If you are a blogger or online business owner, chances are good that you have at the very least caught a fleeting glance of the letters SOPA over the past few months. SOPA, or the Stop Online Piracy Act, is something I had thought – and hoped – would die quickly. It hasn’t. It’s chugging right along. And, apparently those that are paid to learn how a bill will impact their constituents are killing time on Twitter rather than paying attention…

I don’t usually discuss politics here. But, I know that many are not paying much attention to what this bill actually entails. If you are a blogger, an online business owner, or a regular user of the web, you need to educate yourself about this one. It may sound good wrapped in that pretty little bow about stopping piracy, but there is much more in this package.

Important Details to Note

SOPA and Protect-IP will have a serious impact on start-up sites, but the big ones are in real danger as well. Sites you may use regularly – Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Reddit, Flickr, Etsy, Twitter – could be blocked by the government for linking to copyrighted information. ~ Matador

This bill calls for no due process for sites that are accused. You will not have the opportunity to state your case.

SOPA, as proposed, would give unprecedented remedies to owners of intellectual property.  While protection of intellectual property is important, to allow overbroad and ill-considered remedies and processes such as those contained within SOPA threatens the very freedom that serves as the foundation of the Internet. ~ Namecheap

And, it is just not enough that you wake up one morning and find your website blacklisted. Oh no. You may not be able to access your money:

the US could shut down websites and also go after the companies that support them technically or through payment systems, such as Paypal. ~ Care2

The Internet giants are concerned enough about this bill, and the lack of awareness from consumers, that they are considering a collective, temporary blackout on their sites. If you think this blackout would not impact your daily life as an online entrepreneur, let’s look at the big players here: The NetCoalition is made up of AOL, eBay, Facebook, foursquare, Google, IAC, Linkedin, Mozilla, OpenDNS, PayPal, Twitter, Wikipedia, Yahoo! and the Zynga Game Network.

I don’t know about you, but that makes me take notice. If I woke up tomorrow and just a couple of these sites were making a political stance with a blackout –  nonetheless all of them collectively – my earning potential for the day has went down the toilet.

What to Do?

Head on over to Stop American Censorship and start working through list. Protect yourself. Educate yourself. Your elected representative may be playing on Twitter… a site he may no longer have access to if he passes this bill.  I wonder if he heard that part. Oy.

The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a great time to start tying up loose business ends. Here is a home business end of year checklist to help you end this year on the right foot, and start the next with a bang.

Follow-Up with Potential Advertisers or Clients – You likely have a few emails in your inbox from potential advertisers or clients that you haven’t heard back from after sending a proposal. Take a few minutes to send a follow-up inquiring about their current interest in working together. Sometimes people just forget. You may be surprised what a little reminder will do. If they are not interested right now, put their info in your Leads database and move on to the next.

Write Down Payments to Push Through – If you are like me, you likely have quite a few places that require you to manually push through your payment. This may be ad networks, micro-job sites, companies that pay you a commission for referrals, etc. I tend to forget about these places. Now is a good time to write down a reminder to push through these payments by the end of the year. Get those cleaned up, and get that cash in your pocket.

Last Minute Investments – Take a minute to run your Profit and Loss Statement. If it is ideal to make a few last minute investments for this year’s tax return, time is running out. If there is a big investment you wanted to make before the end of the year, you may find it is best to wait until January. Take some time to look things over or contact your accountant to ensure you are sitting pretty come March.

Review Your 2010 Goals – Where did you end up? Where you way off the mark, or right on target? Now is a good time to start thinking about next year’s goals. In order to do that, you need to see what’s working and what’s not now.

Get Organized – We will have a few long weekends over the next month and a half. Get your workspace back into working order. Get those financials filed away for tax time. Delete those emails still in your inbox from last January. Do something with piles on your desk. Start the New Year off clean, organized and productive.

What’s in your year-end home business checklist?

P.S. If you missed out on HostGator’s Black Friday sale, they have re-opened it for today only. There is still time to get your hosting at 50% off. Today is also the last day for $5 domains from GoDaddy.

Google+ Pages were made available to the public yesterday. Here is a quick video with step-by-step instructions on how to set up a Google+ Page and add a badge to your website or blog.

Every month I take a few minutes to jot down my blog traffic stats. I can then do a quick analysis as to whether my blogs are moving in the right direction. I can also see if there are any areas of concern. My blog stats for last month had a lot to say…Primarily, ”Boy you’ve been lazy.”

It wasn’t that there was a huge downfall in my traffic numbers. In fact, my traffic was up for the most part across the board. One of my blogs was up almost 300%. What’s there to be concerned about? Let me tell ya…

Traffic Sources

StumbleUpon and I have been doing a little dance for most of this year with one little post. The traffic spike was exhilarating. But, you know how I roll. I spent a few months seeing if I could replicate that fluke. When that didn’t happen, I spent a few months watching to see what impact that traffic had on reaching my real goals. My goal online is not to woo PR firms. That is not what a single one of my sites is about. So the overall traffic numbers are not so important to me. What is important is that new visitors come back again, and they are interested in building a relationship long-term. That just didn’t happen with SU traffic. These visitors are primarily just browsing and killing time. Even though my bounce rate from SU is not high (I went back and internally linked the heck out of that magical post), it isn’t doing much for my overall success. That love affair has ended, and I would be perfectly okay seeing another site takes its place in my stats.

Search traffic is another thing I pay close attention to. Last month these numbers rose. Search traffic on one site rose another 16%. This was good as I was worried there may be a little faltering with that site. However, another site was at 89% of its traffic coming from search. Whoa! A certain sector of the online world would likely be thrilled with this. “You did it! Just sit back, relax now and keep pumping it full of keywords.” But, I’m weird I guess. When you are relying on any one thing around here, whether it is a traffic source or a single source of income, it makes me a little concerned. We all know search engine algorithms can change in the blink of an eye. And, they oftentimes make mistakes. I won’t depend on 90% of my traffic coming from search long-term. The traffic numbers can keep increasing here, but that percentage needs a little intervention.

What I didn’t see in here was traffic from comments. Why? Because I have been lazy, and there is really no excuse for it. I read numerous blogs daily. If I read it and had something to add, there is no reason not to leave a comment. Comments used to be a big traffic source for me when I first started blogging. There is no reason they shouldn’t be now. But, I have become complacent. As others have started promoting my blogs more, apparently I didn’t think I needed to. That’s just wrong.

There were quite a few blogs that linked to my content last month in my top referrers. That is one thing that cooled my jets a bit. The key here is not to become lazy with content. I also need to get out there and guest post more often. That was lacking last month, as well. Bad blogger…

What did your blog traffic stats say about you last month?

As opposed to a brick and mortar business where expenses are relatively easy to calculate, freelance businesses have a hard time figuring out the value of their time and services provided. For most, freelancing means flexible working hours and being their own boss. For others, particularly women, it is a means to contribute to the monthly budget while staying at home with the kids. However, self employment also has some drawbacks.

Many people assume that working from home is easier than having to work for an employer. Under this misconception, freelancers undervalue their services and thus time, and find themselves in a quarry where the long working hours don’t pay enough to cover their time and expenses. In the initial excitement of launching a home-based business, contractors grossly underestimate their expenses.

The first issue to address is that self employment does not cover medical insurance and other benefits that are taken for granted in a typical employer-employee setting. Taxes have to be paid, and leaves to account for. The best way to tabulate decent returns on your business is by conjuring up a net figure that you expect to take home at the end of each year. Remember, it has to be realistic – not too much or too little. If you are unsure of what your qualifications and experience are worth, research online for the amount professionals in your field make on an annual basis.

To the above figure, add your expenses: taxes, medical coverage, insurance and costs related to running the business which include marketing, electricity, stationary, bad debts, rent etc. These overheads may be unique to every situation. Don’t forget to add wages for staff members to this figure.

This will give you your Total Revenue figure – the amount that you need to collect every year to pay your salary and profits as well as meet other expenditures. This figure is your numerator.

The next step is to calculate the number of hours you expect to work in a week. Lay down the rules for yourself, since many freelancers lack discipline and work fewer hours than they originally anticipated. This is because there are plenty of distractions around the house ranging from kids, the refrigerator and procrastination. A home-office is a wise investment and it should be preferably in a quiet corner of the house. Ideally, a serious freelancer should be able to work 40 hours a week. Instead of multiplying this figure by 52, the number of weeks in a year, it is recommended to use 48 hours as a standard to account for holidays and sick leaves etc.

Most of the work is done at this stage. However, there is certainly some downtime expected for a freelancer as you have to spend a few hours searching for clients and pursuing new leads. Thus, as a rule of thumb, subtract 15 to 20% of your working hours to arrive at your total billable hours for the year. This figure will be your denominator.

The last step is to divide the Total Revenue figure with the number of billable hours in a year to arrive at the hourly rate. Remember, it may seem a bit high at first, but it is a realistic figure that will help you stay afloat. Many new freelancers are excited by the opportunity and start low, intending to charge higher as they establish their name in the market; but it is not easy to do so, once you build repute for giving away your services for free.

Author Bio: Anum S. writes on behalf of InvestmentAdvice.org, your source for clear and concise advice on money matters!

Recently, a survey came out with some startling information. 50% of small business owners don’t use social media marketing at all! Is your home business struggling to generate the profits, client following or goals that you set for yourself? Instead of waiting for your next big customer to come to you, consider social media marketing as a great opportunity to increase your home business beyond all expectations. Whether or not you have had any experience with Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, there are countless ways to market yourself online, connect with current and future customers and solicit yourself respectfully. Here’s how.

For Starters, Say Thanks!

So, you have your business goals for the year lined up but don’t know quite how to accomplish them? Begin to generate higher revenue by thinking – and thanking – your current customers for their loyalty. Send a mass email to them thanking them for their loyalty in you and your product, and then allow them to leave feedback. Connect them to your Facebook page, offer links to your new Twitter account where you can post daily, motivational and newsy information on your latest product and remind them that you’re making changes to make your home business even more beneficial for their needs.

Introduce Your New Product

The first trick of social media that you’ll need to learn is grasping what it’s all about. Connecting with customers online can be a challenge, and if your home business is set up with a website and social media network, you may wonder how to become more visible on the web and get your product out there! The goal is this: connect with as many organizations, individuals and companies as you can by introducing them to your new product. If your home business is selling mops, let them know firsthand about the latest model you just designed that will make those spills and stains come out easier than ever before. Are you a business coach and want to know how to beat your competition? Send out a monthly newsletter to customers with free motivational tips, the latest news on current affairs and developments in your area with different fields of interest. By starting a dialogue with free information for your clients, they will quickly see that you stand out from the rest.

Rely on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

If you haven’t gotten yourself a Facebook or Twitter page, now’s the time (and frankly, your home business can’t afford not to.) Facebook has over 500 million users worldwide and Twitter is a free way to market yourself by short messages your followers can read to stay connected to you and your latest product. Make sure to invite each and every customer to your Facebook page, as well as offering your Facebook link in each e-newsletter, email or mailed brochure you send. The more people you have on your Facebook page, the more response you will generate. Improve your social network even more by establishing a LinkedIn page. This will connect you to other business professionals, help you to generate leads and improve your online visibility. Lastly, don’t get overwhelmed by the Twitter movement! Instead, use it to your advantage by connecting daily with your customers. Over time, as you develop more fans through your social network, you’ll see your profits increase and your business goals met.

Author Bio: Ethan S. writes on behalf of AmazingDomains.co.uk. Buy a domain name, and watch your business explode!

With the onset of the internet age, it is more possible than ever for people to work from home. The internet is a hub and a hotbed for a wide variety of freelance work, projects, businesses and other work at home opportunities. There is income to be made via websites, blogging, product reviews and affiliate programs. It is easier than ever for independent contractors to connect with clients worldwide via the web. Many businesses and large corporations also offer the opportunity for their workers to telecommute.

There are certainly many obvious benefits to “being your own boss” and working from home. For one, there is no longer a need to drive to the workplace! One need only shuffle from the bedroom to the computer, and the “commute” is complete. It is wonderful to avoid spending the time in traffic and experiencing the stress of a drive to and from an outside workplace. There can also be a significant savings in gas money and wear and tear on your vehicle.

Other cost benefits include not having to invest in a particular wardrobe of clothing for the workplace. Working for yourself also frees you from exposure to “office politics,” and there is no more danger of having to deal with difficult co-workers or “toxic bosses.”

However, there are also certain challenges that can come along with maintaining a home based workplace. After one has worked at home for awhile, it’s possible that a certain amount of boredom might set in. If your work is in any way repetitive, the monotony can be draining. If one works alone, there might also be periods of loneliness or social isolation. Despite the stresses of a workplace with multiple people, there is the opportunity there for regular social interaction and bonding with compatible people. These opportunities are not as readily available when one works from home.

Despite these pitfalls, there are things you can do to make the most of working at home. Here are the top 10 tips for making your work at home experience a productive and enjoyable one:

1. Create a separate, defined space where your work is done. If possible, face your desk toward a window. Keep your work area free of clutter, and include a plant or two in your decor.

2. Schedule your work times when your energy is best for the task. For example, many people prefer to do bookkeeping or other detail-oriented work first thing in the morning, when the mind is fresh.

3. If there are others in the household, set boundaries to avoid interruptions while working.

4. Keep an organized, prioritized, up-to-date To-Do list.

5. Set short and long term goals for productivity and stick to them.

6. Discipline yourself NOT to check e-mail excessively or surf the web recreationally, except on breaks.

7. Get a “productivity buddy.” Check in regularly and hold each other accountable for your To-Do lists.

8. Need a change of scenery? Most coffee shops and many restaurants have free Wi-Fi. If your task list allows, work at another location at least once or twice a week. (Use noise-canceling headphones if needed.)

9. Schedule lunches, coffee breaks or other social time out with friends several times a week. The meetings can be work-related or purely social.

10. Appreciate — take time to feel and express gratitude that you have such a flexible work life!

Nicole Rodgers has been blogging in the finance, entrepreneur, and technology fields for three years. When Nicole set up her home office she also set up a business voip so she never misses a call even when she is out of the office. Whenever Nicole finds something to interesting about new technology she likes to start a website and blog about it.