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Dumb Bloggers Debate Whether You Can Make Money Blogging, Failed Blogger Dan Lyons Debate Part Deux

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Sat 2nd of May, 2009 01:30:10 PM

Thanks to this WSJ article that says:

The best studies we can find say we are a nation of over 20 million bloggers, with 1.7 million profiting from the work, and 452,000 of those using blogging as their primary source of income. That’s almost 2 million Americans getting paid by the word, the post, or the click — whether on their site or someone else’s. And that’s nearly half a million of whom it can be said, as Bob Dylan did of Hurricane Carter: “It’s my work he’d say, I do it for pay.”

Demographically, bloggers are extremely well educated: three out of every four are college graduates. Most are white males reporting above-average incomes. One out of three young people reports blogging, but bloggers who do it for a living successfully are 2% of bloggers overall. It takes about 100,000 unique visitors a month to generate an income of $75,000 a year. Bloggers can get $75 to $200 for a good post, and some even serve as “spokesbloggers” — paid by advertisers to blog about products. As a job with zero commuting, blogging could be one of the most environmentally friendly jobs around — but it can also be quite profitable. For sites at the top, the returns can be substantial. At some point the value of the Huffington Post will no doubt pass the value of the Washington Post.

The barriers to entry couldn’t be lower. Most bloggers for hire pay $80 to get started, do it for about 35 months, and make a few hundred dollars. But a subgroup of these bloggers are the true professionals who work at corporations, serve as highly paid blogging consultants or write for sites with substantial traffic.

Sounds good, right?

Well, that started a backlash from the hardworking but narrow-minded, basically dumb bloggers who work their asses off, but don’t know how to make $ from it! Dumb people like Megan McArdle who says:

The estimates of professional bloggers seem wildly inflated–if you help update the company blog once a week as part of your marketing internship, you are not a paid professional blogger. And the numbers they themselves link to tell a much different tale from the article: most blogs bring in pitiful amounts of money for their owners.

This seems to follow the model of Mark Penn’s book: find some bizarre number and mindlessly extrapolate it to an absurd conclusion. Yet I still don’t understand why common sense did not keep him from publishing this article. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that almost all of us know many more computer programmers than professional bloggers–this is true of me even though I am a professional blogger, as are half my friends. Or he might have called some professional bloggers, who would have (sorrowfully) told him that no one is making $75K a year off of 100,000 pageviews a month, that being about how much traffic I pulled when I was starting up in 2002. Or, hell, he might have noticed that in the very BLS survey so nicely transformed into a table for his article, there is not entry for “blogger”–but that if you add up every writer, reporter, editor, PR person, technical writer, or “media and communications worker, other”, there are only 499,890. Since Penn says that there are 452,000 paid bloggers, this implies that 9 out of every 10 communications workers are professional bloggers.

There may be one guy with some incredible niche–or moronic employer–making a ton of money with a modestely well-trafficked blog. But the plural of “anecdote” is not data.

Believe me, I’d love to think that blogging is a surefire path to riches and job security–but I’m afraid all most people get out of their blogs is the satisfaction of a job well done.

This all reminds me of when the surprisingly narrow-minded Dan Lyons posted his tirade on how despite all his education and effort, he was still just a poor dumb blogger.

Again, I’ll speak on behalf of the 1% of bloggers who do make $–this is my best month ever as I’m closing in on $80,000+ for April–it all comes down to trying new tactics, products–not just ads dum dums–and most importantly, not taking anything too seriously because they’re always new news, readers and ways to profit.

I’m reminded of the few people who claim my trading strategy, making my 30 hours worth of content on my instructional DVDs totally worthless and full of lies (I’m not talented enough to lie for 30 hours), is a fraud because they think it’s impossible to short sell stocks under $5 or $3…no truer words than the following have ever been spoken:

JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO IGNORANT/INCOMPETENT TO PROFIT FROM ANY STRATEGY, BE IT BLOGGING OR TRADING, DOESN’T MEAN OTHERS WHO ARE SMARTER & MORE DETERMINED THAN YOU AREN’T ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING IT!

….aka it sucks to be mediocre, but that’s the vast majority of the world…stop the pity party, stop whining and work your butts off until you make something of yourselves!

How To Make Money Blogging: My Latest Interview On How I Make $80,000/Month

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Tue 14th of Apr, 2009 08:05:57 AM

Check out the whole interview HERE or just read a lot of it below as there be gold in my words as I’m apparently one of the highest paid bloggers in the blogosphere (see the list HERE):
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The Financial Web 2.0: Covestor vs. StockTwits vs. StockPickr

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Wed 1st of Apr, 2009 08:05:18 AM

These are cool “web 2.0” websites that are hot right now so what are they and what makes them special?
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Check Out This List Of The Highest Paid Bloggers

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Thu 19th of Mar, 2009 11:56:30 AM

There’s a new list in town and it seems far more accurate than Douglas MacIntyre’s wannabe list a few weeks ago (before he was shipped off to blogosphere purgatory), check out the new hotness:
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One Reader’s Mom Doesn’t Want Him Following Me Because…

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Fri 13th of Mar, 2009 03:05:09 PM

Got this great email from Glen Bradford (he wanted me to use his name, so there ya Glen, hope this doesn’t get you a spanking from mommy) a few weeks ago and thought I’d share:
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Why The Latest 10 TIMalert Subscribers Cancelled

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Fri 27th of Feb, 2009 08:20:23 AM

TIMalerts has over 700 subscribers, the vast majority of whom banked in 2008 and are very happy, but just to be overly transparent when this joke of an industry is anything but, here’s a few reasons why some people have cancelled:
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Douglas McIntyre Earns Title Of Worst Blogger In The World With His Atrocious List Of The 25 Most Valuable Blogs

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Tue 24th of Feb, 2009 08:15:41 AM

I don’t mean to go looking to pick fights with people, but when those with power/influence prove they deserve none, someone must call them out. Considering our society exemplifies mediocrity and laziness, the task falls upon me to take those guilty of such American sins to task…
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How My Blog Income Was $43,683 In January While My Trading Gains Amounted To $6, Yes $6

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Mon 23rd of Feb, 2009 03:20:00 PM

A big drop from my record $83k month in December and $70,000 in August 2008 and below I’ll tell you why…
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Is This List Of Oscar Winners Leaked On Twitter Real Or Fake?

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Sun 22nd of Feb, 2009 03:25:16 PM

This list is making the rounds on Twitter, nobody seems to know whether it’s real or fake…whatcha think? Looks like a real list to me, we’ll find out tonight!
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Why Failed Blogger Dan Lyons Exemplifies Financial Narrow-Mindedness & Failed Traders

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Fri 13th of Feb, 2009 08:25:04 AM

That’s the title that popped into my head when I read THIS Newsweek article of his.
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Dear Barry Ritholtz, Quit Dealing With Antiquated Publishers & Choose My Publishing Company

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Wed 11th of Feb, 2009 03:10:34 PM

After reading Barry’s blog post about how shitty his “bigtime” publisher treated him and his new book Bailout Nation, I can’t help but offer my assistance…
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FinacialStability.Gov Needs A Whole Lot Of Work

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Tue 10th of Feb, 2009 11:31:15 AM

As just announced by the new treasury secretary Timothy Geithner, Financial Stability.gov is gonna be the site where the government will outline their ‘financial stability plan.
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Who Is Employee Of The Month, Jo-Ann, Joel Or Pallian? I Need Your Vote!

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Sun 8th of Feb, 2009 04:45:00 PM

To the thousand or so of you who’ve signed up for TIMalerts or bought my instructional trading DVDs, you have probly dealt with my mom or dad because they are my back office and shipping department.
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Yes, My Business Is For Sale: Valuation $10-15 Million

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Mon 2nd of Feb, 2009 04:16:23 PM

I get this question enough so it’s time I just address it once and for all…(well for now…based on my current numbers)
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The fly Called Me ‘The Shamwow Huckster Of Financial Blogging’, Too Bad He’s ‘The James Frey Of Financial Blogging’

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Wed 28th of Jan, 2009 03:25:25 PM

As defined by Wikipedia, a huckster is a seller of small articles, usually of cheap or shoddy quality, or one engaged in haggling or making petty bargains, that is, a certain type of peddler or hawker.

My products are listed below:

My TIMalerts is a real-time trader alerts service that costs $30/month or $297/year for which subscribers get emailed a daily premarket watchlist and an email anytime I make a trade, with an explanation of why and what I expect, the vast majority of the time the stock and price action already foretold in the premarket watchlist. There is also a subscribers-only website, chatroom and alerts available by text messaging….Go to TIMalerts.com and see all the testimonials on the front page, there are tons more, I just can’t track of them all anymore…and pay close attention to the average alert gaining 10-15% during each of the last seven months.

My instructional trading DVDs range in price from $297 to $497 and teach a variety of different subjects. My PennyStocking DVD is a 6 hour 4 –disc set with 220 page instruction manual detailing all the greatest lessons I’ve had to learn the hard way over a decade trading Penny Stocks and it details the variables I look for when trading stocks in addition to all the charts and setups of my best and worst trades from 1999-2006, a time during which my account increased from $12,000 to several million dollars while becoming the #1 ranked short bias hedge fund manager (Barclays) 2003-2006.

PennyStocking Part Deux is a 6 hour guide with 250 page instruction manual and assumes you know the basics of how I trade and updates the strategy with recent trades/examples/regulations—and most importantly, it examines intraday chart patterns—covering 2008 during which my trading account gained 197% as the overall stock market fell 40% and I became the #1 ranked ranked trader on Covestor, out of 15,000+ traders/investors.

TIMraw is 12 hours of HD-footage of me giving a seminar, one-on-one coaching, video book reviews…I don’t need to explain, HERE is a detailed unbiased review.

ShortStocking is my 6 hour instructional DVD with 190 page manual guide to teaching you how to short sell, not just Penny Stocks, no, this is for real stocks, stuff like BIDU, AAPL, AIG

TIMfundamentals is my upcoming 6 hour instructional DVD with related instruction manual on how I research stocks, the websites I use, the information on those sites, my daily routine, etc.

Considering I have hundreds, now bordering on a thousand customer testimonials—many of whom have made thousands of dollars on small trading accounts, none of my products cost more than a few hundred dollars—meaning any/all of them is covered by one good trade—or helping customers avoid bad trades—that competing instructional DVDs are 2x-10x more expensive and that I blog 3x/day while the entire joke of an industry of trading DVD sellers doesn’t blog AT ALL, I think I’m the antithesis of a financial huckster.

Considering The fly has never seen any of my products and probly thinks I make up all my customer testimonials, I can only conclude that this guy likes jumping to conclusions while failing to do the proper research first—meaning he’s probly your typical useless Wall St. ANALyst. And judging from his insecurities—especially in strange as f$%ck first video, which I can’t help but say is the weirdest financial video of all-time (even weirder than some of my initial attempts)…does it not seem as if The fly is a pedophile trying to break into showbiz?!?!—(At least Howard is funny and the production means well)—prevent him from revealing his identity or returns while readers have to deal with his excessive swearing and boasting about making $1-3/share on stocks trading north of $50—yes, gains of less than 5%, aka random stock market volatility—his inability to create a premium product after many many many months—meaning he can’t get many/any premium subscribers because his rambling ain’t worth jack–I’m forced to conclude that The fly lies about his stuff, just like James Frey.

What’s worse is that despite his paper-thin superiority complex—masking his Madoff victim list-sized insecurities, the guy isn’t even worthy of comparing himself to a brand that sells something since his blog can’t even get advertisers, let alone any premium subscribers! Typical failure of a somebody who can’t face reality—like the 95% of traders out there, this guy is a loser! Managing millions of dollars my well-fed ass, I’m guessing he can’t/won’t step out into the light…ever…it’s because the guy is in jail for being a pedophile! (Rampant speculation based on his video and circumstantial evidence—the exact kind of lack of due diligence with which this showbizzy pedophile talked down to me)

What I don’t get is that don’t they allow people to signup to Covestor even if they’re in jail?

I mean if any trader has got any decent track record and they intend on getting followers, wouldn’t they want to have all their trades audited for everyone to see? Of course, unless they’re hiding something like The fly is! (Or if they’re a coward, afraid of the incompetent SEC, disrespecting the mermory of too many fallen soldiers who died to give us the right to free speech).

So fly, I forgive you, if I were as cowardly, incompetent and incarcerated as you, I’d probly try to blame others for my own failures too. Like the twisted son of a bitch Randall Lane (whose now trying to sell Trader Monthly for $1), the failed-author-now-failed-blogger Leveraged Sellout, the incompetent traders over at EliteTrader, the cubicle monkeys who read Dealbreaker and of course all these fraudulent money managers you join a long list of WEIRD FINANCE FREAKS who have been trying to succeed while failing in this game far too long—there oughta be a support group for all of you.

My friggin God you twerps, why’s it soooo difficult for you to be open and honest? Very very say that my business model is “revolutionary” when we’ve got all these frauds everywhere.

10 Reasons Why I’m Not Pissed That I Wasn’t Included In The 25 Best Financial Blogs

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Mon 26th of Jan, 2009 03:15:36 PM

Some good blogs as well ones that get read less than Geocities websites these days, see the whole TIME article HERE…
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A Summary Of My 7 Most Recent Failures

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Tue 20th of Jan, 2009 03:25:35 PM

Considering the obvious success of my TIMtrades–up 200% in the last year or so, every single trade detailed, TIMalerts–click the link and see subscriber testimonials galore and my instructional trading DVDs–detailing the strategies behind how my subscribers and I do so well, you might be surprised at how much I’ve screwed up lately
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I Want Your Feedback!

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Sun 18th of Jan, 2009 09:55:57 AM

Did you notice the little black and white ‘FEEDBACK’ button on the right hand side of the site yet?
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My Mom Just Joined Facebook, Please Befriend Her!

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Sat 3rd of Jan, 2009 04:00:00 PM

I know she’ll get mad at me for publishing this, but I just gotta…
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My Conversation With A Shining Example Of The Dumb Masses, The Dumbass Michael Arrington Of TechCrunch

Posted by Timothy Sykes on Fri 26th of Dec, 2008 02:50:44 PM

He might be an ass, but then again, so am I, so I guess all’s fair in blogs and war.
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