How do you determine value?

I came across a site recently, dnScoop.com, that claims to estimate the value of any website that you enter. Ok, just like all of you, I couldn’t resist. Yes, I typed in the sites of a bunch of my friends and the A-listers because of my own curiosity. Some of the numbers were staggering. The numbers were beyond ridiculous and I have no idea what kind of formula that dnScoop [...]]]>

How do you determine value?

I came across a site recently, dnScoop.com, that claims to estimate the value of any website that you enter. Ok, just like all of you, I couldn’t resist. Yes, I typed in the sites of a bunch of my friends and the A-listers because of my own curiosity. Some of the numbers were staggering. The numbers were beyond ridiculous and I have no idea what kind of formula that dnScoop is using to determine value. I have always had a little personal saying that goes something like, “you ain’t got nothing thats worth a dime unless someone buys it.” There are variations of that also that I have been known to use, it depends on how much beer I’m drinking at the time.

For me, it all stems back to the baseball card craze where everyone claimed stupid values over cardboard cards with pictures of baseball players. Think about it. Unless it’s Babe Ruth, it’s a fairly dumb concept. Sorry all of you collectors who own Mark McGwire rookie cards where he looks like a bean pole. Mark’s steroid use and fake home runs have rendered that card pretty useless. Sorry to all of you Barry Bond rookie card collectors also. To me, value is what other people are willing to pay, not a number that you or other people put on something. Value is not actually determined until something sells. Once it sells, now you have something to go by.

I realize I am digressing but just trying to make a point.

Looking at the values placed on these websites got me to thinking a little. Starting a free WordPress blog would have been the smartest investment the world has ever seen. Starting several would put you in the same league as Donald Trump and Warren Buffet. Those idiots actually used their own money to invest in things like the stock market and real estate. What losers. If they had only become professional bloggers, imagine what they might be worth today.

What would the Problogger put on his net worth statement? Should a bank require the CopyBlogger to list his $2 million dollar website as an asset? Should Seth Godin use his website as collateral when applying for a loan? What in the hell would the banks think if they even thought you had a website valued at these crazy values and did not list it as an asset when applying for loans? Would it be fraud?

Should the CopyBlogger list this on his net worth statement? See what a .pdf e-book aimed at noobs will get you.

The Problogger’s new forum site. Griz makes this in a month doesn’t he? BTW, it would not give me a value on Griz’s ugly blogger site that dominates the serps in which the new Problogger.com forum administrator advises against using.

Problogger.net is doing quite well. See what sea turtles can do to your bank account.

Seth is kicking ass. Seth is an A-lister who I think actually does give value.

The original Trust Agent. This begs the question.
Why would you build an A-list site with your name? How can you sell your name?
If he sold and walked away any so-called value would plummet I think.
If I was part of the herd of any site and I knew my master had sold out and left, I’ll find me another herd. Would you?

The Keyword Academy is probably grossly undervalued.

Wouldn’t most people think that Squidoo was worth less than HubPages? I guess not.

Sorry HubPages, you got schooled by Squidoo.

This is the one you have all been waiting on. Make me an offer folks.

This is B.S. The internet’s best internet marketing video blog is obviously undervalued.
I did not rig the number to be the same as mine.
Go to the site and check for yourself.

Are you kidding me? How long would it take to earn that kind of ad revenue?

I expect that BloggerLens will be worth a couple mil by 2012 and I’m willing to wait. What say you folks?

**Update** From my last post here on Bloggerlens about AWeber email marketing sucks, Josh Whitford from Marketing Ideas got my hint and acted on it. Thanks Josh. Whose your Trust Agent?

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Caution: The article that you are about to read contains extreme bias on my part.

Traffic, that’s what an internet marketer can teach you about hyperlocal blogging. I could stop right there and this article would be complete. If you take a moment and give it some thought, what else do I need to say? Internet marketers are brilliant when it comes to internet traffic. At least the good ones are. An internet marketer depends [...]]]>

Caution: The article that you are about to read contains extreme bias on my part.

Traffic, that’s what an internet marketer can teach you about hyperlocal blogging. I could stop right there and this article would be complete. If you take a moment and give it some thought, what else do I need to say? Internet marketers are brilliant when it comes to internet traffic. At least the good ones are. An internet marketer depends on traffic to make a living online. As a hyperlocal blogger, I depend on traffic to build my media empire. No traffic, no empire, no advertising, no money.

I study internet marketers for a reason and you should too. A good internet marketer knows SEO. A good internet marketer understands link building. A good internet marketer understands affiliate programs and how to use them to his advantage. Rarely do you find an internet marketer willing to share their knowledge without pushing some sort of bullshit (sorry) product on you. Personally, I follow only 4 internet marketers faithfully and today I’d like to highlight my favorite internet marketer.

Allyn Hane of bloggerillustrated.net. I found Allyn through some comments he had made on one of my other favorite sites. I clicked through and that’s when I found Blogger Illustrated. Allyn is one of the most entertaining video bloggers on the internet. He teaches his viewers about the nuts and bolts of internet marketing and how to build traffic to your site. Let me warn you right now about Allyn before you visit his site. If you are an Oprah or Dr. Phil type sensitive person who just wants to feel good about yourself and your blog and no one reads it but you and your mommy, don’t bother. Allyn will sense you watching his videos and will reach through your monitor and open hand slap you where you sit.

I trolled Allyn’s site for quite a while and every now and then I would make a comment on his blog. I studied Allyn’s videos and what he teaches and I apply much of what he says on my own hyperlocal blog. Although I have never met or spoken to Allyn, I was connecting with him through his videos because I felt we had a lot in common. Surely that happens to all of us. How many of you have a co-worker or someone you see on a regular basis and you just feel a click with but do not actually know? That’s human nature folks, we tend to gravitate to those we are most like.

I found myself always looking forward to Allyn’s next video and actually get pissed off at him if he doesn’t put them out fast enough. Allyn drinks beer on his videos. I drink beer while watching Allyn’s videos. How cool is that? Allyn uses a whiteboard to get his point across. I drink beer while watching Allyn use a whiteboard.

Allyn truly cares about your success online and he is the master of his own domain. Allyn usually sets his camera up in his kitchen and talks to you as if you had just dropped by to bum a beer after watching him cut his grass. Funny how folks stop by after the work is done. He leans over the counter and tells you straight up how to be successful online. There is always a cold beer on the counter and he’ll grab his laptop and flip it toward the camera to show you something trying to make a point.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard a new rock song by the group Shinedown. The name of the song was “Sound of Madness”. As I listened to the song, I thought to myself that’s got Allyn Hane written all over it. I had an idea. I would create Allyn a video introduction for his videos. He would be able to use it as an intro and an outro for his videos. I spent a while doing some editing and using a picture of him found online, here is what I created.

I had no idea of how Allyn would take it or think about the video I made for him. Why did I do it? I did it as a sign of appreciation for what he does. I do a lot of video work and I know first hand how much work he puts into it. What else could I do? I could have sent him a case of beer but I would rather drink it myself. Only 8 out of 24 would have arrived.

What happened after I sent my video to him, just blew my mind. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything for anyone in my life who showed as much appreciation. Allyn’s a humble guy and I never expected his response. Allyn’s very next video was a video review of my hyperlocal site, the Monroe Scoop. Grass Roots Internet Marketing. Go Hyperlocal. I was blown away and I appreciated the review very much. Allyn’s review has sent this site and the Monroe Scoop a ton of new traffic. Below is the video review from Blogger Illustrated.

You may watch a video of Allyn outside while grilling some chicken on his deck or he may post a quick video of his thoughts while sitting in his car. You should be able to get a sense of his passion and excitement from the video above. Folks, you ain’t seen nothing yet until you head over to Blogger Illustrated and watch all of his videos. No doubt you will become a fan.

If you want a better hyperlocal blog with more traffic pay attention to what Allyn teaches and implement it on your own site. Your site will be better, Google will find you and rank you higher, your traffic will increase and you will be a happier blogger.

Enjoy or download for free, Shinedown. “Sound of Madness”.

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