Discussions: The Highs and Lows of Blogging
by Eric and Sean on March 26, 2009
in blogging
Eric and Sean talk about the hard times and great potential that blogging brings most anyone who pushes past the first 6 months.
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Excellent video guys. Very entertaining and very useful.
I loved Sean’s analogy of watching the sunset and the horizon. Fantastic!
I think the “6 months” you refer to really varies. With my old blog, even after almost two years, I still hadn’t managed to push through ‘the wall’.
With that said, two years blogging allowed me to learn lots of lessons, and it’s only now I’ve launched Blogging Zest that I’m beginning to see and use those lessons.
When it takes me 20 months to take my first blog to 250 subscribers, and 11 days to take my second blog to 100 subscribers, I guess it’s obvious that 20 months weren’t wasted. Sure, those 20 months gave me little in the way of money. But the lessons learnt are invaluable. As bloggers, we’re learning all the time, and fortunately, most of the things we need to learn are actually quite straight forward and easy to understand once we dive in and start learning on the job.
Jamie
Jamie Harrop’s last blog post..How to Stand Out in a Blogging Crowd
Great video, and it’s always good to listen to how people get over a slump. Having survived a Blogger meltdown and consequent shift to WordPress, I realized four months into blogging I was going to stick with it. Even if I did have to essentially start over! Sometimes when I’m getting caught up in the numbers I remember why I started the blog in the first place – I like it. The $$$ in the PayPal account can be seductive, but getting back to the passion that was the reason for starting my blog really helps me to get the ideas and words flowing again.
Timeless Gourmet’s last blog post..Roman Style Baby Artichokes
I for one have missed these joint videos. Great job guys but I think a smackdown is needed
On a serious note. I’m in the same boat as Jamie. Well mine’s more of a yacht since I’ve been blogging for nigh on 5 years. Whereas Jamie is more focused than I have been, I’m only now putting the lessons learned to good use.
As for Blogging Zest. I’m truly impressed. It’s a case study in itself
Marc – WelshScribe’s last blog post..Everything is Fuel For Writers
I have SO missed these videos. They’re my favourite thing on BB and they always make me smile! Eric, your description of Sean as “pom-pom-like”…PRICELESS!
I had a problem with this video, though, nothing personal, guys, it’s the same one I have with a lot of blogs. For many of us, ‘blogging’ is not synonymous with ‘pro-blogging’. Here at Blogopolis Blueprint, we need to be clear that not every blogger is in it for the adsense/affiliate money. If that were the case, it would be Pro-Blogopolis Blueprint.
I’m with Sean on avoiding looking at stats. I want to write, I love commenting, I love reading, I love connecting. I even tinkered with my blog to get rid of the comment counter on the home page. I love quality, and quantity doesn’t always guarantee it. Some days I get so ranty and worked up about being referred to constantly as traffic, I want to scream “I’m a visitor!!! A subscriber! A reader! A human being – not a GOOGLE STAT or a CAR!!!
I’ve been called naive many times because of this view, but only by people who don’t understand my own personal reasons for blogging, who don’t know the amount of financial income I’d be happy with or my preferred way of generating it. I’ve also learned I’m not the only one who feels like this.
Great video-post guys! I’m going over to check out Jamie’s blog now…well done, Jamie; sounds like focus, experience and determination are paying off!
Hi guys,
This is only my second video I have seen of you two going back and forth, and I love it.
I have been blogging diligently for 5 months and I kick ass. Just kidding!
I love looking at my stats once a week for two reasons. First, when I look at how people found me, it gives me post titles. Second, I can see where my traffic comes from, and I continue that particular behavior.
Like any business, we have to do research and that helps us move forward. In addition, if we know what doesn’t work then we can drop it off the priority list.
Always trying new things helps businesses stay with the competition.
I really enjoy your blog! You guys are fun peeps.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Stanfill’s last blog post..Destress Yourself With an Open Mind
I think the biggest challenge is exposure.
I think exposure is a greater challenge than having a remarkable blog. Frankly, you either have a blog with great potential or you don’t. Some blogs could get all the attention in the world but still would never climb higher than a certain point.
Other blogs have that inherent potential to rise pretty high.
I actually believe there are probably top notch blogs out there that had they gotten the right exposure would have thousands more subscribers than they currently have. Perhaps they would even become A-Listers.
But for whatever reason, perhaps because they did not do a solid job using social media or did not effectively pitch their best posts to the bigger blogs on a consistent basis, this is why they never reached a certain point.
Of course, that’s all theory and could be completely wrong.
But I’m actually starting to think that the concept of exposure is *underrated*. The concept of pitching for links and using reciprocity to have your stuff stumbled and so forth – I’m thinking these things are not highlighted enough.
Exposure is EVERYTHING.
It’s been said many times before but it needs to be said yet again: You can write amazing content, but if only a small number of people ever see your material, you can’t expect to really go too far.
The most savy marketers, and those best at networking, and really taking advantage of the opportunities out there to get their blog seen – they are the ones that have the best shot of really making a popular blog.
If all of what I said is true, then guest posting is yet another vital strategy that any blog must undertake in order to at least *see* what their true potential is.
Bamboo Forest – PunIntended’s last blog post..Why Do People Clap in Movie Theatres?
@Jamie @Timeless Gourmet @Marc @Janice
Click to play this video.
@Bamboo Forest: Missed ya there.
Yeah, what you’re saying is TOTALLY accurate! You could be able to out sing Celine Dion and yet know one would know if the right amount and type of people were there to here it. Excellent point! Eric
@Bamboo Spot on. It’s all about the networking, social media and guest blogging.
I was discussing a similar thing last night with some friends (Eric’s post just reminded me of it). We knew of a singer here in Wales that, without a shadow of a doubt or a word of lie, was far better than Tom Jones. He just didn’t have the same exposure.
@ Eric: You’re just discriminating against me because my name is Bamboo Forest.
NOOOOO! May name is not, ‘Jamie’ or ‘Timeless Gourmet’ or ‘Marc’ or even ‘Janice’.
It’s Bamboo and this is why you skipped over my comment.
You’ve really disappointed me.
That’s OK. I’m going to continue to remain subscribed to this here blog, anyways.
The more time I spend in the blogosphere, the more I come to believe that those who are rising higher and higher are hustling more, doing more somersaults, more back flips and jumping through various hoops that are all glowing with fire.
I definitely do not consider myself a master at exposure, pitching links, or what have you.
But I do believe that those with this skill or who choose to develop this skill to its fullest will be the ones who eventually make it to the top.
@ Marc: You write,
“It’s all about the networking, social media and guest blogging.”
Yeah. It really is.
I can believe such a story that you share. Gas will not ignite without a flame. No matter how amazingly flammable that gas may be – it will forever remain inert until that match is directed by the hand of the blogger who wields it.
I’m sure there are exceptions to this rule. But they are the exceptions.
Bamboo Forest – PunIntended’s last blog post..Why Do People Clap in Movie Theatres?
@Marc: I’ve seen a few performers/singers just as you describe. You can’t help but think, “What a shame.”
You take that very same person and put them on American Idol (Oh, sorry Marc…Britain’s Got Tallent…
) and they’d become a superstar.
@Bamboo Forest: You got me! I’m a Bamboo racist! It’s just something about those shoots…I CAN’T STAND THOSE SHOOTS!!!! :-0
But seriously, I agree that the skill of being noticed by the right people (and being noticed in the right way) is a skill that few think to seek out. You make perfect sense, Mr. Forest. Eric
@ Eric I know what you mean, we get airings of American Idol over here. It used to be called Pop Idol but it’s been re-branded into the X-Factor
Everyone: How many jobs could you jump right into and find super success straight from the start? Like none. None worth doing anyway. I bet I could get a job flipping burgers, start in the AM and be proficient by the evening rush. But guess what? The dude in the back who has been flipping since he was a sophomore is gong to kick me in my shady spot because that’s just the law of numbers.
I totally agree with what Bamboo is saying. It’s all about exposure. I wanted to write. I wanted my words to be good enough to spread like flame through the forest. I realize now that this new job I’ve chosen requires A LOT more than simply putting pen to paper.
I am unwilling to stay a buried talent forever. Yes, I love all the compliments, but they do nothing to feed my family. I’m only going to rise to where I know I need to go with an even measure of diligent work and consistent networking.
Blogging is a snapshot of evolution. The more you are willing to observe what is constantly around you, and adapt to the changes you need to make with speed and efficiency, the more likely you are to have dramatic impact.
P.S. American Idol sucks. : > )
I’m on the top of my game right now, but my exposure is very limited. I definitely do need to do something to change that. I need to formulate a plan, but I just haven’t had the time to do so.
Hey guys,
Great vlog! I’m very happy that you did it because I am new at this blogging thing. At my blog http://nochiprasblogspot.blogspot.com I started out just using it as kind of a diary for my own personal use but within the last couple of months I’ve started to look at it more seriously and want to see it grow. The last couple of months I’ve tried to put out better articles about how I’m learning how to blog and use social media to promote it, as well as writing articles that I feel more passionate about.
The other night I set a goal for myself to gain at least 3 new followers to my blog per day. That day I periodically advertised my goal on twitter and by that night I had surpassed my goal by 1! Gaining 4 followers to my blog! I was soooo happy! Well, I guess the newness of the goal fell the next day even though I tried to advertise my goal again on twitter? It’s only been 3 days since I set that goal but the last 2 days were dissappointing because my expectations were built so high the 1st day. I’m still going to keep plugging my goal on twitter each day but not to the point where I’m going to bug people.
I realize that building a blog audience takes a lot of time and I am determined to try and do whatever I can do improve my efforts. I’m still learning and have found a lot of information on how to do so on other blogs and on youtube. I believe you can learn about just anything you want on youtube:-) I just signed up for the google analytics yesterday so I can study my traffic to the blog but I do agree that you can get caught up in the numbers too much and become obsessed with them. Hopefully I will be able to keep myself away from them every day and only visit it a couple times a month?
Thanks so much for doing this video, it does give me encouragement that real success could just be around the corner.
Nora’s last blog post..Social Media and Human Nature