- Please introduce yourself.
My name is Hiroki Ogasawara, and I run a blog called THREEM DESIGN. I currently do content marketing for a EC site, copywriting and landing page design for JV, and teach entrepreneurs and individuals how to use blogs effectively.
- How did you get started with THREEM DESIGN?
I used to do an affiliate before I started blogging, and I thought "Internet business is so much easier." my commissions dropped to almost nothing. I guess I got carried away.
However, through my experience as an affiliate, I had naturally acquired web design skills and SEO knowledge, so instead of mass producing sites just to make money, I thought it would be more fun to write articles about "what I'm good at" and "what I like. I would be able to get access if I sent out more and more information on my blog, so I started THREEM DESIGN.
- So "no compensation" was the catalyst that led you to a style of living by doing what you love.
Yes, that's right. To be honest, it was tough when I lost my affiliate commissions, but I felt uncomfortable selling products that I didn't like. So in a sense, I was blown away when I lost my commissions. If it's something I like, I can put my passion into it, so I was able to keep going even when I had just started my blog and was having trouble getting access.
- What are some of the good things about starting a blog?
There are a lot of things, but the most important is that I've met new people that I never imagined. By sending out information on a daily basis, I've been able to make my company known to many people, meet publishers and top entrepreneurs in the industry, and make blogger friends all over the country. If I hadn't started blogging, I can't even imagine what I would be doing now.
A Blog Is the Most Powerful Branding Tool
That Is Essential For Letting People Know About You.
- Blogging has allowed you to meet people and completely change your environment.
That's right. If you read the blog posts, you can see not only the knowledge level and skills of the person writing them, but also what kind of thoughts and values they have. Both good and bad can be conveyed through the text and atmosphere, so lies are not acceptable.
Of course, if you can't lie, then people who don't agree with your way of thinking or values will leave, but people who sympathize with you will come to you, so it's not just about increasing your advertising revenue. It's a great way to expand your business opportunities. So for me, I think blogging is the most powerful branding tool that is indispensable for getting people to know you.
- You are using your blog to prioritize branding over revenue.
Yes, branding is somewhat of an exaggeration, but I use my blog as a tool to let more people know about my activities and abilities.
This is because when I was a freelance designer, I used matching sites to get work, and accept jobs with very low unit prices, such as 3,000 yen for a single header design or 500 yen for a single banner...
Once people get to know you through your blog, you can choose only the high-paying jobs with good terms and conditions, and you will start receiving attractive project proposals. I believe that blogs are the most powerful branding tool.
- Do you have any tips for self-branding?
I think the most important thing is to be generous with the knowledge and skills you have at the time, and to increase the amount of content that is useful to the readers. This will lead to increased access to your blog. Also, I believe that a blog is a reflection of the person who runs it, so don't worry too much about what others think of you. I want to express my ideas, thoughts, and sense to the fullest without worrying too much about what others think. I feel that "design" is just as important as the content, because unique blogs are more likely to be shared and have more fans.
So I think the key to using a blog as a branding tool is not only to enrich the content, but also to choose a theme with a design that allows you to express your personality. That's why I choose TCD.
Only TCD Themes Are Designed
for Effective Functioning.
- Did you use the TCD theme from the beginning?
Yes, I used to do a little bit of blogging on Ameblo, etc., but when I decided to run a blog on WordPress, I was looking for a theme with a high level of design, and that's when I came across the TCD theme by Design Plus. I've used various themes from the TCD series, and now I'm using Bloom at THREEM DESIGN.
- Why did you choose Bloom?
The TCD theme is one of the highest quality designs in Japan, but what I love about the TCD theme is that it is a high quality design backed by marketing.
For example, Bloom has a function that allows you to display the number of views for each article and the ranking of popular articles in the sidebar. If you can display the number of views, you can appeal to your readers and give them an opportunity to read popular articles. In order to do this, it is necessary to have a layout and design that naturally guides the reader's eyes, and it is important to display ads naturally without destroying the design of the blog with the native ad function.
I feel that TCD theme is the only theme in the world that provides the necessary functions based on the purpose of running a blog, and the design that allows those functions effectively. In addition, there is a CTA for email newsletter registration. There are too many to list here, so visit "Bloom's page".
- Who would you recommend Bloom to?
Bloom's demo site is designed for women, but it's perfect for individual bloggers and mega-bloggers with a lot of traffic, regardless of gender, and it can also be used as a branding blog for freelance designers and creators.
I would also recommend it for curation sites that publish recipes for restaurants and food, information media for sports and travel, and recently, blogs that publish cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. At any rate, it's packed with functions to increase access and PV, and to monetize advertising, so I'd like it to be used by "media specializing in one genre" and "people who want to create unique blogs."
- Finally, please tell us about your future plans.
Phrases like "live your life doing what you love" are still not generally accepted, and it's not really easy, but...
I believe that the world will become a more enjoyable place if there are more "unique people" who are not bound by common sense. I would like to expand the community so that people who need it can work together while developing their own specialties.
編集後記
He has been using TCD for a long time, from Blogpress released in 2013 to MAG and Bloom, so it was a valuable interview to hear his deep thoughts on TCD.
It was also fun to hear the secrets of his simple life, which is based on blogging and business development. I learned that by building up your blog, you can expand your options for living.
THREEM DESIGN
ご活用のTCDテーマ
