Introducing CopyPress March Madness: Elite 8

LET’S GET READY TO RRRRRRRRRRRRUMBLE!

We’re so excited to kick off CopyPress’s inaugural March Madness Tournament! Throughout the series, we’ll be pairing up two legendary industry bloggers in an epic blogging battle to the death….

Er, alright, maybe not to the death, but we will be battling them until a winner emerges victorious!

Ready for the best part? We won’t choose who wins: you will.

How It Works

We’ll pair up two worthy candidates and tell you their stats for that round: a quick bio, age of the blog, Klout score, average number of recent blog comments, etc.

Then it’s up to you: you’ll give us your picks for each battle in the comments. We’ll tally up the comment votes and announce a winner in the next post. The winners will then go on to another battle and the losers go home and cry into old printouts of Google Analytics. So readers…this series lives and dies by your participation. Don’t let these eight champions down!

Ready to meet your contestants? Of course you are!

Here’s the matchup:

1. Chris Brogan vs. Seth Godin
2. Rand Fishkin vs. Neil Patel
3. Shoemoney vs. Brian Clark
4. Lisa Barone vs. Sugarrae

Round One: Basic Blog Stats

This battle boils these bloggers down to their basic statistics: how old is their blog? How often do they post? And how many blog posts have they posted in their blog’s history?

Yeah, Okay, But Why Do These Stats Matter?

Each post, we won’t just tell you a blogger’s boring old statistics: we’ll tell you why they matter. This week’s trend? Longevity: proving you’ve got the guts and the gumption to stick it out long-term.

• Age of Blog: Blogging is a long-term game, folks. It’s not about winning the season: it’s about getting down in the trenches and posting regularly for years. New bloggers enter the scene every second: in order to win over readers and fellow bloggers, you’ve got to prove you’re going to stick around.
• Number of Posts in Blog’s History: How many posts do you have on your blog, and how many did you write? These stats don’t just prove how prolific of a writer you are: they prove that you’ve got the creativity and persistence to keep coming up with things to say about your given topic.
• Post Frequency: It’s not enough to keep posting for years. You’ve got to give your audience a reason to come back for more: and to do that, you’ve got to give them regular updates. Some blogs post three times a week. Others post daily. Still others (news blogs, mostly) post constantly throughout the day. Generally speaking, posting more frequently (as long as you’ve got something significant to say) brings higher traffic…but it also creates higher levels of burnout.

Alright, enough talk, yes? We know you’re dying to get in on the voting action. Battle #1 stars two advice blogger powerhouses: Chris Brogan and Seth Godin.

Bracket One: Chris Brogan vs. Seth Godin

1. Chris Brogan of ChrisBrogan.com

In one corner we have Chris Brogan, the man behind the curtain at ChrisBrogan.com, a blog about business marketing, technology, and social media. Chris is a bestselling author, a high-powered blogger, and the President of Human Business Works. ChrisBrogan.com consistently ranks in the top five blogs on the Ad Age Power 150 (as of Thursday, March 22nd, he ranked at #2). His books include Trust Agents and Social Media 101.

Sample Post: Good Service is Like a Great Steak

Age of Blog: Since 2004 (eight years) Number of Posts (approximately):  4266 Posting Frequency (Average): 3x a week

 2. Seth Godin of Seth’s Blog

It’s one thing to know how to write. It’s another thing to know how to make people think, and Seth Godin has that gift. His blog is considered a must-read for marketing professionals; his books are worldwide bestsellers. Godin also launched the popular site Squidoo in 2006.  Some of his wildly successful books include Unleashing the Idea Virus, Purple Cow, and Permission Marketing.

Sample Post: The Ironic Truth About Sincerity

Age of Blog: Since 2003 (nine years) Number of Posts (approximately): 2500+ Posting Frequency (Average): 7x a week

Conclusion

Seth’s blog is more idealistic; Chris’s is more concrete. The two both focus on business and marketing advice, but Seth’s is more focused on marketing principles while Chris’s focuses on a wider array of topics: social media, technology, product and book reviews, etc. The two advice powerhouses also have very different blogging styles: Seth posts shorter posts more frequently; Chris posts longer, more in-depth posts three times a week.

In the end, it’s up to you: who wins your vote? Seth or Chris?

Tell us your answer in the comments!

Bracket Two: Rand Fishkin vs. Neil Patel

3. Rand Fishkin of Rand’s Blog

Rand Fishkin is best known for being the CEO and co-founder of the SEO/software powerhouse SEOmoz. Fishkin is a frequent world traveler and co-author of the book The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization (Theory in Practice). Internationally acclaimed as an SEO master, Rand also blogs frequently on the SEOmoz blog. 

Sample Post: Why I’m a Conference Whore

Age of Blog: Since 2005 (seven years) Number of Posts (approximately): 3700 on the entire site; 1900 by Rand alone Posting Frequency (Average): 2x per week

4. Neil Patel of QuickSprout.com

Neil Patel was an entrepreneurial prodigy long before most of us knew what the word “entrepreneurial” meant. A co-founder of both Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics, Patel had racked up a long list of recognitions by age 21 (including being named one of the top entrepreneurs in the country by Entrepreneur Magazine). Patel has now turned his eye towards nonprofits, earning Congressional Recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives for his contributions in the nonprofit sector.

Sample Post: The Marketer’s Guide to Blogging

Age of Blog: Since 2007 (five years) Number of Posts (approximately):  260 Posting Frequency (Average): 2x a week

Conclusion

Both bloggers emerged onto the scene at a relatively young age and both have received monumental success. Both made their livings off of one basic principle: attracting eyeballs to a website. It should be noted that Rand posts with much less frequency now (he still blogs regularly at the SEOmoz blog); on the other hand, Neil has a much younger blog and shorter archive.

So, readers? Which of these young bloggers-turned-entrepreneurs gets your vote: Rand Fishkin or Neil Patel? Cast your vote in the comments!

Bracket Three: Shoemoney vs. Brian Clark

5. Jeremy Schoemaker of Shoemoney

Jeremy Schoemaker is the undisputed king of affiliate marketing. Don’t believe us? Take a look at this check. Schoemaker is the founder of ShoeMoney.com, a top 50 Technorati blog that boasts a daily readership of over 30,000 readers. He’s also the co-founder of AuctionAds, an eBay affiliate marketing program.

Sample Post: Why Most Affiliate Bloggers Don’t Last

Age of Blog: Since 2003 (9 years) Number of Posts (approximately): 2500 (rough estimate based on frequency & blog age) Posting Frequency (Average): 5x per week

6. Brian Clark of Copyblogger

Brian Clark is the founder and SEO of content powerhouse Copyblogger Media. The mega-popular Copyblogger blog boasts over 155,000 readers; the blog is one of the most popular content marketing and copywriting sites on the web. Copyblogger Media also maintains a line of successful software products, including Scribe SEO. 

Sample Post: Don’t Disappoint Your Mom

Age of Blog: Since 2006 (six years) Number of Posts (approximately):  1380 posts; 1010 by Brian Clark Posting Frequency (Average): 3-5x per month

Conclusion

Both Brian and Shoemoney are the undisputed experts of their fields and both have learned to utilize the power of hosting guest blogs. The two have also developed two very different strategies for monetizing their blogs: Shoemoney through advertising and affiliate programs, Brian through software offerings. Coincidentally, both Jeremy and Brian were featured in our 12 Days of Blogging series.

So which marketing powerhouse wins your vote: Brian Clark or Jeremy “Shoemoney” Schoemaker? Leave your choice in the comments!

Bracket Four: Lisa Barone vs. Sugarrae

7. Lisa Barone of Outspoken Media

Lisa Barone is the co-founder and Chief Branding Officer of Outspoken Media, a boutique marketing and SEO consulting company with a penchant for honest, call-it-like-I-see-it advice. She’s been featured in the likes of CNN, Techcrunch, and the Wall Street Journal. An avid Twitter user, Lisa is also a frequent columnist and guest poster for some of the industry’s most well-known sites and blogs.

Sample Post: You’re a Brand. WTF Do You “Pin” on Pinterest?

Age of Blog:  Since 2009 (three years) Number of Posts (approximately): 700-1000 (rough estimate based on frequency & blog age) Posting Frequency (Average): 4x a week

8. Rae Hoffman-Dolan of Sugarrae.com

Rae “Sugarrae” Hoffman-Dolan is the CEO of Sugarrae SEO Consulting. A busy entrepreneur, Hoffman-Dolan is also the co-owner, co-founder, and CEO of MFE Interactive as well as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and co-owner of Speedy Incorporation.  She’s also a Gold Member of the Performance Marketing Association. 

Sample Post: Oh Shut UP! You Know You Never Read the Pinterest TOS

Age of Blog:  Since 2005 (seven years) Number of Posts (approximately): 300-1000 (rough estimate based on frequency & blog age) Posting Frequency (Average): 2x per month

Conclusion

Both contenders are fiery, intelligent women who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. While their blog posts often incite controversy, their advice is always spot-on. Sugarrae’s blog may be older, but both ladies are no strangers to the industry. This may be our closest match-up yet.

So which feisty female blogger wins your vote: Lisa or Rae? Tell us your pick in the comments!

What Are You Waiting For, Sports Fans? IT’S TIME TO VOTE!

It’s time for you to select your picks for the first-ever CopyPress March Madness tournament!

Here’s a quick refresher if you need it:

1. Chris Brogan vs. Seth Godin
2. Rand Fishkin vs. Neil Patel
3. Shoemoney vs. Brian Clark
4. Lisa Barone vs. Sugarrae

Now get to the comments section and START VOTING!

About Our Statistics: Please note that all averaged statistics were collected at a previous date and may not reflect current averages. 

CopyPress

March 23, 2012 (Updated: February 3, 2023)