Press Release: For Immediate Release
1 April 2010
MELBOURNE, Australia. (April 1, 2010) – ProBlogger, the web’s #1 Blog Tips site, today announced that it has been acquired by Google.
This acquisition will be a part of Googles extension of the ‘Blogger’ brand and a precursor to their new professional blogging suite of applications – ProBlogger.
“Blogging continues to grow in popularity, not only for personal use but by entrepreneurs and businesses around the world. Once seen as a ‘fools game’ – blogging has now grown up.” said a Google representative today. “Google’s new professional blogging suite, ProBlogger, will put an amazing array of tools into the hands those wanting to take their blogging to the next level.” said a Google representative today.
“What better brand to align these new tools with than ProBlogger, a blog that has consistently produced blog tips for professional bloggers for just under six years.”
“Some have called me a ‘fool’ for even considering selling ProBlogger,” said founder of ProBlogger Darren Rowse, “but I’d be a fool not to allow the ProBlogger brand to be developed by one of the world’s most innovative companies. I’m excited to see where Google will take ProBlogger going forward.”
The acquisition of ProBlogger will allow Darren to concentrate on his other projects including his main site – Digital Photography School – and an upcoming project – FoolsMedia.
Darren Rowse will remain a part of ProBlogger over the next 331 days where he plans to to begin a series of posts entitled ‘331 days to Build an Even Better Blog’ – a follow up to the successful 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.
About ProBlogger
ProBlogger is a blog about blogging. Kinda sad really but not as sad as having a blog about Tweeting… or a book about blogging… that’d be sadder! ProBlogger was founded by Darren Rowse on September 23 2004. Since that time Darren has published 5,356 posts and the blog has received 178,448 comments. A Foolish endeavour? Maybe – but perhaps not as foolish as this press release!
Nice try but nobody believe’s you! Threw me with the time difference for a second though!
ooooh, but it’s still the 31st in my timezone ;)
well – actually I was caught unawares because of that
Lol! Okay, you got me big time. I was seriously worried for a moment, then I clicked on FoolsMedia.
This is with me actually doing a search last night for early Aprils Fools jokes, doh!
*breathes a sigh of relief*
Congrats on selling out to the man Darren! Does this mean you’ll be taking your nice private jet to the States for conferences now? he he he
Ha ha..I saw this post on Feed ad my immidiate reaction was April fool :D
Wow Darren, this is amazing and exciting news for you!!!! I hope you were compensated very well for this and that you can pursue your other dreams with greater ease (and peace of mind from a heavy wallet). You are a rock star and inspiration Darren, congratulations!!!!
AWESOME. At first I was all excited for you, but after seeing the word “fool” so many times in the release…
Excellent work. :-)
You would have gotten me had I not been totally duped by Jeremy Schoemaker’s April Fools prank last year when he said he was selling Shoemoney, moving to WA & would be commuting by sub.
Yeah, I know it sounds crazy now, but I was a newbie, figured “hey, it could happen”, and never watched Lost.
Nice try though, Darren! Good to see your sense of humor. :)
I almost cried when I thought ProBlogger would be gone as I know it! It is just the morning of 3/31 here, this is a mean trick Mr. Rowse.
Happy April Fools.
Got me!
Its actually I, who is acquiring ProBlogger!
Ha ha…
Good one Darren. This is not funny actually. This is a bad joke. Be innovative. I experienced lots of funny jokes among blogs around the world but this is very very funky. Thanks for trying at least.
wow…that’s some shock for sure, initially. That was a kick-in-the-gut way to celebrate april fool :P I do really hope though that Problogger remains the way it is and you continue to shine and guide us through this superb blog.
Cheers! Have a great April fool’s day, Darren!
Good one mate!
“I’m sure with your Australian timezone this will fool quite a few people.”
I totally did get me! Funny though. :)
Very cute Darren! I think the 331 days thing is quite awesome too.
Love that the timezones make it even more realistic. Oh, and that it was on ProBlogger and not on Google’s blog. :)
I’m wondering if you bought the FoolsMedia.com domain just for the purpose of using it in this blog post :)
Nice one! The penny only dropped in the “About problogger” section! Duh!
Well there was a WTF before a LOL as I realised the joke. Who says bloggers are a boring bunch of geeks, when you have jokes like that.
Happy 1-st of April:-)))!
congratulation to problogger,
as a blogger user, let’s i see what new feature will shown on my dashboard.
..tomorrow…lol
Darren, this is a nice once. Happy April Fool Day!
I almost fell off my chair… then I realized it’s already April 1st in Austrailia, good one Darren!
Wow; congratulations Darren! That is quite an accomplishment. I also enjoy your photography blog so I’m glad you’ll be continuing that one.
I look forward to finding out more about the direction Google will take blogging to the next level. I’m staying tuned as I have a Blogger blog.
OMG! This is the best April fools on the web! LOL I was actually about to mourn when I read the first comment and realized it must be a prank! It is… isn’t it? :) I hope soooo I only subscribed about 2 months ago and I’m in the design phase of my new blog… you can’t leave now!! :)
You had me fooled until the ‘Tags: April Fools’ – LOL!
Thanks for the laugh today Darren!
You totally had me going there for a minute; its the 31st here just now. Ah well. Good one ;)
Haha, still the 31st here in Canada!
Scared me there!
Australian timezone April Fools… lol I was believing it until I read your comments. Good stuff! :)
Congrats Darren!
Not fair – it’s only the afternoon of the 31st here :) You had me convinced. Surprised but convinced … Oh well, perhaps you’ll have put an idea into somebody’s head …
Great! Looking forward to FoolsMedia then…
I fell for it Darren, good one!
Fred
That’s a great news. April fools day… Let see what prank google will come up with.
I very sad. Why?! I just now discovered this site and you just sold it to Google? Will the prices go up in your books? I hope not. I want to 31BBB and 331BBB.
But, Although I’m upset I want to congratulate you on your success! In your first book you talked about selling websites for money and I think a lot of people should get upset by this. But if you do approve this comment I just want everyone to know that the best thing they can do is buy the books because that will be the rawest, truest form of Darren’s and Co.’s word to go by.
Darren, after you officially leave I may not come back. But thanks for your ingenious idea and helping us all.
Good bye and good luck!
I just read the ‘april fools’ tag.
*sobs* I just poured my heart out.
very interesting. :D
I also had a great time going through the comments!
Here’s a problem with the Web that I haven’t run into before. April 1st (April’s Fool Day) starts at 12am in AU and NZ. That’s 10am MST on March 31. I’ve just been punk’d and fell for it…..for awhile. Happy Fool’s Day. :-)
You are so not funny!
ahah You’ve got me! I was shoked when I read the title! I’ll try to emulate it tomorrow :)
Whhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttttttt?
You got me.
Mar 31st.
That’s like Apr 1st in the developed world, right? (I’m just mad cos you got me)
OK I challenge you to do a post on why this post is a joke rather than wishful thinking!
Wow…all I can say it that your years of hard work and opening sharing what’s in your brain has truly paid off. Congratulations, Darren. I have only been reading your site for a few months (to make sure my new blog gets off the ground the right way). Can’t tell you how happy I am for you. Toast a big ole beer to you.
Well crapola on a stick. You got me! Didn’t read the other posts!
Well done!!!!
Wow!! I Was feeling Happy for you, excited, sad, really got to the point that I didn’t even know how I was feeling until I noticed I really got FOOLED! :-)
Good one! Darren,
Nothing but the best for you!
Blessings,
Pedro
It isn’t april fools day here yet!! I was so happy for you, and now I’m just happy for us :-)
hehe I really believed it until I saw the “april fools” tag at the end of the post :)
But I was also surprised why Google is interested in a ‘blogging tips’ blog?! or why Google didn’t post this in it’s own blog?!
Is this really an April Fools joke? Wow, I was just thinking how much money Darren would be making from this deal.
Hi Darren
Heartiest congrats on your Google coup! This has added a great growth spurt to Blogging’s coming of age. Even so, I hope that we will continue to be able to read your words of advice
Guess what…
I was sort of expecting this after reading the very title of the post.
Sorry, it was a bit predictive to start with. But still, Happy fool’s day ;-)
You got me. It’s only March 31st in the US. My jaw dropped when I read it… then I realized it was a joke. That was good.
I’ll thank Liz Strauss for her cleverly positioned “News of the Day” tweet. What’s incredible is I sat here thinking, “this makes total sense for Google. Smart acquisition.” *chuckles at self*