Live Meetings

Sometimes the best way to really get to know a person, and share ideas, thoughts and work together is to meet in real life. I recently had the opportunity to take the train to Toronto and meet up with PicScout, the makers of the amazing photo service PicApp, and Jeremy Wright of b5media.

After coming back, I couldn’t be happier that I went. I really got to talk to both groups and interact with them in a way that would have took ten times longer through e-mail, instant messaging or even the phone. When “they” say that so much of communication comes from body language and facial expressions, they aren’t kidding around.

I was taking in much more information than what was being said, or even how it was being said, and I think that while our world is depending more and more on virtualization, there is something to be said for a face to face meeting.

Originally posted on April 3, 2008 @ 9:21 pm

Why I am Different

There are thousands of “make money online” bloggers. There are even more bloggers that talk about blogging, but I feel like I am different than most, and if you are looking for someone to add to your daily reads, I ask that you chose me.

No Make Money Online E-Books

One of the things you have probably noticed on around a third of the blogs out there like this one are the downloadable guides that will teach you everything you need to know about making money online.

While some of them are well written, the blogosphere changes so fast that by the time these people have compiled their thoughts into a document, the information is fairly useless. There have been a few exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, you can’t follow the steps that someone else took and expect to become rich, it just doesn’t work.

No Heavy Affiliate Promotion

Some bloggers will spend all day formulating posts, only to stuff them to the brim with affiliate links. The more people they get signed up, the more money they make, and the wider the divide between you, seeking knowledge, and them, “providing” the knowledge gets.

Do you want to fill their pockets with money, or your own? While I do promote affiliate products from time to time, I am careful in doing it. I support products I enjoy, and I usually note what links are affiliate links so that you can avoid them if you so choose.

While I am here to make money as well, it isn’t my primary objective.

Less Than Ten Ads Per Page

With cost per click rates dropping, CPM deals drying up, more bloggers are stuffing their blogs to the brim with advertisements. Do they really need eight 125×125 pixel advertisements on every page, along with two or three AdSense banners and one or two other advertisements?

What do you gain as a user from more than ten advertisements on every single post, page, and area of their blog?

I Have Experience

A large percentage of “make money online” bloggers don’t have any experience in their field. While it can be interesting to discover things with them, it can also be frustrating and misleading.

I have been a full time blogger for going on three years. I have written articles for a variety of niches for a variety of people. I have worked with Darren Rowse, Paul Scrivens, David Krug, and many other interesting and brilliant Internet personalities. These bloggers know who I am, and have, over time, shared some of their skill, knowledge and abilities with me.

While I don’t consider myself an expert, I am not just starting out in the industry. I have knowledge of the way things used to be, and how many of the important people got to where they are now.

Also, the experiences I have had as a network backed blogger is very different than many of the freelancers out there. I have had consistent full time employment, and understand what networks are looking for in a potential writer, server administrator, marketer, advertiser, and more.

I’m a Geek

While I have spent a fair bit of time writing, I also understand WordPress, PHP, web development, basic server administration, proper backup procedures and a variety of other technical aspects that sets me apart from many of the bloggers currently covering this subject.

Do you think most of them have ever really developed their own WordPress theme? Heck, most of them weren’t even blogging back when WordPress began. I’ve been using it since version 0.72.

Conclusion

There are many great bloggers out there, and they have advice that might help you, but I will tell it to you how it actually is. I am knee deep in the trenches, and I can see where things are heading. While I dislike “tooting” my own horn, I just wanted to set the record straight. I am different than your typical “make money online” blogger, and definitely worth subscribing to.

Originally posted on March 25, 2008 @ 1:16 pm

Are You Blogging Naked?

Naked Blogging
Are You Blogging Naked?Did you ask yourself “how did he know?” Relax, I am not trying to peek inside your private life or get in your business. I am just using using a metaphor to both grab your attention and to make a point.

In my experience it seems to be a fairly common trait that bloggers often start a blog without any real sense of purpose or end result that they are trying to achieve. They want to do well, they just don’t know how well or how they are going to go about it. They change direction often and the blog seems to have no “mission.”

These kinds of blogs often achieve a moderate level of success but rarely do you see this kind of blogger make it past a few hundred subscribers. The reality is they often give up and quit blogging altogether.

Blogging Naked

Strategic PlanIf you don’t have a “strategic” plan for your blog, then you are essentially “blogging naked.” What I mean by a strategic plan is where do you want your blog to be in 6 months, a year, 3 years? How are you going to achieve these goals? What are the steps you are going to take?

These are all questions you should ask yourself both when starting your blog as well as when you progress. Every serious blogger should have a strategic plan for their blog.

My niche is the MMO niche which is clearly loaded with blogs that have no clear end goal in mind. They exist simply to try and make some money. They don’t have any idea how they are going to accomplish that or even how much they plan to make, yet they blindly blog away hoping to hit it big.

Unfortunately in this niche, it is quite common to run across what I call a “dark” blog. What I mean by dark is a blog that might have been started with the best of intentions, but after a month or two of blogging, the posts get further and further apart. Eventually they grind to a halt. The lights go out, nobody is home. It’s a dark blog.

Another naked blogger bites the dust. Keep in mind it is especially important not to blog naked if you happen to be a video blogger. Fortunately Mark is top notch.

Blog Backwards

Blogging backwards is a great idea.

Set Blogging GoalsWhen I say you want to “blog backwards” I am saying that you want to determine where you want to go first. What is your end goal? Make 2k a month? Increase 200 RSS subscribers? Hit 10k visitors a week? Whatever the case may be you need to define your actual goal and then work backwards to determine how you are going to get there.

A well thought out strategic action plan should almost always include the factors I have listed below.

  • Content Creation – What’s your mission? What do you intend to give to your readers? Why should they come back?
  • Theme Design – An attractive theme will encourage readers to give your content a chance.
  • Branding – How are you going to “brand” yourself. What will separate you from the 2 gajillion other blogs in your niche? How will people remember you?
  • Social Media – A good Social Media strategy should be a critical part of your plan. Social media sites like Digg and StumbleUpon can send you hordes of visitors and potential subscribers.
  • Networking – Who are you going to partner with? No question that a network of bloggers helping each other out would be much more effective than a lone wolf. Travel in packs.
  • Marketing – How are you going to market your product? You can’t just build a blog and expect people to start lining up to read it. Some would argue that you are better off to be a great marketer than a great writer. John Chow would be a perfect example.

I am sure you might be able to add to my list but these that I have listed should be considered the cornerstones of any good plan.

Course Corrections

compass.jpegIt will to take time to find the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses of your plan but that is to be expected from new bloggers. If you monitor your success monthly then you can adjust, adapt and make changes to ensure you stay on your plan.

It would not be uncommon to make adjustments to your plan several times as you progress. Very few of us are blessed enough to nail our goals the very first time we try. These small setbacks are normal and shouldn’t derail you from your plan.

The Wright brothers crashed an untold number of planes before finding the right combination that kept them airborne. Persistence paid off. Most of the A-Listers you see writing today started out on other blogs and cut their teeth there before hitting it big with their current blogs. Stick to it.

Summary

In my niche, you often read comments such as “nobody could become the next John Chow” or “John got in at the right time” or “he couldn’t do it again today” or “the niche is saturated.” I have no doubt the origin of these kinds of statements come from frustrated MMO’ers that are not experiencing any success.

If truth be told they are likely frustrated because of their own failures. Rather than placing the blame where it belongs, they make unfounded excuses to justify these failures. They are Victims.

The fact is that you can make it happen, you could be the next whoever, it could be done again. You could choose to hope that it happens to you or you could MAKE it happen for you. Success is a Choice and it all starts with a goal and a plan to get there.

So…confession time…..how many of you are naked right now? Come on, fess Up.

If you enjoyed this post then please make sure you check out my own blog at The Blog Entrepreneur. You can find a lot more content just like it including “Are you Destined to Be Mediocre?” Otherwise, you can find me back here each and every Friday, with new advice and thoughts on the blogosphere.

Originally posted on April 4, 2008 @ 8:00 am

Splashpress Media Adding Scratchback

One of the advertising systems I have enjoyed here on this blog is Scratchback. It is a system that allows readers to tip the blogger and show their link on the blog. The great thing about the system is that links are done using JavaScript which means they shouldn’t create any issues with Google like other text link systems. The other great thing is that the blogger sets the price and time.

I have used the system on this blog for a while, selling ten dollar links, but Splashpress’ prices are insane. If you want to get links on The Blog Herald, Blogging Pro or other blogs in the Splashpress Media family, here is your chance.

The only issues we have had is the inability to control the widget’s width to properly integrate it into our sites.

Originally posted on March 18, 2008 @ 6:28 pm

Don’t Post About Holidays

I can’t tell you how many posts I saw about Easter. I understand that it is a holiday, and that it has a religious slant, but letting me know it is Easter, and hoping I have a good one is really a waste of a post.

There are so many other things you could do to separate yourself from the hundreds of others mentioning the holiday and wishing people well. Tell me something interesting about Easter or connect the Easter theme to your blog. Tell me how the Easter Bunny would make a great blogger, or what my favourite devices would look like if given the Easter colour treatment.

You are wasting time, space, and energy mentioning the holiday and not expanding on it. If you want to fade into the background, then feel free to post about the holidays. If you want to stand out, and capture my attention, use a holiday as a springboard into an amazing post.

Originally posted on March 25, 2008 @ 4:35 pm