So, I don’t plan on making a habit of this (because, ya know, extra content is one of the incentives of being on my list), but I’ve decided to repost something I wrote last week for my newsletter subscribers. I got a lot of really interesting feedback about this – some positive, some negative. So, let’s see if the “interesting feedback” continues here.
Without further ado…
Lately, I’ve been noticing this shift from what I saw when I got into this whole blogging thing (problogger worship) to what I see at least a few posts on every week (problogger bashing). Because I’ve been noticing this more and more, it’s been annoying me more and more.
Can we just cut it out? Really. I don’t care that much about how many comments Darren Rowse replies to. I don’t care what products Chris Brogan decides to promote and what, when you read between the lines, that says about his character. And I don’t care about the ratio of John Chow’s sponsored tweets to regular tweets.
So stop writing about it. When all you do is criticize the successful, it makes you look desperate. Desperate for attention. Desperate for them to visit your blog, leave a comment, and argue with you. There’s a right way to rub elbows with the big guys in your market, and a wrong way. This, in my opinion, is the wrong way.
These guys all have great material to share. I’ve met each of those mentioned above, and they’re smart, personable, businessmen. But while they’re somewhat of Internet celebrities, they’re also just…people. People with blogging businesses. That’s it. Be familiar with their lessons and teachings, and then take what you learned and apply it to your business. Quit riding their coattails. The fascination is kind of creepy.
Here are 10 blog posts I’d rather read:
1. How a situation in your life influenced your post for the day.
2. A major obstacle you’ve overcome.
3. Your own original thoughts on your market.
4. What’s working for you, and what’s not working for you.
5. An epiphany you had.
6. A cool hack that I can incorporate into my life.
7. Your life story.
8. A testimonial from a reader about how your blog changed their life in some way.
9. How you’re building a community around your blog.
10. Your life goals, and how you are/have accomplished them.
Write one of those. Then, perhaps, a problogger will show up at your blog doorstep and comment not because their name was mentioned and they got a Google Alert, but because they find you to be inspiring.
Am I alone here? Or is anyone else feeling the same way?
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Oddly enough, I happened across this because of Darren Rowse's facebook and he mentioned he was ready it. Quite an enjoyable piece and I have to say, it is really true. I remember when someone released a video of a snowball fight between all of the big bloggers. It did real nicely. Then others tried to copy it and well…It didn't work.
People realize there is a fad going on that worked for one person and suddenly everyone wants to participate. Except, it works only once. The best thing these wannabe probloggers (me included) can do is find something new that will catch their attention. Make a name for yourself, even marginally, and the full time probloggers, especially those that make a considerable amount of money showing people how to make a living doing it, will come to you because you, as a success story, are money for them in the long run. It proves it can work.
Couldn't agree more!
I'm always apprehensive about writing about some other blogger (be it kicking their arse or kissing their arse), because it's exactly that. Yes, there is an element of networking in blogging, but kissing arse is a bad thing.
I find I learn more from commenting on blogs that are in the same level as mine or below, more likely to network with them.
I think I'm going to take my own advice too. Write each of these in the coming weeks. Glad I could give you some ideas!
That's a great sentence: “Which, of course, means that writing an extraordinary blog requires living an extraordinary life.”
Luckily (for me anyways!), I think living an extraordinary life doesn't necessarily mean lavish or extreme – just to the best of your ability. And I'd read a blog about that any day.
Was that a real video? I'd like to see that.
Your second paragraph there hits home on a couple of things I've been thinking about lately. Just like everyone starting out, it's easiest to just do what everyone else is doing and say what everyone else is saying. My 2010 is going to largely be about doing and saying what I want to and adding value to my markets in my own way – and hoping others will be along for the ride. And I think they will be. Because I think we're craving something different.
Thanks for stopping by.
Absolutely. And really, it can sometimes be hard to come across how you intend to via online. I really do look forward to those opportunities when I get to meet people face-to-face. You can tell instantly who someone is when you meet them I think.
Thanks for commenting. I've seen you all over the ProBlogger forums, so I knew instantly who you were when you commented.
Kris – real quick, took a look at your site and I love what you're doing with non-profits. I've worked with some non-profits a little bit on developing a blog and getting the social media ball rolling, and it's been incredibly rewarding for both them and I. Cool stuff.
“Put good out there and you will get good back.” <– Love that. I try to base my life around that statement.
Yeah, it's a real video. I found it: http://success.grownupgeek.com/index.php/2007/1...
I hope to add even more quality to my site and if I come up with some amazing way to get traffic from the probloggers, great. If people really want to get the probloggers to send them traffic, give them something. Like…A guest post.
I love reading personal posts – whether it's on a big blog, or just a small blog. There's something inspiring about reading about someone else's journey. I'm going to plan on doing more personal posts as well.
That was extremely entertaining to watch. Thanks for giving me a laugh today.
Just for the record.. I made and posted that blogger snowball fight video back in 2007 and it was very popular.. I re-post it every Christmas because it's funny and now it's like a tradition.. But, i gave up on the “Blogger Worship” right around that same time in 2007.. I swore off Shoemoney, Darrin Rowse, John Chow, etc, and havnt read them since.. Honestly, except for when i was very new to making money online I didnt really learn much from them. Now i try to keep MY blog focused on MY success (yes, my website is quite successful) and share my knowledge with others.. unfortunately i'm not much of a blogger so the good posts are few and far between.. but hey, i try..
Just for the record.. I made and posted that blogger snowball fight video back in 2007 and it was very popular.. I re-post it every Christmas because it's funny and now it's like a tradition.. But, i gave up on the “Blogger Worship” right around that same time in 2007.. I swore off Shoemoney, Darrin Rowse, John Chow, etc, and havnt read them since.. Honestly, except for when i was very new to making money online I didnt really learn much from them. Now i try to keep MY blog focused on MY success (yes, my website is quite successful) and share my knowledge with others.. unfortunately i'm not much of a blogger so the good posts are few and far between.. but hey, i try..
Good stuff, Lisa!
I guess I read too few of these bash-the-probloggers blogs so I haven't come across these as much, but when I do I just move on. I completely agree with everything you said and you even gave me an idea for a blog post. I'm not telling you what it is yet, because it's secret. Well not really secret, but almost