Blogging for Architects

Copyright © 2012 Building Content 1

Learning Objectives:

● learn technical tips and options

● explore content management ideas

● implement promotional strategies

● understand legal and professional guidelines

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The Good News & the Bad News:

“There Are No Rules to Blogging for Architects”

The Bad News –

Architects are rule-followers

The Good News –

Architects are do-it-yourselfers

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Historical Perspective

Marketing traditionally covers...

● business development

● network building

● public relations

● advertising

A blog does all of these and gives you a marketing advantage your Architectural fore-bearers didn't have.



An Architectural practice derives success from the quality of work produced, but also by how well connected its leadership is.

“Who do you know?”

Who would have known the genius of Filippo Brunelleschi if not for the patronage of the House of Medici?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filippo_Brunelleschi



In America, the profession was born when Richard Morris Hunt and a handful of gentlemen Architects formed the AIA in 1857 as the first professional association of architects.

Marketing then was little more than “hanging out ones shingle.”

It was still a matter of “who do you know?”

AIA Convention 1883



The era between the World Wars produced The International Style (so named in by a book and museum exhibition in 1932).

Print media began to cover Architects and Architecture in fashion and business publications.

Fame could be earned through exhibitions and competitions, but it was still a matter of “who do you know?”



In the mid-sixties, “Mad Men” advertising creatives were living it up, promoting styles and shaping purchasing patterns across the land.

Our Architectural fathers, while serving some of the very same clients, never thought to apply the Madison Avenue methods.

Architectural promotion was understated and dignified, bound by professional ethics.

AMC's Mad Men, Lionsgate Television.



The professional bond among Architects was best represented in an AIA fee structure book (fees based on project type and scope).

The book and the practice of establishing fees was determined to be illegal by the US Department of Justice – twice.

The fee structure books were banned and copies destroyed. No one dared take part of a design monopoly!


A Modern Perspective

(For comic effect, I intended to show an image from Jody Brown's satirical series, “If Architects Advertised” to round out the Historic Perspective of this presentation.)

(I'll tell you why that image is not here in a later slide about fair use and copyright law...)

If Architects Advertised


I began my blog to explore ways for Architects to market online.

I thought about it a great deal and firmly believed that;

“Architectural Blogging should lead to - more Architecture.”

I've made it a point to learn what leaders in our field say about this. Here is an interesting range of quotes...


"I consider this a creative outlet... I’m pretty happy with how things have

gone."

Bob Borson, Life of an Architect

“The first step to making money at anything is to believe you can.”

Brinn Miracle, Architangent


“Our feeling is that everyone in the world is an architecture fan without

even knowing it”

Marc Kushner, Architizer

“We architect-bloggers are at the garage-band stage.”

Cindy FrewenWuellner,

Urbanverse


Getting Started - Who Are You?

Blogs reflect their creators and can be used effectively wherever you are in the field of Architecture:

● Student

● Employment seeker

● Solo or small firm leader

● Large firm specialist

● Department or agency

● Fan


Getting Started - Know Your Purpose

Blogs can me used as an effective tool for almost any purpose.

● Display your work

● Establish credibility

● Raise awareness

● Sell a product

● Build community

● Inform or instruct

The Architect’s Dream, by Thomas Cole, 1840


Getting Started – Select a Name

The name of your blog needs to be memorable, brandable and easy to translate into a domain name. Try NameBoy.com for name variations.

Establish your blog name with one of these registries:

● Dynadot.com

● Gandi.net

● NameCheap.com


Getting Started - Hosting Your Blog:

● Integrated into your web site

● Blogger or Weebly - free

● Wordpress – free or paid

● Community - Upworld.com

● Your domain – subscription


Hosting and Setup - Sites

● Wordpress signup at:

https://en.wordpress.com/signup

● Hostgator

● GoDaddy

● BlueHost

● Review the best at:

www.top10bestwebsitehosting.com


Hosting and Setup - Themes

Even though hosted elsewhere, most bloggers use WordPress as

their blog platform.● WordPress themes – free

● Elegant Themes

● Headway Themes

● WooThemes

● WP Community & Support


Coaching and Resources

● The Niche Blogger offers an updated version of the course I used to get started. For a small fee it covers:

● Picking a “niche”

● Hosting

● Content

● Monitizing

A full list of these references will be posted on Building Content.

Affiliate Banner for The Niche Blogger


Online Marketing Concepts

The Information Economy

● Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave, 1980

● Information will be the currency

● Site Conditions

● Zoning and Code

● Engineering Standards

● Material Specifications

● Schedule Constraints

● Information Clearinghouse – to Information Broker

The Third Wave, by Alvin Toffler, 1980



● “Freemium” Business Model Offer free content to attract potential clients. Have them upgrade to premium content

● Competition entries

● Speculative sketches

● Free or discounted services in hopes for the big deal one day



● Content is King – good content will attract readers, more good content will keep them.

● Contract Documents - what we draw and write - is our professional.

● Our Content leads to Architecture

● Content versus Style

● Content in CompositionAdd image here


Managing your Content

● Content Creation

● Your original ideas

● SEO Value

● You are seen as a “Thought Leader”

● Content Curation

● Stories you find

● Link Value

● You are seen as a “Subject Matter Expert”

CONTENT

CREATION

CONTENT

CURATION



● Content calendar (or editorial calendar) is used in print media to plan a publications issues over the year

● How often will you post content

● Length, tone, subject matter, etc.

● Conventions or events

● Seasonal themes

● Guest posts and collaboration



● Content Formats – what will your posts consist of?

● Text only (news curation)

● Graphics only (portfolio)

● Audio – live or podcast, yours or from other sources

● Video – live or recorded, yours or from other sources

CONTENT

FORMATS



Content Sources:

● Google Alert

● Zemanta

● Dreamstime, iStock, etc



Copyright Issues

● Public Domain

● Fair Use

● Creative Commons

Credit: Michael Porter at The Libraryman Blog



Case Study from this webinar:

● Sought friend's approval

● Sought website's approval

● Prepared to “tripple-credit” the image because it made a good comic point.

● then – the image wouldn't post!

Public Domain


Promoting Your Blog

Through Social networks

● LinkedIn

● Facebook / Fan Page

● Twitter

● Google+

● Pinterest

● YouTube


Promoting Your Blog

Through online communities

● Architizer

● ArchDaily

● UPworld

● Architectural Bloggers' Twibe


Blogging Strategies for Monetization

● Advertising

● Product sales

● Affiliates

● Info Products


The Future

Architectural Blogging is still in the “garage band” stage, consistan content and compelling storytelling will engage and inform the culture - where our clients are - in ever increasing ways:

● Entertainment

● Instruction

● Issues Advocacy


Thank you for your attention. Contact me if you have any specific

questions or concerns.

S. Collier Ward, AIA, LEED AP

Twitter: @collier1960

@BuildingContnet

E-mail: [email protected]

Design

Blogging for Architects