Captain Crunch Michael Arrington's TechCrunch empire turned one last week.

It still sucks. But that really doesn't matter.



In case you don't know, TechCrunch is a site which reviews new Web 2.0 offerings. Like all things geeky, the web has embraced the site making it one of the most popular in the blogosphere.

Let's forget about the fact that the one doing the reviewing thought Edgeio was a good idea.

Let's forget about the fact that Mike's reviews are sometimes wrong.

Let's look at something else.

Let's examine how you can build a site just as influential.

I read Steve Rubel's advice on creating another Techcrunch:

a) identify a high interest topic online that currently does not have a blog tracking it, b) write about it very actively and do it well and c) don't be afraid to promote it.

True but kind of weak.

TechCrunch's success has nothing to do with Captain Crunch Arrington. It has everything to do with tech people.

If you are writing exclusively about my industry, I will probably read it.

If you are writing about me, I will definitely read it.

I don't care how horrible your writing is, or how wrong headed your opinions are, you can get people reading your stuff if you are writing about them.

If you want to build the next TechCrunch of your industry, here is what you really need to do.

Pick a topic (It does not matter how crowded the market is)

Let's use as an example something as mundane as Brick Manufacturing.

Set yourself a few alerts for news about every brick manufacture.

Grab every PR release.

And start blogging.(write about it actively and do it well (they won't really care)

But here's the key.

You're not writing about bricks.

You are hardly writing about the brick industry.

You write about the people.

The presidents and vice presidents. The sales people. The drivers.

Make them stars.

The problems and controversies in brick.

Make it important.



Promote the hell out of it to brick people. They are not hiding.

In 90 days you will probably be one of the most influential people in the United States brick industry. Really.

And then you can put out a Japanese version.

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