Get Back to Basics to Crush It in 2017

Get Back to Basics to Crush It in 2017

Reader Comments (50)

  1. Thanks Brian for the reminder! Although I consistently employ these strategies for my clients, I sometimes lose sight of them for my own business. Time to refresh my content marketing plan for 2017!

    • Hi Carol. It’s all too common to forget best practices when it comes to promoting our own businesses. Just remember, the marketing that you demonstrate on your own behalf is what client’s believe will work for them as well.

  2. Good timing with this one.

    The importance of the human element really can’t be overstated. I feel like focusing on storytelling and educational content not only creates something of value for our readers but also helps us as creators feel like we’re not just spewing noise.

    Feels good when you hit “post” and know that you’ve crafted something that someone (a person, not a robot or crawler or Xenomorph or whatever) will actually benefit from.

  3. Eleven years ago. Really? It does seem like yesterday. And I was older than 38 when you launched Copyblogger. And now, yep, I still am. 🙂

    Where’s the fairy godmother dust when you need it?

    I was in the audience 11 years ago. But I was already following your moves along with Darren Rowse, Chris Garrett, Chris Brogan and the like. You guys (and it was pretty dude heavy in those early days) were speaking a language that resonated with me. Know. Like. Trust. Business in general and marketing in particular didn’t have to be sleazy.

    In fact, they were more effective when conjoined with empathy and craft.

    Be still my bleeding liberal arts heart.

    In those eleven years, you have introduced me to some exceptional people via guest bloggers, webinars, and other products. I am richer for it. I thank you and them. For a litany, just swipe my Twitter list “Copyblogger Family.” 🙂

    But when I heard of a return of you, Brian, and Sonia to the helm of the realm…well, you made my 2017.

    Happy New Year, indeed!

  4. So happy to hear the “Back To Basics” concept, I was an avid fan of Copyblogger and your other products but felt for the last couple of years it was becoming more about the big money ticket items that some just can’t afford rather than about informing and educating us. If you want to win back the fans, then consider a Rainmaker Platform price amnesty, and make it really affordable for us old fans to get onboard. Allow us to rejoin the tribe, welcome us back.

  5. Can’t believe it’s been 11 years! Looking forward to your weekly read once again.

  6. I cut my teeth on content marketing right here at Copyblogger as an authority member.

    I loved what I learned along the way and developed a passion for content marketing right here!

    I’ve had the honour of interviewing and learning from several of the prolific content creators him a copy blogger and have learned about the value of deeply empathising with the audience.

    Some great reminders on the basics in this post. Thank you Brian

    I thought the bit about creating a “unifying sense of connection” beautifully articulated what it takes to great content creation.

    • Thanks Ash! I’m glad that bit resonated with you — it really is the thing we all need to aim to achieve. My hope is that the content marketing strategy I lay out over the next few weeks helps.

  7. Really nice Copyblogger made an 8-figure business. Very great post, back to basics can indeed help. Many people forget basic rules that can help a business grow. For any blogger or online business their needs to be some connection with people in some way. Thumbs up!

  8. Happy New Year to the Team.

    Yes, you are really human and this certainly explains your success.

    Many organizations simply fail because they fall into a global dehumanization process without even seeing it.

    It’s quite logical: by losing their humanity, they lose their sense of sight.

    By reading all your brilliant articles, we really see and feel that you are against any kind of despicable dehumanization behaviors which harm so many people in the world, nowadays.

    Well done. Because it’s rare. It’s precious.

    Reading your articles, it’s like breathing.

    Don’t change 🙂

    Cheers from Paris

    Jerome

  9. Wow – hard to believe it’s been that long.

    And this year marks 10 years of using Brian Gardner / Revolution / Studiopress WP themes for me.

    Glad to see you back on here Brian. I really enjoyed your conversation with Darren Rowse and all of the key points that you hit. Looking forward to your weekly contributions here.

  10. This sounds promising for 2017! I’ve always loved the information shared here but have not been a regular for a year or two. Why? Not sure, but the radio shows didn’t really hit a sweet spot for me (Rainmaker series) and when CB went to Google+ for all comments, I got a little lost and didn’t feel the connection anymore. That’s not to say this site hasn’t been amazing…the posts and guests have been awesome but somehow I think it’s going to be even better with you back here, Brian. For my little blog and books it’s all about helping people so, yes this message really resonates. Happy New Year to you all!

  11. Nice to see you still fired up about your content Brian. It’s been top notch from day one here at Copyblogger. I’m looking forward to seeing your weekly posts. Bring on the nuggets of wisdom!

  12. Brian, a common blogger here. Learning and paving my way through the world of content marketing. Just a small note to say that what I have learnt from the copyblogger is unique and unmatchable. The quality of content you and your team produce here at copyblogger is excellent, keep up the great work. Best wishes.

  13. Brian,

    I’ve been hanging around the copyblogger “water cooler” for quite a while and after consuming as much content about the latest shiny new social media object and the X number of ways to do Y with it, it’s refreshing to read someone declare its time to get back to basics …

    Here’s to building audiences that build businesses in 2017!

  14. Love it Brian Clark – love this “getting back to basics” attitude. I took a huge hiatus from writing this year and it’s clear just how quickly you can start to lose the heart, the human element, in what we do.
    Creating content with a care factor already puts you ahead of 90% of people now in this game and watching you lead by example is truly inspiring. 🙂

  15. Hey Brian,

    Another year passed but the basics are still the power lifting techniques for better blogging.

    Every time I write something, the best possible output is for the people. That’s what everyone should do.

    To employ the basic strategies, it’s important to look for what people want.
    Glad to see you in action.

    ~Ravi

  16. Hi Brian
    Wishing you and your team a very happy new year and I would like to wish you a very happy birthday to Copyblogger.com in advance. I loved the idea of “Back To Basics”. I’ve been continuously emphasizing this point in the past years that “humanizing your content” is the key to success. With so many people caught in the rat race of ranking high in the SERPs, people have forgotten that their audience is human. To gain real clients living in the real world, we need to engage real people. Your post is definitely refreshing and those of us who have fallen into the trap of writing for machines instead of humans, need to retrace our steps to where we have gone astray. Thanks for sharing your views.

  17. Hey Brian,
    I have started my career as a blogger 4 years back. Since then, I have been reading Copyblogger. I have read your guest posts, I have read your guides, I have read everything on your blog. There are just a few blogs on the web one can rely upon for good advice. And Copyblogger is one of them. Wishing you and your team a great success in 2017. I can’t wait to read exciting stuff here in 2017.

  18. Brian,

    Congratulations on the anniversary! I didn’t see any mention of Pamela Wilson. What is her role now? I know I’m not alone in the fact that I followed Pamela from Big Brand System when she announced she had started working for Copyblogger. I learned so much from her at Big Brand System and continued to grow my business with her very insightful posts. I truly hope that Pamela will continue to be a part of Copyblogger. If you are as smart as I think you are, you gave her a big promotion as she certainly deserves one.

    • Pamela’s going to be returning to her Big Brand System roots, so she’s going to have tons more for you there. We’ll miss her a lot over here!

      • Oh wow, Sonia that is a shame!! Copyblogger won’t be the same. If you guys let her go without a fight, maybe you’re not as smart as I assumed ; ) I will follow Pamela wherever she goes!

      • Gosh, Sonia and Brian! I’m so sad to see a parting of the ways between CopyBlogger and Pamela Wilson.

        It’s like reading of a celebrity divorce. I hope it’s not the end of her presence here. She has such high value.

        Our company has had such great guidance and support from your team ever since Third Tribe. Both your advice and products have helped us build our company so that we could enjoy some big name clients and call LA home.

        Pamela helped me many times with my design deficit disorder. And she was so easy to talk to and fun to read.

        Together you added elements that made this much more of a one-stop shop. It was fun for me when you joined forces. Now I’m sad.

        • We remain great fans of Pamela’s, and she’s cooking up some very cool things for you over at Big Brand System. Fear not, she’s still around and still helping folks in her inimitable way!

  19. Hi Brian,
    Glad to hear about you contributing again. I work in a corporate marketing department for a mutual funds company. I’m always looking for articles, videos and audio on your site about how to write better. Sometimes those writing articles are tough to find because there’s a lot about becoming more efficient or how to build a business through clients.
    I started writing every day as part of Sonia’s 2017 challenge and looking forward to her insights this year.

  20. Hi Brian,
    Congratulations on the anniversary of your blog! It has been, and is still such an inspiration to so many! Keep the great content rolling in for many more years to come. 🙂

  21. Hi Brian, I second everyone’s comments thanking you for inspiring us with your free content training on copyblogger. YOur website was where I started learning how to blog and I followed you and Sonia and your articles, podcasts, and researched the archives on all the embedded links in your posts.
    I’m still learning and grateful to know you are back with us here as I too lost traction when you changed to rainmaker. I guess it felt like I was going into grad school blogging and I felt like I was still an undergrad blogger.

    Thanks for guiding us with great ideas and encouraging us. WHenever I Read your posts and hear you mention a conference you’ll be speaking at, I always peruse where that conference will be and ponder the possibility of attending to see you in person. But so far, my blogging hasn’t turned into a six figure business so I am only able to read about you here and am truly grateful for the opportunity.

  22. So great to have you back manning the reins!

    Writing every single day is the new sets habit I’m developing so adding some structure and strategy to it will be awesome.

    Can’t wait to see what’s coming this year 🙂

  23. What Ash said.

    I started paying attention to online marketing by subscribing to Copyblogger and Problogger in 2009, but wandered off after a few years. I still have Premise on my hobby-sites.

    Lately all the hoopla around vlogging has had me wondering if bloggers can get traction with the written word alone. It’s really cool to see there’s still a loyal following here still. I’m stoked about you working IN your business again too, Brian.

    Think I’m back for keeps this time.

    • There are some really interesting stats out there about the power of the written word — it still has a lot of advantages.

      Glad to have you here. 🙂

  24. Great to read a post from you again, Brian. I started blogging on April Fools day in 2005. I remember well when you guys came along. I’ve used your products for years. You always have gone for quality and being a cut above. When Genesis came out I rejoiced that I would never have to start a blog template from scratch again. My blog is wider now, has larger graphics, and loads much faster, but the content is still the same. Focused on helping others with personal development. I couldn’t agree with you more about getting back to basics. That’s my plan for 2017. Thanks for the helpful reminder.

  25. Okay for starters this is the first time I am commenting here. I have been following copy blogger for a while now, and I admit that your guys rock.

    One thing that gets into my nerves is how you guys end the story when its getting sweeter. You know that time when you want to hear more and more and more…that what i feel when I am finishing your articles. All in all i feel motivated.

    • We’re evil that way! 😀 But we promise, this is a conversation that will continue not just this month but all year — progressively working through key elements and each month building on the last.

      Thanks for your note!

  26. And it looks like we’re calling it a blog again, not articles.

    That says a lot right there. Looking forward to the new/old Copyblogger.

    Happy New Year.

  27. Many thanks for bringing this topic up, it is one that is crucial to all people who wish to build effectiveness in their digital presence!
    All too often I see insipid sales messages masquerading as ‘blog posts’ – obvious sales pitches being blasted out on social media accounts. Particularly here in Australia the message of content marketing has failed to penetrate the mainstream business community. My own efforts have re-doubled recently and I am generating articles which address the practicalities of building ‘digital presence’ for real people.
    One of my articles has done very well on the topic of ‘SEO’, it is ranked #2 in organic results for the key phrase, so I am really pleased.
    I will be following your message with great interest Brian!

  28. Awesome. Love it when the general visits the front lines. Reminds me of how everyone at Basecamp, including the top guys, spends time doing customer service. Looking forward to hearing more from you over here this year!

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