I'm Shutting Down Content Goblin - A Post Mortem
I've made the difficult decision to shut down my SaaS Content Goblin. It's no longer financially viable for me to keep running the software. Content Goblin was my tool to generate image…
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How Traffic Smash Works
I made a short video to explain to you how my new SEO ranking service works. Check it out below.
📈New Google SEO Rank Hack
Hey there, John here. You probably signed up for my list from X or from some of my tools. I’m still cooking on my Facebook pages and I’ve launched a new product…
I Hit $1k This Month on Facebook
Hey there, It’s been a while since I’ve updated you on my experiments and progress. If you don’t remember, you probably signed up for my newsletter from my Journey Explorer Tool. I…
Can we vibe code to $10k per month?
What’s up, everyone? Welcome back to Traffic Alchemy, where I share my attempts to build and monetize websites, apps, and social media pages. I’ve been on an extended hiatus, but I plan…
Undetectable AI Review: Can It Bypass AI Detectors Effectively?
In 2025, as AI-generated content dominates online writing, tools designed to detect AI-written text have become crucial. This honest review explores Undetectable.ai, a leading AI humanizer promising to bypass AI detectors by…
What is Vibe Coding? AI-assisted coding with tools are taking over!
Vibe coding is a new kind of coding introduced by AI researcher Andrej Karpathy in 2025. It leverages AI-assisted coding tools to allow users, even those who aren't traditional programmers, to write…
Best AI Pinterest Pin Generator to Automate Your Pinterest Marketing
Looking for a Pinterest pin generator to effortlessly create eye-catching, visually appealing pins? Content Goblin, an AI-powered Pinterest pin generator, helps you automate your Pinterest marketing strategy, saving you time and helping…
I cut off part of my finger
So, there I was, remodeling my basement, cutting drywall, when my razor knife slipped. One second, I’m measuring twice; the next, I’m down a piece of my finger. Next, you know I’m…
Good news, I got fired 🔥
Hey there, many of you are new to Traffic Alchemy and probably joined to try my Journey Explorer tool. I share about my experience trying to make money online using content sites,…
Want to see how site owners are landing $7k+ sponsorships?
I wanted to share something interesting my friends Lindsay and Tony are doing with website sponsorships. They have this system that's helping niche site owners tap into a revenue stream most of…
4 steps I've taken on the path to $3k/month
If you weren’t aware, I started a challenge to grow a dead SEO site to $3k monthly in 2025. I started growing the site in the first few days of 2025. Below,…
Growing a Pinterest site to $3,000 per month in 2025
Hey everyone, it’s John here. As you know, I like to send updates on my work to earn income from websites and social media to the Traffic Alchemy community. Today, I’m announcing…
Content Goblin is in the wild!
Hey, everyone. It’s John here. Today, I’m very excited to announce the launch of the tool I have been working on: Content Goblin. Content Goblin: Generate 20 sections with 20 images in…
BlackFriday Deals for Content Goblins
Oh no, it’s another episode of Traffic Alchemy, where I share tips, tricks, and failures of building and monetizing websites and social media pages. This week is heavy on black Friday deals…
My New Content Automation Tool
Hey Content Goblins, I sent a video last week showing Jesse Cuningham’s thoughts on my new aptly named tool: Content Goblin. How I Automate Website Content Optimized for Pinterest and Facebook Here’s…
Generate 20 images, in 20 seconds, for 20 Cents
Hey there, Content Goblins! I have something to share with you. It’s a tool I’ve been working on for a while, and its name is quite fitting for you. I haven’t been…
Are you leaving money on the table?
Hi Content Goblins, welcome back to Traffic Alchemy, where I share tips on monetizing websites and social media pages. This week, I have a tip for increasing Amazon earnings by up to…
I’m Back! Facebook Growth, Pinterest Progress & Free Tools
Traffic Alchemy is back with another email about trying to turn traffic into gold. But first, quick reminder of what we're about: I share my real experiments in building and monetizing websites…
He Made How Much from Pinterest?
Welcome new members of the Traffic Alchemy mailing list! In these emails, I talk about my experiments making money online. I’ve done everything from affiliate marketing, to SEO, to ad arbitrage, and…
I'm changing the niche of my Facebook page
What’s up content goblins? Today I’m going to talk about my latest experiment: attempting to pivot a Facebook page to a new and unrelated niche. I’ll reveal the page url below. Why…
Flash Sale on this AI Content Tool!
One of the AI tools that I used to create content for my websites is having a flash sale today. You can save 40% on Koala.sh yearly subscriptions. This deal ends on…
Who Actually Uses Pinterest?
Pinterest is a unique social media platform that allows users to discover, save, and share ideas and inspirations through images and videos, known as "pins." This document explores the diverse demographics and…
The tool I've been using to generate social content in seconds
Here’s a new YouTube video for you hot of the press. Today, I’ll talk about the tool I use to generate social media content in seconds. This type of content is great…
How I generate listicles for social media in less than a minute
I'm excited to share with you a tool I've been developing to create engaging articles quickly. It’s designed to help generate high-quality content with images and descriptions in just a few seconds.…
Spy on your competition using my new tool
Spy on your competition using my new tool I created a new tool for you all called the “Journey by Mediavine Explorer”. This tool shows which sites were onboarded to the ad…
Oops! You don't currently have a live Facebook page attached to your account. Please update your account or apply using an alternative social media option
This post is just a super quick tip to help if you get this error when applying to the Amazon Influencer program. The Amazon Influencer program is separate from the Amazon Associates…
One Way to Find Popular Pinterest Topics
One key to success on Pinterest is finding topics that resonate with Pinterest's users. Lucky for us, Pinterest has a native tool that can help with this. The audience insights tool provides…
Google Is Hunting AI Content
Whether Google cares about AI content or not has been a topic of debate. Their search rater guidelines, which are a document used by humans to evaluate the search results and provide…
Experimenting with Pinterest Traffic
I've started experimenting with growing a Pinterest page to send traffic to my website and monetize it using display ads. This post will be pretty high-level, but I intend to share more…
Major Setback - Last Health Update
I started a series in which I planned to post updates related to addressing my poor state of health. I've decided that I will no longer post health updates. I don't think…
Week 4 Health Update
Today, I will give a short update on my challenge to be in the best shape of my life by 40. I'm Down 1.4 Pounds This Week This week, I'm down 1.4…
Week 3 Health Update
If you haven't been following, I've challenged myself to get into the best shape of my life by age 40. I think I will post a weekly update every Sunday on my…
I'm in the Worst Shape of My Life
I turned 38 on February 7th, 2024. I weighed in at 348lbs with a slew of health issues. Safe to say, I'm in the worst shape I have ever been. I recently…
Build-in-Public – Episode 26 - Final Episode
Starting today, I have reached the end of my 30-day challenge. While I did miss three days near the end due to my dog being sick and prepping for a vacation, I…
Build-in-Public – Episode 25 - SERP Rank Position Update
I'm on day 25 of my 30-day challenge, and things are progressing well. My rank and rent strategy is showing positive signs with four targeted keywords landing in favorable positions. I achieved…
Build-in-Public – Episode 24 - Tips for Spying on Ad Networks
Today marks day 24 of my 30-day challenge. Exciting updates have come out about Google's latest strategic move involving AI-generated content. Initially, Google was hesitant to include AI content in search results.…
Build-in-Public - Episode 23 - My WordPress Plugin
Over the past few weeks, much progress has been made on various projects. The focus today includes an update on the 30-day challenge and insights into a WordPress plugin development journey. The…
Build-in-Public – Episode 22 - Front Page Monopoly
I’m back with an update on day 22 of our 30-day challenge. The rankings for both the parasites and the Rent and Rank site are moving in the right direction. There’s some…
Build-in-Public – Episode 21 - Quick Ranking Update
Today marks the 21st day of my 30-day challenge, and I'm happy to share some progress and updates. In the effort to improve the rank and rent site, positive movements have been…
Build-in-Public – Episode 20 - Google Search Update
He finds himself at the 20th day of a challenging month-long endeavor, marking tremendous progress. Despite the bustling days, his son's birthday was a joyous occasion filled with gifts and excitement for…
Build-in-Public – Episode 19 - Rank N Rent Tracking
I’m on day 19 of my video series, and today is a little different. It’s my son's eighth birthday, and we’re planning a celebration with his cousins. I’m trying to keep up…
Build-in-Public – Episode 18 - Google and Reddit Deal
Google recently announced a unique partnership with Reddit, where they are investing $60 million annually to gain API access to Reddit's data for training AI models. Interestingly, this partnership was disclosed shortly…
Build-in-Public – Episode 17 – My Favorite WordPress Plugins
I’m on Day 17 of my 30-day challenge and wanted to share a quick update. Yesterday, I bid on a domain name that turned out to be a bit too pricey for…
Build-in-Public – Episode 16 – Expired Domain Auctions
As we move past the halfway point in our 30-day challenge, I've been keeping up with creating a video each day. Today, I'll take you through the steps of buying an expired…
Build-in-Public – Episode 15 – New Parasite and Link Shortener Tip
Reaching the halfway point of my 30-day challenge, I find myself feeling a bit sore from getting back into a regular gym routine. Despite my fatigue, I'm dedicated to creating content every…
Build-in-Public – Episode 14 – Parasite Updates
Day 14 of the 30-day building in public challenge has been a busy one. I've received a few questions on my videos that I’m excited to address. To start, a big shoutout…
Build-in-Public – Episode 13 – Keyword Research
Today, I will be diving into the world of keyword research, a topic suggested by my friend Randy. Randy asked me to explore different tools for keyword research and discuss strategies to…
Build-in-Public - Episode 12 - Selling Feet Pics and Spying on the Competition
I'm on day 12 of my 30-day challenge and have covered a lot so far. Building a WordPress site is straightforward; let me know if you want a more detailed walkthrough. Today,…
Build-in-Public - Episode 11 - Can't Hurt Me
Creating an article using AI-generated content can be quite rewarding if executed properly. Recently, I wrote an AI parasite article and decided to invest in a paid post to see its ranking…
Build-in-Public - Episode 10 - Setting Up WordPress
Creating a website might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. I have found that starting with WordPress makes the process straightforward. By using tools like Local for…
Build-in-Public - Episode 9 - Affiliate Networks
Affiliate marketing is a way to earn by promoting someone else's products. When someone buys something through your recommendation, you get a commission. Sometimes, it's based on sales, and other times it’s…
Build-in-Public - Episode 8 - Social Media Traffic
Building a successful online presence requires diverse strategies, especially in today's shifting digital landscape. I’ve been focusing on improving my rank and rent strategy, currently securing a place around position six. The…
Build-in-Public - Episode 7 - Niche Sites
Building a successful website can be a complex task, but breaking it into steps makes it manageable. It's been a week since starting the 30-day challenge on building a "rank and rent"…
Build-in-Public - Episode 6 - Sneaky Backlinks
I'm on day six of my 30-day challenge and feeling pretty tired today. Just rolled out of bed, and I'm wearing my favorite pepperoni roll shirt. Growing up in West Virginia, pepperoni…
Build-in-Public – Episode 5 – The Million Dollar Weekend
Hey everyone, welcome back. This is the fifth episode of my 30-day challenge where I've been working on my local Rank and Rent project. I've got some updates for you, but let's…
Build-in-Public - Episode 4 - Programmtic SEO
Building websites using programmatic SEO involves creating numerous templated pages that leverage backend data to display unique content on each page. This method allows for large-scale site generation without the need to…
Build-in-Public – Episode 3- Rank N Rent
Building websites can be a great way to make money online. Over the next few days, I'll discuss various strategies for doing this effectively. Today, I'm particularly excited to talk about a…
Build-in-Public - Episode 2 - Affiliate Partnership and a Little Bit About Parasite SEO
Embarking on the second day of building in public, it's a journey fraught with both excitement and exhaustion. With the added motivation of a birthday celebration, turning 38 feels like a milestone…
Build-in-Public - Episode 1
John is diving into a new venture by building products and businesses in public. Inspired by the success stories of others on social media and YouTube, he aims to document his journey…
2023 Mid-Year WordPress Plugin Update
I cannot believe that we're already halfway through 2023. I made a post about my plans for 2023 back in January. I thought it would be a good time to give an…
My 2022 Recap and 2023 Plans
I haven't been posting to my blog that often, but I wanted to recap 2022 and lay out some of my plans for 2023. Overall, 2022 was a pretty good year for…
How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Way We Live
I spent some time working for an AI chatbot company for a few years. Another company, OpenAI, recently launched a demo of it's GPT-3 technology. I was quite impressed and interested since…
Amazon Associates Affiliate Program
Amazon Associates is one of the most popular affiliate programs around. Affiliate programs generally pay you when a user of your website commits some type of action. This might be a certain…
Building Real Assets on the Web
Wow, it's been way too long since I've posted anything on this blog. I feel like that's about how I start every post. Today I read a great post by Nathan Barry…
Reflections on the Past Few Years
I have really neglected this blog over the past few years. I'd really like to post more often but I've been dealing with some personal issues that haven't helped. The end of…
Regular Expression Converter for Watson Explorer Engine
Sometimes it's useful to extract data from a Watson Explorer content node using regular expressions. In this post, I'll show you how to extract data using a regular expression and create a…
Building a Business Around a 3rd Party API
Today I read an interesting post on HackerNews about a price comparison site, PriceZombie, being kicked out of the Amazon Associates program. The Amazon Associates program is Amazon's affiliate network. Amazon pays…
Tracking Ad Blockers Using Google Analytics
If you've read any of my older posts you probably know that I've been involved in internet advertising, in some form, for a long time now. Lately I've been seeing more and…
The Best WordPress Email Plugin
Thinking about adding a WordPress email plugin to your site? One of the most power marketing tools that anyone publishing online can take advantage of is email marketing. According to the Direct…
Are Products the Road to Prosperity?
A few weeks ago a wrote a somewhat popular post about my past experiences trying to make money online. I went through the ups and downs of working as an affiliate promoting…
Setup A Life You Don't Need to Escape From
I waste too much time online, especially on social networks like Facebook. I saw a quote the other day from Seth Godin: Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you…
Going Full-time as a Work from Home Employee
The office I work out of is running out of space. A few weeks ago I was asked if I wanted to give up my desk to become a full-time remote employee.…
Overcoming the Anxiety of Publishing Online
You know the feeling. You've just spent a small chunk of your life writing a blog post. As you slowly scroll to the right, your mouse hovers over the publish button. With…
Make Money Online: Documenting 10 Years of Failure
This is the history of my experience trying to make money online over the past 10 years or so. This is by far the longest post I've ever personally written and it's…
One AdSense Change Dramatically Increased My Earnings...
... and I have no idea what it is. I used to blog actively on my tutorial site, TeamTutorials. In it's prime the site would see over 100k page views per month.…
Hello world!
Wow, it's been a few years since I've actually blogged regularly. To the point that I actually killed my old blog and don't think it would be valuable to revive it. So…