A fundamental reason for starting a blog is to share one's passions and views with the world but that passion may not always guarantee an audience.
With an increasing amount of blogs especially in fashion and beauty, as a blogger your aim may not be to make a career out of it, however to help cultivate a following having the tech know how to implement changes and stay fresh is ever more important. Your passion for blogging may fall short when it comes to coding or knowing the right SEO tools and the best way to structure the blog in accordance to the user's experience. Surely having the tech skills to help share your views with the world can only be a good thing? We at chloédigital thought so but wanted to get a wide range of bloggers views on the topic, so we posed the question do bloggers need to go geek to be chic?
Over a four day period this December we put together a coding experiment called #getmygeekon to test bloggers basic code skills. We wanted to see if there was relevance between understanding the basics and maintaining a healthy blog. The bloggers were sent a code snippet that had one error in it. They were told to rectify the error and then insert the snippet into their blogs. The snippet would show a #getmygeekon badge congratulating them for doing the experiment. Once complete the blogger had to send out a tweet saying 'I #getmygeekon with @chloedigital' along with an email to us with feedback on how they found the experiment.
114 bloggers from countries including Australia, South Africa, the Philippines and England to name a few signed up for the experiment and only 12 people were fully successful. 9 out of 12 found the experiment to be quite easy as they already had some form of tech background, like Maria of Miss Drifted Snow White, who has "been a web designer and programmer for 8 years". In contrast others from a non tech background completed the experiment and had interesting feedback, Arra from arraabella said "it was difficult because I got confused in the middle of it, I always get frustrated when I encounter errors and do not get the result wanted so I guess this really is a learning experience".
The general consensus from the feedback was that technology is key to maintaining a blog. Surprise Surprise! Findings revealed that out of the sample number, very few have basic tech skills, it also revealed that those with these basic tech skills appreciate the need for tech and embrace it.
Currently offering up tech tips to bloggers are Independent Fashion Bloggers, an online magazine and network who supply a blend of code tips and general technology news from the fashion industry. Also the Editor-At-Large of Grazia, Angela Buttolph touched on technology when blogging at a series called School of Grazia early this year. Cybher which is a yearly bloggers event exists to help, giving the tools and the confidence so bloggers can to do things for themselves. Sian, owner of Cybher says "blogging is a real journey and learning basic tech stuff is an integral part of that journey". However I feel there is a lack of places where bloggers can consistently find accessible and practically tips that they can easily apply.
At chloédigital we look to help bloggers by arming them with tips and tricks to instill confidence when tackling tech, helping them to run a successful blog. We make this accessible through our work with an educational bloggers network called iFabbo offering up advice and support along with code sessions to show their network of bloggers that with small tweaks you can take your blog to it's next level. I am not saying you need to become an über geek to run a great blog however having some fundamentals down will help. Come down to the London Fashion Week Workshop hosted by iFabbo on January 19th 2013, chloédigital will be there to talk tech to bloggers and help those requiring some digital inspiration.
I would like to thank Digital Designer Ocki Magill for designing the badge for the experiment and the following bloggers for being successful in the challenge: Miss Drifted Snow White, Inspire Magazine Online, Aimee Dela Cruz, Arra Abella, Rachel Makeup and Skincare, Liner Glitter Gloss, Discovering Beauty Today, David Venter, A&J Hairport, Away From the Blue, Geek is New Chic and Bibas Photos
Join @chloedigital on twitter with #stylenetworkchat - Thursday 13th Dec hosted by @BuyMyWardrobe to talk more about bloggers, technology and it's importance.