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!
Funny chap! You got me :)
I agree the tag of AprilFools gave it away, I almost bought it when I saw it on via Twitter. LOL. Happy April 1st or 2nd by now…
Wow!! I was really sad at first, but after finding out it was a prank, was really relieved. I better be more on guard today.
This is huge for all bloggers, and gives us all a lil boost in rating
Hahaha, funny joke and just like most readers, its March 31st her in the United States. Even though I thought of April fools day, you still had me going. Good one. Happy April fools day to you too.
But would you…with Google?
Haha – That would be something though wouldn’t it, had me for a moment then read the not so fine print – well you live and you learn, wish you the best there mate. :)
LOL!!! This was a good one…I had to read it twice before I realized it was a joke!!! I’m sorry, but there is no Problogger without Darren Rowse!!!
What the heck! Darren that was the most catchy post ever! Now Google might possibly just think about acquiring you! I was already thinking about getting a ProBlogger theme because of this then I ready again. You see, people just need to consider reading every post from beginning till end! Lesson learned! Cheers!
Very Funny! It’s still Mar 31 here in the states so was fooled (and scared :) for a bit. Please don’t ever sell your blog !
Just wanted to leave a kudos. Since you are the only person in the world who owns “problogger.com” you are the only person who could make me believe for a split second that Google wanted to expand blogger.com. Good choice.
Thank you for the great April Fool’s Joke!
Honestly, I was actually happy that Google is buying your blog. Maybe there will something so much better than this.
Sounds like an April fools joke. Didn’t trick me for 5 seconds. Although, it did trick me for 1 second. LOL!
XD I`ve been fooled already
Crap, 11:15 pm, and already burned by April Fools. Made it through the 3rd paragraph before I realized what was going on here. Good joke!
haha
what a very good joke !!!
Oh my god, i almost faint!!!. You are evil!!! XD. Happy april fools.
I’m reading this from an eReader and about to congratulate Darren yet at the last part I notice the tag ‘April Fools’… I knew I was fooled.
I was expecting this to come…but not like this one…yah I’m fooled.
Good one!
At first, I was like awesome. Then I was like, Problogger is under WordPress. (Still hopeful) Then 331 days to make a better blogs…& that would be like a year? Then I saw the April Fool tags…Damnit. :-) Anyway, nice move man.
Well written and entertaining Darren. Thumbs up =)
i know you are fooling people.. just read the article to make sure how you are doing that . .
Geez Darren, could you be a little more obvious? I miss the days of the April Fool’s Day posts on ProBlogger where you’d go “OMG!”… and then smack yourself on the head for being such an idiot and forgetting the day. This article smacked you over the head for you–and not in a good way.
I love how there are a bunch of comments congratulating you on the sale from people who haven’t bothered to read the entire post or any of the comments. I wonder how thoroughly they read the normal posts.
April Foooooooooooooooool, Great trick, love it
Ha! You got me Darren! You had me for about a minute until I noticed a post about this on the warrior forum. Good one!
Hope they don’t screw this one like they did to youtube
Burn. I was totally fooled. Then I read the comments and clicked on FoolsMedia.
LOL It did seem strange after you asked about having a study group thing for 31 Days to a Better Blog. :-D
Its still the 31st here in California.
Congratulations! I’m one of your fans. I just can’t stop reading your blogs, helped me a lot.
I almost cried, when I saw this in Google reader I decided to come on here to curse you out. Lucky for you, this is a holiday…lol
Darren… Darren… Darren… April Fools to you too! haha
Oh that was good. I believed you for a second. It just sounded so….plausable!
Congratulations!!! it is little shocking but i am sure it is a great leap forward….
good luck with your new business..
Well, I have a feeling that if some executives at Google read it, he will strike with the idea of acquiring Problogger. Don’t you think Darren gave intelligent reasons why Google would consider acquiring Problooger.
Lol.
For a second I thought it was real!
Karan
LOL, very funny.
It has generated a lot of comments tho – but can you imagine all the people reading this post in the archives in days and weeks to come… Now that could get some interesting comments :)
Next year try a different tact: Google acquired by problogger!
Dave
I’m an Aussie as well. =P
However, after seeing the date it was posted on, it was quite obvious what was going on lol.
hey for a second i thought it was right!
You really had a good April fool day fooling your readers…!
http://dailytechnoapps.blogspot.com/
lol Nice one mate,
Ruth
Nice.
…If I wasn’t so tired I’d be laughing.
I wish they had aquired Problogger!
>>http://reverbnation.com/uptownsphinest<<
Wow, I don’t know if this is a good news or not. But sure it’s shocking. Hopefully Problogger will continue to provide useful tips for us and wish Darren got big success with his new projects.
Lol, my bad for commenting without reading the comments. Haha ….. you got me …
hahahaa what a surprising idea to make reader fool
Man, you had me for 10 seconds. I am pretty freaking dumb at 4 a.m.
ARGH
You had me rolling up my sleeves for an *angry* post.
Still, interesting idea if it ever happened…
If I hadn’t already been awake for a few hours I might have believed you! Nice one!
Thank God! I knew it wasn’t true, LOL.
Wow google has taken all of our live today , they also take the blogger icon now , ( almost fools me )
Ha ha! Lol Nice One, Darren,
Nearly had me with that one :)
Adrian
@Darren: Wasn’t it tooo obvious?!
Ha ha ha you had me for a minute. Good one Darren!
You got me!!!!! Good one. Ha!
I’m not fooled with your fool post, and your fool jokes, anyway, this is just a fool way for fool people to foole each other at April fools day.
Count the number of the word ‘fool’ in this comment, and you’ll be seriously fooled by a fool man.