Blogging as a learning experience - interview with Justin Palmer

The blog palmerwebmmarketing.com is a constant source of inspiration for anybody whos runs a website or is involved in SEO and online marketing. We have posted adaptions of his articles on our blog in the past. Today we want to introduce you to the person behind this blog: Justin Palmer. In the following interview he talks about his life as a SEO specialist and blogger.

Who is Justin Palmer?
I suppose you can say that since my teen years I’ve been addicted to the internet. After studying eCommerce in college, I went on to work with an online Christian apparel retailer, C28.com. Last year, I started Palmer Web Marketing, and began to work with clients.  With the time that I don’t spend consulting or blogging, I love spending time with my beautiful wife. We love traveling, cooking, or going to the beach.

How did it all start? What is the idea behind your blog?
As most things do, the Palmer Web Marketing blog didn’t start with any grand vision, it just slowly evolved. I suppose I started blogging because I believed I had something more to contribute to the field of eCommerce and web marketing. Until I started blogging and consulting, I spent all my time with C28.com. (whom I still work for). With the success and astonishing growth we experienced at C28.com, something inside told me I could help other companies too, even if it was only through blogging.
As I started writing, I found that I enjoyed writing “Top 10, 25, etc.” list type posts. I suppose I enjoy writing this style because I enjoy reading this style. I like that you can easily scan these type of blog posts, and pick one or 2 practical tips and immediately apply them for your own business. That’s my goal, to always inspire my readers with practical insights that they can use for their own specific situations.

When did you start your blog?
My first blog post was in July of 2007.

Which blog-software do you use?
After a brief run using a Wordpress.com hosted blog, I switched to Wordpress.org on my own domain. I love the wordpress software and the flexibility it allows.

How many readers visit your blog in a month?
Right now, I average about 15,000 visitors per month.

Why do you blog? What motivates you?
I think the primary force that motivates me is wanting to inspire website owners to grow their business. Another inspiration for blogging is my own personal development and learning. I love the fact that I can write a post on a topic that I think I know everything about, and yet learn so much from my reader’s comments and input. Blogging, whether you’re on the reader or writer side, is the ultimate learning experience.

Do write for any other blogs?
Currently, no. I have considered starting some niche blogs on the topic of customer brand evangelism and online apparel retailing. However, so many ideas and so little time… J

Your favourite post on palmerwebmarketing.com?
I think my favorite post would be “10 Costly Assumptions“, which I wrote a few weeks ago. I think this post sums up the top mistakes we all make as website owners when we fail to think like a customer, but rather like a business owner.

Please name 3 blogs that you would like to recommend to our readers?
Only 3? That’s tough. My favorite eCommerce blog would have to be the Get Elastic Blog. I also love Avinash Kaushik’s web analytics blog.
For marketing in general, no one beats Seth Godin.

We thank Justin Palmer for this interview.