We’ve made it to the 21st episode and I have another very special interview for you. Sarah Aspler, Senior Editor at Buzzfeed, joins us on today’s podcast! She has a wicked sense of humor and creates nonsensical quizzes for a living. It’s magic!
Sarah will help us understand some of the visual design decisions made at Buzzfeed, including a look into the world of professional meme-making and a glimpse into her career path that led her to her current role. I can’t wait for you to meet her.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Buzzfeed, it’s time to embrace this wonderful procrastination tool. Buzzfeed is “the world's leading independent digital media company, which leverages data and innovation to reach hundreds of millions of people globally.” In other words, their content permeates the hearts and minds of people in every part of the world. The company creates articles, lists, quizzes and videos, as well owning a portfolio of lifestyle brands, engaging in investigative journalism, and developing products and experiences. They are HUGE.
Some key takeaways from Sarah’s interview:
Procrastination can pay off!
Anyone can write a post or create a quiz on Buzzfeed
Spin class is hard!
Lower res memes tend to be more popular than really polished memes
Buzzfeed has an approved list of fonts that can be used by their designers
Accessible design is so important in all areas of design - even quiz and meme-making!
Sometimes you have to put your ego aside and accept a failure for what it is - learn from it and move on
Knowing basic Adobe Creative Suite skills will help you stand out from others
“Don’t be too precious with your work” - good is sometimes good enough, make you and your work available for people to see
MUSIC
Music by Podington Bear - Streetbeat Heat
Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle
