Someone asked me these questions via email. And sharing is good. So I thought I'd share the answers:
1. Why do you blog?
The usual reasons: Ego. Because I like sharing stuff (and you discover that if you share stuff you get stuff back.) To practice writing. To practice thinking. Because it's become a habit. To keep a tab on things that I've thought or noticed. To make friends and influence people. To write fewer emails. To show off. To poison the minds of young planners all over the world. To earn upwards of $100 a year in advertising revenue. Because if I didn't I might have to get on with something worthwhile.
2. How has having a blog affected your career?
My career used to be based on my early discovery of the feature that let you put pictures in PowerPoint. Once this became commonplace I had to find a new gimmick. Hello blogging.
3. What kind of relationship do you have with your community? and how do you go about developing it?
I hope that I have the kind of relationship with my community where I wouldn't call it 'my community' and I wouldn't go about 'developing it'. I think of the blog as a place where people visit or hang out. That's about it. I also like that it's a place in a distributed village, there's a whole loose group of people who visit each others blog, chat about stuff, share ideas and are even starting to meet up and talk in real life. I think that's the best 'professional' thing I've ever been involved with.
4. What do you perceive to be the future of blogging in your profession?
Before long the blog will have replaced the resume/CV. Or whatever the next evolution of the blog is. If your job is having public ideas I suspect it'll become very surprising to people that you're not doing something like a blog.
once you make your own blog, how do you get people to read it? :)
Posted by: Lauren | October 30, 2006 at 04:23 AM
Blogging as a gimmick and blogging as a CV all in one post!
The interesting thing about blogs as CVs is that they provide a historical record of your thinking, creativity and even leadership. That can be both good and bad (depending on the job you are going after).
But it is bound to make CVs inherently more truthful!
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | October 30, 2006 at 07:15 AM
I think blogs are great calling cards. Especially if you have a good perspective. Nevertheless, I met someone the other day who, in trying to get a job deleted their blog because they thought it revealed a little too much about their character. I guess we live in a time of "immediate reputation". We make our reps as we go, by the second. Blogs are a way to position yourself. Demonstration is the best method of application. The difference between talk and walk!
Posted by: Richard Buchanan | October 30, 2006 at 11:04 AM
I have pondered on the blog-CV switch before - within the more 'creative' marketing field anyway. It certainly has the potential to provide backup/substance, as opposed to hollow claims/mere rhetoric
My only concern is how your integrate your work accomplishments into your profile/blog, which can be a sensitive issue. Interviewing and selection based purely on blogging ability could be a bit thin for some. And I expect the marketing jury is still out on whether a great blogger always makes a great worker
But don't get me wrong, a blog is one fine addition to the marketers armory. And a laggard-out-of-touch stigma could eventually haunt those who resist (and this applies equally to agencies - with a nod to W+K and Fallon)
Posted by: miscmash | October 30, 2006 at 11:10 AM
Russell, you forgot the money for nothing and chicks for free part. Thats why I blog anyways...
Posted by: kevin r. | October 30, 2006 at 02:40 PM
Russell,
I don't know if you are aware of it (or perhaps it is your Brit modesty) but one of the reasons we all gather round to read your posts is because you have a distinct voice that is immediately resonant with me (us?).
Keep doin' ya thing.
Cheers,
Doug
Posted by: Douglass Turner | October 31, 2006 at 03:34 AM