DISQUS

Matt Jones · 2 years ago

Thanks for the link and fantastic article! Stumbled and Sphunn :)

Chris Garrett · 2 years ago

Great stuff :) I am thinking the real secret behind Wendy though is she has a time machine, her days are 40 hours long ;)

Wendy Piersall · 2 years ago

ROFLMAO. I do think I put in about 80 hours in the last week, but usually I can get away with a light 75 hours or so...

*KIDDING*

Wendy Piersall · 2 years ago

Actually, Ben, I did want to add an 11th Step - PSYCHING yourself up.

It took me a long time to talk myself into believing I could handle having 7 people depend on me for income, that I could manage this huge of a project, and that I could handle the kind of success that I hoped for, or that I could even pull it all off!

I sometimes feel like I've fallen off of a cliff, but I know where I'm landing and I'm enjoying ride and looking forward to the landing. :)

Chris Garrett · 2 years ago

I think that is key Wendy, enjoying the ride. There are so many more stable ways of earning an income, but the business we are in is creative, builds connections and friends, allows an amount of freedom not found in 9-5 and has the potential to really help people. Who wouldn't love doing this? :)

Char · 2 years ago

Ben, you did a fantastic job summing up the process. And hats off to Wendy for taking that leap of faith and launching this next generation of her brand.

derek · 2 years ago

Ben, you've hit one out of the park with this list of steps. Wendy has done an outstanding job and has taken a huge step in expanding her brand and making the step to reach to the next level.

I'm so grateful that Wendy has included me as a member of her new team and look forward to the journey before me. And I think Chris was right when he said Wendy must have found the secret to longer days! :)

digitalnomad · 2 years ago

Well, good luck to Wendy. I am not much in touch with the mommy blog crowd, and don't see how they do it.

In some ways it must be a bit like trying to sell Amway or Avon. How many friends and family can sell each other the same stuff or ideas.

A mystery to me. This is not meant to be a critique, just an observation. We all are watching though.

Brown Baron · 2 years ago

Now that was a great read. If anyone can pull it off, Wendy can.

Donald T · 2 years ago

i've always wondered how a person can maintain a blog and earn from it. it's not easy to blog consistently and promote it to have more people read your blog. Anyway, thanks for the post. It's a real enlightenment.

Wendy Piersall · 2 years ago

Well, digitalnomad, I would venture to say that my site has never really been considered a "mommy blog" (30%+ readers are dads) and we don't sell anything on the site.

We just provide content to help entrepreneurial parents succeed in business - it has a lot broader appeal than you're thinking.

:D

lornadoone · 2 years ago

From now on, when my family and friends ask exactly what it is I'm doing, I'm just going to send them to this post! I couldn't have summed it up better, albeit, I can't really see straight at this point, either. ;-)

(I think the number of commas in that sentence is a direct reflection of this long, amazing week.)

Really, I am just so pleased and honored to be a part of the whole thing. While there are many benefits for Wendy, I feel like I'm really reaping so much from her expertise. There are so many aspects of blogging that are really beyond my current abilities, and it's amazing to have someone else say, "You just write cool stuff, and I'll do the work for you!"

Adam Kayce : Monk At Work · 2 years ago

Way to go, Ben — this post rocks.

My short-range plans are a bit different than this (world conquest, just along different lines... ;-) ), but long-term, this sounds like a plan and a half.

And kudos to Wendy — she's the best!

Vikram Rajan · 2 years ago

Great points... to your point on being active in the blogosphere... a great thumb-rule is to post insightful/useful comments on other people's blogs. That not only adds value to (future) blogosophere friends, but gets our name out there, and could even drive traffic to our own blogs.

~ Vikram
PersonalBrandMarketing.com

Vikram Rajan · 2 years ago

oh, I forgot to mention... I love using Google Alerts that e-mails me whenever anybody (in the news and/or blogs) talks about the subjects that I care to comment about, e.g. Personal branding.

~ Vikram
PersonalBrandMarketing.com

Darlene · 2 years ago

Ben - This is an excellent post. I will digg once I complete my comment.

Thank you for the information. It will help me as I continue to develop my blog and strengthen my brand. I don't know Wendy, but I have learned from the information you have written about here. It was very well written. Thanks! I will go and check out Wendy's blog(s).

R · 2 years ago

Nice tips. I hope to soon come out of the woods with my unknown blog. I'm new to blogging. I've mostly been into forums until now but I hope I can get good at this in time. I'll keep these tips in mind. Thanks a lot :)

Chris Brown · 2 years ago

Ben:
Thanks for the link. I originally saw it where your post was translated into Spanish. My husband (who had some spanish way back in high school) insisted that it said promote like that crazylady Chris Brown, but I'm pleased that it's more like promote like crazy! Thanks so much!
Chris

Daniel Sitter, Idea Seller · 2 years ago

Ben, you have done a stellar job at reviewing and summarizing Wendy's success. Not only is your assessment very interesting, it is quite a solid analysis.

Although Wendy has made giant leaps, what made it all possible was her intense focus and methodical brand development. Lifting her up as an example is inspiring to all of us!

Money Merge Account · 2 years ago

Ha, that's great! I'd like to build an empire of any sort, but an online media empire...I'd settle for that ;-)

Ben Yoskovitz · 2 years ago

@Chris: Ha! I was hoping you'd see the link, but trackbacks to Blogger don't work well (or at all). I should have just emailed you. Hopefully you and your husband got a good laugh at the "crazy lady Chris Brown" ...

Josh Nursing · 2 years ago

That's a super post, Ben. Thanks.

Mark Goodyear · 2 years ago

Great post, Ben, as everyone is noting. There's a lot to think about as I continue working on our nonprofit niche micro-empire.

I especially like Wendy's call to psych myself up.

Anthony Kuhn · 2 years ago

Ben:

I appreciate your efforts to help bloggers transform their work into a true business. The mini-media empire will quite possibly be the "Next Big Thing" for entrepreneurs. Taking old things and combining them into successful new things is innovation in action! I cross-posted on your piece to http://blog.innovators-network.org The Innovators Network is a non-profit dedicated to bringing technology to startups, small businesses, non-profits, venture capitalists and intellectual property experts. Please visit us and help grown our community!

Best wishes for continued success,

Anthony Kuhn
Innovators Network

Del Davis · 2 years ago

Great article. Another blogger who has built a small empire on the back of a successful blog is Manolo the Shoeblogger. http://shoeblogs.com He's up to seven blogs right now, some which seem to be getting good traffic.

Amrit Hallan - HowToPlaza · 2 years ago

Great interview Ben.

The key is a combination of the right, high-demand niche and perseverance. Interaction too plays a crucial part.

Ben Yoskovitz · 2 years ago

Amrit - It wasn't quite an interview, just my observations and my knowledge of what Wendy has done (from interacting with her on numerous occasions.) But I'm still glad you liked the post!

Ben Yoskovitz · 2 years ago

@Mark: A nonprofit niche micro-empire, you say? Sounds interesting...

Dee Barizo · 2 years ago

Thanks for the mention and great post. Lot of good information.

DotComPreneur.com Magazine · 2 years ago

Your blog was featured in our Secrets to Success section today http://dotcompreneur.com/?p=18

Are you a DotComPreneur? Take the Quiz and see how you measure up! http://www.DotComPreneur.com

hofshi · 2 years ago

Thank you very much. very educational.

Michael · 2 years ago

An excellent article - one that I have personally bookmarked and stumbled.

Thanks.

Ben Yoskovitz · 2 years ago

Michael - Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the post, and hope to see you around Instigator Blog in the future.

RJacobsen · 2 years ago

I've been seriously considering starting a blog, or two, and just this morning my business partners and I had a discussion about it. I'm grateful I came across this post, It is both inspirational and informative.

Thanks!

Ted Prodromou · 1 year ago

I've been blogging on different topics for a while and building a nice following. These tips will help me take my blogs to the next level.

Thanks for the great information.

Ben Yoskovitz · 1 year ago

@RJ and Ted -- Glad you've found this post useful. Hope you'll stick around the blog and check out other content.

Frugal Guy · 1 year ago

I've been able to develop a small readership, and have a number of blogs, but monetization appears to be a problem for me.

I'm hoping it is my niche and logically it would make sense. Anyway, great post, consider it bookmarked (and soon linked).

Jason · 1 year ago

There are many opportunities for bloggers to build a strong brand and tens of thousands of monthly visitors. It takes a lot of time, dedication, knowledge, and action, but it's all possible with consistency and good promotion.

paolomendoza · 1 year ago

i've done the first two.. 8 more to go! =P

Max @ Houston Lawyers Direct · 1 year ago

Hey this post gave me a lot of encouragement. I'm sure that you have heard of ShoeMoney (if not you should definitely check out his site). I generally feel like his level of success is almost impossible, but when you lay out a plan like this the prospect seem much more realistic.

Ben Yoskovitz · 1 year ago

@Max: ShoeMoney is great. That level of success is definitely hard to achieve. Then again, you don't need to achieve that level of success to have a very successful media empire.

oyun · 1 year ago

For me, this is one of the most important pieces of having a successful and sustainable long-term business.

Rom · 1 year ago

Great tips! Hope we get to see also tips 11 to 15 :)

@Ben, very true! Not to mention that shoemoney.com is not very popular at google.

Ben Yoskovitz · 1 year ago

@Rom: More steps/tips? Oh oh! Don't put me on the spot like that...*laugh*

oyun · 1 year ago

Ben, you did a fantastic job summing up the process. And hats off to Wendy for taking that leap of faith and launching this next generation of her brand.

zakenlinks · 1 year ago

Very usefull tips, but you forgot this tip: give away free stuff/information, that is always a very good promotion.

Ben Yoskovitz · 1 year ago

@zakenlinks: Giving away free stuff/information is a good idea -- of course, by virtue of blogging we're all pretty much doing that. I do think packaging up a free ebook or something of the sort can be a great way to build brand + awareness though.

Overton · 1 year ago

Great post! Lots of good ideas here to get started with.

Cheers!

Webmaster · 1 year ago

The best thing to remember is find a niche you enjoy and have a passion for. The Key thing is High Demand/Low Supply. Find your niche within a niche if you need to. Be patient its not going to happen within 24 hours. I currently have 24 hot new niche products on offer just click on my name to find out.

Oyun · 1 year ago

Very usefull tips, but you forgot this tip: give away free stuff/information, that is always a very good promotion.

Rom @ PR4 Directory · 1 year ago

@Webmaster - That is also a very important factor to be considered. The more you know about your niche, the more likely you would be successful in it.

Laveranues Pedigree · 1 year ago

Thanks for the post. I've been really interested in Flikr and how Yahoo uses those pictures in a lot of it's image search results.

rivers · 1 year ago

i think "#7 Get help." is the most important one here. No one can build an empire alone :)
Great article.. thanks!

k?z oyunlar? · 1 year ago

Very usefull tips, but you forgot this tip: give away free stuff/information, that is always a very good promotion.

Matt · 1 year ago

All very good points. I would add one more, and that is "Enjoy what you write about". Unless I enjoyed about what it is that interests me, there would be no way that I could continue blogging.

SEO Update · 1 year ago

Great post, Ben, very comprehensive checklist but I guess what one also should bear in mind..Is "love what you do, and what you do will love you." Blogging is just not about knowing how to write or focusing on a niche you know in and out but Blog because you get inner joy for sending the right message across to your readers,and hopefully add/improve/affect positively to someones knowledge about your niche.

Brown Baron · 1 year ago

Fantastic read. No matter how many times I read it, it's still fresh.

oyunlar · 1 month ago

blogging masses have some masters among them, who knows what could happen to the balance of power in the sports media world.

Of course, my preference had been to avoid having to make any qualitative decisions about which bloggers should be in or out of the locker room. Since that is no longer possible, I’m happy to share my feelings about the state of the sports blogosphere.

Kevin · 1 year ago

I agree most with Branding. Corporations do it, you should too.

Mike @ Credit Card Forum · 1 year ago

You're right and that's one of the great things I love about blogging. With hard work and dedication, literally anyone can find some sort of success with their blog if they stick to their guns and work, work, WORK on it. Indeed the niche blogs are probably the most beneficial way for new people to break in.

justin @ freebie forum · 1 year ago

Everyone seems to have this romanticized idea about being a pro blogger. What a lot of the A Listers don't tell you is that they got in early on affiliate referrals and are making a killing on residual commissions.

Just starting out takes a tonne of work before you see a penny. you would be better off running a proxy network or something if you want fast results.

Sherri Hill · 1 year ago

Excellent read. Very insightful. I'm kind of new to the world of blogging, this will definately help.

Roomy Naqvy · 1 year ago

This was really a very motivating article. Very inspiring and I'm sure it could fire up a number of people into becoming entrepreneurs.

Thanks once again.

Add Tag - Tag Ekle · 1 year ago

Very usefull tips, but you forgot this tip: give away free stuff/information, that is always a very good promotion.

Andrew · 1 year ago

Reading this has once more giving me hope at dosing something worthwhile online.
I love these stories where a "nobody" makes it big online.

oyun download · 1 year ago

@Webmaster - That is also a very important factor to be considered. The more you know about your niche, the more likely you would be successful in it.

Étienne · 1 year ago

Very valuable insight, thanks for sharing.

Iva · 1 year ago

Really inspirational... Bookmarking it as a long term goal. i think it works the way human nature works, initially you have to feed yourself, once full stomached then focus to be social and powerful.

Reggie Brown · 1 year ago

Awesome stuff. I'm worried with my blog that we're becoming a bit too broad instead of focusing on a niche. We'll have to lasso it in a bit.

Tesla · 1 year ago

An excellent article - one that I have personally bookmarked.

Thanks.

http://www.flytitle.com

earthlingorgeous · 1 year ago

Wow! This is such great tips. Definitely something worth reading.

panji · 1 year ago

i thing this is great idea for foundation to build online business, i must keep this thing in my mind..

Michael Sweigart · 1 year ago

I think one of the biggest issues is once you have figured out some (all, many) of these concepts, how do you train staff and continue to refine what they are doing. Sure there can be a jedi master of sorts, but how do you get all the training to flow downhill?

Aubrey Clark · 1 year ago

I have a question, my blog is well built, rather boring, it's about credit repair, how exciting can credit repair be? However I have a well-built tutorial that really helps those who are interested in repairing their credit. The problem is my bounce rate is through the roof, people just aren't sticking.

I do pretty well on adsense from the bounce but I need people to actually stay for my other monetized ads to work.. I can shorten up my tutorial and make it an easier read but the subject demands an in-depth explanation ... any suggestions?

Dom · 1 year ago

Wow!
that was a very interesting read.
Very nice.

Matthew · 1 year ago

This is a very interesting article. I would like to know how much revenue Wendy is pulling in, or at least a rough figure. Since she now has so many blogs, she must do this close to full-time.

peter latterkursus · 1 year ago

Nice list, especially the part about making friends. You talk about online friends through blogs, but i have found that it is just as valuable to keep in touch with friends in the real world. They know you and will most likely wouch for you

Matt Leo · 1 year ago

Great points. I think #9 might just be the most important. too many people don't think of it as a business. You need to think like that from the beginning as well if you want it to become something. It doesn't usually start off as not a business and then magically become one.

Missy · 1 year ago

Hi, Ben:
Just found you via your article on Copyblogger. Wendy sure has come along way since this post was written a year ago.

You've done a fantastic job of laying out the mini media empire process, it is super hard to manage a successful network of blogs. It is no small feat. I've been trying for some time now, and have a long long long way to go.

Nice to meet you.

Missy.

Jorge Barba · 1 year ago

Nice article, still relevant even though you wrote it just over a year ago. Much has changed since then, what updates would you make to this now?

Best,

Jorge.

Mitch · 1 year ago

Great post. This inspires me to try and work harder on my projects.

Hning · 1 year ago

Thanks for the tips, helpful :) one thing, I think #9 might just be the most important. too many people don't think of it as a business. You need to think like that from the beginning as well if you want it to become something. It doesn't usually start off as not a business and then magically become one. Cheers

Oyun indir · 1 year ago

Thanks for the mention and great post.
very nice

David · 1 year ago

I sometimes feel like I’ve fallen off of a cliff, but I know where I’m landing and I’m enjoying ride and looking forward to the landing. :)

Michael · 1 year ago

Badass article thanks for this.

Raphael · 10 months ago

Great points Ben.Your post gave me a lot of encouragement.The best thing to remember is find a niche you enjoy and have a passion for.

Drew · 10 months ago

You missed off 11. SEO - Thanks for the article though.

http://www.searchengineguide.com/jennifer-layco...

Rob · 10 months ago

Thanks Ben, for some great tips. I've been struggling for some time to get my alcoholism support site to grow. Your article has really got me excited and motivated to "Take the Bull by the horns" Maybe now I will be able to further my dream and to help other alcoholics to beat their addiction.

Thanks again

Rob :)

Brad Long · 9 months ago

all very good tips that I find important as I started my blog a couple months ago. Good stuff looking forward to more

Scentsy · 8 months ago

Congrats to Wendy for taking that chance. Ben your tips are aways appreciated!

Liquid Roof · 8 months ago

Make lot of friends is the best idea for living a life as life...Your suggestions really having a sense of motivation specially 3rd one grab my attention and make me to stop and leave some words there.
Thanks

Ste · 8 months ago

I think number 3, make lots of friends, is a huge point. Your blog or site will grow exponentially if you put lots of effort into networking with other bloggers and site owners. Read other peoples posts and comment on them if you have valid points.

Jay - Work At Home Blog · 6 months ago

Making friends online is most important thing that will actually shape your diverse network. That's a no-brainer. You make up a great list of this!

JP@ Love Poems & Love Quotes · 5 months ago

The best thing a blogger can do is make tons of friends. You explain this very well in your blog post here. This also can determine your success online.

Louis vuitton handbags · 4 months ago

the first:Build up a popular blog on a specific niche,but how can i to find more articles about pop topics? please give me more suggests,thanks.

allmaritime · 4 months ago

I think that all these things are the base, but in general you need inspiration, luck, a little spirit of art ( I recognize that you should be an artist ) and of course the time you allow for your bussines. For now I'm not sure how is correct: to make something and consider this a hobby or consider a business? What you consider that's profitable?

college papers · 3 months ago

I believe what matters is that you enjoy what you do. So good luck to us!

maocom1 · 3 months ago

Thanks for the information, I am a newbis to this, you are right about its tough blogging to make a living.

Oyun · 2 months ago

Very usefull tips :) but you forgot this tip: give away free information, that is always a very good post.

replica bags · 2 weeks ago

This is a fantastic and in-depth article, Follow all the steps and I’m sure you won’t go far wrong.

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