At this year’s Blog World Expo, Darren joined with Brian and Sonia from Copyblogger for the keynote presentation, entitled The 7 Harsh Realities of Blogging for Bucks.
As Sonia explained, these seven “crying babies” of blog monetization are worth noting and understanding. But as the keynote speakers address each of these, they discuss the blogger’s alternative options: what you can do instead of making these mistakes. They also discuss the many great things about blogging.
The keynote presentation begins in the 33rd minute of this video. Let us know your reactions and thoughts below!
I was lucky enough to see this live from the front row and I can tell you it was the best part of Blogworld for me. It is something that I have been playing over and over again because it was a game changer for me.
I will continue to use it as a guidepost on my blogging journey because I know I will stray. Thanks for such valuable insight!
Some really great information given but the audio was poor. Couldn’t hear the audience questions and could barely hear the speakers.
“Make sure you tell the world something important.”
That’s gold.
I felt my eyes water up a bit with the statement Pat mentions. And even though I am about as green as can be regarding the business of blogging, I know I really want this! Thanks so much for sharing your personal stories along with the 7 harsh realties.
Wish I could have been there! Three CHEERS for video technology…
And really: it’s totally a disservice to the world if you have something important to say and don’t say it.
Very cool you’re working with the copyblogger folks. I hope that maybe one of the next conferences I can get to in order to see all of you. Cheers!
Darren, thanks for pointing us to this video.
*Warning – I must advise everyone, I think it is the first 18 minutes of the video is just music. Do’nt turn off the video. Hang in there and be patient. You’ll see and hear this really important information.
It was great to see you Darren giving true, honest advice to bloggers wanting to make money with their blog. I agree with what you said about holding back from creating a product. In fact I have held back from writing on my blog because I’ve been doing a lot of research on what I want to give to my visitors. It’s coming together now and I’m finding my blogging direction.
Thank you Darren, you are a legend.
“You really need a large audience to make profit from advertising. With a smaller audience, you can sell something directly”. So true and can make so much more money rather than slamming your blog with advertisements for one hundred followers.
Thanks for this excellent post and vodcast (or would you call it a blogcast?). I found the seven points well worth heeding and for new bloggers, invaluable information. I particularly enjoyed hearing about the “cashmachine” mentality of some of the sites promoting instant wealth overnight, and just how short lived such a strategy could be. Not to mention how unsatisfying this is in the long run. We all know in the bricks and mortar world, it takes time to build a strong business model and the cyber world is no different. The old adage is true: you get out of something only what you put into it!
I tweeted this link this morning. Thanks a lot.
I had so much fun working with Brian and Darren on this. And Darren’s story about his boy (with that great picture) almost made me cry. :)
It is so easy to forget the principles that form the foundation of genuine contribution. I am glad I watched this talk because it helped me re-affirm the things that I have been striving to do with my research and writing. What things?
1)Talk about things that people care about (or convince them that they should care, which is part of what I do)
2) Make it relevant
3) Make it useful.
This was an amazing keynote session! I was THERE! This was my first blogging conference and I was so impressed by the vulnerability, and openness of the panel! Thanks for sharing!
Ben I will add to those:
Make it simple.
Simple websites are far better than over charged ones that are to confuse to navigate,
I was not at the conference but heard about this from a blogger friend! Great to see it in video, it makes lot more sense.
Only thing, I did not read properly and had to fast forward video for 25-30 minutes before keynote started. Harsh reality #0, was learned hard way :-)
Sonia, you dominated the time with 2 great expert! Way Cool. Brian and Darren, it was great to hear your point of view on blogging reality. Thanks for posting.
Wow. I wasnt expecting to come here and end up listening, grabbing a pencil with paper and jotting down notes, but thats exactly what i did. This was just so informative!
Thank you so much for posting this! It was…just so useful! And insightful! The best lessons are learned from people explaining their pasts and experiences. Most useful and thought provoking. at least for me…
Great post – hopefully a year from now at the next conference I will be attending to talk about my experience with 75 day Journey (my personal blog following my quest to launch a successful internet business in 75 days).
Inspiring stuff! Darren’s interventions echoed in me in a big way. I just finished the Problogger book, and can’t wait to implement it in a project of mine.
I have to say I was instantly put off by seeing a political ad immediately after I hit play! That was just wrong. Then the actual video didn’t load.
disappointing!
Sorry you had that experience Barbara – we’re just serving the video from BWE’s UStream account so have no control on the ads. Hoping you’ve able to watch it now.
Great video! I liked how it emphasized putting the the reader first and also how blogging isn’t a get rich quick scheme.
This video was exactly what I needed to see today. I’ve been struggling with my newest internet project (which follows the “blog” business model). I often forget that you have to give 100 percent, treat your blog like a business, be patient, and not get discouraged.
I’ll be bookmarking this post and re-playing it when I need to be reminded of all the important points addressed in this video.
Great Post!
Interest video well worth the watch some nice words of wisdom from Darren.
I say again, in life and in blogging, quality, worth, and value!
I had to watch this the next day. But, one of the things people seek is “To make money.”
The money comes more easily when you seek to “demonstrate mastery” or to “help others” or to “set a good example” via your blog.
The problem with everything bloggy…and even the third tribe to a point) is that you have to conivnce people that the money’s already there, it’s just not yet convinced that it belongs to you.
I was impressed with both times that I met you Darren, how congenial you were and how patient you were. I wish you all the best being a taskmaster.
Hi thanks for this post. I think the most important thing in blogging is to provide great information to your visitors. Give them what they want. Provide value and make our community improve. Cheers
Thanks for sharing this video. For people like me who live in a place where this kind of event is rare, videos like this is gold.
Proud to be a blogger :-)
Haha, I like harsh reality #4, but then again, I may be biased.
Georgina and Darren,
Thank you for sharing this. I am living on the other side of the world from the event and it is a real treat to see part of what happened when I could not be there.
Most of all I appreciate the clarity in the information shared.
Being yourself is always the best way to live and do business.
David
[…] The 7 Harsh Realities of Blogging for Bucks: Because I didn’t do it justice in the intro, this post and video actually does contain a bunch of great lessons. Seven of them, to be precise. […]
I am new to the world of blogging, but I just wanted to say thanks and tell you that I found the information here very helpful, especially this video.
Thanks for the video. How come you three have the same glasses? Is it some weird branding thing? 8^)
Thank you, all of you, for sharing this video. I’ve been blogging for about 4 years now, and recently switched gears to blog a little closer to my passion. I like to think of it as blogging from my heart. Reasons aside, what I’m trying to say is this: after all this blogging time, it’s been too long since I heard/read/saw something that influenced the way I perceive the power & business of blogging. But you, as a conference panel, have given me much to consider, and at just the right time too. So thank you, for speaking from your hearts as well!
Excellent video!! Thanks SO much for sharing! I really learned something new. And I also agree with you, a blog i VERY important