Jul

Does your page load time STILL suck?

Posted by stuart as web development, web design

Well it’s about six months since I last did my analysis of the page load sizes of the blogs on the 45N5 top 100 (and some) list, so I’ve let my trained monkeys loose again across the make money online blogosphere, measuring and analysing (in between throwing handsfull of shit at each other - which monkeys, no matter how well trained, are wont to do), and here are the results

(If you’re on the 45N5 list, but not in this list, it’s because my spider had trouble accessing your site)

All in all there are about 330 blogs on the list this time, compared toaround 250 last time.

Some comparisons to last time:

The average page load of the complete list is 638kb
The average page load of the list minus the two worst offenders is 450kb
The largest load size was Court’s Internet Marketing School, weighing in at a hulking 53Mb (might have something to do with all those videos pre-loading)
The second largest was The Blog Novice, at a piddling 9.7Mb (46 images at around 60kb each will do that)
The smallest load size was JonnyQ888 at a featherweight 31kb
There are 5 blogs over 2Mb (1.5%, compared to 0.8% last time)
There are 23 blogs over 1Mb (6.9% compared to 7.1% last time)
There are 98 blogs over 500kb (29.6%, compared to 27.8% last time)

So here’s the list, from largest to smallest:

How did you do, if you were in the last list, did you increase or decrease your load size from last time?

Courtney Tuttle: 53081kb
The Blog Novice: 9778kb
Blogging Experiment: 5363kb
Flimjo: 3479kb
Buzz Marketing by Dean Hunt: 2322kb
News Notion: 1625kb
Nate Whitehill: 1600kb
Retire At 21: 1552kb
John Chow: 1546kb
Internet Babel: 1495kb
The Writers Manifesto: 1491kb
Ezyas123: 1344kb
Mr. Javo: 1308kb
Net Frontier Marketing: 1227kb
HomeBiz Resource: 1222kb
Cayman Host Blog: 1172kb
Lost Art Of Blogging: 1136kb
Ian Fernando: 1129kb
Super Affiliate Mindset: 1124kb
ProBloggers Matrix: 1075kb
Oibo: 1070kb
Think Like An Sob: 1030kb
Internet Dreamer: 1030kb
Gather Success: 990kb
John Cow: 972kb
Mailbox Money: 955kb
Tyler Cruz: 918kb
Aurelius Tjin.com/: 917kb
Blog Me The Money: 913kb
ViperChill - Internet Business: 891kb
Money Making Scoop: 868kb
Blogging Fingers: 861kb
Big Marketing Online: 853kb
How To Make Money Online: 841kb
The Net Fool: 836kb
Blog Badly: 831kb
Ez Rich Project: 822kb
Shoemoney: 816kb
Road 2 Blogging: 809kb
5xmom: 806kb
Small Fish Big Money: 781kb
Ades Blog: 779kb
Mom Works At Home: 771kb
FabNet Revenue: 770kb
Etienne Teo: 756kb
Feed Flare: 752kb
Pajama Professional: 732kb
Blog dahh net!: 731kb
Ryan Shamus: 720kb
Blogtrepreneur: 718kb
Moms Cash Blog: 693kb
Blogger Unleashed: 692kb
Infected By Bugs: 675kb
Scribbles And Words: 674kb
Chip Seo: 648kb
Freelance Folder: 644kb
Viral King: 637kb
The Blog Entrepreneur: 633kb
Bloglyne: 628kb
Vandelay Design: 627kb
Christian Affiliate Marketers: 627kb
Just Make Money Online: 624kb
My Journey To One Million: 619kb
Blue Sky Brothers: 615kb
Money Maker Times: 615kb
Dat Money: 608kb
Richard Lee: 603kb
Keith Goodrum: 600kb
Searching For The Big One: 599kb
Neilsweb: 597kb
eMonetized.com: 592kb
Search For Blogging: 592kb
The Germz: 592kb
Super Blogging Tips: 590kb
ShaMoneyMaker: 585kb
Success For Your Blog: 584kb
Performancing: 579kb
Problogger: 574kb
Jonathan Volk: 572kb
Tim Bossie: 572kb
The University Kid: 569kb
Wealthy Wayz: 569kb
AffGoo: 563kb
Grownup Geek: 562kb
Earners Blog: 558kb
Bloggers Journey: 557kb
Steven Wilson Marketing: 557kb
Carl Ocab: 554kb
CDF Networks: 552kb
Entrepreneurs Journey: 550kb
Affiliate Crunch: 547kb
5 Star Affiliate Programs: 541kb
Blogging Tips: 536kb
Building My Empire: 526kb
Zak Show: 524kb
Marketing Tips Blog: 517kb
CPA Affiliates: 513kb
Internet Business Success: 503kb
Money Bites: 497kb
Work At Home Wealth: 496kb
Money Blogger: 495kb
Dazzlin Donna: 494kb
YeePage: 493kb
Sukosaki: 493kb
Rich Sage: 485kb
Maximizing Revenue Tips: 468kb
Make Money Online with EJ Cooksey: 467kb
True Blue Titan: 464kb
Monetizeyoursite: 454kb
Part Time Blogger: 453kb
Cash Quests: 452kb
Darin.cc: 451kb
Earning From Affiliates: 449kb
Slyvisions: 448kb
Winning The Web: 446kb
Jim Kukral: 445kb
Mason World: 444kb
Not John Chow: 444kb
Andy Beard - Niche marketing: 443kb
Kentonnewby.com: 439kb
One Year Millionaire: 435kb
Million Dollar Challenge: 434kb
Craig S. Andrews: 430kb
Grade Money: 429kb
Rich Minx: 427kb
My Debt Free Goal: 422kb
Blogging 4 Everyone: 421kb
Affiliate Confession: 420kb
Income Academy: 420kb
Blog About Your Blog: 416kb
Slightly Shady Seo: 414kb
Rice Blogger: 412kb
Why Do Work?: 410kb
JohnOBrien.com: 410kb
Affiliate Fortune Cookies: 409kb
Earn Blogger: 404kb
Standout Blogger: 403kb
JCcommerce: 394kb
Bfreedom: 393kb
BlueVerse: 392kb
Day Job Nuker: 392kb
Blogging Addiction: 388kb
Internet Marketing Nirvana: 386kb
Art Of Money: 382kb
Top Work From Home Blog: 382kb
Genuine Online Opportunities: 380kb
Online Presence: 380kb
Garry Conn: 378kb
Uber Affiliate: 378kb
Blogoholism: 378kb
Retired Pay: 375kb
Money Making Blogs: 374kb
SwapW: 370kb
Make Money From Home: 368kb
Caroline Middlebrook: 367kb
Blogging Startup: 367kb
Income Hero: 365kb
Charles Lau: 363kb
Online Cash Flow: 362kb
Getty Cash: 362kb
NiggyBuzz: 361kb
Adsense Addict: 357kb
BuckServ: 352kb
Internet Marketing Mind: 351kb
Blog Or Not To Blog: 350kb
My First Million Dollars: 348kb
Big Foot Web Marketing: 344kb
Enkay Blog: 341kb
Web Diggin: 339kb
That Blog Site: 334kb
Adsense 4 Dummies: 330kb
The 30 Day Man: 329kb
Jon Waraas: 328kb
Affiliate Toolbox: 327kb
Cash Juke: 327kb
Yimto: 325kb
Bruce Hopkins: 325kb
Rajawang: 324kb
Project Payday Mentor: 324kb
Michael Mosby: 318kb
Turnip Of Power: 317kb
Memwg: 313kb
Webmasters Resources: 313kb
Ian Lee: 312kb
Dosh Dosh: 309kb
Money Maker Info: 309kb
Earn Cow: 309kb
Royal Radande: 308kb
Noob Wealth: 305kb
Mixed Market Arts: 304kb
Mikes Money Making Mission: 304kb
Fraser’s Affiliate Marketing Blog: 300kb
Bucks From Internet: 300kb
Self Made Minds: 299kb
P Morrow’s Online Money: 295kb
The Niche Store Builder: 292kb
Peomedia: 291kb
Turn One Pound In To One Million: 290kb
Who Is Andrew Wee: 287kb
Google Lady: 286kb
Toast & Egg & Me: 285kb
Itswritenow: 282kb
Cyber Cashology: 281kb
The Monetizer: 280kb
Shylock Blogging: 279kb
Duckeldannys Money Blog: 276kb
This Affiliate Marketing Path: 276kb
Me Myself and I Blog: 272kb
Palatnik Factor: 272kb
FinalTAG.com: 270kb
Ez Online Money: 269kb
Cash Tactics: 265kb
Jay Geiger: 265kb
Jangro: 264kb
A Run The Ace: 264kb
Rich Gilchrest: 263kb
Site Creations: 260kb
Interwebhunt: 259kb
Jim Karter: 258kb
Make Money With Kassper: 257kb
Elite Blogger: 257kb
ReveNews: 256kb
Blogsessive: 256kb
Adam Dempsey: 255kb
Nicky Cakes: 253kb
Stephan Miller: 249kb
Internet Business Guide: 247kb
46and47: 246kb
E-biz Booster Blog: 244kb
Internet Business Coaching: 243kb
Brandon Hopkins: 242kb
Grand Start: 242kb
Blogging Secret: 241kb
Conversation Marketing: 240kb
Derek Semmler: 239kb
Tha Cash: 239kb
Egonitron.com: 238kb
Get Paid To Write Online: 235kb
Knupnet: 235kb
Aojon: 234kb
My Internet Lab: 234kb
David Cheong: 232kb
Internet Marketing Hype Free: 232kb
Software Projects: 231kb
Mr BeachBum: 230kb
Twenty Steps: 229kb
Make Big Money: 227kb
The Make Money Online: 226kb
Blogging Tune: 225kb
Net Hustlin’: 223kb
My Affiliate Programs: 216kb
Nerdy Nomad: 214kb
Talar Systems: 211kb
Daily Blog Tips: 209kb
One Mans Goal: 205kb
eXtra For Every Publisher: 204kb
College Startup: 204kb
Keith’s Affiliate Marketing Blog: 204kb
Success Passcode: 203kb
Higher Trust Marketing Blog: 201kb
Small Fuel Marketing: 200kb
Profitable Productive Blogging: 200kb
Marketing Tools Review: 197kb
Somewhere Over The Debt: 193kb
Strategic Profits: 192kb
Sitecash: 192kb
Ask Jason Marketing: 189kb
The Home Business Archive: 188kb
Blog Earners: 176kb
Rosalind Gardner’s NetProfits Today: 175kb
Student 10k: 175kb
Minterest: 172kb
Thousand Dollar Project: 168kb
Emoms At Home: 166kb
Million Dollars Journey: 162kb
James D. Brausch: 161kb
Webmaster Chick: 159kb
AMWSO Affiliate Blog: 157kb
Freelancer 2.0: 157kb
More Merchant: 155kb
Making Money Experiment: 154kb
Freedom Ideas: 151kb
Zero And Up: 151kb
Bernard Griffiths: 150kb
Usman Money: 148kb
Blogging For The Money: 146kb
PreBlogging: 143kb
Affiliate Watcher: 141kb
Aaron Brandon: 141kb
Some Useless Info: 141kb
Online Business Growth: 141kb
Carlo Selorio: 138kb
Can I Make Big Money Online: 137kb
Full Tilt Blogging: 130kb
Multivar: 130kb
15 An Hour: 129kb
Chris Blogging: 128kb
Blogstorm: 127kb
Pat B. Doyle: 127kb
Internet Business Blogger: 125kb
Make Money Online: 123kb
Blog Me Cash: 120kb
Ask Shane: 119kb
Sam Carrara: 119kb
NetBusinessBlog: 117kb
Thatedeguy: 116kb
Make Money Work Online: 116kb
Blue Mushrooms: 114kb
Internet Marketing Chaos: 109kb
Marco Richter: 104kb
World Of Angel: 100kb
SuperAff: 92kb
Net Passive Income: 87kb
Green Affiliate: 87kb
Free Home Business Tips: 85kb
Osworld: 82kb
Blogging Bits: 79kb
Dorm Earning: 77kb
David Fiske: 74kb
Retire Young And Wealthy: 67kb
Leaving The Dayjob: 67kb
Mubinahmed.com: 64kb
Make Money Plan: 62kb
Pimp My Pagerank: 55kb
James Pegram: 45kb
45n5: 39kb
The Geek Boys: 37kb
Blog Talks: 35kb
Jonnyq888: 31kb

13 Comments »

Jun

Why ICANN are a bunch of bumbling fools

Posted by stuart as stupid, domain registration, domain names

So I see that ICANN has decided to allow pretty much anyone (with enough money) to buy their own TLD.

So now we won’t be just using domain extensions such as dot com, dot org etc, now organisations will be able to own their brand name as a TLD.

For example, companies like Coca Cola will be able to register the TLD dot coke. (.coke)

My question is this: Who does this actually benefit, other than ICANN, who will collect the mid five figure sum for each of these extensions registered?

First things first, let’s say a company registers their TLD (.coke for example), what’s their web address going to be now? coke.coke?

That just sounds stupid.

Secondly, it’s going to be a freaking nightmare trying to remember website URL’s and email addresses. Let’s say you’re looking for the Microsoft website, it could be any one of the following:

microsoft.ms
microsoft.msn
microsoft.msft
and so on and so on….

Once again - stupid Stupid STUPID!

Idiots….

That is all.

11 Comments »

Jun

IPhone 3G pricing in Australia - Some thoughts

Posted by stuart as iphone 3g australia, iphone australia, iphone

I wrote some time ago about why I wasn’t going be be sucked in by the hype, and buy an Iphone. The reasoning behind this was that my ageing Nokia 6280 did most of the things that the IPhone, in its original incarnation offered.

Well the game’s changed.

There are a couple of features on the new IPhone 3G that have my head swimming with the possibilities, namely the push email, contact, and calendar facilities, and the data synch offered as part of the mobileme.com service.

These are game changers for anyone who runs multiple devices, and needs to keep them in synch without wanting to bugger around manually synchronising stuff.

I love the idea that I update a contact in Outlook on my desktop, and BLAMO! it’s updated on the IPhone. Waiting for an important email, but need to leave the office? That sucker’s gonna send me the email to the IPhone, and I get it at the same time it arrives on my laptop.

I know I can do this stuff on a Blackberry, but have you seen the price of those suckers?

Now on to how the whole shebang might work in Australia:

Australian ISP’s, and even more so, Mobile network providers, have a history of gouging their customers for every kilobyte of data they use. Especially our main carrier, Telstra. This will get interesting when people start using their IPhones the way they are intended to be used - an always connected device which has data PUSHED to it, rather than just a data retrieval device. This is going to add up real quick here on these Australian networks.

Given that Apple have priced the two models of the 3G Iphone at US$199 and US$299 respectively, and the fact that the Australian dollar is sitting at around US$0.95 at the moment, the carriers are going to be hard pressed to sell the units for much more than AU$250 and AU$350 respectively (yes I know it should be AU$210 and AU$320 respectively, but this is Australia we are talking about, if there’s a profit premium to be paid for technology, we’re going to be paying it).

I’ve done a few quick sums, based on the 3G carrier I use (Three), to see what the pricing might look like when the phones arrive on the 11th of July.

Let’s say we’re signing up for a two year contract, which is the norm here in Australia, and we’re buying the 8GB Iphone at the (Australian inflated) price of $250. The phone price is ammortised over the contract period.

Let’s also take into account that I can buy data from Three at the rate of 1GB/month for $15.

OK, here goes:

Three sell the Sony Ericsson Z610i off the shelf for $249, around the same price I reckon the IPhone 8GB should be here in Australia. I can walk into a Three shop and get this phone for no money down on a $29 cap, which gives me a bucketload of free calls / sms etc.

So let’s say we can get our Iphone no money down on a $29 monthly cap, let’s go get us some data allowance…

Three have what are probably the most generous mobile data plans in Australia (which isn’t saying much). I can grab 1GB of data a month for AU$15. If I really want to go nuts, I can get 6GB for $49. I’ll stick with the 1GB for now, for the sake of the argument.

Ok, so far we’re paying $29 a month for the phone and network access, and $15 for some data allowance. Now we need to pay for Apple’s mobileme service.

The mobileme service is priced at US$100/year. This might seem a little pricey, but it’s the whole point of getting the IPhone in the first place - remember, we’re talking PUSH email, contacts, and calendar here - right from Outlook on my PC.

Let’s call the mobileme cost $8 a month. So we’re up to around $53 a month ($30-odd for the phone and network access, $15 for the data, and $8 for mobileme).

I currently spend $30 a month on my phone, and $15 for mobile data for when I work on the road. The extra $8 for the features i can now get from the 3G IPhone is a no-brainer.

Australian telco’s - you are on notice. Anything that goes wildly outside the above pricing constitues nothing other than outright price gouging.

8 Comments »

Jun

Go the extra mile or just shut my mouth and take the money?

Posted by stuart as seo, search engine optimization, copy writing

I wrote the other day about a graphic designer I do some site development work for here in my home town.

Another job I do for this designer is a bit of copywriting and proofreading (I worked as a proofreader in the printing industry many moons ago - although you wouldn’t know it by reading this blog ;-))

The proofreading seems to be more like copywriting, the client writes what they want on their website, I re-write it so it flows a little better and makes sense, the client gives me some money, and everybody’s a winner.

My quandary is this: When I re-write this copy, I generally give no thought to SEO. I just make it sound nice, and that’s the end of it. I die a little inside each time I hand over the copy, knowing so much more could have been done with it in an SEO sense, but the client isn’t paying me to do keyword research or write SEO’d copy.
The situation is the same with the website development I do for this designer. I just create the site so it looks as nice as possible given the Photoshop template that the designer gives me. I don’t worry about styling H1, H2 tags etc, I don’t worry about having keyword rich title tags, or having catchy page descriptions. I just make the site how the client wants it, and hand it over. Once again, it pains me to work this way, but given the budget constraints, I have little choice.

The problem is, that if I offer these services to the client, I don’t want to give them unrealistic expectations. Yes I could offer to charge a little more to the clients who are happy to pay for some keyword research, some extra time writing the copy, and the extra time to create an SEO friendly website, but unless they’re prepared to pall for a full SEO campaign (link building, link baiting etc), this would simply raise their expectations with the real risk of seeing little in the way of results.

So what to do?

Do I offer these services to these low value clients? Or do I just keep collecting the money for doing the work that I do?

13 Comments »

Jun