I know it’s been about a week since I last posted, but I have a great post to make up for it. It’s for designers looking to start a design blog. I have 8 Reasons to Start a Design Blog. A design blog may not be for you, but it’s good to know what to expect when you’re thinking about starting one. These are just my reasons and there are many other ones out there. I am showing you how I did it when I first started out. Thank you for reading and I look forward to your feedback on this post.
Exposure.
Exposure to the internet world. If your blog content is good quality, you will always have plenty of readers wanting to read and come back to your blog. A lot of the times, readers pass on the post to more people. Putting in the time to make quality posts can help you out with getting future freelance work. When potential clients see you as the author of the article in a topic that shows you’re an expert on the subject, you’ll be the first person they’ll approach.
A great learning experience.
I feel this one is important. I have learned a lot since I first started this blog up to this point. As you’re doing your research to write your next post, you will run into a lot of design blogs that can actually teach you something new. I don’t think that I have gone through one day without learning something that’s helpful for my own blog. There are a lot of blogs out there, so start looking. Here is a quick list of some of the blogs I check out daily: designshack.co.uk, designreviver.com, aext.net, hongkiat.com, onextrapixel.com, and designm.ag. You can never learn too much.
Great friendship with designers from all fields.
Building friendships with other bloggers is key. If designers like your content, they will promote it on websites like thewebblend.com, twitter.com, delicious.com, designbump.com, and a lot more. Also, it’s a great way to exchange links with them. Exchange emails and help out by promoting each other’s posts. It’s a win-win situation.
Help network within your industry or niche.
Once you have a design blog going, networking is another great way to get new readers. Use networking websites to connect with new readers and keeping in touch with all the latest topics. The one I use the most is twitter. Through twitter, I meet new people everyday and it helps me stay connected quickly and easily. Also, remember you’re a designer too, so you should network with other designers. P.S. Follow me on twitter @underworldmagz, thank you.
Help you become a better writer.
Okay so, this one is a great one for me because I’m not the best at writing. Now that I do it about twice a week to update my blog, it really helps sharpen your writing skills. Over time writing becomes fun and something you like to do. As you’re writing improves, the more readers your blog will get. If you don’t like writing, there are a lot of designers out there willing to do guest posts, so don’t give up just because of your writing skills.
To make your Resume look stronger.
Starting a design blog is a great thing for your resume. It shows that you know a lot about design and can give you a step up from other designers trying to get the same job. It also shows the interviewer the skill level of what you can do. One big thing to do on your blog, which I don’t do (but I will in the future) is making tutorials that teach designers how to design, code, or make something cool. This can put you ahead of the pack.
A way to have fun and be creative in your own way.
Number 8 says it all. Have fun doing your design blog. Don’t turn it into something you dread doing. If you’re doing it just for the money, you’re heading in the wrong way because it takes a lot of time and skills to make it to that point. So enjoy it and all the good things will come after.
Extra Income.
Earning extra income from your blog could be a reason itself to start a design blog. You might ask, “how?” Well, it’s not easy at first. You must put in a lot of time and effort to start earning cash. If someone told me 3 years ago that I can make easy cash off my blog, I would have told them “yea right!”Nowadays, there are several ways to make money off your blog. Selling ad space is one of the greats ways. I use buysellads.com to sell ad space on my website, but you must first meet their requirements. Also, try writing guest posts on other blogs. Some are willing to pay you for your expertise. Here is a quick list of blogs that will pay for your quality writing: smashingmagazine.com, instantshift.com, 1stwebdesigner.com, and psd.tutsplus.com.
Great post!
It also helps to stand out a bit with your blog design. People will start talking about your design and that will also generate traffic to kickstart your blog.
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Hi Julio, you covered so many important points in only one post. You know some of these points are same when I thought to create a design blog. Personally I started my blog for getting more experience, but now I am earning few dollars with it as well as I got many great designer friends due to only my design related blog.
Thanks! Definitely these points will encourage others to create a design blog.
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Creative Director Reply:
July 13th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Thanks I think a lot of the blog that you see today started out like this.
Creative Director´s last [type] ..8 Reasons to Start a Design Blog
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sriganesh Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 4:58 am
I agree with this !! yes i started my blog !! to keep my friends get updated in design and other field. (under blogspot.com)
Later finding many inspiration from both techie and design blog, i started my own. and its going good.
one thing ! if you were an blogger – for job interviews (not freelancing ) you are much topper than others!! believe me !!
having a blog is like adding a Star in our Reputation !!
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Still Many parents are not ok with their children starting their blog – may be whatever niche! this have to be change
sriganesh´s last [type] ..By- Bryce
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“Selling ad space is one of the greats ways.”
Reminds me of a quote by an unknown British artist.
“The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists.. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.”
And you spelled “A way” wrong. in the last reason, which, quite frankly, should have been first, but I understand why you chose to put it last.
If being a professional designer is what you are going for, a glaring typo on a design blog is probably a bad idea.
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Creative Director Reply:
July 13th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
I’m not in it for the money just doing it because i like it. the money part is just a + in the hole thing. thank for picking out the A way. Also there is no number over order here just do all of them and have fun doing it.
I’m not a writer do if I have typos and things like that wrong it doesn’t bug me, thats why I’m a designer because I’m better that designing.
Creative Director´s last [type] ..8 Reasons to Start a Design Blog
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Good article…. but i have to disagree with your first point… If you see many quality design blogs out on the web…. you might realize that making money is the least priority for many designers….However, eventually it becomes a necessity because of the fee needed to support the site due to a expensive web-host due to traffic surge or something like that…. So, I don’t think ‘Making money’ deserves to top this list…
Loving what you do and sharing it with the community is the main reason many start off a design blog
The rest simply follow…..
Just my 2 ¢
Good points you made here, Julio…
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Creative Director Reply:
July 13th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
yep I do understand but there is no number order here lol but I just moved the money part to the bottom of the post don’t want people taking it the wrong way.
Creative Director´s last [type] ..8 Reasons to Start a Design Blog
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Richie Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Haha… i meant no disrespect… but i think it was just a mere coincidence…
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sriganesh Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 5:02 am
Design blogging means different from ” making money from bloging ” if we do our work without intension of money , the $$ comes to you automatically
!!
and running a quality blog is difficult to pay for hosting , so money need there.
good point !!
Creative Director Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 8:36 am
lol no I know. I just don’t want people think I started a blog to make money lol.
Creative Director´s last [type] ..8 Reasons to Start a Design Blog
Great post!! and definitely a good read…
All of these reasons pretty much summarise why i started my blog not so long ago…
keep up the good work!
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Creative Director Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 8:33 am
well your blog looks cool too =)
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Krishna Reply:
July 16th, 2010 at 11:25 am
thanks!!
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<—- Guilty. I am working on mine! haha.
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Nice read:) Congrats
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here is Vietnamese vesison:
http://tranquangdong.com/2010/07/24/tip-8-reasons-to-start-a-design-blog/
hope U like
a great post
thx
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I’ve just launched my own blog and these are the exact reasons to why I had done so! interesting post, you got me down to a ‘ t ‘
Tom, From inspirationhut.net
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Creative Director Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
cool I’m glad to hear that =)
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Excellent post, thank you for sharing!
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Great post I really enjoyed it and it was really helpful!
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I have to say starting a design blog is great because you’re constantly learning and there’s no better feeling then helping others. Great Post!
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