Thursday 15 April 2010

Why Do You Blog?!

Hello! Today I'm asking for your words of wisdom, pretty pretty please! With a cherry on top?


For work, I've been asked to give a presentation selling something - anything...an idea, a concept or an actual thing itself, and after many suggestions (bins? a pen?) and many polite refusals (!), I've decided to sell blogging!

I have a few good ideas - the different ways it can be used for marketing yourself, or as a log of what you've been up to, or a way of keeping in touch with friends and family (or customers!) perhaps - but I'd really like input from you lovely people too! I'd be eternally grateful (there may even be a giveaway in the making - oh, bribery!) if you could answer a couple of the questions below about your experiences with blogging! Don't worry if you don't have a blog, I'd love to hear about the blogs you read!


Go on, help a blogger in need!

- why do you read blogs?
- what kind of blogs are your favourite? fashion/lifestyle/business/beauty/photographic/crafty blogs?
- why do you write your blog?
- which are your favourite blogs? why?

Thank you ever so much in advance!

And don't forget about the Big Blog Card Swap - email your details to bigblogcardswap@gmail.com by the 22nd April! That's only a week away, eee!

13 comments:

Chloe said...

I'd be glad to help if i can! :o)

I read Blogs for the Inspiration! To flex my design muscles & to learn, mostly to learn. Bloggers are a very generous community & their knowledge is boundless :o)

My favourite Blogs feature 3 or 4 individual elements, usually craft,photography,business & lifestyle. I find the best blogs for me are ones that reach out & still make it fit in y'know?

I write my Blog to inspire,motivate & help others (hopefully!) =P by doing so I inspire,motivate & help myself to carry on! The community is amazing & it's great to connect with like minded people. My Blog is also connected to my handmade business, so it's a kind of 'behind the scenes' look at what i do :o)

hmm.. yikes. my faves are probably:

Haptree & Me: It's a hub of creativity & crafty know how, plus Haptree is a lovely,friendly blogger.. it's a great environment!
http://haptreeandme.blogspot.com/

Dirksen Dabbles: Bethany the Author, is awesome for starters! She's motivated & insightful. Her Blog is a yummy mix of books,business & beauty.
http://www.dirksendabbles.com/

Skunkboy Creatures: Pure fun,fluffy,fantastic groovyness.. Katie's blog is the kind that makes your heart sing! It's that simple (^_^)
http://skunkboycreatures.blogspot.com/

Talk2TheTrees: Rachael's blog is brilliant :o) She's a funny,honest & beautiful person. She collects thoughts & things from her everyday life & shares them with the world.. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it works :o)

Hope this helps! Have fun with your presentation (^_^)

Chloe x

feministified said...

Hello! New here, but I would love to help.

-why do you read blogs?
To learn. To relax. To stay updated on issues. I despise consumerism so I don't watch tv, (never bought the converter). The internet is my tool to stay connected. Bloggers are so opinionated! It is the best way to stay on top of what is going on.

- what kind of blogs are your favourite?
Feminist blogs. Snarky blogs. The gems are the feminist snarky ones! Fashion blogs(Everyday people, who thrift NOT the big companies). Photography blogs. (Feeds my desire for travel) Food blogs. (Usually end up inspiring the rest of my life.)

- why do you write your blog?
To find my voice! I want to be a published writer and I find blogging helps center/ground myself. I know I have opinions, blogging helps me form them.

- which are your favourite blogs? why?

Feminist blogs: Radical but grounded! There are really rough issues and to be able to do it w/ humor/honesty is a gift.

Feministing.com, dmhatingfemisfromhell.blogspot.com,
badassfemmes.com,
eng.feministblogs.org
classracegender.blogspot.com

Fashion: These two ladies are beautiful and inspiring.
thecitizenrosebud.com
anotherdaytodressup.blogspot.com

Food
ezrapoundcake.com
coconutlime.blogspot.com
smittenkitchen.com

Bluebelle said...

Wow, what is the presentation for? Sounds exciting, hope these thoughts are useful!

I read blogs because I love that different people have different lives, jobs, hobbies, takes and creative passions. My favourite blogs are funny, often with some creativity in them and have pretty pictures.

I first started my blog because I wanted to keep a record of life and things I'd made, read or done, kind of like an online scrapbook diary. But then I started to find other blogs I liked and loved the ideas that were being shared. So it kind of evolved.

Only one more week! :)

Joanne said...

That's such a good idea for what they asked of you!

- why do you read blogs? I wanted to read things written by "real people" who just had a genuine interest in the subject and if I had questions I could ask them directly. I started reading cooking and beauty blogs, stuff like that, then I started reading people;s more personal day-to-day blogs that included bits of cooking and other things.
- what kind of blogs are your favourite? I like cooking/baking, lifestyle, fashion/beauty, and crafty blogs.
- why do you write your blog? I don't know! I've always liked forums, I like being able to discuss things with people who're impartial, but I also like smaller community type forums where you can get to know people indivudally. Blogging to me seemed like a similar concept. I could put my thoughts and opinions out there and it was directed at anybody who wanted to read it. I don't really know what my blog is about at the moment, it;s just a jumble of my interests mixed with everyday life rubbish!

- which are your favourite blogs? why?
http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/ - such a good site.. really yummy, healthy receipes for supercheap.
http://misslucyloves.blogspot.com/ - I lvoe Lucy's blog. I can't even say why.. it;s just siuch a great mix of beauty and fashion and just general lifeness. She writes so well and comes acress so funny without being pretentious at all.
http://boobie-monster.blogspot.com/ - Another good blog with a good mix.
http://cynthias-makeup.blogspot.com/ - This woman is AMAZING with makeup. A lot of it is too heavy for me buit it really got me experimenting with colours.
http://itssimplelove.blogspot.com/ - the author of this blog travels and writes a lot about her day to life, random thoughts, and her travels. She's so friendly and her posts are always interesting to read.
http://sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.com/ - Louise is SO friendly and sweet. Another good beauty blog.
These girls I;m slightly biased because I know them, but we all have a lot in common and I love reading their day to day stuff:
http://gwendolynloves.blogspot.com/
http://cakefordays.blogspot.com/
http://katkakery.blogspot.com/

Sarah said...

- why do you read blogs?
It’s an interesting perspective on different things – more than anything, it’s an honest opinion. When you read an article in a magazine it’s hard to know whether or not it’s been placed there by the company it’s promoting (and I know that even the questions in advice columns can be placed by canny PRs), whereas with blogs, that’s rarely the case. I like the insight into different people’s lives, and also seeing what they do with their space – photography, baking, etc. Also the networking aspect – you read blogs, people read yours.

- what kind of blogs are your favourite? fashion/lifestyle/business/beauty/photographic/crafty blogs?
I like photographic/fashion/lifestyle blogs – my idea blogs are the kind that have a mix. I don’t like solely fashion as looking at a bunch of runway photos bores me, but I like seeing the blogger’s individual style and how they put pieces together – also where they buy things! As a crafty photographic type myself, I find these kind of blogs great for inspiration and ideas. And also the PRETTY.

I also like baking blogs because I’m a total foodie, and as I’m always on a diet, they’re kind of like my porn.

- why do you write your blog?
A few reasons – originally it was a case of seeing other blogs and thinking ‘Well, if they can, I can’ about it, but as I’ve got into it, I do find it interesting. I like having the document of different parts of my life, and I like having somewhere to display my photography. I’ve only recently got into photography – well, in the last year or so – and it kind of gives you a different perspective on things. You go somewhere and you find yourself thinking about how to photograph it, knowing you’ll be displaying it later. It makes me make the extra effort which in itself has taught me a lot about photography.

Also, it is the marketing aspect. I work in marketing, and am acutely aware of how effective blogs can be as a PR tool. I do create things that I sell – I make jewellery, I draw (although I have yet to try and sell them) and I take photographs (same) and I’m aware that if I build up a following of people with similar taste to me, then it’s likely that they’ll want to purchase the items that I create. Which sounds really cynical and cold! But the thing that keeps me doing it is because I enjoy it, and I like the blogging network.

- which are your favourite blogs? why?
I read LOADS. For gossip, I love Oh No They Didn’t because it’s got a massive content, and the comments are evil yet hilarious. Baking blogs – lovintheoven, thisiswhyyourefat, Crepes of Wrath. Fashion/Lifestyle – Wishwishwish, Afeitar, Pretty Much Penniless, Pink Bow, Wolfwhistle, The Clothes Horse, Daisybutter and so many more. And yours of course, I love seeing all the creative bits you get up to – you’re so prolific!

Anonymous said...

why do you read blogs?

I read blogs for two reasons. For entertainment and for information - like "how to". And for inspiration - spiritual feeding. Ok, that was three reasons.

- what kind of blogs are your favourite?

I am drawn to sewing blogs, blogs with great photography, and ones that mix art with everyday life struggles and successes.

- why do you write your blog?

I write my blog for me, to keep a journal. To keep a journal for my children. To market myself as a brand for products that I sell. To connect with others and share an experience together.

- which are your favourite blogs? why?

The Nie Nie dialogues. She is beautiful, inspiring, an angel. Tea Rose...oh I forget the rest. Incredibly talented with eco-design. There are so many! But I really like it when they keep their posts - somewhat short (I have a hard time with that) but as a reader, I don't have a lot of time so if it's short and sweet, I'm more likely to come back for a daily read as opposed to a once a month browse.

Unknown said...

Oooh you lovely lot, thank you so much! SO much information to utilise (steal?! don't worry - I'll tell everyone you helped me out!), there's definitely a giveaway brewing :)

Sarah x

Crafty Green Poet said...

I read blogs to find out information, to find ideas for craft projects, to read poetry and to get ideas for books, films etc to watch. My favourite blogs are crafty blogs or poetry blogs or blogs by people who are looking at the environment from an interesting angle (eg nature blogs, recycling blogs etc). I write my blog to combine my interests in poetry, crafting and the environment, to get an audience for my work, to share ideas and to inspire people to find creative solutions to environmental issues (especially creative recycling). Favourite blogs? Too many to mention!

Melanie K said...

Hello, I'm usually an Art Blogger, but I've just set up a craft / folksy blog and thought you'd be interested;

http://fizzypopboutique.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

- why do you read blogs?

I read blogs for inspiration, to find out new things and to pick up techniques etc. It also means that I can feel like I'm being crafty when I haven't got enough time/materials/energy to actually be crafty!

- what kind of blogs are your favourite? fashion/lifestyle/business/beauty/photographic/crafty blogs?

Definetly craft blogs!

- why do you write your blog?

Mostly to collate ideas and so I can look back and get inspiration - it's also a great place to store links to other blogs :) And it means that I can be crafty without crafting (as in the first answer!)

- which are your favourite blogs? why?

Ooh.... that's too hard!

Skooks said...

I posted about this very subject back in February. Check it out here: http://www.skooksplayground.com/2010/02/blogging-why-read-and-why-write.html

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