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Blogging content Daily Blog Tips Expert Interview Series Internet Marketing problgger.net skellie skelliewag.org Top 100 Blog Writer

Our next expert is one of the most sought after guest bloggers around the world. You can see Skellie’s work as a staff writer at Technorati Top 100 blog ProBlogger.net and niche-favorite Daily Blog Tips. Skellie has also written for Copy Blogger, Zen Habits and NxE and a number of other popular Authority Blog sites.

If you want to read more about Skellie, please visit Skelliewag.org.

Presenting Skellie…

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When did you first get involved with Internet Marketing/Blogging?

I think anyone who publishes web content is a marketer, so by that metric, I’ve been an internet marketer for as long as I’ve been publishing web content: going on eight years.

I’m not sure exactly when I started experimenting with blogging, but it was a few years ago. Skelliewag.org is the first blog I’ve started with the aim of gaining a large readership. Before that most of what I learned was through observing and analyzing what works for others.

What is your greatest achievement so far?

I really treasure subscribers, so the proudest moment for me has been growing the site to over 1,000 subscribers in around three months.

What’s the key behind your site/s?

The ‘give and you shall receive’ principle.

How is it unique?

Though Skelliewag.org would probably be categorized as a metablog (though it’s written for webmasters, too) I wanted to create something that felt different to any other blog in the niche. I’ve tried to make it a little more in-depth and to discuss the philosophy behind what we do. I try to challenge readers and make them think about what they’re doing in pursuit of success. I also think declaring the blog an ad and affiliate free space has helped to differentiate it from the pack.

What obstacles have you encountered?

My scariest blogging day was when I tried to make another install of Wordpress on the same server and ended up temporarily destroying Skelliewag’s theme.

Other obstacles have been criticism, productivity issues and the pressure to keep growing exponentially. But the highs have easily outweighed the lows.

What are your Three Top Tips for building an Internet Business?

I think many bloggers looking to make money online are blinkered by a kind of knowledge loop. The big money making blogs generate most of their cash through ads and affiliate links. That’s what they’ve had success with, so they mainly write about making money through those means. Then bloggers who read those sites often seem to think those are the only realistic money making options. But there are plenty of others out there.

In my experience, if you can build a well-respected site and a profile in your niche you can command good prices for paid blogging gigs. My first tip would be to look into that.

My second tip would be to explore giving as a marketing strategy. Few things make people feel more positive about you and your brand than giving them something valuable without expecting anything in return.

My last tip would be to think about starting, developing and selling blogs. Relatively new blogs are commanding great prices at auction at the moment and I think an experienced blogger could build up a site that might sell for a few thousand dollars within a month or so.

Did you secure any finances? If so how did you secure it?

My only costs so far have been for a domain name and hosting on a shared server.

Any advice for other start-up Internet Entrepreneurs?

I don’t really think of myself as an entrepreneur. My blog is first and foremost a hobby that has opened up some great opportunities.

Any advice for a traditional business?

I think the ‘give and you shall receive’ principle is just as neglected by traditional business as it is online.

Your vision of the Web’s Future

I think we’ll start getting more selective about the information we receive on the web (and the technology will aid us in doing so). The information overload has to come to a head sooner or later.

How will you stay ahead of the game?

I try to provide an alternative to the information overload by publishing value-added articles once every other day. I’ll keep trying to make sure that I only give readers information and advice they really need. I’ll keep trying to avoid publishing anything that benefits me more than it benefits them.

Who are your personal Heroes?

I have different heroes and role-models for different areas of my life. When it comes to blogging, my outlook has consistently been shifted and honed by some of the insights provided by Seth Godin. I was lucky enough to have Seth comment on one of my posts after Darren Rowse forwarded it to him. Talk about a humbling sequence of events!

What are your favorite sites?

I couldn’t pick just a few. I love having a wide and varied feed reader. I’m attracted to anything innovative and anything that makes me think, even if it’s outside my area of interest. Sometimes I’m more interested in the way the blogger approaches blogging than the topic she or he is writing about. I think any blogger who isn’t keenly watching and learning the masters of the craft is missing out on a fantastic opportunity to learn by example.

What’s the greatest thing about the net?

The vast amounts of useful information available. We just need to find a better way to increase the signal and cut out the noise.

What’s the worst?

The lack of accountability for what is said and done.

What inspires you?

Innovation, uniqueness, anyone who’s not afraid to break with tradition and do things better than they’ve been done before.

Final word to your readers…

Thank you. I don’t say that enough!

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I would like to thank Skellie for the interview. Please visit Skelliewag.org for more tips and tricks about content writing.

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