Loren is right, and I knew it, and now the “dirty little secret” is out? Look, it wasn’t a secret to me. This tiny little bubble we all live in in this tiny tech world is unnoticed by the rest of the real world. Somehow there was this idea that we marketing/tech bloggers drove massive numbers.

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But big deal, now everyone knows, we’re insignificant in the grand scheme of porn and Britney searches, not to mention the millions of non-tech blogs and websites that don’t know who Scoble or Winer or Godin are. They just don’t. It’s just us.

Here’s some advice. Stop worrying about traffic and start becoming a brand in your own circle/niche.

This is where the real success comes from. The ability to be one of THE guys/gals in your little bubble. You do this by participating in the bubble circle-jerk of choice. If you’re a tech blogger, you work to get your content and insights shared on Techmeme. If you’re a foodie blogger, you do the same thing on whatever foodie forum/site/blog thing you have.

Traffic is a waste of time, unless you want to sell ads. And let me tell you, you’re going to need to get to at least 1 million page views a month to even begin to start seeing any decent income from ads.

You want to be a successful blogger? Compel your readers in your little bubble with amazing and engaging insights and information. Participate and give away your knowledge to anyone who will take it, it will come back two-fold.

The real dirty little secret is that 1 out of 1000 bloggers will end up making a living from “more traffic.” Build products. Write good content. That’s how you will be successful.

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