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I think it's important to remember that Joel did it the other way around-- the blog preceded the business. Joel built up an audience, and simultaneously built
by michael_dorfman 17y ago
I think it's important to remember that Joel did it the other way around-- the blog preceded the business.
Joel built up an audience, and simultaneously built a product that would appeal to this audience. But even that makes it sound too calculated, as Fog Creek's first product wasn't really aimed at Joel's readership at all.
Joel wrote about something he was passionate about, and wrote well. He also made a product that resonated with decent chunk of his readership.
Here's a good test: would people who have no interest whatsoever in your product be interested in your blog?
If so, it's a personal blog. Cool. (Just remember that your readers are not necessarily your customers, and vice versa.)
If not, it's a marketing tool. Which may also be cool, if that's what you're after.
- whyleym 17y agoYep - good point. I think in a roundabout way what I want to say is that I wonder if you should give your company blog (to market your product) a more personal feel would this generate more custom ?
- michael_dorfman 17y agoI think that it would probably be pretty transparent to the reader that's what you are trying to do. If you're trying to do marketing, "a more personal feel" can quickly cross over into a faux-folksy style that comes across as really insincere.
- whyleym 17y agoWhat about if what you were providing was great, unique content that wasn't all about making a sale but actually giving something of purpose in a non-corporate, more personal manner ?
- michael_dorfman 17y agoThat gets back to the question I was asking before: would your readers be interested in the content, even if they were not at all interested in your product? If so, it's a personal blog. If not, it's a marketing blog.