PPD TASK VI//SPREADING THE WORD
Pt. II//Online professional network
Starting my research and analysis of existing social networking and online media platforms which I currently use to promote myself and my online portfolio as a designer, plans for the future and what I need to do to improve these methods of communication and networking capabilities to date.
http://www.behance.net/sophiewilsondesigns
BEHANCE
Having used Behance since last summer, I have found it a great means of showcasing my portfolio in a semi-professional digital environment, amongst a wide range of designers from a multitude of disciplines. Despite such an enormous range of design projects available to view on Behance, it is also possible to directly source, and search for individual designers portfolios.
As well as showcasing my work (which can also be quickly and easily linked to Twitter and Facebook accounts for free advertising and publicity), I have now developed some great contacts thanks to seeing the fantastic portfolios of others, and hope that the interest and networking capabilities continue to grow.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sophiewilsondesign?ref=si_shop
ETSY
As well as advertising and networking possibilities through showcasing a selection of retail designs (as if in a portfolio), one of the major benefits than Etsy provides is in terms of financial possibilities. I have been fortunate enough to have relative success with Etsy sales throughout the past year that I have been an active user on the site, ordinarily selling around an item a day, which has certainly helped me to fund living away from home, along with my student loans/grants.
Throughout the summer I will be really focused on expanding my current Etsy stock, and, hopefully, therefore, generating much more variety and increased traffic potential, as well as expanding my current design portfolio.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophie-Wilson-Illustration/229635327076987
FACEBOOK PAGE
Although very informal (and, therefore, not quite as professional a platform as I would ordinarily aim to utilise to showcase my design work), Facebook "fan" pages, I have discovered that it can be a very effective method to introduce people to your work whom may not of otherwise been actively looking for it- whether it be direct friends, family, or other Facebook users following links seen on contacts pages, and so on.
Although informal, Facebook contacts have successfully lead me onto a few commissions and online sales which I may not of otherwise had, and, in my opinion, networking of any kind is always beneficial. Even if it generates one more industry contact than you initially started with, that's progression- networking should never be underestimated.
http://www.flickr.com/people/37905387@N05/
FLICKR
Originally used for publishing my photography and portraiture work, I began actively using Flickr throughout my time at college around four years ago. As a global networking and image sharing device, the traffic of the site and individual portfolios can be quite phenomenal. With devices such as sets and group sharing, this provides an even greater audience, with the capability to add each individual photograph to around fifty groups (which can then go on to be seen and shared with hundreds of individuals).
Although primarily photographically focused, there is still a good networking platform to be had in terms of illustration and graphic design on Flickr, with many established designers such as Robbie Porter, Mr Bingo, and Always with Honor, being active users, and fans of the site.
https://twitter.com/#!/sophindisguise
TWITTER
Twitter is, in my mind, undoubtedly one of the simplest and most effective means of social networking and self promotion online to date. With millions of online users, particularly with creative networks (such as freelance designers, advertising agencies, and design studios) actively using the site as a form of social networking, there is great potential for networking and self promotion with the aid of the site, along with the ability to link portfolio sites to the account to, again, gain a wider traffic and audience elsewhere.
For me, twitter is a great balance between formality and informality- and alongside my more playful and fun mentality and design portfolio with my own personality, this is perhaps why I find it so useful and effective as a networking and self promotional device.
http://sophiewilsonandherillustrations.tumblr.com/
TUMBLR
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STUDENT DESIGNERS
I was originally introduced to Student Designers by it's founder, through, of all places, a social networking site (Twitter)...a little evidence and proof when it comes to the power and effect of social networking media. Student Designers is specifically aimed at... student designers (no surprises there, then...) so is a great platform for networking to directly source the portfolios from specific industries such as Illustration, Graphic Design, etc. Although Student Designers does not yet currently have as wide a networking base (more on a national than a global level, at this current stage) I can imagine it really taking off amongst young designers. Really easy to upload and share projects, Student Designers, I believe, is a more low-key and simpler version of Behance, and would provide a good introductory platform in terms of networking and online portfolio sharing for any designer.
TO DO
Intended plans for the future, and social networking and promotional media that I need to work on to improve my national and global reach to a wider, online audience.
CARGO
At the end of last year I registered for a Cargo account to showcase some of the design work that I had been working on throughout my degree in the past year. However, at this point, having only studied Graphic Design for a year, I wasn't especially pleased with the outcomes I had produced, and didn't feel confident enough to publish them online. Although I do feel a little more pleased with the resolutions I have created this year, and my design outcomes on the whole, time has certainly been more restricted this year, and getting round to uploading items on the site, along with the other networking and portfolio platforms I use, hasn't been a great priority.
Although I am happy to have a Cargo account, and would still like to add to it in the future, again, it doesn't feel like a massive priority. Returning from the Easter break, we will be working a lot more closely with Dreamweaver and learning about the basics of Web Design to potentially create our own live website. I'm really hoping that this will be a positive experience in which I can learn a great deal, and be receptive to this- to then go on to personally design my own site, therefore, not necessarily needing to use Cargo, and having more control in terms of the layout templates and typefaces available- but still very much kept as my "reserve" website/portfolio.
LINKED IN
Although having signed up to LinkedIn last year, and currently having an active account with the site, it is not one that I have given much attention to or utilised to it's full potential. For me, LinkedIn, though obviously popular and proven successful in creating strong business and networking links, is very sterile, and, in my opinion, not at all engaging. In terms of sites such as Flickr and Twitter, one of the key attractions for my is the user-friendly nature of the layout and design of the site, as well as the ability to very easily share information. However, LinkedIn (to my understand) is far more complex- and the site pages being very text-heavy are quite dull and uninteresting.
I will still undoubtedly go on to give LinkedIn more focus and attention, it is not a site that I will be heavily dependant on in the future of my self promotion and marketing/advertising networking.
http://bigcartel.com/
BIG CARTEL
Along with my Etsy store, in which I am currently selling printed designs, I am very interested in setting up my own BigCartel store to expand my traffic and sales potential. At this current time I don't know a great deal about BigCartel, but am very keen to get started after seeing the great success achieved through the site from some of my fellow designer friends, and hope to get another online store fully running and live by the end of term (pre-summer break).
NOT ON THE HIGH STREET
I was very flattered to have recently (a few weeks ago!) been emailed by the team at Not on the high street with a request to sell on their website as a freelance designer, as represented by the company as a whole. Having paid my initial admin fee and being officially signed up as a seller with the online company, I now have to complete my CSS profile before being approved and going live with a nod from the administration team. This will include creating a few new design pieces to print and photograph for a consistent finish to both my profile and in fitting with the existing website images.
