This post is #2 in a series about a Website I Sold For $30K. I’m telling you pretty much how I did it from the ground up. There will be tons of fluff posts included, as well as a ‘few’ F-bombs and the occasional insider secret to kick ass blogging, oh yeah! ;) Plenty of beer too, so make sure you are fully stocked! You should check out the first post here: Introduction To Selling Sites For Big Money

So WTF is that title up there all about eh? Well, I can tell you this guys, today is a good day for you cuz you get two vids for the price of one. The first one is my little “warning” mixed with a “rant” talking about this Gary Vaynerchuk “cash in on your passion stuff.” Check it…

Now some of you are gonna think I am bagging on Gary and that is not the point. I am just trying to relate to the majority of you who did not inherit a business, or have someone pay your way thru college. Many of you (and me) are a little older than Vaynerchuk, have kids, bills, and whatever else. It is nice that Gary was able to take something his daddy built and make it bigger, but the rest of us have not been dealt such a hand. (BTW–if you are young, single and have no resposibilities, get your dumb ass off the Playstation and build something… go cash in on your passion you young bastards! ;) ) In addition, if you turn your passion into a job, you may end up resenting it in the end… dangerous!

With that in mind, you can’t always cash in on your passions when you have to work a real job and support a family. So what can you do to still be wildly successful? You blog about shit you are already doing in your life anyway. These things could include hobbies for sure, or in the case of my site that I sold for $30,000, it was a blog about home improvement stuff. I already knew that I’d need to upgrade my crib, so why not “cash in” on my “regular life?” … THAT is the point! Let’s be real eh?

Video Blog Post #2

Now the next vid is my giving you some encouragement really. You see, so many young bloggers think they can’t beat the big company websites in the SERPS.. well, check it…

First off, I don’t dislike Home Depot. I actually love the place… Though I still think it’s a big company run by cocksuckers anyway. But the folks that work in the local stores are great! The point here is that big corporate websites suck ass in the content department. This is many times due to the fact that the creative minds in a company are stifled by big, arrogant mother f*cking CEOs and executives. (trust me, big company CEOs want complete compliance, not creativity) In addition to that, anything a big company puts out to the public is looked over by dozens of corporate lawyers for months prior… gumming up the creative juices, and killing the basic premise of a “BLOG”.

And that’s how you and me kick their cyber-butts! We can write freely, creatively, personally and believably! We can use keyword rich reviews to sell products, one-at-a-time. This creates a huge trust factor about a product… a single product recommended by a real human on a personal-feeling blog…, whereas Home Depot doesn’t necessarily sell a product based on the product itself.. rather, the Cordless Nailer is just another piece of their inventory, and here’s a picture of it on our site with a generic description. Do you see? (read the previous run-on sentence again if you need to) :)

Finally, I ranted a little about the lack of content on the page on the Home Depot site. Honestly, it probably isn’t that big of a deal. I am sure the Home Depot website collectively is full of “content”… but I can tell you this: Home Depot’s website does not look much different than a lot of the Build A Niche Store (BANS) sites I have seen de-indexed in recent years. You tell me where the standard is set?

47 Responses to “$30K Part 2, Finding A Topic, Not A Passion, And Beating The Big Companies With Your Small Blog”

  1. Lisa says:

    Ok first things first, I just picked up beer. Perfect timing. secondly…brad paisley is great, I’ve seen him in concert but it takes more than a song to just get laid. Throw in some beer and open the car door for me and then its a slam dunk. ;-)

    I do agree with you about writing about something you are doing anyway. I have an organization site because, Im OCD lol. Ok, well, not like turn the light switch on and off 100 times before I can leave the room OCD, but everything’s got its place OCD. I can find a keyword and write about it without even doing research because I naturally know how to organize. It flows for me. My blog is fairly new and not pretty but it’s because I’m working on the guts. It being worth $30k some day would be ok with me.

    Anywho…good videos. Next time, try not to drop your shit ok? :)

    • Allyn says:

      @ Justin– nice fluff right? I love the softer side of blogging. ;)
      @Lisa — that battery dropping outta there scared the shiz outta me. I always loosen it when storing the gun because if you don’t there is an indicator light that just keeps blinking. Anyway, I should have realize that when I started shooting. I also got a nice dent in the wood floor, LOL. As far as the guts of your site, if you can bang out posts fast like that, then you are in like Flynn on this concept. A lot of people don’t realize that they actually are very good writers if they will just basically “talk about” what’s going on in their lives (as long as it is monetizeable of course) :)

  2. Justin says:

    One word…. Fluffy lol ;)

  3. Jason Z says:

    Lol man I love your videos they can make my day sometimes haha. So I have one question and that is why did you shave? Just needed to feel clean? Oh and you now have my wife all confused on what beer she should buy me when she is out lol. I am always trying out the new stuff which is great cause now I have about 10 different types sitting in the fridge and I love the freedom of switching things up. And yes that is in the Man Fridge! Beer only!

    So Congrats on you sale that is awesome. I am assuming that they investor or buyer contacted you about the site? I had a domain awhile back that I I picked up that was expired. I never even used it and I got a email wanting to know how much I wanted for it. I thought it was some spam so I sent out a high number and about a day later my paypal had a nice deposit sitting in it. So like you said the real guys who are making money online are not known to the public because most done waste time with the MMO niche. MMO niche is a lot of work because you either need to be creating something or have a membership site. I love to write about it so I do it anyway but that another story.

    Anyway keep it up and keep the videos coming. Its a great break and I love annoying the wife by turning it up and her having to hear it lol. I honestly could see your beer blog selling for a lot more down the road. I could picture a large change being interested in it once it starts generating traffic. Sorry for the long post I am on about beer 8 after watching Texas lose tonight.

    Jason Z

    • Allyn says:

      @Jason– dude seriously isn’t it great having like 10 different beers on hand? RIght now, I have singles and doubles of all kinds of stuff.. it’s like going to a buffet, :)
      And, I got rid of the goatee cuz the wife was tired of it. I’m cool with it either way really, just now my triple chin is not hidden anymore. :)
      I’m going to talk a lot about pre-owned domains coming up here, but they are truly gold in a lot of ways, just like you mentioned. Pretty cool when stuff like that happens.
      Sorry for Texas losing, I was rooting for them sense Bama beat my boys a few weeks ago.
      AL

  4. Pieter says:

    Great post! Does that protein shake have any alcohol in it?

  5. Gordie says:

    Shit! I feel running a small and newish blog is hard work, but it’s work that I’m enjoying so far. I have leveraged the power of other bloggers to provide me with great posts and made them part of a tribe.

    I struggle to write more than two posts per week, so I think it’s obvious that blogging isn’t my passion but it’s a hobby.

    BTW, you belch a lot. Lol!
    Gordie´s last blog ..Old Tianjin Is Destroyed. My ComLuv Profile

    • Allyn says:

      @Gordie– yeah man, I belch because I actually drink beer on my beer blog… but that is another story, LOL
      I think two posts per week is actually very good. I am also going to talk about that in am upcoming video, so stay tuned.
      It is also a great idea to get other bloggers to write for you, but keep in mind, if you plan to sell the site like I did, they may then wanna take some of the profits.

  6. Pieter says:

    Hey Allyn! Why do you need to clear the cache before checking a result in the serps??

    • Allyn says:

      Pieter– you clear cache because Google remembers sites you have visited previously and will artificially inflate them to the top positions.
      So to get a true SERPS listing, you need to clear cache before searching.
      BTW– i could rant and rave all day about this manipulation… talk about false results!

  7. The more I pay attention to Gary the more I realize he is trying to reach big goals. Own the Jets and meet everyone on the planet. I think he is on the right track. Those are his true passions. I wine is his hobby that pays like your interior home blog. Really I think you are talking about two side of the same coin.

    Next, whats with the fluff, jk.

    If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were advocating that content is king in kicking corp website ass. But I digress. It still amazes me when big corps shoot themselves in the foot in the content area. After all Home Depot has a ton of people sitting around somewhere cuz when ever I go there I cant find a soul to help. I’m sure they are just itching for something to do like produce content for their crappy site. But god forbid that an employee writes how one tool is better than another and they margin on the shitty tool is shot to shit.

    I know, I know. That would lead to better and better tools for the same value, but is the fun in that…
    The Real Josh´s last blog ..I’m In the Business of Helping My ComLuv Profile

    • Allyn says:

      @Josh.. hey dude, content is king! But you have to get your content seen too, and that is what this little series is all about. When you content gets seen by the right people, you can make bank!
      As far as Gary, I do think he is awesome.. his vids fire me up. But his methods are a little naive, IMO.
      AL

  8. Jessie says:

    Just like Jason Z, my wife is extremely annoyed when I watch your videos. She thinks you are a jerk after I had her watch the one about you going off on the sales people for not giving you the correct sales price. :)

  9. Shane says:

    “…sometimes, fluff is good…”

    Nice save!

    Let me guess: When the fluff is coming from you, then it’s good, right?

    I didn’t find that first video overly fluffy, by the way. Interesting stuff in both videos.

    Cheers,
    Shane
    Shane´s last blog ..Web2Mayhem Videos (Massive Video Post) My ComLuv Profile

    • Allyn says:

      @shane, yeah man, my fluff is like fine spun Egyptian cotton baby! But just wait until I pour some heavy meat gravy on top of that fluff, then you’ll get the real poop! LOL

  10. JL Palmetto says:

    Wow, *two* off-weekend Blogger Illustrated videos. I’m a happy girl!

    :-)

  11. Lisa says:

    LOL so how pissed is your wife about the dent in the floor??

    • Allyn says:

      @Lisa, I don’t think she is upset, she watched the post and did not say anything, so I think I am all good! :)
      @Eric– yeah man, you gotta go for it now while you have very few strings holding you back or giving you excuses! You have had a taste of corp crap with the mortgage job, so use that as your motivation to get crack-alackin so you never have to go back.
      BTW– keep in the poker niche if you want, nothing wrong with that if you can continually dominate.

  12. Eric L says:

    Hey Allyn, I’m 25, single (newly) and have no debt other than the $130/mo student loan payments and work part time (all of a sudden)…I guess I should be cashing in on my “passions”??? LOL. -poker(have 4 blogs), golf(zero blogs), drinking(zero blogs), Hunting and Fishing(zero blogs), Sports(zero blogs).

    Guess I have a lot of work to do :)

    Ps. Video games are for losers and a huge waste of time-i dont see why ppl spend so much time with that shit.

  13. I know you mentioned it above but I thought it was friggin hilarious that you shaved the goatee between videos. I’d like to see the shave while you are doing the video. That isn’t gay is it?

    I never clear the cache before checking Google, thanks.

    Good work my brudda.
    Steve Sherron´s last blog ..Using Vehicle Advertising Decals My ComLuv Profile

    • Allyn says:

      @steve, I will ping you a link of me shaving on video… I actually sell some Amazon stuff that way.
      As far as searching on Google– you should always clear cache and cookies and also be sure you are logged out of your gmail account before you search. otherwise, the Google god will spoon feed you results based on what he knows about you.

  14. Eric L says:

    Yeah I never really thought about how busy life could get if i had a family, ft job, etc. I really don’t want a social blog anymore tho. I just wanna recommend and give solid advice – and hopefully make a few dollas along the way.

  15. Lisa says:

    @Steve Sherron – Its only gay if you drool! ;-)
    Lisa´s last blog ..Jewelry Organizers of All Types My ComLuv Profile

  16. Hey Allyn,

    That was far and away the best post you have put up in a long time, if not ever. Nah, I won’t quibble. It is the the best one that I know of and I have watched and read a lot of um.

    Dang man! You were you, not some creepy guy trying to be bigger than you are. That’s something you seem to have fallen into lately (except for the creepy part)with a lot of extra shouting and fake bravado and stuff until the last post and now this real doozy of a post.

    When you are being just-plain-ole you, you are a powerhouse, man. And, you know what? The dope (read: intoxicating stuff) you give us is the real thing and it is easy to see that it is the real thing in your mind. Did you get that? What I mean to say is the real Allyn knows his stuff and he is freehearted about passing it on to the rest of his world.

    You know what that says, right? I like being a part of your world and having you be a part of mine. You are a good guy.

    An’ hey! Give us more on the $30,000 thing. I need it and I am sure there’s a lot more out here that need it. Shoot, I have trouble enough making 30 cents on the internet, much less 30 big.

    In fact, by the authority invested in me by me, I am going to bestow a degree on you, and a high honor it is,too: the degree of Jus’ plain old me, or as it is abbreviated J.p.o.M. So henceforth you have the right to sign your name Allyn Hane, J.p.o.M. Or you may further abbreviate your new degree like so: JpoM, pronounce jeh-pom.

    Always wear your JpoM as the high honor it is.
    Lawrence Miller´s last blog ..Will the United States of America Become a Socialist Country in 2010? My ComLuv Profile

    • Allyn says:

      @lawrence, yeah man, what you say makes a lot of sense, but sometimes it is fun to come up over the top and lay down the hammer.
      I am just being me at any given moment.
      Most of the upcoming video posts will be pretty regular and normal I hope, :)

  17. Ah heck, I always screw these comments up some how. Make that degree Jus’ plain ole Me. Might as well get it right.

    Mistakes: I sure am good at makin’ mistakes. Fact is that is what I am best at, but then that’s what makes me like everybody else that I know.
    Lawrence Miller´s last blog ..Will the United States of America Become a Socialist Country in 2010? My ComLuv Profile

  18. Matt S. says:

    Initially I thought you had a new hairstyle in the second post. It looked a little Sid Vicious-meets-Samurai.
    But it turned out to be the wall hangings in the background. Anyhoo. Another great bunch of posts, Allyn.
    Keep it fluffy.
    Matt S.´s last blog ..Lookee Here! Mo Money Fo Me My ComLuv Profile

  19. JL Palmetto says:

    Matt S. wrote: “Initially I thought you had a new hairstyle in the second post.”

    Yet more material for Steve S.!!

    Love that punked out look, even if it was the wall decor.

    :-)

  20. Jerry says:

    Hey Allyn,

    Great to see a video post like that, on congratulations! It’s always great to get encouragement when you see one of the good guys really making head way and seeing success. Still incremental on this end, but still hammering away. Looking forward to the full video series. Cheers!
    Jerry´s last blog ..Drop Lid Writing Desks My ComLuv Profile

  21. Heather says:

    Wish I could have started reading this a while ago! Your videos are interesting, to um, put it mildly. Some sound advice in there though, looking forward to the rest of it :D

    Seems I managed to do the same thing without knowing what I was really doing so far, nice to know I may not be totally wasting my time =P

  22. Scott says:

    Hi Allyn

    I must say “with this two videos you are really spoiling us!”

    I think I congratulated you in the TAA but if I forgot then a big well done for selling your site for that amount of cash, serious hats off there big fella!

    Scott
    Scott´s last blog ..SEO Edinburgh – How To Rank For Keywords My ComLuv Profile

  23. Sire says:

    Never heard heard of Brad Paisley, probably why I hardly got laid, playing the wrong songs.

    I can see the sense about blogging about something that you’re already doing, but I think if you can do that you can also pick something that you’re passionate about and pump it for a lot more.

    As to the 30K site, I reckon a lot of that had to do with choosing the right domain name.
    Sire´s last blog ..The Honest Truth About Blogging For Money My ComLuv Profile

  24. Allyn says:

    @Scott- thanks man, it is gonna be a lot of fun taking everyone through the entire thing step by step… I just need to find the time to do it up right here.
    @Sire– Brad Paisley is as big as your mate, Kieth Urban! :)
    Also, the domain had a LOT to do with some of my early failure with the site and I will be going in depth with that aspect as well.
    Allyn´s last blog ..$30K Part 2, Finding A Topic, Not A Passion, And Beating The Big Companies With Your Small Blog My ComLuv Profile

  25. Sire says:

    Now Keith I know, but he wasn’t singing in the days when I had the chance to get laid.
    Sire´s last blog ..The Honest Truth About Blogging For Money My ComLuv Profile

  26. Chris says:

    Al,

    It’s ironic you should talk about “cashing in on your passion” . As you know , my blog is about my passion , and I am of course , a newbie when it comes to the blogging world . However , I’m sitting here today knowing I need to post on my blog today and also write 2-3 posts for my other commitment too ready for next week. I’ve had a few “Full Moons” and I’m ready to finish off that case but I have to post.

    My problem is that I don’t feel anyone is listening as I only get 20-30 visits per day and very few comments on my site . When it’s your passion , you need interaction or it becomes , like you point out , a job.

    I guess I’m at the point that the marathon runner gets to when he hits the “wall” after the first few miles.

    Is this a common feeling , or am i losing interest ??

    Chris
    Chris´s last blog ..Donovan,Beckham…………..and Ambrosini My ComLuv Profile

  27. hey Brother,

    First things first I’m sending you three beers out from the local brewery when I get paid in a week or so.

    Secondly, dude did I hear you right when you said you actually ‘like fluff sometimes’ dude you’ve changed! ha ha only joking brother!

    Where’s this piece on me dude? You better keep the f-bombs down in that one.

    See you on the flip side brother
    TheInfoPreneur´s last blog ..How To Present Yourself Properly My ComLuv Profile

  28. Nice work on this one! Really like the example – shows that ‘real’ content is the answer to all the crap we get from the IMer’s (oh, sh*t, that’s me!). Yeah, you burned me on being an IMer – but, I have 20 more projects out there making some cash.

    Listening to this message keeps me on path – content, content, content.

    PS – Hopslam has just been released – relax, sip and ponder the new you!
    Learn How to Make Money Online w/ Don James – The Agile Marketer´s last blog ..Making Money Online with Daily Work My ComLuv Profile

  29. Forest says:

    Nice work there….. Didn’t watch the first vid to be honest….

    It’s important to note that often the manufacturers have a bullshit page for their own products too and you can often beat them to the 1st place post with real content.
    Forest´s last blog ..Be A Tightwad, Help Haiti My ComLuv Profile

  30. [...] earning quickly and even get a big single payday, such as my friend Allyn Hane got when he sold a flagship home improvement blog for $30,000. But, even if you aren’t looking to cash in for 5 figures, a flagship blog can be a powerful [...]

  31. Fixed Rate says:

    Great content Allyn! You are really putting the hay down where the goats can get it. Keep it comin!!!!

  32. Allyn….just wanted to tell you that you rock!

    I like the video posts…and I will gladly drink something while soaking up your advice.

    Cheers.
    Gymnastics Leotards´s last blog ..Girls Gymnastics Leotards-Time for New Danskin and GK Leotards My ComLuv Profile

  33. Dude you’re flipping great, I can’t believe I had not found you before. I really like how you’re fucking real, that’s what it’s all about.
    wilson@wilsonusman´s last blog ..Readers Who Want to Know How to Earn Money Online Part 2 My ComLuv Profile

Leave a Reply

CommentLuv Enabled