I click on tweeted links from my trusted tweeps. I believe my Facebook friends when they share a post that MUST BE READ.
Almost always.
Especially when they are sharing posts which boast sure- fired ways to elevate blogs to the next level and are written by bloggy/social media guru specialists. I mean, why wouldn’t we want to read what these folks have to say, sheesh, they know EVERYTHING. They have like a bazillion friends and followers. And honestly, they probably know WAY MORE than I do.
I mean, what blogger doesn’t want to know the hidden secrets to becoming a six figure blogger. Or even a four figure blogger? Hey, I’m not picky, I’d just like to make a few bucks and get Dooce-like traffic. I mean, it’s a no-brainer, right? Read the posts + follow their advice = become famous bloggers. What an equation.
The first couple of links I clicked on, back in the day, the advice was sound. Perfect, I’ll try to follow the five, four, three, twenty steps to making my blog into a profitable home business. After all, I have the right ingredients, great content, pretty darn good writing, nothing but time to travel to blogs and comment and whatever the other steps were advised.
Well, a few years later and I’m still clicking on links, waiting for the screen to load a new road map of wisdom.
But all I’m getting? Variation on the same theme. Some better written than others. All or most posts that I read are written by the top dog advice blog elevator givers. Gurus. Specialists. Etc.
That’s fine. Some of them I LOVE reading because they can be very entertaining. But, I IMPLORE you. I BEG OF YOU…
Give us new advice. Not the same old. Because, I’ve already been there, done that when it was written differently on a different site a couple of years ago.
It’s like when you pick up a book that you THOUGHT you’ve never read, yet a few chapters in you’re like…”Hmm…yeah. Familiar. Read it already.” Except, we aren’t reading the exact same book written by the exact same author. Nope, we have copycats, sorta.
The thing I find kind of funny is, the constant retweeting of these posts. The fuss that is made over them. The pedestals they are placed upon.
WHY?
I mean, honestly? Are you getting anything any different out of the newest posts than you did from a post written last year, month, week?
Because really? I’m not. At all.
Yet, for some reason, I keep clicking. And I keep kicking myself for losing those 5 minutes that I’ll never get back.
Although, I did read a really great post on Copyblogger the other day that took less than five minutes to read and I still am talking about its pretty decent advice. So that’s good. But damn, I had to kiss a lot of frogs to get to that prince of a post.
Please. I’m begging you…
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Tell us something we don’t already know.
Thank you.
Amen sista!
Yes, what you said. LOL.
I’ve read the same Top 10 Advice I think about 20 times; I’m good.
🙂
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And now my comment love decides to work?
Lynnie´s last blog post ..Its Time For You To Make The Donuts
I think it’s because there ARE no secrets. It’s like losing weight.
At the end of the day, the only think that works is eat less/move more.
With blogging it’s write better/promote better…. and yet, just like losing weight, oddly enough, just knowing the secret doesn’t make it happen.
if I cared more I might…care. I guess I don’t blog for any fame, or money, or anything…therefore…it’s as successful as I want it to be or don’t want it to be…HOWEVER…Jessica’s comment is PERFECT…
STACIESMADNESS´s last blog post ..Total Geek outin a Band Geek kinda way
I have to agree with Jessica, I think it’s because there just are no right or wrong answers. For every claim one blogger makes on how to become successful, there is someone telling you to do the exact opposite. I may very well be doing this “wrong” but I’ve decided to let my blogging happen organically. I don’t force myself to post X number of times a week, I don’t force myself to write about something I planned on writing about if I’m just not feeling it, and I don’t force myself to comment on X amount of blogs per day, week, whatever for the sake of increasing exposure or gaining new readers. I enjoy it more when I do it this way. If I enjoy it less I end up blogging less, and if I blog less, my blog sure isn’t going to go anywhere! As much as I would love to make a few hundred bucks a month off my blog, it won’t be worth it to me if I’m not enjoying it the whole time because the whole reason I want to make money off it is because it’s something I like to do, and there’s not much better than making money doing what you love. This comment probably went in a crazy circle, but hopefully it makes some sort of sense. 🙂
I think making it big is 20% hard work and 80% luck. Because really? I read some of the “big” bloggers and I don’t see how they’re that great. In my opinion. Like I don’t get why you aren’t “big.” I think you are awesome. And there are some others that I think are in a similar boat.
Jennifer´s last blog post ..Rappin with Jesus
to clarify, this post isn’t about me and why i’m not big and important and not making tons o cash. it’s about the tweeting/facebooking of links to posts that all say the exact same thing yet we bloggers cling to every word. i don’t get that. maybe it’s just me? maybe all these posts are saying different things and i’m just mildly mental? i don’t know but i don’t get it.
I am right there with you on this one. How many ways can we self help, self improve, get more business or get more friends all for the sake of having or being more? Isn’t that what we are all looking for? More. The problem is we are all looking but not doing. The Key is in the Doing but doing it your way, the Brilliant way You have been gifted to do it. When it comes from Passion, people WANT it, and WANT you. So long as we are looking at what others are doing and not doing what we were meant to do. Then the Doing just aint gonna get Done. “If you must keep reading, Become the Writing and the Meaning”
I look forward to reading more of your stuff
If you must Be, Be the Brilliant You!
Kendyall Guthrie
Um you mean – have great content, make sure your site is pretty w/ easy navigation, make sure to comment on other people’s blogs, guest post, and give them something for free to encourage sign-ups? Like an e-book?
Yea, I’ve read those too….
🙂
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They all say the same thing, they really do. I often click links from Twitter and then come back to them later, last week I had 4 links about being a better blogger open at once. And the articles were pretty interchangeable.
Triplezmom´s last blog post ..Not a Genius- But Possibly a Loser
it’s the same thing will all the self-books out there that promise money, fame, serenity, good marriages, healthy relationships. Same goes for motivational speakers, preachers, and gurus. It works for them. BFD. what works for one person, will not nessecarily work for me. So i don’t waste my time reading expert advice, and for sure will never pay for it. now that’s an expert piece of advice you should follow…;-)
I wish just once someone would give us some real specific advice, not the same “be yourself, blah, blah, blah” that everyone else gives. Seriously, it’s getting old.
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I stopped clicking a LONG time ago for the exact reasons you listed! The recycled Top Ten this and that are just so not tops anymore.
And I’m with Jennifer, I sometimes question why some of the “big timers” are even “big”. And then there are “small timers” whom I think should be “big”! Blogging is in the eyes of the beholder, I guess? Or would that be fingertips?
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You pointed very well! At first I read few articles from this Guru’s but when i realized that they write the same thing in different styles, over and over again, i gave up.
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