Best Firefox Extensions - A Useful List of Tools For Your Internet Treasure Hunting

A fellow blogger over at Jeremy's Blog of Tech/Science Related Articles turned me on to this list of great Firefox extensions that every internet hunter needs. While I don't want to debate the merits of all internet browsers, I do know that several of my upcoming lessons will rely on Firefox extensions, and there really is no substitute for giving you the tools you need to make money on the internet.

This list is pretty extensive, but the info is all top shelf, worthy of your attention.

Blogging:

• StumbleUpon
  - StumbleUpon lets you "channelsurf" the best-reviewed sites on the
  web. It is a collaborative surfing tool for browsing, reviewing and
  sharing great sites with like-minded people. This helps you find
  interesting webpages you wouldn't think to search for.
• Clipmarks
  - With Clipmarks, you can clip the best parts of web pages. Whether
  it’s a paragraph, sentence, image or video, you can capture just the
  pieces you want without having to bookmark the entire page.
• Sage
  - Sage is a lightweight RSS and Atom feed aggregator extension for
  Mozilla Firefox. It's got a lot of what you need and not much of what
  you don't.
• Jeteye
  - Jeteye is a unique Web-based application and service that is designed
  for the next generation of enterprise and consumer use of the Web.
  Jeteye changes how we interact with the web, in an era where
  communication and social computing are more powerful than ever.
• Performancing
  - Performancing for Firefox is a full featured blog editor that sits
  right in your Firefox browser and lets you post to your blog easily. You
  can drag and drop formatted text from the page you happen to be
  browsing, and take notes as well as post to your blog.
• TorrentBar - BitTorrent File Search Toolbar for Firefox. Allows to search numerous sites in a matter of minutes for needed torrent files.
• Wizz RSS News Reader - A fairly good RSS and Atom news reader.
• MeasureIt - Draw out a ruler to get the pixel width and height of any elements on a webpage.
• Show MyIP
  - Displays your current IP address. If you have a static IP (Internet
  Protocol) address, this number will stay the same each time you visit.
  If you have a dynamic IP, the number will change each time you log on to
  the internet (or your ISP assigns a new IP).
• NewsFox - RSS/Atom News Reader.

Developer Tools:

• FireFTP
  - FireFTP is a free, secure, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla
  Firefox which provides easy and intuitive access to FTP servers.
• IE Tab - IE Tab - an extension from Taiwan, features: Embedding Internet Explorer in tabs of Mozilla/Firefox.
• Web Developer - Adds a menu and a toolbar with various web developer tools.
• Firebug
  - Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of development tools
  at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug, and monitor
  CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page.
• Greasemonkey - Allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript.
• Tab Mix Plus
  - Tab Mix Plus enhances Firefox's tab browsing capabilities. It
  includes such features as duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab
  clicking options, undo closed tabs and windows, plus much more. It also
  includes a full-featured session manager with crash recovery that can
  save and restore combinations of opened tabs and windows.
• Image Zoom
  - Easily zoom in, zoom out, fit image to screen or set custom zoom on
  individual images within a web page. All this can be done by using the
  context menu or a combination of mouse buttons and scroll wheel. Handy
  to see the finer details of smaller pics or to make very large pics fit
  within your screen.
• ColorZilla - Advanced Eyedropper, ColorPicker, Page Zoomer and other colorful goodies.
• IE View
  - Lets you load pages in IE with a single right-click, or mark certain
  sites to *always* load in IE. Useful for incompatible pages, or
  cross-browser testing.
• iMacros - Automate your web browser. Record and replay repetitious work.

Building Backlinks In Your Blog, and The Role Of Backlinks In Traffic

I ran an earlier post here about Backlinks and their role in helping you get traffic, but I've received many emails asking for more details. I wanted to provide more basic info on the topic before we get into greater ways to increase your traffic.

What is a backlink? A backlink is a link on another website that leads to your own blog or website. Why is it important to get backlinks? Finding backlinks is important for search engine  optimization. The more quality backlinks you have, the higher your site will rank in the search engines. Also, if you want to increase traffic to your site then you will need to build backlinks. The more links that lead to your site will equal more traffic and readers.

You should look for backlinks from sites that are related to yours. If you have a health site then you will benefit more if you have backlinks from health-related sites. It is also important to get good, quality backlinks. Google does not raise your page rank if most of your backlinks come from spammy-type sites. The higher the rank of the site that links to you, the better "link juice" you will get. Ultimately, Google will rank your blog or website based upon how many good, quality backlinks you have that relate to your topic. When you have a higher page rank you will rank higher in the search engines. Keep reading if you want to know how to get backlinks.

First, you can get backlinks by simply commenting on other blogs. When you leave a comment you have the option of leaving your url in your signature. This will create a backlink and you will benefit in two ways. First, you will receive a backlink from that site and when others read your comment, they can click on your signature, which will lead back to your own site. The key is to leave a worthwhile comment. Make sure that you are actually commenting about the article, and not trying to leave a spammy comment to get other people to look at your site. That is the quickest way to have your comment deleted.

Second, you can build backlinks by bookmarking your articles with social bookmarking sites such as Digg, Mr. Wong, Mixx, and many others. This will not only give you backlinks but will help raise your article higher in the search engines, as most of these sites have high page ranks. Also, the link to your site will create more traffic and readers.

Next, to find backlinks you can do a search on blog directories or website directories and add your url to the directory. This will give you a quality backlink. This is the easiest way to begin finding backlinks. You can also participate in forums and leave backlinks in your signature. Another way to find backlinks is to do a search with "add url" and you will find a list of places that offer backlinks.

Active ATM Research You Can Participate In - Thanks For Your Help!

One of the upcoming programs I'm going to be detailing in an upcoming series on this blog will be about domain parking. Essentially, this is purchasing a domain name and having a hosting company "park" it with advertising while you develop the page (or permanently if desired). It is different than running ads on a site because no content is needed, and no updates required. The self-sufficient nature of this idea is intriguing, but the ability to get a parked domain seen offers the challenges.

Several methods of approaching this can make it a profitable venture, but lets save that analysis for the actual series. In the meantime, while I am working on this, a friend has just set up a new domain that he is designing a website for, but is currently not using... this is perfect because this domain is brand new and has no established traffic patterns to confuse analysis. Therefore, if you wish to actively help this blog gather data for the series, point your browser to THIS WEBSITE PLEASE so that I may incorporate that data into this piece. By visiting, you'll help me get the necessary data I hope will be able to compile a report on just how to make parking domains a profitable venture for even the beginner!
Thanks again for your help and support in this matter!

Cautious Suggestion - Quick Internet Money Through Online Casinos

Now, this is not the most responsible answer I've ever given you, but since the whole purpose of our time together is to explore all the different ways to make money online, I feel this is the time (with the holiday tomorrow) to discuss online casinos. Specifically how to make money at online casinos.

The first thing you need in this exercise is to find an online casino. Let me tell you that there are tons of them out there. The first thing you need to find out is whether or not your location will allow you to play there, and specifically to make deposits and withdrawals. The second thing is to find an online casino that offers great player rewards... if you're going to play, get paid to play. Not getting player rewards is like giving away money, as it helps recoup the casino's odds advantage... do your homework here for the best offer that day, as offers come and go daily at most casinos, so shop around. I can't recommend one specifically without losing credibility, so just follow this link to find some great choices and begin your research.





Slots, while a favorite online, is really your lowest odds of return. If you must play, make sure you play the maximum number of credits to possibly win the progressive jackpot. Chosing the right type of machine is key as well... Bonus slots of Progressive. Bonus gives you additional bonus payouts, while progressive hits bigger wins at the cost of less promising odds. Since I'm giving advice here, I say go with the highest payout structure, as more wins means more chances to profit. Always check the payout structure before "sitting down" at a machine, as some machines, while pretty to look at, are just vaccuums for your cash.

As always, Blackjack has the best odds for players. While the casino is always going to have the upper hand (which is why gambling can be risky if not done within your limits), it will be as low as ~ .025 – 0.60% based on the rules of the house. Always play the odds, and do what you are supposed to, as the odds will pay out in the long run. Good sound advice is to bet the minimum each hand to get as close to the predicted return as possible, since variance will inevitably have you ahead at some point. That is why knowing when to stop is the key lesson to winning at casinos... play the odds, set limits you can live with, quit when ahead, pocket your winnings, and repeat as necessary. By betting small, you will sit in on many hands while maintianing the predicted return (with diviation), allowing you to earn Huge Bonuses you shopped around for that the casinos offered to get you to play. This can lead to big winnings in a few hours, if played properly.

 Roulette strategy has not changed in many years... start small, double your bet on a loss, and restart the process once you win. This means you will eventually always win your first small bet, and can lead to long stretches of winning money, so long as you avoid the big drought. Lower table limits hurt this strategy, and a loss through a run of bad luck can be tragic with this system, but many people do win with this system. It is best to use it and cash out fast, as the more you tempt fate, and the more times you play, you will eventually hit that bad luck... but it's a great cash cow when you keep on the good side of the expected odds.

Poker is the real money winner in my mind, and not just because I have talent. The odds do not favor the casino, skill is involved, and you can help yourself with a few tricks. I'll save that particular topic for a post of its own, however, as there is much to share in that regard that will help you cash out at the table's expense. Look for it soon.





The lesson here is simple... play the odds, set limits you can live with, quit when ahead, pocket your winnings, and repeat as necessary. Following these rules, and some tricks I mentioned above, just might keep you in cash. May Lady Luck smile upon you!

How to Get Good Backlinks for Your Blog or Website to Increase Traffic

Today we talk Backlinks. Now, I'm going to make a stretch today, in that I'm posting some info for my readers before I get to fully test it and post quantifiable results, but I think this will help many of the fellow bloggers following me. I will be following my own advice here, and will let you follow my steps and the results, but for now, a list of my plans will sufficiently help you out.

In order to begin a discussion on Backlinks, let me explain what they are. 'Backlinks' is an internet term for active links on other pages that lead back to your article, website, or blog. Good Backlinks from reputable sites are a major factor in determining your placement in search results, and can be the greatest tool in your bag for increasing your traffic. Proper focus on these tips will have your search rankings increasing in no time, and will beat a path for traffic to your "door" - so to speak.

The first option, and the easiest for blog followers, is to post comments on the many blogs you follow. Not only does this integrate you into a community and encourage other blog posters, but posts in comment boxes give you a way to direct people your way. Also of use are placing comments on newspaper articles, How-To websites, and webzines. By posting comments, you not only get to "introduce" yourself, but use that intro to essentially pass off your blog address for them to follow back. This is a really informal option that allows you to quickly fire off lots of links, but be careful not to seem too informal, lest you alienate your potential audience. Doing a simple Google search for the info your blog or site covers will give you an almost infinite list of sites, but this simple command can narrow that search to just sites that allow commenting. Just add this string after you search term:

"post OR add * comment OR comments"
Example: money "post OR add * comment OR comments"

One piece of advice here is to make sure not to Backlink yourself into a ton of link farms which spam tons of sites, as that could, itself, cause your search ranking to drop, and limit your traffic. Sites promising you traffic through Backlinks often are a barrier to the very thing you are using them for.

The next option for Backlinking is the more formal Forum Posting. There exists literally millions of forums out there asking for you to utilize them. Not only can you use these to place Backlinks, but the quality of your participation there can be invaluable in selling the link itself. Because forums are generally well-moderated communities, not only can you expect to find captive-but-active audiences, but also ones joined for the sole purpose of discussing the very content you wish to link them to. While forums generally require registration and are seldom anonomous, unlike many comment boxes, the extra effort pays off in greater visibility. Be sure to stay on topic and follow all forum rules if you and your link wish to be embraced. Also, the use of a signature for your account is an ideal place to house Backlinks for your content.

Another great option is product reviews at sites that sell products within your expertise. Showing your expertise is a great way to whet the appetite of your readers for a greater dose of your knowledge. While many sites do not allow links in their reviews (for obvious reasons), you can find some that do. Also, for the others, a little creativity goes a long way... be it generalities about your blog, links in your profile page, or other methods of sharing the info you wish to get out, the ability to target eyes of potential shoppers is a prize worth exerting yourself for.

The final method I will discuss here is one that seems so simple that it is genius. I admit when I first came across it, I was floored by the simplicity of it, especially in light of its success. I am talking about sites like Yahoo Answers. Finding questions worthy of your time can be tough in the idiocy there, but a good quality answer can be a life-long signpost to your door. Simply use the info from your blog to provide an answer, give the appropriate link, and viola! You've hired your own taxi to drive readers to your blog. Once you register to answer, remember to answer other questions not related to your work (plenty of simple choices, trust me) so that all your answers are not links to you. That would be a good way to have the privilege removed.

So, there are four new ways to get your Backlink network up and running. I'm off to start mine, and will follow up with my experiences and some hard data. Be sure to let me know what you are doing as well. That way, we can share success stories. Best of luck!

A Quick Answer to a 7Search Question - How Do I Become a 7Search.com Advertiser

By the way, a few of you were asking about 7Search.com, which I discussed briefly in the last post as a lead-up to a larger series of posts I'll be making. I was surprised how many people had not heard of them, and will be going into more detail shortly. However, for those of you wishing to have your own sites and blogs show up in the 7Search database and receive traffic from their searches, feel free to join their advertising here:
Be a 7Search.com Advertiser!

Wondering What to Blog? How to Find the Highest Paying Keywords for Pay-Per-Click Ads

One thing that seems to litter our search along the path to riches is advertising - specifically Adsense and other pay-per-click ad providers. While I am currently working on quite a long series of articles to run here about maximizing your chance of making money with such ads, including examples, I wanted to share an early finding with you guys who are already experimenting with ads on your own sites and blogs.

What keywords have the highest payout every time a user clicks on an ad? Google won't tell you, as their world is clad in mystery (though I'm working to decipher some helpful tips), but I have found a resource which can help answer your question with some statistical meat on the bone. While it is not Google's ad rates, one of the smaller PPC advertising companies does make its top ranked keywords list available. 7Search.com posts a list of its Top Paying Keywords on its site, and while this is, again, not Google, the info itself does wonders for revealing what advertisers pay for certain keywords. Expect little variation across all advertising companies... but expect frequent changes in the list, as searches are very fluid for the masses with many variables.

Here is today's list of the Top 100 Keywords:

100 Top Paying Keywords
1	online casino	$4.63
2	psychic reading	$3.90
3	soma	$3.72
4	fioricet	$3.70
5	online paralegal class	$3.68
6	debt consolidation	$3.50
7	soma online	$3.42
8	buy soma	$3.27
9	no deposit casino	$3.27
10	buy fioricet	$3.05
11	valium	$2.85
12	payday advance	$2.79
13	payday loan	$2.79
14	payday loan online	$2.79
15	california cash advance payday loan	$2.78
16	consolidate payday loan	$2.78
17	consolidate payday loan debt	$2.78
18	default on payday loan	$2.78
19	default payday loan	$2.78
20	destination debt	$2.78
21	elastic.com	$2.78
22	faxless payday loan	$2.78
23	help paying off payday loan	$2.78
24	pay day loan consolidation	$2.78
25	payday loan consolidation	$2.78
26	payday loan consolidation help	$2.78
27	payday loan debt	$2.78
28	payday loan debt consolidation	$2.78
29	payday loan debt help	$2.78
30	payday loan default	$2.78
31	payday loan help	$2.78
32	payday loan no direct deposit	$2.78
33	payday loan problem	$2.78
34	payday loan relief	$2.78
35	payoff payday loan	$2.78
36	texas payday loan	$2.78
37	too many payday loan	$2.78
38	get out of payday loan debt	$2.77
39	pay day loan online	$2.77
40	pay day loan relief	$2.77
41	payday loan assistance	$2.77
42	payday loan trap	$2.77
43	eliminate payday loan	$2.76
44	faxless pay day loan	$2.76
45	online pay day loan	$2.76
46	e cigarette	$2.75
47	getting out of payday loan debt	$2.70
48	credit card debt consolidation	$2.68
49	buy xanax	$2.63
50	credit card debt relief	$2.63
51	grant for single moms	$2.60
52	xanax	$2.59
53	buy valium	$2.54
54	consolidated credit counseling service	$2.54
55	nutrisystem	$2.54
56	diazepam	$2.51
57	casino	$2.50
58	nutrisystem food	$2.49
59	consolidate credit card debt	$2.47
60	nurtisystem	$2.47
61	nutrisystem.com	$2.47
62	nutrasystems	$2.43
63	nutri system	$2.43
64	nutrisystem review	$2.43
65	ambien	$2.41
66	nutrisystem coupon	$2.41
67	nutrisystem meal	$2.40
68	nutrisystem diet	$2.37
69	nutrisystems	$2.37
70	credit card debt negotiation	$2.33
71	grant money for single mother	$2.27
72	nutra system	$2.26
73	viagra	$2.24
74	buy ambien	$2.21
75	nutrasystem	$2.20
76	negotiate credit card debt	$2.17
77	reduce credit card debt	$2.17
78	can i be arrested for default on payday loan	$2.16
79	consolidate my payday loan	$2.16
80	consolidating payday loan	$2.16
81	defaulting on payday loan	$2.16
82	destination debt solution	$2.16
83	destinationdebt.com	$2.16
84	elastic com	$2.16
85	get rid of payday loan debt	$2.16
86	getting out of payday loan	$2.16
87	help getting out of payday loan	$2.16
88	help pay off payday loan	$2.16
89	help to pay off payday loan	$2.16
90	help with pay day loan	$2.16
91	help with payday loan	$2.16
92	help with payday loan debt	$2.16
93	help with paying off payday loan	$2.16
94	how to get out of payday loan debt	$2.16
95	how to stop payday loan	$2.16
96	i need help with payday loan	$2.16
97	need help paying off payday loan	$2.16
98	need help with payday loan	$2.16

The list itself is published here - and with a little editing of the url code, the list of the Top 500, Top 1000, and even Top 5000 can be discerned.

Now, while most of these terms are something none of us will be able to concentrate upon, it does help to illuminate what a indecisive content manager might want to focus upon. I hope this info gives you some ideas that pan out in your search for internet wealth, but be sure to be on the lookout for my upcoming series on Internet Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising and How To Make Advertising Work For You.

Also, this post will see me attempting to add a 7Search advertising banner at the bottom of this post in an attempt to gain data for a report on how it works and what you can do to make it work for you. If you see something you like, let me know, as I'm anxious to see what this kind of advertising offers in contrast to Google's Adsense. One difference is that they require clicks on their ads to stay for 20 seconds before they count, so that will be interesting to monitor. Look for the full report once I get enough data to share the knowledge. Thanks!

Sell Photos For Money - No Talent Required, Apparently - Perfect For Old Myspace Addicts

It seems a detour on my path to riches ends up in Photo-ville, where teens with cameras snap pictures endlessly in an attempt to be seen. However, an unknown underbelly of that carnival is where I found places that will actually PAY YOU for the photos you take. It seems that plenty of people out there, big businesses especially, are afraid of getting sued, and the most common mistake they make is using a photo someone else technically owns. Because of this, several sites cater to those looking to get a picture of a smiling couple at sunset for their impotency brochure. That's where you come in... and not the impotency part!

Once such site is istockphoto.com, which allows you to, after becoming a member and passing a quiz (yes, one of those again), post photos for sell. iStock pays contributors a base royalty rate of 20% for each file downloaded. If you are an Exclusive contributor you can earn up to 40%.They offer many more resources to help you maximize your return, so check out the page to get the real details.

Another site that seems to really deliver on their promise is shutterpoint.com, where you can upload still photos or videos for sale and receive a royalty payment every time someone makes use of your content. They say they offer an 85% Payout Rate, the best on the Web, but you'll have to find out if that is fact or hoopla on your own, as I'm not much of a shutterbug myself. They offer your own online image store-front to showcase and sell your photos to the world, as well as many other resources, so checking them out if this interest would not be a waste of time.

Not to insult, intentionally or not, any of my readers, but frankly I just don't see this being a major payout at the scale they are working on. I could be wrong about the amount of photos being bought for royalties, so if you try this, please update me on the results. If you are one of the seemingly millions of teenage girls who skipped college because they consider themselves a photographer after learning a filter or two on their camera, this just might be your big break. Well... at least it will allow you to buy the 5 cats in your house food for the month.