The Best Alternative to Google Adsense

Before we get started with this week's post, I wanted to let my readers know the Literary Mercenary has its first official shirt paying homage to one of the great rock stars of the written word.

Willy Shakes, telling it like it is.

This design, along with several others, is available in the Literary Mercenary's storefront right here. Tell your family, tell your friends, and let everyone know you don't work for free.

Speaking of not working for free, this week we're discussing Google AdSense and how unreliable it can be for those who want to make a serious living.

What Are You Talking About?

Anyone who's followed this blog for a while knows I have used Google AdSense for many years. I've outlined how the process works, and I've explained to many readers just how they too can enjoy the benefits of Google AdSense to monetize their blogs. Even when Yahoo! Voices shuttered its doors and the journalism market dried up, I knew that Google always had my back.

Or at least I thought it did.

That would be me. Way off in the background. Looking the other way. Minding my own business.

For those of you who want the nitty gritty details, I wrote a blog post about how Google kicked me out of their clubhouse and cut up my Google AdSense access card right here. I'd like to say it was an article about why it happened, but it seems when Google drums you out of the service you are not given a reason why you're being thrown out on your ear.

I told you that so you know, dear readers, that when I tell you there are alternatives to Google AdSense out there you can trust I know what I'm talking about.

The Best Google AdSense Alternative

Whether you couldn't get a Google AdSense account of your own, you had one and were thrown out, or you just don't trust Google and would prefer to use another company to monetize your blog, you've probably noticed there aren't many options out there. Google is one of the biggest companies in the world, and the amount of resources it controls online is intimidating to say the least. So when you go on a pilgrimage as an outcast from Google's lands, you are walking across the wasteland that was once Google's competition.

Here lies Squidoo, last of the line of trueborn content creators.

However, that doesn't mean there's no life after Google. In fact there are several Google AdSense alternatives that are robust, functional, and which will make certain that your blog or website has the capacity to earn you money as long as you keep your traffic up.

Rather than give you a list though, I'll just tell you which one I found to be the best value; Infolinks.

What Is Infolinks?

Seems pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Infolinks puts ads on your website or blog which are geared toward what your viewers want. All you have to do is keep creating good content, and as long as you bring in traffic you can leave the advertising part of things up to Infolinks.

Best of all, you don't have to worry about Google deciding to cut you off for reasons they won't divulge.

Sounds Good To Me!

I thought it might. Though there's a special added bonus as well; even if you have Google AdSense on your page, you can still incorporate Infolinks. So at the end of the day there is really no reason not to go check it out right here.

Just tell them the Literary Mercenary sent you, and don't forget to follow me on Facebook and Tumblr to get all of my latest and greatest.

Tips For Hand Selling Your Book

This year I had the distinct pleasure to attend Windy Con as a panelist. For those unfamiliar with the convention it's dedicated to science fiction and fantasy in Chicago, which makes the attendees rather a mixed bunch. For myself the best part of the convention was meeting fellow authors, and swapping war stories about how we'd all gotten where we are today. I gave away a lot of swag, met some truly talented people, and I even managed to learn a few things. The most important thing I learned is that it doesn't matter how brilliant your story is unless you can sell it to anyone who crosses your path.

Anyone

 Generally this is left up to the marketing department. Authors will provide the story, show up to book signings, give interviews, etc., but we aren't supposed to have to hit the streets and try to get people to buy our books straight from us. Needs be when the devil drives though, and if you want to move copies then you have to bite the bullet and do what you need to do. There's no reason to make it harder on yourself than it already is though. So here's a simple list of tips I picked up while watching my fellow writers work.

Tip #1: Make Eye Contact
 

Look into my eyes. Buy my book

Aimee Kuzenski, author of Eye of the Storm, made me realize something very important. As soon as one becomes an author, they gain mesmeric powers like something out of Dracula. All you have to do is make eye contact with someone in a rushing crowd, and beckon to them like Bela Lugosi to hook a potential reader. Seriously though, if you're hand selling your book you need every weapon you can get, and social convention is a powerful thing. If someone meets your eyes and you smile at them, chances are they'll at least stop for a few moments at your table. Sometimes that's all you need.

Tip #2: Get Your Book in Their Hands

Humans have a lot of really strange tics in their psychology. One of those is that something becomes more real to them if they pick it up and handle it. Author Blake Hausladen made particularly good use of this tactic by handing anyone who stopped at his table a copy of his book Ghosts in the Yew. Once someone actually touches your book, you're that much closer to getting them to take it home.

Having a pretty book cover helps, too.

Tip #3: Push Subtly

Authors are masters of wordplay, but this has to be a part of your sales pitch if you're ever going to get copies off your table and into the hands of eager readers. A successful hand seller won't ask, "so, are you interested in a copy?" when someone is holding his or her book. Instead, that author will ask, "so, would you like one copy or two?"

Oh god, what do I say, what do I do?

This changes up the dynamic entirely. You aren't simply asking someone to give you a yes or no now; instead they'll have to back up the conversation. That's hard to do, and a lot of people simply won't do it. This is especially true if they have convention money burning a hole in their pocket, and you managed to engage them enough with your book to get them to the point of consideration. Little changes in wording can result in a lot more sales.

Tip #4: Be Visible, Be Personable

The first thing you have to do if you're going to sell copies of your book is to make sure people see it, and see you. It sounds simple, but a lot of choices can affect how many potential buyers you get to interact with in any given location. If you have a table, for instance, where is it located? In the back corner of the dealer's hall where the lighting is bad and the crowds are thin? Or are you in the hallway on the way to the food court, where everyone is going to have to walk past sooner or later? If no one sees you, then you might as well not be there at all.

Also, break down as many barriers between you and the people you're trying to sell to as possible. Putting yourself on the other side of a table makes you harder to approach; it gives you an air of being someone apart from the potential reader. So while you shouldn't obscure your table by blocking your books, you should come around and talk to people. Shake hands, engage, and be friendly. People are much more likely to help you out by buying a copy if you're nice to them.

Tip #5: Have a Gimmick

Ever wonder why it is every business has a logo, a mascot, or some easy way to identify their products? It's because sales gimmicks work. People who claim they're nothing but cheap tricks might be right, but gimmicks are cheap tricks that make you more recognizable and which do at least some of your marketing for you. Paul Erickson, author of the parody The Wobbit, comes to conventions dressed as a Bilbo look-alike, complete with curly wig, furry feet, and the one ring around his neck. What are you doing to get noticed?

I have a high-caliber gimmick, myself.

All you need to do is ask yourself a few, simple questions. Will this make people notice me? Will they view it in a positive way? Will it help me sell books? If the answer to those three things is yes, then I suggest you do whatever disgusting, hilarious thing it is you were considering doing in the name of your career.

 

Tip #6: Don't Let Them Leave Empty-Handed

Perhaps the most important thing you can do as an author is to give something to everyone. Even if you don't make a sale, perhaps because someone has no spare cash on them at that moment, make sure you give them a piece of swag. A bookmark advertising your novel, a post card, a business card, a free pen; anything that makes someone remember you positively is a chance to make a sale at a later date. If nothing else that person might get curious, wondering at what point they met an author at the convention they were at, and check out your book or website online. The more seeds you plant, the better your chances that something will grow out of it.


As always, thank you for stopping by the Literary Mercenary. If you'd like more information about the other authors mentioned here, check out Blake Hausladen's website, Rook Creek Books, and Aimee Kuzenski's homepage here. If you'd like more information about what yours truly is up to, follow me on Facebook or Tumblr, whichever you prefer. Lastly, if you want to see more of what the Literary Mercenary has to offer then spread our links, leave some comments, and feel free to leave your two cents in the donation jar in the upper right hand corner. Seriously though, do it.