Popularity: 6% [?]

The other day I bought a domain on Mesothelioma.

More or less I wanted to test my one page sites with this - and suppliment it with google adsense (which I’ve heard is paying a pretty penny for the clicks). Now of course I know this site will be highly competitive. I bought the domain also because it had expired. So if I don’t get a one page site up - at least I have residual traffic from the previous owner. Very minimal… but what the hell right?

But I do feel like I’ve sold my soul for this one. It isn’t a subject that interests me per sey… but I think if I can try to provide actual links to good sites - and not be “spammy”, the site might actually have a future. I’m not big on those sites that stuff keywords, look like shit, and you just “know” they’re only in it for the Google Ad payouts. I really, really don’t want the site to go in that direction.

So maybe I’m not selling my soul… if I keep my site on the up and up - provide quality content… and useful resources for people who are looking for help dealing with mesothelioma.

Also I’m kind of wanting to test this subject… because I have a sinking suspicion that this boat has already sailed. But from what I’ve researched the term has been very popular in Google for the past 3 years. So who knows? It’s time to test this theory.

Popularity: 4% [?]

I’ve just been putting off telling you about it.  Seriously.

March Earnings: $50.48

Down $20 from last month.  Partly due to my best site going straight to the sandbox.  I’ve been getting traffic through MSN.  But those people just don’t want to buy.  So I’m waffling in Pathetic-ville for a while.  No fun images this month…. to display the sum.  I’m just a bit bummed by it all.

But anyhoo - how do I go about trying to rectify this situation.  My 1 site that was pulling in the money… now in the sandbox.  How long will it last?  No idea.  I’ve been there since March 8th.

So how do I rectify my situation.  Do I start building more sites and hope they are as successful as Site #1 was before it hit the sandbox?  Do I wait it out? (did I tell you I’m impatient!) Do I take the sites I’ve built already… are not in the sandbox (as far as I can tell) and now move forward with link exchanges, adding to directories and finding any forum that might hold a bit of interest for me and promote the site through those nifty signatures (doesn’t really appeal to me… not a big fan of forums).

Hmmm… Not sure what step #2 will be.  Yet….

As far as my 1 page wonders - no clicks… minimal traffic.
HTML sites: Minimal traffic - no promotion of them yet either.  No clicks.

I have another idea in the works… maybe try it out as more of a community.  Not a new idea… but it is an idea that I like, and would be interested in maintaining (… that’s why I’m leaning towards a community site - run through WordPress - because it’s easier to manage than trying to figure out Drupal, etc…. ).

So anyhoo… we’ll see how it goes.  Suggestions more than welcome.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Just to give you a little update about my one page sites - so far I’ve managed to do 2. I’ve created just a plain HTML page - added some Google Adsense and have added my own content.

So far:

Debt Site #1: Started March 20, 2006 - 3 Visitors.

Debt Site #2: Started March 17, 2006 - 16 Visitors.

No Clicks.

…. Not that I’m completely surprised. I’ve got no backlinks to the sites. They’re just sitting there in Internet limbo. But - Debt Site #1 I picked up when I saw that the domain was still getting traffic. Having it parked on Sedo - for March had over 100 visitors before I switched it over to the one page. There too - on Sedo it had no clicks. So I hope the new layout will provide me with something.

Debt Site #2 has been around for a while. But for the longest time - as a blog it was not getting any clicks either. There were a lot of articles on the site from places like EzineArticles - and they were indexed in Google. But it didn’t really do me any favours either. I think I’ve got the 404 page done… I’ll have to check on that. Hmmm… I’m going to have to check that I’ve got a robots.txt on there too. Seems that I don’t currently. But it can’t do any worse as a one page HTML as it did as a go no where blog.

I was tired of updating. I’m not completely passionate about it. But I don’t want to give up the domains quite yet. If I can make back the domain registration fees - I’ll be pretty happy. But who knows. I think I’m going to add the sites to a few directories and see what happens in the next couple of months.

I know that the two domains are in a highly competitive market of Debt / Debt Management - so I’m not expecting miracles.  But if the traffic does come in - even if it’s a trickle… $10 a year would be better than a kick in the pants… or it doing nothing parked or offline.

I’m on a quest for low maintenance.

Popularity: 19% [?]