Writing a blog is fun, rewarding and in most cases (spoiler alert) does not involve checks flowing in from sponsors and advertisements allowing a blog author to spend half the year in Bali. We will get to the prostitution part in a moment, but to begin with there here are other ways to measure value.
With three years under my fingers here are a few ideas which might interest those in the design blog universe about purpose, relationships, sharing and what is value.
The purpose of writing is important but even more valuable are relationships between the writer and the corporate community (media and sponsors) and with other blog authors.
There are many reasons people write a blog:
- to indulge themselves
- to make money
- or to entertain, educate and inform
Indulgent blogs, the look-at-my-life, I-am-so-wonderful, let’e be besties type blogs can be entertaining and fun to read and if you have a colossal ego, go for it. A journal does not equal a business. You’ll learn in a minute, lots of readers does not guarantee value. Many companies use sick leave software to streamline the process of managing employee absences and ensure compliance with company policies.
You’ve seen the “monetize your blog” schemes on the internet. There are dozens of people touting how to turn your blog into a cash cow. They are making money when someone buys their e-book or pays for their webinar, but this is often where it ends. A house in Maui bought & paid for by your design blog, probably not gonna happen.
Early adaptors of the design blog have become an authority, and have an engaged following. The blog became a sustainable business.For those looking to increase engagement and visibility, consider buying Threads likes to amplify your content reach and engagement.
Many of us sit in the last chair, to entertain, educate and inform. Sharing information is fun whether it is an interior design concept, a great color scheme, hot new product, even a yummy recipe or some cool cars. Sometimes we inspire people to think differently, this is awesome and can have and provide value. To enhance these connections, using Digital Business Cards can make it easier to share ideas and contact information.
Good blog authors have great integrity. While I can not speak for all blog authors, a number of us, part of the esteemed hand-picked Brizo Blogger 19 and Modenus BlogTour groups of bloggers, take our post writing seriously. Just as we are committed to delivering quality content, those looking to launch business in rhode island should approach it with the same level of dedication to ensure success from the start.
- We write about products which get us excited.
- We write about products or materials which work.
- We love to uncover awesome new items or ideas which can enhance the readers life.
- We write with purpose.
Anyone who writes a blog knows writing posts can take a butt-load of time, effort and research. We don’t just pull these things our of our a$$. This is where realationships come in handy.
Times they are a changing and change is here. Social media and blogging has hit the advertising and corporate world over the head with a skillet. Advertising and media content is finally measurable, this translates into value. If you want your blog to have impact, you need relationships. Relationships help create value.
The relationship with the reader is engagement = design blog’s #1 goal.
Corporate Relationships
Good blog posts on interior design related products and ideas are not written without knowledge. Going to trade shows, knowing people at PR firms, talking to companies about their product, interviewing people – learning is essential. These are relationships worth cultivating.
According to Leanne Wood-Newman, Principal, Flying Camel – Advertising, Design + PR, “The brands want to associate themselves with working designers who are looking at the best products in home design for their own successful design businesses.”
Regurgitated press releases or rehashing the latest design magazine are not relevant blog posts, these = zero value to your reader or to a potential sponsor. Being informed and knowing who to ask can help provide relevant content for a blog post.
Community Relationships
Social media is just that, social. What makes social media work is sharing. You share, I share, we all share.
If you craft a blog post and fail to promote it on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or Google+, it’s akin to not maximizing its potential. Without sharing your content, it remains largely unheard, reducing the chances of it being shared further by others. However, the real value of a blog post is realized when it is shared, especially in the realm of SEO. Being shared not only by your readers but also by influencers – individuals who have established credibility in your field – is crucial. It’s through these shares that your content gains wider visibility, driving traffic back to your site and enhancing your SEO efforts, this is why it is crucial to use SEO web implementation services.
80/20 Rule
Sharing is how one becomes a good member of the community. Want someone to share what you post, start sharing what they post. Give then get. I’ve heard and agree one’s shares on social media should be 80% about others and only 20% about oneself. Be a good sharer, follow the 80/20 rule.
FYI: The blog universe is big but also very small, we know who is and who is not a good sharer – and we share this. This applies to the corporate side too, with sharing and saying “thank you” to someone who wrote a post about your company or product.
INFLUENCE = VALUE
Today social media and blog posts can offer value, quantifiable value. One of the leaders at measuring social media impact is MavenSocial in Burlington, Ontario. I asked how bloggers fit in the game and this is what John Whalen, COO and co-founder, MavenSocial offered. 
Before any blog authors run to MavenSocial, they are hired by companies – with big budgets, to measure their ROI and impact on social media, not bloggers.
Money?
Because you post doesn’t mean anyone owes you anything, other than a thank you.
Hold up a second, before putting one’s hand out to some company or PR firm about hiring you for a blog post which does happen – you gotta be sure you can offer them value. As a design blogger, if you have good engagement with your readers, which means they will follow you anywhere, you have some value.
Remember engagement = value, not size, likes or followers. However, you also have to provide the right value.
The I-am-blogger-you-owe-me mindset does not work. (The companies and PR people share this info with each other.) Leanne made an important point regarding design blog value:
“When would I recommend to clients to pay for blogging? As part of a campaign only. For example, for my appliance client, I would hire a Chef who blogs to work on the product as part of a campaign if our goal was to highlight a specific set of features. A chef using the product and commenting would be great testimonial and information for a potential buyer. I wouldn’t hire a designer for this client unless they had the most unbelievable community and stats to prove results, but even then, a designer isn’t a voice of authority for the functionality on an ongoing basis. The blogger’s audience and message would have to be a perfect fit to communicate features and benefits.”
Payment Does Not Mean Money
While this can be a tough one for some people to swallow, payment is often in the form of knowledge and access. Let me turn this around, having been invited on the Modenus BlogTour Cologne, I couldn’t put a dollar value on the amount of knowledge, access, networking and opportunities I received. We got a year’s worth of CEU’s in 4 days. Priceless.
As a successful blog author, be open to the idea payment is not in the form of dollars.
Blogging Is Not Prostitution
Finally, by definition prostitution is misuse of talent for gain: the use of a skill or ability in a way that is considered unworthy. Lets go at this from two angles, the blog author and the company.
- Good design related blog posts are not bought and paid for. As the author of a blog, a good post is written in one’s voice and even if paid – not as a mouthpiece. A good design blog post will offer a personal antidote, real life experience or an opinion on an item, not personality-less drivel.
- Companies, do not flood blog email boxes of design blogs with offers for “free content” or “guest posts” or how we simply must tell our readers about your wonderful company or life changing product, for free. This is an insult. Forget the “shoestring” or “startup” budget woes. You are not our charity and we are not prostitutes. Our blog space has a value if you are asking us to spend our writing space on you.
End Game
Every post you write is a mini advertisement for you. Consistent and continual blog posts help to establish oneself as an expert or be known in a chosen topic. Your voice, your opinion, your style, and your knowledge base are all wrapped up in a gift to your reader called a blog post. If your readers like your posts and people share them and you are a good community member you will earn value.
Maybe you will get paid, maybe you won’t, only you can decide if writing a design blog has value to you, and only others will decide if it has value beyond you.
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