Some thoughts on Fame and Glory via the Internet

In getting at least three major projects off the ground, and trying to keep four regular clients happy while I do so, I've been doing alot of thinking about promoting. Especially how to promote using the internet.

Like many things in life, internet success is simple but not easy. I’ve read a dozen or so articles about the most used formula for internet success. Many have used it. Quite frankly, anyone can duplicate it.

1) Find something you love. That is, something you love to the point of mental illness.

2) Create a vehicle (blog, webpage, podcast, etc) where you can express this love.

3) Set up a schedule as to when you will post updates.

4) Follow it religiously, making sure each new post/page/episode is the best it can be.

5) Talk to people who love what you love, and mention the work you're doing through your vehicle when appropriate.

6) Wait 18 – 24 months.

Julie Powell of “Julie and Julia” fame used that formula. So do my favorite movie sites Spill.com and Rotten Tomatoes. When Brunching Shuttlecocks stopped doing it, it stopped being one of the most popular sites in the world.

That’s another thing about the internet. You can’t stop when you’re tired, or hope the momentum you need will eventually come. There’s no such thing as resting on your laurels.

It’s easy to blame your readers when an internet venture stalls or outright crashes. (And trust me, I've seen more than one mod do just that...) But it’s how consistently YOU produce YOUR content that will make or break you.

And that's one thing the internet has in common with 'real world' ventures.

It doesn’t matter how cool the concept is. If it only stays a concept, it has failed.

That’s something Potential Social Media Moguls - and absentminded bloggers like Yours Truly - need to keep in mind.