I’ve spent several years scouring the internet for information and testing things out to learn the little bit that I have. I figured it was only right to pass that information on – so that you can use my experience and learn from my mistakes.

How to Display Sample HTML

If you’re looking to write about web design and HTML, you’ve no doubt run into this problem. How do you display sample mark-up that the user can see?

The problem is simple. You want to display the sample markup. The user’s browser wants to render it as actual mark up. You need to come up with something to tell the browser – “Hey, this isn’t supposed to be rendered!”

Here’s an overview of how to do just that.

• Using <xmp> tags for sample HTML
• Presenting Sample HTML in <textarea> boxes
• Escaping Special Characters to Make HTML Display Ready
• Formatting Sample Code Properly

Trackbacks – Remote Commenting on Blogs

The vexing topic of the day: the trackback. What is it? What does it do? How do I use one?

Trackbacks are strange things. Blogs all over the internet have them enabled, but I’d bet a lot of the blog owners don’t have a clue what they are.

So here are a few questions answered to get you started on understanding the trackback.

• What is a trackback and what does it do?
• Do all blogs support trackbacks?
• How can I create a trackback
• Why would I want to create a trackback?

It’s a pretty simple system. You submit your content through an online form – complete with WYSIWYG text editor and document templates. Then you choose whether you want it to be reviewed for upfront payment or published immediately – which means you’ll only earn money with the revenue sharing system (“performance payments” at Associated Content).

How to Submit? Type it Up and Hit the Button.

The submission process is pretty painless. When you log in and click on “Submit Content,” you’ll see a list of different article types. You could select a General Article – which gives you a basic form to fill out, an opportunity to add resource links, and a section to add pictures – or you could choose a special template for news, product reviews, or other articles.

You can also submit other kinds of media besides written articles. Associated Content accepts submissions of video, music, and slideshow content. Some people have carved out a nice niche for themselves submitting short video tutorials and product reviews.

Once you’re content is done, you’ve got a few choices to make.

Anything you submit to Associated Content can be exclusive or non-exclusive. If you make it “exclusive,” you give up the copyright to your work – meaning you can’t publish it elsewhere. If you choose to submit it as a non-exclusive piece, you retain all rights to the work – but any upfront payment may be slightly lower.

To Be Reviewed for Upfront Payment, or No? Generally Choose Yes.

You also need to choose whether or not to have your work reviewed for upfront payment.

Every article that’s posted on Associated Content is eligible for the performance payment – a type of revenue sharing where you earn $1.50 per 1,000 eligible page views. If you submit an article or piece of content and select “Performance Payment Only,” then it will become immediately available – no review process at all.

You could also choose to submit your work for upfront payment – which is one of the best features of Associated Content. In this case, it goes into a queue for a content manager to review.

The review process typically takes a few days – although I’ve had articles approved in just a few hours. If the Content Manager thinks your content is good – i.e. that it will attract visitors – you’ll get an offer sent to you. If not, it gets rejected and you can either revise it and resubmit it, or submit it for performance payment only.

For the most part, you should also submit things for upfront payment – you’d be surprised at what they accept and it’s always nice to get a few extra bucks for your writing.

Skip the Review Process If You Can Capitalize on a Hot Trend

The only time you might want to shy away from that is if you think it’d be better to get the article up right away than waiting two or three days. Maybe you’re trying to game the Google trends.

That’s about all there is to it. Write, submit, and wait. Of course you earn more money if more people read your work – so you can choose to spend time publicizing your articles as well.

Head on over to Associated Content and start writing, or read the next part of this guide – How Much Money Can I Make?