Blogging is a new experience, one I am just learning about and actually having fun with. This is the third blog I have started, and in part, it is a way of learning how it is done to help clients who are increasingly interested in this tool. Both Christendom Restoration and the International Theological Institute in Austria have looked into this, and the ITI started their own using WordPress (Vox Cervi) This inspired me start a blog using Blogger – Mindwalker, and then another using WordPress - Little Troops, all covering different interests. This seems one obvious way to use a blog - for a very specifically focused topic, unless you are blogging about your life for friends and family (and you can do that on Facebook all day).
Most strangers won't be interested in the antics of your pet cat, while they might like to read about your latest hobby or philosophical insights, if they share those interests. Blogging for a business purpose should serve the audience's interests, and give them something of genuine value.... even if it is a hot tip you picked up from someone else. One good b2b blog I have discovered is NDIC's blog. They give solid information related to their client's interests in developing excellent websites. I must say that I worked with them on a project, in the role of project advisor/collaborator in developing the Sturdybilt (screen shot) e-commerce website recently, and they did a fine job of meeting some challenging technical requirements particular to the job. (Sadly - the economy killed Sturdybilt in October, 2011) The Design Cubicle by interaction designer Brian Hoff is another very nice business-of-design oriented blog that he has integrated into an online portfolio and marketing piece.
This blog is being created within the weebly.com environment, which makes it incredibly simple to integrate a blog into a website. I would encourage anyone with relatively simple website needs to at least look at this "web development" option. It can even provide some pretty sophisticated web elements using the same simple interface. It way well be that the future of web development and design are in tools like weebly. Of course it may create a little less work for developers, but designers will still be needed, and content, as always, is what really counts in any case.
Thanks, Ron
Most strangers won't be interested in the antics of your pet cat, while they might like to read about your latest hobby or philosophical insights, if they share those interests. Blogging for a business purpose should serve the audience's interests, and give them something of genuine value.... even if it is a hot tip you picked up from someone else. One good b2b blog I have discovered is NDIC's blog. They give solid information related to their client's interests in developing excellent websites. I must say that I worked with them on a project, in the role of project advisor/collaborator in developing the Sturdybilt (screen shot) e-commerce website recently, and they did a fine job of meeting some challenging technical requirements particular to the job. (Sadly - the economy killed Sturdybilt in October, 2011) The Design Cubicle by interaction designer Brian Hoff is another very nice business-of-design oriented blog that he has integrated into an online portfolio and marketing piece.
This blog is being created within the weebly.com environment, which makes it incredibly simple to integrate a blog into a website. I would encourage anyone with relatively simple website needs to at least look at this "web development" option. It can even provide some pretty sophisticated web elements using the same simple interface. It way well be that the future of web development and design are in tools like weebly. Of course it may create a little less work for developers, but designers will still be needed, and content, as always, is what really counts in any case.
Thanks, Ron