I have learned a lot watching the blogosphere melt in the wake of Pajamas/Open Source Media going public scenario.
I have also enjoyed the various different models and structures that blog networks take upon formation.

The basic models are:

Weblogs Inc >>> Quantified model (The more sites the better aka The Generic Blog Network)

Gawker Media >>> Quality model ( Piss and Vinegar is our motto aka The Independent Blog Network)

9Rules Network >>> Shareholder model ( We own it. We run it. It’s ours. We are proud of it. aka Fine Dining at your neighbors.)

Now all of these plans have their benefits. What made Gawker successful is in my opinion the same thing that made Weblogs Inc successful. The growth models are different and I respect Nick Denton for growing around quality rather than quantity. He isn’t afraid of shedding sites that just aren’t cutting it. While Calacanis wants to hang on to every last piece of crap left in the network as long as its making over 1 cent a day. Both have their reasons. Both equally genius.

A lot of folks are drinking up the Calacanis soda and following his method of building a blog network. I think they have made huge errors. Not in making money mind you. Just in being smart and building a respectable brand.

I believe success based around high quality content is far greater than success based around quantity. Take for instance this website . It probably makes a pretty penny for its owner. Who I have a great deal of respect for. But it lacks a lot in character, and quality. It looks like an ATM machine for the blogging world.

I am very tired of seeing these kinds of networks and these types of sites. Everyone has to make money. But we shouldn’t be doing it that way. I like the Gawker Model. But it takes a lot of luck because there already is a Gawker.

The model that I believe has the most future significance is the 9Rules model. It’s more about community and quality than about profit and quantity. Remember this. Because I think Gawker has done a good job of this. And I think WIN has failed miserably in this. Here are some of observations over the last few weeks. It’s not a get rich quick scheme. It’s how to avoid the long tail of wrath from the blogosphere. And still start a decent network of blogs.

1) Act small. Plan Big.
Basically if you look at what makes WIN and Gawker successful its all built around their core sites. For Gawker its Gawker. For WIN its Engadget. Everything else to both of these guys is frosting on the cake. This is where their bread and butter is. When building a network of blogs. Build it around one site, or one niche. For instance Spoke Media has built their albeit small network around a popular site Girlspoke. I look to them to be successful because of this. The one site can and probably will carry their other projects down the road aways. Point: Keep it small, and let it expand organically and naturally as the readers and the market demands.

2) Surround yourself with people smarter than yourself.
Nick Denton has been very smart in surrounding himself with bright creative people. It has brought a lot of success to him so far. Calacanis has done this as well but to a lesser degree. I think 9Rules has done a good job of this. Pajamas Media has done this. But their CEO is so dumb it might not matter.

3) Spend 80% Networking and 20% of your time creating content.
By spending the majority of your time reading, networking, IMing, and chatting with other people in your industry you are going to find yourself apart of their community. This will bring any venture you jump into with better chances than jumping in and acting big and supreme. I think Pajamas Media did a bad job of this. I think they pissed a lot of people off because they didn’t as an organization network at all. They just declared themselves King of the Hill. If you want to succeed have a little humility and make a few friends.

4) Always be prepared to be the next big thing.
No one sits on top of the mountain forever. One day Wil Wheaton is the most popular guy on the net. The next minute its some guy named Markos Moulitsas Zúniga. The Net is a revolving door just like Hollywood. There is always room for one more. You don’t have to be the first. But you better not be the last.

5) Any publicity is good publicity if you keep your pajamas on.
Any publicity is good publicity. Really it is. Unless you forget to keep your pajamas on. Some of the dumbest moves that Open Source ….I mean Pajamas Media did was change their name before they launched. Change their identity more than their underwear and be stuck up lying bastards in the process. If you screw up. Admit it. Move on. You will gain respect. But don’t try and act like everyone else is the dumbass.

6) Remember, there is no competition.
Blogging is a lot like Golf. The only one that is going to beat you is you. Play your game. Show up day in and day out build your traffic and your readership wisely and you could be sitting pretty. If you start comparing yourself to every Tom, Dick and Jane blog network out there you are going to fail. Just be yourself and putt one in.

7) Never under any circumstance put all your money on Google.
Don’t rely on Google for traffic. Rely on social networking,commenting, word of mouth, and high quality content.
Google is a monster not to be trusted especially if you are trying to build a business. Because last time I checked they didn’t send out a handbook on their algorithm to prospective small business owners looking to make it big. They aren’t going to start anytime soon.

Think of advertising as part of your content.
To often sites plaster ads up all over their sites. Wrong. Don’t do it. Recently WIN changed the way they are advertising. Which is a good thing. I was so tired of more text ads than content. Think of advertising as an extension of content and don’t let it chase your readers away. Because it will and it has.

9) Timing is everything. Know when to swing.
Sometimes you have to know when to set out and go public. Gawker and WIN both did a good job of this. They were the first. Being first isn’t always best. Now people like me know what their failures and good practices are. I can take this and improve on the model. Once I get it figured out. Trust me it could be a scary thing. For instance Corante waited and waited and waited to unveal their new network. Because the timing wasn’t right. Now it is. And I envision they will do just fine.

10) Listen to your readers.
Nick Denton does a good job of listening to his readers. Calacanis seems to look down on them. I seem to just delete my readers comments and send them nasty emails. All of the above is fine as long as their input is coming into your brain. Learn from what your readers are saying, and make improvements based upon that. Put yourself in a daily conversation with your readers and give them what they want.

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