: D D TE E N H IZ IO IG R T R HO BU PY T I O U TR C T A IS O D N R FO
Joy Deangdeelert Cho is a graphic designer, blogger, food enthusiast, and
coauthor of Creative, Inc. She worked with numerous fashion clients in New York BONNIE TSANG
before launching her own design business and award-winning blog, Oh Joy!, in 2005. In addition to running her blog, she now designs textiles, packaging, and branding for clients in the fashion and food industries, consults other creative businesses through her Rx program, and has a product line of stationery and wallpaper. Joy lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and three cats. MEG MATEO ILASCO is a designer, illustrator, and writer. A serial entrepreneur, she launched her first business in 1999, and is the author of three books on the topic: Craft, Inc., Creative, Inc., and Mom, Inc. Meg lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. GRACE BONNEY is the creator of Design*Sponge, the award-winning home and product design Web site. She founded the Design*Sponge Biz Ladies series, a traveling event designed to connect women running their own design-based businesses. Grace lives in Brooklyn. ALSO AVAILABLE:
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: D D TE E N H IZ IO IG R T R HO BU PY T I O U TR C T A IS O D N R FO
Contents
Chapter
04 BLOGGING COMMUNITY ETIQUETTE
73
Be Active Online / Contact Your Fellow Bloggers / Contribute to Other
Blogs / Geninne D. Zlatkis, Geninne’s Art Blog / Initiate a Local Blogger
Meet-Up / Prepare Your Cocktail Party Spiel / The Social Network / kate
spade new york / Conferences / Altitude Design Summit / Accepting Submissions / Giving Credit / Wendy Withers, Girl Crush / Commenting 101 Chapter
05 MAKING YOUR BLOG A BUSINESS
103
Business Essentials / Protecting Your Work / Caitlin McGauley, Caitlin
Foreword
6
McGauley / Financing Your Blog Business / Record Keeping and Taxes /
Introduction
8
Emily Henderson, Emily Henderson / Creating a Business Plan
Chapter
01 INTRODUCTION TO BLOGGING
11
Chapter
06 MONETIZING YOUR BLOG
119
Blog Basics / Why Blog? / Joel Henriques, Made by Joel / Types of Blogs
Measuring Traffic and Understanding Analytics / The ABCs of SEO / Emily
/ Anatomy of a Blog / Lauren Willhite, Color Collective
Schuman, Cupcakes and Cashmere / Getting Sponsors / Types of Banner Ads / What to Charge / April Winchell, Regretsy / Your Media Kit / Joining
Chapter
02 FINDING YOUR VOICE AND NICHE
27
Your Blog’s Personality and Niche / Your Blog’s Aesthetic / Jay B Sauceda, Public School / Naming Your Blog / Joelle Hoverson, The Purl Bee / Being Authentic / Blog Writing and Voice / Naomi Davis, Rockstar Diaries / Unique Content Chapter
03 POWERING YOUR BLOG
a Blog Ad Network / Glam Media / How to Place an Ad on Your Blog / Renewals / The Sponsored Life / Affiliate Programs / Full Disclosure Chapter
07 THE NEXT STAGE OF BLOGGING GROWTH
153
Updating Your Blog’s Design / Going Full-Time / Blogger’s Block
/
Expanding Beyond Being a Solo Author / Emily Newman, Once Wed /
47
Choosing a Platform / Domain Names / Designing Your Blog / Jamie
Dealing with Copycats / Finding a Blog/Life Balance / Using Your Blogging Skills for Others / Getting Published / Grace Bonney, Design*Sponge / Selling Products / Your Blog’s Future
Beck, From Me to You / Writing a Compelling Bio / What to Post / Adding Images to Your Post / Come on, Get Snappy / Amy Cao, Amy Blogs Chow /
Resources
Frequency of Posts / Planning Ahead and Blogging from Afar / Establishing
Index
a Creative Workspace
Acknowledgments
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: D D TE E N H IZ IO IG R T R HO BU PY T I O U TR C T A IS O D N R FO
Introduction
or perspective is, a blog can offer you a sounding board: an instant audi-
BACK IN 2001, WHEN A CO-WORKER TOLD ME ABOUT HER BLOG, I HAD NO
to your blog, I guarantee that it will give you a sense of community you’ve
IDEA WHAT IT WAS OR WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT ONE. Blogging gave me
never known before.
ence that can give you feedback, advice, or support on your topic of choice. Success won’t happen overnight. But if you dedicate your time and creativity
visions of Doogie Howser logging electronic diary entries of his adventures
I clearly believe in the power of blogs. And since you’re holding this book,
as a teen medical genius. I think a lot of people feel the same way, But I—and
you probably think there’s something to them too. This book may inspire you
much of the world—have certainly come a long way in the past decade.
to launch your own blog or take an existing one to the next level. I wish I had
I have been a blogger since 2005: I was newly engaged, had just moved
a book like this when I started my blog. So here I’ve pulled together all the
from New York to Philadelphia, and was looking for a new design job all at
lessons I’ve learned, including those I discovered through my own blog and
the same time. A friend of mine who maintained a blog as a creative outlet
business, those I obtained by meeting fellow bloggers, and those I gleaned
from her finance job suggested that I start one to chronicle this very transi-
by following hundreds of other blogs along the way.
tional period in my life. At first I brushed it off, but I soon realized that I was
In Blog, Inc. I’ll break down what makes a blog successful; how to create
in no position not to try it. In retrospect, starting a blog was one of the best
unique content, attract readers, and monetize; and show you how to blog to
decisions I’ve ever made. Although my blog, Oh Joy!, started off in a personal
your best potential. I’ve also included interviews with fifteen bloggers (and a
vein and was initially read by only a handful of friends, the site eventually
few businesses that work regularly with bloggers) whose focus ranges from
evolved into a design-focused place where I share with tens of thousands of
fashion and cooking to weddings to art and design. Some blog as a hobby in
daily readers the projects I’m working on and the things that inspire my work.
addition to their 9-to-5 jobs, some juggle blogging with full-time parenting,
And I’ve gotten so much in return. My blog attracted buyers to my stationery
some use blogs to market their business, and others consider themselves
line, raised my standing in the press (my blog was named one of Time maga-
professional full-time bloggers. One thing that all the bloggers profiled here
zine’s top design sites in 2008), helped me to gain more dream clients for my
have in common: blogging has changed their lives.
design business, and even gave me the opportunity to write this book.
The value of the creative outlet, community, career opportunities, and
Even though blogs originated as a cyber version of the traditional personal
friendships my blog has brought me over the years is immeasurable. My blog
diary, they have become a cultural force with the capacity to attract custom-
took me on a path I never knew existed. I never actually ended up taking a
ers, create communities, and launch full-fledged careers. Bloggers serve as
design job I so actively sought at the time. The enthusiastic response to my
tour guides of their specific interests, passions, or skills, taking their read-
design work from readers, and the clients that found me through my blog
ers on a journey through images, text, video, and interactive conversation.
motivated me to launch my own freelance design business, which eventually
Through blogs, politicians, celebrities, Fortune 500 companies, and regular
led to my developing a product line, writing and blogging for other publica-
folks (like you and me) have an interactive platform to connect with fans,
tions, becoming an author, and consulting for other small creative businesses.
customers, and anyone who wants a deeper look into what inspires them.
So whether you’d like to start a blog as a creative endeavor or to help
Thanks to how easy it is to start a blog, you can share your point of view
market your business, share your talents, or connect with others, there’s no
with the potentially millions of Internet users out there craving inspiration,
reason not to start a blog today. It’s time to put yourself out there, because
entertainment, or engagement with others. Whatever your talent, voice,
you never know what amazing things will come your way.
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Introduction to Blogging
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: D D TE E N H IZ IO IG R T R HO BU PY T I O U TR C T A IS O D N R FO
CHAPTER
INTRODUCTION to
BLOGGING Whenever I talk to friends or clients who are struggling to figure out the next phase of their life or career, I always encourage them to start a blog. Maybe you’re burnt out from your tedious 40-hour workweek and want to pursue full-time your hobby of baking miniature pies. Or maybe you’re a filmmaker and want to start offering tutorials on how the average person can create short films. A blog can be whatever you want it to be—a diary, a visual essay, an editorial space, a place for discussion and debate, or a scrapbook of inspiration. More than anything, a blog is a great way to get your ideas out into the world and see what people have to say in response. You could receive the feedback and kick in the pants you need to launch your new pie company or begin teaching film classes at your local college. In this chapter, I’ll explain why you should blog, the types of blogs you could potentially have, and— the best part—how to get it all started.
: D D TE E N H IZ IO IG R T R HO BU PY T I O U TR C T A IS O D N R FO
BLOG Basics
WHY Blog?
A truncation of the term Web log, a blog is an interactive Web site that deliv-
With literally hundreds of millions of public blogs in existence, you may be
ers regular content to its readers. Whether it’s run by one person or mul-
asking yourself, “Why should I add one more?” Because you have something
tiple people, a blog is essentially a dynamic and ever-changing Web site that
unique to say, too! Someone out there is interested in your home renovation
grows with every entry, or “post,” that’s created. Blogs are typically format-
project because they’re also working on their home, or is so touched by the
ted like a newsfeed: the newest content appears at the top of the site, with
crafts you’re making to raise funds for your favorite charity that it inspires
the older posts descending below in reverse chronological order. The word
them to help others as well. Below are some of the main reasons to blog and
blog has been adapted in other ways. It is used not only to describe a type
how it can enrich your life, both personally and professionally.
of site, but also the people who contribute to it (“Holy smokes—there’s that
Blogging gives you a way to continually grab readers’ attention with new posts and fresh doses of information.
1 Passion
№
Maybe you’re a nut for interior design, and find yourself constantly rearranging your living room furniture. Or you love planning parties and are always looking for new ways to wow the guests at your next bash.
fashion blogger I love”), the world pertaining to it (“I’m reading this awesome book that’s giving me a crash course on the blogosphere”), and the process of doing it (“I’ll be there in a minute; I’m blogging right now”).
Whatever your hobby or passion, blogging offers you a place to record your finds and ideas, and share them with future Martha Stewarts and Candice Olsons.
2 Community
new posts and fresh doses of information. Unlike a book or print magazine,
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which gives consumers information in a single serving, a blog offers read-
Whether you’re launching a new bakery or have just become a new
ers ongoing free content. They can read your posts whenever they want.
mom, blogging can capture the attention of the community of people
Thanks to how quickly material can be posted, blogs often publish breaking
who share your interests, can offer you feedback, and become the
news before traditional print and television media. Fashion blogs can post
friends you never knew you could have. Readers may also find your life
a designer’s new fall collection as soon as photos are released, whereas a
story encouraging and inspiring as they go through the same joys or
magazine will need to wait until the next issue goes to print. Many news and
challenges in their own lives.
celebrity gossip stories show up on blogs before they are filmed and broad-
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Blogging gives you a way to continually grab readers’ attention with
cast on live TV.
3 Marketing
In an increasingly wired society, more and more of the mainstream popu-
Online marketing is essential for every business today, and blogging
lation are browsing the Internet every day, and spending at least part of that
is one of the best ways to give current and potential customers a peek
time reading blogs. What does that mean for you? It means that your possible
into what makes your business tick. Not only will customers love giving
audience is pretty big—including the billions of people in the world who cur-
suggestions regarding your bookstore’s next author of the month, but
rently use the Internet.
they tend to be more loyal when they feel like they’re getting access to the brain behind the business.
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: D D TE E N H IZ IO IG R T R HO BU PY T I O U TR C T A IS O D N R FO INTERVIEW
4 Share Talents
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A PAINTER AND MUSICIAN, Joel Henriques was wait-
Wedding photographer, carpenter, Pilates instructor—whatever your
ing tables and bartending at Portland restaurants to
skills may be, if you blog to showcase your best work, it’s likely that
supplement his and his wife’s income. When their
more clients will come your way. Remember, any reader is a potential
twins (a boy and girl) were born, he quit his restau-
client or customer!
rant duties and found he had less time to pursue his
№
5 Income
musical and artistic hobbies once he transitioned
While success may not come overnight, blogging has the potential to
fascinated with watching his kids play. Despite the
be a moneymaking venture. There are bloggers, including the ones
fancy wooden teething rings and toys that he and
profiled in this book, who make part or all of their income through their
his wife had purchased, the babies were surprisingly
made by joel
blog. With lots of hard work, patience, a unique point of view, and a
drawn to their drool bibs. Their love of the texture
PORTLAND, OR
go-getter attitude, you could be one of them, too. But be warned: profit
and material in these simple objects inspired Joel
should not be your main motivation for blogging. Your love for a par-
to start making his own toys for them. These toys,
ticular topic and passion for sharing it with others will naturally produce
including modern stuffed animals and a wooden elephant puzzle, sparked
a more interesting site. And that will, in turn, offer the potential for it to
the interest of his art buyers and family members, so he began a blog, Made
be a sustainable venture on its own.
by Joel, to keep track of his creations. Made by Joel includes craft projects
into full-time dad mode. Yet he became increasingly
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01
Joel Henriques
that parents, educators, and children can make, encouraging creativity and play and inspiring families to spend more quality time together. Joel has since collaborated with Disney, published a book based on his blog, and entered into a toy licensing partnership.
?
Who reads your blog, and why do you think they enjoy it? I have a lot of parents, caregivers, teachers, and libraries that want to find something fun to do with their kids or the kids they teach. My readers are worldwide, from parents in the United States to preschool teachers in France. People love that the projects are modern and kid-friendly, yet very easy for an adult without any craft skills to do with the children. Another type of reader I didn’t expect, but am thrilled to have, includes charity organizations, which ask if they can use my stuffed toy patterns to make toys and donate to children in need. Also, I always grant permission to use our projects as a learning aid. I want to make it easy for people or schools to find easy ways to enrich their children’s art school education. I’m able to provide
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Introduction to Blogging
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