Last night I checked my stats for my fan site.  I’d not done this since the last time we chatted about the stats.  So imagine how freaked out I was when I saw this (I updated it this morning)…

I couldn’t believe it.   I mean look at that - it’s only the 20th and I’ve doubled what I did in May.  I’m over the freakin’ moon.  I spazzed out.  My hubby didn’t know what was going on… and then he was like… “it’s your ##### site isn’t it!… hahahahaha”.  I told him to take a look and I mean whoa.  I’ve never had such a jump in stats … ever.

Now I was over the freakin’ moon.  OVER THE MOON!  So I took a peek at the daily stats and this is what I found:

Yesterday I had 291 unique visitors.  Look at the crazy numbers.  For the past 3 days I’ve had over 200 uniques.  That is totally awesome.  I mean, I can’t explain how long it took for this site to reach that many visitors a day.  I sat back and wondered why the big jump.  Maybe it has to do with the fact the search engines are now picking up the site.  My alexa rank has jumped from 8,000,000 down to around 1,400,000 in popularity.  That’s got to mean something right?

Then I was thinking about what I’ve added my site to.  I don’t think the 4 directories I added the site too matters that much for a bounce in the traffic… I think I’ve cracked a little secret… little known to me anyway - or maybe it never really was useful for my sites before now.  I went to Wikipedia.  I added my fan site to the page in Wikipedia.  Since adding the site I’ve had over 120 new visitors to the site from that link.  Not a lot… but way more than any other link so far coming in.

Maybe I’m a bit slow on the uptake, but Wikipedia might just be a great source for incoming visitors to your site.  Wouldn’t hurt to add your site - if it’s relevant to the page your listing on and has some good content to provide to the visitors.

So that’s the crazy happy day I’ve had

Popularity: 5% [?]

Well, rambling along about my Fan Site - I’ve been using a poll script from neomyz.com and I love it.  It’s got the dynamics that I want, and today I maxed out on views.  Since I’m using the free version  and the max views with a free version is 100 a day.  I’ve topped that!  I’m totally excited!

Why?

Because that’s popularity!!!

I’m not looking into buying a subscription yet, although it’s really reasonable for $29.95 a year for 1000 views a day.  But this is only my first over 100 a day - if I get a couple more days of this, then I’ll definitely be buying into the next level.

I’m really happy that it’s popular… and sad that my poll isn’t working today… LOL.  Yes, I’m weird.

I’m usually all for the free stuff - why pay when I can get it for free.  That’s usually how I try to do it online, because it can get really expensive - quickly… and well, I don’t have the funds to cover that sort of spending spree.   But I’ve been impressed by the look of NeoMyz.com and how it works and I’ve not come across a poll that compares.

They also have a RSS reader and some online games - if you’re interested.

So there you go… I’m breaking away from my tightwad ways and might just pay for something product-wise online

Popularity: 2% [?]

I’m having a melancholy moment.

My fan site is doing pretty well.  It was built because I ACTUALLY like the topic - what a shocker that is.  I’m currently finding it really hard to stay away from it and updating it.  Never really had that happen before, apart from this site.  It’s a nice feeling.  I love this feeling.  I’m finding it really hard at the moment to work on much else.

I just want to be able to develop the site into it’s own little community.

I’ve added a forum to the site and so far I have 2 real forum members.  Tons of crap spammers.  Which is totally annoying when I think I’ve got new members and only to realize that they’re not more than showcasing porn and pills and random affiliate programs - not at all related to the topic.  Bastards.  It is so frustrating to have to go in there and farm them out and delete their accounts.  I’ve banned IPs to try to stop the flux - but I’m hoping that the forum picks up in popularity… because I’m not really sure how to start a forum off with interested members - so far just 2.  It’s been up for over a month.  Hmmm.  Maybe I need to promote it more onsite.  Maybe add the link to other forums?  I’m not sure.  It does need work.

I’m just in one of those moods where I’m wanting to do so much - and it’s sort of overwhelming.

Then I’m thinking… what am I going to do next?

Popularity: 1% [?]

When I wrote about purchasing a site that was already developed, perhaps getting a little traffic in - and where I would hopefully not have to do a whole hell of a lot to it and see it grow into a bit of passive income, so I could buy again - or not… but have a chance to build up an online portfolio of nice little income earners.

I found a site that would be awesome on SitePoint to invest in.  Unfortunately… I don’t have the income (yet) to purchase it.  Things are moving along with the sites I have.  But I’ve not always been very wise with the income that I’ve earned.  Did I re-invest it back into my online business… NO.  Did I purchase scripts/templates/etc to help me along with other sites that I own with the money I’ve earned… SORT OF.  Have I been funding my domains/hosting with the money I’ve earned… YES, and then some.  So I’m going to have to hold off on that one - until I’ve built up a good income base to purchase something even better next time

See I’ve been rather all over the map when it comes to building up my online portfolio.  For the longest time I never really saw this as a business for me.  I just thought of it as a hobby to pay the bills.  Which it’s starting to do now.  It’s been an uphill battle for me - and now with some of my sites being around for a while that things are showing a bit more promise with traffic and clicks.  It’s still going to be quite the journey.

I’m still debating on what to do next.  I’ve started a couple of sites (one new, one that I dusted off) and I can honestly say I’m having a hard time with the follow-through.  Interesting topics, but not so personal that I can blab about them and feel like I “know” what I’m saying with out feeling like I’m just telling everyone a line that I picked up from the propaganda page of the advertisers that I’m promoting.  It’s a bit disheartening to think that I have about $7 left in my PayPal account… when I have an “idea” and want to get that domain name for $8.88.  LOL.  Oh well might do me good to think about it some more without diving in head first like I usually do.  And since I’m trying to downsize my domain portfolio (it was getting just too expensive to maintain… and I just wasn’t/still not making enough to cover it all), this break in buying might just be a good thing.

… also PayPerPost got back to me - they need some info to “know” that it’s really me and I should be getting a new password.  Woot.  Thanks Ted, Karen and Ashley.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I went to login to PayPerPost the day before yesterday and of course - I forgot my password for the site.  The one I thought I’d used…didn’t appear to work.  So I requested a password.  Everything seemed to work, got the message that they’d sent a password to the email address provided and I went to look.  Nothing there.

So I thought I’d wait a little bit to see if it would show up - sometimes that happens… sometimes these instant things…well aren’t instant at all.  So no worries I just waited.

One day goes by and nothing.  I’m now 2 password requests into PayPerPost and yesterday I tried again.  Same message.  This morning.  Still no messages - and I’m getting email to that account - and nothing gets jammed in my spam filter.

Apparently something is broken.

So I emailed them.

Hello PayPerPost.  Your password request thingy is broken.  Kisses… Empress.

Well, ok… maybe not those words exactly - but I sent an email to them saying that something was borked.  Can you please send me a new password.  I would like to log in.  Make money.  See what I’ve done.  All that good stuff.

That was yesterday.

I’ve not heard from them.

It’s a bit frustrating when I want to get things done and I’m jammed up because of a password problem.  Gah.  I hope to hear from their support team sooner rather than later…

Hello… PayPerPost… anyone out there?

Popularity: 2% [?]