Judy Brown - Blogs - Good or Bad?

Continuing with getting in touch with people regarding blogs, I got in touch with a lady called Judy Bown. Judy run's her own blog as well so it's good to see what kind of reaction she has on this. Another thing about Judy is, that she is the designer and founder of Bown - a British luxury bags and accessories company.

Questions and Answers;

1. Would you recommend that students produce a blog? If so why?

A true blog (I'd say mine is more a business newsletter and product information page) needs a regular update... daily, weekly or monthly... any longer than that and people don't follow it or loose interest.

You have to have a lot to talk about! And make it interesting. So many blogs are so boring. And time wasting. And most blogs are really about an individual and their lifestyle or opinion on a particular subject, which can often be really boring (except to the writer!).

You need to be really disciplined to take note of an interesting thing everyday and write it up quickly while it is still topical... no use writing about a design show 6 months afterwards, it needs to be as it happens or just after.

Would I do a blog if I started all over again? I had good intentions at the start, before I launched the business, but one you get really busy then a blog is sometimes a slog to keep up, unless you get to the stage where someone else can do it for you! Then its not really honest you speaking, of course. I'd say it is a minor part of self-publicity.

Think who you are targeting and find out whether they spend hours a day reading blogs. Is it your mates or are you trying to get your work noticed further afield? Students might follow blogs avdily, but employers, and employees, will be too busy!

2. A lot of students aren't safe with putting there designs up on blogs due to the idea getting stolen. What would your opinion be on this?

I personally wouldn't put up any designs that were not already filed with a solicitor or other body that could protect your IP in case of copy (I'd recommend ACID (anti copying in design, I think they do a student rate. You can use their logo on your blog once you are a member, and they file design ideas on your behalf).

In terms of examples of student work, unless you think have something really amazing, a new invention, I wouldn't worry about putting it up.

Mind you. I haven't been a student for a couple of decades, so I've probably forgotten how precious I was about my ideas at that time.

If it shows your great drawing, presentation, CAD skills that is what the employer is interested in, not whether you have had a nice day or not.

3. People see blogs as a way to publicize themselves and there work, but a lot of blogs don't get many hits, so what would the purpose of a blog be?

Again, unless you have a lifestyle that is essentially your work (I know a few designers who are magnificent at self-promotion, but who's design ability is negligable, but they do get themselves noticed!), I'd concentrate on having a good webpage or two, with a newsletter page to update people on who you are and what you are up to.

Blogs take a lot of time to make interesting, so unless you are a natural writer, I'd concentrate on doing the deisgn work to get noticed rather than spending hours (and it is HOURS!) writing about yourself.

4. Finally, what is one positive and one negative about having a blog?

One positive thing about having a blog is you can very quickly reach an audience with your news... and if you are really good at it, and write regularly, Google 'spiders' will notice you and put you up the search engine listings. You can also get onto Technorati and the like, but it takes a lot of time. I'd allow at least 6 months to a year to get noticed, and that's trying really hard every day.

I have found the best blog sites are by people who have one passion or subject that holds it together, they are based at home, and don't have a full time job elsewhere (as a good blog IS a full time job.)

One (other!) negative, I think, is that you can expose yourself very quickly and its up there forever for all to see. You have to be quick to add a relevant comment, but one angry or misguided comment and you do yourself no favours. Keeping the balance between personal and private info is a tricky one. What you say now sticks around for a long time, and you may always regret it.

So, in short, it is not a magic to get noticed. A good blog is an art in itself, and needs years of commitment to get noticed, let alone a cult following.

Employers do not have time to read reams of pages, they want to see ideas, and that those ideas come fast and often, and someone who will work hard (not spending time dreaming up their evening blog update!)