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Blogger Vs Internet Marketer
I just submitted this article about what I feel about bloggers, from the point of view of an Internet marketer using blogs for marketing, and often being called a “blogger”.
You may reprint this article on your website, blog or ezine as long as you give credits and set hyperlinks to be active.
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Bloggers Vs Internet Marketers - Which One Are You?
By Gobala Krishnan
What is the fundamental difference between a blogger and an Internet marketer? Is there any difference at all to begin with?
Since I had nothing better to do today, I decided to take the risk of being flamed by hate mail by telling you exactly where the line is drawn. While these are examples from the extreme ends of the online publishing spectrum, I believe you’ll see my point by the end of this article.
Nowadays, almost every Internet marketer I know has a blog. However, none of them like to be called a blogger. Most bloggers on the other hand think they’re Internet marketers. Those poor misguided souls.
Here’s what fundamentally different between a blogger and a real Internet marketer making a living online:
1) Living on Search Engine Traffic
The most obvious trait I’ve seen in a blogger is their over-reliance on search engine traffic. In fact, probably the only way they know of getting visitors to their blogs is by getting a “degree” in Google, and spending all their time trying to please Big-G.
Internet marketers on the other hand see search engine traffic as just one component of their entire marketing campaign. They have access to a wider range of tools such as articles, joint-ventures, pay-per-click advertising and email marketing to mention a few. They have the knowledge to use them and they do so regularly.
2) Lack Of Control Over Their Mailing List
Another common trait of a blogger is the dependence on RSS subscription services like Feedburner to build a database of potential customers. they’re content with the fact that by doing this they will never be able to send messages to their loyal readers other than what they post on their blogs.
When you get to a blog maintained by an Internet marketer, instead of seeing a “Subscribe by Feedburner” form, you’ll see a “special offer” or reason to optin, followed by a customized form using Aweber or a similar service. By doing this, the Internet market captures the full details of his visitors and is free to send them emails that were never intended to be published on their blogs.
The Internet marketer also analyzes his list to determine their interests, and provides more value based on this findings. He masters his list and knows that they’re his most important asset; not the blog.
3) Reluctance on Promoting Affiliate Products
I’ve seen so many bloggers state “That’s my affiliate link” right after they post it on their blogs. It’s almost as if they’re afraid of their readers finding out that they somehow benefit by putting that link up. They feel guilty making money from others with an affiliate link, so they clearly brand it as such.
The Internet marketer however has no issues with this. His job is to promote products he feels will benefit his market, and he is not afraid to get paid for it. In fact, the Internet marketer EXPECTS to get paid for his efforts, or he doesn’t bother doing it at all.
4) Just Publishing Vs Real Marketing
Most blogger are publishers. They focus on getting content up, and then wait for people to come and chew it up. “Build it and they will come”, says the blogger. You can’t really blame them for taking that stand, because they lack marketing and advertising skills. They really have no other option.
Internet marketers on the other hand know that the marketing graveyard is filled with great ideas and excellent content that never saw the light of day. They know that they need to get out there and market themselves, their products and their overall brand in order to survive in the long term.
5) Limited Knowledge on Monetizing Traffic
Bloggers know of only one monetization method: advertising. The easiest is of course some sort of contextual advertising like Google Adsense or Chitika. Some even go for blog advertising networks and selling text links on their blog, but at the end of the day, they’re still dependent of advertising dollars.
The Internet marketer has more tricks up his sleeve. He knows that advertising income is as stable as a melting glacier, and he diversifies his income by selling his own products or services on his blog. In fact, most of them don’t even bother with contextual ads because they live much higher up the food-chain.
Let me just say that a true Internet marketer can make the same amount of money from 3 pages of his blog that the average blogger does with 300.
This article may disgust you (if you’re a blogger) or may strike a chord in your inner melody (if you’re an Internet marketer). Bloggers may say “Oh… but I get tons of traffic, I make money from Adsense and I’m doing fine. So what’s the problem?”
The problem is that Internet marketing is a volatile business. By observing both type of individuals all I can say is that in the next few years, the blogger will still be blogging. But the blogs they write for will be owned by a savvy Internet marketers.
It’s just the way it works!
About The Author
Gobala Krishnan is a micro-niche specialist that coaches Internet marketers to cash in on profitable markets using Wordpress and secret blogging tactics. Get started now by reading a copy of his “Wordpress Adsense System” book at http://www.easywordpress.com
9 Comments »
Gobala Krisnan is a direct-response marketer turned blogger who makes over $10,000 a month from his blog empire. If you want to make money online from blogs, he is the only person who can reveal the secret of merging time-tested direct marketing strategies with web 2.0 traffic. Read more about him >>
Dude you’ve hit the nail on the head, you might how ever wish to post a tutorial or two for the blogger who is looking to be an internet marketer, though I think that post ws probably tutorialish enough!!! Great piece man keep em comin !!
this is very useful post. you’re right. one can’t make money solely from just advertising.
Great Arguement on both sides.
But most probably Blogger will still stay on the Blogger side unless they are exposed to the Power of Internet Marketing and the vast stream of revenue from it.
Unless we are willing to accept changes, how can we IMPROVE?
A very well considered article. Thank you, Gobala, for opening my eyes. All I have to do now if find out how to make the transition from humble - and church mouse poor - blogger, to esteemed internet marketer.
Keep the good info. coming…
David,
There a lot of blogger out there with SOO much traffic, I wonder if they know the goldmine they are sitting on…
And the few that actually have the best of both worlds are the ones making a killing. They have the traffic, and they know how to turn it into cash other than just Adsense…
I believe there are some inherent truths in this post, but I really don’t agree with the titles you’ve given each side as if the term Blogger denotes an uninformed amateur and an Internet Marketer as a savvy professiona. I think the term blogger has a much broader description, being someone who takes their thoughts on a subjects and posts them on an online forum or journal. I believe a blogger can be an internet marketer and vice versa. I do not believe that its one or the other. I consider myself a blogger, but I’m knew to it and I’m still learning about ways to promote the blog and applying them as I learn. I would not call myself an internet marketer though.
Also, I disagree with your statement that bloggers feel guilty about their affiliations by making claims that their links are affiliate links. This isn’t guilt but rather honesty. I have Adsense ads on my page but I don’t say anything about them because its assumed that I get something from the advertising. However, by telling people that the Amazon link they’re about to click on is actually supporting me and my site, I’m putting myself out there in full view. Being honest with your readers gives you credibility. I’d rather be credible than elusive.
Finally, you make some really bold statements in your last few paragraphs, but you don’t give any kind of proof. Saying that an internet marketer can make the same money in 3 pages as a “blogger” can in 300 is bold. Where’s your proof? You also say that in a few years the blogger will still be blogging but the blogs will be owned by the internet marketer. If someone wants to buy my blog and then pay me to write it, be my guest. I welcome that opportunity.
I must agree with Dave C.
You make some good points (i.e. monetization techniques) but others are inherently flawed.
For example there is no way you can justify marketers making more money off 3 pages VS bloggers and their 300 pages not unless you have sampled a large cross section of bloggers and Internet marketers (at least 1000 ).
In fact most Internet marketers who are making serious money off 3 pages aren’t doing so on a blog to begin with but rather some on-par sales copy with HTML reminiscent of what existed in the 1990’s. Ugly, but profitable.
Most Internet Marketers have a blog supplementary to their sales pages, products, etc.
…and lastly what about Darren Rowse from ProBlogger? He often puts “(aff)” next to his affiliate links and the man defines the term “Six Figure Blogging”. He is a blogger, come Internet Marketer, come rich individual and he is as transparent as can be.
Good article Gobala, but it’s loose and has a few holes that need patching. You, yourself are an Internet Marketer, it makes sense that this post is geared as such in favor of IM types.
Most bloggers aren’t looking to turn a dime any more than to cover their expenses.
Absolutely agree with the 2 comments above (Dave C, Jesus). One of the significant difference between an Internet Marketer and a Blogger, is that an Internet Marketer is a professional who started off with the consideration of making profit. Meanwhile most Blogger started off because they wanted a place to put their thoughts and images , not for profit initially. Most bloggers didn’t know how to monetize their blog until they hear it from other bloggers.
My 2-cents are posted here. Thanks Gobala for an excellent article, with the above comments making a more complete picture of the differences between a blogger and internet marketer. I agree with Joshua\’s assessment of what happens to bloggers.