On blogging
I'd been a longtime reader of quite a few different blogs before taking this class, so this assignment has been nothing new for me. Currently I subscribe to 34(!) blogs, most of which focus on food and cooking, home and graphic design, fashion, or weddings. I've tried several different RSS readers like Google Reader, but my favorite is the Mac mail program. It's really user-friendly, and I don't have to be connected to the Internet to access the posts that have already been downloaded.
Two of my favorite blogs, which I will feature here, are The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy's food and cooking segment, and Garance Dore, a street style blog and perennial favorite among fashion types. I love the diversity of The Kitchn--in a given week you'll find recipes featuring seasonal ingredients, kitchen gadget reviews, reports from local farmer's markets around the country, kitchen makeovers, new and/or different cooking techniques, and anything else cool and noteworthy related to cooking and eating. Garance Dore, on the other had, is mostly eye candy. Named after its author, Garance Dore primarily features street style photos from Paris, New York, London, Sydney, and wherever else its globe-trotting author happens to be that week, peppered here and there with pen and ink illustrations inspired by the latest runway shows.
Podcasts, on the other hand, are more foreign to me. I'd listened to a few podcasts before doing this assignment, but I've never been a regular subscriber. Before creating my own podcast, I downloaded a few from NPR through iTunes. I love listening to NPR in the car on my way to and from work, but since my commute is now significantly shorter than it was 6 months ago, I don't get to listen to it as often as I used to! Subscribing to podcasts of my favorite NPR shows is a great alternative to listening to them on the radio. I'm really glad I discovered this! My absolute favorite show is This American Life, and I'm very excited that I'll be able to keep up with it through podcasts.
I think the power of blogs to shape culture and opinion in "real life" has become particularly apparent in the last few years. Blogs used to be maligned as that thing that self-obsessed teens and adults with too much time on their hands did, but today many understand that blogs can be extremely powerful tools. I know people who have landed jobs on the strength of their blogs. Blogs are excellent for self-promotion. For writers especially, maintaining a blog is important--not only does it get your name out there, but it acts as a kind of ongoing portfolio and repository for your writing.
As an avid reader of fashion blogs, I know that personal style blogs have had a huge impact on the fashion industry, particularly this past season. During Fashion Month this past September, many high-profile bloggers were given front-row seats--formerly the sole domain of celebrities and hot shot magazine editors--to big name runway shows.
Blogging has also proved a powerful marketing tool. I know several bloggers who are offered free merchandise on a regular basis by businesses looking for a little quick and cheap advertising. The bloggers get free stuff, and in exchange they feature the free stuff on their sites, often with a glowing review. In an e-business landscape where consumer/customer reviews are a deciding factor in most sales, a positive review from a trusted blogger goes a very long way. Savvy businesses have recognized the power of this trust, and have used it to their advantage.
The face of blogging has changed dramatically since its birth only a handful of years ago, and will surely continue to evolve rapidly as new technologies and methodologies are developed. 2009 was the year of Twitter and microblogging--what will 2010 bring?
Two of my favorite blogs, which I will feature here, are The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy's food and cooking segment, and Garance Dore, a street style blog and perennial favorite among fashion types. I love the diversity of The Kitchn--in a given week you'll find recipes featuring seasonal ingredients, kitchen gadget reviews, reports from local farmer's markets around the country, kitchen makeovers, new and/or different cooking techniques, and anything else cool and noteworthy related to cooking and eating. Garance Dore, on the other had, is mostly eye candy. Named after its author, Garance Dore primarily features street style photos from Paris, New York, London, Sydney, and wherever else its globe-trotting author happens to be that week, peppered here and there with pen and ink illustrations inspired by the latest runway shows.
Podcasts, on the other hand, are more foreign to me. I'd listened to a few podcasts before doing this assignment, but I've never been a regular subscriber. Before creating my own podcast, I downloaded a few from NPR through iTunes. I love listening to NPR in the car on my way to and from work, but since my commute is now significantly shorter than it was 6 months ago, I don't get to listen to it as often as I used to! Subscribing to podcasts of my favorite NPR shows is a great alternative to listening to them on the radio. I'm really glad I discovered this! My absolute favorite show is This American Life, and I'm very excited that I'll be able to keep up with it through podcasts.
I think the power of blogs to shape culture and opinion in "real life" has become particularly apparent in the last few years. Blogs used to be maligned as that thing that self-obsessed teens and adults with too much time on their hands did, but today many understand that blogs can be extremely powerful tools. I know people who have landed jobs on the strength of their blogs. Blogs are excellent for self-promotion. For writers especially, maintaining a blog is important--not only does it get your name out there, but it acts as a kind of ongoing portfolio and repository for your writing.
As an avid reader of fashion blogs, I know that personal style blogs have had a huge impact on the fashion industry, particularly this past season. During Fashion Month this past September, many high-profile bloggers were given front-row seats--formerly the sole domain of celebrities and hot shot magazine editors--to big name runway shows.
Blogging has also proved a powerful marketing tool. I know several bloggers who are offered free merchandise on a regular basis by businesses looking for a little quick and cheap advertising. The bloggers get free stuff, and in exchange they feature the free stuff on their sites, often with a glowing review. In an e-business landscape where consumer/customer reviews are a deciding factor in most sales, a positive review from a trusted blogger goes a very long way. Savvy businesses have recognized the power of this trust, and have used it to their advantage.
The face of blogging has changed dramatically since its birth only a handful of years ago, and will surely continue to evolve rapidly as new technologies and methodologies are developed. 2009 was the year of Twitter and microblogging--what will 2010 bring?
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