Shutting Down This Site?

I am at a crossroads with this site. I started it back in the fall of 2005 not really knowing where it might lead.

It has changed somewhat over time, but the intent has always been the same. I wanted to write about issues that people face in the workplace, specifically with their manager or “boss.”

I have received a lot of wonderful emails and comments since I started the blog and even had an article published in over 100 newspapers across the country because of it. I have published some of my favorite posts on David Lorenzo’s site and read similar blogs.

When you invest the time in something like this, you want to know that you are making a difference. My goal has been to grow this into something much bigger. I have thought about publishing a book based on what I have learned from my readers, my experience, etc.

The site was enjoying growth and my readership was going up every month, until last month. My daily hits to the blog dropped in half. Since most of my readers come from RSS readers and Google, I started to investigate. Seems that Google is sending me less people, yet they bumped my site up to a Page Rank of 5 which is respectable in a world of millions of websites.

I am considering ending this journey. I read something very compelling last night. An internet marketer made the point that people want value. He talked about a friend of his who created a site that had 6000 RSS subscriptions within a year. The site grew very quickly. Why?

The guy who had the successful site attributed it to providing information that his target audience really needed. Quality information. Not just, viewpoints, opinions, rants, etc. He offered something that really met a need and so people kept coming back. And he is getting new subscribers every day.

I want to make a difference, but I think I need some advice. I need some input from all my regular readers. I need to know how to grow the “Blogging Boss” into something that is meeting the needs of thousands of office dwellers.

Do me a favor and send me an email with your thoughts, or leave a comment below. I think the response I get will tell me which direction I need to take. Help me make the right decision.

Email: bloggingboss@beatyourowndrum.com

Best,

Eric