Comments on: Why do Designers Blog? http://www.pushingsnowballs.com/marketing-tactics/why-do-designers-blog/ Marketing for Creative Businesses Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:19:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Chris Spooner http://www.pushingsnowballs.com/marketing-tactics/why-do-designers-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Chris Spooner Mon, 11 May 2009 17:23:17 +0000 http://www.pushingsnowballs.com/?p=70#comment-11 Interesting question. Your explanation fits more or less correct with my views: Rather than write articles that are aimed at the client, I post content that I'm passionate about, which is important to continuously develop a blog without losing interest. While it is a great marketing tool the core reason behind it has to be that it's something you enjoy doing, otherwise you'll never put the effort in. My blog tends to attract the more enjoyable work than my main portfolio site. This includes your everyday client, but also covers working with developers, bloggers and freelancers who understand the industry. This often avoids the usual face-palm scenarios of your traditional non-tech client and gives lots of opportunities for cutting edge work. For instance, designing a site for a posh new web app as opposed to a site for Big Joe's Fishing Tackle (who wants animated gifs and suitable for 800x600/IE5.5) Overall, blogging has helped me develop my design skills, research into new areas, network with fellow designers from around the world, work on some exciting projects and make a decent revenue along the way. The main tip from me would be to write about what you love, not what should be produced in theory. I would be bored in a couple of weeks writing about shopping cart abandonment or corporate graphic standards :-) Interesting question. Your explanation fits more or less correct with my views:

Rather than write articles that are aimed at the client, I post content that I’m passionate about, which is important to continuously develop a blog without losing interest. While it is a great marketing tool the core reason behind it has to be that it’s something you enjoy doing, otherwise you’ll never put the effort in.

My blog tends to attract the more enjoyable work than my main portfolio site. This includes your everyday client, but also covers working with developers, bloggers and freelancers who understand the industry. This often avoids the usual face-palm scenarios of your traditional non-tech client and gives lots of opportunities for cutting edge work. For instance, designing a site for a posh new web app as opposed to a site for Big Joe’s Fishing Tackle (who wants animated gifs and suitable for 800×600/IE5.5)

Overall, blogging has helped me develop my design skills, research into new areas, network with fellow designers from around the world, work on some exciting projects and make a decent revenue along the way.

The main tip from me would be to write about what you love, not what should be produced in theory. I would be bored in a couple of weeks writing about shopping cart abandonment or corporate graphic standards :-)

]]> By: nick http://www.pushingsnowballs.com/marketing-tactics/why-do-designers-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-10 nick Mon, 11 May 2009 17:22:50 +0000 http://www.pushingsnowballs.com/?p=70#comment-10 I've often wondered about this same topic, and I've been trying to implement this strategy on my new blog. Mostly simple, quick articles - maybe 500-700 words. They're often even similar topics as you'd see on many design blogs. For example, I just wrote about two common logo mistakes - but I'm trying to present that to my potential clients rather than to other designers. The other articles I run are primarily about my work or about things that inspire me directly - again, to try and give potential clients a little more understanding about how I work and what I do. Having just started my business, I've only been at the blogging thing for a week now, so I have no idea whether or not it's going to be a successful strategy. I can say that the response has been positive so far, but I still have a long way to go. I’ve often wondered about this same topic, and I’ve been trying to implement this strategy on my new blog. Mostly simple, quick articles – maybe 500-700 words. They’re often even similar topics as you’d see on many design blogs. For example, I just wrote about two common logo mistakes – but I’m trying to present that to my potential clients rather than to other designers. The other articles I run are primarily about my work or about things that inspire me directly – again, to try and give potential clients a little more understanding about how I work and what I do.

Having just started my business, I’ve only been at the blogging thing for a week now, so I have no idea whether or not it’s going to be a successful strategy. I can say that the response has been positive so far, but I still have a long way to go.

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