Comments on: What Does the End of the Know More Media Blog Network Mean to You?

By: The Little Things That Matter The Most - Part I | The Freelance Rant

The Little Things That Matter The Most - Part I | The Freelance Rant — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:32:20 +0000

[...] newer ones, often overlook: the source of your income. Wendy Piersall somewhat outlines this in her article in Sparkplug CEO: You may be thinking to yourself – I don’t run a blog network, and I don’t sell text links or [...]

By: Why You Shouldnâ€™t Join a Blog Network | Make Max Money Online

Why You Shouldnâ€™t Join a Blog Network | Make Max Money Online — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:02:27 +0000

[...] BlogNetwork, KnowMoreMedia, announced it was going out of business (see the article: http://www.sparkplugging.com/…o/what-does-the-end-of-the-know-more-media-blog-network-mean-to-…. What happens to their [...]

By: How to Hire Writers in a Tight Economy and on a Tight Budget | Sparkplug CEO

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:45:13 +0000

[...] see a lot of other blog networks reorganize and refocus under the pressure of our current economy. Know More Media went out of business. Gawker cut pay three times this year and now just laid off 19 people. b5media just restructured [...]

By: 9 Blogs Gone Wrong | Sparkplug CEO

9 Blogs Gone Wrong | Sparkplug CEO — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:20:28 +0000

[...] sad that it happened, I do hope it was a good lesson for other online publishers to ensure they didn’t rely on any one source of traffic or income to pay the [...]

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:34:42 +0000

on the social network side, Thoof and
and Social.fm have closed too.

check out-
http://www.blogtogreat.com/2008/08/two-social-medi.html

Robs last blog post..Where Will Your Next Blog Post Come From- Some Tips

By: Blog Network Sustainability : HighCallingBlogs.com

Blog Network Sustainability : HighCallingBlogs.com — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:42:40 +0000

[...] of Sparkplugging (a network of about 20 or so blogs focused on working-at-home topics), points out a valuable lesson by using a cliche about eggs and [...]

By: KnowMoreMedia - Demise of a Blog Network | SuccessCREEations, Inc.

KnowMoreMedia - Demise of a Blog Network | SuccessCREEations, Inc. — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:20:05 +0000

[...] Piersall experienced exactly that in her early days as CEO of Sparkplugging. Fortunately Wendy was able to adapt her business model [...]

By: Razib Ahmed

Razib Ahmed — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:56:28 +0000

Thanks a lot for writing about Know More Media. I used to write for SouthAsiaBiz.com and it received around 3.2 million page views (a bit more than 10% of the overall traffic of Know More Media Network) which was the second highest traffic for any blog in the network. Know More Media owners did everything right except the TLA and Sponsored review part. Well, I understand that it was a lucrative source of revenue for them. However, I just wish that they have not taken this decision that cost them and us (the bloggers) so badly in the end.
I am grateful to Know More Media for giving me an opportunity to blog for them. Thanks to them, I have an impressive profile as a Blogger. They invested a lot on me and other bloggers from the first day and that is why, many bloggers including I would love to join them again if they again open the door.
“What Does the End of the Know More Media Blog Network Mean to You?”
This was your question. Of course, it is depressing and heart breaking. On the other hand, I consider myself to be extremely lucky that I tried to learn a lot about blogging while I was in KMM. So, I have already joined another blog right away.

By: Easton Ellsworth

Easton Ellsworth — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:00:19 +0000

Patty, joining a network to build exposure or boost your resume is one of the best reasons to do it. I saw many Know More Media bloggers go on to bigger and better gigs as a direct result of someone reading their KMM blogs. Easton Ellsworths last blog post..Business Blog Tips: My 3 All-Time Favorites

By: Patty

Patty — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:06:36 +0000

Hi,

I’m wondering what your thoughts are on joining other communities/blog networks just to get more exposure and not necessarily get paid? Do you think this is a good idea and could benefit a blogger in the future in the same way article marketing does?

Thanks for any comments/replies!

Pattys last blog post..A Place for Mom Bloggers to Socialize

By: Liz Strauss

Liz Strauss — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:48:49 +0000

The way you make money today might not be there tomorrow . . . If that's all that people take from this, Wendy, you've saved their lives. Liz Strausss last blog post..Attracting the Offline Customer: Why Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?

By: 10 Secrets to Blog Network Success

10 Secrets to Blog Network Success — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:15:41 +0000

[...] closure of Know More Media (see here, here, here and [...]

By: KatFrench

KatFrench — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:41:45 +0000

This may seem a little oblique, but there’s a connection here between KMM’s situation (and I wish them the best with their retool and relaunch) and the economy in general.

Bad things can often end up being the best thing. Getting chicken pox sucks–but a century ago it meant you got a resistance to small pox. High gas prices suck, but it finally hurt enough financially that people are changing their consumption habits.

It sucks that blog networks and bloggers in general are having to rethink their business models–but I honestly believe it will result in better quality blogs and blog networks rising above (and getting even better), and some necessary weeding out within the blogosphere.

KatFrenchs last blog post..You are not behind.

By: Barbara Ling

Barbara Ling — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:01:39 +0000

Being able to turn on a dime is critical in today’s business environment. I learned that lesson reeeeeal painful-like in the early 2000s….it’s something that definitely stays with you.

Data points, Barbara

Barbara Lings last blog post..SURVIVING the Circle of Love (and smashing your fears to teeny tiny bits)

By: KnowMoreMedia is well … No More | Martin Neumann

KnowMoreMedia is well … No More | Martin Neumann — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:39:03 +0000

[...] of the latest blog venture go down the tubes was quite a surprise. But thinking more about it, not [...]

By: Easton Ellsworth

Easton Ellsworth — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:57:42 +0000

Wendy, thank you so much for sharing these great thoughts.

Were it not for Know More Media, you and I would not have come into contact when we did. That alone is reason to thank my lucky stars I got to work there.

I’m glad Tim Stay responded above. He and the rest of the management team have been wonderful to me and to all the Know More Media authors.

I’ve had the privilege of being a part of KMM from the beginning, as an editor, trainer, promoter, ad salesman and writer. (Each of us on the full-time team wore a closetful of hats.)

In the end, we did depend too much on Google. You’re absolutely right, Wendy. It can be difficult to start from scratch like we did and *not* come to depend on Google for traffic and for ad revenue. Constant diversification and adaptation are crucial for online businesses.

I hope I can still help you teach your upcoming SparkPlugU class on blog networks.

If anyone reading this would like to pick my brain on what to do or not do with a network of blogs, feel free to contact me. I could talk your ear off.

Going forward I plan to keep posting at BusinessBlogWire.com (my Know More Media blog) and also at my own blog consulting website, VisionaryBlogging.com.

I will miss everyone at Know More Media a great deal but find it extremely comforting to hope that we will cross paths again in a brighter future.

Easton Ellsworths last blog post..Business Blog Wire Here to Stay

By: Laurie/Halo Secretarial

Laurie/Halo Secretarial — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:57:36 +0000

Thanks for this incredibly helpful post. I’m not really too sure about how I will work on diversifying my income (heck I’m just starting out – I don’t HAVE an income stream at all yet) but I know realize I’d better start making plans b and c and d…!

Laurie/Halo Secretarials last blog post..Dreams Can Change the World

By: Sara Mariani

Sara Mariani — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:41:37 +0000

This is great advice, and some I’ve taken to heart as a freelancer and blogger. In my freelance work, I definitely seek out clients in a variety of industries to make sure that I’m not affected by market changes in any one area. But, I’m still looking at ways to add income sources. Your case is a great example. Thanks for the reminder…

Sara Marianis last blog post..Twitter is My Watercooler

By: Anne-Marie | The Write Spot

Anne-Marie | The Write Spot — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:35:40 +0000

You bring up something else that I’ve been sharing with my clients – really think twice before joining a blogging network and make sure if you leave or they shut down you can take your content with you.

When Clubmom.com shut down last year, they let us take our blogs with us if we so chose, and gave us two months severance pay. They also redirected traffic to new URLs. I think I was very lucky. Other blogs networks that I have worked for haven’t been that nice, or it was plainly understood that like magazine or newspaper writing, I was being paid for writing and that they owned the content.

With all that in mind, I warn clients to think twice about joining a network, really look over the contract, find out what happens if the network shuts down or they leave, etc. However, if a good network like yours or B5Media was hiring them, I’d tell them to do the same, but to go forth with my blessing.

Being on a blog network has many advantages, too. But for me, creating my own blogs and making my own money (not revenue share or a stipend) has been best for me. But blogging isn’t all I do. I teach, I consult, and work PT as a community moderator.

And like Crunchy Carpets says, I too hate the Google dance we’re all on. I do paid reviews (plainly marked). After the recent page rank shuffle, the most trafficked of my blogs shows No Rank (not zero but not ranked). I can’t figure it out for the life of me, but people do buy ads and reviews based on PR. Frustrating!

Anne-Marie | The Write Spots last blog post..My Home 2.0 and the Twittering Teddy Bear

By: Tim Stay

Tim Stay — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:59:51 +0000

Hi Wendy,

Thanks for the kind words about Know More Media.

I appreciate your insights into diversifying your sources of income and would endorse your recommendations.

I wanted to let you know that we are not completely closing Know More Media. We are putting the network on hiatus, allowing us to take care of some of our liabilities, fix some of our search ranking issues, and regroup. Our hope is to later reawaken Know More Media, and relaunch at a later date.

We wish all of our amazing and talented authors well and hope they can continue to publish such outstanding content and make it worth their while.

Tim Stay
Co-Founder
Know More Media