The amount of bloggers that enter into the “blog about blogging” niche are growing everyday. All of us most likely have started blogging from reading other blogs that talk about blogging tips or heard it from someone related to this field. And most likely, we all have talked about some of the same subjects related to the topic of blogging. So, here I want to talk about why I want to have you think about and answer the call for stop blogging about blogging.
I am truly annoyed of anytime I come across a new site that talks about blogging tips. Why? Anyone can blog about blogging. We all have read blogs that talk about these tips and so we can just transform our take on things, insert our own voice, and attract the same community.
I am going to make five points to why you need to think about the idea of not blogging about blogging.
1. Misleading Rewards
While having a conversation with another blogger that has just recently formed themselves in the blogosphere, I asked why they started to blog about blogging. Their two main reasons were to help out people and that their community is strong. Let’s look more in-depth at these two reasons.
Helping Out People
Having a blog or really anything that has a mission or vision behind it is out to help people. Most of us in this world strive to help people out. I feel loved to know that so many people are willing to do this, but I know you can help out bloggers other than just offering tips directly related to blogging. It is misleading to say that you are helping out people when you see comments. Going further…
A Strong Community
Ever noticed seeing some of the very same people who visit your blogging tips & advice blog are from many of the other same blogs out there?
When I first started a blog about blogging tips I cannot tell you how grateful I was to see so much initial support. Whether it be comments, retweets, guest posts, or networking off the blog I felt I had a strong community.
I realized though that in the end this community was just bloggers striving for traffic to their blog and I really was not helping out people. Additionally, you will find this sort of community to not make you money.
2. We Can Always Learn From Current Blogs
Earlier I hit on the fact that there are so many blogs that offer blogging tips and advice like: Blogussion, ProBlogger, SiteSketch101, WeBlogBetter, Robb Sutton, and Fuel Your Blogging. There are already 6 right there. But, there are so many more and I know that these blogs you see here have attracted already strong communities so you can expect them to be around for a while.
You can always learn from these current blogs about blogging and stop producing the same sort of content. We have enough resources if we ever need help while being a blogger. Trust me.
3. You Can Blog About Anything
The power of social media and networking is still very much under-rated and not used to its full potential by many people.
Being a blogger means to publish content and strive for attention and participation
We can all do anything we want to do and accomplish it now with even more help with the web.
Blogging does not always mean blogging about blogging. If you can wrap your brain around that and strive to blog about something you love, something you want to learn more about, or something that you feel is an area that needs to be understood better I assure that you will be helping out many. These are all reasons to blog and why the world needs you.
4. Establishing Your True Self
We all need to make our true selves be known to the world! When this is achieved and worked at, people will know you by what you do. Everyone will.
Do you want to be known as a blogger that blogs about blogging? We both know that there is something else that defines you. Heck, the person I look up to for inspiration is Gary Vaynerchuk. He started a video blog just talking about wine. That’s it.
He put in the time and energy to build his very own and original community. But, everyone knows him as the wine guy. First you have to find out your passion and many of the blogs I mentioned above provide tips.
You need to wait for the passion to find you though, so some reflection won’t hurt.
The point is that building a personal brand for yourself is more important than ever and you hurt yourself by going the “easy” route of starting a site or blog by providing tips on what you JUST did.
5. Originality and Desire is Going to Win
I know I probably have you going down many different mind trails right now. That’s good!
Anything other than providing blogging advice is a good start. Do realize though that if you feel you are still honed on providing blogging tips and advice you need to bring out your originality and desire. Do this and you will win and be successful, but realize too that you need to do this with anything in life. Example being is that Blogussion is known by higher up bloggers for being that next generation blog.
What’s your distention? What are you going to blog about? Bring out that energy and desire!
The Discussion
Leave a Comment Read Again?It’s funny how the first blog someone’d start is about blogging. And then those clichéd articles on how to get more comments, more RSS subscribers and all those repeated tips.
I am there with you Derek, I’d rather have them blog about color of their underwear than see another blog about blogging. It just needs to stop!
At least blog first?!
King,
I truly believe that the first blog started was about someone talking about their travel adventures or something related to food, etc. And then when someone realized you could really make money from blogging, then started blogging about blogging. It spread because then people realized you could “easily” blog about blogging and make money.
It’s like a big trap.
I’m so glad to read this. In general, there’s nothing more boring than yet another blog or blog post about blogging, or worse: Making money by blogging.
I once amused myself by imagining a site called “MetaBlogger” with the tagline “I blog about bloggers who blog about blogging,” but decided that I didn’t want to put my energy into a joke site like that.
So I’m starting something else, that hopefully will end up being a truly useful site.
“I blog about bloggers who blog about blogging,” LMAO!! This is the funniest thing I have heard all day!
Carl,
I’m glad you have noticed that you can surely make money by really blogging about anything you want and have passion for.
Haha,
It really is pretty funny, but it seems like everyone’s doing it. Whenever I get a question in a forum about where to begin or something, and I tell someone they need to find a niche, they first thing they jump to is the make money online niche, but I’m thinking…”you know nothing about making money online, why start a niche there?” lol.
CJ
CJ’s last blog ..Could You Make Over a Million a Year Blogging?
CJ,
You nailed it on the head! Really! There are so many people that are starting blog about blogging. Think about this. How many of those blogs that you originally saw that talked about blogging tips actually started from blogging about something totally in a different and specific niche? I would say a majority. People just need to find their passion and then the money will come.
Excellent resource! thumbs up!
building your name and create interaction and trust with others is a way to make money with Blogs
Dont forget to join Bloghology Network. Similar to Facebook but targeted to Blogging and Bloggers needs
I wish I would know your name, but thanks and I’m glad this is a great resource for you and your community. We need to spread this idea!
Perhaps it depends why people are blogging? My “personal” site is something I enjoy doing and something that I find useful – I’ve lost count of the times I’ve gone back to my own posts to remember how I did something! I also know that some of my friends read and follow it and enjoy doing so.
But anyway, the point is a good one. You are right, anyone can blog about blogging and even the more high profile sites just seem to be turning out dross. Who needs another “10 blogging tips I learnt from my Cat” type post?
The problem they have is that many of the blogging blog owners only seem to make money out of their “make money online” blogs. This has the two fold problem of a) they don’t have experience of running a “real” website. And b) their sites are often very skewed to business models that work for blogs about blogs.
But either way, if people enjoy posting up tips and stories then I think they should carry on, assuming it isn’t detracting from core goals. When your meta blog becomes the most successful thing you do then you are doing something wrong. Or perhaps something right!
Thanks for your points. I do believe that there are more bloggers out there that need to actually manage what you’re calling a “real site/blog” and then they can build credibility in their blog about blogging which is just their success stories and “hey don’t do what I did, because…”
I’m not afraid to say that I do touch on blogging as a subject but it’s definitely not my main focus. I’m highly interested in helping small (and local) businesses transition online; just so happens that blogging can be one of those methods.
But I agree overall, it’s starting to become very saturated and almost redundant. Everyone has plenty of interests that can be turned into a blog, it doesn’t have to be just about blogging. Hell, just focusing on a single aspect of it will differentiate yourself – if you love doing interviews, make everything you talk about interviews instead of covering the wide variety of topics.
Of course, so many of us have multiple blogs and projects as well. Take a look at wither your blogging blog is the real money maker – then figure out which you want to make as your flagship.
Murlu,
You bring up a good point about if people want to blog about blogging still. There are so many topics that you could cover and if you were to dedicate your focus and content to just that topic and branch from there (topics within that single topic) then that blog will be a great resource.
I say get over it, and don’t tell other people what to blog about. If that is their passion and what they want to do, then who are you to say they shouldn’t do it. Wasn’t your post about blogging, isn’t this site about blogging.
Get over it!
I think you missed the point. Maybe a reread or reading through the comments is a good step. My point is that many bloggers blog about blogging just because they see everyone else doing it. But, they don’t realize they started out blogging about something totally not related specifically to blogging, etc. Yes, you are correct this is a blog about blogging but with strong desire. Trust me.
Lucky your blog isn’t about blogging. Then you would be contradicting everything you said.
But, see if I were to blog about blogging I would do it in a way that was very unique, creative, and I had a strong desire to do so. But, I don’t.
This is what keeps me from starting my own bloggy blog site. I don’t feel like competing against every other blog out there. I’ll stick to subjects that I have a passion for and can write endlessly about. My site teaches people, trains people and helps people out. I’m keeping it real.
Hey Richard!
It’s not so much that you should not blog about blogging because everyone else is doing it. It’s more that you should blog about something that you truly have strength and desire in. Because this will show and this will make you money.
Interesting — you say this on a blogging blog.
Given that, you’re right that thousands of people are piling into a niche where only a few can succeed. However, a few will…
I write six blogs, none about blogging. I do follow several blogging blogs, blogussion included.
John,
This is certainly a blog about blogging, but the tip or point I offer I believe is one that many bloggers need to take into mind. Just because you are reading a blog about blogging does not mean you need to be blogging about blogging. (repetitive I know)
All we, bloggers, have to know is that we can adapt all of these tips into our own passionate niche blogs. But, mostly we take what we learn and then rewrite about it.
It’s just that people want to blog something they know
By the way, in this post you blogged about blogging
If all they know is how to blog about blogging I don’t know if I believe they have credibility.
yeah, that’s why I picked to blog about something that’s never been blogged before (as far as I know — not really, I was just messing with you). But still new bloggers should avert from blogging what’s said by everyone to be profitable. It’s best to focus on writing something that you know you’re excellent at or just to rant about things that you’ve worth sharing to your possible visitors.
It’s a modern form of poetry, no one is setting any boundaries, it’s just that if your after profitability, then start considering those competitions that are already way ahead of you.
Jason, thanks for your comment. Passion, strength, and desire are going to win.
Haha! So true! Exactly what I’ve been thinking for the past few weeks. But it makes sense to blog about blogging.
Things that “matter” in being successful online are etched into the blogging niche.
Your visitors have blogs. They can link to you. They make your campaigns viral. They understand what you’re talking about. They too need inspiration, so they subscribe to every single blog about blogging, designing, writing and freelancing. This includes your-blog-about-blogging. So you get a bit of the pie too. Advertisers want pageviews. You deliver and get paid. Mission accomplished.
It’s like a sure shot thing if you do it properly. You don’t get to be famous or get a position in the world. Atleast not everyone. But you do get _some_ money out of the internet.
Utkarsh,
It actually makes sense to blog about something you are very passionate about and is in a specific niche and you just rock it. Why? Think of all the potential for companies, brands, and advertisers to be attracted to what you are blogging about like something so narrow as deserts.
In any scenario when you build it, they will come is true. Many people just get weak and see how others make money, get distracted and go to just blogging about blogging. They feel its safe, but I see many traps.
I must say, as soon as I saw the headline for this article my heart jumped a little. Why? Because I’ve just started up a blog about blogging just 2 weeks ago…. you’ve really made me think about it and wonder, do I have a chance here? I’ve put a lot of time and effort into it and I’ve invested financially aswell and now I don’t know if I should continue on with it at all…
I think some deep reflection is I’m order, anyone else any input for me? My site is http://www.bloginsomnia.com
Robert, Blog Insomnia looks decent enough. It’s also very similar to hundreds of other blogs I’ve seen that tell others how to blog effectively. If it’s truly your passion, and you either are or soon will be an expert on blogging, then go for it.
If not…then consider creative destruction. That means knowing when to cut your losses on something that is unlikely to give you the outcome you want, and then using your scarce resources for other ideas that have the potential for higher payoff and are more interesting.
Thanks for you reply John, its much appreciated.
It’s just I don’t know if I can bare the thought of just giving up and stopping it just like that. I know that I’m at a critical stage now for that since I’ve just started it and if I was to stop now, its the best time to do it before I put in hours and hours more of time and energy into it which would be a shame to just throw away
Robert,
I’ve told others that the best time to change something is early on in the stages if you truly find yourself not anywhere in few months or so. Where is your true desire? If its still blogging about blogging then I encourage you to make “Blog Insomnia” a blog that people go to for it’s originality, distinct difference, etc.
But, if you decide to change now is the best time rather than later.
Thanks for your advice guys, it really has helped. What I think I will do is stop bloginsomnia now then, maybe see if someone’s interested in buying it cheaply? And continue on improving my other somewhat established blogs for now.
Just one more thing, how do I break the news to other people who are currently writing for the site as well?
O forgot to ask,
Do you think it would be possible to sell the site? I mean its fully set up and seo optimized with thesis theme and has some content. I wouldn’t be looking for much, just enough to cover my costs. And where would I try and find a buyer for it?
Thanks, much appreciated
Robert,
I do not know all the details of selling a site but hit up Rob Rammuny on Twitter (@robrammuny) cause I think he could help you out.
But, in regards to your site I would just say what you honestly think and what is honestly on your mind. I don’t want me to just be the reason you shut it down. It’s all up to you and your desire.
I think I blog about blogging, because I learned a lot during my first blogging stint. I have improved my writing and I think I can add more niches to my kitty and blog other than the normal blogging tips
I just warn you to not spread yourself to thin and get away from why you originally started the blog and what the original focus and desire was to be.
Go big though Gautam Hans! You can do anything if you work for it.
I agree with you!
There are so many bloggers trying to capitalize on 1 very small market (in relation to the entire internet). Bloggers looking to make money should focus on the thousands of virtually untapped markets.
Here’s what I would do:
Find something you are very interested in… (other than blogging). Make a product for it, build a blog around it, market your blog, and stay up to date on the blogging world from a few carefully selected blog tips blogs.
The real buyers out there are not searching for “blog tips” they are looking for every day products and information only you can produce.
Seth,
I think your comment and the reply comment I made to Utkarsh above are some thoughts all of us bloggers and people wanting to live the internet lifestyle need to think about.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Yup, it may be blogging niche is saturated but may be not since the market is unlimited.
My suggestion is as long as you enjoy to write in blogging niche, why not — go through it and finding the way to success.
Dana,
But I feel that you should not just blog about blogging because it’s easy and there is a big market for it. Do something different and I bet you will come out higher than you would have you stayed in the blogging niche.
Another thing is there are many blogs about blogging marketing to the same bloggers that are also getting similar information from other blogs about blogging. So its important to have a distinct “edge” or to blog about something YOU love and can totally rock!
I really get a lot of new messages from this article. For me, blog about blogging is to build up relationship with other bloggers. For example, when my blogging buddy organizes a blogging contest, i can help him to promote this contest in my blogging blog. At the same time, i can only join the contest with this blogging blog.
I believe that you can build a relationship with so many bloggers without having a blog specifically about blogging. Yes, it makes it easy but I’m saying that new bloggers should not start a blog for that sole reason in your case of having a blogger community. Why? You can create a stronger community anywhere, you just need to put in a lot of work and passion.
I do agree. We do blog about the same thing and it’s repeating over and over again. The best way is to expose something new with passion. I guess the real passion is just not about blogging but how we express ourselves and our opinions through writing.
Thanks Nasrul for your thoughts! I’m glad we’re on the same page.
Blog about anything that use computer or about technology, because it brings the most gorgeous traffic, but stop blog about how to blog because to many blogs that blog about how to blog and there is too many blog word in this blog post and I’m sick of the word blog!
Yeah,there are thousands of blogs out there on blogging tips and make money online niche.When i visit most of these blogs i find the same topics are usually repeated with a little bit different angle but the message they deliver is same.I don’t find anything new in those blogs.
Everyone just needs a refocus if they want to continue with this niche or they should know that they can actually blog about anything and still make money if that is their issue.
I agree with you, but i didn’t say anything lol..
I find it kind of lame reading many blogging tips, which likely they are almost similar, plus, they might confuse newbie too since they are differ from one to another. Of course it depends on the newbie which one they will follow and which one not.
As in the first weeks i started my blog, my blog is not about blogging tips, and many people suggest me to write blogging tips (thing which promises me higher traffics) well, that’s not my thing, i am also still learn to blog, so i cant give anyone tips which i really don’t know myself. I give tips which mostly happened to me first, and then i share it with my readers.
Good that you pointed it out
Kimi,
I’m glad you listened to yourself, because even though they might be right in that you get increased traffic you might run into two key issues. No money and no drive/passion. This two things are important if you want to succeed online.
You just need to dominate your niche/focus of your blog!
I completely agree with you!!! I too am so sick of all these posts, seems like everyday there are a thousand new bloggers blogging about blogging, the same posts day after day and the same with Twitter. The niche is definitely over saturated.
Just curious? Are you running a blog just like this? I know it says internet marketing but you could easily lose focus on start blogging about blogging related topics…
Just wondering.
I think what happens is that when people first start a blog they are researching blog and make money online topics so those subjects are on their minds. Unfortunately, it does make for a lot of redundancy.
I don’t think it is so much that they go for the easy money as they go for the easy information. There isn’t a lot of information about how to launch your online knitting business, mostly just generic stuff about MMO and blogging. After a few weeks immersed in those topics, people think they are experts. If nothing else they have formed opinions they want to share.
Tammi,
You brought up a good point.
It is NOT easy to talk about how to launch an online knitting business, but I see that as an opportunity and the purpose for bloggers. Strive and dominate an area like knitting and you will get farther if that is truly your passion/desire.
Wow, couldn’t agree any more. I think its a trap, everyone starts off with it but hopefully more people go away from it as time goes on.
I myself have stopped posting about blogging and more into a niche that has much less attention.
It’s definitely ok to have a few blogs that post on blogging, like Blogussion and ProBlogger because they actually know what they’re doing. But its funny how people who are just starting a blog, start by blogging about blogging. Looking back, it makes absolutely no sense.
Must hand it to you Derek, amazing job
Thanks Ben! I think you nailed my point right on the head, really!
We need a few blogs like Blogussion to keep us all on the right tract, but when we have so many blogs about blogging it really kills the usefulness of the content and really our time. That’s why I enjoy the quality and value of blogs like Blogussion.
Interesting post. I think I might write a little piece on this topic for my blog about blogging.
No, seriously.
I blog about blogging, but here’s the thing…. I was actually making a full-time income as a blogger for almost 10 years before I started blogging about blogging. Most of the other successful bloggers many read also have had successful blogs in other niches.
For people brand new to blogging to enter this niche – well, its kinda stupid, if you ask me. And perhaps I’ll spell out why I say that in my own post.
David,
I do think that this idea needs to be spread throughout the blogosphere and just the web in general.
So many people are seeing people like you blog about blogging but really they don’t know how you got into that niche or rather how you started making money online.
Looking forward to your post and I hope that we can wipe out some of these blogs about blogging. Not because I want it to be a nuclear warfare, but because I feel it will only do that blogger some good.
Kind of in support of David’s point. If you look at the successful blogs about blogging, the writers all have other “real” blogs and are carrying the learning from those across to their meta blogs. David has PC Mech, Darren has DPS (much bigger than Problogger) and I (not comparing myself to them) have my blog Lanzarote Information.
Here’s the other thing to remember as well. A lot of the traffic and readership I attract to Mike’s Life is not from people starting blogs in the same niche. It’s from established business people who keep hearing about blogging and social media and want to understand how to get into those areas. Just this week, I’ve worked with a car spares business, a canned oxygen business and a sport retailer – all of whom came to my site to understand how to blog.
Hey Mike!
I do agree that David brought up a good point. Point number 6? haha
And I do think that if we blog about broad topics related to blogging it can be used as a portal for consulting. But, first you need to establish credibility or build your personal brand. I’ve even learned that (the hard way).
Lookin’ forward to mine, darn good thing I have buckets of originality and desire! lol
I am in fact going to have a specific blogging blog as part of my network, however it will be targeting a specific audience and eventually turn into much more then just “blogging tips”…I guarantee not the norm.
I may indeed lose some of my current readership, but I screwed up originally anyway lol, long story. It’s all good though.
You may agree, the domain SmallBusinessBlogCoach.com offers nearly limitless opportunities to the clever user.
That’s good Dennis!
Keep this post in the back of your head to make sure you don’t make the mistake what so many bloggers make. That mistake is starting off with a set focus, but then slowly expanding out and spreading themselves thin way too soon.
Heck, doing some mind maps might even help/work.
Derek,
Thought provoking post indeed and it seems like you ruffled a few feather along the way. I am going to have to disagree a bit with you. We all realize the blogging about blogs niche is completely saturated but it is like Darwin says, the strong will always survive. What if Alex or Nicholas over at Site Sketch thought this way..This blog is 18 months old and Site Sketch is about a year old. Why can someone not come along right now in this niche and rise to the top like these guys in the next year or so. As the A-listers get lazy and continue to write crap (yes, I am talking about John Chow) there will always be the ability for fresh passionate bloggers to get their shot.
Dan,
You made me laugh with the John Chow comment, but I think the main point I wanted to get across is not whether to write about blogging about blogging. It’s more that many bloggers see that this field is easy and just do it to get rewards. I strongly believe that we should blog something we are very passionate about or have a big desire for. Now, if that is blogging tips, etc. Then so be it.
Now I get you and I can agree with you there. I currently run 2 blogs. One is a career advice blog, which is what I actually do for a living (recruiting, resume writing,etc) and the other is focused on blogging. I do agree with your point that in order to be an effective blogger in the blogging tips niche, you should have demonstrated success in another niche. Not required of course, but very helpful for credibility.
People blog about blogging because people are followers. Like sheep in a herd. People read a blog that’s making money and talking about the money they make by blogging and so they do the same thing.
I did this back in 2007 and guess what? I failed. I went out to several other niches in an attempt to make real money and build a business. When I lost my job in October 2009 it didn’t matter because I was making more money than my day job from my websites. So then I decided, well there are a ton of idiots (like I used to be) that still blog about blogging / making money online so perhaps I can stand out because I actually make money online by building niche websites?
Well, it worked and I’m at nearly 2,000 RSS readers in less than 6 months. I think the only way to break out in this niche is if you have good success in it already i.e. like how I started earning a full time income from websites / blogs before deciding to talk about it again.
Anyway, good post but I still think it’s somewhat ironic that it’s published on a blog about blogging…
Chris,
Great point. Just like with everything if a blogger feels they can do better than the current bloggers in whatever niche (even if it’s saturated like blogging about blogging or making money online) then they should go for it. Anyone can do it. It just takes that know how, desire, and strength.
It is somewhat ironic that this is on a blog about blogging. I think that resembles the point I was striving to make though.
2 points
Gary V might have started a blog about wine, but he also makes money by talking all about how to blog/vlog in Crush It (the book, the vook etc) and advises companies in his spin off company how to Crush it. Doesn’t quite fit your argument as it’s kind of the equivalent of blogging about blogging.
I guess one appeal is there aren’t many residual earning programmes outside of the money, blogging niches. So if you blog about cat flaps you get 50 cents a sale, if you mention aweber etc enough times you earn for life.
Having said that I agree it’s an oversaturated niche and I won’t touch it – (yet!)
Jules,
I’m just going to respond to your first point because in all honesty Gary V was no one until about the 2nd year into Wine Library. 2 good years of just solid domination of a niche he was passionate about. Then he began talking about it and offering his tips. It’s a step process.
If I were you I would look through the comments and read David Risley’s and Mike CJ’s. It’s all about credibility and many new bloggers and blogging about blogging without this. But, as I have said throughout the comments if you have the desire and strength to rock this saturated niche then go for it.
Hey Derek,
your title itself startled me because as my condition is exactly similar with Blog Insomnia. I started a blog about money making online. Gosh.As I read your articles, it does provide me with a different insight.
However,learning to make money and recently making money online has always been my greatest passion. I love making money and now I love making money online. =)
Instead of just shutting down my blog and turn it 360 degree around, i think i am going to work on ways to finding a better approach in writing about such subject. How? What? I am entirely clueless just yet. But I believe things will work out in the end. I always do.
But anyway, thanks for the heads up. =)
really appreciate every bit of points you have written.
cheers
have a nice day.
I’m glad I could be of help to you! I really am!
I hope everything works out!
@Mike I’m not quite sure I understand what your saying
Thanks for great advice. Blogging is not just end up with blogging its about retaining visitors into guest post doing successful relationship management it automates Google trust rank and Alexa too.
You’re welcome! Just FYI… you should probably have a real name.
I wouldn’t read a new blog about blogging, simply because I am already reading problogger.net I like to keep my “blogging content” in “one place” I don’t have enough space in my RSS reader for someone new.
I believe this post is so very true, because I am sick about bloggers, who are writing about blogging, and marketers who are selling you the knowledge of “how to make money online”, while the only money they earn is coming from teaching other people how to do the same….
Just a little twist on your product creation and marketing efforts can change it. I think that the fact we’re in the midst of economic crisis, is leading everyone to the saturated niches, were only actual money is being made. But from my own perspective, when people start coming back to their real day jobs, we’ll face a bigger number of people who are going to quit their blogs or start writing about other topics.
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