Internet passive income that makes a meaningful social contribution

[neilco]

In the money chapter of PDSP, Steve writes:

There are two basic ways to earn money:

1. Make a meaningful social contribution, and receive payment commensurate with the social value of your contribution

2. Take advantage of market inefficiencies to extract money without contributing any substantial value (gambling, begging, criminal activities, buying and reselling items with no added value, or investing in any of these)

Is there a way I can earn a modest passive income on the internet that makes a meaningful social contribution?

I don't want to resort to building stacks of made-for-AdSense niche websites that clutter up the search engines, or write an ebook with a contrived need that plays upon people's fears.

I'm a proficient web developer, and I'm reasonably good at writing. But my morality greatly restricts what I can allow myself to do.

[chadcharlie]

Yes. I think in the SEO community and web developer community there is a misconceived notion that the only income generated on the web is through made-for-adsense niche websites. In fact, though, most SEO students are reporting that the Panda update of Google recently is crushing that outlet anyway. It's just not a reality. I think the bounce rates off those crap sites speak for themselves.

When Google's algorithm isn't weeding out the fluff site, we become quite adept at doing it.

Now, think about every site that you actually stick around for, that you enjoy reading, and look into how they're making money.

Steve's website is a great example. He has the SBI affiliate program running. Amazon aff links (and very few of them I might add!), and some other programs he sponsors which are aff links.

If his traffic is close to 300,000 a month (I actually assume it's MUCH more) and .5% of them are converting at $50 average, his site is generating $75K a month.

He's only one example though. Look at any great website you enjoy reading and copy the model. To speak to generating social value: generate, create great content! Focus on long lasting, so called Evergreen articles, solve problems, answer questions, create value, create value.

Take care,
Chad.

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by neilco

I don't want to resort to building stacks of made-for-AdSense niche websites that clutter up the search engines, or write an ebook with a contrived need that plays upon people's fears.

I'm a proficient web developer, and I'm reasonably good at writing. But my morality greatly restricts what I can allow myself to do.

A made-for-Adsense site doesn't have to be filled with worthless content. You can make a very helpful and valuable collection of content that actually provides value to people who find it. There's nothing wrong with optimizing the valuable content to also have ads that get noticed by visitors and clicked on.

The same goes for ebooks.

[Peterw]

2. Take advantage of market inefficiencies to extract money without contributing any substantial value (gambling, begging, criminal activities, buying and reselling items with no added value, or investing in any of these)

How about Take advantage of market inefficiencies to extract money with contributing substantial value? Bit like numbers 2 and 3 on this list:

Billion Dollar Charitable Givers Dominated by Gates and Buffett

[neilco]

Thanks for your replies.

I like the idea of writing a high quality website about dogs, but get caught up by the back link and monetization strategies I'd have to use, which seem quite sordid and dishonorable. Reading through WarriorForum really puts me off the idea.

Is it still possible to start a new website, fill it with good quality writing and get organic back links, search engine rankings and traffic without manipulation?

I realise the market for dog websites is pretty saturated and it's a very broad niche, but then so was personal development when Steve started.

I'm not afraid of hard work, but it has to be honest work.

[Sandstone]

I'm not following. What monetization strategies do you view as being sordid and dishonorable? (asking because I want to make darn sure that I'm not doing anything sordid and dishonorable)

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by neilco

Is it still possible to start a new website, fill it with good quality writing and get organic back links, search engine rankings and traffic without manipulation?

That's pretty much the entire point of SBI.

[neilco]

Originally Posted by Sandstone

I'm not following. What monetization strategies do you view as being sordid and dishonorable? (asking because I want to make darn sure that I'm not doing anything sordid and dishonorable)

Writing content to fit the affiliate links, recommending any product that pays commission, and I suppose constantly pressuring people to spend money on stuff that they don't need.

I think you've stumbled upon one of my negative beliefs: trying to take responsibility for people's actions without giving them the freedom to make their own mistakes. It's something I need to work on.

[chadcharlie]

Originally Posted by neilco

Thanks for your replies.

Is it still possible to start a new website, fill it with good quality writing and get organic back links, search engine rankings and traffic without manipulation?

Anything is "possible," but I wouldn't hold your breath to be "discovered" in today's exponentially larger-than-years-ago Web.

As for hard work and honest work, if your content is really of genuine value to others, then you owe it to them to get it out there...in as many ways and forms as possible! As long as others are not disadvantaged by your efforts, or on the tail end of a win/lose situation, I condone it.

Google dominates our web experience, and they have set certain rules in place that sometimes (often times) work against new value, and favor old value. You can hold your breath and wait for it to find yours, or you can engage in the third part of creating and act, act, and act (read: distribute and social bookmark) to get your brain gems out there!

My .02

[Peterw]

You could always just write the content without monetising it and see if it catches on and get's organically propogated. Then take it from there.

[Mariana Trench]

Originally Posted by neilco

Writing content to fit the affiliate links, recommending any product that pays commission, and I suppose constantly pressuring people to spend money on stuff that they don't need.

I think you've stumbled upon one of my negative beliefs: trying to take responsibility for people's actions without giving them the freedom to make their own mistakes. It's something I need to work on.

I don't think avoiding recommending something you don't actually think is good (or that "people need") is taking too much responsibility for their choices. I see that as not being dishonest.

However, why do you think things like the back-links strategies are unethical? It's just getting the content out there--not misleading someone.

[chadcharlie]

Originally Posted by Mariana Trench

I don't think avoiding recommending something you don't actually think is good (or that "people need") is taking too much responsibility for their choices. I see that as not being dishonest.

However, why do you think things like the back-links strategies are unethical? It's just getting the content out there--not misleading someone.

Amen.
If you would recommend it to a friend, it's worth recommending it to masses. If you would "share" it with a friend, it's worth sharing it with the masses...via distribution and value retaining article spinning to cultivate backlinks ;p