Image Source: The Loneliest Highway in the World
I have been thinking about where my blog will go for the next few years. Am I driving my blog to the wrong direction? After reading Mark’s interview about “Ten Questions With Cameron Low the New Owner of NorthxEast.” I think it’s time to give myself a critical interview.
Is my blog heading to the wrong direction?
I have 5 questions to myself.
Question: What is TerenceChang.com’s all about?
Answer: I started blogging on TerenceChang.com since 2003, but I have never got my name out there. Now. I am thinking to turn this blog into a motivation and entrepreneurship blog. While I am moving forward on my own Internet e-business, I am hoping to encourage others to make living on the Internet. This blog is also my personal space to evaluate my life. I can always turn around and see how I was doing in my life. At the end, I want to tell people how successful I am.
Question: How do you rate your own blog?
Answer: I think my blog sucks in many ways. I have written some good content related to StumbleUpOn and technology, but not enough motivation to my readers about helping them succeeded in their life. My worst fear was my writing. That’s something I want to improve immediately.
Question: Are you making money off your blog?
Answer: I have tried to make some money since day one of this blog. I have failed doing so, to be honest. It’s not because that I did not try. It’s because that I did not do it right. I have been struggling about making money on blog. I post “Why make money online with blog is not right for me?” I have spent so much time making money off my e-commerce store. That’s where really money comes from.
Question: What will you do to be a success blogger?
Answer: I believe social networking with other success blogger is very important to get your name out. Many pro-blogger have post the similar topics about how to make your name awareness to others. I think I will start doing so. I truly believe that market your own brand is one of the most important thing to make you a success blogger. Of course, the quality content plays an important role.
Question: Do you think your blog is heading to the wrong direction?
Answer: I thought so for few days. Things will start changing. As I go about making my blog a place to motivate others, I believe I can reach my goal. Blogging is a tougher than many of us think. It’s also a lonely job. Unless you connect with many other bloggers out there, you are always working alone.
Do you have self-interview story to share? I would love to see it.
I started changing my blog to a motivational type a while back, but got kind of sidetracked from that. Perhaps when I get back into the swing of things, and as you begin your makeover, we can exchange ideas. Or, at the very least, swap some links.
@DRC:
The though part of being motivator is that you have done what you said. So you can motivate others. Just like John Chow. He had proven that he has done so. Thus he can be the motivator to encourage others. I will not dramatically change my blog for a while. I will try not to put too much stuff about me. I won’t be the huge money making blogger like John Chow, I want to be able to help my viewers making their life easier.
I thought about creating a new blog just for motivation and entrepreneurship like many other big names. However, John Chow gave me an good example that you can brand yourself for whatever it might become. So I will keep my domain for sure.
I already have too many other blogs that can be used for just personal stuff. So TerenceChang.com will just for my readers.
I love links. You have been doing very well helping others. You deserve some attention.
Terence:
Thanks for linking to my interview! I am glad that it made you think.
Your site is great so I will be interested to see what you come up with for the change. The frustrating part for me as a blogger is that I put so much time in trying to create quality content and features. However, when I check the statistics, the number of visitors are always the same (read: low).
@Mark:
Don’t get frustrated. It takes time to get your site traffic built up. Like all other big name blogger. They spent so much time on good quality content, but they also do social networking with others. I pretty much spend more time on social networking than writing my blog and than operating my own business.
Regardless what your blog is about, marketing is the first step to get your name out. So join BlogCatalog, StumbleUpon, MyBlogcatalog, facebook, myspace, etc. Start making some extra connection. John Chow has some great tips about how to make those connections.
You can find those links in my post “Clone the success story and make your own legend.”
Keep it up! I like what you have to offer. It’s clean and straight forward.