Comments on: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of Successful Blogs

By: Best of ProBlogger - 2007

Best of ProBlogger - 2007 — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:51:20 +0000

[...] A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of Successful Blogs [...]

By: Kanquona

Kanquona — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 05:13:58 +0000

Hello,

This is indeed a very good post. But how important it is to create a blog ring? Rather how one can create it?

Regards

By: Jonathan Franzone

Jonathan Franzone — Mon, 28 May 2007 03:41:29 +0000

If I’m writing an actual feature post an not just a “quicky” then I spend about 2 hours writing the content, proofing, editing, researching, etc.

I spend time reading some of my favorite blogs (ProBlogger of course) and looking for new ideas for marketing my blog and getting it “out there” so to speak. Then I also look more into my niche which is more technology oriented which could come from magazines, internet sites, blogs, etc.

I also try to spend time responding to comments, though I’m sure it doesn’t take as much time as Darren. :)

I’m also working on some Freebie giveaway projects to put up on my site to give some value add for my readers, so that takes up another hour or two.

And of course all of this is “part time” while I’m doing a full-time job and some other part-time contracting. So when do I sleep you ask. Well… I’ll sleep when I die. lol

By: Joan Hawley

Joan Hawley — Sat, 26 May 2007 15:52:59 +0000

I didn’t expect to spend so much time keeping up with the technology of blogging. Everything from subscriber options and sources (feeds, mailing lists, subscriber issues, ISP blocks, blog listing/promotion sites) to plug-ins. Seems every time I respond to a new variable, more cross my desk.

Great post.

Joan

By: Susie

Susie — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:02:43 +0000

What’s a comment troll?

By: marriedmelody

marriedmelody — Fri, 25 May 2007 14:38:11 +0000

What takes me the most time is not positn entries but marketing.

By: Brown Baron

Brown Baron — Fri, 25 May 2007 13:49:13 +0000

It could really take up a huge part of your day. My wife usually has to remind me to get up because I tend to get too focused on everything else I need to do. Being a new blogger, the majority of my time is spent on trying to get more readers, regular visitors, and forming relationships with other bloggers.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 25 May 2007 05:37:05 +0000

An important one: Have high speed internet!

I just moved back ‘home’ and away from my cable internet, which is not available out in the boonies. Now that I’m on dial-up, the amount of time that I can spend commenting and networking is cut drastically.

I love living here and I don’t want to move, but if you are trying to become a professional blogger, you might want to think about access issues if you want to go rural!

By: clkl

clkl — Fri, 25 May 2007 03:10:57 +0000

It’s sometimes hard to know where the line is, between “research” and “distraction.”

If I find myself typing in a 7 paragraph comment on someone’s blog, I try to post a reaction on my blog instead, with a link to theirs. This feels like research.

Other times, I start out looking for a piece of clipart to go with a post, and 45 minutes later I’m surfing Amazon or ordering printer paper from Staples…

All the best,
CLKL

By: Darren's student

Darren's student — Fri, 25 May 2007 02:52:35 +0000

To keep writing a single blog on single content is bit tougher .

By: nicole

nicole — Fri, 25 May 2007 00:33:19 +0000

I enjoy reading your posts tremendously, Darren! I’m just a beginner in the blogging world, and, I do hope to eventually make it pay. However, I must admit that I would do it even if it never paid. I love blogging!

By: Christy R

Christy R — Thu, 24 May 2007 16:00:15 +0000

I am a preblogger. I have been researching, reading posts, commenting on post, brainstorming post ideas, blog subjects and catagories and much more before I’ve even started blogging. It gets you in the mindset. I think it is good to get in practice of these habits before you even begin. Thanks for the list!!

By: Cindy Sue Causey

Cindy Sue Causey — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:56:15 +0000

Let’s see..

“Networking with other bloggers via IM or email” caught my eye.. Started to say expand it to include developing one’s blogroll, but then that hedges towards the linking that gets sites knocked to the bottom of (SEO) lists.. Soo..

How about a new one:

* Developing and maintaining a current, tasty blogroll..

The secondary, topic-specific task list would include something along the lines of:

* Developing a seamless integration into “mainstream” blogging..

Not quite how I want it to read, but the words, grin, escape these fingertips just now..

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Thu, 24 May 2007 13:17:33 +0000

As a new blogger, it takes me considerable time to figure out how to do what I am suppose to do. That’s why I read ProBlogger. Also, I sometimes have to check in a search engine what the meaning of some of the simple terms mean, in bloggereze!

By: tharsos

tharsos — Thu, 24 May 2007 10:12:04 +0000

There are probably even more things. Having a blog is definitely going to take a lot of time.

By: Leo

Leo — Thu, 24 May 2007 05:58:39 +0000

Add to the list:

Read ProBlogger and other blogs about blogging to make sure you’re doing everything you should be doing. :)

By: Brad

Brad — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:42:47 +0000

Since I’m not making a living from my blog, most of my time is eaten up with research. And by that, I mean getting ideas for posts and finding timely news to write about that deals with my blog subject. I’m sure as my blog grows, however, my time will get eaten up with more “administrative” tasks.

By: Left Brain

Left Brain — Thu, 24 May 2007 03:44:48 +0000

Ok, how about responding to PR requests and newspaper reporters.

Also, going to the post office to pick up product samples.

Then taking time to try out sample products for reviewing.

By: Oz

Oz — Thu, 24 May 2007 03:18:23 +0000

How about finding some personal time or try not to alienate your friends, family, employer or pets. Blogging is addictive, so finding some balance is pretty important.

By: narcolept

narcolept — Thu, 24 May 2007 02:50:56 +0000

Another great post Darren, it’s easy to see why you’re the blogger others trying to be pros are modelling themselves after.

I can identify with the revising/editing comments for sure. You wouldn’t believe how many posts don’t get published on my blog every day. I go at them like a ball of fire, and like an earlier poster said, decide it’s just not happening. I do save them though, and if the same thing sstrikes me again I’ll atttempt to rework what I started on when I was originally motivated rather than start over. It generally works best that way, for me at least.

The toughest part for me is the networking aspect, not that I struggle with networking itself. With a (demanding) full time job and trying to get out atleast a post every day, preferrably multiples, I push back that aspect, when I should be reading other blogs in the niche I’m sort of settling into. I need to make myself get out and read the blogs, comment, participate in forums related to it, and get moving. I can’t expect people to find me by my magical mind control powers.