Ask and you shall receive.

After an overwhelming response to the Net Fool’s October Spectacular, I have decided to modify the rules surrounding the contest. Specifically, things are now open to everybody! I was under the false impression that I could only track members that had been signed up under my account. I’ve been working with the guys over at Market Leverage over the past few days, and they have agreed to help me track those of you who already have accounts with Market Leverage.

What does this mean? If you are an affiliate at Market Leverage, email Dina (ML Rep) at dina@marketleverage.com and you will be automatically tracked and added to the competition. This could be no extra work on your part, and you could come out with a fantastic prize! Right now, nobody I am tracking has earned anything… so if you earn $1 to this point, you would get a brand new Nintendo Wii! Easy, eh?

The Contest Has Been Extended Until November 15th!

“But wait! Now I don’t have enough time left to earn!?” Don’t worry… I hear you! For those of you who weren’t in the competition before and now know the new rules, I want to encourage you to start getting your affiliate accounts with Market Leverage active. Those of you who haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time to register a free account with Market Leverage! I’ve even extended the ending date from the 5th to the 15th to get you guys some more time to beat out the competition.

What the heck is Market Leverage?

One of the most recession-proof industries has been internet marketing. With an affiliate network like Market Leverage, you are given a whole control panel with an arsenal of offers from interested companies and advertisers. Essentially, you are being paid to promote products and services for other companies to people you may or may not know. If you are good, you can set up pages and pay for ads off Google to get directed traffic. When someone signs up or buys a product through your affiliate link, you get commission from Market Leverage. It’s a simple process that can net you hundreds of thousands of dollars every month if done correctly. ML is the best company in the business, and if you sign up they’ll be more than happy to get you started on the right foot!

Promote the Contest… Win a Prize!

In an effort to boost marketing to Jimvesting’s October Spectacular, I would love for anyone and anyone interested to add my banner ads to their website. While I would love to give prizes to everyone, I simply can’t dilute the pool that much. So, any website that either adds a banner to their website for 30 days or anyone who makes a post about the competition linking back to the contest page and has at least 100 RSS subscribers… will get a free copy of my $15 eBook, “Work Smart Get Rich!”

A free eBook, just for filling a space on my website…. nice!

Here are some creatives to use:

• 125×125 Banner
• 468×60 Banner
• 220×205 Banner

In addition, I may throw a link or two your way in link love if you give some good press. I want to encourage a friendly competition, so now everyone can enter and earn money with Market Leverage to try to score a new Nintendo Wii, a Flip Mino, a $50 Gift Card or a copy of my eBook “Work Smart, Get Rich!”

Stay Bullish!
-Jimvesting

Ouch! I had to delay the link love and announcements all the way to Tuesday? Well with the contracted launch of my October Spectacular, and the promised results show for my September Hosting Bonanza… there really wasn’t too much wiggle room. Regardless, we all need to be updated and refreshed… so let’s head into the rest of the week strong!

Post quality from this past week was extremely high, and I enjoyed a lot of things that I read. After meeting a few new bloggers, and calculating my head off in the face of contests starting, stopping and everything in between, it’s time to take a look back at five of (what I felt were) the best articles for the week ending October 4th, 2008.

• Freddie Taylor – Capitalize on the Long Tail
• Linker’s Blog – What’s On Your RSS?
• CopyBlogger – Is Your Blog Ginger or Mary Ann?
• Thou Shall Blog – The Best 15 SEO Tools for Beginners
• Enkay Blog – What Advertising Can Do For You

Kicking things off with Freddie Taylor, he had a great logical step through of the “long tail.” This is a neat theory of sales and marketing that you just have to hear! Linkers’ Blog wrote an interesting run-down of what blogs he reads on the daily. Clearly, he left my name clear out of the list… but I’ll cut him some slack on that one this time. CopyBlogger had the funniest post I have read in awhile… taking a cue back to popular American television pastime “Gilligan’s Island.” Thou Shall Blog put together a brilliant list of SEO tools and Enkay offers some clever insight into the world of advertising.

Stock Market Update
Well for starters, today was a bit nuts. After seeing the biggest point drop in Dow Jones history, we had a mid-major reversal to close down 3.5%. It’s a bit amusing how 3.5% down was good news, eh? Essentially, what is happening here is that as the Dollar and Yen soar against other currencies, the world is turning to staple holdings in panic as global turmoil is destroying everyone’s market systems. Just a few hours ago, Australia announced that they would be cutting rates by 1 full percentage point. This has sent Asian markets into mixed territory, so I’ll wait to see how this effects the rest of us.

The big discussion going on now is whether we will experience a sort of universal rate cut of sorts. When you have a “rate cut,” people are usually referring to the rate at which banks borrow from each other (and from their governments). By lowering rates, you make credit easier to obtain and theoretically boost buying interest. As credit markets have become almost completely frozen, we need something like this from every government in order to escape the financial terror.

Over the weekend, in news that was dwarfed by macro-economic trends, Wachovia was reportedly “sold” to Citigroup. In this deal, Citi effectively saved Wachovia from failure in a deal backed by the FDIC. But just when things seemed set in stone, Wells Fargo stepped in and made a better offer. A day later, our government decided that it was illegal, by the contract with Citigroup, for Wachocia to have talked to Wells Fargo at all! So, now we are frozen in the balance, and the SEC actually stopped trading altogether on the company. Let’s wait and see how this one turns out!

Blogosphere Update
As the owner of a new financial community, Bullish Bankers, I have been absolutely astounded by the recent sale of financial website Bankaholic.com to BankRate.com for $15 million dollars. $12.4 million in cash up front is absolutely nuts for a blog that I quite frankly don’t think is very good. A standard design with lax posting, commenting and an insane amount of monetization shouldn’t fetch that kind of premium. Nevertheless, it seems that I’ve hit the hot niche at the right time, and thus may have a nice valuation on Bullish Bankers right now.

PageRank had an update! Yep. Not too happy about that one. I got dropped officially from a 4 to a 3, and right now I am fighting to get my old ranking back. Unfortunately, Google isn’t the most accessible bunch. Despite my valid complaint they have yet to respond and I can only hope that they do (as they haven’t ever before). You can try your hand by requesting a PageRnak reconsideration. Here are some directions on how to do that.

OIO Publisher updated to version 2.0! Now you can finally get the best monetization tool around not only for WordPress, but for any other service online. It’s totally standalone, and the features on WordPress have been optimized even more! My favorite feature is the ability for advertisers to upload their own ad to the server, cutting down on messy linkage problems once and for all. You can get $17 OFF for a limited time by using the coupon “JimvestingDEAL” at checkout!

This Week In Focus
I’ve been in a blog posting frenzy this week so far, and I already have two posts that I want to put out on the docket… ready to write. In addition, we are going to continue the series of Google Keyword optimization while I look to capitalize on the “make money online” niche with some ranking power there. Heck, maybe Google will reward me with a higher PageRank if I can pull it off.

I’m actually thinking of writing a fun, slightly controversial, post this week. However, it’s going to take some time to brainstorm it… so hopefully it will be up before the end of the week. I’m fighting for some higher traffic and the eventual breaking of that elusive 750 subscriber mark. So stick with Jimvesting, and turn your time into cash!

-Jimvesting

It’s that time again, the results are in for the Net Fool’s September HostGator Hosting Bonzanza and it’s time to announce the winners! A lot of you participated this time around, and it was definitely a fun contest with a lot of interest from all of you looking for some high-quality hosting. Before we get into that, I wanted to give a quick thanks to our host for the month of September, HostGator!

Jimvesting’s Preferred Host

HostGator is one of the top web hosting companies on the internet today, and they serve over 1.3 million domain names… including theNetFool.com! I chose to use HostGator as my preferred web host because I had heard about their superior uptime, reputation, speed and service. After purchasing premium hosting from them, I have been completely satisfied. Every time I need help, they are within a few minutes and are more than willing to help me out. The customer reps are nice, and the server has some great speed that can’t be beat. I like the security of knowing that my website will be online at all times, and HostGator allows me to stay certain that things are working.

The Results

We had a TON of entries this time around, 875 to be exact. However, a lot of you had 2, 15 or even 40 entries to the competition… so the odds were definitely in your favor. After a lot of people had written about the competition, and I received a good amount of buzz on the blogosphere… it’s time to finally announce the winners. Please check out the video below for the full live drawing, proof that we do things fair.

I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you want to watch the video to see the results. I am going to email the three winners as soon as I can, and get you guys set up with your free hosting! Scroll down if you would like to skip the video.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

1. Mark Sierra (“SWAMP” HOSTING PLAN)
2. HomeBiz.Bukiki.com (“BABY” HOSTING PLAN)
3. Chetan (“HATCHLING” HOSTING PLAN)

Congratulations to all of you! I want to thank everyone for entering and helping us out. Maybe next time you’ll be the lucky winner, eh? Be sure to check out this month’s October Spectacular, where you can win a new Nintendo Wii or even a Flip Mino (or more!). Another thanks to HostGator for the great contest, and until next time… stay BULLISH on the net!

-Jimvesting

Want to win a Brand New Nintendo Wii? How about a Flip Mino? Maybe some extra spending cash ($50), or a copy of my popular eBook! NOW YOU CAN. I’ve teamed up with the folks at Market Leverage to bring you Jimvesting’s October Spectacular!

No more cheesy giveaways with banner ads, consultations and paid reviews… Jimvesting is giving away REAL prizes worth over $600 to readers absolutely free! By working with Market Leverage, you can earn yourself a great prize just by beating out the competition in affiliate earnings. The bottom line is: while you rack up big money by using the Market Leverage service, you’ll be automatically in the running to win a brand new Nintendo Wii, my personal favorite gaming console, or even a Flip Mino video camera, a recording device that I use (and love) personally. Even the bronze medalist will take home a nice $50 gift card, now let’s get into the contest!

The Grand Prize: One Nintendo Wii Gaming System

You know you want it! Be the grand prize winner and you’ll win yourself a brand-spanking new Nintendo Wii delivered right to your doorstep. This thing is still sold out around the world, but I’ve got one in stock just for you. Valued at $350, this thing isn’t just the next-generation gaming console, it’s the all-generation gaming console. With fun and exciting games coming out all the time, you can’t afford to miss this!

The Runner-Up: One Flip Mino Video Camera

Fast-becoming the standard in blogging, the new Flip Mino video camera allows you to shoot crystal-clear videos on the go, and upload it to your computer with the “flip” of a switch! It’s the same camera I use for my video blogging shows, and I highly recommend it. Valued at $200, the Flip Mino is easy, fast and fun… get your hands on it today!

Third Place: One $50 American Express Rewards Card

The Market Leverage Rewards Card from American Express works just like a credit card. Our third place winner will net themselves their very own prepaid $50 debit card. With it, you can shop and order anywhere American Express is accepted.

Random Giveaways: Ten Copies of my eBook “Work Smart, Get Rich!”

Maybe you aren’t the top affiliate referral of the month? You’ll still have an awesome shot at one of ten copies of my popular eBook “Work Smart, Get Rich!” This ebook will take you through the process that I use to make thousands in the world of eBooks, with less than an hour of work! It’s lucrative and easy… so get your hands on a copy today!

How To Win

So now that I’ve got you all riled up, you probably want to know how you can win that grand prize!? It’s very simple… the participating member of Market Leverage who earns the most money, WINS!

Market Leverage is my favorite affiliate network, and you really can’t afford to use another client. I don’t want to ramble on and on about how fantastic they are, but with the best payouts, the most offers, tons of exclusive sponsors and the best customer service money can buy… I give them my highest recommendation. Just check out my review of Market Leverage for more proof!

In my account, I have a record of every member that signs up using my link. So go ahead and sign up today (it’s free), and if you earn the most in a month… you’ll win yourself a Nintendo Wii! There’s absolutely nothing to lose, as you are essentially piling a nice prize on top of the money you already earn. So be sure to use my referral link and I’ll keep you posted on who is in the lead… heck, I’ll even update the top 5 earners every day or so to keep you in the loop!

Additionally, you can win one of ten copies of my $15 eBook “Work Smart, Get Rich!” when you subscribe to theNetFool.com via email. If you are already subscribed, you are already entered to win! All of my winners, including the main prizes, are required to be subscribers. It pays to read Jimvesting!

But What If I’m Not Your Market Leverage Referral!?
The old rules had it that you would have to be my Market Leverage Referral to participate. NOT ANYMORE! Now that Market Leverage has upgraded my tracking metrics, I am able to track along with anyone who is signed up to Market Leverage… even if you are referred under someone else! This is a contest that is open to everyone, so if you would like to participate, please email Dina at: dina@marketleverage.com with the subject line: “Jimvesting Contest”… and you’ll be ready to go!

Jimvesting’s October Spectacular Recap

Okay, so let’s go back over the details to make sure everyone understands what we are doing. There will be three “main prize” winners: One Nintendo Wii, One Flip Mino and One $50 ML Rewards card in that order. The prizes will go to the top three affiliates at Market Leverage who are using my referral identification or have emailed Dina from ML for tracking. Essentially, whoever earns the most… wins!

In addition, you are required to subscribe to theNetFool.com via email in order for me to track you. From that pool, ten lucky winners will get a free copy of my popular $15 eBook “Work Smart, Get Rich!” Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, eh?

Bottom Line: A big thanks to Market Leverage for sponsoring the contest! The October Spectacular will run from NOW till November 15th at 11:59pm… so get started, and start making some money!

The October Spectacular is CLOSED!

Check Out the HostGator Giveaway!

No contest for the month of September? NONSENSE! I’m sure I had all of you fooled when I said that I wouldn’t be running a little competition here until October.

As many of you already know, Jimvesting dot com is now run on servers hosted over at HostGator. I have experienced nothing but the highest quality customer service, and things have really gotten a lot faster in terms of load-times ever since I made the switch. I highly recommend their affordable hosting for anyone interested in running a serious blog or website that makes real money.

Some of you might just not be able to afford the awesome premium hosting services offered through HostGator or any paid hosting provider. While HostGator gives you the best bang for your buck, I wanted to give you a way to get it for FREE… and HostGator delivered the goods!

The Prizes

You can review all of the specifics of the hosting plans that HostGator offers on their official shared web hosting page. All hosting accounts come with the most advanced CPanel account management software and access to all of the features that you would ever need (MYSQL, PHP, Java, Perl, etc.). What’s more? You get unlimited email accounts, add-on domains, ftp accounts and databases with every account!

First Prize: One-Year “Swamp” Plan

Our first prize winner will receive the best shared hosting plan that HostGator has to offer. Called the “Swamp” plan, you get 1,000gb of space and UNLIMITED bandwidth along with unlimited domains so you can host all your blogs on just one account. There’s nothing better, nothing easier, and it’s the plan I use… so you can’t go wrong. This prize is valued at $179.40, and you get one full year of service for free!

Second Prize: One-Year “Baby” Plan

The “Baby” plan is anything but! With plenty of space to run as many blogs as you want with high-efficiency and maximum speed… this sucker comes with a massive 600gb of space (about 10 of my hard drives, haha) and 6,000gb bandwidth. You’ll drive insane amounts of traffic to your blog in no time with this top-notch plan for the serious entrepreneur. This prize is valued at $119.40, and you get one full year!

Third Prize: One-Year “Hatchling” Plan

Don’t be turned off by the fact that this is HostGator’s smallest shared hosting plan available. 350gb and 3,000gb bandwidth means that you’ll have more than enough space to store anything you desire, and won’t be running out of bandwidth for your traffic anytime soon. You can host one domain on this account, and with the 99.9% up-time guarantee on all plans you can count on the “Hatchling” package. This prize is valued at $107.40, and you get one full year of service for free!

How to Enter: 5 Ways to Win!

Task #1: REQUIRED: Subscribe to the Jimvesting.com Email Feed!
As there is no way to track subscribers over RSS, it is required that you register to my email subscription version of the feed in order to win. This is entirely free and only takes a second… plus, you’ll be automatically entered to win every contest in the future!

Task #2: Twitter, Pownce, Jaiku or Tumblr this page (3 Tickets Per Service)
Make a mention of Jimvesting’s Hosting Bonanza in any one (or multiple) of these micro-blogging platforms and include a link back to this contest page for an easy 3.

Task #3: Vote this Page Up! (Earns 3 Tickets Per Service)
Add or vote up this page on one or more of the following services: Digg, StumbleUpon, Propeller, Del.icio.us, Reddit, Sphinn, Mixx. You’ll get a quick 3 tickets!

Task #4: Subscribe to the BullishBankers.com Feed! (Earns 5 Tickets!)
I recently released a new stock market community blog called Bullish Bankers and am in the process of marketing the awesome content. If you are at all interested in tracking the stock market, getting free research from professional mutual fund managers, or just keeping in touch. At any rate, you’ll score a quick 5 entries just by subscribing!

Task #5: Blog About “Jimvesting’s Hosting Bonanza!” (earns 10-25 entries)
On a publicly accessible blog that you own, make a post about this contest and it must be a live link directly to this page. Also, you must include a link to http://www.Jimvesting.com using the anchor text “making money online” in that post. The entries you earn for doing this are determined by Google PageRank, but it is the best way to win regardless! PR0=10 entries, PR1 = 15 entries, PR2 = 20 entries, PR3+ = 25 entries (Must comment below with link to post to prove it)

The Rules & Specifications

This competition will be done on a live drawing basis. Therefore, the more entries that you have, the more chances you have at randomly being pulled from my magical hat. This competition will run from now till October 4th at 11:59pm Eastern Time. All of the entries will be collected in an Excel spreadsheet and I will draw a random number to correspond with one lucky winner.

Disclaimer: Jimvesting.com is not responsible for the delivery of the prizes, this will be handled directly from the Marketing Director at HostGator.com. Prizes may take up to 30 days for delivery.

Jimvesting’s Hosting Bonanza Is CLOSED!

Winners Announced October 6th