So you wanna be a Blog Rockstar?
And live large, a big house, 5 cars, you’re in charge
Comin’ up in the world don’t trust no body
Gotta look over your shoulder constantly

– Cyprus Hill – Rock Superstar, Rewrite mine

So, you’ve read every post from Rowse, Clark and Schoemaker. You’ve got hundreds of blogs in your Google Reader account and you keep a firm thumb on the pulse of the blogsphere. You’ve started your own self-hosted blog and you’ve signed up for all the recommended affiliate programs. You’ve read the blogging for bucks books and you feel, no you know you are ready to break out as a Rockstar Blogger.

Uhuh… Good luck with that!

There’s much more to this game then following a simple xyz equation.

Oh, but you say you know “marketing” and already have a few hundred followers on abc and 123 social networks…

My thoughts on this… That’s nice. Come back when you’re teachable.

Do you really want to be a Blog Rockstar? …Really?

First, you need to consider what makes up a “Blog Rockstar”.

• What skills do you bring to the table? Believe it or not, nearly every “Rockstar Blogger” started out in a different career. Some were writers, some web developers, some teachers and so on. In their transition to “Pro Blogger” they brought with them a unique skill set that augments their writing style. There are very few successful bloggers out there who have no previous professional experience. There are some, but they are very much an exception.
• What is your personality type? Yes, your personality type matters, quite a bit actually. I’m an ENFP and as such, I have a personality that provides roadblocks to my blogging career that I have to be conscious of and constantly work around. Don’t underestimate the power of your personality type. Learn it, learn to make the most of it. Learn to profit from it.
• Are you willing to sacrifice? There are many sacrifices you must make if you want to be a Blog Rockstar. Corner any of the big name bloggers in the industry and grill them and I guarantee that all of them will tell you that they’ve made some big sacrifices over the years. Blogging is work, at times, hard work. If you want the fame, you’ll pay a price.
• Do you have the stamina? Pimpin’ may not be easy, but neither is blogging. If you are under the disillusion that it’s easier to write a blog post every day than lay shingles in the hot Florida sun, I can tell you from personal experience, NO IT’S NOT! I use to be a roofer in my youth and that work was much easier in some ways. What we did was basic and physical. I’ll take physical exhaustion over mental exhaustion any day! Yet, blogging can be more rewarding, so there is a trade-off. With physical exhaustion, you at least have some of your mind left at the end of the day to give to your family. Not with mental exhaustion, it takes you completely out!
• Can you ask for the sale? Here’s a killer! Here’s the biggy that has caused me the biggest problems. How can you make any money if you can’t get users to click, submit, buy, etc? You can’t! This is what separates the people making a good living online from those who are not. If you are a good salesperson at your core, you have an advantage. However, if asking for people to take action bothers you, you’re going to have a hard time making a go of it.
• Do you have the capital? There are very few big name bloggers I know who have true “rags to riches” stories. Most had some degree of success prior to blogging. Blogging, believe it or not, can be rather expensive. There’s marketing, developers, designers, hosting, and “resources” that have to be considered. This adds up quickly. Sure, you can start blogging for free and start making revenue that will further fund your career, but the fact is, eventually, you’re going to have to pony up some cash.
• Can you take the heat? Let’s face it, there are a lot of opinionated people in this world. If @$$holes could fly, the Internet would be an airport! It’s just the way it is. The medium allows for virtually un-checked self-expression and many times, people say what is on their mind without any consideration of how it will effect others. If you want to be a Blog Rockstar, you’re going to be a bigger target and people are going to attack you. You have to have thick enough skin to take it or you wont succeed.
• Are you teachable? Nobody likes a pompous @$$ that thinks they know everything! The Internet is very dynamic. It changes daily and what people expect from you changes frequently. You must be a constant student of your audience and learn how to adapt to their needs. After all, Blog Rockstars have learned how to give the audience the show they came to see.
• Fill in the blank? The above is only a small sampling of everything you need to consider before embarking on the journey of becoming a Blog Rockstar. I’m sure many others who have been in this industry for a long time can add many more bullet points. In just the eight years I’ve been an Internet Professional, I’ve realized, the more I learn, the less I know and the more rapidly it all changes.

As a parting last word on this topic, I leave you with the following video from Cyprus Hill, Rock Superstar. For me, it clearly states the truth that not only defines being a Rock Superstar, but also a Blog Rockstar. Looks are deceiving. Beyond the cameras, bright lights, and fan fare, it takes work to be a star.

I just spotted this earlier this evening when I was working on a new blog under development. Apparently, Google is testing unbranded, direct-response ads. The ad spotted was using Flash, was fully interactive with multiple tabs and links, and was completely void of any Google branding, on the surface.

Here’s a screenshot of the ad on-site along with the source code view.

Here are a couple screenshots illustrating the interactivity of the advertisement.

At first, I thought, cool, a new ad format I can use. Being an Adwords and Adsense client for several years, I usually get access to new features pretty early on. Big corporations get them first, but usually I get them relatively early. So, I fired up Google Adwords and indeed, I have direct-response ad formats available to me, but they’re all branded. See the following screenshot.

However, unlike the ad witnessed online, my ad options are all branded, as indicated by the red rectangles. I asked a few of my search and marketing peeps if they had seen anything like this, complete with screenshot and none had seen such an ad format from Google before.

Is Google testing unbranded direct-response ads?

This brings up several questions that need answered…

• Can anyone other than Google confirm the appearance of unbranded direct-response ads?
• Who are these ad formats available to, just big name advertisers, or are they available to smaller advertisers?
• What does this new ad format say about Google’s brand?
• Has Google come to the realization that branding their ads increases banner blindness?
• What level of interactivity will this ad format allow for?

While no confirmation is immediately available, such a move in Google’s part could potentially increase revenue for both Google and their Advertising partners. In a world where many have become completely blind to conventional advertising methods, new, sparkly ad formats that break the traditional mold have a much higher CTR. How widespread this is is yet to be seen, but I, for one, can’t wait for it to become available in my Adwords account.

Nearly every day for close to eight years, I’ve read the hype surrounding the idea of being your own boss, breaking free of the 9-5 routine, and starting your own online business. I’ve read countless testimonials of people working at home in their pajamas and having untold wealth from being an Internet Professional. Many of these people claim that they saved their marriages and became more connected with their children by working at home. Well, this all sounds great, but I’m about to share with you the other side of the coin.

Do I tell you what you want to hear or need to hear?

If you want more grandiose tales of rags to riches, more hype about making untold wealth working at home, or more promises of freedom through being an Internet professional, I suggest you read something else. If you want to hear a personal story of how being an Internet Professional can be more of a sacrifice than a 9-5 job, how, if you’re not careful, working at home can cost you your marriage, and how working for yourself takes time away from your kids, then keep reading this post.

Still with me? Well, I guess I’m not the only one who thinks a lot of the hype is bunk. What follows is my personal story of the last eight years. Here’s the real sacrifice of being an Internet Professional.

Amy and James Morris - Christmas 2002

In the beginning, it was fun.

In 2001, I met the woman who would become my wife, Amy. She introduced me to the Internet. Prior to that, I had very little exposure to the Internet and didn’t even have an email address. Shortly after her setting up my very first email address at Hotmail, I became hopelessly addicted to the Internet. I still had a normal “day job” and I only spent a few hours a day online, but I loved it and wanted to know everything I could about it. It was then that I decided to go to college for Computer and Information Technology.

Tipping the hand of fate

During my first year at college, I took an introductory course on web design. It turned out to be more of an introductory course on Frontpage®. Frustrated with how little I learned in that course, the following summer I took the initiative to teach myself web design using search engines as my guide. This was the decision that tipped the hand of fate. Ever since that summer, I’ve spent more time at my computer than I have anywhere.

Even though I was in college to learn how to be a Systems Administrator, I spent most of my spare time learning web design, search engine optimization, social networking, open source software development, and many other related subjects. I was completely consumed by the Internet and becoming an Internet Professional.

Giving in to the hype

I kept reading how all these people were doing so great working from their homes. Given that I have an entrepreneurial spirit and I’ve always had problems working a 9-5, I thought this was the perfect fit. I could be my own boss, have plenty of time for my wife and make a killer living, all from my spare bedroom. I wish someone would have told me the secret to why those Internet Professionals were doing so good. I might have saved myself and my family years of pain, frustration, and very hard work.

Since that fateful choice back in the summer of 2002, I’ve succeeded in achieving most of my goals. I know how to design websites that are xHTML/CSS compliant, search engine friendly, accessible and visually appealing. I’ve learned enough about search engine optimization and marketing to own a few sites that have ranked very high for competitive terms and I’ve helped several sites attain higher rankings. I’ve held high profile positions in open source software projects and even helped start a new one. I’ve started my own online business and now own multiple websites that help generate revenue. I’ve graduated from college, with honors and have become a Systems Administrator for INBOX International, inc.. For the last couple years, I’ve been involved in Social Media and Social Networking quite a bit and have even started to develop a positive reputation.

Looks can be deceiving

This all sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? This sounds like all my dreams have come true and I’m living life to the fullest. Well, if the grass looks green, it’s because it was fed with a lot of fertilizer. You see, in all that I’ve achieved and all the thousands of dollars I’ve made working from home, don’t let me fool you into thinking everything is great. It’s not! Here’s some of the sacrifices that I’ve had to make and some of the myths I’d like to dispel for you right now. Maybe it will help you make better choices than what I made.

Sacrifices of becoming an Internet Professional

• Time: As outlined above, it has taken many years of hard work and research to develop the skills and knowledge needed to do what I do online. In the time I’ve spent learning how to become an Internet Professional, I could have earned a degree in Medicine or Law.
• Money: I’ve earned thousands of dollars working online, but I’ve also spent thousands. I’ve paid hosting providers, bought domains, bought software, bought books, and paid developers. Being an Internet Professional is not cheap. There’s a lot of ways to do some things for free or cheap, but eventually, there are costs you’re going to have to pay.
• Family Time: For every hour I sit at my computer, that’s another hour not spent with my wife, our live-in nephew or any other member of my family. Sometimes, my wife even has to pull me up on chat just to talk with me. It shouldn’t be like this.
• Personal Freedom: Most days, I feel like a slave to my business. I enjoy my “day job” with INBOX International, but that job ends at 5pm, Monday – Friday. Where I lose my personal freedom is the 40+ hours per week I invest in running my business.
• Personal Identity: I no longer recognize the man in the mirror. I recognize my avatar better than I do my own reflection. The man in the mirror is no longer “me”. It’s a shell of what’s left of me after working 80+ hours every week, sleeping 3-5 hrs a day and having a diet that consists of coffee, whatever is quick and beer. Trust me, this is not a good feeling.

Myths of becoming an Internet Professional

• Financial Wealth: Sure, I’ve made “thousands” of dollars online, but after nearly eight years of working online, my income online is still not enough to support my family. That’s why I work for INBOX International as my “day job”. I recently asked, What are you willing to sacrifice to make a living online? I could make a lot of money online, but there is a fundamental hurdle that I cannot overcome. I’m not willing to take advantage of people’s ignorance to make a buck. I give away what I’ve spent years of hard work learning. Altruism is great in itself, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
• Work around your schedule: I work 9-5 for my “day job”. I work every minute I can for my business. Sure, I could work around other things and make time for other activities, but that doesn’t make any money for my business. Every minute I’m not working, I’m loosing money. Flexibility, that depends on what you’re willing to give up.
• Enjoy the “Good Life”: If you call the “Good Life” being hunkered over a keyboard for 12-16 hours a day, 7 days a week good, then go for it.
• Save your marriage and spend time with your kids: My wife is my best friend. I love her with all my heart and a big reason I work all the time is to try to provide a decent life for her and our nephew. Yet, with all this time spent working, is it any wonder she has to IM me to get my attention sometimes? Sad, but true.
• Enjoy the personal freedom you’ve always wanted: I have no personal freedom. I work. It is who I am now. It’s what I do. I’m a machine in a human’s body.

Hindsight is 20/20

Why would I share such an intimate picture of my life with you here? Why would I post such a lengthy post about what’s wrong with being an Internet Professional? Why go against the status quot and say working at home is not the greatest thing since sliced bread? Simple, if I knew then what I know now, I would have spent eight years in college and would be making hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, even during a recession.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from following their dreams of becoming an Internet Professional. Hey, if you are OK with the sacrifices you may have to make and you don’t have an issue charging people for knowledge you obtained through free research, go for it! More power to you! I wish you all the success in the world.

For myself, I’m now investing the bulk of my energy in INBOX International, inc.. A very good friend of mine owns the company and is working just as hard for me as I am for him. Best of all, I have a paycheck every Friday and he doesn’t ask me to work after 5pm unless there is a real emergency with the servers. I still own my business and numerous websites, but I’d love nothing more than to get rid of all of them except this blog. Anymore, the cost of that business exceeds what it is worth to me. I’d rather have the time with my family than the money it generates.

Feel my pain? Share your experience!

The video for this song doesn’t even begin do do justice to the lyrical meaning for me. I think if you read along as you listen, you will agree. In so few words, this song is really deep and has a powerful message. Check it out!

Can you feel it crush you? does it seem to bring the worst in you out?
There’s no running away from these things that hold you down.
Do they complicate you because they make you feel like this?
Of all the colors that you’ve shined, this is surely not your best.
But you should know these colors that you’re shining are,

Surely not the best colors that you shine.
Surely not the best colors that you shine.

I know you feel alone yeah, and no one else can figure you out.
But don’t you ever turn away from the ones that help you down.
Well they’d love to save you, don’t you know they love to see you smile?
But these colors that you’ve shined, are surely not your style.
But you should know these colors that you’re shining are,

Surely not the best colors that you shine.
Surely not the best colors that you shine.

I know you’re feeling like you’re lost,
But you should know these colors that you’re shining are..
I know you’re feeling like you’re lost,
You feel you’ve drifted way too far,
Did you know these colors that you’re shining are,

Surely not the best colors that you shine.
Surely not the best colors that you shine.

(Surely not the best)
I know you’re feeling like you’re lost,
(Colors that you shine)
But you should know these colors that you’re shining are
(Surely not the best)
I know you’re feeling like you’re lost,
You feel you’ve drifted way too far.
Did you know these colors that you’re shining are…

Lately, the song that exemplifies my mental state is The Reckoning by Pillar. I can't even explain why. It's a spiritual connection with the whole track. Check it out for yourself...

The Reckoning by Pillar

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Ride
I'm an outlaw taking chances
When there's nothing left to gain
I get caught seeking answers
That only cause me pain
Can't let my eyes get branded
So I can find my way
I'll ride like a runaway bandit
'Cause I found that I'm to blame

Time keeps changing
But the story's the same
Why do we all keep looking
For somebody to blame
The score needs settled
But this isn't a game
So win lose or die ride
This is the reckoning

I'm a renegade livin' the edge and
You're the one who lives afraid
I keep on turning the pages
You keep on running away
I'm a young gun shootin' to payback
Here comes the ricochet
I see wanted dead or alive
On the page I see my face

What good is the cure without the disease

Flex your gray matter. Think about what this song means... for YOU. Give a shout out and tell me what you think.