SeedySteve
Member
If you run a blog - where do you look for inspiration for your post, and how frequently is best?
Blog Inspiriation
- Thread starter SeedySteve
- Start date
martyvibe
Junior Member
I've always toyed with the idea of making my own blog, highlighting illustration, typography, urban art, street art and graphic art in one place. One day I'll actually bother to start something. If I was running it now though I'd update it frequently, so it's not left untouched for any longer than say...three or four days.
I get countless inspiration from Pinterest, Behance, Fffound, YouTube, basically all the portfolio/scrapbooking sites. Also, a book review every now and then is a good idea I find.
I get countless inspiration from Pinterest, Behance, Fffound, YouTube, basically all the portfolio/scrapbooking sites. Also, a book review every now and then is a good idea I find.
T
Tony Hardy
Guest
I always feel quite inspired. I write about things that are happing, things I'm interested in and things that I think my readers will be interested in. I always have a quick Google too and see what my chances of getting some sort of SEO rank for the page will be too.
There are loads of things to consider when it comes to blogging.
If you're talking about getting inspired for design related blogs, then there are a ton of sites you can visit. Creative Review, Design Week, David Airey, I'm Just Creative, Abduzeedo, Where Cool Things Happen. Loads of stuff, but, you don't want to go ripping off a lot of other content ideas. And if you do, you want to put a unique spin on things.
When blogging too, remember that posts over 1000 words are more likely to engage the viewer. It's no good to simply say "these pictures are nice, have a look" - I've done that a few times when I've been pushed to get a new post out, but, it hasn't worked the way some of my longer posts work.
For a solid 1000 word post I like to try and set aside 3-4 hours, giving me enough time to collate research from different sources, get a rough draft together, finalise it all and then link it/source images for it.
Once you're done with your post it's also a really good idea to get it shared on as many social media sources as you can. Sometimes frequently throughout the same day. Also think about your target market for launching. If you're aiming it at UK based housewives, sometime during the day would be good, maybe mid-morning-mid-afternoon. Yesterday I launched a post about the NFL logo designs and how they change so often, then realised a lot of my potential readers wouldn't be online. So, to counter that I had to schedule some tweets for late last night when there would be some potential American viewers on Twitter.
Blogging is a mix of science and art. Also a mix of fact and opinion. You can get a bit more opinionated with your posts and be a bit less formal than the rest of your website. One thing I've found is that the things that call people out (see my article about Grainger Games) tend to get the most social shares, most comments and raise a few heckles. Now, this could be a bad thing or a good thing, depending how you manage it. Somebody said my article was crap, I went on Twitter and berated them. This reflected bad on my company and they stopped visiting my blog. You live and learn.
Just be careful to only put out things you believe in as "what goes online, stays online" and the chances are, you're going to get called upon to defend your position on things. If you don't believe in what you're saying, you'll not come off as credible, and that's never a good thing.
Blogging frequency is also something to consider. Some people post every day, week, month or whatever. However, whatever it is (I do a couple of times a week), make sure you stick to a schedule as people will be coming back and they want to know when they can access your new content!
I think that about wraps up some of my thoughts on blogging. Never stop being inspired. Always carry a notebook, and every time you have an idea, get it noted down and spend some time pouring your thought into it. People don't want the same old recycled garbage. Also, blogging about popular companies, topics (Disney, Coca Cola) etc always raises a few smiles and gets people engaging with you!
There are loads of things to consider when it comes to blogging.
If you're talking about getting inspired for design related blogs, then there are a ton of sites you can visit. Creative Review, Design Week, David Airey, I'm Just Creative, Abduzeedo, Where Cool Things Happen. Loads of stuff, but, you don't want to go ripping off a lot of other content ideas. And if you do, you want to put a unique spin on things.
When blogging too, remember that posts over 1000 words are more likely to engage the viewer. It's no good to simply say "these pictures are nice, have a look" - I've done that a few times when I've been pushed to get a new post out, but, it hasn't worked the way some of my longer posts work.
For a solid 1000 word post I like to try and set aside 3-4 hours, giving me enough time to collate research from different sources, get a rough draft together, finalise it all and then link it/source images for it.
Once you're done with your post it's also a really good idea to get it shared on as many social media sources as you can. Sometimes frequently throughout the same day. Also think about your target market for launching. If you're aiming it at UK based housewives, sometime during the day would be good, maybe mid-morning-mid-afternoon. Yesterday I launched a post about the NFL logo designs and how they change so often, then realised a lot of my potential readers wouldn't be online. So, to counter that I had to schedule some tweets for late last night when there would be some potential American viewers on Twitter.
Blogging is a mix of science and art. Also a mix of fact and opinion. You can get a bit more opinionated with your posts and be a bit less formal than the rest of your website. One thing I've found is that the things that call people out (see my article about Grainger Games) tend to get the most social shares, most comments and raise a few heckles. Now, this could be a bad thing or a good thing, depending how you manage it. Somebody said my article was crap, I went on Twitter and berated them. This reflected bad on my company and they stopped visiting my blog. You live and learn.
Just be careful to only put out things you believe in as "what goes online, stays online" and the chances are, you're going to get called upon to defend your position on things. If you don't believe in what you're saying, you'll not come off as credible, and that's never a good thing.
Blogging frequency is also something to consider. Some people post every day, week, month or whatever. However, whatever it is (I do a couple of times a week), make sure you stick to a schedule as people will be coming back and they want to know when they can access your new content!
I think that about wraps up some of my thoughts on blogging. Never stop being inspired. Always carry a notebook, and every time you have an idea, get it noted down and spend some time pouring your thought into it. People don't want the same old recycled garbage. Also, blogging about popular companies, topics (Disney, Coca Cola) etc always raises a few smiles and gets people engaging with you!
SeedySteve
Member
Cheers Tony. Nice response.
Yeah, I found that I was thinking about it a bit too much so I just got on with it, and ended up with a post on blogging. I'm not unhappy with it as a starter, but know that I need to keep on top if it.
I wondered about how the tone of the posts would need to be, so I'm happy that you've said that you're a little more relaxed in relation to the rest of your site, as that's how I'd envisioned mine.
I was working nighthshift the other night and noticed your NFL post through the night - haha - I was thinking "what's he doing up at this hour?"
Yeah, I found that I was thinking about it a bit too much so I just got on with it, and ended up with a post on blogging. I'm not unhappy with it as a starter, but know that I need to keep on top if it.
I wondered about how the tone of the posts would need to be, so I'm happy that you've said that you're a little more relaxed in relation to the rest of your site, as that's how I'd envisioned mine.
I was working nighthshift the other night and noticed your NFL post through the night - haha - I was thinking "what's he doing up at this hour?"
T
Tony Hardy
Guest
Haha, it was my robot butler Jeeves!SteveThomps said: