You know that saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)? Well, I prefer Ambrose Pierce’s version:
“There is nothing new under the sun, but there are lots of old things we don’t know.”
So, friends, tell me something I don’t know. Show me something I’ve never seen. Dazzle me with your creativity, your motivation, and your ability to make something from nothing, and I will be back tomorrow. Your other readers/shoppers will too.
For today’s Marketing Minute, I implore you to be creative and original. Whether you are a blogger, a shopowner, or both, give your readers/customers the unexpected. If they can go to a bigger, better-known blog and read the exact same thing that you just posted, then why would they read it from you?
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| via 3LambsGraphics |
I will be the first one to admit that it’s easy to just jump on a trend-posting bandwagon when I’m particularly pressed for time, but the way I see it is that I would be better off just not writing anything than wasting a single moment just re-posting somebody else’s content and ideas. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t share the brilliant ideas of your fellow bloggers. I have definitely shared tutorials, rants, and the like, but there is a difference between telling your readers, “Hey – look at this great _____ from SoAndSo’s blog!” and telling them, “Hey – look at this great new fashion designer that I found!”
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| Nine Crimes |
For all you shopowners out their, I implore you to not take the easiest, trendiest route. Don’t always just keep calm and carry on. Sometimes it’s okay (and even better, really) to freak out and throw things, if you know what I mean. If you have a crazy idea, just go with it! How do you think trends start in the first place?! The path of least resistance is often also the path of least excitement and is not typically very satisfying.
Weigh in, lovelies – how do you feel about repeat content on blogs? What do you think of the same print in 96 different Etsy shops? Agree with me? Disagree? Tell me!
I completely agree with this article. Business should be original so many would get attracted to its product.
Man, I feel kinda left out of the loop here because I have no idea what the “keep calm…” reference is from (except etsy obv.), nor I do I regularly see any blogs that frequently repost other blog content. But I am fairly new to the blogging scene so…
My comment is inspired by my experience as an undergrad literature major. T.S. Eliot said “there is no writing, but rewriting.” However, I think that “REwriting” and “copying” and “circulating” are two totally different things, the former almost always leaving some kind of evidence of the author/artist on the work, in my opinion at least. (For example, most of Shakespeare’s plots were in fact already circulating/popular but his rewriting those plots has created characters and phrases that are now considered inventive genius by many.)
I can understand the occasional repost, or weekly round up of links, in fact I really like it a lot when bloggers whose taste I appreciate do that. But I do not personally understand why you would base an entire blog on that– seems like a lot of effort for what you can simply do with the “share with note” button in google reader, no offense to anyone, but I am one to cut corners so…
What would be super interesting to me though, would be to see someone post the inspiration and then what they ended up doing with it. (for example, if a designsponge bathroom renovation gave you a great idea to work with tacky tile color or inspired an outfit or what you consider a realization about color theory etc.)
I think this could even be achieved just with a regular mixture between reposting and original content.
i just read the other day, a very interesting Etsy forum chain about this same subject. i think all the post-ers were very frustrated, but it’s giving me inspiration to think more outside of the box.
ps – my friend bought me a ‘keep calm & carry yarn’ poster for my new house. it makes me laugh, because i’m def not someone you’d describe as ‘calm,’ but knitting does have a soothing effect. it’s like she’s yelling at me to take a chill pill from across the country. 😛
i just read the other day, a very interesting Etsy forum chain about this same subject. i think all the post-ers were very frustrated, but it’s giving me inspiration to think more outside of the box.
ps – my friend bought me a ‘keep calm & carry yarn’ poster for my new house. it makes me laugh, because i’m def not someone you’d describe as ‘calm,’ but knitting does have a soothing effect. it’s like she’s yelling at me to take a chill pill from across the country. 😛
Excellent post, Lindsay! The next time I feel like throwing a tantrum, I think I’ll just let it out and say to hell with being calm. It’s never good to keep that stuff bottled up anyway. 🙂
Jess – I couldn’t agree more. Just offer your own insight. Freshen it up a bit!
Anonymous – Touché, my friend, and terribly sorry that I have apparently offended.
yeah, they all talk the same way, too.
coz what i really want is to be called ‘lovelies’ ten times a day.
Be original or be forgotten!!!!
I only wish I had more time to create!!
I like it!! and it feels like challenging not because I’m copying everything but I fell that in our pursues of being a independent artist we always struggle with old ideas… does it make sense?
Amen! Thank you so much for sharing your feelings so eloquently. Yes yes yes, original content is king.
I wish more re-posters would at least try to take the info & make it fresh – share a unique perspective or riff on what inspired them in the original post, rather than simply tagging with “check out this cool…”
It reminds me of high school – the first rebel to wear neon yellow stirrup pants was really intriguing. When your teacher started doing it? Not so much. 🙂
Great Post!! 🙂
I think I’ll only re post when it’s something REALLY really cool. It’s pretty rare for me to do so.
I would have thought the KC&CO poster would have been copyright or something… lol
Brilliant post as always! Im gonna freak out and call my mumsie now, haha. x
I have to admit, I am guilty of reposting things. In my defense, I look at it more as a record of things that inspire me, and less like I’m trying to steal anyone’s idea. Definitely something to think about!
found you on etsy forums, i hope you’ll come visit me too!
http://jdavissquared.blogspot.com/
I won’t follow someone that reposts. Why should I? We all have unique brains, come up with your own stuff! And if you (think) you can’t, just watch other people.
Hear, hear! I agree. There are a few blogs in my Google Reader that just post the EXACT same thing as Design*Sponge. Ugh. I read it from DS and scroll down only to read it again! Blah. Boring.