How to tank your graphic design blog with grace

Short thoughtful post here folks.

We’ve seen some graphic design bloggers disappear in 2009 and 2010. We’ve seen once-busy bloggers slow way down from their usual pace. That’s OK. Life happens.

Sometimes you get a better job, an illness, a new baby, a broken foot, a sabbatical, a new guitar, or even a new professional focus. There could even be a traumatic life event that puts the blog on the lowest possible rung of “what’s important.” That’s fine too.

We see lots of advice on how to build your graphic design blog, how to get more Twitter followers, a billion Photoshop tutorials, a zillion list posts, and all kinds of graphic design bloggy goodness. But how do you tank your blog? I mean, how do you get rid of it? How should you get rid of it? Have you thought of that?

It’s like of like a will. Something you don’t want to think about really, but if you do the thinking up front, it can save you or your loved one some hassles should certain situations arise.

Here are some thoughts I thought as I thought about this:

• Create an emergency post and save it as a draft. Maybe even make a “Hiatus” or “Leave of Absence” category to find it later as the draft moves down stream in your blog entries, as it might get hard to find.
• Give your admin credentials for your hosting account and your blog account to a friend or relative so that someone can post for you if need be.
• Create an instruction sheet and print it out or email it to a select few on what to do. Use screen captures to explain things.

I’m sure this gets the wheels turning for many of you…I know I’m thinking about this now!

But let’s just say you want to just ditch the blog. What should you do? I don’t think I’ve seen a post on “10 Best ways to shut off your blog”. But let’s try that here, now:

11 Ways to shut off your graphic design blog

1. Make a personal post, short and sweet if need be. Let your readers and passersby know the blog is now defunct or will be at a certain date.
2. Consider leaving the blog up if your hosting costs are inconsequential.
3. Let your readers know, if it’s good news, what you have moved on too.
4. Reminisce with us about the highs and lows of your design blog experience. Recap your entire blog history—short and sweet if need be.
5. Maybe “wind down” with a series of posts. Give loyal readers a heads up.
6. If the writing is on the wall for the end, let your readers know as soon as possible. After all we like you!
7. Ask readers for input, like what their favorites posts were and then post all of them in a final post.
8. Suggest your favorite design blogs, or other bloggers, that you think are worthy to fill your vacant shoes.
9. Maybe one of your readers would like to take the blog over from you! Put out some feelers on that one.
10. Don’t just drop off the planet, if you actually have not literally, God forbid, done so.
11. Let your readers know your vision, if possible. They’ve spent time reading your articles, staring at your mug, laughing at your witty asides. They like you! Give’em a swan song.

Well, this was a truly random post, and certainly applies to any blog, not just graphic design of course.

Blogging is about people, their need to communicate and fellowship, and their need to learn. Let’s keep that in focus as we blog our way into the future, whether we are the blogging designer or not!

Thoughts?