Client Spotlight: Bike EXIF
Sometimes, the best sources of inspiration are our peers and we recognize we’re surrounded by some really talented, creative people. We’re dedicating a section of the blog to put a spotlight on (mt) clients, their story and one piece of advice they have for you. Introducing, The (mt) Client Spotlights.
What is Bike EXIF and how did the site come about?
It’s about motorcycles, but it’s not the usual motorcycle site. It’s a daily dose of beautiful customs and sexy classics, and exclusive previews of the hottest new bikes.
I started the site in late 2008, when I got frustrated with regular motorcycle sites. With a couple of exceptions, they are clunky extensions of print magazines. They’re filled with road tests of new bikes (that’s where the ad money comes from) and reams of race reports, neither of which I find interesting. So Bike EXIF was born, and it took off like a scalded cat.
These days, we have readers who don’t own a motorcycle. They enjoy the bikes like some people enjoy looking at a beautiful piece of Herman Miller furniture, or top-notch graphic design.
Bike EXIF even has quite a few imitators now, so we must be doing something right. We’ve also used the same format to launch Cycle EXIF, which focuses on custom and classic bicycles, and that’s taking off rapidly too.
What do you like about (mt) Media Temple?
We get around 1.3Mil pageviews a month, but I’m still using the (gs). It’s coped well with the load so far, and I’ve found it easy to administer. When we get a big exclusive, we get very heavy traffic—but the site hasn’t fallen over yet!
The other big thing for me is the level of support. I use WordPress, and occasionally things go wrong. It’s usually related to plugins messing up the database, or an errant piece of code. (mt) Media Temple’s support has been fantastic in these instances. It’s saved me from tearing my hair out many times.
The support people at (mt) tend to speak from experience and often go the extra mile in sorting something out. It’s not just fixing the problem, it’s making sure it doesn’t happen again. I love that attitude. It means I can get on with producing content, rather than getting bogged down with tech stuff.
What piece of advice would you like to give new startups and blog owners?
Make sure there’s an audience for your website and you’re giving people the information they need. Then, most importantly, put a spin on your subject. Make your approach different and memorable. If you ape other websites or run similar material, you’ll probably end up playing perpetual second fiddle.
Thanks to Chris for taking the time out of his day to speak with us and special congratulations to him on the release of his first product, The 2012 Bike EXIF Calendar, which is now available!
Chris Hunter, Creator of Bike EXIF & Cycle EXIF
@BikeEXIF, @CycleEXIF
*If you are an (mt) client and would like your site to be featured, please email us at [email protected] for consideration.
