Comments on: Learn from My Mistakes: Eggs in One Basket

By: First step to blogging: Don't write a post! | Blog Dollars

First step to blogging: Don't write a post! | Blog Dollars — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:10:48 +0000

[...] interesting to a larger audience. Ben Cook from a Blogging Experiment writes a little about how a narrow scope hurt him on a blog [...]

By: Matt Ellsworth

Matt Ellsworth — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:23:29 +0000

great example. I think a lot of people often try to focus on one thing and forget that there is a problem with your eggs being all together.

By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Rebecca Laffar-Smith — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:43:38 +0000

Give them away as Christmas presents to your family and friends.

By: Ben Cook

Ben Cook — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:54:08 +0000

@ Rebecca, that’s a very good point! A bit of quick thinking can definitely save your site. However, it’s going to be tough to sell or even make your money back on items you may have purchased related to the now dead topic (my tshirts for example).

By: Moms

Moms — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:43:27 +0000

@bmunch,
With your comment, “Just be glad the your site is not named HaveAHeartAttackMartz.com” you get my LOL (and I mean very LOUD) award of the day. Thanks!

Ben,
Great post! It’s always good to learn from one’s mistakes, but being willing to share that with others is the sign of true growth!

By: Ruchir

Ruchir — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:15:19 +0000

The Eggs in One Basket has always been used in context of money sources and traffic. Good job on shedding new light on the notion. I never thought it could be used with topics…

By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Rebecca Laffar-Smith — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:31:52 +0000

I think another point to remember in this sort of situation is to be flexible. With some simple changes to the Martz site (like a second domain name) you could have broadened your outlook and adjusted to the changes. Over the weeks of his illness you could have turned the direction to look at how sports affects health, how high stress jobs could contribue, how Martz was recovering and what the change of coach had meant for the team. From there as he recovered and then was later officially fired you could have branched even more.

Over time with small adjustments to changing trends you can counter for having made a short term choice in the early days. You just have to be willing to be flexible and practice change. Odds are, if you’d have done that with Martz many of your readers would have stayed because, obviously, if they’re hyped up about firing a coach they are interested in the broader topic (Rams or sports) too.

By: shane

shane — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 04:17:09 +0000

Ben thats a pretty proper lesson. I was freelancing for about 5 years when I had pinned myself into a corner. 85% of my income was coming from one single client. The technology and service that I offered was pretty specialized and if they hickuped, I was a gonner. So I eventually changed track and chose some new approaches and technologies. Started finding new client. Funny part was the day I told Peter, my business partner, you know, I thing if they dropped us we might finally be ok was the day I unexpectedly got the axe.

Btw – first time checking out your project and I am really glad to see you playing with different patterns. I will certianly be watching.

By: Ben Cook

Ben Cook — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 04:11:03 +0000

@ bmunch, lol just behave yourself mate

By: ChristianPF

ChristianPF — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:55:31 +0000

Great post! What you are saying about using momentum from one aspect of a site to help build it as a whole is great…