When it comes to making money blogging, Chow, Schoemaker and Rowse are in a league of their own. People tend to look at their success like “Hey, I’m going to do the same exact thing as them and get rich!”
Wrong! That’s probably one of the first mistakes you can make. A lot of people read what they write and think it’s easy, so they want to be just like them. But they end up falling through the cracks because it’s extremely hard and when it comes down to it, you are not them. So, why try to be?
Those three big-name bloggers are all in the same niche as each other and yet, all three are extremely successful. That must tell you something. We can ALL blog about the same thing and profit from it, so why try to be a John Chow, Jeremy Schoemaker or Darren Rowse? When you should really be yourself and make your own footsteps because when it comes down to it, they are not going to support you; you have to support yourself.
Now, I’m not trying to bash any of these bloggers because I respect them – don’t know any of them personally or ever came in contact with them – but they’re obviously doing something right. But quiet frankly, I try NOT to go and read their blogs (though, I have visited each of them about three times) because I end up getting caught up trying to follow in their footsteps when I should be creating my own.
I’m not saying everyone is going to become rich, I mean, look at me, I’m definitely not close to being there… yet. But I’m making progress and taking each day one step at a time. And sometimes I have my doubts, just like many of you guys, but I continue to try to build off my own momentum and see where that takes me.
So, whatever niche you’re pursuing, goals you’re setting or dreams you’re having… just be yourself!
Hi Jay
I agree with you 101% trying to be somebody else is not the way to make it online.One can follow an example,but to try to clone it will not work 99% of the time.
Steven Wilson
Great post. I tend to agree. I thing bloggers start out thinking hey I can do what they do, then get burned out after 3 months. I try not to read their blogs either, but I usually end up doing so. Damn RSS feeds!
First of all you have to blog because you enjoy blogging otherwise you won’t get anywhere. Once you establish your blog in your style you can look for ways to monetise - there’s no point trying to be John Chow since John Chow is always going to be better at it!!
Regards Jay Livewyre (the OTHER Jay…!)
Amen Brother!! That’s why everyday born a lots of blog that are drop it after a month, everybody wants to make easy money.
Great post, I agree with you.
I don’t even look at blogs if they are all about making money. Hopefully my blog is different enough to stand out from the rest.
a wonderful post. I agreed with you. We need to be our ownselves. We are the one who will dictate our destiny. Not the established bloggers. But we could learn some tips from them but not to emulate them. I will never stop learning.
Happy New Year.
What if we were a mix of all three, then maybe we would have our niche, with a great money making blog.
Just a thought
Cheers
I published a 6 part series last week on how you too can become a Chow called “Secret Guide to Social Blogging Success”. You won’t get rich doing it, in fact, it will cost you a substantial sum of money, but you will be a famous “make money online” blogging guru when you’re done.
Stumbled!
Do you think that any of the three mentioned secretly wanted to be one of the other bloggers?
Just wonderin’.
Very interesting opinion. Be yourself, don’t pretend you are a money maker if you don’t make a dime online.
Jay, you are so on da money!! Great post: plain ‘ol common sense. I love your writing because it’s soooo you–no doubt about it! Being the best you can be is to be exactly who you are–not somebody else or who you think your readers want you to be.
You are really true…. The asset John has made is that, even though his site has been banned/ punished by Google, he is getting a very good traffic….He has grown beyond the Google search popularity. What if any of ours were punished /#\
very good point! from now on I’ll be myself and won’t go to their blogs as often as I do now
I agree, I say that a lot in my Posts about Blogging, who wants to see another Chow anyway and aren’t there enough copycats out there?
Completely agreed.
Excellent point.