According to one source, there are more than 164 million blogs…
Most of these blogs get less than 1,000 visitors per month, and the harsh reality is, the majority of those blogs are, for lack of a better word, failures.
What’s unfortunate is, in that group of people, I’m betting there’s someone just like you….
…Someone who believed pumping out good content will generate the leads and sales they need to run a profitable business.
…Someone who believed a journalist or Google would notice their hard work—and reward them with an endless supply of traffic that converts.
…Someone who put the work in, and things just didn’t pan out.
The question is “WHY!?!”
Why do bloggers (and the blogs they create) fail?
And more important, how do “some” people beat the odds…
…and build blogs that help them build HUGE businesses?
The answer lies in:
The Psychology Behind Why Blogs Fail
I’ll be straight up with you because I know you expect nothing less.
Most people who start blogs dream about their blog soaring to Everest-level subscriber numbers.
(Who doesn’t want to make a splash?)
And they’re willing to do the work, too. They’re not looking for handouts, they want to earn their success.
(Sound familiar?)
So, what happens?
It turns out that most people who start blogs quit within the first 3 months.
Why?
It’s simple. When people start blogs, they do the wrong things.
And the problem is, when they spend time on all those things they find something strange happens:
They’ll waste their first 3 months, and they’ll have NOTHING to show for it other than a bunch of social media logins, passwords, and the belief that “I’ll be ready to go, when I just finish this one thing…”
But they’ll have NO RESULTS.
And that lack of results will demotivate the MOST AMBITIOUS individual.
(I’ve been there…)
It’s human psychology.
(The more time you spend working on something without a reward, the harder it is to continue doing it).
And that’s why, I believe, most bloggers fail.
They start their blog with good intentions, but fall off the beaten path because they waste time on pointless drivel that doesn’t deliver what they really want: more traffic… more leads… more sales.
It’s sad, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
So I have a question for you:
Are you worried that the same thing will happen to you?
Are you scared that you’ll waste your time on the pointless drivel “fake blogging experts” shill as “advice?”
Or worse, maybe the same has already happened to you… and you’re tired of it?
If you said “Heck, YES!” you’re in luck.
Throughout the rest of this article I’m going reveal the “time-wasting things” that cause well-deserving bloggers like you to fail.
The “time-wasting things” that cause you to get no results… demotivated… and eventually cause you to burn out and quit.
And what’s better is, when you eliminate these time-wasters from your blogging schedule, I believe YOU CAN BEAT THE ODDS.
Ready?
Let’s jump in.
Time-Waster #1: Creating Too Much Content
When I asked bloggers, “How do you spend time on your blog?”, they said “I spend about 80-90% of my time on creating content.”
This makes ZERO sense.
Here’s the deal: When you run a blog that has a few readers, adding more content doesn’t help you get more readers. The math just doesn’t work.
Let’s say you have 100 readers. What are the chances that one of those people will love your content so much that they tell ALL of their friends about it? 1%? 2%? If that?
Whatever it is, it’s low, and at that rate, you might get 1 new loyal reader. Going from 100 readers to 101 readers isn’t how you build a blog readership.
To build a blog readership, you’ve got to go from 100 readers… to 500 readers. Then, from 500 readers to 700 readers, and so on.
How do you do it? The secret lies in your ability to promote the content you already have, because if you’ve got something that was only seen by 100 people, chances are there are at least 10,000 or 100,000 other people in the world that can benefit from what you wrote.
So, I’m giving you permission…
“You don’t have to create content, day in, and day out. You just have to work on getting the content you already have… in the hands of more people.”
How does that feel? Good? Great? AWESOME? Here’s how some of my other disciples felt when they learned this:
Derek’s advice to blog less and promote more was earth-shattering and such a relief because it completely eliminated my blog stress and gave me peace and time and space back in my business to do what I love to do, which is coach people.” – Nicole Burley, Certified Health Coach and Life Coach, creator of NicoleBurley.com
“My biggest struggle coming into the course was that I was writing frequently, but never really connecting with my followers… Now that I have taken the course, I feel that I have a game plan for each post.” Craig Koniver, MD, Organic Medicine Physician, creator of OrganicMedicineNow.com
Now that leads me to the NEXT big time-waster.
Time-Waster #2: Promoting Content The Wrong Way
This always cracks me up…
When I talk to people, and I ask them “How do you currently try to get your name out there?”
Here’s what they say:
“Okay, so I publish an article, then I share it on Twitter, Facebook, and my other social media networks.”
And I’m like, “Okay, and then what?”
“Umm… I sometimes tweet out my article a few times because not all my followers see it the first time.”
And again, I’m like “And…?”
“I sometimes ask one of my friends to share it on their Twitter, too.”
And again, “And…”
And that’s when they fall flat.
“Well, I don’t know what else to do. So I write more content.”
(Does this sound familiar? Fess up 
)
[Face Palm]
Newsflash: Sharing your content to your small (and inactive) social media accounts ISN’T PROMOTION. And doing it regularly is often a waste of time
You’ll NEVER build a blog that fuels your business by following that method of promotion.
Now what really grinds my gears, is right about now, people always say “Okay, what do I do then, smarty pants?”
But it’s not about promotion tactics. You’ve got to understand what good promotion is, and how it works… first.
So, here’s what you need to know:
The easiest way to get readers for your blog is to convince another blog that has readers to send readers your way.
That’s it.
(Notice how I didn’t say share it on Twitter).
What you MUST do is convince people who have readers… to send you readers.
The question is “How?” And that leads me to the NEXT big time-waster.
Time-Waster #3: Creating a “Me Too” Blog
If you want other bloggers to send their readers your way, you’ve got to create a blog that warrants it.
And the sad truth is, most blogs out there don’t warrant it.
Most blogs, in fact, are what I call “Me Too” blogs. They say the same things as everyone else… and nobody cares.
The problem, again, is just human psychology. What blends in gets ignored, what stands out gets remembered. It’s that simple. And every second you spend working on a “me too” blog is a second wasted.
The question is, “How can YOU stand out when there’s more than 164 million blogs?”
I go into detail about this in my premium training Blog That Converts, but the SECRET behind standing out today is as simple as “GETTING REAL SPECIFIC” with what your blog stands for.
Don’t write about fitness. Write about fitness for 45+ year-olds who want to do cross-fit.
Or, as a personal example, when I wanted to break into the marketing space (one of the most crowded blog spaces on the net), I didn’t just write about marketing. I focused in on how to leverage proven psychological principles to improve conversion rates.
You might think, “well, won’t that pigeon hole me into a small audience?”
And the answer is, “Yes,” but there’s no reason why you can’t expand out of that once you OWN your topic.
It might seem a bit silly, but look at it like this: What’s more rememberable? “I’m a marketing expert” or “I show you how to use psychology to increase your blog conversions.”
The latter obviously .
And if you’re worried that this won’t work, just take a look at what some of my disciples said:
“Derek was great in helping me focus on specific leadership topics, and blogging about action steps that my readers could benefit from. Leadership is SUCH a vague & broad concept to begin with, and Derek helped me feel like I wasn’t nailing jello to the wall anymore!” Maya Mathias, creator of InventiveLinks.com
“Due to Derek, I have narrowed my focus of my business to web designers… I credit Derek for helping me find the need to focus my business like a LASER instead of the shotgun approach. It is making all the difference in the world.” – Gene Hammett, creator of CoreElevation.com
Is there such a thing as getting too specific?
Absolutely.
There has to be an audience for what you’re writing about.
But the fact remains: what blends in gets ignored. What stands out gets remembered.
Here’s What You Need To Do Next…
Now that I walked you through the psychology behind why blogs fail, and the big 3 time-wasters that cause that failure, you’ve got ONE goal:
You need to get some results… FAST.
I mentioned this earlier, but when you work on something for too long without seeing a reward, you get demotivated, and you don’t want that to happen.
So, what can you do to get some results fast?
Well, remember when I said:
The easiest way to get readers for your blog is to convince another blog that has readers to send readers your way.
Do that.
How do you get started?
First you must figure out what sites you’d like to send you some traffic.
So, for homework, I want you to leave a comment on this blog post. Here’s what you should include in your comment:
First, I want you to list your 1 DREAM website that you would LOVE to get a link from. (Notice I said “dream” website. Shoot for the stars!)
Second, I want you to list 3 other websites that you would also LOVE to get a link from. Don’t pick the biggest websites in the world, but instead, pick some smaller sites that you think would do your brand well.
In both scenarios, explain WHY you think this website will help you. This is important, and if you skip this step, the exercise is pointless. 
.
{ 372 comments… read them below or add one }
I completely agree with this post! While it does take a lot of work, it also takes a lot of strategy. Content matters, but if you don’t strategize the way you release the content, it won’t matter at all. No one will see it. It’s posts like these that made my blog so successful…thanks so much for sending out this information!
Thanks for sharing that Geoff. Much appreciated. I did have a specific call to action at the bottom of this post though. You didn’t do it
Totally agree. You’ve got to plan your way…
I’m in the Middle East and many people here follow Geoff and Derek. I provide content related to the regional market and would love to coordinate in something specific to the region.
Hi Derek, a little de-lurking here. Thanks for your insights. I’ve been following you for a few years now and wanted to chime in that everything you say *works.* My blog has gotten 600 subscribers in 20 posts (and I have NO blogging connections) because I have focused my efforts on people who want to grow their blogs with Pinterest. And all your email opt-in advice, and not promoting other social networks on my blog, has helped me make the most of all the new folks who have come by my blog to check me out. (so thanks!)
A question for you: at what point do I stop ignoring all the requests I get from people who want to learn about other things? I’m working on low-energy-expenditure growth right now and that means keeping a narrow focus…but when do you decide it’s time to branch out and get more general with your topic?
The decision to branch out happens when you hit a plateau.
Awesome post, Derek. My company is in this exact scenario. We’ve been blogging daily since October and seen a 50% uptick in web traffic, but conversions have been cruddy. And I think our content is GREAT and it doesn’t repeat all the same things everyone else writes about planning and launching a business.
I’d love to get a shout out from:
Blog Maverick: http://blogmaverick.com/ Mark Cuban’s approach to business is so straightforward and raw. I love it. I think the people who read his blog are exactly the kind of people I want my company to work with.
Seth’s Blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ – because his approach to thinking like a business owner resonates well with us and our audience. I think we have something valuable to contribute to his audience, too.
Small Business Trends: http://smallbiztrends.com/ Boy can we help these readers. We’re experts at business planning and getting your head around what it takes to start up a start-up. This IS our audience. These ARE our clients.
Copyblogger: http://www.copyblogger.com/ Because we’re all about business, but we’re also all about business writing. Most people are bad at business writing, and we like to help them be better at it.
You’re gonna need some better content than that to get a “shout out” from those guys.
No offense.
Congratulations on the most pointless comment of the day. There’s a right and wrong way to give constructive criticism. You are a perfect example of the wrong way to do it.
If you believe it’s not good enough, be specific. Otherwise, politely hold your comments. Your “No Offense,” at the end was a BS comment. You really did mean offense ;-P.
Yeah…that was unnecessarily harsh, GP. Thanks for your response Derek
Because GP sucks and Derek makes a good point (give some constructive criticism), even though this isn’t necessarily the place for it, I have one piece of advice for you.
And before I tell you that piece of advice, I’ll admit that I have the same problem that I think you have, and it’s something that takes time and guts to get over.
My piece of advice is this – look at the blogs you want to get links from – what do they all have in common? They all have a unique voice. It’s not always about saying something completely different. Sometimes it’s just about saying in your own unique way that resonates with people in a way that it just doesn’t with others.
You’re right that your blog has good content, and it might be that it’s very different from everyone else (I only looked at a couple posts), but what it’s missing is that “it” factor – it’s missing the personalization of your company.
I’m by no means an expert, but, like I said, since you got replied to by I jerk for absolutely no reason (this is a place you should be able to share and get CONSTRUCTIVE feedback) I figured I’d take some time out of my day and see if I couldn’t help.
Hi Christopher, for some reason there’s no reply link at the end of your post, so I’m replying here.
Thanks for your feedback. I don’t deny that our blog is missing a consistent and unique voice. We’ve only been blogging as a group for 3 months, so this is something we really have to work on.
We have succeeded at getting links back from some bloggers who I really respect and admire. It is happening, one step at a time, and we’re always working on improving our content. Thank you!
Jessica,
To get Seth Godin’s attention, create a great Squidoo lens. My “Getting a Men’s haircut in Turkey” Squidoo lens got a mention from him because it was useful, unique and updated.
Derek,
Sound advice – in the past, I have been guilty of:
1. Creating too much content
2. Not having an overall plan, calendar or strategy
3. Stopping/starting
In 2013, here is what I am doing differently:
1. Getting clear on my audience, focus and topics
2. Establishing an editorial calendar and sticking to it
3. Reaching out to authority bloggers in my niche for guest posts
4. Beefing up on CTAs and a strong, compelling opt-in
Looking forward to what’s coming up next.
Cheers,
Ago
PS. Congrats on your recent audio interview with Dan Pink on “To Sell Is Human”. Loved it, got the book right after.
Hi Ago, you didn’t read the homework part of the post
.
Brilliant man!
About to launch my Blog, this is very valuable information which will hopefully steer me in the right direction.
Thanks D
You need to do the homework.
I so love how you remind everyone to do their homework! The grumpy teacher
You can either wallow in frustration or motivate yourself. At the end of the day you own your results (or lack of). Bloggers do fail because of the “I have a website now what” syndrome, but it’s also because of a lacking of a methodology (I’m going to do this, then this ,then this, and if that dose not work I’m going to do this). Not being tech or marketing savvy is not helpful either. It’s like going to the gym and wanting to do the work and wanting to get in shape, but not approaching it with any real plan and not even know that you should have a plan. Anyways, to answer your question:
Dream – New York Times 3 Other websites – Already working on it.
Sweet, when you’re done landing the other 3, come back here and let us know?
Sure will do (and I’m not just saying that – I will follow through even I fail). On a side note, I would love to hear how you were able to get market leaders to let you do a site review AND have them host it their website – elevating your status as an authority.
I think my dream would be to get a link from Mark Sisson & Ramit Sethi or maybe Nerd Fitness. All guys that I admire and have real quality stuff out there.
Ramit and I actually talk about a lot of the same pscyhology behind making habits stick and behavioral change (which, lets face it) is much more important than learning about diet and fitness since we all KNOW what we should do.
I guess the art of promotion is just as unique as creation killer content.
Terrible typos.. agh.
The art of promotion is just as unique as creating killer content for sure. The next article in this series will address that.
Thanks man, very curious to read more about this. I’ve previously fallen into the sub-par blog category, and now (my second time around – started over) am fixing all the mistakes I made in the last attempt.
Question for you Derek – is creating too much content really a bad thing when starting?
What if you’re creating some epic “pillar” content or a bunch of “ultimate guides.” You could also be writing this content with SEO copywriting in mind (i.e. doing some solid keyword research etc).
Cheers and awesome post again man. I can already tell I’m going to like this series.
Pillar content is essential and you must have like 5 awesome, detailed posts there from the start. But then focus on promotion after it. Not writing 3 posts a week. I think that’s what Derek meant.
I can dig that. I definitely can see how some people would be super frustrated by continuous writing with no massive results. I mean it’s taken more 6 months to even see some decent rankings in google from the stuff I wrote early on.
Thanks Adrijus – nice site btw
those are some good looking covers
Think about it. How does creating as much content as possible on a site that doesn’t rank well… on a site that doesn’t have readers… help you GROW THE SITE? You think waiting around for Google is the right way to do it?
For 3 months I wrote an entry for my blog about every other day. Then, the next 3 months, I wrote an entry once every week. My traffic – and subscription rate – hasn’t changed a bit. If altering content doesn’t work, then something else has to!
Derek – you could always link build and start ranking your site :p
No problems Jordan! It’s def. a struggle and little reward at the start. But that is best strategy to start off with, altho it won’t blow you up it works well. I def. don’t enjoy writing all the time so I can’t write 3 posts a week. One is perfect for me
Google will pick it up at it’s own pace (and in the end, guestposting at other blogs is SEO help either way so it’s a win-win).
Thanks for checking out my site and work!
That site has been redesigner so many times already haha keeps changing.
(the Big One) Kickstarter.com:
Hey, they’re what we’re all about. You don’t get a better fit for the solutions we offer!
The 4 Hour Work Week Blog:
They have a very similar demographic to our audience with often similar aspirations, and they’re highly engaged.
Wired:
Once again, similar demographics. They run a regular section on Kickstarter, so it’s obviously an area they feel their readers are passionate about.
Tech Crunch:
pretty much the same reasons as above.
Guestposting seems like the best option when promoting your own blog. But it’s not easy and you need to target those blogs well. I’d suggest going for blogs that are not completely in your own niche, but related. Like, I’m a book cover designer so I go post on book marketing blogs and other blogs related to book publishing and promotion.
Bad point about guestposting is that sometimes you end up writing the same content over and over again for different blogs. Get’s boring fast.
Still, it’s one of the best traffic sources I’ve seen.
I’m confused. What sites do you want to appear on? And while guest blogging is a good method to promotion, it’s only one of many.
I sell design services to Book Authors, so my goal is to go guestposts on all blogs related to that niche – book marketing, book publicity, book publishing advice, writing blogs etc.
It seems the best, your video reviews of people’s websites for conversion improvement is a great example. Big big reason why I started following this blog
Hi Adrijus fancy seeing you here
I approach guest posting a bit differently. Don’t write the same old shit. If you are getting posts publishing the same stuff then they are probably shit blogs or glorified content farms. I’ve tried this strategy and it hasn’t worked for me. Instead I give my best content to other blogs and the results can be dramatic.
Here’s an example:
I did 1 generic type post on a very (like very) well known blog. Out of that I got I think 30 odd visits to my site and one sign up or something like that.
Compare that with a 6,000 odd word 3 part post I did on softwarebyrob.com on pre launch traffic for startups. It’s was my best content at the time and I would have loved to put this on my own blog. But putting on Rob’s site sent me over 1,000 visits and over 50 signups.
Te quality of the content and the choice of blog will make or break the strategy.
I absolutely agree with “creating too much content” being a total time waster. Even Tim Ferris talks about how there is no magic number for the number of times you should blog.
One other thing people don’t keep in mind is the fact that the more often you publish content the fewer social signals and social proof each post will get. This often leads new people who come check out your blog to believe that your blog is dead and there aren’t too many people there, even if there are.
That’s an interesting point Mark. Do you have any “dream” websites you’d like to appear on?
Contrarianism at its finest, awesome stuff thanks!
I run a blog on Louisa May Alcott. Therefore, my number 1 dream website from whom I’d love to get a link from is http://www.louisamayalcott.org – the official site of Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House. Why? Because 50,000+ people visit Orchard House every year and these people are my target audience.
Believe it or not, your next question stumped me! I know of one other site but will need to think of 2 others. The other site is the Fruitlands Museum (a place very much associated with the Alcott family). The education director already knows of my blog so that seems like a no-brainer.
Thanks for the info, great stuff.
Susan,
What if you could get links from some broader but still relevant sites? I don’t know the Louisa May Alcott niche well, but maybe some American heritage or American novelist sites? I’m sure there must be some sites dedicated to those sorts of topics, and the audience seems pretty relevant. Maybe even sites about prominent abolitionists or feminists (I didn’t know either of those things about her, found them on Wikipedia)
Hope that helps!
Beau
Beau, thank you for your interest! And your great suggestions (especially the abolitionist/feminist approach). I get so absorbed in my bubble sometimes that I truly miss the obvious. Thanks so much.
Another superb post from Derek… I just started my second blog and I knew I just knew I was not doing something right… I knew I will fail if I continue this way… So when I got your blog update on my mail I quickly jumped in.. And truly I have been guilty of two time wasters… I do have great content on my new blog but I really need to start promoting more….
THanks Derek for this post…
Did you read the homework part?
Derek, this is an epic content.
Thank you so much for stressing out the importance to blog less and do more marketing to your existing content.
It really helps to trigger my mind that content are worthless when there is no readers.
Back in action.
Thank you Derek.
I want to be part of Social Triggers. I believe that one day my guest post will stick in your blog.
Derek.. this post could be very much irritating for newbie bloggers, can you imagine that?? You were trying to make everyone stick to this post & what’s the result?? You were simply asking to join your course with references of some testimonials & didn’t tell something great that may help anyone!!
No offense, but it was all what looks like when I read with a newbie’s mind
You gave a fair tip of gathering readers from another website & the way could be Guest Blogging. But simply you didn’t tell anything that’s actually accepted from a genius like DEREK!!
I am a regular reader of your Blog & I have my blog . What I learned from you is to make people stick to your post in a greed to get something, but it’s the first time when I am returning back without any good tip. Happens sometimes, but I will be your reader
Thanks
The point of this blog post was getting people CLEAR on the types of blogs they should look for… to get featured on.
You obviously didn’t follow directions. Instead, you’re looking for the “one click button” that gives you immediate success. That’s not the case.
And I’m not selling anything here. I’m walking people through the mindset they need to create a popular blog. You think it’s pointless. I say it’s vital.
I’m a cynic, poet & writer. I steer clear of corporations and big-time sellers like Mr D H.
But I have to say that Mr D H is an extremely personable, authentic mensch. You’re not a greedy seller, just a smart, honest, free-thinking, upbeat let-me-help-you-get-your-act-together kinda guy.
You give away as much as is humanly possible in a capitalist venture. Well done.
As to the content of this post, it is very useful. The big Q for newbies is: HOW to feature on the dream blogs. The actual nitty-gritty steps. It’s one thing getting specific (a very NB thing) but quite another to actually get featured so as to get some of their readers.
And what does getting featured mean, exactly? It is just getting a guest post published? Are there smaller steps one can do before this awesome breakthrough? I presume having a link to one’s blog on their site is another?
I ghostwrite a blog for my husband’s real estate company that promotes the quality of life in the town he specializes in. My problem is knowing what other types of blogs would feed into his. It’s not a traditional real estate blog as he is not handing out real estate advice but promoting the reasons why someone would want to live in our hometown. He has actually garnered a couple clients who read his blog and decided to call him because of it. But in terms of views and subscribers, the numbers are low so not sure where I should try to get referring links–travel blogs? Appreciate any advice you can toss my way. THANKS.
Have you tried networking with the local Chamber of Commerce? If the CofC have a PR team, they are often looking for material. You’ve saved them from having to write the press releases themselves! If your town doesn’t have a PR team, look to local festivals, or events … they may have a PR person who is looking for material too.
… and now I realize I can take my own advice and approach the PR teams of festivals in which I participate … thanks for making me think out loud.
Rhonni
Thanks Rhonni for taking the time to send your suggestions my way. I have connected with the Chamber on posts that tie in with them specifically and provide links to businesses which I feature on the site but I’m sure there is more work that can be done there.
–Genita
Oregon travel blogs and websites would be perfect. They’re related, but not in competion.
Is your blog targeting a particular demographic? If for example you’re targeting over-60′s and retired, can you find any blogs or online communities writing for this group related to either the local area, or the general theme of relocating for a better lifestyle anywhere in the US?
On a side note, I think you need write some pillar content to direct new visitors to. You could also create a simple category-based navigation structure on your blog. A horizontal navbar below the header would do the trick. Chronological order is not usually the best way to categorise your posts, if you want people clicking around and reading more. The date a post was published means very little to the reader unless you’re mainly writing about news and current trends.
Thanks for giving me some food for thought and ideas for where I might find some referrals. — Genita
Excellent post Derek. Iam planning to Blog less frequent and spend more time on connecting with my readers. Thanks for the wonderful advice dear!
Derek,
I am one of those bloggers that hovers around 1,000 visitors per month but the difference is that I have never thought of myself or my blog as a failure. I have a small and very engaged audience and the LAST thing I am here for is to sell something. I think I am in the wrong place. Correct?
Why not be honest with your audience and tell them, by percentage, how successful monetization in the blogging world is extremely rare. What percentage of the 164mil blogs are monetized to make any real money?
Is that what you are suggesting with your tactics here? If I follow your formula I will have hundreds of thousands of readers and people will by my stuff?
I am not a pessimist but I am realistic.
I do think that of those 164 million blogs, most of them are NOT intended to make money. They’re for journaling, for sharing family updates, for giving an inside peek at a small business, etc. However, I do think there are still a significant percentage that *do* think they should be making money somehow with their blog.
If I had 1,000 visitors to my blog each month I’d be doing backflips. lol. I would disagree with Derek there, but I still see the point he’s making. I don’t think he’s being disingenuous.
I understand so fully where you’re coming from, Ralph. I think there’s much truth in what you say. I’m with you all the way in terms of a small, engaged audience and money slash numbers be damned if integrity is to be compromised.
I hate formulas.
BUT. Derek is right in one sense. I believe he really knows his onions when it comes to growing readership and potential buyers (if one’s in the market for this – who doesn’t dream of leaving the day job & selling one’s passion?) Here, formula works.
I don’t think this is about Derek being honest or trying to sell what isn’t feasible.
Derek is in the business of growing, achieving, expanding. That’s his gift. He sees potential, he has drive, he’s a visionary, he has tremendous propulsion. If there’s any possibility of expansion, growth and financial reward, he’ll promote this for all he’s worth.
Anyone interested in getting more business-like about their blog will certainly benefit from his advice.
Awesome advice.
Four sites I’d like to get traffic from
#1 Dream Website: Yours
#2. HuffingtonPost.com
#3. Oprah.com
#4. blog.TED.com
And as I’m writing this…I’m getting good ideas for content that would merit links.
Thanks for helping me narrow my focus.
1. Jon Acuff’s Blog: http://www.jonacuff.com/blog/ – He has a massive tribe, many of whom are teachers and Christians who are struggling with their careers – the very audience my blog is designed to encourage.
2. Desiring God Blog: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog – John Piper is a rockstar in many Christian circles, and he doesn’t preach a gospel of legalism or perfectionism – exactly what teachers need with so many crushing expectations.
3. Vicki Davis “Cool Cat Teacher”: http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/ – One of the most read and respected teacher-blogs out there, “Cool Cat Teacher” would let a lot of Christian teachers know that there is a blog specifically for them.
4. For my final “dream” blog, I’m breaking the rules – I want to be in bookstores. I’ve written one eBook and it seems that teachers prefer to read something in their hands, based on what I’ve heard, so I’d love to give them what they want!
Thanks for the invitation to dream, Derek!
Noah, this is PERFECT.
The reason why you want to get featured on the blogs you’re listing is because you believe they have your ideal reader and customer.
Many people look to get featured on the blogs they read… just because they read them. Very few try to get featured on the blogs that actually have their ideal customers.
I go over this more in my course Blog that Converts.
Thanks, Derek!
You’re also setting a great example and high bar for all of us would-be mainstream bloggers. You aren’t paid a cent for all of these replies, but you are faithful to your readers. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey Noah! I’m posting my dream blogs under yours only because I write in the Christian space too. I’ve started in the Christian men’s niche but I’m re-tooling because I’m way more passionate about writing in the 20-something Christian men single, engaged or newly married niche.
Here are three that I’ve got in my Evernote notebook under “Future Interviews”.
1. Jon Bones Jones – http://www.jonnybones.com/ – Jon is a 24 yr old Christian and the reigning UFC light heavy weight champ. I love his style, his mission and his following. He’s got a ton of audience I want exposure to.
2. Tim Tebow – http://www.timtebow.com/ – Even though he now plays for the Jets, he’s a 25 year old Christian man in the NFL. Duh. A no brainer for my