Interactive Web Success

Recently, there was a discussion on the MusicThoughts list regarding how to develop passive income as a musician. Of course, there are many types of passive income open to musicians, but this discussion in particular involved using affiliate programs to earn money.

For the newbie, affiliate programs are program online that allow you to earn money by selling products or services that you do not own. Companies like Commission Junction, LinkShare, ClickBank offer a variety of a affiliate programs on every subject. While companies like Amazon.com (books, music, and more), MP3DownloadHQ (free music downloads) offer more specific products or services.

Building a successful affiliate income is NOT easy. And as internet companies come and go, they are also not a hugely reliable source of income for the long-term. I prefer to focus on offering products and services for my active websites, but most of my websites were created with affiliates in mind. Consequently, I’ve learned the affiliate game quite well.

Most people don’t like sharing how much they earn from passive income. So finding those stats Will be difficult. But frankly, I prefer helping folks with facts.

So, here’s a couple notes on the various passive internet income sources I earn or have earned in the past:

1. Google Adsense.
Google CAN be great, but a lot of it depends on what keywords your site is focused on. Head over to PixelFast offers a great Overture Keywords and Bid Amounts Tool and you can find out how much people bid on certain types of keywords through overture.

Having done testing which got me banned from Google I learned a few things when I was using Google Adsense. I found on the average, I made about pittance on each of my random websites. Some however, did MUCH better. Namely the ‘free music downloads’ websites.

You’ll note at PixelFast that companies bid heavily for those keywords with clickthrus averaging at about 45c per click. Seventy percent of the income I earned on Google was from one free music download website that somehow made it high on the search results. I’m not allowed to say how much I made, but you can do the math when a site gets approximately 500 unique visits a day and has a 5-10% clickthru rate.

The point is if you create and promote webpages with high impact keywords, you will do fairly well.

2. Affiliate Programs.
Since I’m no longer with Google, I’ve sense learned to find other alternatives using Google style ads. You can those on my Directory of Free Music Downloads as an example.

I’ve found other affiliate programs to fill the gaps lost by Google through:
Clickbank. I’ve focused primarily on free music downloads. The big problem I have with Clickbank is that my Mozilla browser at home doesn’t like their redirects. But I still earn about $500 per month from Clickbank.

MP3Dollars. This is a free music downloads site for MP3DownloadHQ. Their affiliate links are good redirects. So I’ve made them much more prominent so as not to lose income that might’ve been lost from Clickbank. The affiliate program is solid paying 50% of the money they earn. So I earn about $500 per month from them. Best of all, it’s paid weekly!

Amazon.com. Usually earns me about $50 a month. And this comes from a lot of heavy referrals from my Celtic MP3s Music Magazine.

Commission Junction. Their redirects seem to have the same problem as Clickbank. I mainly use them for web hosting services that earn about $150 per month.

Linkshare. I’ve used it for years. Earned no money (like the vast majority of affiliate programs I’ve tried). I did sign up for iTunes earlier this month. And we’ll see if that changes matters at all.
I also earn another $100-150 per month from the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine’s various affiliations with IMHO some of the best music marketers out there. Course, I also have a decent online CD sales income, and other artistic projects that earn me money (and I still have a day job for at least another year).

3. The Key to remember when you’re making money with affiliate programs is really to blend it into your website.
For instance, if you go to thebards.net. You can download our MP3 “Tolkien (The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings)” on the homepage. It downloads from amazon.com using my affiliate link. So it creates another cookie which hopefully will earn me more income from future amazon.com orders from that customer.

Prominent ads also work like at my Directory of Free Music Downloads. Meaning, Google has really hit upon a great style of advertising. Oh, and Vertical ads out perform horizontal ads.

I’m also a big proponent of creating a website that will earn you income as well as popularity. Again, check out the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. The site is designed for two purposes:
Promote independent Celtic music by luring in signed Celtic music fans of Enya, The Chieftains, etc. It’s a technique I learned from David Nevue’s How to Successfully Promote Your Music on the Internet and has proved exceptionally profitable, and
Promote my music. You’ll see a lot of links and information about the Brobdingnagian Bards and my own solo Celtic music recordings.
There is one other aspect I would like to point out that will make whatever you do more money. It’s sales letters. Quite honestly, I detest hard sales. I don’t typically care for sales letters online. But they DO perform well.

Some of the best-selling webpages are composed of one long sales letter like some of the stuff you’ll see at indiebiz.com. I’ve no doubt that David makes well-over $3000 a month for any of his webpages just from some of his passive income sales letters. By learning about copywriting, you can create webpages to perform just as well to promote your affiliate programs. It’s an amazing skill to have.

One Last Important Note: I have NO Faith in most of my internet affiliate income. Sure I think Amazon will be there for years to come. But the passion for ‘free music downloads’ will die with the next internet fad.

My suggestion is to create a hard product that you can sell. For instance, create and sell ebooks using your knowledge and those sales letters I mentioned. People are willing to pay fo your knowledge of the most mundane things. It’s not about being stupid, it’s about ease. If you can compile that knowledge and sell it, more power to you!

You will constantly need to fine tune everything. And learn how the search engines work.

Passive money on the internet is not unreasonable. But it’s also not easy. It takes quite a bit o’work and a lot of patience because it can take months for search engines to find out if you’re website is important.

Hope that helps some folks, slainte!

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000’s of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians’ Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE “how-to” music marketing assistance.

No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com

Remember the old ad that used to run endlessly in magazines and newspapers:

“They laughed when I sat down at the piano…but when I started to play…” ?

I remember very well the first time I played piano for a group. They DID laugh. It was a disaster. I overheard the leader say “Let’s get somebody with some rhythm in there to play.”

Ouch!

That hurt. But I told myself right then and there that I would learn to play the piano so well that no one would ever laugh at me again.

Guess what?

Nobody laughs anymore. And they don’t laugh at my students, either.

Why?

Because I discovered…

– The BACKDOOR to piano playing –

What in the world is the “backdoor to piano playing?

Chords.

Chords are a way in to the world of piano playing without having to go through the front door: years and years of scales, drills, rote practicing, etc. Chords are really a shortcut to understanding and playing music without all the formal training.

Formal training is fine if you have the time and money. But most adults don’t want to wait forever before they can play something enjoyable on the piano. I took lessons when I was a kid, but found it boring. Not only that, but all I could do was play the written music exactly as it was written. Without the sheet music in front of me, I didn’t have a clue what to do. So I lost interest in piano playing until the incident described above. But shortly after that, I had the opportunity to play in a school combo — but to do that, I had to learn chords, and learn them fast.

I didn’t really know where to turn, so I sent for a $2. chord chart advertised in Popular Mechanics, and within hours after I got it I was playing the Dm7 chord and the C6 chord in my left hand while I played the tune with my right hand. Talk about excited! Within a few weeks I could play dozens of songs using chords. And I discovered that my sight-reading speed greatly improved at the same time, because now I understood what I was seeing on the printed page!

So I came in through the back door instead, and now I enjoy what I used to hate! Why? Because I understand what I’m doing because now I understand chords and chord progressions. I eventually went on to get advanced degrees in music and literature from Southern Oregon University — and it was easy because of all I had learned about music theory and harmony due to playing and understanding chords.

Can you do the same? There’s really no reason why you can’t if you have the desire. Start looking at sheet music with new eyes: look for notes that make up chords and then analyze those chords. Before long you’ll start seeing a pattern of recurring chords - in other words, chord progressions. Do this for a few months while simultaneously learning about chords and how they are formed, and music will take on a new dimension for you. You’ll no longer view sheet music as something you are tied to, but rather you’ll see it as a map that you can follow to create the sounds and styles you choose.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and products such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He can be reached at http://www.pianolessonsbyvideo.com

He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled “Amazing Secrets Of Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions” with over 55,700 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free two-year subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com.

The Pro’s (and woes!) of becoming a Mobile D.J!

So how do you become a Mobile D.J?, easy!, just call yourself one!. There are no diploma’s or qualifications and no graduation ceremony. However the time may come where you are called upon to demonstrate your D.J’ing skills and often this will be in front of 100’s of people at your first gig. Entertaining such a a large number of people can be a very daunting and nerve racking task.

Not just music and flashing lights

Mobile D.J’ing is different to club or radio D.J’ing. Just spending a fortune on the very latest equipment and latest chart music won’t make you a successful D.J or get you re-booked. Being a Mobile D.J is also about being an entertainer, rather then just being a Jukebox surrounded by lots of pretty lights!. You will also have to play a lot of music genres which you may not otherwise choose to listen to by choice.

A successful D.J is one who plays to his or her Audience, who can break the ice at difficult functions and who isn’t out to satisfy their own ego’s. Most D.J’s learn to “read” the audience, and are frequently watching the dancefloor to gauge what music will work next. At Mobile Functions such as Weddings, your audience may take some time to get onto the dancefloor and this is where Microphone work is important in order to break the ice, make your audience feel welcome and encourage them onto the dancefloor.

Where and how can I learn D.J skills and get advice?

Some people simply may not be cut out to D.J. Others may pick up the skills in a few months, others may take a year or longer. There is no hard or fast rule to learning the basics. The best, and often the most successful route to becoming a D.J is by helping another D.J at weekends.

Consider volunteering your services to another D.J locally. Helping out as a “Roadie” may not be financially rewarding but you are essentially learning new skills for free, which would cost you £100’s on a course. Most D.J’s will often cover your expenses and refreshments, some may even pay you, in return for your help, but don’t expect to live off it, after all they are doing you a favour by teaching you a trade, and sharing their knowledge.

Learning to D.J by becoming a Roadie is the fastest way to learn the business and by actually watching another Professional D.J at work can teach you more than in a classroom or College environment. Most D.J’s themselves got into the business this way, so don’t be afraid to ask.

What music will I need?

This is entirely dependant on the type of functions which you are attending. Most Mobile DJ’s will set themselves up to cover all types of functions from Childrens’ Parties to 75th Wedding Anniversaries, and this means playing music to all age groups. Ideally you will need to invest in virtually all types of Genres. Rock & Roll, 1960’s, 1970’s, Disco, Funk, Soul, Motown, 1980’s, 1990’s as well as the latest chart and club dance music.

If you are setting yourself up as a specialist DJ, offering services for one age group or type of function, then this will be a lot easier to fund and build a music collection. However you may wish to gauge the demand for that type of music and DJ in your area.

What Equipment do I need to buy?

Again it’s not the equipment which entertains, it’s the D.J. By having the latest equipment it won’t make you any better as a D.J. It is possible to start up on a budget of £1000, which will get you a sound system and a few lighting effects. If your budget won’t stretch to this, then you may need to consider buying 2nd hand or hiring the equipment. More information on choosing equipment is covered on another article.

Any good reason to start off by helping another D.J, is that you gain the experience and also find out if D.J’ing suits you BEFORE spending a lot of money and committment on buying equipment.

Buying a comprehensive music library is far more important than how much lighting you have, and should be your first consideration. You can build up your lighting, and upgrade your sound system (if required) once the work starts coming in to justify it.

What else do I need?

Committment, dedication and enthusiasm is a must. As is patience and a good sense of humour. By definition, most Mobile D.J’s work the weekends, so if you get a good reputation and a full diary, you may have to cut down on your own personal social activities, and this can also put a strain on relationships, so make sure your partner / spouse is also agreeable!.

From a professional prospective, you should also obtain some level of PLI (Public Liability Insurance), as a business within the UK it is a requirement to have some minimum level of insurance cover in order to protect you in the event of causing harm to a third party through accident or neglect. The amount of PLI cover required varies from £2 million to £10 million. You may find that £2 Million cover is adequate for your area, although some hotel chains may insist on a minimum of £5 million to work at their venues.

You may be asked to produce evidence of your PLI cover before being allowed to set up in some Hotels, and Council run establishments, so it is wise to get cover sooner, rather than later.

How about a D.J Course or Workshop?

These are few and far between especially in the UK, and usually aimed at teaching you beatmixing or turntable skills, which are of little use to the Novice Mobile D.J. If you are aiming for club work, then you may find a course to be of interest, however these courses have limited use on the Mobile Circuit.

D.J courses can cost between £100 and £1000s ($100 - $3000). Like any industry there are risks, so it is important to find out exactly what the course involves and whether the information is of any value to you before parting with your money!. Some courses may of little use, others may teach you the basics find out exactly what each one offers and weigh up the benefits to you.

If you are still in education and want to find a list of official College / University courses on further education opportunities in media, radio, stage and technical then ask at your High School for further information.

For more information on becoming a DJ, then why not join our DJ forum at http://www.dj-forum.co.uk or visit my blog at http://blog-community.net/mobile_disco/

Remember the times when you knew you should practice your
drums, but just didn’t feel like messing with it? It’s at
those times you lacked focus.

There was a time when I had a studio session to attend to
lay down some drum tracks and I simply was not in the mood
at all. Hey, I was tired! It was friday afternoon, it was a
long, hard week, and I was done! While driving to the studio
that day my mind was consumed with pretty much just wanting
to watch television.

Anyway, I remember driving up to the drum studio and
thinking, “Man, I don’t want to be doing this right now.”
But, I decided I better get focused on my drumming because
time is money in the studio. If you have ever bought studio
time you know what I mean.

Well, on the way to the drum studio I began thinking about
the songs I was about to lay down the drum tracks for. I
also began thinking about the fact that my drum tracks will
be permanent. People will hear them and I want my tracks to
be as close to perfection as I can get them. I knew I had to
somehow get focused and get in the mood - right NOW!

So many people will use any excuse for not doing something
because they are simply not in the mood. When it comes to
responsibility, whether a person is in the mood or not, it
doesn’t matter. If you have booked studio drum time and paid
good money for it you better be in the mood, or at least get
in the mood!

The best way I have found to change my mood at any given
time about something is to simply begin thinking in a
different manner. Feelings follow thoughts, and given that
fact, I basically just changed my thinking.

I decided to clear my mind of all the noise in my head and
only mentally listen to the songs I was laying drum tracks
for. I tapped on my steering wheel as I drove along, and
honestly, it wasn’t even just a few short minutes until I
was starting to “feel it.” By the time I arrived at the drum
studio I was more than ready to play my drums.

The next time you have an appointment with your drum set,
but just don’t feel like drumming, you are not focused. Just
know you can change your focus at any given time. Because
your feelings follow your thoughts, you can change your
thinking and automatically change your mood.

Dan Brown has been drumming since 1976. Sign up for his FREE weekly
newsletter and get tips, ideas, articles, and
merchandise!
http://www.dbdrumtips.com/