This Dad Does has been going for 6 months.

‘Hey wait, didn’t you launch the site at the end of November 2015’ – yes but in the two and a half months up to that I was working away:

  • Writing great content for Dads
  • Recording a series of YouTube videos
  • Building my social media presence and brand awareness
  • Learning all I could about running a website like This Dad Does

When launch date came you were presented with a product that wasn’t brand new. There were already articles and posts that you could get your teeth into. Some of these are still my most read posts. Others are a little bit more niche.

But why even start a website for Dads in the first place? Keep reading and I’ll tell you.

Most Dad Blogs are Garbage

‘Most’ is quite a generous term. 99% of Dad blogs are utterly worthless. That doesn’t make such a good heading though.

There are exceptions. For example, US based Dad Mark Bravio has a great site for divorced Dads and single fathers. Dean Abbott has great insight into family life.

There are several hundred ‘Dad Blogs’ in the UK alone.

Most are filled with the most pathetic and pointless drivel you could imagine.

I could close my eyes and be reading a blog for mums. There’s almost no perceptible difference.

Others are so crammed with advertising banners, product endorsements and ‘giveaways’, there’s no room for anything of real value for the reader.

Some of these blogs are well written.

In the same way that my 3 year old son’s pictures are well drawn. Good if you want something to stick on the wall.

Not so good in a fine art auction.

Dad Blogs are Only Read by Mums and Other Bloggers

Yes, you read that right. Recently I read a tweet from someone asking why Dad Blogs struggle to get traffic when the most woeful Mummy Blogs pick up viewers like my kids pick up viruses.

Here’s your answer: Because ordinary Dads are not reading Dad blogs. For the reason why, see above.

I say ‘ordinary’ because Dad blogs are read by Dads who also run their own blogs.

How do I know this?

Because when I started out, most of my interest and traffic came from Mums – almost 70% for the main site, and 60% for my YouTube channel.

On Twitter, mediocre Dad bloggers will quite happily promote and share other mediocre dad blogs.

Thankfully this balance is shifting where the majority of my readers are male and other Dad bloggers generally stay away.

If you’re a Dad Blogger reading this and disagree, great.

Send your army of non-blogging Dad fans over to my site and ask them to leave a comment in support of you.

(If I get more than 250 comments, I’ll delete this post)

mountain top achieve success

This Dad Does is the best Dad Blog I’ve Read

If you’re a Dad blogger and you got this far, you’re probably pretty offended.

If you think I’m writing about your own personal website, you’re right.

I am.

I don’t read your site.

I don’t read your site because it’s a load of whiny garbage.

And that’s why other Dads don’t read your site – because they think it’s garbage too.

I don’t care about your unnamed toddler’s illness, the fact that you had a ‘great trip out to Deep Sea World’ (paid for by a PR firm) or that this mattress/cot/feeding chair/shoes for fat people is like totally the best thing you’ve ever tried (please buy it).

This Dad Does is different.

Because it’s a website for Dads.

It’s not a parenting website, or a ‘Stay and Home Dad’ website. It’s a website for Dads. The best website for Dads.

Because it’s for Dads who want to be better. Who want to do more, achieve more and be the strong role models they aspire to be. Any Dad looking for how to be a better Dad is going to read this site, not yours.

I saw that need going unfulfilled. So I started the site.

That’s because This Dad Does doesn’t just give you the how, it gives you the why and the when as well. It’s 100% from my experience and the experience of others.

No PR companies have been anywhere near this website. I don’t sell ads and I own the site and everything on it. Almost all of the photos are by me or of me (sometimes both). Want to sponsor a post? Tough. I don’t do that.

I had some help from Victor Pride at BADNET setting the site up in its current form. Otherwise, it’s all me.

Products that I endorse are there for a reason: because I personally use or believe in the quality and usefulness of the product: 

Muc-off cleans the crap off your pram.

The JACS baby carrier is the best baby carrier I own.

RunningBuggies.com is a great site run by someone passionate about their business.

A leading supplement brand recently approached me looking for promotion on the site. I told them to take a hike. I don’t use their products or even think they’re a trustworthy brand. So no, I won’t sell your stuff. Plus I’m pretty fussy about where I buy my protein.

Don’t Cry but I’m Taking Your Traffic

‘I thought you said Dads don’t read my site’.

They don’t.

But at least now you know why. You’re welcome by the way. If you want advice on how to write for Dads, send me an email or direct message.

While your site traffic and engagement is stagnant, mine is booming. And has been from launch date.

My social media stats are through the roof. I’ve got lists of draft posts and potential collaborations and I’ve got guest posts coming by top writers and published authors. I’ve got a new relationship with a supplement distributor and more in the pipeline for the next six months. I’ve not even been at this a year.

So here’s to six months blogging. It’s been a blast and I’ve learned lots and had help from so many people. I appreciate it and hope that one day I can return the favours I owe.

 

-Neil

About Neil M White

Neil has been writing for a number of years. He has worked as a freelance writer both in the UK and internationally and has worked on a number of high profile media projects. Neil spends his spare time hiking, in the gym or hanging out with his family.

16 comments add your comment

    • Hi Mike. I had a look at your blog (thanks for adding me to your blog roll).

      It looks like you have a good niche going there. I guess there aren’t too many single male adopters out there. I enjoyed the posts about smoking.

      Have you ever thought about self-hosting? You have a lot more control over your site and what’s on it than going for free hosting through WordPress.com. I switched after just a few months (with BADNET.com) and would highly recommend it.

  1. Hi, Neil. Glad you speak your mind. You’re like the Dave Ramsay of blogs. If I can make it to the end of your cynical rant, I will probably learn something valuable. 🙂

    You obviously understand your niche, and I would be glad to learn a thing or two from you. It’s hard to get MEN to engage online, I’m finding, dads or otherwise. Even if my readership is mostly other dadbloggers at the moment, it’s refreshing to see many other dads having similar struggles. On the other hand, it’s infuriating to see other other dadbloggers scalping others’ wares unapologetically, no longer writing original content, but just “dribbly” product reviews, as you noted above. So I think I’m with you on most of this, regardless of the brusque packaging.

    I know you’re busy. But if you have the time, I would appreciate any feedback you have on my site. It’s got the same stated goal as yours, and I own it myself, just like you. I have picked up some private donors, but no sponsors. I’m afraid I’d have to sell my soul to get those. Not interested in losing my own voice or opinion just to get a check. Again, I’m here to learn if you’re willing to teach!

    • Chris, thanks for commenting. I had to Google Dave Ramsey, but I’ll take that as a compliment!

      The fact that men are not engaged online readers means there isn’t enough for them to read. I read a lot of sites like Danger and Play, Bold and Determined, Timo Fischer and InstinctualIntrovert.com. That’s where I come in – producing content that men, and Dads in particular, actually want to read.

      One of the biggest compliments I get goes something like this: ‘I’m not even a Dad, and I enjoy reading your site’.

      I’ll have a look at your site but from what you’ve written it sounds like you’re on the right tracks. Keep producing quality pots that people want to read and you’re already ahead of 99% of Dad Bloggers.

  2. Neil

    First, let me say I agree.
    Underneath it all, we just want more traffic.
    Can you elaborate on you plan to maximize views?
    Keep in mind, I’m only getting a few thousand per post.
    Your blog looks very clean, what theme do you use?
    Out of all the dad blogs you disparaged in the post above, which is the worst?
    Unbelievable that people would think they can be on your level.

    • Thanks Ralph. I’m not so focused on site traffic. I’d rather help other Dads by sharing my experiences and saying what has worked (or hasn’t) for me and my life. The theme is Hiero (I think).

  3. 6 YT subscribers, 9 FB likes, almost 1000 Twits and 200 IGrs. That is most definitely “through the roof.” You go boi. You’re killing it bro!

  4. Meh. Insulting other bloggers is an old trick and sometimes it works. Most blogs fail within the first 90 days and a big portion fall within a year.

    You haven’t been around long enough to prove that you have the chops to keep going and the content doesn’t look like it is any different from what we can find a 1000 other places.

    Hell you haven’t even been a father long enough to have learned the real tricks, but keep going.

    With a little work you’ll be able to say nothing like you did in this post in half the words. 🙂

  5. I think your beef with a lot of blogs (dad, mom or any passion oriented blog) is that many have been taken over by sponsored content and promotional nonsense. I agree with you that’s why I too don’t take any paid opportunities: http://sustainabledad.com/?page_id=2476. As a reader, you want content that is objective, interesting and not clouded by a writer simply looking for the next sponsored gig with a brand. A person’s writing suffers when all they are is shilling for the next paid promotion. I completely agree. But instead of trashing one group of bloggers – dads – you really should trash bloggers who simply spit out PR approved garbage so they can get a couple hundred bucks a post. That happens with food bloggers, mom bloggers, fashion bloggers, etc…

    • Thanks for your comment Chris and glad to see you get it. Also great to see that we share the same values (I checked out your blog btw – it looks great. I’ll need to bookmark it for later). The whole sponsored post/promotional garbage winds me up. It used to confuse me but now I’m on the ‘inside’ I see it more and more.

      Maybe I’ll do follow up posts on food bloggers, fashion bloggers etc….

  6. Neil…

    “Products that I endorse are there for a reason: because I personally use or believe in the quality and usefulness of the product”

    But you do have affiliate links- So you are still earning from your site. What’s the different from working with a PR on a campaign you believe in or a product you would actually spend your own money on?.

    I hate seeing link heavy or ego/brand driven puff pieces that are only there because someone has chucked £50 quid at it. I wouldn’t read it, so I don’t publish it.

    I actually agree with some of what lot what you say, but I don’t really think its necessary to badmouth people in such an obvious ‘look at me’ way. Frankly it’s a bit tacky.

    Anyway, old son I hope you enjoy watching the traffic spikes.

    TTFN,

    • Hi Dan, thanks for commenting. Yes you’re right, those brand driven pieces are one of the things I hate about blogs in general, not just Dad Blogs. They end up just being long winded ads that don’t deliver any benefit for the reader.

    • Thanks Nabeel. I did write it with a smile on my face but there is a serious point to the article too. So many of the ‘Dad Blogs’ I critique in this post a really just elaborate advertising sites to sell you baby stuff or fronts for liberal ideology. I don’t buy either and judging by my traffic and engagement levels, neither do a lot of Dads!

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