Written on October 12th, 2007 at 07:10 pm by Darren Rowse
What would you do if you owned ProBlogger.net?
Mani got my attention with this post today - What would you do if you owned ProBlogger.net?
There’s some great answers in the comments section - would love to hear more of your ideas!
PS: I actually think it’s a good question to ask others about your blog. In fact I asked this very question to two other bloggers this past week and the answers were really informative. Sometimes getting perspectives from outside your own blogging zone can bring a great new perspective.
64 Responses to “What would you do if you owned ProBlogger.net?”
Mani Karthik - www.DailySEOblog.com
October 12th, 2007 7:49 pm
Oh! Glad that it interested you Darren.
Indeed there were some crazy answers !
I guess you’ll get more whacky and interesting one’s here. Let’s see how people take it? ;)
Cheers!
Mani Karthik
http://www.dailyseoblog.com
movie lover
October 12th, 2007 7:50 pm
If i owned ProBlogger.net, i will turn make it the universal portal for all bloggers!
Patrick Altoft
October 12th, 2007 7:58 pm
I’d 301 redirect it to my blog.:)
Andy Merrett
October 12th, 2007 8:09 pm
Tricky. Though, on the surface, ProBlogger.net could be used generically, it is very much tied to the “Darren Rowse brand”, therefore I almost wouldn’t want to own it. I think anyone but Darren running things could eventually lead to a loss of readership. Although other people (including myself) use the term Pro(fessional) Blogger, when it comes down to it, I’d expect most people would say ProBlogger = Darren Rowse.
If I had more of a say over things, I’d possibly get guest writers in more often, but never more than 25% of the blog’s total output.
Possibly one or two posts per week could be given over to aspiring or new probloggers, kind of like a live training ground.
Maybe add a forum (I know we’ve been there before) for more structured discussion of topics.
Dennis Schipper
October 12th, 2007 8:11 pm
I would hire you to run it.
Karthik
October 12th, 2007 8:17 pm
I’d let you do what you do best - which is giving out great blogging tips while I expand the website as a whole to include other features too. Of course, the Jobs Board would need a definite make-over.
Seriously though, Problogger.net has a great potential to grow - you’re stifling its growth by holding onto only the blog IMHO, but that’s just me!
Also, one of the first things I would do is to switch to Problogger.com, a .net just doesn’t have enough punch.
Are you listening Darren? ;)
Rhys
October 12th, 2007 8:26 pm
Let it die probably, I’m terrible with domain names :S
Lindsay
October 12th, 2007 8:26 pm
What a great question!
If I owned ProBlogger, I would leverage its brand awareness into geographically focused live meeting and networking groups. Meeting say once per month and working together to learn, help each other, and add blogging awareness and civic value within their community.
Does President Darren sound good?
Paul William Tenny
October 12th, 2007 8:35 pm
I’d time how fast I would lose all the regular visitors.
Jacob
October 12th, 2007 8:53 pm
Blogger porn, perhaps. John Chow and Darren Rowse in compromising photos. I’d have to use Bidvertiser, I guess.
chtanxw
October 12th, 2007 9:11 pm
I would offer to sale for at least $100,000*10years=1 million!
Mohsin
October 12th, 2007 9:15 pm
I’ll add a forum to it, I’ll run monthly competitions, I’ll let my readers make a guest post once a week, and..um.. I’ll probably write a book and sell it at a very low price.
And don’t worry Darren, I’ll let you write for ProBlogger too :P
esvl
October 12th, 2007 9:34 pm
I would turn it into a book, I would take all the best posts and go make some money from publishing a decent book about blogging.
Blogging Success Journey
October 12th, 2007 9:35 pm
I can’t believe what I’m seeing, I was wondering around this question last few days and it really do appear.
If me I would start heading the other direction of topics on problogger.net. Since problogger has been covering blogging tips over the years. I believe it’s covered up enough from the inside out.
Maybe I’ll start on focusing on blogging motivation topics + blogging tips. And so problogger will become another kind of era.
Random Good Stuff
October 12th, 2007 9:41 pm
I would forward it to my site .. lol!
A Blog about Nothing
October 12th, 2007 9:41 pm
I’d probably ruin it, but in a perfect world I’d just keep doing what you’re doing because that seems to work well enough.
Armen
October 12th, 2007 9:46 pm
I’d sell it, unless what Dennis mentioned would be an option. From what I’ve seen since the beginning of the year, blog selling often doesn’t work out too well.
Matt Jones
October 12th, 2007 9:50 pm
Milk it for all it’s worth then flip it!
Jente
October 12th, 2007 10:06 pm
Write books with hints and tips and sell them on this blog. 100% chance of succes.
Tejvan Pettinger
October 12th, 2007 10:11 pm
Keep this blog going on same lines but also
Add another blog on a different theme.
perhaps /writing-tips
/self-improvement
/financial-adivce
Write loads of articles and get other people to contribute. Watch the $ come in :)
Truthiness
October 12th, 2007 10:13 pm
Get way more advertisers. Add google ads and others to generate more $$$$.
Andrew
October 12th, 2007 10:24 pm
What is the best way to get advice on your blog? (design, posts, direction) Should you just ask big bloggers, post on your blog saying that you want to get your blog reviewed or leave comments to the same effect?
Lisa B @ simply His
October 12th, 2007 10:29 pm
I would probably beg and plead with you to buy it from me (for a reasonable amount of money). I’m not out to do anyone wrong, but you’ve got this ProBlogging-Money-Making-Thang worked out a whole lot better than I do!
Jaffer
October 12th, 2007 10:32 pm
Start a print edition (magazine) of ProBlogger.net that would be easily available at supermarket counters.
Patrick Burt
October 12th, 2007 10:48 pm
Cash out, I can’t keep up with posting.
Vingold
October 12th, 2007 10:50 pm
One thing I would do is to leverage the brand of Problogger across a whole series of blogs and services.
Maybe offer one-on-one blog coaching sessions.
BlogInsider
October 12th, 2007 10:58 pm
I would redirect it to my blog!
Will
October 12th, 2007 10:59 pm
I think a better question might be “What would you do if you owned the b5 media network?”
Jalaj
October 12th, 2007 11:17 pm
If you had asked me a week early, I would have saved $54000.
Ginene
October 12th, 2007 11:28 pm
I would add a forum to it and still hire you to work for it. No other owner can make this blog better than what it is.
Sly from Slyvisions.com
October 12th, 2007 11:34 pm
Simple. I’d post great quality content that you have been doing for years, Darren.
Laura
October 12th, 2007 11:35 pm
Interesting question.
Let’s assume for an instant that I was Darren Rowse. What would I do that he (the real Darren Rowse) hasn’t already done?
I think that I might try to hire additional writers and launch off into an e-magazine format the way Wendy Piersall has done with eMoms at home. You could have one branch talk about blog design, another about managing your blogging business, a third for beginners on blogging basics, and so on ….
Matt Propst
October 12th, 2007 11:45 pm
If it’s not broke don’t fix it. If i owned it that wouldn’t mean that I would change the authors, and i’d be up for doing a income share for contributors.
BONTB
October 13th, 2007 12:20 am
“If I tell you I will have to kill you” Jk
I would probably do the same thing you do, just different face. I would maybe add Forums to it so people can talk about more stuff instead of just commenting.
This would bring even more traffic to it. If you are going to do this route call it probloggerforum.com :)
Ups: Just checked that domain name and as it looks like its taken!
Is this your forum?
Skellie
October 13th, 2007 12:28 am
To avoid everyone being like “Skellie who? What did you do with Darren?” I think I’d have to do some Sandra Bullock stars in ‘The Net’ style identity theft to keep things afloat. You know, the occasional post about the house Google built v2, the wife and kid, etc. Keep the Darren Rowse photo and otherwise mooch off Darren’s personal brand as much as possible.
If Darren started a new blog of his own, and perhaps started telling people/the authorities I was falsely capitalizing on his personal brand, I’d just tell everyone he’s some kind of new Fake Steve Jobs — except, a Fake Darren Rowse, I guess.
Mario Andrade
October 13th, 2007 12:32 am
I would give away problogger t-shirts or at least sell them to who ever wants one
CharmCityGirl
October 13th, 2007 12:33 am
retire
tinymeme
October 13th, 2007 12:44 am
I would work hard writing, promoting, and replying to comments every day. On the weekends I would rest, happy to have the best job ever — one I enjoy.
Problogger is really great. It’s an example in what can be done (and how to do it well) and a great resource too.
nkmedia
October 13th, 2007 12:47 am
i like what you are doing since the design and branding update, Darren. That is the direction I would go, if i were steering the ship. And, I would be looking to take problogger more and more toward being a social media site mashed with your blog. the problogger community is passionate and HUGE. and i think has the “cult” style potential you want in an audience.
right now, though, i would open some forums off the front page. and gear them toward “tips”, troubleshooting, how to, diy (scripts etc), pitched at different skill levels (beginner, expert, etc)
either that or i’d sell it, and go lie down for a while.
Chris Jacobson
October 13th, 2007 1:31 am
I would create ProBlogger shirts and sell them for $5 each. I would also do more video posts.
James
October 13th, 2007 1:40 am
I would hire Darren to continue posting on it and I’d get the heck out of the way. ;-)
Eric
October 13th, 2007 4:38 am
Start a forum.
Anne
October 13th, 2007 4:49 am
I would use it to effect my plan for world domination!
James
October 13th, 2007 5:30 am
Redirect to problogger.com?
Jason
October 13th, 2007 6:41 am
If I owned ProBlogger… Mmm, sell it and buy a Six Flags theme park? =)
Max Powers at http://ConsumerFight.com
October 13th, 2007 7:32 am
Because I enjoy the site so much now, I wouldn’t change a thing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Chip
October 13th, 2007 7:33 am
Well, first I would review my current blog, and link to it, second I would add some banner links, again to my blog, write here that I’m on vacation, and let traffic build up on my current blog.
After a month or so, I will see the behaviour of visitors and the traffic trends and post something like coming from you. :) This is fun…
Review my blog again and this time praise it with kindest of words. The point is I would try to make my blog known to the world, to people really interested in blogging, SEO, web events, wordpress, google, everything I write about.
After a while, 2-3 months (or maybe 6, or maybe 12), just when traffic will start to drop here, I will sell the domain to some professional blogger (as the name implies) to continue this great work and source of inspiration for us all.
Chris
October 13th, 2007 9:21 am
sell it
Idalia
October 13th, 2007 11:50 am
If I owned problogger.net I’d affiliate myself with Ebay and then ask you to post about ebay things. I’m sure this would bring in tons of additional revenue each month.
Mr. Triple D
October 13th, 2007 12:58 pm
I would sell it for a million US dollar and retire young..
Mani Karthik - www.DailySEOblog.com
October 13th, 2007 1:51 pm
I’m confused. :D Darren how’s you looking at it?
Sangesh
October 13th, 2007 4:19 pm
First of all I would employ Darren as my Manager, so that it would bloom as it is blooming right now.
Mohammed
October 14th, 2007 4:00 am
I owned a blog like this I would defiantly sell it and make big cash!!
Josh
October 14th, 2007 12:27 pm
I would make money with it and live off the earnings.
Armaan
October 14th, 2007 4:58 pm
I would redirect it to my blog lol. and will follow your foot steps to run it. or sometimes will irritate you help and guide.
—————–
http://marketingtraffic.blogspot.com
Aris
October 14th, 2007 7:04 pm
I would put my pictures at the top with a large size … :P LOL
Thilo
October 14th, 2007 10:57 pm
I would continue to blog
Deniz
October 15th, 2007 1:00 am
difficult question really. i could not do better than you, so I would offer you 80% of it and run it together :)
Ades
October 15th, 2007 7:01 am
I would run it separately on its own, not including it inside b5media. I think that way it would make a lot more money. I would make it easier to advertise for people, put advertise page and rates (displaying them clearly). Currently it’s discouraging for many people, because you need to go through b5media. It gives an impression that… probably it’s too expensive for anybody except for Fortune500 companies who has thick wallets.
Gabriel
October 15th, 2007 1:25 pm
I’d run a forum on the blog and would do some paid coaching. Eventually I’d keep track of 5-10 new blogs to manage them into great money earners.
I would also hire bloggers to translate my posts into different languages: Portuguese, Spanish and German. I guess it would help non-English speakers bloggers.
:)
Kashif
October 15th, 2007 6:25 pm
I will sell it to Darren Rowse.
Chris McElroy aka NameCritic
October 16th, 2007 5:12 am
I see how much you’d pay me for the domain name. :)
Actually I like the blogger training ground idea. Professional blogging for business owners is much different from regular blogging, so it would be nice for training to be available. Maybe even certification.
Software mindloop
February 2nd, 2008 11:52 pm
I’d try to sell it again.
Jonesy
March 14th, 2008 11:32 pm
I’d ask:
Whats its purpose?
Whats its message?
Whats its point?
I’d also ask
“Does it command respect with the readers I want?”
Then I’d make sure that it does those really well.
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