• Chris Garrett

    • March 3rd, 2008
    • Interviews
    • Posted in
    • 2 Comments

    Chris Garrett is a blogging, new media and online marketing consultant living in the UK. You can read his blog at Chrisg.com.

    Q) How long have been blogging?
    A) Depends on your definition but my first official blog (as in public journal) was launched ten years ago. I did have a blogish website before that where I wrote science fiction news but it’s difficult to know where to draw the line.

    Q) What first got you interested in blogging?
    A) Other peoples blogs I guess. The pioneers. I started blogging emulating them but then quickly moved into sharing programming tips and it just snowballed from there.

    Q) How many blogs do you run? How many blogs do you write for regularly?
    A) Some. >:)

    [Editor: Since Chris is being shy you can read more from Chris on the following blogs: Performancing, ProBlogger, CopyBlogger and The Blog Herald. ]

    Q) What does your typical blogging related day look like?
    A) My blogging day doesn’t start until about 08:30/09:00, my actual day starts like this right now
    05:00 Wake up to let the dog out
    06:00 Wake up to let the dog out
    07:00 Wake up to let the dog out
    We got a puppy recently and he is still learning all about sleep patterns and bladder control!

    In general from 9am to 10pm I am online with just a break to eat. Sometimes I work right through until next morning. I alternate between writing, IM, and consulting work. As all of my clients are overseas I am constantly bombarded with emails and IM right through the day. Lately I have been trying to schedule breaks (the dog helps with that) and switching off Skype etc so I can concentrate more.

    Q) You’ve written books as well as on blogs, which would you rather do and why?
    A) If I had to choose it would be blogs because you get direct and instant feedback, plus it is the interaction I enjoy most. There is a great deal of satisfaction to writing books and it is the one part of what I do that everyone understands.

    Q) Do you find it more difficult working on your own blogs than blogs you’re hired to work on?
    A) I tend to prioritize other people over myself which means my own projects get less of my attention than they deserve. Also I tend towards analysis paralysis which I have mentioned on my blog a few times and still struggle with.

    Q) When visiting a new blog what are the most important factors that will make you visit it again?
    A) The main criteria is does it deliver on its promise? I arrived there for a reason so I don’t want to be misled, let down or bored.

    Q) What is your favorite method for promoting a blog?
    A) My best traffic is always from other blogs so I try to focus on ways that other bloggers will notice and link. StumbleUpon is very satisfying too.

    Q) Which of the many social networking/bookmarking/news sites drive the most traffic to your blogs?
    A) Most would be Digg, most consistent though would be SU.

    Q) what is the biggest mistake you’ve made when promoting your blogs?
    A) I guess the worst mistake would be underestimating how unnecessarily nasty Digg users can be. With promotion though I find it better to think of “experiments that didn’t pan out” rather than “mistakes”. We always learn something valuable, regardless of the outcome.

    Q) What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting a new blog?
    A) Read first, then blog. Always put yourself in a blog reader mindset and you won’t go far wrong. What do readers want, need, enjoy and how?

    Q) Where do you see the yourself and your blogs going in the next year.
    A) More of the same I think. Last year was a funny one, a lot of my plans were put on hold, so this year I need to make them happen.

    Thank you very much for your time Chris.

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2 Responses to “Chris Garrett”


  1. nice interview - been following chris for a few years now and he’s one of the best minds in the business.


  2. oh - I have two dogs and a cat and I know *exactly* what Chris means.. :) Good interview.

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