Surviving in the Southamerican Jungle
My nickname is Francesc, my real name is Francisco Lastra. I’m 18, I live in Chile, Southamerica and this is my story.
Yep, that’s my continent 
“Make money”, that is what I’m doing but I would call it “Ganar dinero”, the same word but in my language, Spanish. You see lots of people making money these days, all of course speak English. Making money in another language is completely different.
I started blogging about 2 years ago with my personal blog (by the way, with $0 on my pocket and only 16 years). In the first few moments I just wrote, I never thought about making money. Then I realized that making money was possible, so I started to try. First AdSense, then AdBrite and finally all kinds of ads systems.
None gave me a decent amount of money, Why? Because all these systems are made for English sites. Yes, some work with different languages, but never as good as in English sites. A lots of non-English bloggers start to write in English because it’s more profitable. But I didn’t.
So, how I managed to make money in my language? I innovate. My site by that time (a year ago) was already getting decent traffic, and making some money. Not much, but the enough amount to start new projects. In August of 2008 I created my second blog, called Alternativas AdSense (AdSense Alternatives). A blog where I analize systems that compete with AdSense.
First I use the system to be reviewed on my personal blog. Then, based on my experience, I write if the system would work on a site in Spanish. My blog it’s unique in its kind among blogs in Spanish, that why it’s getting good traffic. Of course, I make money by referring people to the system. I’ve analized over 30 ads systems, this is only a screenshot of one of them:
I’m really happy with that blog. I make money helping my people, because I understand that it’s hard to find a good ads system that works for a site in Spanish.
A month ago I launched another blog called Juan Cash, about making money… in Spanish. The site is getting famous very quickly, in just a few weeks I’ve reached over 110 subscribers. Today I recieved an email that reflects it (the original mail is in Spanish of course):
Hello, I’m just writing to congratulate you for how you have managed this “make money on internet” topic by implementing things such as surveys, newsletters, seminars and more. The truth is that very original for Hispanics. Greetings!
As you can see the word “make money” doesn’t apply only to the English market. You can take that phrase and maybe change it to पैसे कमाने, tjene penger, zaraditi, tehdä rahaa, or whatever your language is. I did that with success and I’m only a chilean-catalonian guy that started with nothing but a blog.
If you think that the English market in the only way to go, it’s ok, I’m just telling you that is possible to make money successfully (I’m currently making about $600-$1,000 monthly) if you innovate your language blogsophere like I did.
I don’t normally comment on blogs but your post was a real call to action. Thank you for a great read, I will be sure to bookmark your site and check in now and again.
Great Story and congratulations to you. If only I spoke another language
wohohoho, it is absolutely interests me to do more. you have got it, bud!
This is interesting story. As English is not my native language as well, this story is inspiring.
Actually, non-english market is not saturated and offers plenty of opportunities to innovate for any one of us who’s not a native English speakers.
Make Money …I like It
interesting, thanks for sharing the success case.
my site turkish language and english language blogging. ben yine de buna katılmıyorum ama çok saçma geldi bana.
Hey Francisco Lastra.. you have done a good job bro!
Very inspiring to non-english bloggers.
Francesc should say that he actually got banned from Adsense. That’s what happened – he even wrote about it (with little detail) in his blog.
Juan Cash is a mere copycat of John Chow. Not very innovative.
Every successful marketer out there will tell you to find something that is working and copy the concept. Emulating someone who is successful
may not be innovative, but it is certainly smart.
Perhaps you would like to share some of your innovative or
successful ideas, rather than just expressing insults.
Frankly, an 18 year old regardless of the language they speak who has taken
action to make money online is quite impressive and inspirational.
Thanks for replying. I think I know this guy (I don’t know why he uses female names now). He is just jelous about my little success, too bad.
This great story only confirms what many siply refuse to realize that are seeking success from the web. When the excuses fade away, it’s the people who take action and DO that always make it.
Amazing! This story Was REAL inspirated on my indonesian blog! Nice! Very Nice!
man where did you find that 4 sponsors on your webpage
Those are his own sites.
Francesc done a great job within such a small age with non-english speaking background.
Francesc, good work!
You are younger than 90% of us and make 1000 bucks!
You are great!
si,es possible. Vivo en Espana, pero no hablo mucho espanol. Estoy Ingles.
Tengo Directory of Costa Blanca. Es muy neuvo, pero espero que ti l’amo
Great post Francesc. I think this is a wake up call for us English-speaking bloggers. This gives me an idea: maybe I can start a foreign language blog and see what happens. It surely can’t hurt to try. If the money is out there, why not go after it!
Very interesting story, and this will encourage many people to start their new blog.
Very inspiring story, and encourage me a lot.
One thing you can ALL use is the Global Translator plugin for word press.
With this plugin, your blog will be instantly translated into over 30 languages.
Every post becomes 30 posts in the native language and it’s all picked up in the search engines when you combine it with XML Sitemap plugin.
Now you’ll get tons of pages listed into the search engines based on real language translations.
You can see an example of this plugin in action at http://jeffmills.com and also http://trafficmills.com.
Then, to monetize it, you use PPC and set up separate campaigns for certain countries only and use the native language in the ads and point all traffic to the specificly translated page on your blog that the translator created.
I can promise you all… hardly any if ANYONE really is using this technique.
Jeff Mills
Jeff – very useful tip – hadn’t thought of that one. Looks like I’ll be downloading the translation plugin today and getting it on some of my blogs.
Yeah, so interesting, thanks for sharing that success story! It really motivated….
Wow, blogging is really becoming popular everywhere. I’m sure we’ll see more affiliate programs tailored to Spanish and other language markets.
I think it’s wonderful, you persevered towards your goal.
Those who do not make money on the web, should take a leaf out of your book.
noviorbis
Ola!
Muy beuno!
OK, I’m out of Spanish – but very cool to see that other languages are much less crowded and competitive.
I’m wondering how I can use my smattering of Spanish and French to advantage?
LOL, with MY grasp of those languages, I’m probably best to stick to English
Great post!
Congratulations!
Andrew Larder
Internet Marketing Success
thanks for a real good story about making money from blog. i have same problem. for blog’s language . please tell me to resolve this problem. thanks again.
Thanks for your comments, I tought in people like you (you all) when I write this post. I know that there a lot of non-english bloggers out there, I hope this post helps you.
absolutely interesting.
almost a year try to make money, but not yet succed.
this is just a new idea
Gracias por compartir en particular el enlace a Alternativas Adsense.
Switching languages now
Thanks for sharing. As a web consultant for small businesses here in Puerto Rico I welcome and appreciate the work Francisco has done. He’s actually saved me some research time. And I am encouraged to see a young fellow not allow limitations and seek solutions.
It’s encouraging also to finally see other ebooks, etc. in other languages springing up and now is a really good ground-floor opportunity for interested bloggers to use and create a demand for multi-lingual services.
Much continued success to you all. Felicidades, Francisco!
As an American blogger living much of the time in Mexico, I sometimes help other English-speakers to create websites, but my Spanish isn’t quite up to the level to explain all the concepts. I’ll be mentioning juancash.com to some of my Mexican friends.
As a Spanish speaking person who grew up in the US, I congratulate you. Right now as I write I’m currently in South America, in Ecuador, the birthplace of my wife, I am Cuban born.
There is such oppurtunity in the Spanish market, at least here, because few people are online.
I am traveling to Quito where I plan to meet up with Melvin Gonzalez, an internet marketer based out of there. So there are people making money down under as well. Melvin, like myself markets in English, but I his emails have Spanish siagnatures on making money so he might have expanded into the Spanish language side as well.
My Internet marketing focus is building ebay affiliate sites, and PPC.
Since it is a vey competitive market I plan to look into the Spanish scene soon.
Joe Hernandez
http://jbhernandez.com
What a great case study! Even though the only language I speak fluently is English, I found this really interesting. It’s great how you took a problem (Adsense doesn’t perform well for sites in languages other than English) and turned it into a money maker. It’s the classic formula for making money, of course, but this is the first case study I’ve ever read of it’s kind. I really like how you’ve explained it, it’s a simple method, well explained. It’s great to see you’re making money and having a great success. Well done! Thanks so much for sharing your story.
Really good story. Take action now!
Thanks for your comments Rosana, Joe, Donna and purba
pretty nice story… i hope another similiar story in futures.
Fantastico, donde puedo encontrar más sobre el tema en Español?
Alojamiento Web – Panel de control multi idioma con ayuda en Español
sound impressed me..i wondering i want get my cash soon as possible..but still walking n seeking..huhu
My mother language is not English,too.i am chinese,there are no good Adsense Advertising.
i hope some good advertising Building as soon as possible in Chinese.and my web is http://www.baidubooks.com.cn.welcome,if you can read chinese lol
Iwould like to join and then I would comment
Thank for sharing this story..
Thank you for the story! We are on the same ship – but yours is much bigger
My language market is only about 10 million people. But it is even more challenging!
The problem with making money on the net is not that people don’t have ideas nor ways to market those ideas.
The problem is people are constantly hoping onto the next so called big idea and hoping to cash in on that, forgetting that making money on the net is all about leveraging on relationships and staying the course.
You have to put in some sweat equity in order to reap the rewards.
People can smell a scam millions of miles away, and they can also smell a dud of a website..something put in haste in the hope of luring the so called millions to come into your bank account… it’s not going to happen… spend time on creating a site that is appealing, has good content and, if it’s a once off sale, put in a squeeze page for crying out aloud, and have a good auto responder sequence of emails you can leverage off and create lasting relationships with your market.
Trust me, all those, including yours truly, started off not knowing where we were heading, but it’s like riding a bicycle…if you can make a buck on the net, you can make a million.
Visualize, focus, and take action…
Feelgood
Creative Visualization
Great story… Beside engliush, i’m also using my mother language to earn money. But not as good as you achieve so far
Keep the good work brother,
Regards from Indonesia
Mulyadi Pasaribu
nice…a creative way to earn dollar online
Congratulations Francisco!
Well done with your blogs they look sweet! It is always nice to hear of someones success and you deserve it for all your effort.
ferraci
Great story and congrats on your success.
I myself earn more then 50% of my income from affiliate programs in my country which is not english. I find it easier to rank and got more feel to it in for instance copywritting. I think there are a lot of opportunities in other languages. Clickbank for instance opened up for spanish, french and german products which means that it’s easy to sell infoproducts to people speaking that languages and have a large army of affiliates behind you.
Edwin