We’ve been busy again!! Our lastest acquistion is Biziki.com, bought from Blog Media via a recent sitepoint auction. It’s a blog we’ve had our eye on for a while- not least because it shares the superb, and exclusive eratizine WP theme design by Chris Pearson. We contacted Chris earlier this year to try and get him to do a design overhaul of our whole network and it was tentatively set for this November. Unfortunately, Chris wrote to us to say that tubetorial was just taking up too much of his time and he couldn’t do it. I recall rather a witty comment about fortunes not being made by “icasso” unless there was a “p” in front of it, to which I recommended a more Warholesque approach! So…failing that, we decided to stay with the eratizine theme, which Biziki, Gadzooki and this blog- JOAB- uses. Our thanks to Matt Craven of Blog Media for handling the transaction/transfer in a polite, efficient and professional manner. However, we would like to mention something in regards to this purchase in the spirit of clearing some seeming bad blood (that we were previously unaware of). The previous main blogger of Biziki, Brian Yalung, aka “bryboy”, has posted several things around the net, including at the Blog Herald and on personal blogs- indicating that there was a “misunderstanding” with ourselves (partner site: Word Content) and that somehow the parting of the ways was not good, insinuating in some way that we were at fault. To quote Brian-:

I think I will not be considered by these people since I have some issues with them in the past. I have worked for them in the past and our parting was not so good. While they gave me a good break in the past, I wouldnt be surprised if I will run into trouble with them. This is precisely why I looked to freelance to avoid them.

Ahem…to say nothing of another classic piece of Brian waffle…I don’t want to get into mud-slinging here (actually, maybe I do?), but Brian knows the truth of the matter very well- that he acted unethically and dishonestly. We gave Brian every opportunity in many areas- writing for Word Content, linkbuilding for Link Lander and submitting articles for ArticleSubmission.net. What happened was that Brian was found to be using our software and concepts to promote his own personal agendas. Having confronted Brian with this- it was just a matter of a “ticking off” and he was not fired. He chose to diappear on us instead (probably in shame!) and turned up as the blogger on Biziki. He was fully paid for all his work for us and was at no time mistreated in any way and we take issue with his subsequent insinuations against us. Online reputations are fragile and this is why we write this now. All that is said here is fact and can be backed up by a variety of independent sources. Having said all this, from our end, water under the bridge.

Anyway, we are very pleased to have acquired this blog. A PR6 with some good earnings from Adsense and TLA made financial sense in its own right. But it also fits into our portfolio- with our plan to turn it into a Political Blog. While this may seem a drastic change, politics is a business and a rather dirty one at that. We have already initiated a Business Blog of our own: BizCrunch.net and with the Senate and Congress elections now over in the US, it’s all going to be fun and games with the fight for the White House!

On a personal level, even though I am from the UK, I love US politics. As partisan and media-driven as it may be, it is far more engaging and combative than the rather sedate, irrelevant discussions we have in the UK, or obscene, open corruption in Asia.

What happens in the US matters to all of us and impacts our lives in a very real, tangible way. That makes it exciting.

[tags] biziki,gadzooki,bloggy network,sitepoint,matt craven, chris pearson,brian yalung, political blog [/tags]

The Celebrity Cowboy switches on his serious mode and publishes a nice piece on blog networks–how blog networks have risen in stature, and how these will possibly decline in some unforeseen future. We’re well aware that David had been involved in a lot of blog networks (too much?), and we do appreciate what he has to share.

In my opinion blog networks are just as easy to start and develop a solid base of traffic as they were 2 years ago, or even three years ago. Some say you can’t launch yet another tech blog. But my prediction is you probably could. You would have to work at it. But you could launch and even be successful. Because of social networking sites like Digg,Reddit, and Netscape. But its not always the smart thing to do.

So what mistakes do we have to avoid, David?

Here’s my take on the mistakes that Kill Blog Networks.

1. Leadership Burnout
2. Crappy Location
3. Bad Paintjobs
4. Supersized Egos
5. Failure to Listen

I don’t think these five points are anything new. Traditional businesses rely on a good combination of great leadership, good location and presentation/packaging, and business sense to survive. The same goes with blog networks. Sure, blog networks are new, but these are still considered businesses. There are investments. There are costs. There are earnings, too.

You start a business, you grow a business, and when the time comes you either sell the business or terminate it if it turns out to be a dud.

And that’s why not just anyone can run a blog network and expect to be successful (in whatever way “successful” means, be it in terms of popularity, income, or the right to be snarky). And that’s why even if you’re damn good at blogging and damn good at business, you can’t expect to hit it off well with just anyone. There’s such a thing as synergy, so you have to choose your partners (and your affiliates) properly. In the end, it’s all about passion. If you realize that what you’re doing not your thing, after all, then chances are your enterprise is doomed to failure.

I would focus on building one site with multiple solid partners. Then as time grew on after a year or maybe even to I would branch out into one or two other sites instead of trying to grow so fast I couldn’t keep up with the work involved. So Future Blog Network Owners of the World remember to build one site at a time never losing track of your goal of building a large network of sites. Choose your partners wisely and create exit strategies that are amicable for all parties at the start.

Good advice.

[tags]blog networks, blogging, problogging, advice, business[/tags]

These days, I see these “celebrity blogs” going up left, right and center. We at Bloggy Network are guilty of it too- with our own Hollywood Blog. The question is why the hell do we bother? It is at its best a complete and utter waste of time, but a good laugh. At its worst, it’s just sad pandering to the fickle shallowness of a bored readership.

Good revenue, good stats. I get it. But I just pray that there is some equanimity and it doesn’t last. It certainly doesn’t deserve to. Seems that the “snarks” are trying to jump on the celebrity blog bandwagon as well. The problem is- they’re not very good at it. When posting “where is the real snark?“- I realized that there is an element of femininity to snark, but it doesn’t really translate from its core nastiness into genuinely funny, bitchy humor in this area. Again, one finds that the best celebrity blogs are written by gays, like The Superficial- but their bitchiness is in their ability to be witty and cruel, rather than just aimlessly stirring pots.

Where are the philosophers, the poets, the Nobel Peace winners, the scientists- the people that actually have something to say? They may not be “beautiful”- but personally, I’d be more interested in seeing them have prime time interviews than these bit-part idiots. Being snide apart- it’s all fine as fun and games, put in the correct perspective. That is- that beauty really is only “skin deep”. And that these people are supposedly “artists” in a world of “make-believe”. I love to watch an actor and actress in any given role and of course “looks” matter, but it is the character that they play, as if they are a court jester to us- the court, that matters- not what lies behind the mask. Just like when one looks at a painting, first one admires the work of art, rarely even knowing the hand that made it. Anybody who is “obsessed” with “fame seekers” is, quite frankly, very ill or very sad. Some of the blogs that we have reviewed at Bloggy Award in this area- really do worry me. For example, “Jake Watch” literally stalks the every movement of Jake Gyllenhaal.

Enough said. I probably sound like an old pompous fuddy duddy.

There was a time when I was young and beautiful myself! To cut a long story short, I had an amazing connection called Roger Corman, a mover and shaker in Hollywood. So for a while I got “on the circuit” and met quite a lot of the “stars” up close and personal. They were never what one expected. In fact, on the whole, a dreadful disappointment in their “normality”. I’m not going to reel off a whole load of name drops and it seems a terribly long time ago anyway- but I would say that the famous comedians I met were deadly dull!

As far as their rights to privacy are concerned, I find it double standards. They are biting the hand that feeds them. One might not include celebrity blogs in the “paparazzi paranoia”- but they use and discard them in a similiar fashion through their duplicitous actions and desperation for attention, good or bad.

And that brings me full circle to the original point I was trying to make. These blogs about celebrities are trying to become “famous” themselves as uncensored commentators. If you’re going to try that- you’d better be buying your own BS before anyone else does. Otherwise it’s just more regurgitated c..p about the same stuff everyone already knows- that is… for anyone who is gripped by this nonsense.

As of this week, the One Big Network, brainchild of celebrity cowboy- David Krug, and former owner of Jack Of All Blogs, has officially launched.

Here is the press release going out:

One Big Opportunity

Do you have expert knowledge, but often find yourself struggling to create new quality content for the web? If yes, then you’re not alone.

There’s gotta be another way, right? Well, we think so.

The web is full of content. Lots of it is really bad information. Being an expert doesn’t necessarily require that you create new content. What we need now more than ever are experts who can pick out the best content on the web.

That’s where you come in.

The process is simple. Begin by choosing a topic of interest. Then, go out and find the best, most authoritive sites on your topic (start by finding 9-12 sites). Each authority site should have a feed for its latest content. Your site will simply feature the latest headlines from each site that you deem an “authority.” In other words, you’ll be making a portal or hub of expert information about your topic. Constantly updated…automatically. And you can make money from it too!

Sound too good to be true?

The OneBig Network is enabling just this kind of site…with the added benefit of network leverage. Our method gives you an easy way to make money without the daily grind. All the work is upfront, and then you just sit back. Our system constantly updates the latest headlines from each authority site, making your OneBig site an authoritive, relevant, up to the minute snapshot of the best the web has to offer on your particular topic.

So if you’re struggling to generate new content for your blogs or content sties, why not try building expert sites that highlight the best feeds on your favorite topics. Not only will you be providing a valuable service to those who share your interests, but you’ll also be creating a unique opportunity for the best kind of income…the sit back and relax kind!

For only $250 you can join the OneBig network which includes a fully functional site template, a custom designed header graphic, and total participation in the OneBig Network. Lots of benefits. Zero risk. Why wait?

If anyone is interested in joining the One Big Network, please fill out the contact form: here.

The Bloggy Network has bought four sites, which you can view as samples of “niche areas” covered.

One Big Daddy

One Big Hacker

One Big Sport

One Big Japan

My personal vision for the Bloggy Network is that it must, at its core, be a creative outlet for quality writing. If I could release my pet genie, I’d have all the greatest minds and writers in the world sharing their views on our blogs every day of the week. The thing that attracted me to blogging in the first place was its creative potential- the fact that one can immediately publish your writing (your personal opinions, thoughts, dreams and experiences) and share them with others across the world without geographic boundaries, political censorship or any time delay. The same could be said for the internet as a whole, but none as user-friendly or mainstream as is the case with blogs.

We must write unique, original and interesting stuff. And if we don’t, on my head be it. The dilemma, as any “blog network” owner must find- is getting people who can actually write. The only way to achieve this (that I can think of) is to create a platform that is sufficiently prestigious, so that those with the skill to articulate “life” on a certain level – will want to do so for free, knowing that the exposure guarantees impact.

That means a Top 100 blog and we’re not there yet! When I think of one of my most successful author friends, Alex Garland (The Beach, 28 Days Later, etc)- if I paid him and instructed him what to write about, apart from charging an arm and a leg, he’d do it begrudgingly for me at best. If I begged him to write about something he wanted to write on (knowing him, whatever he was feeling annoyed about at the time) and told him I couldn’t afford to pay him at all, he’d do it happily and enthusiastically!

Such, ironically, is the psyche of writers who can actually write….

So the aim here, first and foremost, is to create a blog that will attract the very best in writers and then, by natural recourse, a quality reader base. I have my doubts about whether you can “buy” this. It’s tempting at this point to do a bit of mud-slinging. I’m just amazed at the nonsense that is spewed out daily on some fairly high-profile blogs, owned by well known blog networks. So many, many words and such little sense. Aaargh! I’ve got my own problems. Sometimes discretion is indeed the better part of valor…

For a vision on what I would like the Bloggy Network to become in future years, I have looked into my own family’s past for inspiration. My great-grandfather, Georg Hirth, ran a magazine in Munich, Germany, in the late 19th Century/early 20th Century. Jugend Magazine was all about “expression” in the most liberal of senses- giving young artists and writers an avenue to publish their work in an environment that was apolitical and nurturing to the “new style“. And thus “Jugenstil” became “Art Nouveau“. Bearing in mind a dark shadow cast by the background of two terrible World Wars and the shame that was bestowed on Germany by Nazism (whose advocates burnt the very artwork Jugend was helping to create), it is remarkable that the spirit of Jugend Magazine still permeates into our culture today. There is no better example of this than seeing how Kley, Walt Disney’s greatest artistic influence, was a Jugend artist who would not be known today- had it not been for Hirth.

It is unfortunate that the legacy of Jugend Magazine has been damaged further by false word association, in that the German term “Jugend“, meaning “Youth” became remembered post WW2 as a Nazi reference, as in “Hitler’s Youth“. My family were forced to leave Germany in the 1930s and so today we have none of Hirth‘s substantial art collection in a physical sense, although I’m slowly but surely buying up all the old issues of Jugend that I can find online.

From research, I know that Hirth was already fascinated in the technological developments of his day and was communicating with the likes of Edison, Graham Bell and Emile Berliner re: the invention of the gramaphone. He wrote on subjects like conserving forests and I have in my home a picture of the Hirth household in color- years before Kodachrome film was invented. I genuinely believe that Hirth, a man not scared to embrace the unknown, would seize on blogosphere‘s potential for spreading authentic, creative energy around the globe to friend and foe alike.

If we can in any way emulate what Hirth did (& I know we’re far from achieving it..) by creating a sounding board for talented, aspiring writers- we will have done a great deal. To read more about Hirth or the Jugend Magazine, you can visit our website-: TheJugend.com.

Hmmm…that dreaded term “blog network” again- perhaps the most overused and abused phrase in blogosphere’s dictionary.

These days, when I see it used, I think Wizard Of Oz- lots of smoke and mirrors, but draw back the curtains and there he is- a rather a sad little man. And such is the online world that we live in: megalomaniacs in their masses, hidden behind laptop screens- just waiting to be caught out and chided by little Dorothy.

And yet, when I set up my first online company some yonks ago, I used that damned word “network” then and have used it again now for poor old Mr Bloggy and his sad collective of blogs. Of course then, in the good old days, the SE crawlers were a bit more predictable and so “networking” was pretty straightforward stuff and link reciprocation very much the fashion. But nowadays, it ain’t so pretty.

So what is the point of “joining” a set of different blogs together under one “umbrella“? In the main, no point at all. Power in numbers? Bah humbug! Just Emerald City stuff. You’re going to have all these blog owners who will way overvalue both the existing market value of their blogs and their future contributions to them. Revenue share (if there is any) will be a headache. Quality control- impossible. All these writers, like the worst of us, will think that they can write- when of course they patently cannot. And lastly, if you’re not properly “joining” these blogs together and just doing a “traffic exchange” deal- then it’s time make use of all the hot air and make your way back to good old Kansas.