End of the Road for this Hyperlocal Blogger
by Matt on Nov 2, 2010 in General
If any group of readers understands the hard work and time commitment involved in blogging, it’s you. So I’m optimistic that you’ll understand completely when I say this: After a little more than two years of calling HyperlocalBlogger.com home, the sun has set and I’ll be shutting the blog down.
The reasons are simple, and some are probably obvious:
I’m simply too busy to keep the blog going. You may have noticed that there were only two posts in all of October, and those were simple link roundups. My work at Search Engine Land and Sphinn is taking more time than ever, and likely to expand more in the not-too-distant future. My blogging at Small Business Search Marketing helps put food on the table and has to be a higher priority than Hyperlocal Blogger, which has always been a hobby. Just last week, I signed an agreement with Omnibus Press to publish an update of my book, U2 – A Diary, which was originally published in 2008. That work will take up most of my free time over the next several months.
I’ve basically spread myself too thin and am now making tough decisions on where my time is best focused. There’s a chance the four hyperlocal blogs my wife and I started to help her real estate career may also be shuttered soon; haven’t decided on that just yet.
What Will Happen to HyperlocalBlogger.com?
I told a close friend about this decision a week or two ago, and he suggested I sell the blog. Hmmmm. I’ve never monetized this site and never made a real hard push to promote it far and wide. I don’t know who would be interested in it or what it’s worth but, after thinking about it, if someone wants to buy the entire blog with all my previous content, or wants to buy just the domain, speak up now.
To be frank, I don’t expect anything to come of that. So, in all likelihood, the blog will sit in its current state for some time. You’ll be able to read and reference old articles. And, someday, when I have time (ha!), I’ll probably grab the best content and move it over to my SmallBusinessSEM.com site. And then I’ll do a 301 redirect on this entire domain and point it there. But that won’t happen soon; too busy.
Closing Words to Readers
Thank you.
Since day one, this blog has been a learning experience for me — a place to post about my own successes and failures as a local blogger. Some of you have been so kind as to tell me this blog has become a learning source for you, too. That’s pretty much the best thing you could tell me.
Despite my overall lack of promotion, we built a fun, active, and generous community here. You helped each other time and time again in the comments. I loved watching that happen. And it was only possible because you all joined in, and then told your friends in the hyperlocal blogging space to join in, too.
Again, thank you.
I’m sorry that I can’t keep serving this community of readers, but I hope that you all keep kicking a** and serving yours. Best of luck in all you do.
- Matt
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24 Responses to “End of the Road for this Hyperlocal Blogger”
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Hi Matt,
Before I got to speak on my first local panel, I realized that most of knowledge rested in local SEM and not in local. One of the blogs I saved pages and carried on to the plane with me to cram before my presentation was yours. It helped make me look like a pro.
I thank you and wish you good luck on your projects.
Olivier
matt you’ve done a sterling job and i know only too well what it feels like to be stretched across too many projects. well done for providing a well balanced useful and as you say generous community that helped a lot in the early days to rally thinking about hyperlocla sites.
good luck
Olivier & Will – thanks so much for the kind words, I appreciate it.
[...] End of the Road for this Hyperlocal Blogger : HyperlocalBlogger After a little more than two years of calling HyperlocalBlogger.com home, the sun has set and I’ll be shutting the blog down. [...]
Matt-
Thanks so much for this blog. I hope that some of my future successes will work out as well as your “failures.”
We made some “hyperlocal” changes lately too. Tell us the truth — How much did Patch buy you out for?
Ha! That would be too funny. I’ll post an update if Patch makes an inquiry.
Geordie – thank YOU. Appreciate all your contributions here — guest article, comments, etc.
Matt,
Thanks for everything you’ve done for the hyperlocal space and for hyperlocal bloggers in particular. Your posts and insight will be missed here.
On the other hand, congratulations on all of your successes and upcoming projects. I can’t wait to read the book!
Best,
Esther Brown
Outside.in
Matt – First of all – very sad you ending your local blogging – I was so happy to find you last year and it has been great to connect with other local bloggers. I would love to take over the blog! Please contact me – I will send an email as well.
Lindsay
Well that sucks… If I was good at blogging at all I’d love to take it over but I’m much better at making drafts than I am anything
We’ll see ya around man – thanks for all the info until now!
Sorry to hear this but glad you are successful at something that I hope you are enjoying. Found this only relatively recently, and though I try not to use the H word OR the B word very often, I still appreciated that you were prowling the industry “press” and sharing the news plus bringing up issues. Good luck and thanks for everything you put into this!
Matt,
You’ve already made a great contribution to local blogging, and to many other local topics, during the infancy of Local online. I for one am glad that you will be continuing in other fashions.
Looking forward to more local posts from you in the future. Wherever they may be.
James
Bye HyperLocalBlogger…it’s been swell, eh Matt!
I will continue to read you over on the SBSM blog and via other bloggers too…
But will miss this blog. Always found interesting stuff here, even tho I’m not a local blogger some/most of the opinions were spot-on for my career as an SEO and that I will miss…
Jim
Too many good things to do and too little time. A completely understandable move. Thanks for all the advice. See ya around Twitter.
J.R.
Hate to see it go Matt. As you know, I have always given you credit for the inspiration to help me get started. Your positive reach has been far and wide. Good luck as you move on. I’ll still keep tabs on you.
Matt,
This is sad news but also pleased to hear about your success.
Thanks for the great articles and the opportunity to guest post. I wish you all the best.
Ed
Matt:
Very sorry to see you go. You’ve been providing some of the best coverage–and link aggregation–of this important and growing field. I know how hard it is to sustain a blog–I haven’t updated mine in a couple months–so I understand. But HyperlocalBlogger will really be missed.
Best,
Mark Potts
GrowthSpur
Today I found this great resource for the first time and now it is going away already? I hope you keep the archives for a while at least!
[...] Hyperlocal Blogger had been a self-described “hobby” of Matt McGee since August 2008. Like many blogs, it was pretty frequently updated at the beginning, with less frequency as time went on. Unline many blogs, the content was always relevant and useful. [...]
Oh noooos
ahh…too bad. Best of luck.
You and Hyperlocal Blogger will be missed. I found your site when I started my local blog and have learned a lot along the way. Thank you, and I wish you the best.
[...] all … it’s been almost four months since I announced that this blog would be shutting down. I mentioned that I’d consider selling the blog and all its content, or just selling the [...]
Thanks again for all the kind words and comments, folks. I do appreciate it. A few emails continue to come in about buying the site and/or domain, and I’ve just posted an update on what’s going on if you’re interested:
http://www.hyperlocalblogger.com/update-on-hyperlocalblogger-com-status/