My Day in the Spotlight
Posted: Monday, March 08, 2010
by Bruce Horst
WryteStuff
A few days ago I had an incredible opportunity to talk with a few members of the media with a few representatives from Google. A lot of people read about my excitement in my last article and I appreciate all the well-wishes Ive received. I keep feeling like Im bragging when I talk about the days events, but I keep getting asked about it so I guess I need to write about it publicly.
My ultimate goal is to increase SearchWarps exposure so that SearchWarps popularity increases enough that we can qualify for the Google AdSense revenue sharing program. The minimum threshold to qualify is having at least 100,000 daily page views, though coincidentally, today March 8th will probably be the first day in the history of SearchWarp that we break this threshold. This is completely unrelated to the meetings last week, though.
My biggest concern with a day like this is that I dont come off looking like a complete idiot. Those of you who know me know that I am an introvert and Im dyslexic, so appearing like an idiot is well within the realm of possibility for me. Usually I can bluff my way through social situations though, and I believe I did a pretty good job of bluffing last Thursday.
The day started with me meeting with the Google reps in the lobby of their hotel. There was also a local guy who was experienced in AdWords advertising, so they had a local person to represent both sides, AdWords and AdSense (me.)
We were chauffeured around in a black SUV and the chauffeurs name was James, which I thought was funny since James is the quintessential chauffeur name. He followed us everywhere and waited outside each building for us to return.
The first stop was at the office of a business magazine. After the Google people gave their spiel they then turned it over to me to talk about my web business and my experience with AdSense.
Most successful web sites have a campfire story. This would be like the story that the guy who founded eBay originally was trying to build an auction web site to sell PEZ dispensers for his girlfriend. The campfire story I chose isnt quite as heartwarming, but unlike the eBay story, at least mine is true! Here is my SearchWarp / AdSense campfire story:
" In early 2004 Bruce stumbled onto Google AdSense while working a side job during night shift answering technical support calls. During a break, he decided to place one AdSense advertisement on one of his web sites. When his shift was over and he returned home, he discovered that he had already earned $1.16. He knew his life was about to change. Two months later he received his first Google check and he quit his night job.
Within a year, SearchWarps popularity grew to the point where Bruce couldnt handle it by himself and he hired his first employee. Within two years, the revenue grew to the point where his wife Jean was able to quit her job so that she could help manage the company, and they hired a second employee.
Today there are a total of 7 employees working on SearchWarp.com, with a primary revenue source from Google AdSense.
Bruce says, " Google AdSense has allowed me to offload advertising sales to Google. Now I focus my attention on making the web site as useful and as popular as possible, Google handles the money and sends me a check once a month. What could be better? "
Hows that for heartwarming? Yeah I know, but I think its a great story as far as AdSense is concerned and guess what else? When I went to verify my memory of this story, I discovered that this first day with AdSense was March 4th, 2004 and the day of the media tour was also March 4th! I got to tell this story on the sixth anniversary of it occurring. I think in my household I will officially make this date Google Day.
The next stop was downtown Houston at the headquarters of the local paper. We were about an hour early, so we had some time to kill.
Funny thing was that about a month ago Jean and I needed to get out of the house so we decided to go downtown to find an observation deck that we heard was located in one of the bank buildings downtown. We ended up spending about a half-hour there and then walking around the corner to a restaurant on street level. As with most major cities, most of the people who live in the suburbs of Houston dont know anything about downtown. The newspaper building I was visiting last Thursday is halfway between the building with the observation deck and the restaurant, so due to the odd set of circumstances, I was familiar with the area. I described the observation deck to the others and suggested that we kill some time by checking it out. I could tell that the others were impressed that I was so familiar with downtown Houston. I felt like such a man of the World! Sure glad Jean and I were bored a month ago.
The meeting with the newspaper reporters went great. At one point during the discussion I referenced an article which appeared that day in the New York Times, and one of the reporters had read that article too. This really made me look like I was well-read. I guess I am!
Afterwards one of the reporters said that he was most interested in doing a story on SearchWarp. I sure hope it happens.
After leaving the building the Google reps offered to buy us lunch anywhere we wanted. We started walking toward the SUV with the chauffeur holding the door open for us when I suggested that we go to Cabo, the restaurant that Jean and I visited earlier the month before. They agreed, so as I walked past the chauffeur I said, " Not today, James, I think well walk. " I never thought I could appropriately speak those words in my lifetime, but there it was!
After lunch I got to pick the brains of the Google reps about the AdSense revenue sharing program. I know I wont get any special treatment, but it sure is nice to have someone to speak to on the inside.
There you have it. By itself it was an odd day, but I hope someday Ill be able to look back and say it was an important part of the success of SearchWarp. It was a great day for me personally!
This Article has been viewed 678 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
More commentsI'm glad you shared it with us! I'd be thrilled also. SW is a part of my day, almost every day, and I am excited to see it growing.Thanks Lorrie, and thanks for being part of the campfire story!
Platitudes seem insufficient, although I mean them all. There is a greatness in you, which I hope you will allow to live. I am honored to be even a small part of SearchWarp. Congratulations- EllaWow, thanks Ella. We're honored that you're a part of SearchWarp too.
Hi Bruce,As a tiny part of SW, I am proud of you and Google's attention for your outstanding work.This is like having a booster injection and suddenly lots of sunshine smiling at our faces.Congrats again !HildaThanks Hilda, this was like a booster injection for me!
Hallo Bruce! We have sort of met, in that you joined my fan club - for which thank you, I've never had a fan club before! I'm new to SearchWarp, and just read your articles about your day of triumph. It gave me goose bumps and really made my day! Loads of congratulations! I shall now go and join your fan club...Welcome to SearchWarp, Jennifer. And thanks for being a fan!
Hi Bruce.As a fellow introvert, I know how hard it is to bust out of that box. But for sure, you busted one! Glad it was fun too.DianneThanks Dianne, it was indeed a lot of fun.
Google is the newest Monopoly.... has not anyone else noticed this yet... 80% of search engine traffic last month... they done a great job of conquering the internet... but, having one source controling this much information is WAY out of control... talk about BIG BROTHER. I see a break up coming...Yeah, I know there are arguments to be made for this. The problem is that usually to qualify as a monopoly the business has got to have an unfair advantage preventing customers from switching to a competitor. Switching search engines is as easy as a few clicks of the mouse, so it's hard to say they have an monopoly on Internet search.Thanks for the comments.
Very interesting story Bruce. I hope you took the opportunity to extract as much techy google information from them as you can!!
Thanks for the insights on Google and your support of all the SearchWarp authors.
Very interesting story Bruce, of how search warp all began and how it has grown through the years. I know the site has really improved since I became a member in '05
Wish I had a camp fire story like that to tell. Bruce you deserved that time in the spotlight, may you for a long time to come forever be in it. People who work with websites will know for a site to be a success a lot of hard work would have to go in to it to make it popular. Of course Searchwarp already being a successful site tells us how much time and effort you put in to make it so, so yes I was right to say you deserved this dayKeep wellKacy
More comments
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.