After taking almost a year out from blogging to concentrate on passing assignments, gaining work experience, and fulfilling my second year University expectations, I'm back. Back with a thirst, a fresh insight, and nearly three years of studying PR under my belt.
Over the past year, I’ve gained firsthand experience working in the Consumer Marketing Team at telecommunications operator O2 in London. Three months experience has taught me countless invaluable lessons that I believe will aid my studies in my final year. I have learnt about organisational structure and functionality, the implications of reputation, and to avoid Paddington tube station at 8:00am.
So now a year older, wiser, and with the prospect of graduation looming, it’s time to move with the times, develop with technology, and embrace the social stratosphere. In doing this, I did what most second time bloggers do... a month ago I signed up to Wordpress.
Since that fateful day, I have spent many evenings trying to comprehend aesthetics, publishing and commenting. Despite an impressive array of templates available, I’m sorry to say my time with Wordpress was short lived. No sooner was I excitingly trawling through fonts and themes that I felt exasperated- my wavering patience only too obvious for onlookers on the third floor of the University Library. There are only so many shades of blue backgrounds, right? A particular struggle for me was the layout of the software. With so many tabs on the screen at any one time, I found the publishing process difficult.
So, you’ll be pleased to know I’m grovelling my way back to Blogger, typing my fingers to the bone on a simple yet aesthetically pleasing page. Like Timothy Curtis, a Leeds Metropolitan PR student, I too have taken comfort in the pages of Blogger. Maybe one day, I will return to Wordpress, but for now, ‘sophiehanson1@blogspot.com’ is my doorway to the blogosphere.
I would love to know what you think- Blogger vs. Wordpress? As ever, please feel free to comment and I’ll get back to you, just as soon as I’ve decided on today’s new template...
Don't forget you can catchup with my second year PR antics under 'Blog Archive' on the right. I look at common themes within Public Relations, and question Belbin, team work, and a career in PR. Defintely worth a read!
ReplyDeleteHere Here Sophie! As a self confessed technophobe, I too find the functionality and usability of Blogger far friendlier than the all too scary world of Wordpress. Blogger is, and remains, my first choice in voicing my opinion on the internet. Admittedly, like the chubby kid in a PE class, I may have given up on Wordpress a little too quickly…I mean it does have good points; like the infinite different backgrounds and layouts that make the graphology of the page far more aesthetically pleasing. But in reality, who has time to play about with colours, patterns, themes and the likes when I’m itching to get something topical off my chest…especially when I’m sat between a drug addict and a big issue seller on the 8:02 out of Paddington!? After all, isn’t that what blogging should be about, getting opinions out there? I don’t know…but what I do know is that as someone who is about as technologically au fais with computers as Russell Brand is with political correctness, I am far more concerned with substance over style. So, Sophie Hanson from a small town near Coventry (sorry about that by the way!) I salute you, and Blogger!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI fear I may too have been that chubby kid in PE class... always picked last, right?
Admittedly, the different layouts do make Wordpress good blogging software. But do you think the choice of software is important? In my opinion, it's the strength, conviction, and character of the blog that makes it a success, not the blogging platform. Having said this, I do fear that Wordpress is seen as more professional software. Are you required to blog in your profession? As a student graduating with a PR degree in September, I’m concerned whether employers will agree with your ‘substance over style’ stance?
Thanks for your comment, ‘Anonymous’.
Sophie
Always, ALWAYS picked last…and to adult insult to obesity, I was even considered being moved to the girls PE glass. I think we could have shared sports bra’s! But that seems like a life time ago now and weekly games of squash in the office gym help me keep the middle aged paunch at bay!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, well I absolutely agree that something must look good in order for people to take notice. Take Gordon Brown…nobody listened to him! As much as I believe this, I must say the crux of a good blog is a good blogger. And having had my 12 year old daughter show me how to do the basics, and relying on this for the duration of my blogging career, I perhaps need to develop the look of them in order to get them a little more noticed…
…BUT, that takes time. Time away from playing squash; then I’d get fatter, probably fired, my wife would leave me and children disown me, mid life crisis, depression, alcoholism, early death and eventually a small memorial service in my home town, where the only attendees would be the class mates that used to ridicule me for being chubby! Not sure if I fancy that.
As a senior marketing advisor for a leading soft drinks company, I am required to oversee the company’s blogging. If I’m honest, I’ve only ever written two blogs for the company and left it to the quick fingered computer boffins to make it look pretty. So, with regards to style over substance, I guess it’s a bit of both. I had the best football boots, kit and accessories money could buy in PE…but as soon as someone passed me that ball, I looked like a baby giraffe finding his feet. Had the style, but no substance and was quickly found out by my peers. Maybe the same could be applied to the PR world of blogging?
Best of luck with your studies!
Fair point- nobody does listen to Gordon Brown, nor Louis Walsh or the other two on Top Gear. Is that because they don’t look good though? Let’s face it, Jeremy Clarkson has got a face for the radio, yet he has superiority to rival the other two.
ReplyDeleteHow influential do you think blogging is for your company? Do you use Blogger or Wordpress?
I completely agree with your argument (and slightly enjoyed the consequences of taking time to develop the aesthetics of your blogs); it is completely a case of substance over style. Having said that, I don’t want it to look like I asked my 13 year old brother to help me design the page, so if you do have any criticisms or recommendations I do welcome them.
I would be interested to take a look at your company’s blog, or it is an internal page? It’s not a problem if it is; I thought it was worth asking!
Thanks again, and please keep your eye out for my upcoming blogs. If you’re interested in PR, or just fancy a discussion, then it’ll be worth a read.
It's been a real pleasure meeting you, Sophie! How are you doing by now? I do hope you're in a tip top condition. Anyhow, I'd like to share my point of view on the two most popular CMS platform: Wordpress and Blogger (Blogspot). First of all, Blogger is a blogging site that we can use for free, which is hosted by Google. This site is user-friendly just like Wordpress. However, if you're going to explore further. I'd go with Wordpress – the self-hosted one. Why? It's simply because there are so many features that you can use that can help with your Page Rank and Alexa Ranking. More importantly, WordPress has this powerful tool called “ALL IN ONE SEO” that helps optimize every blog post for SEO.
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