Blogger Interview Series - Hunter Nuttall
19 September, 2008 - Blogging, Interviews - 34 Comments
This is the eighth interview in my Blogger Interview Series. It comes from Hunter Nuttall of Hunter Nuttall Dot Com. Hunter is an up and coming personal development blogger. Having being mentioned in the late Randy Pausch’s book, “The Last Lecture”, Hunter has brought in an attractive base of 500 readers on his blog and has a good working relationship with a number of successful people throughout the blogosphere.
Interview With Hunter Nuttall.
Q. If, while running a new blog, you were allowed to promote your blog using just two methods, what would those two methods be and why?
“My first preferred method is leaving comments on other blogs. I think the ability to leave comments is one of the best things about blogging. It creates a level of interaction that’s just priceless, and there’s no way I could stop commenting on blogs even if I decided that it wasn’t an effective strategy. Luckily, it turns out to be very effective if done right.
My natural inclination is to comment on my favorite blogs over and over. Unfortunately, this usually doesn’t work too well. And that makes sense, because once the readers of a particular blog know who you are, further exposure to the same people becomes less and less likely to get them to subscribe if they haven’t already. While a few the blogs that I comment on regularly are among my top traffic sources, most of them aren’t.
I think that you get better results when you make an effort to reach out to bloggers who don’t know you. Look over the comments on the blogs you read, and see if there are any names there that you don’t recognize. Pay them a visit and leave a comment, and maybe subscribe to their blog. Now you’ve made a connection with a new person, and that has a very good chance of paying off in one way or another.
I love it when I get to be one of the first people to comment on a new blog, because I remember how important small milestones were to me when I was just starting. When you do this, it’s entirely possible that they’ll subscribe to your blog right away. If not, at least they’ll remember you. Then when they see your name a few more times they might subscribe, and possibly more. Jamie, I doubt I’d be doing this interview if we hadn’t commented on each other’s blog. But we did, and so now I get some exposure to a fresh audience, while you get to take a well-deserved day off from blogging.
My second preferred method is leveraging big blogs. There are different ways of doing this, but the idea is that if you grab just a little bit of attention from a big blog, the payoff can be huge. Here are some examples:
- After blogging for 2 or 3 months, I had finally built up to 20 subscribers. Then IttyBiz linked to my Automatic Blog Post Rehasher, and I instantly shot up to 40 subscribers. What took me 2 or 3 months to do took Naomi just a couple of minutes.
- When I wrote my free ebook The Zen of Blogging, I sent it to Darren Rowse and he linked to it. I had 44 subscribers at the time, which was right before I went on vacation. When I came back, I was shocked to find that I had 205 subscribers. That one link did what would have taken me many months to do otherwise.
- When Skellie gave an open invitation for people to write their trump card post and get a link from her, I was like “OK, that’s a no-brainer.” This resulted in a great post that I otherwise wouldn’t have written, and it got a lot of comments and links.
- Similarly, Steve Pavlina offered to link to people who wrote a “How to Be a Woman” post to complement his post on “How to Be a Man.” This was obviously a challenge for me, but I gave it a shot and it worked. I got great traffic from a great audience.
- Recently, I wrote two posts about why introverts rock. One I posted on my own blog, and one I submitted as a guest post to Pick The Brain. While the one on my own blog was clearly better, the one on Pick The Brain got 1,100 more diggs, by virtue of having a large audience of Digg-savvy readers.
As you can see, there are many different ways of leveraging big blogs, so you just have to keep an eye open for opportunities, and do what you can to create them.”
Q. If you could write a guest post for any blog but were only allowed to write one guest post in your entire life, which blog would you write for and why?
“If I could only write one guest post in my entire life, then I wouldn’t be looking for what would bring me the most traffic in the short term. I’d be trying to get my post in front of the right people, not necessarily the most people. Without a doubt, I’d want to post on Steve Pavlina’s blog.
He doesn’t display his RSS count, so I couldn’t tell you if he has 10,000 subscribers or 100,000. But it doesn’t matter. Judging from his forums, his readers are far smarter on average than those of the other large blogs on similar topics. As Seth Godin says, ‘who vs. how many.’”
Q. At the end of every talk I do, I include a “Random Trick to Tip” slide. This is one sentence of advice, usually entirely unrelated to the rest of the presentation. If you could give one sentence of advice to bloggers, what would that be?
“Don’t sell yourself short. There will be enough other people doing that for you, and you don’t need to help them.
Jamie, when you announced that you were going to be conducting interviews with authoritative bloggers, I said to myself, “Wow, I’d really like to be able to do that. I wish I was an authoritative blogger. Maybe someday…” Then you emailed me, asking me to participate. And then I realized that the only thing that was stopping me from being authoritative was my believing that I wasn’t.”
Q. Please give us a link to your favourite post on your blog. This doesn’t have to be your most popular post. Just the post which is your own favourite.
“There are a few possibilities that come to mind, but I’m going to go with “The Introverts Strike Back”. I’d like to think that it will be the start of liberating 2 billion people from an ignorant stereotype.”
Thanks for taking the time to answer those questions, Hunter. You gave some fantastic answers! 
I hope you enjoyed the interview with Hunter. Please let us hear your thoughts in the comments.
Past Blogger Interviews
Self Interview - Interview with Jamie Harrop
Chris Garrett - Professional blogger and co-author of the ProBlogger book
Jeremy Schoemaker - Blogging “high-earner” and Internet marketer
Liz Strauss - Authority on relational blogging and life motivation
Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) - The absolute authority on blogging, with approximately 50,000 subscribers
Ben Barden - An up and coming blogger with his own unique perspective
Al Carlton - Influential blogger with a 50,000+ subscriber base
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Posted on 19 September, 2008 by Jamie Harrop
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You know, I read through this whole thing and found myself agreeing with everything, and then at the end I realized it was me! Well, not really, but it’s nice to read my own words that I had forgotten. Thanks!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..The Monty Hall Paradox (And The Real Answer)
Haha. Yeah, it’s taken me a while to get it up, hasn’t it? I guess that’s what I get for interviewing so many people.
You gave some fantastic answers, Hunter. Thanks, once again, for putting in the time and effort.
[...] before, the event was organised by Jamie Harrop and the main speaker for the evening was Tim Nash, who presented a fascinating talk about [...]
[...] OK, I had a hard time coming up with a title. Anyway, Jamie Harrop has interviewed me as part of his Blogger Interview Series. Cue SEO anchor text: blog tips make money blogging. [...]
Excellent interview with one of my favorite bloggers. If I could only get one guest post I think I would choose Steve Pavlina as well. The advice on how to leverage bigger blogs is great, and so is the tip on not selling yourself short. I think you could also get the attention of bloggers with well-established blogs by writing something interesting about their work as a whole.
Marelisas last blog post..Dare to Follow Your Dream
Writing something interesting about their work as a whole…so something like an A&E special on an A-lister? That could be really cool!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
“Don’t sell yourself short. There will be enough other people doing that for you, and you don’t need to help them.”
This is a wonderful tip. I am always amazed when people treat me as a prominent blogger. I consider myself a TINY blogger. Still a beginner, really. But to many others, I am not. And I shouldn’t think of myself that way.
Vered - MomGrinds last blog post..A Weekend In Napa: 3 Days, No Internet, No Problem
Vered, from the very beginning I was astonished that you seemed to have been born with a PageRank of 5. You’re way ahead of most bloggers, and maybe you’re just comparing yourself to your favorite A-listers. You’re not a beginner, that’s for sure!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
I’m looking forward to the day when someone answers the one guest post in your entire life question with… Without a doubt, I’d want to post on CreateaBalance.com. Thanks for this morning’s new vision!
And cheers to introverts who appreciate some alone time to re-energize before embracing the world.
Stacey / CreateaBalances last blog post..Bingo! Embracing Money
Stacey, that’s a terrific vision! When it happens, I’ll try to remind you of this comment you wrote back when it was only a vision!
Hi Jamie and Hunter,
Nice interview.
I read Hunter’s blog because he has such a good sense of humor. And obviously he knows about SEO a lot better than I do — and again, he often shows how to think of it in such a funny way.
I like his advice of not to self oneself short. People pick the vibe we send out. When I think I’m good, people think so. It’s fun to think big.
Akemi “spiritual entrepreneur” @ Yes to Mes last blog post..Gratitude Friday, Edition 13, Gratitude And Train For Humanity
Exactly, Akemi–if you think you’re small, people will have to pick up that vibe. You can’t count on anyone thinking more of you than you do of yourself.
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
Thanks for the good tips and featuring Hunter. I have watched his blog from his early days, and he certainly practices what he preaches!
Harmonys last blog post..THE TRIPLE WIN STRATEGY
Thanks, Harmony. I still feel like I’m in my early days though! We’ve always got a lot more ahead of us.
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
Thanks for this great interview, Jamie and Hunter!
The quote that spoke to me the most personally was, “And then I realized that the only thing that was stopping me from being authoritative was my believing that I wasn’t.”
The tips about reaching out to other bloggers in your own field reminded me I must make the time to do so! I found you, Hunter, at Barbara Swafford’s BWAB. It’s nice getting to know you more here.
Jamie, I’m off to read your About page too . . .
Hi, Linda. It’s interesting that I run into BWAB followers all over the place! Yes, it’s really important to reach out to other bloggers. In time, you’ll have enough readers that people will be doing some promotion for you, but first you have to work your way up to that point.
OK, what’s funny here is that I new who Hunter was, but not Jamie until I saw the link on Hunter’s blog. The interwebs is a big place. Great interview, Hunter, I enjoyed reading it. Now I have a bunch more to read, too. Glad to have discovered Jamie’s blog.
Michael Martine aka Remarkabloggers last blog post..Remarkablogger WordPress SEO Teleseminar
Very big, indeed. Somebody should draw a map, with lines indicating who’s connected to whom. But whenever I “discover” a new blog, it seems that 20 of my blogging buddies have known about it for ages. Maybe I’m the only one without a map!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
Uh… ahem. I meant “knew,”
Actually, I think it’s “gnu.”
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
I enjoyed this interview. Thanks for sharing tips that work! Hunter has a great sense of humor and is not afraid to share about what he thinks. I’m sure he’d do well in the blogging world!
Hi, Evelyn. I figured that tips that work are the only tips worth sharing, right? Of course, it’s kind of hard to say what works, because everyone suggests different things. So after we listen to what people are saying, we have to decide which tips will work best for us.
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Best Blogging Interview Of The Century
Nice interview! Hunter has an interesting blog that covers a lot of different topics. Wish I had discovered it sooner. I agree with him, everywhere I go, there are all the people I usually see. Guess I’m slow to catch on.
Trying to “get my post in front of the right people” — that’s what meant the most to me in this interview, although it was fascinating to read about your various methods of getting readers. I’m still trying to figure out who the right people are, but I’m taking my time. After all, the top personal blogger has been at it for seven years already. I figure I’ve got time.
Dot, I’d like to hear how these people manage to be all over the place. It’s crazy, isn’t it? Promotion is the one area I wish would take care of itself. But the reality is that we need to put ourselves out there to be found, at least until we’re superstars!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Win A Copy Of ProBlogger
Jaime and Hunter,
I found references to this interview on Cath’s post today and I have seen Hunter’s comments on BWAB a few times.
I seem to be a slow paced start up but I have been clicking onto a new blog name on others comments at least 3 times a week. I thought this interview was very good and released me of the worry that I just was not doing things correctly to get up and read.
I am doing a number of things just fine. I am getting slowly though the ProBlogger book and have finished Liz’s. I keep getting stuck on things like not being able to access facebook or twitter even though I sign up and attempt to use it…and I have a digg account but spend huge amounts of time not being able to get the articles so I can read them or comment. I am technically stupid and dumb.
I know I will get where I want to go and I believe I have something to offer…but it seems like a smoother process when one knows how to link/hook/interface/ digg/ connect…etc.
I felt encouraged by your interview and style and will continue to read and venture around your blogs….I want you to know that I read every word, because I also believe that you took the time to share it and write it and I need to take the time to read it. Thank you for this good post and information.
Patricias last blog post..Kindle From Amazon.com
Patricia, it’s very normal to get stuck on lots of things. I remember being overwhelmed with just trying to get my blog up and running, let alone learning everything you have to do. The important thing is just to keep going, and you’ll eventually figure everything out.
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Win A Copy Of ProBlogger
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[...] before, the event was organised by Jamie Harrop and the main speaker for the evening was Tim Nash, who presented a fascinating talk about [...]
Cool interview. Commenting is so fundamental and never goes out of style. It also makes sense; if you read the post why not take a minute and let the author know what you think? Another option would be social networking which encompassed as many networks as you could find.
Bloggeriess last blog post..Wordpress Theme - Themey
Commenting never goes out of style - I like that!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Why The Financial Crisis Will Be Harmless, Until It Kills Us All
I really enjoyed this interview! What I like about Hunter and his writing is that he has his feet on the ground, his goals in the sky, and his heart in the right place.
Sara at On Simplicitys last blog post..Weekly Links: No Excuses Edition
Well Sara, it sounds like all my body parts and whatnot are where they should be! Much better than head in the clouds, heart in the wallet, and goals in the toilet, which is unfortunately the case for some people!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..I Am Problogger, Hear Me Roar
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