scottrade Site Performance

I have not been satisfied with the Scottrade.com site performance. I am consistently timing out when requesting a quote and the reports they provide usually never load. I’ve bested the Scottrade.com site from 3 different computers on 3 different connections and the problem continues to persist. In addition, I’ve tried using 3 different browsers, including FireFox, Chrome, and the latest release of Internet Explorer. Unfortunately Internet Explorer appears to be the most stable when using Scottrade, go figure.

This morning I was in the process of purchasing some stock at market open, only to find that Scottrade had turned off online trading. After calling my local office I was informed this is the first time this has ever happened that he can remember. Lucky me, assuming he was telling the truth, which would also translate this article into an unfair review. You be the judge and I’ll be back in another 30 days to fill you in on all the trades and money I’ve lost.

Use Chrome For Keyword Density

Posted on February 25, 2010 by cldnails

I’ve stumbled across a great function of Google Chrome to easily find out what kind of keyword density I’m putting into my posts. Actually, the function within the Google Chrome browser will provide feedback on exactly how many times a word is used on the open page and highlight where that word can be found.

To search the keyword, simply press Ctrl+F, which will bring a drop down in the top right of the browser to enter a search term. After entering the search term the keyword will be highlighted on the page. Within the drop down search menu will be a 1 of XX, displaying how many times the keyword was used on the page.

This neat little Chrome trick will help in increasing or decreasing the density of keywords being used on an article. Although it’s also a great tool to use when searching for specific information on a HUGE page full of irrelevant text.

Don’t Buy Affiliate Espionage

Posted on February 11, 2010 by cldnails

Affiliate Espionage was a phenomenal tool a few months back, which helped the user track advertising trends amongst competitors in Google Adwords. It provided research on search trends, money spent on campaigns, and which campaigns worked, so the user wasn’t throwing money out the door. It assisted with the tried and true test, test, test method of spending money on Adwords. Alas, Affiliate Espionage has closed it’s doors and development on the FireFox plugin has come to a hault.

It’s been a looonnggg time since I last sent out an email to you
but a lot has been going on and unfortunately as a result I have
some bad news to share with you today.

With much thought and struggle, I have decided to close down
Affiliate Espionage.

It has been a fun ride and the feedback and response to AE has
been fantastic over the past 18 months but things have reached a
point where I had to decide which direction to take my business
and focus my efforts and I did not feel I would be able to
provide the support, service and time required to do justice to
the Affiliate Espionage Software while tackling the major
project I will be working on this year.

Effective March 1st 2010, Affiliate Espionage will be taken off
the market.

All existing customers will still have full access to the
Member’s only Site indefinitely to access all software, videos,
and manuals.

There may be occasional software updates but there is no
timetable or schedule (or promise of) these updates.

This has not been an easy decision especially since this project
has been part of my life for well over 2 years now. I
appreciate your support and understanding.

You can still contact our support desk until March 5, 2010 to
address any questions or concerns you may have.

So, it looks like it’s back to studying trends the old fashion way and spend lots o pennies on testing Adword Campaigns. But that’s ok, because everything the Affiliate Espionage Plugin did can be done on your own manually, just takes a little bit longer.

If you are looking for alternative revenue streams, please check out my Chitika Review.

Chrome Extensions Are Lacking

Posted on February 5, 2010 by cldnails

Google Chrome has offered me a roller coaster of emotions since it’s release in September 2008. I embraced Google’s latest endeavor and hint at an OS with open arms, but quickly fell back on tried and true FireFox. Since then they have released updates that have complicated Chrome’s functionality and as of late fixed most of what frustrated me about it in the first place. Now, I set here before you, happy and proud that Google Chrome is my primary browser for both work and play.

Since Google has updated Chrome to allow popups for domains, it’s found a permanent fixture on my work PC. No longer must I fight with FireFox’s memory leaks and slow to open windows. As of late I’ve also found myself feasting on Chrome’s ability to use Extensions, which the lack of was a shortfall at launch in 2008. But, early on in the development stage, quality extensions are few and far between.

Currently I’m only using 3 different Chrome Extensions, which include FasterChrome, Google Mail Checker, and Webpage Screenshot. It’s better than nothing, but they still struggle to meet the sophistication and tweekability found in FireFox addons. According to developers, it’s Google’s fault for the way they allow access to their code. To be honest, it’s all lost over my head, I just know what I can use and what I hate.

Taking a quick look through the top Chrome Extensions proves that there isn’t enough competition in the marketplace. Extensions like ibrii are attempting to farm user information in exchange for their Extension services and an Extension called Nothing is ranked #7 as most installed. Nothing does just as advertised by the way, man I love dry humor on the internet.

After browsing off of the 1st page of Top Chrome Extensions the pickings start getting real thin. I’ve tested a few, but none seem to offer exactly as advertised, or are buggy, or are just not as useful as you’d hope, or all the above. But I’m not discouraged yet, I’ve got the extensions I need for adequate use as a primary browser both at work and at home.

It wouldn’t be fare to expect as much out of Chrome as what FireFox has to offer, which as been around much longer. However, I see a changing of the guard in the next 2 years, where FireFox may be ousted as the 2nd most used web browser. I for one welcome competition in the market place, while keeping my lips wet thinking of a full blown Google OS.

How To Monetize Google Image Search Traffic

Posted on January 22, 2010 by cldnails

Let me get this out of the way, I do NOT have the end all answer to monetizing search traffic that originates from Google Image Search. Traditionally image search traffic does not convert well and requires different methods of monetization than content search traffic. I’ve done a lot of looking around the guru sites and no one seems to have a solid answer on what works best for monetizing a website that depends on image searches for their visitors.

BritePic looks like a good place to start and will require some more testing before I’m convinced it’s not actually causing a higher bounce rate. The problem is that my visitors are viewing my website through Google’s frames, which hides the majority of my site. I’ve tried the script that breaks Google’s Image Search frame, but had negative results after a few months, meaning lower image search numbers. I’d rather keep my non converting traffic and find another way to monetize.

Back to BritePic’s issues. I’m not convinced that BritePic script images are searchable and hold as much weight as a normal image post would. Therefore I wouldn’t be bringing in the traffic to monetize against anyway. Lastly, my visitors are more likely to view the enlarged image than just hover over the medium sized image on my blog. Angered visitors, visitors lost, still no monetary gain from image search traffic.

In conclusion, I feel the only way to properly monetize image search traffic is with better affiliate banner and text ad placement. This comes with it’s own set of problems, like how much blending is too much, and is Google going to be upset about where you place the block of ads. They tend to frown upon a large block above an image and directly below your post title. I believe they want more content next to the ad, rather than a simple block next to a block which can potentially confuse a visitor into a click.

So far, it looks like Adsense still converts the best with Image Search traffic, but requires placement above the image, but around actual content. I failed miserably when trying to place Chitika Ads at the top of a blog post, which has no qualms about where it’s placed in relation to post title and image. Chitika Premium ads still look like they convert the best at the bottom of a post, for whatever reason.

More testing is required, but I wanted to get this quick post out, which harbors some of my thoughts and issues. I’m sure there is a quality solution to monetizing Google Image Search traffic and it may be the next big thing.

Gmail Sticking On Load Screen In Chrome

Posted on January 18, 2010 by cldnails

Google Chrome has refused to open gMail for the past few weeks, however loading in basic html has solved the problem. This is not my ideal fix and frankly frustrating since Chrome was built by the same folks over at Google who created gMail. Why can’t your products just work together? Well, they should, so I immediately started blaming my new Chrome extensions, like Google Mail Checker.

After disabling, uninstalling, and generally tweaking I decided that the gMail Checker extension for Chrome was not the culprit. The problem can best be described as some sort of loop issue when gMail loads, causing the load screen to stick. This problem can be solved by clearing Chrome’s cache.

To clear Chrome’s cache:

Left click the Tools drop down menu. (The Tools drop down menu is indicated by a wrench icon in the top right corner of your browser.)
Select Options.
Select the Personal tab.
Under Browsing Data, select Clear browsing data…
Select the Cache check box.
Select Everything, from the drop down menu.
Finally click the Clear Browsing Data button.

After following these steps I’ve been able to successfully open gMail in my Chrome browser. I’ve also been able to use the gMail Checker extension, without causing any issues. Hope this helps your problem as well.

Chrome Now Allows Pop Ups For Websites

Posted on January 15, 2010 by cldnails

One of my largest pet peeves with using Google Chrome in the work place was that there was not an option to allow popups from a webpage. Each time there was a popup you would have to manually allow it, instead of setting a rule that allowed all popups from a single website. Apparently I wasn’t the only one and now the latest stable version of Chrome allows for this rule to be set.

How to allow popups in Google chrome.

Allow pop-ups

Sometimes you don’t want pop-ups to ever be blocked for a certain site. If that’s the case, follow these steps to allow pop-ups:

Visit the site where you want pop-ups to always appear.
Click the Pop-ups Blocked alert at the bottom right-hand corner of the browser tab.
Select Always show pop-ups from (site).

If you want to change this setting for the site at a later point, follow these steps:

Visit the site again.
Click the Manage pop-ups alert at the bottom right-hand corner of the browser tab.
Deselect Always show pop-ups from (site).

Now Chrome becomes a viable alternative in my work place, where popups are required to view pdf’s. Thanks to the development team Chrome is becoming better and better every day, even now allowing for plugins and addons. I forsee a day when Chrome gives FireFox a run for it’s money, I just hope it doesn’t cause hard feelings.

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