Welcome again all people to the primary Area of interest Pursuits Information Podcast of 2024! 

Jared and Spencer kick off the yr with one other nice episode, providing a close-up take a look at all of the information within the search engine optimization, AI, and web site creation world.

This week they begin off discussing the Google replace on New 12 months’s Eve, with folks noting volatility within the SERPs and even upticks in site visitors in a reversal of the consequences of the HCU.

How tough is it to gauge SERP modifications that occurred across the vacation interval? What modifications in site visitors has Spencer famous on Area of interest Pursuits between December and January? Pay attention to seek out out their ideas.

Watch the Episode

The following subject Spencer and Jared cowl is The New York Occasions’ announcement that it’s suing OpenAI and Microsoft.

Hundreds of thousands of articles from the NTY have been used to coach the OpenAI mannequin, and a whole lot of the content material that was used was behind a paywall. In the meantime, the media outlet spends tens of millions of {dollars} to have professionals write and produce its content material, and now OpenAI is utilizing that info freely and making it accessible to everybody. 

Notably, this contains info from The Wirecutter, with the end result that the NYT isn’t accumulating the affiliate commissions. 

However what’s on the coronary heart of this lawsuit? Might this set a precedent for the way copyright regulation is interpreted? Does the media firm have a robust case? Tune in to listen to the dialogue.

Nonetheless with reference to OpenAI, Spencer and Jared discuss briefly about its supply to pay publishers between $1 and 5 million in compensation for his or her content material. They agree that it’s far lower than what publishers ought to get, particularly contemplating that the NYT might be incomes over 2 billion a yr.

What’s going to occur transferring ahead? Can AI be contained in any respect?  

Google appears to be transferring forward with, and making modifications to, Bard, and now it’s going to implement its Google Assistant with Bard. Bard will energy the Assistant to make it smarter and to make higher suggestions. However how will this have an effect on content material creators?

In different Google Bard information, a paid model of the software is coming, which hasn’t even been introduced formally by Google. How was the transfer to a paid mannequin found? And the way would possibly the fee plans work? Pay attention to listen to Spencer and Jared’s predictions.

Within the Shiny Object Shenanigans portion of the podcast, Spencer talks about his year-long expertise within the Amazon Influencer Program. He made $6179 in December, and his whole income for the yr is $17k+. Though he formally began in January, it took him some time to ramp up video manufacturing.

What’s Spencer’s plan transferring ahead? Pay attention to listen to what he has in retailer and why he’s approaching his facet hustle on this manner.

When it’s Jared’s flip, he shares some shocking stats from his Amazon Influencer Program facet hustle. Though his December numbers have been good, coming in at $4026, his November earnings have been larger. General, for the yr he earned $18k+ and though he began in Might, he took a unique strategy to video manufacturing than Spencer.

He additionally talks about progress together with his Weekend Progress publication and YouTube channel and the way he has completed the yr with just below 4.5k subscribers. He shares a few of his monetization strategies in addition to his inspiration for beginning this facet hustle.

As for the Bizarre Area of interest Websites of the week, Spencer goes first with an On-line Stopwatch, a easy web site with a free stopwatch and countdown timer. It has advertisements in all places and in addition provides a premium paid stopwatch characteristic. Who would possibly this sort of subscription attraction to? 

With 2.2 million natural guests monthly, in line with Ahrefs, and double that in line with SimilarWeb, might this website be producing round $50k monthly in advert income?

Jared’s Bizarre Area of interest Website is Nationwide At the moment, which highlights the present holidays world wide. This DR81 website ranks for 1.4 million key phrases and has natural site visitors of 4.4 million, however what does Jared uncover when he scrolls down the homepage? What sort of content material are they publishing? Don’t miss their ideas on this ultra-successful website.

And that brings us to the top of one other episode of the podcast. We’re hoping you’re feeling up-to-speed on the most recent happenings within the trade, excited to start out your facet hustle in the present day, and impressed by some bizarre web sites which can be killing it on-line.

See you subsequent week!

transcription

Spencer: Hey everybody. Welcome to the area of interest pursuits podcast. That is the very first episode of 2023. Uh, we did a yr finish type of recap final week the place we talked concerning the prime three, uh, podcast 

Jared: episodes. Wow. 

Spencer: You already know, that is like, uh, folks will forgive me. I am positive as a result of I am in all probability not the one one to make that mistake.

I am like, what did I do mistaken? Properly, proper off the bat, , area of interest pursuits podcast, let’s, let’s name it the primary one in all 2024. 

Jared: That sounds, I hate to essentially drive it house, however we truly launched an interview on Wednesday in 2024. So that is truly the second half. That’s 

Spencer: a very good level. That is the primary one we have recorded in 2020.

Jared: All proper. We’re off to a very good begin now. Right here we go. But when 

Spencer: that is your first time tuning in, like simply anticipate this for the complete hour. Proper. Um, hopefully you guys get pleasure from this. It is, it is meant to be extra of a banter present concerning the, uh, the latest information which can be in, uh, the trade. So, , we, we discuss loads concerning the digital advertising and marketing information, search engine optimization, content material creation, uh, after which in fact we discuss facet hustles and a few bizarre area of interest websites, we discuss all of that.

A few of it is severe, however, uh, . I nonetheless suppose we’re in 2023. So it should take me some time to stand up to hurry right here. Um, however having mentioned all that, Jared, what do you suppose? Ought to we do it? 

Jared: Yeah, , I used to be enthusiastic about how we began this information podcast sequence in 2023. And, um, so 2024 would be the first yr the place we type of do that persistently all through the whole yr and have a full, , assuming we do that by means of the entire yr, have a full 12 months of stories episodes behind us.

So I am trying ahead to this yr and persistently once more, carrying the cost of doing this information podcast each week. 

Spencer: Yeah, that is a very good level. Do you keep in mind what month we began the, the information episodes? Properly, I 

Jared: did not look that up. Properly, talking of simply the randomness of the, of the podcast, I truly went again and appeared it up first off.

Are you aware what number of podcasts we did in 2023 in complete throughout the interviews and the information? After which I will provide the info after we began the information podcast. 

Spencer: Properly, solely since you, you shared that quantity with me. Oh, did I already share it with you? Yeah, I, I used to be, it was, uh, was it 96 or 97? 

Jared: 97 episodes in complete.

We nearly broke 100 episodes final yr. So shut. Yeah. So shut. And so we, I went again, we began the information podcast, a information phase, which is what you are listening to proper now, um, in March. So, within the third month of final yr. 

Spencer: So we’ll positively do greater than 100 episodes in 2024. That may be the yr.

So, uh, stay up for an awesome yr with all of you listeners. Respect it. So having mentioned all that, let’s get to the information. Uh, Google as regular, did not take off the fuel pedal in the direction of the top of the yr. Uh, actually, uh, there was a whole lot of chatter that there was a search engine algorithm replace. On New 12 months’s Eve, proper?

So proper earlier than the top of the yr, um, folks have been beginning to see a whole lot of volatility, uh, within the SERPs and I will simply share this, uh, article at search engine spherical desk, uh, Barry Schwartz, in fact, is all the time on prime of this, , on, uh, December thirtieth. So I assume it is not fairly New 12 months’s Eve when he began to see all this the day earlier than New 12 months’s Eve, however the monitoring instruments have been exhibiting volatility within the SERPs.

And, um, , I checked, uh, a few my websites and it’s attainable that I noticed slightly little bit of volatility, a slight uptick on one in all my websites that received hit fairly onerous with useful content material replace seems to have slightly little bit of an uptick uptick in the direction of the top of the yr, early this yr, however possibly that is simply wishful pondering.

I do not know. 

Jared: And that is what a number of the chatter was about. That is the primary one I’ve seen any actual chatter that. Folks in bulk, considerably bulk, I assume, a couple of, have been claiming that there was some useful content material reversal. Um, , we have seen updates come out because the useful content material replace from September, however most of them did not appear to have any affect on websites that have been hit particularly by the useful content material replace.

However this one, There was chatter about it amongst many individuals that mentioned that they noticed some reversal merchandise. 

Spencer: Yeah, yeah, precisely. And there is tons of, , of quotes and chatter. I imply, you possibly can learn into that as a lot as they need, however a few of them are mentioning, proper, the useful content material replace, uh, and different issues associated to that.

Um, and so, uh, It is type of humorous simply because I do know final yr, I do not keep in mind the date, nevertheless it was proper across the finish of the yr, proper round Christmas, that there was a serious Google replace that got here out, it simply would not appear to be Google takes any day without work for the vacations in any respect. 

Jared: And it is very tough to measure.

Any kind of replace and its outcomes in your web site when it’s across the final name it two weeks of the yr as a result of for the overwhelming majority of internet sites. I do know this from underneath an company. So we take a look at so many alternative web sites, however for the overwhelming majority of internet sites, your site visitors is both going to swell or lower across the holidays.

In any case, , it should do one or the opposite. And so. Not that that is the one method to analyze it, however you are actually trying extra at, um, SERP positional modifications. You are trying extra at possibly in Google search console, your common place altering for sure pages, moderately than possibly essentially simply site visitors fluctuations, as a result of a whole lot of websites actually dip loads from a seasonal standpoint, the week of, , Christmas and New 12 months’s, or they go up loads in the event you’re within the health area or the well being area.

So additionally powerful to type of take a look at these items and analyze it. You may’t actually go to Google analytics such as you usually would possibly. 

Spencer: Proper. Uh, and that is Really, the precise case in for area of interest pursuits, consider it or not, uh, that December is normally simply type of a ho hum site visitors month. Lots of people are, such as you mentioned, on vacation, possibly not pondering fairly as a lot as beginning a facet hustle or one thing.

They’re type of simply wrapping up their yr. Uh, whereas January, I am already seeing the primary few days of January search quantity is all the time a lot larger as a result of it is possibly it is a new yr’s decision. Hey, I wish to begin a facet hustle this yr, or I wish to. Develop my enterprise or my weblog. And so they’re searching for these kinds of issues.

So site visitors on area of interest pursuits is drastically totally different from the final two weeks of December to the primary two weeks of January, simply due to that search intent, um, that kind of search behavior that, that individuals have. Yeah, 

Jared: we’ve got a few shoppers within the health area and I will inform you the primary. Three or 4 days have been, , simply as all the time, you are like, Whoa, folks care about train 

Spencer: and health.

Yeah, precisely. Proper. Um, so we’ll, we’ll proceed to share what we see over the following couple of weeks. I am positive, , there’ll sadly, or fortuitously, , be extra updates from Google, in all probability even this month or some kind of tweak, uh, that’s to be made. And we can be sharing it proper right here on the podcast on this information episode.

So the following massive story that we’ve got right here, uh, is one which, that type of occurred that began over the vacations slightly bit, folks might have heard about this. Um, however, uh, the instances, the New York instances. Sue’s open AI and Microsoft over AI use of copyrighted work. And, uh, I do know a whole lot of examples have been shared of this, however the gist of the story is that.

Hundreds of thousands of articles from the New York Occasions have been used to coach the open AI mannequin, proper? To vary up that enormous language mannequin and a whole lot of that content material that was used, uh, was behind a paywall, proper? Um, that even now, in the event you use, I consider in the event you go to Google Bing, you possibly can type of get round New York Occasions paywall.

You may get articles that supposedly you possibly can solely get entry to in the event you’re a paying New York Occasions subscriber. However in the event you use Um, , being chat, which is powered by open AI, uh, you possibly can typically get behind that. In order that’s a part of it. Uh, after which the opposite half is simply that a lot of this copyrighted content material, this information, uh, content material that, uh, the New York instances spends tens of millions and tens of millions of {dollars} on journalists, researching, producing this nice content material, and now open AI is utilizing this and type of making this info freely accessible to everybody.

Properly, 

Jared: a number of the info, which we’ll get into, not all the info from the Occasions is precisely getting used. We’ll, we’ll, we’ll tease that. 

Spencer: We’ll, we’ll certainly. After which one different attention-grabbing factor from this text that I needed to level out is that it particularly Mentions the wire cutter right here.

Uh, and I do not know the place the paragraph is, however in abstract, it principally was saying that, um, open AI or being chat would advocate merchandise a whole lot of instances and would get these suggestions from the wire cutter, typically quoting, , A number of paragraphs which can be direct quotes from the Wirecutter, proper?

And the New York Occasions is not getting these clicks, is not getting these affiliate commissions as a result of folks simply examine that advice, then they go to Amazon or wherever they usually purchase that product as a substitute of clicking that affiliate hyperlink. And so basically the affiliate hyperlinks are eliminated. New York Occasions is bringing that up particularly.

On this lawsuit that they filed in opposition to open 

AI. 

Jared: Yeah. This is, here is the road concerning the textual content outcomes from being, nonetheless, didn’t hyperlink to the wire cutter article, which you and I have been complaining about on the podcast for a very long time. It is each Google bar, Google SGE and, um, and chat GPT. And so they stripped away the referral hyperlinks within the textual content that Wirecutter makes use of to generate commissions from gross sales primarily based on its suggestions.

Spencer: It is uh, so it is a massive deal, , it is, it is the underside line, proper? And here is simply one other quote, lower, lower site visitors to Wirecutter articles and in flip lower site visitors to affiliate hyperlinks subsequently result in a lack of income for Wirecutter. So I like that type of the center of this deal or this lawsuit is like.

Affiliate marketing online, proper? The New York instances is upset that they are shedding income, um, in a number of methods. However I like that the wire cutter is, is type of core to that as effectively. 

Jared: This story has a whole lot of layers to it. You already know, I imply, uh, it says on this article that the instances approached the New York instances. I do not know why they name them the instances.

Is that like a. That is not loads after I was, is that similar to, am I alleged to know that it is referred to as the instances? However in any case, I’ve all the time referred to as New York. Yeah, positive. Okay, be taught one thing new right here daily, proper? New York Occasions approached Microsoft and open AI again in April, , and I really feel like this, that was fairly early days for all this, , I imply, I do know chat.

Sure, he got here out in November, however S. G. E. did not actually come out till I feel. April or Might, possibly March, April, Might, somebody that point. So actually, that was type of the early days of seeing what it was going to appear to be for AI to type of rip our content material away from us. And it appears just like the Occasions instantly went to Microsoft concerning the considerations and attainable resolutions, and it simply did not get wherever.

Um, which then within the article right here. Uh, there is a quote that claims that OpenAI has expressed shock and disappointment over the lawsuit, um, whereas Microsoft declined to remark. So, um, I do not know what there may be to be stunned about while you’ve been in conversations about this since April. However, um, yeah, I imply, this text does a very good job of outlining the truth that that is, , it is nearly like.

When we’ve got these panorama shifting sorts of occasions and we nearly find yourself ready for one thing just like the U. S. Supreme Court docket to weigh in, or we nearly, I am not saying this case will go to the Supreme Court docket, however simply we have not seen an anti, um, uh, uh, sorry, a swimsuit, a lawsuit about one thing associated to AI to this magnitude, and this might be one, or possibly this may create a domino impact that would create precedent about how, uh, copyright regulation is, is, uh, is, is, is adjudicated to be infringed upon, ?

Spencer: Proper. And a whole lot of instances after we use AI, we all know that it is summarizing basically, proper? It is, it is, um, taking all this data, proper? We really feel like it should this enormous data base that it has been skilled on, and it is type of summarizing a bunch of various items and offering that finest reply for us.

In some instances, that could be true, however actually in, on this explicit case, I imply, open AI or Bing chat, I do not know the place, the place they received these examples from precisely. However, um. Is is copying the reply straight prefer it’s simply flat out plagiarizing the reply prefer it’s quoting verbatim a whole lot of this. And so I do wish to share this screenshot as effectively.

That is truly from the lawsuit. That is kind of in a number of the supporting paperwork, the precise lawsuit and you’ll see right here in pink, , is output from GPT 4 after which the precise textual content from the New York Occasions. Every thing in pink. Is what was copied verbatim phrase for phrase. So something in black is the one distinction within the textual content.

I imply, in the event you take a look at these pages, it is simply, I imply, it is 90 p.c is pink otherwise you’re being beneficiant. That is 99. 5 p.c uh, in some instances, proper? And naturally they pulled out essentially the most egregious examples, I am positive. However in a number of examples, it is simply. I imply, it is a number of paragraphs, lengthy paragraphs. That is simply straight copied from the New York instances.

So that they have a robust case right here. And so it should be actually attention-grabbing because it goes up the chain. If it, , if it is not settled right here, how far up it goes. Oh, 

Jared: however , Spencer, in line with the verge, we are the ones who’re ruining the web right here. 

Spencer: That is proper. Uh, , that is clearly 

Jared: the web.

That is clearly what the web wants as a substitute of us. Darn search engine optimization is 

ruining 

Spencer: the web. That is proper. We, we do not want the journalists or the bloggers to put in writing the textual content. We would have liked an AI to inform us what the journalists wrote in order that we are able to then learn it precisely helps out loads, loads. Uh, I agree. So, um, , associated.

Associated to this case, um, is a few competent compensation, I assume, that, uh, OpenAI has provided to publishers. Do you wish to discuss this one? I simply pulled up this text. 

Jared: Properly, I imply. We have gotten ourselves into conditions on this podcast the place it is very clear that Spencer and I do not actually perceive the macroeconomics of billions and tens of millions and enormous scale financing.

I feel you requested me a few weeks in the past about my, what I believed anyone’s revenue was, and I would’ve been off by a multi multiplier of a whole bunch of tens of millions, , however suffice to say with all that being. We do perceive that Google’s income from promoting is within the many, many billions and these giant scale language fashions are valued at a whole bunch of, , many billions and a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} and all that.

So with that in context, I did not, I did not need to be, uh, very good to grasp that when open AI. Is providing publishers someplace between one to five million to in essence, license, or use their content material. Fairly apparent. That’s far undershooting the worth {that a} writer ought to get, however that is what they’ve completed is it is come out within the story that open AI has provided publishers.

As little as 1, 000, 000 per yr to license their content material to then use for his or her giant language modeling. And, um, suffice to say this has not gone over very effectively with giant publications as a result of the cash they stand to lose from OpenAI taking their content material is clearly far larger than that. 

Spencer: Proper. And, , when you consider The New York Occasions, how giant of a publication it’s.

And we do not know if, , OpenAI provided 1 million or 5 million a yr to the New York Occasions, nevertheless it’s, it is a drop within the bucket, proper? Um, I simply did a fast Google search. The New York Occasions, it seems to have made, I feel that is quarterly, quarterly income, the newest quarterly income, 591 million.

Lower than 1 

Jared: p.c by 

Spencer: 4, proper? Yeah. Yeah. Um, of their quarterly, proper? It is, uh, what’s 600 million. So 2. 4 billion a yr is how a lot New York instances is making in income. Yeah. Um, in any case, it is 

Jared: miniscule, , Glenn additionally had. Quoted a little bit of a backdoor analogy by way of how a lot the wire cutter was making particularly and we talked about {that a} month or two in the past and it was, I do not know, I really feel once more, I do not wish to get, I do not wish to say it mistaken once more, however I really feel it was a, , effectively over 100 million {dollars}, um, a yr they’d grown it considerably and, , even then 5 million to, as we noticed within the earlier article, rip off their content material and never embrace the, the, the, the affiliate hyperlinks, not value it.

Not on the slightest. 

Spencer: So, um, I imply, general it, once more, it is simply open a excessive is within the information. It is type of the, the most important mannequin that is on the market, essentially the most generally used. And so it is simply actually fascinating to see the place it should go, what is going on to occur legally. Um, I, I do not understand how you include this although, proper?

Like even when open AI is sued and says, Oh, you possibly can’t use copyrighted content material. Who’s to say that different fashions aren’t going to pop up that possibly aren’t as authorized. They’re offshore there, ? From another nation, um, that they just do, , no matter, we do not care. Um, so I do not understand how you include AI, um, however will probably be attention-grabbing to see what occurs going ahead with this firm and different, uh, comparable firms as effectively.

Jared: Definitely these firms have loads to defend and they are going to. Make waves and go down preventing someway. I am not saying they are going down, however no matter would be the case, they are going to go down preventing on it. So, 

Spencer: yeah, precisely. And, , very associated to this, , we have, um, chat GPT, uh, has their mannequin after which we have Google barred, proper.

And, uh, we are able to. We are able to see that Google is constant to make developments in Bard. I imply, we simply talked about this a pair weeks in the past with the Gemini Professional, this new massive mannequin that they have that is extra superior and now they are going to implement, um, their Google assistant with Bard. So principally Bard goes to energy the Google assistant to make it smarter, to make higher suggestions, um, kind of it is your on a regular basis assistant, proper?

You can ask questions. And it could possibly, , hopefully perceive what you are asking slightly bit higher as a result of it is this generative AI expertise and may give you solutions. Um, and in order that was anticipated to occur, nevertheless it feels like, , that is formally going to occur. Does it give a date when that is occurring or if it is already occurred?

Um, do not know subsequent few months coming within the subsequent few months. 

Jared: We have got a few barred tales and I do know one in all them. It is occurring very quickly that we’ll get to on this one. I am not as positive about. 

Spencer: Yeah. It appears like this one is, um, uh, assistant with Bart is coming within the subsequent few months after Google exams it with restricted variety of trusted testers over these months.

So within the coming months, um, , I do not understand how many individuals use Google assistant or how that is going to affect us as publishers. Uh, precisely. Aside from to say, Hey, Yeah. They’re, they’re utilizing this mannequin, um, with, with, , cell units, go Google assistant now’s, um, utilizing it increasingly ceaselessly.

And, uh, so if our content material is getting used for that, that might be. Good or dangerous. I do not know. Um, 

Jared: I do not use Google assistant very a lot, so I do not actually have a ton to touch upon it right here simply to be candid. However, um, , definitely there’s a whole lot of ways in which I might see this enjoying out successfully and properly, , in a manner that will be useful with the ways in which folks use Google as it’s.

Um, and this, such as you mentioned, this was anticipated to be coming for fairly some time. 

Spencer: Yeah, precisely. And, um, so additionally associated to this, one other Google bard story that we’ve got to share right here in the present day is that Google is getting ready a paid model of bard. Um, and I assume this wasn’t introduced by Google formally, nevertheless it was kind of an web sleuth discovered this, um, in a number of the code, I assume, um, of, of one of many pages.

That Google has associated to Bard, um, this explicit person type of discovered within the code that, Hey, uh, there was a line that claims, uh, it is possible for you to to cite, strive Bard advance for 3 months. After that check interval, you’ll probably need to pay for the service is what they’re kind of saying. They’re insinuating from that line.

So yeah, there was a line there in, within the webpage of the code, not seen, uh, from my understanding, however inside the code, uh, that, Hey, Google barred superior is coming. And since you’re getting it free for 3 months, that. Should clearly imply that may be a paid software that’s, is coming down the 

Jared: highway. Yeah, it is a new service half superior and it is perceived it could be part of Google one.

You already know, uh, typically I do know referred to as one drive and these sorts of issues. Um, the hyperlink, the URL that’s truly listed within the code apparently. Is to, uh, is a one dot google. com hyperlink, um, uh, with, , barred superior principally. So yeah, how enjoyable is that? That it is, it is within the code and that is type of the way it was found.

It is, it is embedded in there. 

Spencer: Yeah. And so, um, , it is, I’d assume it is type of a direct competitor to talk GPT plus, proper? Yeah. Google in all probability sees the, Hey, chat GPT. I do not keep in mind what the income is, is making 20 billion a yr. That is a pleasant little, uh, pie that possibly we are able to take a giant slice of.

Uh, so let’s, let’s launch our Google Bard superior mannequin and that may be a brand new income stream for them. In order that, that is seems what it would be. Hey, Google’s going to be this, this, uh, direct competitor of open AI. 

Jared: Yeah. And once more, that is, uh, perceived to be developing very quickly. Um, uh, as a result of it is already within the code.

Uh, and , we have talked about it. Like we have talked about extra from an SGE standpoint and what Google goes to do about advertisements. Because it associated to SGE, however definitely Bard’s the identical type of half and parcel subject, proper? Like. Google’s an advert platform. That is, that is what, how they make their cash. Like, , sure, they seem to be a search engine, however they monetize that search engine with advertisements.

And so BARD was all the time, we all the time had this query about how they are going to work advertisements in. This is not working advertisements in, however it is a monetization path for them. Yeah, for 

Spencer: positive. So, um, , in all probability a wise transfer on Google’s half. You already know, there’s, uh, clearly, uh, the, the market has been confirmed that individuals are prepared to pay X variety of {dollars}, , 20 a month is what chat GPT pluses, proper?

Um, and so they’re in all probability going to cost it equally, um, possibly barely much less. I do not know. Um, and, uh, they know that there is a market on the market, so we’ll, we’ll see what occurs. We’ll see if it is any good. And, uh, we’ll in all probability do some comparisons. You already know, we have completed just a few of these right here on the podcast, uh, previously, so possibly we’ll, uh.

We’ll see if the professional model of, uh, Google Bard is aware of who the, uh, host of the area of interest pursuits podcast is or not. The, the 

Jared: distinction that Google has is that they’ll bundle this with a whole lot of different choices they’ve, whereas chat GP would not actually have some other merchandise that they’ll bundle it with, , so, um, , nearly like, sure, , bundle it with one drive or bundle it with a few of their premiums, um, stuff.

Um, possibly even, and once more, I do not know if that is what they’re doing. We do not know, however possibly use it as like a loss chief to drive, um, uh, to drive, uh, subscriptions for different providers they’ve, or to bundle and drive subscriptions for greater, larger costs, uh, providers they’ve. So it will be, I am intrigued.

I am not as positive they will do it for 20 bucks a month. I feel they may do it for 20 bucks a month, or they could do it as, , a bundling, , attempt to get folks onto a few of their different merchandise as effectively. Like possibly 500 gigs of Google drive area plus Barb. Premium or no matter, superior, , I do not know.

We’ll need to see. 

Spencer: Yeah. Yeah, we’ll see. I am positive they will give you an attention-grabbing, uh, strategy pricing mannequin, uh, advertising and marketing marketing campaign. So we’ll hold all people posted, uh, proper right here on the podcast for positive. Okay. I feel that covers the information for this week. Um, and so what meaning now’s that we’ll soar into our shiny object shenanigans.

These are our facet hustle tasks that issues we have been engaged on issues that we’re enthusiastic about that possibly aren’t the core of our enterprise, in fact, however we’re nonetheless placing slightly little bit of time testing out the mannequin, that kind of factor. And I do know each of us are going to report as soon as once more. Um, On the Amazon influencer program.

Uh, it simply feels prefer it’s the suitable factor to do. Uh, the yr simply ended. And so we’ve got, , for me, I’ve basically a yr value of knowledge. I do know 2023 was additionally your first yr of doing it, though you began Might or June. And so we are able to discuss that. Hey, here is our first calendar yr of doing this, and here is some outcomes.

And so I will just do that with mine. And I lately tweeted about this. I type of shared my outcomes for December. Wonderful, uh, December Christmas season, in fact, is absolutely good. Numerous folks shopping for and, um, we talked about this earlier on the podcast, proper? Among the reward concepts that, uh, we had completed movies on.

These are what actually made up the majority of this. And so forth, uh, the display now I am sharing my screenshot for December of. 2023 is a full month. So the quantity of commissions that I constituted of the Amazon influencer program was 6, 179, uh, which is superb. Uh, the graph tells a extremely attention-grabbing story. Simply taking a look at it, uh, you possibly can see the clicks and earnings simply have been.

Up and to the fitting by means of concerning the sixteenth, uh, of the month. Uh, and naturally folks began shopping for much less and fewer as Christmas approached faster and faster. You already know, they did not have sufficient time to get that product shipped to their door. And so the variety of clicks and earnings dropped, I imply, drastically.

Um, it went, it peaked at simply over 500 a day for a few days. Uh, after which by the, , nineteenth and twentieth, I do not know what that quantity is, however I used to be down, , again all the way down to possibly 100 a day. After which after that, just about by means of the top of the month, it is positively been lower than 100 a day. Um, shopping for slowed down considerably, however I am very proud of the over 6, 000, um, for the month of December.

Uh, after which along with that. Uh, my complete income for the whole yr is, uh, 17, 678. Uh, in order that’s, I began in formally in January. Um. You already know, I posted just a few movies after which just a few extra in February. It took me some time to ramp up. Um, however by the top of the yr, I used to be doing, , two to three, 000 a month, the previous couple of months, uh, of the yr.

After which in fact, 6, 000 in December. And, um, so we’ll see the place this subsequent yr goes. I do plan on proceed. Persevering with to add just a few movies each month. I’ve some folks serving to me out, create movies. So whether or not that is, , 30 or 40 movies a month for the following couple of months, I will proceed doing that simply to see how January, February type of play out.

Um, however yeah, it is man, it is. It has been superior. Clearly enormous month. I am tremendous excited to get that test, uh, within the mail. After which it appears like I will simply reinvest it right here, however, uh, it is cool to see the income coming in. And the truth that I did not even find out about this program principally 12 months in the past, proper.

Uh, is, is, is simply cool. I like seeing it. So 

Jared: I imply, by my math, December was 35 p.c of your income for the yr. Wow. 

Spencer: Roughly. Wow. Yeah, you had a large December. It was a giant December. 

Jared: What’s humorous is my curve. My graph appears, I really feel like nearly similar to yours. Yours is simply larger at each single degree.

You already know, we’ll discuss my numbers subsequent, however yours is simply very comparable trying, however very popular, loads larger. I had the identical dips across the similar time right here. I’ll say, simply curious in your ideas on this. My thought on Amazon with their prime and so many individuals being on prime and their two day transport and all that, I believed was it just like the, the expansion curve we’re seeing, however proceed slightly additional previous the say fifteenth or sixteenth of the month.

You already know, prefer it actually began to drop off across the fifteenth and nonetheless received 10 days earlier than Christmas. You already know, I type of thought which may’ve carried on slightly longer. 

Spencer: Yeah, , I kind of did as effectively. I, I additionally do surprise if the Amazon advice ended and altered slightly bit in the direction of the second half.

Yeah, as a result of I do not suppose a few of my movies have been exhibiting up within the primary spot or exhibiting up, , within the carousel like they have been earlier than. Um, so I feel there might have been some tweaks, however I have never actually analyzed that. I used to be on trip the final, um, . Half of the yr half of the the month principally did not did not dive too deep However there might be a few of that happening as effectively.

Jared: Properly, congratulations. I imply, I feel effectively, thanks. Let me ask you With these numbers formally, you have type of teased it in earlier episodes, however plans for 2024 keep in mind Spencer it’s 2024 now plans for affect over 2024 something now you have received This fall within the books, it is completed and dusted. Provided that December alone was 35% of your income, you need to be fairly enthusiastic about Q 4’s outcomes.

Like what does that appear to be then for 2024 for you? Are you gonna change the way in which you do issues? Keep it up. I imply, um, final I checked, I feel you have been proper round a thousand movies. You possibly can do one other a thousand this yr, ? 

Spencer: Hmm. I’m gonna proceed. Um. I do not, hmm. I do not know if I will do one other thousand movies.

I proper now I do not plan to, proper. I do not plan to do, I imply, that is nearly 100 movies a month. Most likely not. You already know, I, I feel I will type of settle within the 25, 30, 40 movies a month, uh, for the following couple of months and type of simply monitor it, proper. If I, if I begin having 3, 5, 000 months. Um, proper.

That’ll, that will spur on the, the funding, but when it type of settles again into like, okay, 1, 500 or 2000, it is like, eh, is it actually value it to do greater than a handful of movies each month? 

Jared: I hear you. I hear you. Yeah. Yeah. I, I, I, uh, I can see all that logic there. I imply, It is also onerous, particularly with yours, like with 35 p.c of your income coming in a single month, it is onerous to surprise like, effectively, is that going to be how it’s subsequent yr?

You already know, as a result of a whole lot of my income is predicated on on this previous yr, December performing so effectively. So, , it is onerous to, 

Spencer: yeah. And the one, one different factor I do surprise about is simply what’s the shelf lifetime of all of those movies? Proper. Proper. Uh, , my movies that did nice this Christmas, are any of them going to be proven subsequent Christmas, or do I actually need to file one other thousand movies to have a, , a Christmas or a yr that is roughly the identical as this yr?

I do not know that reply. And so, uh, that is why I type of wish to, uh, play it slightly bit extra cautious within the first quarter right here. Simply type of see, okay, do all of my movies fall off? Did all of them keep on? What does the maths appear to be there? So, and 

Jared: I imply, And we discuss this in the case of totally different niches you decide for a web site, like if you are going to decide a distinct segment within the tech area, you need to know that you will be updating content material and having to do new product evaluations rather more ceaselessly as a result of the tech area modifications a lot extra quickly than possibly in the event you picked, , I do not know, extra.

type of steady, uh, uh, setting. Proper. And so in the event you’ve reviewed a whole lot of say tech merchandise, uh, , that would have an effect on the volatility of your outcomes going ahead on these movies versus in the event you, , uh, filmed a whole lot of underbath underwater basket weaving merchandise, for instance. 

Spencer: Yeah. The, the one or two merchandise which can be on the market, I am positive for underwater basket weaving.

Uh, however yeah, agreed. You already know, if, uh, in the event you’re in kind of a evergreen area of interest for a distinct segment. Properly, even, even when the movies are all evergreen for Amazon influencer, it is simply, I do not understand how their algorithm actually works, proper? Do they, they place newer movies larger up? I’d say that is, , in all probability some weight to that, however I do not understand how a lot we’ll see.

Properly, Jared, what about you, 

Jared: man? It is a. I really feel such as you and I have been mirroring one another in so some ways, however December was simply such a bizarre, totally different course for us. My numbers for December have been nice. They have been good, however mine have been a lot, mine have been decrease than November. You already know, November I made about 4, 200 a month, uh, that month, which was good.

I feel in October, if reminiscence serves me right, I used to be at about 1, 700. So it was nearly a tripling, , in all probability two and a half instances. And so December was out of the gate actually robust, however. Had the identical truly fizzling out impact that yours did I completed the month at 4 thousand and twenty six {dollars} Um, and so one other excellent 4 thousand.

Sure. I did keep above that 4 thousand greenback quantity, which I used to be type of hinting like I believed it was going to be shut given the path off and simply doing a little guessing. So ended up simply above 4, 000, which, um, which is sweet. It is humorous in the event you do, in the event you add up our November plus Decembers, we’re nearly lifeless even.

Um, and so your November was loads decrease than my November. Your December was loads larger than my December. Um, so. Fascinating. I do not know why. I do not know. My Black Friday higher than yours. Your December did manner higher than me. So fascinating to have nearly two totally different case research occurring stay for the viewers to type of hear about.

There’s many alternative methods to make that cash. Now I did end the yr at about 18, 780. So I did keep above you for the yearly complete. By a couple of thousand {dollars}. And I did begin on the finish of Might. So definitely I assume I received off the bottom faster or one thing. I did do a whole lot of movies out of the gate the place I feel you talked about the way you did not do many out of the gate.

That could be the large distinction 

Spencer: there. Yeah. So kudos to you. You ended up with a better income for the yr. Um, And, and you probably did loads faster. Yeah. And , six months versus 12 nearly. So 

Jared: if something, possibly one of many issues you possibly can pull out from, once more, simply two guys. So I would not take this to the financial institution, however, uh, possibly in the event you do get on the Amazon influencer account, possibly one factor to be taught is go heavy to start with, in the event you can, , get a whole lot of movies on the market, possibly that helps your account get seasoned.

We’re guessing. Very a lot guessing, however these are the one extrapolations I can get from possibly our two little use instances. Um, uh, after which I feel we’re about, we’re about neck and neck. Do you may have any movies you may have? I lastly discovered my complete. It did not reappear, however I discovered a method to depend. So I am at 1031. So I did end the yr with 1031 movies and we each broke a thousand.

I do know that was type of slightly aim. We had slightly tease we had going backwards and forwards, however we each did hit that aim of a thousand movies. Yep. 

Spencer: Um, I haven’t got my quantity proper in entrance of me. Let’s examine if 1042, I am nonetheless caught at my 1042 that is, that is the place I used to be earlier than. It appears like we did not do something over Christmas break, so 

Jared: you may be forgiven for that.

So, um, yeah, so I feel, , Amazon influencer was one of many facet type of hustles I began all year long. It is type of good to tie a bow on that. Um, after which the opposite was, was weekend development, which hasn’t gotten talked about as a lot within the final couple of months as a result of definitely, , Amazon influencer is simply ripe for speaking about throughout This fall.

However, um, , I simply began weekend development and within the e mail, uh, publication in, uh, March, um, began YouTube channel in April. So it is similar to our pod, our information podcast. It is fairly darn new, um, however end the yr with just below 4, 500 subscribers. It isn’t a nasty first yr. I do not know. I do not know. I did not actually have quite a lot of mine.

I needed to get to a thousand within the first three months, however past that, I simply was type of. Did not actually have a quantity past that. And um, , I, I, I will not, I will not say that I used to be monitoring the income generated from weekend development very carefully. It’s a line merchandise that our bookkeeper experiences on. Um, as a result of primarily I type of considered it extra as a facet hustle, one thing that will contribute to the company, would contribute in a whole lot of different areas, however I will say that trying on the income numbers that got here again for the yr, it was noticeable, , like, and so.

Um, , I imply, I do know you are not all into this text factor, Spencer. You are type of hating on it currently on Twitter, however I feel the publication factor, I feel there’s one thing there for listeners that there is, that is an 

Spencer: alternative for folks, an actual enterprise mannequin there, proper? This new, this new fangled factor, this, yeah, this new fangled factor referred to as a, referred to as a publication.

Yeah. It is, it is fascinating. Folks ought to actually look into that. Um, , yeah, I, I tweeted simply in the present day, proper earlier than this podcast that, Uh, simply kind of like, why do folks suppose newsletters are new, uh, and I kind of went on this factor of like, , A Webber was an e mail service supplier. It created in 1998 and, uh, even earlier than the web existed, folks have been publishing newsletters.

Um, why is that the new new factor? I do not know. However, uh, Kudos to you, Jared, for leaping on this new, , leaping on the bandwagon of, uh, newsletters on the web. Properly, to be truthful, 

Jared: I have been constructing companies at the back of e mail for over a decade as effectively. So you probably did know what it was? Yeah, my final firm, I feel we despatched over 2 million emails a yr in our heyday.

All proper. All proper. Okay. All proper. I, I do suppose that, , um, I feel it’s making a resurgence in reputation. I would not say it is new, however it’s definitely resurgent in reputation. 

Spencer: Yeah, yeah, I agree. There, , there’s, there’s been some standard instruments, , and issues that make it slightly bit simpler for the non tech savvy and, and that kind of factor that possibly make it.

approachable, um, um, to do. So having mentioned that, I do wish to ask, uh, about your weekend development. I do know your income is, was slightly bit higher than you maybe anticipated. Um, are you prepared to share like the place that got here from? Was that, was that sponsorships of the income? Um, do you embrace like, uh, was there any YouTube income?

Um. Uh, or was it, uh, I do know you had your individual product, uh, that you simply bought the, uh, the template, the guidelines, I feel, um, simply curious what was kind of the large, massive income driver there. 

Jared: Properly, you are fortunate trigger I simply received my books again for the yr for my bookkeeper. So I do even have it proper right here. Um, yeah, so let’s examine, there have been quite a lot of issues that individuals might, uh, make the most of.

And I feel that is one factor. Like. I did not begin providing advertisements within the publication till it appears like my first advert was in June, , so three or 4 months in. Um, and that, that was lower than 10 p.c of the income, to be sincere with you, from the publication was advertisements within the publication. Um, and I might in all probability push that more durable.

I simply type of, when it is available in, it is available in and that is nice. If anyone would not attain out although, it would not occur. However, um, yeah, I imply, I feel alongside the way in which there’s, um, the, uh, picture, the pictures course, um, for web site creators, that is there. There’s the useful content material replace spreadsheet that I put collectively.

That is there. There’s consulting that individuals can join. That is there. There, um, our web site evaluations, web site evaluations have been the most well-liked by far folks buying to have the web site reviewed. We run a few experiences. And I do like a 20 to 30 minute type of over the shoulder video display share of about seven totally different key areas that we cowl.

Um, and so we did a bunch of these, however I am additionally seeing, , slightly bit by way of affiliate income and affiliate commissions, type of the usual manner, , possibly a hyperlink whisper, um, has a sale and I, , type of share it with my small viewers and possibly share how I exploit it. And that will generate slightly little bit of affiliate commissions.

So I feel. In the event you take a look at it from a complete, there’s like a whole lot of little issues which have added as much as be one thing that is noticeable. 

Spencer: Yeah, no, it sounds such as you’re constructing a, the correct of enterprise diversified in your revenue streams. Um, and that, that provides up. So cool. And yeah, that was a very good reminder.

Jared: The income does embrace income from the YouTube channel. Trigger I kinda do not actually know the right way to separate. I, I understand how to, however I did not hassle doing that. So it wasn’t all into the weekend development banner, in the event you 

Spencer: will. Yeah, yeah, no, that is good. Um, effectively, good congrats on the expansion. 4, 500 subscribers isn’t any small feat.

And, um, I’ll 

Jared: take a second, Spencer. I imply, , you and I do not spend a whole lot of time complimenting one another, however you probably did give a pleasant praise to me final week on the podcast. So I’ve received to return the favor. I can be completely sincere. I do not suppose I’d have began the weekend development publication.

And I do not, I do know I would not have began the Amazon influencer program if it wasn’t for this explicit half. Of the podcast, while you got here with the thought of doing this weekly information podcast and having a facet hustle, I checked out myself. I am like, I haven’t got something value speaking about. And I can not stand up each week and discuss lame issues.

And I might all the time had the publication at the back of my thoughts is one thing I needed to strive, however I simply by no means might justify the time. And I am like, effectively, I received to do it. After which clearly by Might or June, I used to be inquisitive about you retain speaking concerning the Amazon influencer program. So These facet hustles ended up being a extremely good chunk of, of facet revenue.

I imply, noticeably noticeable siding. And we talked concerning the 18 plus nearly 19, 000 from influencer after which one other income stream right here within the publication and stuff. And so, um, yeah, this has been, uh, clearly began for the podcast to speak about, however man, it has been enjoyable and it has been actually productive.

Spencer: Yeah, that is a very good reminder. I assume I did not keep in mind, recall that. I imply, actually it is basically. It began for this phase of the present, , so you possibly can have a facet hustle to speak about. Um, and now it is, yeah, it is, it is very actual income. And , associated to that, I’ve to consider all of the, uh, , folks I examine or see speaking about totally different challenge or.

You already know, companies that they are beginning along with her, that is Twitter or Fb or simply pals. I do know I talked to folks at a convention proper by means of a community they usually’re like, I am doing this attention-grabbing factor. You already know, we’ve got Kurt Schmidt on the podcast. He is like, I am doing this Google uncover factor.

And it is like, Oh, I wish to try this. Proper. Um, and a few of these are positively the shiny object, , issues, and you might want to determine which of them to pursue and reign it in, however there can positively be one or two, um, issues that. I do know for positive there’s been one or two issues in my enterprise which have turned out to be enormous issues, um, which have modified the entire trajectory of my profession in a manner, whether or not that is beginning software program merchandise, , I ran an e commerce product for a short while, um, , and, and different site visitors and income sources.

Um, and in order a lot as, um, , we’ve got this phase and we type of simply, Hey, here is our little factor that we’re doing. Um, It’s enjoyable. It is hopefully motivational for folks as they hear in, whether or not it influences their enterprise straight, it definitely helps the each of us to speak backwards and forwards about our facet tasks.

Jared: And I am positive since I had, , two tasks go decently. Properly, I will have a pleasant giant flop this yr. Simply have to determine what that flop goes to be. You already know, simply regulation of averages. 

Spencer: That is 

Jared: precisely proper. As a result of not all of those go effectively. And that is a part of the, that is a part of the sport. 

Spencer: Yep. And I like speaking about these two simply as a lot, proper?

There is no magic bullet in the case of operating, operating an internet enterprise. Like you possibly can’t, you are not going to hit, you are not going to bat 100, a thousand p.c. So, 

Jared: yeah, effectively, I’ve some concepts for issues to strive, um, in 2024, uh, whether or not in all probability extra add ons to weekend development and, , clearly we’ll hold speaking concerning the influencer program and all these issues, however, , I imply, I am excited to proceed to attempt to develop what’s already been began and maybe, , strive.

One other facet hustle as effectively this yr. 

Spencer: So superior. That sounds good. Um, I’ll have mine as effectively Identical to 

Jared: with the bizarre niches. We’re all the time searching for concepts to strive So if in case you have a brand new facet hustle that and once more, it would not need to be new Don’t be concerned. Spencer will not uh will not assault you within the feedback Uh, , he is, he is gotten his publication rant out, however any facet hustle concept you are enthusiastic about beginning in 2024, tell us within the feedback, , and, um, we’re all the time searching for some new concepts to check out.

And at this level final yr, I hadn’t heard of the Amazon influencer program, for instance. So, 

Spencer: yeah, no, that is a very good level. Yeah. We’re, we’re really, hopefully constructing type of a community right here the place we are able to chat, whether or not it is right here on the podcast or simply with no matter group we’re in, , share concepts and possibly one will percolate as much as the highest that we’ll check out.

So. Superb. So our remaining phase of the present right here is bizarre area of interest websites, and, uh, we hopefully is not going to disappoint you in the present day. We now have each discovered a bizarre area of interest website and, um, , I am up first right here, it appears like. And so I will simply go forward and soar proper into what I’ve received, uh, to share. Um, I do not know that we have shared.

this sort of website precisely. Um, however we’ve got shared comparable websites by way of it is a website that kind of offers information if you’ll. Um, and so my website is on-line sprint stopwatch dot com. You gotta have the sprint there. So on-line sprint stopwatch dot com. And it is precisely what it feels like. It is only a free stopwatch that you need to use both a countdown timer or stopwatch.

You simply click on it and, uh, it goes, proper? And that is, that is just about it. Um, nevertheless it’s completely free to make use of. You should use a full display countdown timer, proper? I can put in, uh, let’s examine, 10 minutes and, uh, begin that. 

Jared: With the, uh, uh, UI as a, as a tertiary choice. That is 

Spencer: proper. It is an afterthought. Simply get it to work and, uh, MVP for the win MVP and simply keep it up.

Um, Oh, tremendous full display. I do not know what that’s. This is slightly, Oh, there’s so, so we’re in tremendous full display now. Now, um, this 

Jared: has received to be essentially the most correct stopwatch of our scene since you’ve received. Seconds and minutes and hours. However in the event you look within the, uh, the, the smaller textual content there, is that like mil millionth mil 

Spencer: seconds?

Yeah. Milliseconds. You already know, I, if I pause it, we are able to get the precise, proper. I imply, 

Jared: that is down to 5 decimal locations within the second in any case, within the millisecond vary. 

Spencer: Yeah, so high quality, high quality for positive. However, um, , not shocking that this, that is an advert primarily based enterprise. I imply, advertisements are in all places. I can see 5, 4 or 5, um, kind of giant advertisements, uh, advert items, , proper right here on the one display.

Um, after which, uh, what I did discover attention-grabbing is that, , they have this stunning, colourful button right here that. Has a, uh, has a, has an advert right here, uh, in between, um, earlier than you get there, however you possibly can pay for premium. You may get a premium stopwatch and pay 24 a yr, uh, or group entry, which is 30 premium accounts for simply 96 a yr.

Uh, and so in the event you take a look at a number of the options, um, I do discover it attention-grabbing that, , they’ve this column free of charge and premium and. Virtually all of the options are additionally, , included, proper? You get all of the free timers and instruments, the nice free options, uh, however no advertisements is a giant one. Um, and some different issues, , folks actually wish to try this.

You may add your individual emblem. It can save you and edit, add titles, have your individual web page, proper? Uh, I do not know. I’ve to think about it is not lots of people go for the annual plan. Uh, however. It feels like in all probability a whole lot of lecturers are utilizing this. Yeah. There’s a whole lot of issues for classroom, uh, timers. You may get simply issues that, uh, , are, look extra animated, proper?

You bought this egg timer, um, proper? Full display. Um, let’s examine what that appears like. And there you go. Oh, I received to hit begin. After which it is received, , it is received the sand falling by means of the, uh, the hourglass timer right here. 

Jared: Oh, I feel we’re lacking on the display right here. Oh, 

Spencer: I am not sharing that one. Sorry about that.

That is okay. Oh, there it’s. Yeah. Oh yeah. Now we’re, , so they have a few totally different animated choices, , issues which can be in all probability. Thrilling for first graders or second graders, uh, that you need to use. However, um, so 

Jared: Spencer, no joke, my second grader received that actual egg timer for Christmas and she or he’s so stoked on it.

Spencer: Oh, is it? Oh, an precise bodily one. She received 

Jared: an precise bodily one. She actually needed it for brushing her tooth and it appears, it is even yellow, similar to that. It is hilarious. You introduced it up like a primary or second grader. 

Spencer: That is proper. They do not have to make use of their app. Yeah, they’ll they’ll use the bodily timer and it is a 

Jared: good level as a result of I first noticed this my first thought was okay Critically, that is a type of websites that made a whole lot of sense till the iPhone got here out after which all of us have a timer in our iPhone however on the similar time As you look by means of the choices there, you possibly can see it is closely centered on college.

While you appeared on the choices for paid, hastily, while you take a look at the college mindset, you possibly can see a faculty shopping for that, that extra excessive finish one, the upper priced one for a bucket of lecturers, proper? For second, third, fourth grade lecturers at a complete college. Like clearly that is focused in the direction of lecturers, college of some type.

And I can see it like, , you are a instructor, you bought your, your egg timer and like, how’s the category going to understand how a lot time is left, however you get this. I will name it cool. With air quotes, you get this visible of how a lot time is left. You may put it up on the display within the college, within the classroom, and the, the children can see it and type of have a greater interac.

Yeah. Okay. Perhaps there, I imply, there’s a whole lot of lecturers out, there’s a whole lot of lecture rooms on the market 

Spencer: and I exploit, um, I, I do not know if IU have used this web site. Perhaps I’ve, however I, , I exploit timers on a regular basis after I’m testing out, if I am gonna file a video or one thing, and I solely need it to be a minute.

Proper. I type of time my script or one thing like that. You already know, I follow a whole lot of issues, time timing, uh, on a regular basis I will pop into a web site and click on go. So I’ve even used these web sites. Oh, and it makes a noise. Uh, apparently that is startled me ends. So time is up. Uh, possibly we should always discuss your website.

Earlier than we do, I do wish to share like how a lot site visitors the location is getting. So over on a, a trough. It is getting a whole lot of site visitors. It is getting 2. 2 million natural guests a month, and it is sailed proper on by means of the useful content material replace updates right here. Uh, it is completed phenomenal. I imply, it is, uh, previously yr, it appears like site visitors is sort of doubled.

Um, and so it is doing very effectively and it ranks for. Most likely precisely what you suppose it is rating for, , on-line stopwatch, on-line timer, classroom timer, countdown timer, 10 minute timer, stopwatch timer, et cetera, all these timer stopwatch associated, uh, key phrases. Uh, after which general, uh, I’ll simply present comparable net right here.

It appears prefer it’s getting about 4. 2 million guests monthly, uh, monthly is what it exhibits in line with comparable net. So it is, I imply, it is doing very well. I imply, that is anyone’s full time gig. Clearly, possibly a number of individuals are supporting this enterprise. I do not know. Um, nevertheless it’s, uh, yeah, type of a cool, simply very particular area of interest, type of bizarre area of interest website, if you’ll, that, uh, is unquestionably making anyone some huge cash.

Jared: I am solely guessing at this level, , understanding what I find out about RPMs, I think about the RPMs are slightly decrease on a website like this, simply given who’s in all probability taking a look at, however 4. 2 million guests might be 50 grand a month in advert income. 

Spencer: Wow. Wow. Yeah. Um, and I do not know what ongoing growth is required.

It would not look 

Jared: like 

Spencer: a lot, , they have a few fiber gigs, gigs to design, , the egg timer and the countdown timer, uh, uh, I imply, and past that, it is, 

Jared: it is works. Did you take a look at, I am simply trying proper now, they received over 8, 000 pages. I do not know what they want all these pages for, however there are a whole lot of pages, it appears like.

It appears like they’ve devoted bespoke pages to love a 15 minute timer, a 25 minute timer, a 30 minute timer. Um, a 3 minute timer. They’ve a ton of bespoke pages, however that appears to be pretty programmatic, ? 

Spencer: Yeah. After which I, I did not scroll down, however they’ve a whole lot of, , duck race timer, horse race timer, uh, egg and spoon timer, proper?

Like they have a whole lot of particular person timers that they put some effort into. So possibly they’re persevering with. Um, 

Jared: in addition they have, um, You already know, a whole lot of different attention-grabbing pages I am simply seeing right here. Their timers positively appear to be those that rank, however I am simply trying. Random group generator. Um, they’ve a 48 hours to days calculator.

Um, , in order that they have a whole lot of these calculators and stuff. So, , once more, simply, uh, they’ve rock. Rock paper scissors an opportunity sport you could play so they have a whole lot of the issues are attempting for positive 

Spencer: Yeah, yeah, so I simply clicked on the boat boy timer right here as he rose to shore in any case, so That is it possibly we’ll finish it there Jared.

We’ll allow you to share your bizarre area of interest website, however this one’s type of cool. 

Jared: Properly My bizarre area of interest website is attention-grabbing I feel lots of people who’re within the area of interest web site area will discover this one Uh, enjoyable to speak about. I do not, I do not know if you are going to get loads out of it essentially, however I feel it is enjoyable to speak about.

And, uh, the web site that we’re speaking about in the present day is nationaltoday. com. Um, and, uh, yeah, I feel at first, there we go, received the display at first look. It is, um, definitely grown through the years to be a bunch of various issues, nevertheless it, it, it is that includes the vacations. So I feel we’re all, like, accustomed to, like, Every single day these days is a vacation of some type proper and 

Spencer: here is in the present day’s holidays in the fitting hand column, proper?

There we go. So it is 

Jared: dimple Chad day. Uh, I imply Apparently there’s nationwide days for various names. There’s nationwide Rachel day nationwide Clara day Uh, Oh, in the present day’s nationwide spaghetti day. I haven’t got to inform my household about that. We received some spaghetti lovers over right here. Um, , so it is type of enjoying on this, this, the truth that there isn’t any scarcity of, um, of, of holidays.

Uh, it is, uh, earlier than we get into all of the issues that it ranks for and that it’s, it is a DR 81. So I do know in the event you’re a distinct segment web site, you are like, that does not, that is not one thing I can relate to. Um, it is, it, it ranks for 1. 4 million key phrases. Um, it will get 4. 4 million natural site visitors, in line with Ahrefs. Um, uh, it, it would not seem that it received hit by the, um, useful content material replace, however by, however by one of many core updates, um, possibly the August one might need gotten backslid into that useful content material replace as effectively.

And so I began type of saying like, okay, effectively, I ponder what, what, what is going on on right here, ? I imply, there’s over 12, 000 pages. They tripled that web page depend in 2022. And I feel. We are able to type of see slightly bit extra about what occurred right here. Um, , their rankings are for just like the primary for what vacation is it in the present day?

That is over 300, 000 month-to-month searches, however in 2022, they tripled the variety of pages. And Spencer, in the event you return to the homepage and scroll down slightly, I feel you will see one thing that we see loads within the affiliate marketing online world. Um, and so scroll down there and in the event you scroll down, you will begin seeing some fairly random 

Spencer: articles.

Yeah, yeah. 64 toys for 8 yr outdated women. 

Jared: 85 toys for 9 yr outdated boys. 

Spencer: Uh huh. 

Jared: It will get much more random. Items can type of make sense. However at totally different factors on the homepage you will see the very best canned cocktails. The very best string trimmer. Now there’s one thing actually related for a vacation web site. 

Spencer: The very best respirator masks for smoke and mud.

Jared: Sure, that’s extremely related while you’re speaking about holidays world wide. 

Spencer: Fascinating. So that they’ve gone deep in there to say, Hey, we have a dr 81. Let’s write a bunch of affiliate associated articles and see if we are able to make some. It sounds 

Jared: so early 2022 to say I’ve received a dr 81 and I am already rating for a bunch of stuff.

Like, how can I earn more money on it? Let’s simply write a better of article. I imply, we see. No offense, Forbes capable of pull this off daily of the week and twice on Sundays, proper? Um, this was began off as a web site that clearly had topical authority round a subject round holidays after which, , all this type of stuff after which went actually extensive and now within the second half of 2023, received the site visitors reduce just about in half.

It appears 

Spencer: like wow, that is uh, that is actually attention-grabbing. Um. It is like, I actually like the thought of the location itself, proper? All of in the present day’s holidays and, , enjoyable info about in the present day or no matter. Um, and, and simply nationwide holidays typically. However yeah, it appears like they’re beginning to unfold themselves slightly bit skinny going in spite of everything these unrelated key phrases.

Jared: And, I imply, , I suppose to some extent items could make sense, like, I am positive there’s Nationwide Boyfriend Day, there’s Nationwide, , Grandmother’s Day, and there is, , all these totally different days, and so you possibly can, you possibly can actually give you a concept that, uh, that I feel you possibly can make this website have items, and you possibly can make this website be reward associated, particularly in the event you tie it collectively properly with that, with that day or that vacation, I feel while you begin entering into, Thanks.

The very best string trimmers. I imply, , yeah, you, , you may have a dad, you outside fanatic, no matter, nevertheless it does simply would not cross the odor check. Proper? 

Spencer: Yeah. Yep. Yep. I agree. Uh, and, uh, I, I additionally did, um, pull up comparable net for this one. Uh, oh, that is. I feel that is the mistaken, uh, web site. That is the stopwatch one right here.

Uh, for this one, nationwide in the present day. com appears prefer it’s about 3. 6 million guests a month, so nonetheless doing very well, clearly nonetheless 

Jared: doing so effectively. Proper? Like a refs had it at. Uh, 4. 4 million someplace we’ve got three level, uh, what’d you say? 3. 8 by means of at six. I imply, , nonetheless clearly with advertisements, um, they’re getting affiliate commissions from a few of their content material.

It does appear to be nearly all of the site visitors goes to extra prefer it’s donut day, not finest string trimmers, however they nonetheless are going to make some affiliate revenue after which clearly the advert revenue. So that they’re, they’re positively monetized fairly effectively.

Spencer: Cool web site. That is a, that is a very good discover nationwide in the present day. com. I hadn’t heard of that one. So a very good website, good discover. 

Jared: Ah, I really feel like, , um, we took every week off from the bizarre niches and I needed to type of mud my investigatory abilities off, however as all the time, we actually respect the, um, The, uh, the listener contributions and we’ll proceed to understand that into 2024 and past.

Spencer: That is proper. In the event you received a bizarre area of interest website for us, uh, attain out to one in all us, , you possibly can decide both of us and, uh, simply tell us what you discover. We might like to share it on the podcast. If it is your website, we’ll, uh, , we’ll learn it out and we’ll analyze it slightly bit, similar to we did. So, uh, so there you may have it.

Um, I’ve discovered that we at the moment are within the yr 2024 and we’ve got simply completed our first podcast episode of. 2024, the one we recorded at the very least. And so thanks a lot for tuning in all people and listening into this week in area of interest pursuits information. It has been a pleasure to kick off the yr, uh, with all of you listening.

And thanks, Jared, in fact, for becoming a member of me. It has been a pleasure. Have 

Jared: an awesome weekend, everybody. We’ll see you again right here subsequent Friday.

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