The download information is to the right >>>

The following press release, published on January 31, 2012, provides more information:

First published in 2009, the free glossary of internet marketing terms ‘What the @%!* Does THAT Mean?’ has been downloaded by thousands of IMers who want to stay in the loop with current terminology. Its creator, Kerry Finch, has just released the 2012 edition.

Queensland, Australia (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

Kerry Finch has just released the third, and still free, edition of her popular glossary of internet marketing terms, ‘What the @%!* Does THAT Mean?’. A whole stack of new terms have been collected for the 2012 edition, which will help both newcomers and old hands who want to understand and stay in touch with the semantics of this dynamic industry.

When she first entered the world of internet marketing back in 2007, online writing professional Kerry Finch, encountered the unique terms used by those already active in this nuanced community. Despite having an extensive marketing/public relations background, it became obvious to her that the offline meaning of some terms were very different to their meaning to online communities.

Over the next few years she began to keep a record of those terms, and their meanings, for her own use, but it was as a result of her involvement in a highly regarded internet marketing forum that she created a more formal document.

“Every day there were new people joining the forum, many of whom were complete novices. In the spirit of the forum, I offered my collection of terms to anyone who was interested” said Kerry. “I was overwhelmed by the response, and over the next year spent some time streamlining its format and adding more terms as they emerged.”

From its first simple version, it is now an attractive ebook of over 100 pages, filled with internet marketing terminology – from ‘absolute link’ to ‘Z-index’.

“What the @%!* Does THAT Mean? has always been free, and can be downloaded from either kerryfinchwriting.com or obra.com.au” said Kerry.

Kerry also offers a Resale Rights version of the Glossary – a great giveaway or bonus for other internet marketers. The new version is to be released in early February, and purchasers of the previous version are sent the 2012 Edition automatically.

Download your free copy of ‘What the @%!* Does THAT Mean?’ at http://www.kerryfinchwriting.com

Early in 2011, when Google decided that a shake-up was needed to improve the ‘browsing experience’ of its users, it set free a Poirot-type Panda, trained in the detection of websites that are poorly constructed, difficult to navigate, and which have with poor quality, keyword stuffed, rehashed, irrelevant and badly written content.

So what does it take to ensure your website delivers the ‘browsing experience’ Google rewards?

Know Your Audience, Understand What They Want, And Give It To Them

If your website has been created to satisfy a personal need for creative expression, the following will be of little interest to you – just keep on doing what works for you: you have no-one to answer to, certainly not the search engines.

The visitors who are coming to you by following a direct link or by typing in the url (a ‘navigational search’), then chances are they are ‘warm’ visitors. They are already interested in what you have to say; perhaps you have been referred by a current client or customer.

But if you want the search engines to deliver them to you, then its important to know what they are looking for, the search terms they are using, and to be sure that the SEO content on your website delivers it to them. People who are using search engines have clear ‘intent’, including to:

• Buy: a product or service
• Confirm: legitimacy, authority, legality
• Find: a person, product, solution
• Treat: an illness or health problem
• Learn: ‘how to’ or ‘about’ anything
• Solve: problems and arguments
• Understand: issues, cultures, nature, news
• Fix: computers, furniture, televisions and broken nails

So, what is the intent of those searching for your identified keywords or phrases, and how do you fulfill the need to deliver the type of ‘browsing experience’ that Google, in particular, rewards?

Intent: Commercial Research

Those searching with commercial intent are looking for information about you as the business owner, the business objectives, your products and services offered. They may be potential clients, JV partners, journalists, competitors – or even Google staff.

While the content created for these searchers may not directly translate into a ‘sale’, it could likely have a great impact on the direction of your business. Unless your site is a one-page sales letter, then being aware of these searchers and delivering the information that YOU want them to see (rather than what they will find on another site) will go a long way to managing your online reputation.

Intent: Information Gathering

Informational searches are looking for quick answers, e.g. today’s weather, the lyrics to a song, how many actors have played “Dr Who”. If your website is providing such information (collecting perhaps advertising revenue as its raison d’être) then you need to be sure to deliver what sought. In the case of lyrics, quotations and other material that cannot be rewritten, you will need to add unique content to each page, perhaps as an introduction.

Intent: Transaction

These searchers are looking for information that will result in them taking an intended action: e.g. to purchase, phone, email, download, subscribe. Providing easy-to-find, worthwhile content that clearly delivers the information they seek, and the means to complete the transaction easily, checks two of the search engines’ boxes for a quality site.

The sites that satisfy searchers have the following traits. They:

• Are well, yet simply designed, and accessible to modern browsers
• Are easy to navigate and use, with a clear hierarchy and text links.
• Contain content that is relevant to the query: pages should accurately describe your content and ensure your keywords are included.
• Have information that is unique, credible and legitimate

Advances In Link Analysis Thwart Chronic Backlinkers

Search engines once put great store in the number of external sites linking to a site – counting those links as virtual ‘votes’ for the site’s value. While the principle remains, the link analysis algorithms are much more sophisticated – the uniqueness, quality and relevance of the sites linking in have their own value.

Links from sites with original, well written content are therefore more valuable than those from article networks and directories. In fact, Google Webmaster Guidelines clearly warn against participating in

“…link schemes designed to increase your site’s ranking or Page Rank. In particular, avoid links to web spammers or ‘bad neighborhoods’ on the web, as your own ranking may be affected adversely by those links.”

Content that creates interest, discussion, republication and subsequent links from third party sites (like social media and online media rooms) is important in how a search engine ranks the site for relevant queries.

Duplicate Content: From The Panda’s Mouth

The topic of duplicate content is perhaps one of the most talked about by internet marketers. Everyone has an opinion or strategy, but the only one that counts, in the case of Google’s search results, is Google’s. To that end, reading the Duplicate Content page in the Google Webmaster Tools Help  will deliver the answer.

The best way to avoid the wrath of the big G, and what can be the business-breaking removal of your website from the search results, at least as far as content is concerned, is to have unique and relevant content on your websites. By all means have that content rewritten (completely rewritten, not just the title and first and last paragraphs!) for use elsewhere, but maintain a high standard for your key sites.

>> Contact me for help in creating your unique website content

While I have less than 200 articles published at ezinearticles.com under my own name, I have in fact ghost written thousands that appear under my clients’ names on that site, and others.  So I was delighted when the EZA team asked to feature me as a Showcase author this month.

You can read the post here: Kerry Finch Expert Author Showcase

Thanks to Chris Knight and the team for this recognition.

Your Personal Online Reputation

Even if you don’t conduct business online, you might be surprised what the search engines return when people enter your name into a search box.

And even if the results returned were actually about the real YOU, and not a porn star or bankrupt with the same name as yours, you might prefer that there was no  mention of you at all online. However, in these days of publishing meeting minutes, golf  results and academic honor rolls online, unless you are a hermit, it is almost impossible NOT to leave an online footprint.

Regardless of your offline reputation, your ‘online reputation’ matters, and the need for online reputation management is a growing one.  This is hardly surprising as more people, just like you, ‘Google’ their own names and find forum comments they wish they’d never made, their very happy faces after having one champers too many,  or a series of customers complaining about their products.

So, if YOU have Googled your name, what do you think the chances are of a potential partner, in-law, employer, college administrator, client or associate doing the same?

Businesses too, need to be aware of how they are perceived online.

Why Businesses Need To Monitor Their Online Footprint

Businesses are increasingly using different online strategies to generate sales, to create product or company awareness, to build contact lists and to build and maintain client relationships.  Blogs, social networking sites and discussion forums are being used to leverage website content.

The problem is that these sites (web 2.0) allow others to make posts and comments as well, and while positive posts about you and your business can be priceless, negative ones can be devastating.

It is becoming second nature for people to search for businesses online, especially prior to committing to a purchase.  Results with negative comments can influence sales and staff morale along with client, banking and associated business relationships.

Because the Internet has made it so easy for anyone to freely share their thoughts about people, businesses, products and services, with little accountability for the reputations tarnished as a result, businesses and individuals need to be vigilant with their online reputation management.

How An Online Reputation Evolves

Content published in articles, news items, blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other Web 2.0 platforms is picked up by the search engines.  They pick up titles, photos and key phrases (such as people’s and product names), index them, and display them with the corresponding links in search results. Where they appear in those search results will depend on many factors.

Without effective online reputation management strategy in place, negative feedback about you or your company can create the wrong impression and inflict serious damage to your name.

Sources of Negative Content

The goodwill attached to company or business names is an acknowledged asset in business. Considered an intangible asset, goodwill depends on reputation, which is, as noted above, vulnerable to attacks from various sources online. Negative Internet content can come from:

• ex partners
• former friends and colleague
• disgruntled former employees
• competitors
• dissatisfied clients or buyers
• news items
• government listings
• past court cases
• confusingly similar names

Businesses and companies are not the only ones who should be concerned about online reputation management, every one of us should be.  Individuals such as consultants, professionals, social figures and celebrities of course need to be particularly vigilant as others may try to hijack their names for nefarious purposes or financial gain.

Elements That Impact Your Online Reputation

Keywords

Words used to identify you, your products, services or your business form the cornerstone of reputation management strategy. Search engines don’t distinguish between proper names and ordinary words when their robots index keywords for use in search results.

Profiles

Social media sites rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs).  Accounts with these sites require names which are used to identify user-generated content that often appears on the top three search results. Web profiles in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr tend to rank highly with Google and are considered a focus in online reputation management.

Search Engine Optimization

Internet users ordinarily view only the top search results and ignore anything beyond the first results page.  An effective SEO strategy is crucial for online reputation management because it has the power to bring positive content to the top of search results, while at the same time bumping unwanted results down to pages beyond where all but the most tenacious searchers venture.

SEO Content

Search engines like Google love fresh content which is why blogs and other Web 2.0 sites rank well even without their account owners knowing SEO techniques.  Creating and regularly distributing articles, videos and press releases  will attract the search engines to your pages.  Incorporating your name/s as h1 headings, page and category names, and keywords will all help to influence the search results in your favor.

Monitoring tools

Knowing what’s being said about you and where those comments can be found online is an important aspect of managing your online reputation.  While you can’t always succeed when asking the authors to delete their comments, you can take counteractive measures such as leaving persuasive comment replies, taking part in forum discussions and addressing specific issues head-on in your own web pages or profiles.

A number of tools are available on the Internet which can help you find links to pages mentioning your name.  Freely available services like Google Alerts set up to send automatic notifications whenever your name, your company name, product name or keyword/phrase is indexed by Google.

Ways To Manage A Negative Online Footprint

• If necessary enlist the help of a specialist reputation management service to remove your personal information from the internet
• Increase the amount of positive content by writing, or having written for you, articles, press releases, blog posts (I can help with this !).
• Create profiles (or have them created for you) at Web 2.0 sites, starting with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Claim your name and establish your corporate identity on these networks before someone else does, to avoid confusing and potentially damaging content being attributed to you (ask me how!).
• Engage a done-for-you reputation management service.

Could the time perhaps come where parents register their child’s-name-dot-com at the same time as they register their birth?  Perhaps not, but I know of many internet savvy parents who have done just that, because they acknowledge the online reputation management.

It is important also to understand that search engines retain indexed data for a long time – even when a post is deleted or a link is disabled.  Cached content may still be viewed by Internet users who may be your boss, future employer, potential buyers or clients, and friends. Online reputation management, just like SEO, is ongoing, and takes time to yield positive results, making it necessary to manage online reputation even before unwanted comments surface in search results.

I would be happy to assemble an appropriate SEO content program to help boost your, or your company’s name in the search engine results.  Contact me!

So, while I was at it, I decided to ask some recent clients if they would be comfortable in commenting on my work as well. My only request was that I be able to associate their full name or website url or photo to their contribution (which I will explain later). The results were interesting:

• All but 1 of those asked were more than happy to send through their comments
• Some used video as their medium
• Others sent through text versions
• One preferred to not disclose the fact that he outsourced his content writing
• One is very ‘underground’ and did not want his full identity revealed
• Two still have it on their ‘to do’ list
• Two asked if I could write it for them (!)

What are the benefits of adding testimonials?

In the three weeks since I updated my Testimonials page, I have submitted proposals for several large content creation projects – all for new, unreferred clients. In each case, rather than explaining what I do, I pointed them to my website for examples, and to the Testimonials page. Two of these proposals have now converted, and a third is likely to.

I have no doubt that the social proof provided by my current clients played a vital role in securing these major projects – so at this point, I’d like to thank them!

Social Proof – The Nutshell Definition

A simple online search will reveal a multitude of definitions of ‘social proof’, ranging from historical and in-depth psychological explanations through to how marketers are using to influence your buying decisions every day (and make no mistake here they are). But I am a ‘nutshell’ type of person, so here is my take on it.

People use social proof to help them make decisions in ambiguous circumstances. If they are uncertain about how to act, or whether to purchase, they are influenced by the responses and opinions of others in the same situation.

In the case of my Testimonials, prospective clients, perhaps unsure if I am the right writer for them, will no doubt be influenced by comments from the people for whom I have worked in the past.

Herd It Through The Grapevine – For Creedence

Few of us would not have been influenced by social proof in some way. It may be:

• deciding whether to watch a movie with 5 stars or 3
• opting to view a ‘most watched video’
• to purchase or consider based on a ‘feedback’ or ‘rating’
• to ‘follow’ someone on social media sites because they already have lots of fans (so they MUST have something worthwhile to say)
• to ‘follow’ people that many of our peers are following
• making a buying decision based on a personal recommendation

Marketing research reinforces this by telling us that 74% of consumers trust peer recommendations, while only 14% trust advertisements.

So, in an increasingly competitive online business environment, it is hardly surprising that creating a group of loyal followers is one of the most powerful strategies being employed by successful marketers. However, it is not something that can be achieved overnight – the most valuable followers are ‘Influencers’ (those who will actively spread the word to their peers or their ‘herd’) and are those with whom the marketer has taken the time to build a trusting relationship.

The Influencers are the people who will:

• add to the hype of your new product launches (they could of course have a vested interest – see below)
• they are those who will take to the stage to confirm how you, the speaker, have helped them
• they will post (or give you a thumbs up) on Facebook or Twitter or Blogs about their positive experiences with your product or service
• they will bookmark your posts
• they will provide genuine testimonials.

They are real people in a virtual space that is being increasingly populated by automatic posting services and fictitious profiles.

Because I write for several high level marketers, I have become quite attuned to how social proof, and the herd mentality, has evolved from nought and is now used to create interest and demand. When implemented well it is akin to an art form.

Affiliate Marketing and Social Proof

In the last 10 years or so, online businesses have realized the profitability of creating products that are downloaded digitally. Increasingly, consumers are preferring to have information products – reports, ebooks, training courses etc – delivered in this way. Instant gratification is the name of the game – they pay immediately online and expect delivery in the same way.

Because they only need to create a product once and have an automatic payment and fulfillment process in place, the creators of digital products often have no further cost of goods sold (COGS).

So many decide to sacrifice some of their profit by incentivising others to promote products on their behalf by offering affiliates commissions. Affiliate marketing can be lucrative for affiliates, and some have created very profitable businesses from this business model e.g. Andy Grand.

However, products that are created by big name marketers, or which have a high ticket value, could have thousands of affiliates promoting them – particularly at launch time. And competition can be fierce.

Social Proof shows its value here in several ways.

Firstly, an army of affiliates promoting a product will yield impressive results from the search engines when people attempt to research said product. Of course, few of the results will have anything negative to say about the product, though many will use the strategy of alluding to a false negative e.g. “it is NOT a get rich scheme, so if that is what you want, it is not for you….”.

The greater the potential affiliate income, the more affiliates there will be, and consequently the collective investment in product promotion using often innovative traffic grabbing strategies. Lots of search engine results with positive feedback for a product is great social proof for the merchant.

Secondly, the big name marketers, with substantial client lists and lots of ‘followers’, can, and do, support each other, often with larger than normal or tiered affiliate commissions, or cross-list-promotion offers. The marketers who value their lists, however, are very careful about recommendations, and will often continue to look after their followers by insisting on special pricing or bonuses for them (while, of course, collecting affiliate income).

Social Proof Begins At Home

Too often I see sales pages with testimonials of dubious origin (e.g. Mr K, London, England with a stock photo) – don’t be tempted to use these, they just look shonky and do nothing for your credibility. And, while we’re at it, avoid buying from sites that use them!

If you don’t have previous customers, offer to to provide a free product to a prospect in return for quotable feedback or opinion. This is particularly effective in the pre-launch phase because the feedback could be priceless!

Video testimonials are very powerful, so be sure to include them wherever possible. Having real people deliver real endorsements can be a real deal maker – and they don’t have to be professional videos. In fact, its better if they aren’t. A recording from a handheld device uploaded to YouTube works a treat.

If there are some key elements you would like mentioned, when you request feedback, be bold and ask for them to be included (e.g. fast delivery, accuracy, support).

Regardless of whether you are selling your expertise, a product or service (your own or as an affiliate), buyers will purchase from you if they feel they can trust you. Having third party endorsements – genuine testimonials – helps to build their confidence. So don’t be bashful or lazy (as was the case with my failure to update!), ask – and if you deserve it, you will receive.

Offer A Testimonial

Finally, if you have received excellent service that deserves recognition, why not do what my client did – be proactive and provide a testimonial. Don’t offer – just do it!

Dave was a complete novice when our paths crossed, but his tenacity and will to succeed has driven him to learn about things that were WAY outside of his comfort zone.  Dave races rally cars, and he makes parts for them – and he is also an internet marketer.

I asked Dave if he would share his story on a Skype interview, and when he agreed, we decided to be way too clever and video record the call as well, and split the screen so you could see us both!  Some of the sound is a bid dodgy in parts, but I’m sure you will agree that Dave has climbed a very steep learning curve, with the support of our forum members and his learnings from FastWebFormula.

I think Dave proves that complete novices are able to learn the skills needed to become an internet marketer.

>> Learn more here about 2011 FastWebFormula3

Few could argue that fledgling sites take time to gather followers, and blog post with out reader feedback can look very lonely.  So in the time that it takes to establish a site and attract followers, my team and I will give your blog some SEO commenting love.

Don’t be mistaken though, I am not offering to post useless one-line irrelevant comments to your site.  They will be unique, relevant and worthwhile, designed to stimulate responses and more conversation.

More information about this confidential service is available on the Blog Post Comments page

Because getting traffic and improving rankings is my business’ raison d’etre, this topic is close to my heart.  All of the different types of writing services that I offer my wonderful clients are included in this product, in a structured, systematic way that has real, demonstrated, proven results. I was privileged to be given a sneak preview of Traffic Grab, and am truly amazed at the amount of knowledge James is sharing for such a modest price (under $100).

You see, over the last 5 years this hugely successful Australian, James Schramko has amassed an amazing amount of knowledge on how to get traffic to websites. He has used his strategies, tactics and tools (some of which he developed himself) to create a profitable online empire.  It is for this reason that I unreservedly recommend this course to my clients and readers.

Traffic Grab

For over three months now, James Schramko has been assembling all of this information into a system – James loves systems. The result is the just-released Traffic Grab, a very comprehensive yet easy to understand course for getting targeted traffic to your website.

Amazingly, the first three modules are free – James’ way of demonstrating that this course is a no BS, thoroughly researched, and valuable product. He does not want to be grouped with those internet marketers who just rehash old material and label it as their own.

His methods are proven to work.

These first modules show, in video format:

• The right way to research ‘buying’ keywords and keyphrases: you want buying traffic, not just lookers!
• What type of content brings in those buyers
• How to assemble your site in a way that will convert visitors to loyal customers

Once you have absorbed this preliminary information, the next three modules (the paid modules) encompass:

• Massive traffic action
• Profiting from target traffic
• Leverage initial profit to make even more

Nine Hours Of Video

Don’t be mistaken though – the material here is not to be learned in one sitting. James Schramko has compiled 9 hours of video into this course. It has 24 traffic steps, his ‘spaghetti bowl’ mindmap (I recommend having this enlarged and printed to plan-size, laminate it and put it on your wall). It is a visual representation of all of the steps in Traffic Grab.

In the videos, James covers each section from scratch – ideal for beginners and for the more experienced marketers (who are probably doing it wrong!!). His methods for building a quality list of buyers are something every online business needs to grasp and master.

Importantly though, in Traffic Grab, James demonstrates how, once sales are made, you can leverage those sales to scale up for more profits.

Not Theory

Throughout his online career, James has been an advocate of Proof. We all know marketers who espouse theories that are often not their own and try to create an air of authority around themselves.

James, however, provides real case studies that demonstrate the results he has achieved using the various strategies that he outlines in TrafficGrab. He stresses that this is a System, and one that can be replicated by anyone prepared to Implement.

James Schramko’s Traffic Grab is well priced – half of it is free! – but when combined with an impressive Traffic Grab Bonus from his premium content writer, me (!), it is impossible to ignore.

>> Learn about my bonus, and how you can get more traffic to your website now.

These skills however, are not limited to the workplace. Indeed, it is by sharing information about hobbies, sports, and life skills that are, that they are offering a real legacy to the next generations.

Baby Boomers – the generation born between 1945 and 1965 – are in the box seat when it comes to leverage their skills online. They are, in general, better educated that their parents, most have remained true to their occupation (amassing high level skills in the process), they have enjoyed a variety of lifestyle choices, and most have electronic communication skills.

However, it is their parents – those who remain with us – who have some old-school skills that it would be very sad to lose. And this presents yet another opportunity: for Baby Boomers to record and preserve their parents’ knowledge.

Believe it or not, there are young people today who would like to make a cake that didn’t come from a packet in the supermarket. There are people who prefer custom made furniture and would love advice on making the perfect dovetail joint. And there are researchers who would like first-hand accounts of life during international conflicts, of journalism and science in the 40s and 50s.

The internet presents an amazing opportunity for knowledge sharing on a massive scale.

Benefits of Working, Online or Offline, Beyond Retirement

Continuing income

Even with life savings, the increasing costs of living and longer life expectancies of retirees may render a retirement fund insufficient. Weak markets have taken their toll on investment properties threatening the liquidity of retirees. Working part-time or full-time ensures continuous income for retirees.

Improved health

Doctors have long been aware of the important health benefits of staying active at an older age, particularly for mental health. Moreover, a study conducted by the University of Maryland suggests that older individuals who continued working, whether full-time or part-time, after retirement had fewer major diseases or disabilities than those who stopped working.

Social interaction

Lack of social activity has been linked to rapid decline in motor function leading some specialists to recommend regular social interaction for elderly people. Working presents opportunities for regular interaction with others and is recommended for the elderly.

Happy disposition

Older people tend to pursue their passions in their retirement years, starting new career paths that they have always dreamed of or establishing new businesses. This promotes positive attitudes and feelings of happiness and well-being.

Working From Home For Older People

Internet technology and advanced computer applications have made it possible for many people to work from home. A reliable computer and good internet connection, and, preferably, a dedicated workspace, are that is needed in most cases. If video tutorials help to get techniques and messages across, a regular video camera (even the inexpensive Flip camera will do!) will be required.

Anyone who wants to succeed in working from home for an employer must have strong self-motivation and an openness to change, as traditional working arrangements take on alternative forms online. On the other hand, managers who wish to tap the valuable experience and expertise of older people need to consider flexible job structures and workloads and to offer training and mentoring as well.

Get Paid For Knowledge Sharing

2011 has heralded a new form of peer-to-peer teaching and learning, with the recent launch of learnable.com.

Learnable.com

This online platform has made it possible for people with knowledge on just about any topic – from worm composting to writing code – to create information products and sell them to a worldwide audience of information seekers.

The beauty of learnable.com is that ‘teachers’ create their product just once, and it remains for sale in downloadable form, on the site for as long as the teacher chooses. It is the classic example of how to earn a recurring income.

Learning is a lifelong pursuit, so this site is ideal for older people to learn about different topics as well. The courses are inexpensive, ranging from around $10-50.

Your Own Website

Selling

Knowledge has value. In these days of instant gratification, young people who want information, want it NOW, and they are willing to pay to have it NOW. Their being able to find and access the information that you have to share is made easier by having a well architected website, that the search engines rank well.

Setting up your own website has become so easy, with services like SuperFastWebsites who can have a good looking, easy to manage, website up and running for you in no time – for just a few hundred dollars.

If you have trouble writing the website content to promote your products or services, it has never been easier to outsource content writing.

Armed with your product or service details, a website and a PayPal account, you can be selling online in a snap.

Posterity

Preserving the knowledge of older people for future generations via an online platform is a powerful gift to future generations. Video hints and tips can create a bond between generations that has before now been impossible.

Creating a website as a means of preserving knowledge, e.g. A video of Grandma making the traditional family festive cake, or Dad pruning his prize roses, allows simple, yet priceless, skills are kept alive.  Putting the video on a simple WordPress website can be extremly simple: easy upload to YouTube, then copy the embed code to your page or post!

Paid Employment: Work From Home

For those looking for paid online employment, there are many options – and the list grows daily, including:

Customer service representatives

This employee answers incoming calls, takes orders, tracks existing orders and handles customer complaints for clients. Most companies offer paid training periods which can benefit the elderly.

Online juror

In the United States, attorneys who are working on cases need to obtain important feedback about the details of their cases by presenting them to online jurors who sit in mock juries. Digital files in various video and audio formats make this type of job possible without leaving home.

Virtual assistant

Companies have increasingly tapped the services of virtual assistants who perform various administrative tasks such as making travel arrangement, sending out letters and other support services that may be done through the phone or Internet. Anyone who wants to work as a virtual assistant may need knowledge in computer software applications, desktop publishing, project management, spreadsheets and database management.

Online tutor

Teaching students online is also a popular job that the elderly can do. Usual subject areas for teaching include world history, physics, science, math and English. Advanced learning programs may also offer tutorial sessions for helping students pass the SAT. Online tutors need to pass an exam for subjects they intend to teach.

Freelance writers

Writing online includes many activities such as copywriting, article and press release writing, proof reading, technical and resume writing. To excel in this field, one must have a good grasp of spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Other types of work that can do from home are consulting and mentoring where their long years of experience are an asset.

Online work opportunities for retirees abound in the Web but the challenge lies in determining which ones are legitimate and not mere scams. As a rule of thumb, anything that promises instant wealth without any effort or which charges a fee to obtain additional information about a job is not a legitimate offer and must be ignored.

Reputable work at home sites, where jobs are posted, include ratracerebellion.com, alpineaccess.com and Elance.com.

The Biggest Database Ever

The internet is the ultimate museum, library or employement agency. It is a way for any individual – regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, culture or disability to learn, teach and work. And it provides an unprecedented opportunity for older people to financially benefit from the knowledge that they have gathered over decades.

Seizing the opportunity for you, your parent, your grandparent or your charity to profit from that knowledge, is just the click of a mouse button away.