9rules sucks (ok, not really)
If the title of this post sounds like I’m about to talk about how awful, unnecessary, pointless, or ridiculous 9rules is then that’s only partially true. I wrote the title to get you to read the post. You see, I like 9rules. I visit the site a few times a week, I subscribe to quite a few of their member’s blogs, and I talk to some of their members a lot.
9rules is where the cool kids hang out
I actually used to be in 9rules. It was fun, I guess. I had access to the private member forum where everyone talked about all their secret plans to take over the web and make trillions of dollars. Err..wait. It was actually like any other forum, most of the “A List” members in 9rules didn’t participate on a regular basis, and those that did are easily accessible to non-members anyway. The real benefit of the forum was the fact that it required no real moderation and everyone was there to have fun.
9rules is a great way to make connections
Another benefit of being in 9rules was having easy access to smart people. If you’re new to blogging you notice a certain hierarchy - the established, popular bloggers talk to each other, and only after you’ve put in some time and been recognized as “smart” by some other “smart” bloggers do you get some credibility in the blogosphere. 9rules gives lesser known bloggers instant credibility, which (I think) was Scrivs’ goal from day one. Of course, if you got into 9rules you were writing good content anyway, so all you had to do was email the “popular” bloggers, say hello, let them know your URL, say you wanted to talk, and chances are most of them would have talked to you anyway.
9rules brings you tons of traffic
I can only discuss this from my point of view - which is 7 or 8 months old. 9rules did bring me some traffic, and most of the 9rules traffic was sticky. But it wasn’t the number one referrer for my sites (I had two sites in the network). Most days I got anywhere from 5-25 hits from the 9rules.com domain.
They had just implemented the new communities feature before I left the network, so maybe the new communities are sending more traffic to the members. I think as more members are added some sites tend to get lost in the shuffle.
On the plus side, it was a solid back link and when they announce your site you see a pretty big spike in traffic.
My actual opinion
9rules was fun. I was only there for a few months, but I met cool people and became a somewhat more “known” blogger in the small circle of people that read 9rules blogs regularly.
I think 9rules is part of the reason that I have been successful with freelancing, being a member for a short time helped build quite a few connections and helped me get my footing as a blogger. Being part of the network built my confidence - I didn’t wonder whether my content was good, being accepted into 9rules means your content is good. The one thing you can’t say about 9rules is that they let in mediocre sites. They let in a lot of good sites, and they have a few great ones, but I’ve never seen an average site in 9rules - they’re all way above average.
But could I have had this same success without 9rules? Sure. It would have taken a little more work, I would have had to initiate a few more conversations with people I didn’t know very well, but yeah, I could have done it without 9rules. I’m glad I didn’t have to, though.
I like to think that I’m at the beginning of where I want to end up (which is good, since I’m only 20), so I know that I can and will have much more success without being a member of 9rules.
Would I apply and accept admission to 9rules again?
Well, for one, I don’t think Bleikamp.com would make it. Personal sites are damn near impossible to get in, from what I’ve heard. The competition for great personal sites in incredible - there are thousands of great writers that make their otherwise boring lives sound like a lot of fun.
If I was accepted, I guess I would feel obligated to accept the invitation, since I applied and all.
And your point?
I wrote this because I see a lot of people that seem somewhat in awe of what 9rules is. I agree that it’s a great community, but there are other great communities. Hell, you could even make your own. If you’re only goal in blogging is to make it into 9rules then you’ve set your sights awfully low.
There are a lot of things you can achieve if you write a great blog. Fame and fortune might even be on that list. And I promise, even people that aren’t in 9rules will become rich and famous.
Look at the big picture and realize that you don’t need to be accepted into a big-time network to validate yourself as a blogger.
13 responses so far ↓
6 Sep 2006 at 10:16 pm
“I think 9rules is part of the reason that I have been successful with freelancing, being a member for a short time helped build quite a few connections and helped me get my footing as a blogger. Being part of the network built my confidence - I didn’t wonder whether my content was good, being accepted into 9rules means your content is good.”
Kinda hard to say anything bad about 9rules if these are your own conclusions
6 Sep 2006 at 10:18 pm
I didn’t say anything bad about 9rules, I was simply trying to point out that while 9rules is good, it isn’t a requirement to be recognized as a good blogger or have success
6 Sep 2006 at 10:24 pm
Well Ben we’ve never said that joining 9rules is the only path to some type of blog salvation, nor would we ever be so arrogant to say such a thing. We have said that it helps bloggers with great content get the word out, which is true and I’m sure you can personally attest to this.
“If you’re only goal in blogging is to make it into 9rules then you’ve set your sights awfully low.”
I’m not really sure why it’s “awfully low”, yes, I agree that starting a blog or improving your writing only to make it into 9rules is a bit odd, but everyone has their own goals. At one point I’m sure your goal was to be accepted into 9rules
“I wrote this because I see a lot of people that seem somewhat in awe of what 9rules is. I agree that it’s a great community, but there are other great communities.”
I don’t think it’s a bad thing for people to look up to 9rules or our members, in fact it took a lot of effort on our part to portray our brand in such a light. You rarely see such evangelism in startups nowadays so when it’s there I don’t think it’s fair to pull us down a level because of it.
6 Sep 2006 at 10:35 pm
My goal wasn’t to pull you down or criticize anything in 9rules. I just wanted to provide a perspective of someone who had been in 9rules, and then wasn’t, and had taken some time to reflect on what it was like and why it was beneficial.
And at one point I did think that being in 9rules was the biggest accomplishment in blogging, which is why I am trying to point out to new bloggers that there are other things out there to achieve.
And I’m not trying to put words in your mouth, I know you have never claimed that it was the path to success, but I see a lot of people interpret it that way because of what a great community you have built. I just wanted to point out that there are other great things out there.
6 Sep 2006 at 10:59 pm
I understand Ben, it just seemed like some type of sour grapes or something based on your entry title.
“And I’m not trying to put words in your mouth, I know you have never claimed that it was the path to success, but I see a lot of people interpret it that way because of what a great community you have built. I just wanted to point out that there are other great things out there.”
I’m all for you pointing them out, but none were actually pointed out if I read your entry correctly
Yes you can join a blog network and write for them on their site, but if you’re trying to build recognition and traffic for your own, independent site, there were no options to do so when we started 9rules. Some others have sprung up along the way but they are billing themselves as “9rules but for ______ group” which is very humbling but a bit different. If you’re trying to provide some options why not look at some communities that do what 9rules does, maybe critique them compared to us, explain what they do better or worse, etc.?
6 Sep 2006 at 11:07 pm
By other options I don’t mean other content networks. I mean people can become well known and make connections without joining 9rules or a similar network.
I feel like you’re taking offense to the article, I didn’t intend for it to sound like I didn’t like 9rules, I tried to point out all the good things I got from it and also say you can get those things in other ways.
6 Sep 2006 at 11:33 pm
Haha, no no, no offense taken.
“I agree that it’s a great community, but there are other great communities. Hell, you could even make your own.”
I was referring to that line and the other communities, sorry, sounded to me like you had a bunch in mind.
6 Sep 2006 at 11:40 pm
Any forum, like SitePoint provides a great community to meet people and become well known. I also participate in Yopos, another community. Neither are blog related, but all the members know what blogs are and each place can provide a launch pad for success.
7 Sep 2006 at 6:26 am
Why was it you were booted out?
7 Sep 2006 at 10:19 am
9rules changed their member agreement and asked that members only be a part of one content network.
7 Sep 2006 at 4:54 pm
I agree with you Ben. There believe there are a number of options out there for blogs. I think it is a matter of getting hooked up with the right people. Which I haven’t found yet.
8 Sep 2006 at 7:11 am
If you are a young entrepreneur than mindpetals.com is the place for you…just one example!
24 Sep 2006 at 8:57 pm
Tag! Rundle’s it.
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