It used to be that anyone could make money on the internet. That still might be true in part. But, there has been a lot of push back from the casual browser who does not like the incredible exposure  to flashy adds or the annoying e-newsletters that promises one thing and deliver another.

Tools like Ad Blocker which disables ads on webpages and replaces them with gray (at least in how it is configured with my Chrome theme), are on the rise. As the modern equivalent of a do not call list, this has wrecked havoc on some small businesses. There is a great article on this at  Arstechnica.com I would recommend checking it out.

Additionally, many people are utilizing most email providers’ filterers function to screen out solicitude newsletters. These newsletters end up becoming cluttering Gray Mail that fills up in boxes and hampers productivity.

Therefore, if you want to make money on the internet, be willing to look for other forms of monetizing or getting your information out there. The buyer has become aware. Now it is the vendors turn.

There is no doubt that Infographics are becoming the next big thing. The easily convey information and are engaging. I cannot count the number of times I have stopped to read an Infographic that I knew did not pertain to my interests simply  because the information was presented in a visually engaging way.

Below are some links to examples of well designed Infographics. I don’t want to fill up the page with images so you will have to click through. However, before you get there, a few points of observation.

1. They all use color. This might sound simple, and there will be the exception, but for the most part this is still profound. Color is engaging. Color can also help lump ideas together and creat a cohesive whole out of many parts.

2. They all have data. Each of the below is trying to convey something that is important. So important that the creator does not want you to gloss over it. But, the data is presented in small chunks that help us grasp the whole picture without being overwhelmed.

3. They all have a flow. They understand the importance of telling a story and do so in a format that we might not expect. Reading left to right is so 2000′s. With new social media sites (like Pintrest and Tumbler) that are vertically driven, these image based graphics work well.

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/08/64-pinterest-marketing-tips-and-tactics-infographic/

http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/inspiration/infographics-tips-resources/

http://www.coolinfographics.com/

http://images.sixrevisions.com/2009/05/09-10_favorite_drugs.jpg

http://community.pennfoster.edu/blogs1/b/pfblog/archive/2012/04/10/student-debt-in-america-and-the-penn-foster-promise.aspx

http://visual.ly/

Finally, an image that , as a student who just finished finals, can relate to. Have fun!

The Art of Manliness is a fantastic site devoted to manly things. If you know a wannabee man, send a link his way with some bacon – the link it might be exactly what he needs and, well, who doesn’t like bacon? Some humor aside, there are some key things that Entrepreneurs can learn from a recent post by The Art of Manliness on helping guys become more manly.

The main point is that some men don’t feel like men. Some of these reasons are explainable -a lack of a rite of passage and positive male mentors, faulty definitions of manhood, and sociological and economical shifts are just a few of the reasons  discussed. Some other reasons are more readily corrected and applied to entrepreneurship.

The first main point of the article is for wannabee men to stop wanting and start doing. As part of his lenghtly support of this claim, the author quotes Aristotle’s promise. That is, if you want a virtue, act as if you already have it and then it will be yours. Likewise, if you want success as an entrepreneur, start acting like you have what it takes (without being too arrogant).

the second suggestion that applies equally to Entrepreneurs is to Road-Map. Have key goals in mind and clear objectives by which you plan on accomplished them. The work of being a man or an entrepreneur is always being done. Therefore, make sure it is good that you are doing.

I would highly recommend you checking out the entire post here: Act like a man.

The first is that it helps you as a business owner develop the needs, pains, and solutions, of the issue you as seeking to address. This main strategy of seeking to understand the customer and then writing posts addressing the individual needs or questions of your customers is a strategy that your business should seek to incorporate. A customer focused blog can lend a personal touch to a business site and help your users better connect with your band.

Second, and linked off the first, informative blog posts help people find your site. If the blog titles are derived from needs or questions the user is searching for, the inbound results will benefit. People might not know the name of your business or site but they do know how to express the needs they are feeling. Harness this by making sure your blog titles are relevant to what your customer is searching. Additionally, it can help lend credibility as the customer sees that you are concerned with addressing real needs.

Finally, it can help you get the word out about your service. As you write content that is relevant to your user, they will be inclined to share it with others. This outbound approach can help others, who would not otherwise be looking, find your site. Additionally, this can generate revenue as advertisers see that you have a constant supply of visitors. But, this requires that your posts are more than just relevant, they need to be short and sharable as well. Multi part series can be good for disseminating info but do not work too well for social media incorporation.

"The best insurance policy for tomorrow is to make the most productive use of today."

The final piece of advice is one that we all need to hear regardless of what we are doing. Once given an opportunity, peruse it wholeheartedly, until then, do your best.

Once you do get that position or opening, don’t let it slide between your fingers. Be willing to take a shorter audience, or a slightly lower paying job. In doing so, you will show everyone around you that you know how to take things seriously. This will open up the door for more, better, opportunities. Even if you think you are in a dead-end job (as you save so you can start your billion dollar idea), or that you only got to say your name and what industry you are working in, the opportunities to grow and learn are all around you. Do you think that Steve Jobs ever did anything poorly intentionally? No, entrepreneurs like him bided their time and waited till it was their turn to shine. But, in the meantime, they worked hard and never gave up. This is a lesson that more people need to hear.