Find Your Voice!

Over the next couple of months, the Blueprint will be running a series entitled, “Find You Voice.” In this series, we will be discussing many of the principles that brought us together and led to the formation of this site. The series, running every other Friday, will explore the past present and future of blogging and how to find your place within it. This is the first piece. Please enjoy:

Blogopolis is a world brimming with a billion posts and comments; a place where we can plant our flag and build the value of our property without ever leaving our chair. A land thriving on communication and community, where participation is paramount.

Blogs come in every sort, expressing opinions to every willing pair of eyes. Grouped together in niches, these various platforms live dual lives. Blogopolis is filled with bloggers helping fellow bloggers, as they themselves are climbing for the top, rung by hard earned rung. Opportunity abounds for those with the proper toolbox, and though drive and determination are essential, they are only part of the equation.

Blogopolis is indeed a wonderful place. Making friends and spreading thought has never been easier or more effective.

Our future is now.

How did we arrive at this current intersection between communication and technology? Who is responsible for this unique, complex, and elegant system?  When did blogging begin, where does it come from, and what winding roads did it wander to end up here? Prior to the Renaissance, communication was a luxury. In the West, the church held dominion over the flow of information, and this is how it remained for several hundred years until early in the sixteenth century when Martin Luther pounded his 95 Theses through the front door of the church.

Luther challenged the establishment, in effect saying the rules were no longer written only by them. Luther’s revolution however, would have likely died immediate death had it not been for another equally profound development a few decades prior.

Johanas Gutenberg, a German goldsmith and printer, first dreamed and then developed movable type; an innovation that altered the landscape of communication forever. Movable type meant books were no longer imprisoned by the sluggish speed of human hand. With the advent of movable type, books were able to be printed in a primitive version of a process still in use today. This new procedure meant the papacy no longer held a monopoly on information. Bibles were for everyone.

Access led to literacy, literacy to questions, questions to answers, and finally, answers to the Renaissance.

This is where we find ourselves again, hinged on the precipice of our next great awakening.  That dawn is here, and it is bloggers who are most likely to push the sunrise further and faster than any other tribe.

The dawn of the information age.

The Internet is the largest organism yet made by Man. Its fingers graze every continent on Earth, yet can be accessed in its entirety from an iPhone (a device which in itself is a marvel; the first legitimate PC in a pocket). Amazingly flexible, the Internet is as big as we want, yet as small as we need it to be. In its infancy, the Web was no more than an efficient way for universities to share information.  Hobbyists employed it to play games with other like-minded geeks across the globe.  In its dawn (the 70’s and 80’s), the Net was far from mainstream.  It wasn’t until the early to mid 90’s that circulation of the Internet spread to most of the planet.  The Model T- like milestone of a computer in every household cleared the road for the rest of the world to way for the masses to dial in.

As we marched into a new millennium, the World Wide Web quickly took its place alongside previous technological revolutions such as electricity, telephone, and television. Almost all of us were aware of (and had access to) this bold new technology.

There was no doubt we stood at the edge of a new age.

Never before have we held more power as a people; never has the world been so connected.  It is difficult to argue against the idea that we are now one vast global district.  The internet has rendered futuristic theory into any minute reality.  Now anyone with a phone jack may gather that which makes them unique, and send it in a signal to every spot on the map, sometimes mere seconds from conception.

The class of 2009, has little memory of life before the web. These are tomorrow’s leaders. Collectively, they and all behind them will lend voice to our global future.  It is they who will take what we are building and shape it into something we can not yet fathom.

The Blueprint Team

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Is Pro-Blogging a Pyramid Scheme?

Have you ever heard the whisper bandied about Blogopolis that pro-blogging is really nothing more than a pyramid scheme, where those at the top engage in a slow and steady release of information leading readers toward steps they’ve since abandoned? Blogging is a pyramid, but it is a ziggurat well worth climbing.

I remember the first time a friend of mine equated blogging to a pyramid scheme. My initial reaction, just a couple of months into the game myself, was of indignant defense. “No,” I insisted, Blogging is the great equalizer, where anyone can take their voice and spread it like wildfire until their own millions are burning inside their bank.

Who hit the head harder with the hammer? Is blogging a giant pyramid scheme or a legitimate way to mine untold riches from a winding stream of passive income?

I believe a bit of both.

Blogging is an amazing opportunity for anyone willing to devote the time, attention, and perseverance required to make it BIG TIME. It is also a scaffolding upon which a few nobles rest upon the top as scads of lowly serfs scramble about below.

Let’s look at what constitutes an old fashioned pyramid scheme, then compare it to the relatively new world of blogging.

By traditional definition, a pyramid scheme requires an upfront investment of cash to buy in on the ground floor. With the easy  set-up of a Blogspot or WordPress, is there any investment required for blogging?

Absolutely. Nothing is more valuable than our time, and few things can zap it as quickly as blogging. Though there is no immediate certifiable out of pocket expense required to join the club, there is a non negotiable investment of time. This, in addition to the multitude of add-on expenses that can quickly accumulate, such as hosting, premium themes, and an infinity of info-products promising to smooth the rough edges of your daily game.

Yes, there is an investment required, but by nature, an investment of time carries more soul than an investment of money.

Use your time wisely, climb a step.

A pyramid scheme’s success lies in a steady stream of new recruits. In order for an investor to recover their initial risk, there must be people below them on the pyramid willing to wager their own money. This justifies the speculation of the original investor while it elevates their standing on the pyramid. Is this similar to blogging?

Yes. Simple math states each new wave of bloggers will elevate the preceding generation. Of course, not everyone will hold firm and many will fade along the way, but those who stick around will become part of a narrowing class as more and more newbie bloggers flood to fill the bottom.

Staying consistent and falling into a healthy blogging rhythm can render a one time ordeal into simple routine. Make it past that first retaining wall (many bloggers agree it’s around the six month mark) and you earn the experience no new blogger can ever be given, no matter how many info products they’ve downloaded.

Stick around, climb another step.

Aren’t pyramid schemes inherently fraudulent?

Yes. The fundamental problem with a pyramid scheme is their models are impossible to sustain. Even supposing the entire globe agreed to buy into a particular scheme, there are only a finite number of participants who would ever be able to profit. Because this inevitability grinds against the grain of the original promise, it is fraudulent by nature.

When a cycle cannot sustain itself, the majority of investors become vulnerable to loss. It is estimated that 90% of people involved in pyramid schemes are on the losing end of the deal. Aren’t 90% of bloggers also working way too hard for way too little.

Absolutely, but this is where blogging and pyramid schemes spill into two separate seas. It is true that many internet marketers sell products expounding upon new ways to make money from blogging, and yes it is a bit incestuous, but in no way is a blogger obligated to follow any particular set of guidelines or pay for anything they don’t want to. Blogging is so young, the rules are being rewritten before the ink is even dry. It is still possible to get to the top and do it in your own way.

Stay true to yourself, climb another step.

It’s easy to see how people are so easily lured into the plush promises of a pyramid scheme. They work to whet our hungry appetites and convince us the richest meals may also be the quickest to prepare. It is never acceptable to take part in any scheme that involves deception or fraud either implied or promised. Anything that guarantees wealth without risk, time, or effort should ring in your ears like an entire fleet of fire engines.

Blogging, I believe, is different. With blogging you can build your own pyramid, start your own tribe, sell your own product, create your own network. If you see a product worth buying from a person you trust, priced at a fair point that you can afford – buy it.

Learn all you can, take another step.

When it comes to working online, backsliding is only an illusion, unless it leads all the way back to surrender. You may fall short of specific goals in regards to traffic, comments, followers, sales, etc. but the experience you gain can never be taken away. When it comes to online prosperity, there is no single ingredient more essential to success than forward momentum.

Blogging may share some similarities with a traditional pyramid scheme, but I think it has far more in common with the laws of compound interest. With compound interest you can pay and pay and pay, month after unceasing month, feeling forlorn as you tear open the envelope of every statement only to find your continuous contributions have yet to add to substantial earnings. At some stage however, the tipping point is reached and what you make each month from interest far exceeds the effort exerted.

Keep contributing, take another step.

This is why blogging is different. Those bloggers at the top; Brian Clark, Darren Rowse, John Chow, just to name a few, are not reaping the benefits of bringing others into a bad investment, they are merely earning interest from effort expelled a long time before.

There is no discounting the intelligent strategy and hard work that has placed the A-listers all at the top, but it cannot be argued that they’ve been climbing longer.

Sean Platt is a dad and ghostwriter with a creative streak.

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Friday Roundup

There are few better ways to both connect with fellow bloggers and pass value to your readers then through a well gathered link roundup. This is an area of the Blueprint that can certainly stand some improvement. The next era of the Blueprint will see a round-up published every other Friday.

Enjoy the links, have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you next week.

If you haven’t checked out the hottest new WordPress theme, you really need to. It’s awesome, free, and designed by none other than the Blueprint’s own Eric Hamm.

Did you know that WordPress has it’s own URL-shortener built right into the architecture? No! Neither did I, but now I do.

Sean has been wondering for a while if he should stick with Writer Dad or move to Sean Platt for his Twitter name. This post articulates 10 reasons why real names are better.

The categories vs. tags debate has raged since the blogging’s beginnings. The battle continues.

Chris Guillebeau just came to Sean’s attention last week, but he has been wowed with lightning. Chris is awesome, here’s just one reason why.

Though this post is nearly as old as the Blueprint, the subject of making a living with blogging is one we’ve covered quite a few times around these parts.

Remember last week when Twitter was getting all that mainstream attention? Yeah, I know. Who could forget?

Remember when Eric and Sean were on ProBlogger talking about being blogging buddies? Darren did too.

Gary Vaynerchuk is everywhere. Why? Because he’s doing what he loves and waves his passion like a weilded weapon.

Michael Martine has been publishing some deep, meaty posts. This week’s on whether blogs should have a blogroll was a total winner.

See you Monday,

The Blueprint Team

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How to Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day!

How to Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day!

Congratulations, this is your lucky day!

After months and months of exhaustive research, I am finally ready to reveal my long in development info product, “How to Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day!” If you’ve been struggling to find ways to create additional income streams through little or no effort at all, congratulations – YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!!!

There is no product like this on the Internet!!!!!

Sure, you could get rich blogging the “old fashioned way” through assorted affiliate programs, Google Adsense, or direct marketing to those on your carefully gathered mailing list, but why would anyone choose to do it that way when they could purchase my product and get rich in 5 minutes per day or less?!?!?!

Nothing will take you farther in less time than my patented Get Rich in 5 Minutes per Day Formula. Other products promise the moon, mine GUARANTEES THE BIG BANG!!!

This offer is good today only, and only for readers of this blog. If you don’t act NOW, you may as well kiss all your dreams of retirement goodbye!

What does the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! formula include? I’m glad you asked!!!

• My formula will establish you as an instant expert and unquestionable leader in your field, no matter how much experience you actually have. Janitor or brain surgeon, it doesn’t make a bit of difference. My unique algorithms will tell Google exactly what it needs to know. As soon as you install the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! plugin into your WordPress dashboard, your readers will begin to foam at the mouth as they eagerly await your every word.

• Build immediate, unwavering, and unheard of credibility. After completing the first module in the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! system, 100% of your readers will know they can trust you, not just in matters relating to your niche, but in ANYTHING REGARDING LIVING LIFE IN GENERAL!!!

• Install the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! desktop app (included!) and PayPal will deposit dollars from all those weeks back when you were only thinking about making money. From tomorrow forward, you will continue to receive deposits every time you check your email, traffic stats, or RSS numbers.

• Automatic link building! By using the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! program, you’ll be able to set up an instant series of backlinks BY MERELY THINKING ABOUT THEM!!! No more slow as molasses article building for you ever again! Simply visit your favorite websites and through a carefully engineered fusion of the Law of Attraction and plain old wishful thinking, the links will actually build themselves.

• Money X More Money = Mountains of Money. One of the most exciting features of the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! money making system is the “One Hour Until Retirement” module. In this module I show you how to write an ebook that contains nothing but affiliate links. Not only can you make $97 for the info product download, you can also make an average of $50 per page as well. Do the math: the sale of a short 100 page e-book could net you over $5,000 in profit alone!

• The Titanium Affiliate Program. I could just stop at selling the Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! program, but where would that leave you? About four minutes shy of getting rich, that’s where!!! It’s one thing to be rich, it’s another to ride in a limousine pulled by a team of assorted endangered species while lighting cuban cigars with the Constitution. With the Titanium Affiliate Program, you’ll have affiliates giving you money WHETHER THEY SELL YOUR PRODUCT OR NOT!!!!

I feel it’s fair to tell you that Get Rich in 5 Minutes Per Day! is not only the finest product I’ve ever offered before, it is the finest product I will ever offer again, as well as the finest product in the past, present, or future of mankind itself.

I’m already getting hammered with email and there’s only so much I can handle. I’m afraid I’m going to have to close the door after the first 1,000 people.
If you want to be retired by the weekend, you need to order today!
Don’t let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass you by!
Order today and get rich yesterday!!!

Sean

Sean Platt is not really releasing Get Rich in 5 Minutes per Day! He is a ghostwriter who is launching an out of this world creativity blog with co-conspirator David Wright.

Subscribe (for free) and be there from the beginning.

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How to Find the Perfect Length for Your Post

How to Find the Perfect Length for Your Post

Of the thirty-four thousand or so blogs that currently swell my reader, the average post length runs the full gamut from a few sentences barely clinging together to a mounting migraine waiting to happen. As with all things blogging, there are no hard rules. Writing style of the author must meet reader expectations in even measure to best dictate the length of each post.

But is there an ideal length for a blog post?

Since post length not only varies from blog to blog, but often from post to post, is there an optimum post length that generates the most traffic, invites the most discussion, or cements your readers into fans? I would say no, and by trying to fit inside narrow criteria we only succeed in the limitation of our possibility.

I recently came to the realization that I had been keeping myself far too confined while writing for Writer Dad. What had started out as something novel had slowly drifted into a formula. Each and every post, give or take, ran about five hundred words. When I started Writer Dad I followed no template, I simply wrote in the way that made the most sense to me. It was exciting, the response was encouraging, and I failed to make the growth I should have. Because I was unwilling to follow a template, I became a slave to my own.

After taking a little blogging break, I returned to Writer Dad with a fresh pair of pupils, seeing my half year of work like an old city after a new snow. With renewed vigor I endeavored a different approach. While talking about my last day of high school, I ran a post that ran a few syllables past two-thousand words; four times my normal length. I wondered if it ran too long. Certainly, I mused, it wasn’t what my audience was used to. I wasn’t sure if I should run the post in full, break it into pieces, or set it aside to later serve my memoirs.

I elected to publish the post and the results were a roadmap to a new way of thinking.

It was an important piece of writing and it received a warm and generous response. I was left with the lingering notion that I should embrace the liberty inherent in having my own blog, rather than simply resign myself to the prison of past procedure. Blogs are an exciting medium, changing slower than thought, but faster than law. The most exciting bloggers are those who adopt the medium not as a frame to hold a single snapshot, but as a wide canvas to fill with shades of surprising color.

A 500 word post, a 3000 word essay, or a single sentence spilling into an engaging video. There are no rules. Yet, as humans we find it all too simple to manufacture them so that we have something to follow. Fixed rules do not fit this medium that is still as soft and yielding as unbaked clay. Having said that, it is best to keep your audience surprised. Not jarred. I prefer blogs that have a baseline or standard to expect. It is then easy to recognize the surprising difference when it appears. Here are a few simple tips to help you find an appropriate length for your typical post, so you can color outside the lines whenever the crayons are calling.

Posting Schedule

Your posting schedule can help dictate the length of your post. If you are regularly posting only a couple of times per week, you might want to consider publishing posts that are a little on the longer side. If you are posting with more frequency, say once a day or more, shorter posts might be a better fit. Services like Twitter are slowly replacing the singular notion of a constantly updated personal blog. This will eventually clear more room for domains of longer thought.

Niche

What are you writing about and who are you writing to? The best post length covers your topic thoroughly. No more, no less. An in depth review of a system or product will invariably require a lot of words, a simple product announcement or case in point will not. If you have gathered a few interesting online finds, a sentence to introduce each link may be more than ample. Write toward your topic and make sure all your points are covered. Never fill space to just to hit a target word count. This will only cause your copy to suffer.

Attention Span

The average web reader, it seems, can sometimes share the attention span of a toddler. The average Writer Dad reader sticks around for about three minutes. For a long time I thought this was normal length of stay. Turns out, it isn’t. The actual online average is on the short side of a minute. Each blogger must know the limits of their individual audience and publish to that end. This is a place where it is appropriate to check your stats. Knowing how long your average reader stays fixed to your content should help you write accordingly.

SEO

The rules of SEO are sometimes about as easy to understand as stereo instructions written in Klingon. It isn’t that they’re difficult exactly, it’s more that they seem to constantly evolve depending on who you speak with and whether or not Mercury is in retrograde. It is commonly agreed however, that posts that are not too long and not too short are ideal for search engine optimization. This would mean a post running in length from two-hundred and fifty words to no more than a thousand.

Ultimately, the best length is the one that makes you feel most comfortable with your content. No more, no less. Wherever you end up, just remember it’s only a suggestion. Never be afraid to do more or less with your blogging. It is your voice that makes all the difference.

Never write just to darken the space, don’t press publish until it’s done, and remember your words are forever.

Sean

Sean Platt is a father and ghostwriter who also tweets.

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