Smart Blogger
Smart Blogger is a bootstrapped content and education platform that publishes free writing and blogging guides while selling paid digital courses to individual writers, bloggers, and content creators via its owned website.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Smart Blogger does
Smart Blogger (legally Boost Blog Traffic, Inc.) is a privately held, bootstrapped content and education platform based in Austin, Texas, founded in 2012 and operated by founder Jon Morrow and Editor-in-Chief Kevin J. Duncan. The company publishes free editorial content on writing techniques, literary devices, power words, writing styles, SEO content writing, freelance writing, and blogging monetization, claiming more than 100k email subscribers and millions of monthly readers. Its core technology is a WordPress-based content publishing platform with third-party payment (PayPal, Infusionsoft, PowerPay), email, and analytics integrations; there is no proprietary platform layer or AI infrastructure.
The company monetizes through three streams: (1) sales of paid digital courses including Content Marketing Certification, Content Marketing Certification 5K Coaching Program, Freedom Machine, Serious Bloggers Only, Guest Blogging, Writer's Recipe Box, Freelance Writer's Toolkit, and Become a Writing Machine, sold either as one-time purchases or structured payment plans with a 14-day discretionary refund window; (2) affiliate referral commissions on recommended third-party products such as web hosting (SiteGround); and (3) newsletter-driven promotional communications. Free resources include the Headline Hacks cheat sheet (a lead magnet) and The Jon Morrow Show podcast.
Smart Blogger serves a horizontal segment of individual writers, bloggers, content creators, and entrepreneur-marketers, primarily through a content-led growth motion: SEO-optimized articles and earned media features on Copyblogger, Digital Marketer, Neil Patel, and Ahrefs drive top-of-funnel traffic that converts via email capture and direct-to-consumer course sales on smartblogger.com. The company has no disclosed external funding, no subsidiaries, and no public ticker.
Smart Blogger firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smart Blogger
- Legal name
- Boost Blog Traffic, Inc.
- Website
- https://smartblogger.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Smart Blogger is a bootstrapped content and education platform that publishes free writing and blogging guides while selling paid digital courses to individual writers, bloggers, and content creators via its owned website.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smart Blogger industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Writing and Blogging Education
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Blogging & Website Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Email Marketing + Newsletter Publishing Suites (MPACAIAE), Online Article & Blog Publishing Platforms (MPAJAMAF), Creator Monetization Tools (Subscriptions, Tips, Merch) (BPAMALAH)
Where Smart Blogger is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smart Blogger business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Affiliate Marketing: Smart Blogger earns commissions by recommending third-party products and services through affiliate links. When readers purchase products via their links, the company receives a commission from the vendor. Commissions can be one-time or recurring (for subscription services). Products are only recommended if they've been personally used or come highly recommended by trusted peers.
- Digital Courses and Products: The company sells digital educational products including Content Marketing Certification, Content Marketing Certification 5K Coaching Program, Freedom Machine, Serious Bloggers Only, Guest Blogging, Writer's Recipe Box, Freelance Writer's Toolkit, and Become a Writing Machine. Products include payment plan options with legally binding agreements once first payment is received.
- Newsletter/Subscriptions: The company maintains an email list of over 100k subscribers, using it for newsletter distribution and promotional communications about products and services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital Products - Standard |
| Subscription | Monthly | Payment Plans |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Smart Blogger product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smart Blogger operates a content and education platform for writers, bloggers, and content creators, combining a free editorial library of articles and guides on writing, SEO content, freelancing, and blog monetization with a paid catalog of digital courses and coaching programs (Content Marketing Certification, Freedom Machine, Serious Bloggers Only, Guest Blogging, Writer's Recipe Box, Freelance Writer's Toolkit, Become a Writing Machine, and a 5K Coaching Program). It supplements course sales with affiliate commissions on recommended third-party products and a paid 24/7 Chat Support add-on, distributed directly through smartblogger.com.
Product overview
Smart Blogger operates as a content and education platform for writers and bloggers, combining a free content library with paid digital courses. The free tier includes blog posts, articles, and guides on writing techniques (17 writing techniques), literary devices, power words (317 words), writing styles, and SEO content writing, plus the Headline Hacks free cheat sheet and The Jon Morrow Show podcast. The paid offerings consist of multiple online courses including Content Marketing Certification, Content Marketing Certification 5K Coaching Program, Freedom Machine, Serious Bloggers Only, Guest Blogging, Writer's Recipe Box, Freelance Writer's Toolkit, and Become a Writing Machine. Additionally, 24/7 Chat Support is offered as a premium add-on. The platform is operated by Boost Blog Traffic, Inc. and positions itself as one of the world's oldest and largest websites dedicated to writing, blogging, and building an audience online, with over 100k subscribers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Content Marketing Certification
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $15 million in blog revenue generated by founder Jon Morrow
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Smart Blogger
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Smart Blogger technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Smart Blogger partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Smart Blogger competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Copyblogger: Pioneer in content marketing education for writers and bloggers. Operates a similar model combining editorial content with paid digital products, targeting an overlapping audience of professional writers and content marketers.
- ProBlogger: Long-running blog and training platform focused on professional blogging and making money online. Directly comparable in audience (aspiring bloggers, freelance writers) and product mix (courses, ebooks, paid memberships).
- Backlinko: SEO and content marketing education brand built around Brian Dean's authority. Competes for the same top-of-funnel search audience and sells digital courses targeting bloggers and content creators.
- Digital Marketer: HubSpot-adjacent digital marketing education platform offering courses, certifications, and community for marketers. Overlaps with Smart Blogger's Content Marketing Certification product line and content marketing audience.
- Content Marketing Institute: Industry-focused content marketing education and events company. Publishes content and runs paid training programs targeted at content marketers — overlapping substantially with Smart Blogger's professional creator audience.
- Income School: YouTube-led blogging education business offering the Project 24 course. Targets the same niche of aspiring bloggers seeking to build and monetize content sites, with comparable course pricing and audience overlap.
- Blog Tyrant: Long-running niche blog focused on how to start and grow a profitable blog. Operates a similar content-plus-product model and serves an overlapping audience of new and intermediate bloggers.
Broad incumbents
- Neil Patel: Personal-brand digital marketing education platform with a large blog, podcast, and free tools (Ubersuggest). Operates at greater scale with adjacent but broader scope (SEO, paid media, conversion) compared to Smart Blogger's writing-centric focus.
- Ahrefs Blog: Content marketing arm of Ahrefs, the SEO software company. Publishes authoritative content marketing and SEO tutorials, monetizing indirectly via the parent SaaS platform rather than courses — but competes for the same organic search and audience.
- HubSpot Academy: Free certification and course platform operated by HubSpot. Directly competes in content marketing and inbound marketing education at scale, backed by HubSpot's software ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smart Blogger social profiles
Digital presenceSmart Blogger financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smart Blogger leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Smart Blogger funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smart Blogger M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smart Blogger
What does Smart Blogger do?
Smart Blogger operates a content and education platform for writers, bloggers, and content creators, combining a free editorial library of articles and guides on writing, SEO content, freelancing, and blog monetization with a paid catalog of digital courses and coaching programs (Content Marketing Certification, Freedom Machine, Serious Bloggers Only, Guest Blogging, Writer's Recipe Box, Freelance Writer's Toolkit, Become a Writing Machine, and a 5K Coaching Program). It supplements course sales with affiliate commissions on recommended third-party products and a paid 24/7 Chat Support add-on, distributed directly through smartblogger.com.
Is Smart Blogger a public or private company?
Smart Blogger is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Smart Blogger founded?
Smart Blogger was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Smart Blogger based?
Smart Blogger is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smart Blogger make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Affiliate Marketing is the primary driver. The others are digital Courses and Products and newsletter/Subscriptions.
Who are Smart Blogger's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Copyblogger, ProBlogger, Backlinko, Digital Marketer, Content Marketing Institute, Income School and Blog Tyrant. Broad incumbents are Neil Patel, Ahrefs Blog and HubSpot Academy.
Does Smart Blogger have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smart Blogger.
What industry is Smart Blogger in?
Smart Blogger's product category is Writing and Blogging Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAIAB, Blogging & Website Publishing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPACAIAE, Email Marketing + Newsletter Publishing Suites. Its SIC code is 2721.