Design Dyke 2.0
During my recent hiatus, I've been reconsidering this blog and what I want to do with it.
I don't really like the fact that people who aren't members of Vox can't post comments. Correct me if I'm wrong, I assume this is the case as I occasionally get comments from people with no posts and no profile so I assume they just signed up to comment, then they left. I've been thinking about the redesign of my business website, a change of name, solid personal branding with the main content coming from the blog which will be on home page. I know you with blogger and others you can have your account directed to a different URL, I don't think I can do this with Vox so will probably settle on an RSS feed... or something... but then I need to run PHP so it returns search results to my site, not vox... and my host wants me to pay more for that. Rah! In short, I've been thinking of leaving.
I've also been reconsidering the focus of my blog. Increasingly I want to write more about marketing communications, social media etc as my work and moves away from graphic design (not that it was ever 'fully' about this) towards marketing. Having said that, I'll soon be blogging on my university staff blog, templatedata. I'm just waiting for IT to finalise access... I've been waiting since December so it should only take another 6 months!! I'm exaggerating... Anyhoo, I'll be doing that a bit over there but it will be focused on using these technologies within higher education. Here I want it to be more focused on the shiny shiny.
Talking about the ladies will remain as I don't think I could help myself whatever my focus is supposed to be ;-)
I'm aware too that having too many topics on my blog I could lose focus... in fact, all this thinking about it over the last few months just led me to write about nothing at all.
Ah dunno, I guess at the end of the day, I'm doing this for me and it shouldn't really matter all that much but still... any suggestions are welcome!
Comments
This sounds all too familiar - I recently went through a whole blog/web/public identity thing and eventually decided on two blogs - the vox 'unofficial' one and the typepad 'official' one. But it didn't work out like that. Somehow, it's fallen into two blogs with practically equal content - and double the exposure. I love my 'hood here on vox and couldn't leave it now, but the typepad account gives other ppl the ability to comment, as I have a lot of people who would love to comment but don't want to sign up to anything. Also, I think finding a voice really helped with the branding issue for me. Its only now that I'm really understanding what my voice is and also, that I've got to expect it to evolve and that be a reflection of all my interests. I think, my commenters were right when they said the best bits of blogs were that all the subjects come rolled into one, giving variety and a taste of personality. I've come to see and value that - and it works for me. But at the end of the day, you've got to do what's right for you. It would be a loss to see you leaving vox - but best of luck whichever way you go :)
Good luck with your branding mission. If you do decide to start a new blog just make sure you post a link here so we don't lose you!
Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it. Thanks too to those who aren't Vox members who've contacted me in other ways. I think the consensus is to move on from Vox, which is the direction I was leaning in. However, I'm going to procrastinate just a little longer on that so there will be a few more posts here for now (she says!).
And I think you should keep your blog freeform.
Write whatever the fuck you wanna write about. That's what I do. And I'm sure as hell gonna stick to it.