The truth about success in online business
WARNING: What you are about to read is not going to make me any friends, especially with the "old guard" creators who've relied on the same tactics for years. But just because something has been said before doesn't make it true. And you need to know the truth.
In 2012, I was at a conference full of bloggers. Most of us back then had day jobs and treated our blogs as hobbies.
A well-known personality who would become much more well-known (and successful!) over the years was on the stage, giving the keynote address.
"Starting a blog is the worst way to make money."
That was the thesis, and the speaker went on to say that in our niche, all the topics had already been covered.
That there was nothing new to say.
That even if you had something to say, the barriers to getting your voice heard among what he considered to be a crowded field would be nothing short of impossible.
Now, of course you know that this speaker's predictions have not come to bear any fruit. In fact, a quick search shows that even the person who declared the death of the blog in 2012 continues to keep their blog updated.
But if that were true, then we wouldn't have any of the amazing blogs that have been released since then. And I, for one, am very glad to be reading them.
What was the speaker's point?
I wonder sometimes why that speaker declared blogs to be dead. Was that person concerned about their market share?
Was that even something to worry about at the time?
That same conference had 10X the attendees in 2019 as it did in 2012, so the world at large didn't heed the speaker's advice.
While the advice bothered me at the time, and to a certain extent still does, I think I agree with the sentiment today.
Gone are the days of "accidentally making six figures" and backing into the world of online business.
You can no longer make money online accidentally.
Because the landscape is different today.
You can't simply sell links to sketchy companies who want to get on the first page of Google.
You can't get free advertisement from social media networks anymore.
Which, honestly, is a good thing.
Because the people who were exploiting those loopholes aren't like you and me.
You're not here for the quick buck. You're not looking for an "easy" button.
Although that's not to say you'd say no to easy money if you could have it!
You're just not willing to sacrifice your integrity to make a quick, shady buck.
No.
You're here because you have a feeling that you could be making more money online.
You have a business, or a digital product, or an idea for one... and you can't help but think you could be doing more.
I have good news.
-Kathleen "never made a single dollar unintentionally" Celmins