We interrupt our regular programming for a brief announcement from the owner of PluginID.com, Adam O’Connor.
PluginID is in the process of going through an ambitious transformation. The website was started a few years ago by Glen Alsopp, the well-known owner of viperchill.com. The success he’s gained since leaving the site far outweighs anything we’ve accomplished with PluginID, and yet our little site continues to chug along, refusing to give-up, despite its lack of attention. We have Glen’s early work to thank for this, but today things are far from perfect and I take full responsibility for that.
During the past year the number of PluginID’s subscribers has remained flat, even fallen a little. The year before that it was increasing rapidly. Our blog comments are down to a handful from the usual 30+ per post as they once were. Once a thriving, massively successful Personal Development blog, PluginId now hangs by a thread. On top of that, our income has diminished to a mere fraction of what it was, leaving us with no choice but to make some drastic changes.
It’s one of those situations where we can either choose to adapt and survive or we can kiss the long-term success of our blog goodbye.
PluginID Needs a Facelift.
We aren’t telling you about all of this to make you feel bad, in fact we’re telling you from a place of optimism. We know that we can and will breathe life back in to this community, and we’re committed to bringing back the magic that once made this site so special. Back in 2008 when this blog was first created, Glen proved that PluginID could provide a tremendous amount of value, and now it’s our turn to prove that it still has value to give.
In one of Glen’s Viperchill posts he discusses why he was able to make PluginID such a huge success. “I knew that if I shared failures, people would relate to them. I knew that if I shared successes, people would congratulate me and know they can achieve the same. I knew that if I put enough work into making my content help people, then the people I help will give back by talking about me and sharing my work. I also knew that if I put on any sort of front, people would be put-off immediately.”
Reading Glen’s words reinforces our decision to be transparent about everything going on here at PluginID. We’re here to grow together as a community, and we can only achieve that by being open and honest.
What’s Next at PluginID?
- New Quality Content.
- Design Makeover.
- New Tools to Help You Plug Into Your Personal and Online Identity.
Each week we will be sharing a straightforward, no BS report of all the progress PluginID will be undergoing. If we see increases in traffic or revenue, we’ll make sure to report exactly how it happened. We’ll also let you know precisely what has worked for us and what hasn’t worked.
We can’t do this on our own, and welcome your ideas, suggestions and feedback in the comments below. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
What should we change, and what should remain the same?
Hi Adam,
I mostly read this blog in my RSS reader, so the design makeover isn’t very important to me. Quality content is really what keeps me subscribed. Glenn and Bud are tough acts to follow. Brett’s been growing on me, especially with some of his more recent posts. I really enjoyed his post on sleep and the one about not taking things to seriously. I like it when he shares some of his personal side and gives some examples based on his experience.
For someone like me in my mid thirties, I’ve heard the typical personal development ideas many times over. What I like to see is how folks are applying them. With a blog like this, where young bloggers provide the content, they need to make up for limited life experience by sharing how they have come to learn the things they are sharing and what experiences they’ve gained by putting them into practice. I like to see the background and thought processes that led them to these ideas.
Change is always good, and I look forward to see what the future holds at plugin id.
Eric, I am in my mid-thirties too and we will be posting much more experiential examples. I agree. Thought processes and background events in life are very interesting in personal development case studies. That’s exactly where we’re headed. See my latest post for more!
Hi, I personally feel Brett is doing a great job, the content as of late has been better than ever, maybe if the numbers are dwindleing that is a marketing issue, but I have preferred the posts since Brett has taken over, maybe he just needs a bit more exposure like Glen got in the National newspaper.
Mark, you’re right. It has been partly a marketing issue and Brett has done very well with his posts.
Adam, thanks for being honest about where the website currently stands. I agree with Eric and wouldn’t worry too too much about the design makeover. Not only do I think it works well as is, but I usually read your posts in my inbox as opposed to on the site.
I first became aware of this blog when Glen was running the show and then continued to remain engaged when Bud was around. However, more recently, I have found the posts to be a little generic. Please don’t take this the wrong way – I still find the posts well written for the most part and do skim through them if I have the time or inclination.
I will say, though, that what Glen did particularly well – as you mentioned yourself – is that he was very transparent about his personal journey. He took anecdotes from his own life and shared them with readers to give them a real sense he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t shy away from sharing personal information if it made sense to the post and readers could learn something from it.
Even in this last post, you talk about the site from a “we” perspective. Adam, who are you? Share yourself with us. Invest a little more heart and soul and readers will come flocking back.
Plugin to YOUR identity. Show us how it’s done and we’ll stay hooked.
I love it Nikki. It is all about the content and you are right on the money with where were going. In fact, I “plug into My identity” in the latest post that I just launched today!
What about forum? i think the design is still ok and no need to change it, content comes first
A forum is a good idea? I was thinking of having one for creating an online marketing discussion but we could have one for personal development as well.
I think what you showed with this post right here is exactly what you need to keep on doing: honesty, being open, and showing more about the people and situations going on behind the curtain. My favorite posts of yours have been when you really open up and reveal more about you.
Also, it might help to give your blog a little bit more focus, at least in the branding department. What is it that makes this personal development blog different from the others?
Another small suggestions, not too important, but consider changing the pictures so that they’re more real-life, human experience photos. Maybe play with the idea of having them be real photos from your guys actual lives? I dunno, I guess I just like the idea of getting to know the people behind PluginID a little better.
And maybe a sidebar column with more “Most Popular” and “Start Here” posts. When I first came to your site, I didn’t know where to go and what the “cream of the crop” posts where (if you do this, please include “Deciding What to Do with Your Life (Without Actually Deciding) on there…that post’s GOLD!)
Can’t wait to see what happens next. You guys are awesome and need to keep helping people out there!
Jaemin,
You certainly will be getting to know us much better through our posts and I like the pictures of us idea for our posts. I have been thinking of doing some video posts as well. Thanks for your feedback on not knowing which were our “cream of the crop” posts. We will be incorporating that along with our sidebar column with a start here page and “most popular posts”
It’s the first time I come here, so I don’t know to tell you what to improve, yet. I’ll visit more often, your Alexa ranking is way better than a lot of other “good” sites, so, keep it up,
Thanks Daniel. We are truly blessed with a great community and some phenomenal conversations. It will only get better.
Hey Adam,
My blog is only 7 months old but I am always tweaking things on my site. Removing some ads, adding a page that has some affiliate offers and so on.
It’s a never ending job and the best that we can do is share our successes with others.
For me it really is all about interesting content which seems to be lacking in the PD area. We need writers to be “ballsy” and write about things that are outside of the box.
Justin,
It truly is a never-ending job, but a labour of love for sure. Ballsy, controversial, polarizing, transparent and outside-of-the-box is exactly the direction in which PluginID is going so stay tuned…
I say never give up until it stops breathing(and maybe not then)!
I agree David and I have to be honest, I was ready to sell the site a month ago until I had someone contact me that helped me see what a great community we have through PluginID. I am very excited for our future and I want each and every one of you to share it with me.
that’s good news
i have been following plugin ID since its early years and i wish you all the best in applying these new improvements
Thanks Farouk. Yes, you’ve been here since the beginning and we are glad to have you.
The tough thing about taking over someone`s blog is that the original subscribers have grown to know and like the original author`s personality as a writer. When that person leaves it doesn`t feel the same. But I think you`re right that the best way to move forward in that situation is to lay your own personality on the line honestly. Even if it`s quite different. People will get to know the new personality and appreciate it for what it is.
On a practical point, I think the only way to make that transition seamless is if the new author/personality is slowly introduced by the original one, so that people get to know and like him before the original guy leaves. (Maybe you did that, I don`t know, I wasn`t around back then)
I think it’s the fact that almost all major personal development websites out there are beginning to churn out the same exact content you would find anywhere else, nothing thought-provoking anymore. I suggest trying to delve into topics no one would find elsewhere, or topics that haven’t been tackled yet from a fresh perspective!