Have you ever wished that you jumped into the social media game back in 2005? Back when Facebook was a college thing and people were intrigued by those quirky online journals called blogs. Early blog pioneers still had to bust their butts to succeed but they were able to appeal to an open and less cynical public.
My Son's Blog 
Flash forward to 2010 and blogs are commonplace. Everyone from my 8 year-old son to 60-something CEOs are producing “content” for their online outposts. In fact, some blogeratti have 2 or 3 blogs sprinkled across WordPress, Tumblr, and Posterous – oh my!
Since the neighborhood is crowded, newcomers have to chart a different course to success. The rules are different. We can no longer just build our blog and fill it full of great content (although that’s a decent start).
We need to dig deep and bring a whole new energy to the game. Gary Vaynerchuk calls it “working your facing off.”
I call it hustling.
So we’ll start there…
Here’s how you Hustle Your Butt Off and Build Your Empire
Build an Empire (Even if it’s a small one)
Your voice deserves to be heard. Your readers should have multiple ways to experience your perspective and insight. Hustlers publish ebooks, email newsletters, magazines, mini-courses, and hold webinars. They surround their readers with an unforgettable experience. You should too.
Promote like your life depended on it
I don’t care how passionate you are – it doesn’t mean squat if your posts aren’t read. What’s the use? Hustlers push their work into every nook and cranny of their niche. Their name is everywhere, they are preaching from every corner. They are rapping in every forum. They stay top-of-mind and lead the masses to their blog.
I know that marketing has a dubious reputation in social media circles but we need to take a different perspective. Promoting relevant and helpful content isn’t wrong. Selling crap is. There’s a difference.
Kiss As Many Digital Babies As You Can
I spend a ton of time in as many Q&As, discussions, and tweetchats as I can. I put 110% into every chat, meet as many people as possible and fawn over any new followers. Every baby kissed, every digital handshake made brings a new reader. Don’t hate me this is how you hustle.
Do this: Click here for a list of tweetchats in almost every niche imaginable. Try #blogchat to get your feet wet.
Take Care of Business First
My blog is icing on the cake. It isn’t my business. As a matter of fact, it’s the welcome mat for a bigger deal. Hustlers realize that they need cash to spread their message. First and foremost, they make sure they are authentically building revenue streams.
Do This: Tell me in the comments section how your business makes money. If you can’t answer this question, then we have a big problem. Type “PANIC” and the community will help you out.
Ship it or Forget It
Hustlers finish strong. They don’t start unless they can ship. It’s not surprising that some of the old-school bloggers are stepping up their product roll-outs. They know that relevance depends on shipping product and solving problems for their readers.
Do This: Take a serious look at your project list and ask yourself why the hell you aren’t shipping more? No excuses, settle on the idea that will move the needle, finish and ship it.
Boycott the Echo Chamber
“New” is the gold-standard of online publishing.
Sure, you can get some mileage out of rehashing the laugh-line but you’ll need to innovate to resonate. I’ve learned that listening to the same voices stagnates your message and stunts your delivery. You need to shake it up to stay fresh.
Don’t misunderstand me though publishing basic content that appeals to new or “rookie readers” is a good thing. However, you’ll need to push the boundaries to catch the attention of movers and shakers and get noticed.
Do This: Dig out the last book you read for fun. Now, write a blog post connecting the subject with your main blogging topic. This may be difficult at first but it’s an eye-opener. Need an example – check out my Gaga post.
Strategize Like Napoleon
There are two types of bloggers. The first group uses blogs as online diaries. Their devote their time to publishing and reflecting on what’s in their hearts. That’s cool.
The other group are honest, authentic, and sincere hustlers. They want the limelight. They want all the traffic they can manage and they strategize like a roman senator to get it. Again, don’t hate these folks (something tells me you are one of them!). Learn from them and build your own blog strategy to propel you to the top of the pile. Too many blogs are born (and die) every day to leave your success to chance.
Do This: Find a napkin or envelope and write out your blog strategy. A napkin has all the space you need. If you need more than that then you’re strategy is too complicated.
Want the Ball
Here’s the bombshell that may explode this post to smithereens but I have to say it. Strive to be the best you possibly can be. If that means you are the “expert” then be the expert. Be the one who raises their hand when someone says “is their an expert in the room?” I call this wanting the ball. Imagine if Michael Jordan didn’t want the ball for the game winning shot because he didn’t want to be the “basketball expert”. Worse, how would you feel about a heart surgeon who insisted that he wasn’t an expert. Scary stuff.
Your industry may move fast. The “state of the art” may go obsolete on a weekly basis. But, that doesn’t let you off the hook. Any idiot can have an opinion. Your readers are looking for the person willing to say “I want the ball! Bring your tough questions to me.” That’s how you win. That’s how you hustle.
Do This: Every Monday morning, jump on Twitter and offer to answer the “tough” questions. Even better, offer a free Q&A webinar for your readers.
Hustling Isn’t A Bad Word
I love people who work their tail off for ideas, concepts, and perspectives they believe in. I can’t get enough of solopreneurs, businesses, and non-profits that specialize in sweat equity. I get a chill when I look into the eyes of a single dad that work from 11pm – 1am building their business. These folks are hustlers.
How about you? Leave me a comment and tell me how you hustle.
About Stanford
Thanks for the information, my blog is evolving from fun to work…And I love it!! I spend quite some “off” time on it and finally traffic is creeping up, always welcome good tips!
got some great tips here…it’s all about hustle and persistence ‘A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.’
I will definitely start using these points.
These are very good tips. I agree.
I could not be more happy to read such a refreshingly honest piece about the blogging world. It is cutthroat, and you do indeed have to hustle. I appreciate your straightforward, no holds barred approach here. It speaks directly to me and the way I think. Bookmarked, tweeted.
Bobby Knight once said at a talk I attended – and it stuck with me – “Most people have the will to win. Few people have the will to prepare to win.”
Hey Stanford,
Remarkable post on honing in on the things that MUST be done to stand out in your blogging niche.
So many great voices are lost long before their read because of the one ingredient for success that comes from the belly … HUSTLE.
At least now we don’t have an excuse for not knowing what it takes. This post offers sound advice on what to do. Thanks for another blog post banger.
Just love this post! Being authentic, so key! Such straightforward advice.
I absolutely agree 100%. I just launched my blog a few weeks ago and am seeing some awesome success already by just working my butt off, trying to connect with as many people as possible, and providing awesome content. I especially like what you said about building an empire and having multiple ways for your readers to learn what you’ve got to say.
And Gary Vaynerchuk does indeed call it hustling, too
(a quick scan through my copy shows it on page 1 and as the main heading on page 88)
Congrats on your early success! Glad that Gary and I think alike – Ha
Wow- just great as usual- question about your son- because I was thinking about having my kids do one together…
The only thing I would add here is that you have to be careful about how much you promote (in fact, just wrote about that today). If I’m in a chat and someone is tweeting out post after post, I get itchy. Always keep it authentic – if someone asks you a question about bluebirds, don’t send them to a blog post you wrote about blueprints because it’s “close enough.” That can actually get you on the way to losing readers.
Fantastic post, as always!
Ok, let me put in my caveat -
“All of the tips, techniques, and strategies outlined in this post should be implemented after thorough review, deployed in accordance to state and federal law, and considered with half-a-brain of decency and commonsense. Too much of a good thing makes us all vomit”
Cool?
Yes, I like that. Offer void in Maine and Nebraska.
Stan: I’m not going to write an epic comment as always, but I want to comment on the one thing here that I think is the key to everything: kissing digital babies. People have this idea that you have to build relationships with more established bloggers and they are the ones that will make you famous, etc,etc. In Tribes Seth Godin makes reference to this concept. He says that you shouldn’t be trying to find people who are already committed members other tribes. You should people who are looking for new tribes to join. Imagine spending your first 3-6 months of blogging build deep relationships with the 100 or so readers you might have. Get to know the very first people who comment on your blog. Put them into your inner circle on twitter and form a friendship. It’s much easier to kiss digital babies then it is to try and get the angst-ridden digital teenager to to join your tribe (since they are busy building theirs). Food for thought
. As always, rock solid stuff from you my friend.
You rock. You nailed this – focus to get bigger impact.
I get powered up almost every time I read your blog. I love talking about hustle. So many people tend to want things easy and they think, “Oh, I’ll just write a blog and make tons of money, it’ll be a walk in the park.” I work almost 14-15 hours a day doing not only “day job” work, but blogging, reading, researching, strategizing, and communicating. It’s hard work but it pays off.
I’m a lot like you, my blog is a welcome mat into who I am and how I operate. A follower of my blog will get a very good sense of who I am, but I’ve planned it that way. My business lies outside of the blog itself in helping companies find their Digital Personalities and then helping them create blogs and a social media presence that amplifies that presence honestly and efficiently.
It takes hard work, a LOT of time and some sleepless nights, but when you’re passionate about what you do, hustle is merely a by-product.
Thanks for another great post!
You are so on point Stanford! 90% of the game of winning is in the HUSTLE. I think the problem is people love to dream but don’t really want to hustle. Your tips are great ways to take immediate action to get closer to the dream– using just a little bit of hustle. Thanks for your constant and FRESH encouragement!