Posted by Darrick on June 10th 2005 to
General Sorry for the missing day 8 post, I’ve been so busy at home coz my wife wasn’t feeling well. So here’s a post combining actions for day 8 and day 9
- Emailed M.
- Posted bulletin board message on Friendster.
- Ideas: Jason Ryan Isakson ?
- Decided to test out 2 affiliate marketing programs (Site build it probably, Jason Ryan Isakson), personal blog, as well as site for promoting business (4 total sites).
- Got reply from Duncan Riley (answer posted below).
- Emailed D and K.
- Requested D and K to let some other people know about the project.
As I mentioned above, Duncan Riley of Blogherald and Weblogempire gave a response to my question, so here it is:
> 1. Would you be able to share some of the lessons you have learnt
> during your time in this business.
>
In terns of blogging: good content counts. Original content sells, you
can supplement your posting with commentary on others but its the
original stuff that brings in the traffic.
Generally, this probably seems old fashioned, but try to be as honest as
you can. The blogosphere talks, and if you don’t tell the truth chances
are someone will find out. Sometimes being honest can have a slightly
negative consequence: for example its public record that I can’t stand
blogging company SixApart after they screwed over their many loyal users
in charging for what was previously free, many people still love
SixApart and don’t like my dislike of them, but at the end of the day
pandering to corporate interests based on chasing a dollar might give
you short term success but it doesn’t work long term. People may not
always agree with me, but most respect my opinions because I’m honest is
sharing them, and I never sell them for money.
> 2. How long did it take you to build up your business to the point of
> achieving pretty good income?
>
Define good? seriously though, I’m happy with my income, but the
blogging side doesn’t pay for everything yet, although it does buy some
great toys 
As well as author blogs I also write web pages for corporations, do
presentations and marketing material as well (Indesign etc) , and also
dabble in ebay a bit as well. If we are talking serious money (6
figures) there are still very few people doing this in blogging, but its
not impossible. My mistake, I suppose in retrospect, is I chose to
become the best in a topic that doesn’t pay highly in terms of Adsense
rates: ie: the subject of blogging. 2 years ago Adsense wasn’t available
and I didn’t know any better, but I’ve met a lot of my aims in terms of
exposure. I still get a buzz from being quoted in the MSM for example,
the other week it was the Wall Street Journal. I’m regularly sought out
for advice from the press, even if I’m not always quoted. The direct
income from the Blog Herald isn’t great, but as I’ve said it pays for
lots of toys, but in terms of leverage I’m hoping it takes me to bigger
things, which is where my new blog network Weblog Empire comes in. I’ve
started with a number of blogs that are quite blatantly aimed at a
consumer market with a high rate of return, call this if you like a way
of leveraging the Blog Heralds traffic into more profitable ventures.
> 3. Would you be able to recommend other people that I should also talk
> to, to get some more insight and knowledge about being successful online?
>
Darren Rowse from Problogger is No. 1 on the list, although so many
people are asking him the same questions I’m sure he’ll start charging
for the service soon. What I like about Darren, aside from the fact he
is a fellow Australian, is that he’s humble, approachable and just plain
down to earth. Nice guy with a capital N. His story of accidently
becoming a Problogger is amazing in itself, and he’s the only person I
know online outside of the big blog networks making 3 figures a day out
of Adsense.
Technorati tags: Two weeks to a breakthrough, Duncan Riley
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