I am a social media guru. You may bow. And kiss my feet while you are there.
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In all seriousness, I have been witness to some pretty shoddy “advice” lately online. While I am in absolute support of people making a buck AND finding a creative way to do so, be careful of who you are purchasing from. Much of the information that is “sold” can be easily figured out from Google or for free in exchange sites like Mom Bloggers Club, Type A Mom, and the MomDot forums.
Recently on MomDot, several girls came to the site very upset that another blogger was saying if you suck, you should just quit. Although, I think we vary on the definition of “suck” cause I think her advice sucked. No one should ever leave a session feeling bad about themselves. Its counter productive to “teaching” someone to grow.
EPIC FAIL.
My advice to you is that there is no such thing as a method to blogging. There are ways to fine tune and make your site flow better, yes, but there is no amount of technology that is going to replace personality.
If you work hard, if you find a niche, if you’re the best in that niche, if you get lucky, if you’re like-able or hate-able, and you work harder then you have ever worked before, you may pull in $500 a month and 3,000 visitors a day- a year or two from now. It won’t happen overnight and you will probably quit or change focus before you ever get there. Think of blogging like charity…you do it because you want to, not because you expect anything back.
Don’t give up on who YOU are, your fun, your community, your willingness to share, to grow, to enjoy yourself because of some pre-bought definition of online success. And be careful (in all facets of life) of fooling yourself into thinking you can purchase that success.
You may find that you are just purchasing a hard earned lesson.
~Trisha
Oh “experts”, I haven’t left you out, here is some advice…and its free *gasp*:
1) Don’t use the word ‘retarded’ while giving out blog advice. Its insulting. And ignorant.
2) Don’t tell people to quit if they suck. You suck. You quit. You quit for saying that. Cause you suck.
3) Don’t insult the audience you are talking to by pretending you are better than them. If you were better, you wouldn’t be in the same space. If you don’t like it, LEAVE. Don’t let the red X hit you on the way out of the blogosphere.
4) Be successful BEFORE you give advice. 200 visitors a day to a site doesn’t qualify as chargeable rates.
5) Humble yourself. This one is going to be pretty hard, but I thought I would throw it out there.
P.S. I would link this person, but my links cost $25 a month.
YOWZA! I happened to watch the vlog you are mocking, and I couldn’t get through it. A kid screaming, chewing on food, telling people to quit blogging, a husband giving out false information, etc. etc. etc.
I don’t know anything about the woman who did that vlog. I don’t read her blog or follow her. So, I am not one to say if she should charge or not for social media services. I don’t know if she is successful or has any knowledge that is valuable.
All I can say is that as a first time viewer of her vlog series, I was very turned off. I just couldn’t get through it. I stopped part of the way through and haven’t been back since.
We couldn’t agree more!
Our one piece of advice on all this is, DOUBTERS exist everywhere. No one that’s ever done anything ever listened to these people. And be aware that they are often the people closest to you.
OK, you caught us. This is the pep talk we give ourselves!!
LOL luv your P.S too funny.
if your not uploading to youtube are u loading directly to WP?
My name is Tricia and I want to hang out with you and be cool just like you.
HOW much was that ebook again do you have a link? LOL
LUV IT! I need a webcam like that and like comment 71 said can answer all those ?’s
thanks much
And this ladies and gentlemen is why Trish f’g ROCKS! You know I love ya!
2 Questions: What program are you using to upload your vids – are you just doing it straight via WP? and What software are you using to edit these most awesome spectacular vids?
Lol, Trisha! Your videos always crack me up. If someone is feeling a little uptight about the video, they really need to check themselves. Anyone in the MomDot Community is free to speak up and we’re not afraid to. Some just choose a different method and not involve their readers, but that doesn’t mean we don’t stand up for ourselves and agree with you. Sometimes standing up for ourselves is about supporting someone else who can bring attention to an issue to a larger audience. Kudos to you for standing out and letting it be known that people can’t get away with being unprofessional, putting others down, spreading negativity, and charging for it on top of it.
Okay this has little to do with the whole discussion but I gotta bitch here.
At this point there are 3 pages of comments. When I come here it starts me on page 3. Well obviously if I want to know what the hell is going on I need to go back to the beginning.
I am pretty clever so I click on page 1 except that it starts at the last comment on page 1 so I have to scroll down to the bottom to read the first comment.
So then I click on page 2 and once again I am at the last comment on page two and have to scroll down to the first comment on that page and then I scroll back up while reading them, to the top where I started.
Then I go to page 3 which is where I started in the beginning. It is like starting at the back of a book and reading from the bottom up.
Okay I am done.
Carry on.
Haha love the video!
Nothing like a little bit of Tricia to make me smile=) And thanks as always for putting it out there for us all to see. Eyes wide open ladies!
I am soooo
right now! What a fab way to start my day!
You speak the truth. I can’t believe someone charging for their advice told their “client” they suck and to quit. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! That’s just stupid!
You’re right about finding it free on the internet. There’s so many places and great communities out there to find great information to improve the technical aspects of a blog. It’s one of those things that actually shocked me when I started blogging a year ago. I thought all the tech know-how was a big secret cracked by the brightest of minds out there. I’m totally blown away by how easy it is to find all the info I need to know for FREE!!!! I’ve actually gotten quite good at customizing my own blog and I have to thank bloggers like you who put together forums and build communities aimed at uplifting fellow bloggers.
Now *that* was a video with a message. Great Job!
this is sooo funny..
LOL that was one freakin’ hilarious video!
Trisha,
I’m three minutes in (I have to put the baby to bed) and you have left me w/a smirk on my face. You are a crack up, but I’m sure you already know it. I would probably pay you to perform. You’re quite awesome and funny.
I don’t do the karma thing, but the genuine way you help other bloggers/people shows and it will come back to you. Oh darn, that’s the karma thing.
Can I pay you for your advice, guru? That shoulder brush is hilarious by the way. Hope the other “guru” was listening!
Love the cat playing in the background too!
I’m out of the loop again and don’t know what the hell is going on but that was one funny video!
1. Props on the South FL Sweaty!
2. Loved the shoulder brush!
3. Who do I make the check payable to???
Your huge balls kick ass!