G’Day, I’m Jason and you can read about my online, entrepreneurial journey and what this Digital Tools blog is about on this page.
My entrepreneurial online adventure started in 2007 on discovering a site called ezinearticles.com
The site offered one to write an article of about 500-1000 words and submitting thoughts, feelings or relating skills or experience on a subject matter and publishing for the world to see. I had dreams of being one who would eventually earn perhaps a modest income from their efforts. Unfortunately, so did millions of others and some were making money from it too, not me.
This making money from articles intrigued me and in 2008 I started with looking into other platforms that would provide an income on a regular basis (but ended up being a very TINY income) I came across a site called Associated Content and started to make a a very small, consistent income (about $100 a month) then Yahoo came and after a $100Million purchase, decided to let go of many writers contributing, including international writers. I’m in Australia, so being an international writer, my modest income became zilch.
In late 2008 I turned to content sites like Squidoo and HubPages and after another year, started to claw back making $100 a month.
In Feb 2009 the first Farmer Google search update (later known as Panda and its other smaller brother of progressive updates Penguin) occurred and reduced most article sites traffic to massive traffic losses – in some cases for some sites, a 70% loss in search traffic and thus, revenue.
Many writers of these sites revolted and others looked into other ways to spend their time online. Eventually HubPages bought out Squidoo and other Content Farms just went the way of the Dodo bird.
I started to search once again for other options to make an income using the internet. Later in 2010 I looked into the world of blogging. I kicked of the first of 3 blogs on Google’s Blogger platform in September 2010 to find my feet and find out about what this blogging caper was all about. In 2011 most blog posts I read and researched into blogging were unfortunately about ‘How To Make Money Blogging’ and did not lend themselves to just how to create and maintain a blog. Also, they were clearly written by people, who in fact I discovered (funny this) didn’t make much money blogging.
Whilst writing on Hubpages and finding these content sites were not going to help provide to my personal dreams (by making sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket) I looked into having my own blogging blogging further as an alternative to writing articles for sites. I also wanted ownership of all that I wrote and published and felt I would get that with having my ‘own’ blog.
In 2013 I started writing a blog about being a late in life father here (A father for the second time around at the age of 43) but using Google’s blogger platform I decided I wanted even more independant control. So I jumped into the deep end not knowing or understanding the tech and in May 2014 I decided to move onto a WordPress based blog for blogging about being a Dad.
In 2014 I decided that blogging was OK and even jumping in with a bunch of great other Aussie Dads as a contributor/buddy/group who will listen to my issues and I theirs, I felt a yearning there was something more. Since my blog about fatherhood and contributing with my other Dad mates was cool. I realised I wanted an online prescence to earn an income independant of my 9-5. This came through having experience with a background in computer tech and hardware (i even toyed with starting a computer blog…but that niche is filled!) but over the last couple of years, gained an interest in what is happening with apps and social and emergent media.
So it is with here, this current, evolving project (this blog) is my way of also giving back, talking about my current online journey and endeavors. Here you will find lots of tools, hints, tips, how-to’s and opinions. I will share what I know, learn and discover with current and newly emerging technology of online services, electronic hardware (tools, gadgets, add-ons and accessories), mobile apps, emerging social media tools and trends and espouse my opinion of these subjects as well.
My end goal is to provide to solo entrepreneurs, small business and start ups and to help them learn, grow and evolve with a suite of tools designed to help make their lives, endeavors and businesses easier, cheaper, leaner & more effecient. Heck some individuals will come here to just to figure out how to just sign up to an app (don’t laugh, some older folk want to use apps kids are using, but are afraid to ask millenials!)
I will also through discovery find some platforms weird, aweful, strange and will no doubt struggle or fail in my endeavors. I am learning to deal with failure and discover that failing itself, is a tool for discovery and knowledge.
Come join the journey with me.
If you are stumped with using a tool or trying to find out how to use a function on your digital tool and its causing you to stress, or just wanna say G’Day. Find me;
email: digitaltoolsofthetrade@gmail.com
Twitter/Periscope/Blab/SnapChat: @digtoolsonline
Jason Stevens: anchor.fm