As a news and info source like at ToriSpilling.com) we come across tons of useful tips that, as well we feel aspiring through seasoned bloggers and site owners may want/need to know). We were beginning to list those articles over at ToriSpilling, but we’re moving it here where, for continuity, effective compartmentalization and flow; it is better placed (seeing as though we are using this headquarters site as a blog communication for the back side of blogging and website ownership).
Given all that + all that our brand family, is about and provides; we know that know that the industry is “competitive” but we see no “competition” or as being any particular kind of threat to our brand family-at all.
Because of that, we [have to] don’t sell image, facades and illusions to attract our audience. We pride ourselves on doing innovative and literally “dope” work while providing useful, valuable, necessary, current information and content that provokes thought, consideration and contemplation to the masses such that our brand’s work and usefulness speaks for us.
So because of that, we can tell the truth-because we earn our keep. No “yasss” “werk” slayyy” hype (that at the end of the day) leaves you empty and back to the drawing board with no chalk, no workable realistic, tangible, workable plan and drawings-just a board to run into and back out on a new Twitter hunt to pass time to feel good.
Not with OSFMag. We’re straight business, all (true) ‘hustle’ and merit. We will tell “serve” the truth-no holds barred-ly.
That said, here’s the real (behind the business of blogging-and maintaining):
FOR GUIDANCE, DON’T FALL FOR BLOG BACK STORY OKEY DOKE-NO MATTER HOW IT IS PRESENTED TO YOU-PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS BEING DONE OVER WHAT IS BEING SAID:
No matter how “spiritual” any blogger/blog site tries to spin it for marketing a new image or shtick, when your blog is truly successful, you stay the course. Now this is one hell of a blog back story:
A popular well-known blogger named Angel who started a blog (at age 20-in believe in 2005) walked away from blogging never to be heard from again (somewhere around 2010 or 2011). Although she may still be on social media, no one even knows or has heard tell of her since. That is “walking away.” You don’t walk away from what truly was “successful” only (to torture yourself) and fall right back into the same sesspool in a different way.
When crackheads go sober but hang back with the same crowd, they become a crackhead again.
When gamblers lose money on one machine, they walk away instead of standing around watching the next person walk up and win the money.
Whoever this Angel girl was-she meant that sh|t when she “walked away.” She didn’t dress it up in a fancy by repackaging [what people on Twitter and Facebook] “claim” to want yet, (in record numbers) tend to on Instagram (the hood booger sites-in record numbers)–yet, out of trying to appear “spiritual,” aloof and positive, and won’t dare cop to on Twitter. KEY: In addition branding by what people “say” versus paying attention to what they really (are doing), a blog site will indeed fail. When it comes to how we want to be perceived, we’re all “pretending” (on Twitter and Facebook) while tending to other things and elsewhere.
As well, when we try to be the celebrity, or be [on the scene and seen] with celebrities for blog ‘value’—which is very fleeting, fly-by-night and temporary—versus understanding that in the BUSINESS of blogging, we fail. Even the celebrity needs you…on this here, Internet.
Be it a celeb or a box a cereal:
The radio’s gonna “radio.” The television’s gonna “tv.” The Internet’s gonna “net.” And social media is gonna “media.”
You don’t necessarily need radio or tv to “be famous” (or start a business) like long ago. But you do need the Internet and social media is cherry on the top helpful.
Your blog is on the Internet-on social media-and more people spend more time there, than watching tv or listening to the radio. That means something. If you have domain there, respect it and demand command respect of it. The Internet made way for sites to buy a domain and social media provides a way to market it-that’s where they playing field got leveled.
Although brands (material brands and people brands) have their own social media sites, their fans outnumber them-that’s WHY they are [the] star[s]. On the World Wide Web, fans of their brand orbit around them through a kind of “liaison” to talk to the world for them about what they are offering, selling and explaining-that’s where you come in.
Pop culture legend has it on good word (shown and proven) that Diana Ross’ moniker “The Boss” is because she is the boss of what she does. As a blogger: STOP TRYING TO BE “DIANA ROSS” Concentrate on sticking to being the boss of what you do until bosses talk business with you. Other than that, (rather than re-circulating same stories warmed over), selectively balance and blog what the people want PLUS what serves YOUR brand and what you claim to be about (in a way that attracts people to YOUR brand). Fair exchange is no robbery if everybody got served.
If you can manage delivering in an informative, entertaining, (natural) uniquely engaging way (even on top of what is already reported/provide more to offer on a story); then (as a blogger) half your hustle is secure-and with that, you can gather your OWN “popularity” and fame—if that’s what you are chasing…
On the flip side of that, whether or not you make money off that is an entirely different ballgame.
DON’T MIX BEING PRODUCTIVE WITH BEING A TWITTER BUSY-BODY. YOU CAN CONDITION YOUR AUDIENCE TO RESPECT HOW, WHEN, AND THE WAY YOU WORK ONLY IF THEY TRULY LIKE RESPECT YOUR WORK. OTHER THAN THAT-YOU M U S T PLAY ON TWITTER ALL DAY EVERYDAY.
You can spend your time online fronting for Twitter hype (broke and secretly depressed) or you can treat your blog business like a business (so that people brands and material brands RESPECT it as such). Choice is yours.
Kim gets this mention because I am proving a point. So (as a blogger) she benefits and so do I, in some way, for proving the point I am making. When you are not on chill and turned down mode, every post and move re: your blog has to be calculated and has to count in coins or credibility and respect for your blog. Take your pick.
As a blogger on social media, you must know that the social IS “media.” There are times you are chilling and turned down and like what you like so, you talk what(ever) you talk. Cool. But mostly, (as a brand yourself) when it comes to brands (material or other people’s brands) every word you post on your blog or social media should benefit you too-especially if you are NOT being paid for it. Why? a) because on blogs and/or social media, other people really do make money recapping and supporting tv shows, material brands and ‘people brands.’ I don’t do make-up so it didn’t serve me to join Twitter hype about how Kim Kardashian made $14 million dollars in 14 minutes for her new makeup line. Kim Kardashian recruited social media beauty gurus as foot soldiers to help do that for her. Although I’m not a beauty guru, I am a content creator who too, could’ve easily written a dope blog post about how it all went down but (for free) that’s a waste of OSFMag’s time for two reasons: I’m not one of the beauty gurus foot soldiering for her and they + Kris Jenner pay to keep themselves all in the media every day–for the past seven years. I didn’t get a check cut for a $14 million/14 minute dope blog writeup on how that happened so you only got bits of Twitter chatter—and other (non beauty) blogs wasting their blog’s time writing it up. I like Kim, but not I-on that. 
That’s her business-not mine. But ABC’s The Bachelorette is worth my time (to post on social media) because I a) have a podcast where although I talk about many things (blogging, pop culture etc), relationships is my shtick. So, where credibility and sensibility is concerned,
busting my timeline down every Monday (this season) on social media is worth it to me-because I happen to like this particular season. Hell, I missed Train and Pat Monahan for The Bachelorette one night but the fact is: Train’s got there’s, I’ve got mine to get. What I like to do on Monday night (this season) benefits me and my business. I love Train, but I love my business more. Some The Bachelorette won that fight. But will you find an entire write up on OtherSideoftheFame.com about it? No you will not. Don’t even look for it. Why? Because there are people out here who are really being compensated to recap it on blogs. I stick to the part that serves the OSFMag brand’s fam. Shrewd and savvy has to be the strategy and name of your game. Time and effort is costly. Respect yourself and your brand. I can write up Amber Rose everywhere it serves AngFrank’s premise, but her newest headline-this very week that this blog is written-[is about her “lightskinned privilege“] as you can see, I been that, done that already. Not this time around.
DRAKE SINGS IT BEST, AND HERE’S THE REMIX: …………..”YOU’VE BEEN DOWN SO LONG IT LOOKS LIKE ‘UP’ TO YOU. THEY LOOK UP TO YOU? YOU GOT FAKE PEOPLE SHOWIN’ FAKE LOVE TO YOU STRAIGHT UP TO YOUR FACE.”
Back in early to mid 2000s it used to work through and through. It used to work like magic! Now, it works in a different way that ultimately, won’t serve sustain you.
Shall I name names?
You see, to attract; lacing your blog, or social media accounts with materialisms and associations with 50 celebs, 50 countries in 30 days only attracts people that want to live vicariously through you, and want to be seen by who they think you are being seen by, first (but too, fair exchange is no robbery when these types are used as social media retweet pawns for their own marketing and advertising and to increase their popularity in order to mask what their “blogs” can’t carry).
Once it becomes obvious that you are more concerned with being “famous”-they’re gonna make you feel (and think) you are famous and more than what you really put out and provide. The truth of the “hype” is the mirror you look in at the end of the night (which hurts you in the end and when the lights come on).
Opposite those types, (when gathering for hype over the business of your blog), you are roadkill on this Information Superhighway-in the land of getting business to maintain and power your blog for seriously respected business purposes. You will get used for return of Twitter and tv show mentions that you cannot take to the bank–and then you’re left with an celeb industry axe to grind) …………Stevie Wonder sings a chorus to a song conducive to that: (1:14)“You took me riding in your rocket and gave me a stop. But at a half a mile from heaven and you dropped me back down to this cold, cold world.”
Shall I name names?
Drake rapped it best: “A verse for a verse that is not a ‘swap’ to me.”
Keep your head out of the clouds and be a business. It’s better for you AND the blogging business.
THE FINE LINE AND THE BRUTAL TRUTH ABOUT MONETIZING A BLOG
The fine line (of the previous paragraph) is a brutal truth:
You can still have a poppin’ site and like a Donkey Kong game; you will have ups and downs when you are making money from it. Why? Because (unlike a 9 to 5) there are NO weekly, biweekly or even monthly paydays. In fact, you may not see what’s due you for 90 or even 120 days! Stop letting people who borrow money, sleep with people for money, grimy un-humble beginnings (like embezzling money from the famous and rappers), or going to Dubai to get pissed on for it. No one tells you their (true) grime and what jumpstarts/started them. Stick to your truth and realize that somewhere in the world tucked away working his ass off is a pissed off hubby who has now procreated with some woman and a new “cheaper to keep her” baby, online telling you she is a Stepford wife of a mommy blogger making millions-fooling you into thinking that is real, “life” for her (without argument). Be it a part truth (she may be married with child) and you (a single mom), your stories are different. You can’t model your blog’s direction of someone else’s experience.
Granted, there ARE a few of these types that are monetizing from blogging and can truly call it a business. But if the majority of their “monetizing” is hustling you (via “let me show you how to”) you aint ready for blogging and don’t know game. Most of the “let me show you how’ers” are selling you a POSSIBILITY that they too, have not reached continuously enough to live off of and make a “business” from. That’s where your coins come in. If you’re smart, you know most often, Google and You Tube can “show you how to”–locate resources, free blogs site that offer useful tools and how things work just fine and no less different. Use some of the time you waste playing around on Twitter to educate yourself about any business you wish to be in (be it blogging or backgammon).
LIKE A 9 TO 5, YOU MUST PUT IN WORK…THAT MATTERS…AND PROVIDES INFORMATION AND VALUE WHILE ENTERTAINING (TO HOLD INTEREST)
Know that sitting on Twitter all day fishing and reaching for compliments aint “work”-the kind that will sustain you. And until you PUT IN THE WORK …and have balanced and built such that blogging is all you do for a living 100%, people who truly support you, mean you well and want to see you with it, support you in the meantime and in between time. In return, it affords them the entertainment, information, consistency and predictability (many of them) want and complain that you may not [be able to] provide otherwise. Because just like a 9 to 5 pays you (reading this)-that job (by right) predict that you will consistently clock in at 9 a.m. and out at 5 p.m. And in between, that-that job knows that you will and what you have done (and in advance), what you will do by 5 and repeat the next day. KEY: Your blog is not your job until it pays you like a job-via your “supporters” or your advertisers and brands you are advertising for.
This button is real. And real, serious business for you and people who TRULY ‘support’ you. As well (for the ones who expect consistency and predictability) this is one button they should press, frequently–because that’s what this button ensures.
Blog life (online) is the same thing as a job only if it is made to be a career. Again, if people, fans or brands are not doing business with you as yet, or contributing to you (outside of Twitter and social media hype) with the kind of support that keeps your blog’s lights on (via buying from your online store, or PayPal etc), they are not necessarily supporting you where it matters where it matters to them. That’s a one-sided side in which you have to be shrewd, meticulous, and strategic about your time and put-out.
KEY: Once you are PROVEN past “potential” you have to start valuing your own worth as your value and worth is to them.
Once it is clear, present and undebatable that your put-out is uniquely and un-duplicatible your mark and trademark, don’t let these fronting Twitter wanna-be’s talk to you about “work” ethic unless you are LIVING OFF OF the key word: Work. Most in blogging feel competitive when they see you as competition ’cause your buzz is bigger. When they KNOW their work can’t go toe-to-toe with yours,they search for ways to marquee and highlight what you are not doing to find fault with you to discredit you. But you will never ONCE hear of these very same ones giving you credit where its due. Stick to what works for and pays you. All work-ethic is a breeze upon incentive. Later for the gum-bumpin and Twitter key thumpin.’ Whether you want to accept this realness or not: You are displaying and playing until the work is paying. So twerk and twirl but may your content display: ‘I aint playin.’ Until then, collect your covetors until you collection your coins.
KEY: Affording you the time to be in a chair or on route (consistently and predictably) pumping work (for their information and entertainment) comes with a cost price from your LIFE. If they don’t or won’t support that, then they have to respect the fact that (by right), they haven’t the right to ‘expect’ or ‘demand’ consistency and predictability from you. They have to fall back and (or come back later-while you’re out getting to the money, or working on what pays the money first). IMPORTANT: Doing what we love doesn’t pay bills simply because we love doing it. When we love what we do and it pays bills, it simply pays the bills and allows us time to nurture and love it even more. Yes, if you love writing or blogging, you still have to do it for money if you want to maintain your blog. Quit letting fake Twitter ‘spiritualists’ convince you otherwise. Try taking love to the bank and paying your rent and car note with it.
Period. Dot.
Many bloggers, spend wayyyyyyyyyyy too much time fronting otherwise and that, too, is how they fall their faces. Stay true to YOUR circumstances. Not the bamboozlement that other bloggers will present to you to harbor around their program all the while leaving you with the same empty inspiration that falls flat after the hype.
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY BRUTUAL ( AND PERSONAL), BUT LET ME EXPLAIN:
—–SO AS TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS (AND ESPECIALLY BELOW, HERE) I WILL INSERT MY (RECORDED) BLOG BUILDING BACKSTORY HERE—
Humbly, respectfully, yet unapologetically, that is the real truth (behind) blogging and how, what, why and when OSFMag moves. I’ve watched “seemingly ‘successful’ bloggers honor routines that eventually didn’t serve them or their blog and business and this is what i learned: People are online 24/7/365. While it is nice to be able to have blogs and things to entertain THEM to help THEM pass THEIR time, blogging everyday is even harder than the job YOU go to. People REFUSE to respect blogging as a ‘job’–because they just have to log on and look.
I don’t chase that “predictablity” and consistency narcotic and will NOT–until blogging pays ALL the bills 100% completely and consistently.
We have conditioned our audience to know that whenever we do whatever it is we do; it, it’s gonna be dope, informative, useful, valuable, or entertaining and unable to be duplicated.
But aspiring bloggers, and (seemingly) seasoned bloggers: Don’t play yourself for fronting for social media. It will NOT sustain you.
Shall I name names as examples?
Pay attention to what is not being said and actually shown straight up in your face, daily and routinely.
If fortune favors the brave, be brave enough to stay true to yourself. You will be fortunate enough to not have to keep spinning and repackaging new “You.” And you don’t even have to when it is truly about the blog, the business of it and not necessarily about “you.”
The moral and short of the story: If you are a new or aspiring blogger, pay CLOSE attention to EVERY SINGLE WORD I mentioned.
I gave you EVERY cautionary tale, scenario and warning you need.
Stick to YOUR program and be motivated and inspired by YOUR trials as well as errors. Not all are, most are-don’t be fooled by these hateful, hating, obsessive, mean-spirited, fake-deep-spiritual fake high vibing cliquey drama queens and thinking you’re linking to success heaven simply over elaborate efforts to look and seemed well connected.
If you are SMART, the moves should tell you: Run a ‘werk girl’ ‘yasssss’ ‘slay sis’ seminar, retreat or conference under the guise of positivity and motivation (via your duckets), lace the twit pic and IG with it and hype you, collect the guppies dying to swim and be the big fish.
Nothing is going to sustain you, get you the money, advertising or fame or household name you want but YOUR WORK as it serves THE AUDIENCES NEEDS.
Link up with real (not silly or desperate) serious business women (or men) who you can CLEARLY see (by their work and how they move), that they are ABOUT BUSINESS, not facades and bullshit.
The best way to have an eye for it: imagine if Twitter, Facebook and IG pulled the plug, what and where will you see those types?
I haven’t the slightest idea. Neither do you. But I’ll tell you who:
OSFMag.com
ToriSpilling.com
OtherSideoftheFame.com
SelfieStyleStories.com
Where:
Just type a www. before each site and we’re still up, running, able to be found as usual, AND on. Not on social media ‘pretending’ to be, lying with no receipts to get you to pay me, or fronting. Just up, on and running as usual.
-AngFrank of OtherSideoftheFame.com – an OSFMag brand fam media site