Website and Blog Tools: Backlink Checkers

Image via WikipediaBacklinks are simply links around the web that direct people back to your blog, website, or article. Others can create links to your work by bookmarking them in Digg, delicious, Technorati and other social bookmarking sites, or by putting links to your stuff in their own blog, website, or article.

Often when you leave comments online, you are allowed to input a ‘URL’. This is where you would type in the address to your blog or website. Then, when people read your comment, they can click on your name to follow your link. Another way to create your own links back to your work is to input them in your writer profiles and on other blogs and websites you have.

If you are curious as to who is backlinking to you (i.e. where your traffic may be coming from) one way is to use a backlink checker. These free and easy-to-use tools require only that you input the url of the blog, website, or article you wish to check. Some automatically input the ‘http’ or ‘www’ part, so watch for that when you input the web address or you will get an error message (or no results).

The most comprehensive I have seen is from Xinu Returns. It takes a few minutes, but it is worth the wait due to all the information you get from it. If you want to gather information in order to improve your rankings and increase page views, this is the tool to use.

If you just want to run a quick check out of curiosity, the other tools I like are:

Smart Page Rank

Backlink Watch

Website and Blog Tools: Value Calculators

Image via WikipediaThere are many fun and helpful tools for freelance writers with blogs and websites. One is a blog or website value calculator.

This tool uses various methods to calculate what your website or blog would be worth in financial terms. This is helpful if you wish to sell or flip your site/blog. It can also give you a rough idea of how well you are doing with your blog or website.

You do not have to place the widget on your blog or website to get the information. You can enter your url into a box on the calculator website and it will calculate it for you. As you can see, however, the various calculators come up with some very different answers!

My blog is worth $1,129.08.
How much is your blog worth?

This website is worth
What is your website worth?

To find out the worth of your own blog/website or to get your own widget, just click inside either widget on the "How much is your website/blog worth" link.

5 Ways to Monetize Your Blog or Website

Photo © Chance Agrella
There are various ways to earn a little extra money from your writing. One such method is to monetize your blog or website. You can do this in a number of ways.

1. Google Adsense

One of the most commonly used and popular methods, Google Adsense allows you to place advertising on your blog or website. You get paid every time someone clicks on the ads. Please note they take ‘cheating’ seriously – do not click on your own ads and do not recruit others to give you multiple clicks.

In addition to the traditional ads, Google Adsense also offers videos and search bars for revenue.

2. Affiliate Links

There are multiple sources of affiliate linkage. If you are adding an affiliate link to your blog or website, the most honorable way to do so (which will elicit reader trust and confidence in you – and perhaps garner more clicks for you) is to be honest about the affiliation and to actually have familiarity with the product.

For example, if the affiliate link is for a publisher or book, be sure you know the publisher and have faith in them, or have read the book and find it to be worth the money. Add your own review of the product, book, publisher, etc to add credibility and draw in more viewership.

3. Sell Advertising

There are ways to sell advertising spots on your blog or website. You can directly solicit advertisers, advertise that you have space for sale on your site or blog, and you can use a feature such as Scratchback.

4. Tip Jar/Take Donations

It can be a lot of work to write, maintain, and market a blog or website. Many set up a ‘tip jar’ or ‘donation button’ in order to draw in funding. One easy way to set up a tip jar or donation button is through PayPal. Remember: unless you are a specific type of registered charity, ‘donations’ to your site or blog will not be tax deductible for the donor.

5. Sell Your Blog or Website

With the right topic, name or popularity, your blog or website could sell for big bucks. Though you will no longer own it once sold, this is another way to earn money via your blog or website.

Some great information about how to sell or ‘flip’ blogs and websites is available at businessblogs.us.

Additional ideas (not written by me) may be found at DoshDosh.com

Bear in mind that too much advertising can be a turn off, and some people have an ‘ad-block’ feature that will block your ads from their view of your blog or website.

Welcome Back to Beginning Write!

Photo © Chance Agrella


After a hiatus, Beginning Write is back with a new look and new information. I can't guarantee regular posts, but I promise to blog about and list the best information I can find to help freelance writers. I will share personal experiences, thoughts, and opinions related to my life as a freelance writer as well.

This blog is not a daily newsflash kind of blog. This is a reference source for writers kind of blog. The information in this blog will be evergreen as much as possible, and I will be updating information as needed.

A few things I will be adding to Beginning Write will be sources of additional great freelancing info, job lead sites, and a compilation of 'content mills' that are legit. I will also be adding information about SEO, how to set your rates, taxes, contracts, monetizing your sites/blogs, grammar, punctuation, style guides, spelling, writing tips, and much more.

So, please pour yourself a tasty beverage, kick back, and enjoy! Your comments, thoughts, opinions, and questions are always welcome - unless they are inappropriate, spam, rude, or otherwise deemed crap not fit for print. ;-)