1. Game Sharing

So you enjoy playing Facebook games. There’s no shame in that. Own it! However, under no circumstances should you post your stats on a daily or even weekly basis. Your friends really don’t care how great you are at Scrabble or how many zombies your plants may have zapped. Trust me on that. Otherwise, prepared to be known as the person with way too much time on his hands who is a little proud of that fact.

2. Posting Overly Inspirational Memes

Enough already with the inspirational quotes! Yes, when used sparingly and chosen carefully, wise words from a respected leader can inspire true inner change. Chances are, no single Facebook post is really that well-researched. Lay off the inspirational memes and quotes. Flooding your feed with them will just get people hitting “hide all posts” from you.

3. Being a Cryptic Drama Queen or King

You know what I mean. There are some people who thrive on posting a clearly unfinished thought in the apparent hopes of people asking for more. Never post things like: “Wow, that was the most amazing news ever!” or “I’ve never been this disappointed in someone.” When you leave out the most important part of the story you’re sharing, that is just asking for attention, and it’s sure to annoy people left and right. Also, it will probably just prompt a lot of questions you probably shouldn’t answer in a public forum.

4. Overdoing It With the Selfies

Taking self-portraits on a daily basis is bad enough, but updating your Facebook profile photo to a new selfie every day is going off the deep end of social media etiquette. Kick that self-portrait timer on your camera to the curb. Don’t look back. Nobody really needs 500 pictures on Facebook, so take it easy and update your photo sparingly. Your friends will thank you.

5. Liking Your Own Posts

You are welcome to love yourself, but if you are on Facebook try not to ‘like’ yourself!  Think about it. When you “socially network with yourself” by clicking “like” on your own posts, that’s akin to laughing loudly at your own jokes at a party. People are sure to take notice of it, and they’ll go away from the experience with the impression that you are conceited or, at best, a bit lacking in tact.  If you are posting it, we can all assume that you like what you’re saying.  There’s no need to drive that point home.  After all, you don’t want to be seen high fiving yourself in public…!

Those can be just some of the mundane perks of having an online business; you can start work in the morning wearing pajamas if you feel like it. But there are more substantial rewards: the freedom to set your own work schedule, the self-satisfaction of starting a successful venture, the power to choose your own projects and not have to answer to a boss; and if you do it right, you can own a very lucrative company.

As a partner in Breakaway Solutions, a full-service web development company I launched in 2001, I consult with many entrepreneurs who want to grow their online business. I also operate several ecommerce sites myself, and my background has provided me the background to guide others in everything from marketing approaches to email collection.

Building a Successful Website

I believe there has never been a more opportune time to be an entrepreneur due to advancing technologies, especially for young people who are computer savvy. Building a website these days is relatively easy, but it’s what you do after it’s up and running that takes additional know-how. Don’t be fooled by the adage from that Kevin Costner baseball movie: “If you build it they will come.”

That’s where marketing comes in; and if you can drive people to your site in enough numbers, your chances of monetizing the site to your benefit can increase exponentially.

And marketing a website is intrinsically linked (pun intended) to technology. There is somewhat of a science to running a successful website that includes such things as enabling permalinks, using keywords that improve SEO, optimizing ads in your layout and making contact information prominent. Of course, having highly readable and interesting content is also part of the equation.

One of my peers, Steve Pavlina, has done a good job explaining optimal content with his post How to Build a High-Traffic Web Site (or Blog) and other articles on his site, StevePavlina.com. I like Steve’s approach because, like me, he intertwines business and personal development.

Knowing Your Technology

Understanding your readers and creating engaging content for them is crucial, but that doesn’t excuse the site operator from understanding permalinks, RSS feeds, pinging and other technologies. If you’re a beginner, you might turn to books such as “Building a Web Site for Dummies” or one of the many books available about WordPress, such as the recently published “WordPress Revealed: How to Build a Website, Get Visitors and Make Money (Even for Beginners.”

You should have some rudimentary understanding of the technology required to run a successful website, but if you “just don’t get it,” that shouldn’t be a reason for abandoning your dream. There are also services available that will do the work for you. One of the best is called Site Build It! – a one-stop-shop for creating and building an online business. For an annual fee, Site Build It! will give you all the tools you need to build a site with the potential to generate income. The fee covers the cost of hosting the site, registering a domain name, integrated tools that provide ease for adding content, including a built-in blog, as well as offering RSS feeds. So if you are not a technophile, you can turn those things over to people who are.

Site Build It! is just one company that offers such services and it may be worthwhile checking out several to find which one is best for you.

Of course, no service is going to relieve you of your duties completely. Establishing a money-making website still takes plenty of time and energy; you have to work hard at it just as you would at any other type of business. But isn’t it nice to know there’s help out there if you need it?

 
My company Breakaway Solutions has helped hundreds of companies and organizations harness the power of the Internet for various reasons. It’s a powerful tool for communication, commerce, education and hundreds of other uses.

But the relative anonymity it can provide to a user means the Internet can be manipulated for devious purposes by users who live on the dark side of the web. And just as a computer has become a modern-age tool for instruction, used by children from a very young age, it can also be used as a tool for destruction by predators looking to connect with vulnerable and innocent children.

Startling Statistics

To illustrate the dangers, let me share some of the statistics I found while writing my book:

■ 48 percent of K-1st graders reported viewing online content that made them feel uncomfortable.

■ 71 percent of teens receive messages from strangers online and 30 percent contemplate meeting them face-to-face.

■ About half of young people have experienced some form of online harassment; one in five children regularly experience cyberbullying.

■ 39 percent of teenagers send or post sexually suggestive messages and 48 percent say they have received such messages.

■ 20 percent of teens have engaged in cyberbullying behaviors.

Learn How to Safeguard

After hearing many horrible stories about children falling victim to online predators, I decided to write a simple book to provide parents with solutions that they can use to empower their children. You don’t have to be a computer expert to safeguard your child against unwanted advances by strangers on the Internet or from peers using social media as a forum for bullying.

I share practical tips, many of which include talking to your children about using the computer responsibly and being aware of risks. Communicating with your child is really the key to making most of these online safeguards work. On the technical side, I recommend installing software that provides parental controls that block certain websites and content, such as pornography. Establish a family email address, rather than allowing your child to have his or her own address. Create strong passwords and change them regularly.

In some cases, the tips I dispense will help protect your computer as well as your child. For example, blocking viruses can keep your computer working properly and by securing your Wi-Fi connection with a password and firewall, you can block unwanted users.

Sites Specifically for Children

I have tried to introduce information that can make computer usage easier and more fun for your child—more kid-friendly, if you will. Several companies have created browsers specifically for younger users. Such browsers use filtering to protect young eyes from unwanted and explicit material. Try using browsers such as Glubble and Buddy Browser, which disable external chat and encourage media sharing and social interaction with family and other people the child already knows.

Facebook has become so pervasive in our society, but leave that to the grownups and introduce your child to social networking sites specifically designed for kids, such as Webkinz or Club Penguin. They offer gaming and a social atmosphere in a kids-only environment with built-in privacy features, like use of an avatar instead of a photo.

These are just a few of the 100 tips that comprise “100 Ways to Keep Your Children Safe Online: The Guide for Parenting in a Digital World.”

Purchase Helps Save the Children

The book is available for purchase on my website, www.johnromano.com/books/ for $9.95. The best part is that by purchasing it you will be helping other children. I am donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the Save the Children organization, which is dedicated to helping children in need.

In writing this book I have tried to impart invaluable information to be used along with a rule of thumb I believe goes along with any parenting task: be involved. Know why, when and how your children are using their computer. Make it a family activity. Know who they are communicating with. All of those things will help you provide online safety for your child and shield him or her from danger.

I am one of the most successful sellers on Flippa with more than $300,000 in sales during the last six months. My family, friends and clients know that I am passionate about  entrepreneurship, Internet marketing and philanthropy; but I am also all about travel, so for VacationRental.org to win the award was especially gratifying.

Team Work

The skilled team of experts at my company Breakaway Solutions built the website into a world-class vacation rental travel portal bringing the same expertise, dedication and style that we do to all of our web projects. This award is a reflection of the hard work and talents of the team that shares the award with me.

I want to thank all those who supported us by voting for the site, which essentially matches travelers with vacation rental properties throughout the world. The mission of VacationRental.org is to provide renters, owners and property management companies with the listing services needed to make the rental process as easy and rewarding as possible.

Fellow Nominees

With more than 200,000 users registered to buy or sell websites on Flippa, the competition is enormous, which makes winning one of Flippa’s inaugural awards with VacationRental.org all the more remarkable. The best monetization category was equally competitive and I tip my hat to my fellow nominees: studyguide.org; ruletheseas.com; freelancemom.com and minti.com. Those sites were also very successful, but VacationRental.org outsold all of them when it was purchased in November. Congratulations are also in order for MilitaryBases.com, which won best overall site.

The recognition from Flippa is certainly important to Breakaway Solutions, which specializes in web design, development and Internet marketing. The growth we have achieved during our first decade has been tremendous: more than 250 projects in 30-plus states around the country, as well as other locales around the world. I am also proud that we have received 100 percent positive transaction feedback from people that have purchased my sites on Flippa.

This year’s Flippies were the first to be bestowed by the company. I plan to continue working hard on behalf of our clients and — who knows? — maybe this will be the first of many more Flippies in the future. Thanks again to all of those who voted for me.

Personally, I have purchased domains for a few thousand dollars and, after a few years, sold them for more than $30,000. Domain names are hot properties for individuals and companies who want to make money on the Internet. Like brand names and slogans, domain names that are easy to remember and can be associated with a product or service can make a world of difference in profit potential. Even catch phrases like “Got Milk” can be turned into a profit center by tacking on a “dot com” to create a key piece of Internet real estate.

Need more proof? Self-proclaimed “Domain King,” Rick Schwartz sold his iReport.com domain name to Turner Broadcasting System, the parent company of CNN, for $750,000. Frank Schilling, who began buying domains in 2002, earned more than $10 million dollars in revenue, ninety-percent of which was profit, in two years, and then more than doubled his revenue and profit two years later.

You might view the Internet and the technology sector as “high risk.” However, the Internet is expected to continue in its exponential growth, similar to the growth that the real estate and stock markets exhibited decades ago.

What are Domain Names?

Domain names are the way in which websites are identified, such as Google.com. When domain names are registered in the Domain Name Service (DNS) and directed to a particular IP (Internet Protocol) address, information can be stored at that location and viewed in an Internet browser, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox.

How Can Domain Names Become a Good Investment?

While investments in stocks and real estate often require substantial know-how and significant amounts of expendable cash, domain name investing opportunities are accessible even to the less financially savvy. Domain names can be purchased for just a few dollars and often “parked” on a web host for free.

Domain name investors can also choose to propagate a website with content that is relevant to the domain name. Attracting visitor traffic to a website can significantly increase the domain name’s value to a potential buyer. Furthermore, passive income can be generated from content, creating cash flow while the value of the domain increases, similar to the way a real estate investor might rent out a property while equity in the property increases.

Reasons Why You Should Invest in Domain Names

As my infographic illustrates, domain name investing costs less and has almost no overhead compared to stocks and real estate. There is a low initial investment and low maintenance costs for a business opportunity that has a high potential for return on investment (ROI). Like real estate, domain name investments allow for a “buy and hold” strategy, but with lower transaction costs in a market that has significantly lower risks. While domain name investing does not offer easy financing, legislation protection, or the option to easily cash out, there is no insurance needed and asset protection can be assured.

If you are overwhelmed by the complexity and unreliable nature of the real estate and stock markets and are looking for new investment opportunities that have less risk and are easier to understand, domain name investing might be a good fit for you. Connect with me, follow my posts, and I’ll go into more detail on how you can generate a cash flow and a positive return from your domain name investments.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is provided by John Romano as general information only and does not constitute financial product advice. None of the information provided takes into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs, so you should consult with a tax preparer or financial professional for specific financial issues that involve your personal finances. The communication between John Romano and readers does not establish an advisor-client relationship in any shape or form. Any discussions about finances are strictly for informational purposes only and financial decisions should not be based on such dialogue. John Romano is not liable for any action taken on any information or advertising obtained from this article.