[Source: Hugh MacLeod, author of GapinVoid.com]
Ask the reader?
I read between 6 to 11 sites today, at least thus far. The Big Marketing Online blog caught my eye. Why?
“Product Launches Are Dead”
Rank Warning!
Okay, now I’m pissed off with all of these freakin Product Launches! Two sites I read covered the same product launch. Is this really about helping people or making money… Greed is a dominate force. At times, it wears the clothing of concern, you know, “I’m looking out for your interests.”
Back to Product Launches, on big marketing online is the announce that products launches are dead. Can I watch the video? NO! It’s a product launch in itself. Amazing!
For the record, I’m not attacking anyone or their site. I’m just noting what I’ve observed over the past seven months or so.
“An Observation not an Accusation.”
- Dr. Smith (College Professor)
Do we need to spend money online to be successful? The answer depends on how we define success. Instead, let’s aim to offer something of value. How can we be useful?
Leo Babauta at Write to Done, says
“But most of the time, you’re looking for useful stuff. And when you go to a blog and scan the front page and can’t find one single useful post, you’re outta there. You want useful posts, and you want them fast.”
If you find yourself constantly writing about products, blog contests and so on, you’ll push potential readers away. I hate pop-ups, period. If a site has a pop-up on it, I’m gone.
Why do people feel the need to throw offers in your face? Where’s the respect? Here’s how I look at it. After exploring your site, if it doesn’t take forever to find what I’m looking for or consider to be of value, and I think your product is worth the investment, maybe I’ll buy.
Allow me to arrive to that decision without being annoyed!
Go out of you way to connect with me, to build relationships not plaster my screen with crappy ads. Remember the sign at the top of the article, it could also say
If you want to be boring, talk about a product release. If you want to be useful, offer value to people.
A friend of mine always says, “if you offer value or help to solve people’s problems, you’re on the right track.”
Blogs Worth Reading
Okay, you got the idea, here’s the evidence!
- Lifehacker- Tips and downloads for getting things done. There’s something there for everyone.
- Makeuseof- More useful downloads, tips, tweaks, etc.
For more sites worth reading see my Links page.
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I have to agree with you that I hate pop ups. Many blogs are using the Aweber Lightbox after being recommended by top bloggers that it will increase subscription rate. But it just simply turns me off. Hope to see less of such pop up cases in the future. Support this advice that you are giving to bloggers. Cheers
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | ABloggerBlog’s last blog post..Lesson 18 – Search Engine Optimizations
What you’ve posted are very true. I came across many bloggers who are posting all the stuff about their life. If they are interested to treat it as an online diary, that’s fine. But it’s not going to make lots of money because there’s no value provided for others. I realized that successful blogs don’t talk about themselves. They share information people want to know and blend their own experience in the post.
I love those kind of blogs. About pop ups, I hate that too. But I’ve seen bloggers who get 100 subscribers per day with pop ups. So, I’m still considering of putting one too (although I still hate it very much).
Alex- The Blog Traffic Guy’s last blog post..Geek’s Photo Is Exposed!
@Alex,
I think pop up box is a short term method to increase your subscriber count. It will soon irritate your regular blog readers and eventually unsubscribe from your blog. I dare to say it does not work in the long run.
Unless you are running a A-List blog like John Chow or else I don’t support the idea of pop up. Just imagine that you haven even take a look at a product and the salesman just kept pushing you to buy it. That is the kind of feeling pop ups give to visitors. Do you agree with me? Let me know your thoughts on this again =)
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | ABloggerBlog’s last blog post..Lesson 18 – Search Engine Optimizations
@ Alex Thanks for your insight and feedback! I agree with you about the nature of pop-ups, they bother me! I also think that Wei makes a great point, a short term solution but will eventually fail in the long run. Interesting post Wei, for some high profile bloggers, they may get away with it because of their status or success. What do you think Alex?
They have so many followers that they don’t care if they lose a few of them due to pop-ups. Even though I am an Aweber user, I also don’t think of using pop-ups on my blog. On the other hand, all bloggers who used pop-ups telling that they increased their mail list within a very short period of time. But I also agree that you can not risk your regular readers for the sake of growing your mail list.
Mert Erkal’s last blog post..6 Useful Sites For Finding Blogging Jobs
@ Mert Thanks for your comment! I agree with you, they don’t care but it’s not worth losing your loyal readers because of stupid pop-ups. On the other hand, if you care more about money than relationships then it may not matter if one loses quality readers as long as their continually making profits from sales.
@Wei Liang and Miguel
What you say about pop ups is true. Most of the bloggers (around 95%) who are success don’t have pop ups in their blogs. I love their blogs very much. I haven’t plan to use any popups yet. I’m not trying to say that popups is good. I’m just trying to say that having popups could be another option too because of these 3 things that happened:
1. The friend who I know is one of Stephen Pierce students. Stephen Pierce is his mentor that go through his blog and give him advice. However, I do see some weakness on his blog- Many people subscribe but not many people comment on his blog. I have no idea about sales and revenue but I heard that he is going to launch some live seminar.
2. I just attended Robert Puddy’s short seminar few weeks ago. He said “We as a marketer shouldn’t hate popups”. Their experiments show that their sales and subscribers increased a lot when they implement popups.
3. Many salespage have popups nowadays to capture visitors who are leaving. It might be annoying but they capture some sales and subscribers from there.
One point that Wei Liang brough up is very cool and I totally agree with it- “Unless you are running a A-List blog like John Chow or else I don’t support the idea of pop up.” That’s one of my advice to other blogger. Banner Ads and popups are annoying to many people. Unless the blog is very popular and creating great value, ads and pop ups will drive lots of traffic away.
Alex- The Blog Traffic Guy’s last blog post..Geek’s Photo Is Exposed!
Alex,
Thanks again for another great comment! I appreciate your insight and detailed feedback. Your right, having pop-ups is certainly another option.
Especially, if your blog as reached high profile status like a John Chow or Problogger. Here’s a question for the group… If Darren from Problogger decided to use pop-ups, would this increase his subscription count or visitor feedback or turn would be loyal readers away?
I can’t stand pop ups and will click off a site if it’s one of those pop-ups that keep coming back. I wish more people using them would take advantage of frequency of how they pop up. They can be set for every 4th time you visit etc.
I have heard lots of the big internet marketers say the pop-ups for aweber works but I think it’s like others said, these folks have enough people on their list they don’t care about losing a few readers. Besides some of the top internet marketers do mostly product lauches and take down the site after the launch. I don’t know if they do pop-ups or not.
I don’t mind a product launch site if the site has more than the launch for me to read. I will be doing a new product launch soon and hope to have some top people help as affiliates. I won’t change my blog, it will still focus on real food, health etc.
Robin Plan’s last blog post..5 Day Intensive Juice Fast Results
Hey Robin
Thanks for dropping by! Yeah, I’m there with you on the pop-up issue. I’ll leave, period. Yeah, why do they have to keep popping up? yeah, I’ve seen those type of sites. I guess there okay but if there’s nothing personal like a blog for people to connect and build relationships, I must conclude that those individuals are in to make a quick buck… they could care less about people.
Thanks again Robin for your unique perspective! Keep up the nice work at your blog!
There is a difference between people who are business to make money, and people who are business because they have a passion for their business.
If your only goal is to make money,it is easy overlook relationships in business (and continually focus on product launches that promote you, or your buddy’s, latest bauble).
If you ask me, this is the epitome of missing the point of life in general. Money, success, fame…. are all fleeting. Relationships make life worthwhile. :0)
Thanks for the link and thanks for visiting, Miguel.
Jamie Simmerman’s last blog post..Update On Lori Hall-Steele
Jamie
Thanks for sharing your insight! I agree with you my friend… relationships are significant, it’s like we know deep down inside our bones we’re meant to live in harmony with one another. Jamie, I appreciate your feedback and look forward to reading your input again. As far as the link, anytime and thank you for visiting.