Behind the Blog: Street Blogs from the Best in the Business - Part 3

For the third installment of our week-long feature, we talk with Terry Ng, founder of Kineda. His site was founded a staggering twelve years ago when things like the SB Dunk was non-existent and heavy-hitters like Kaws were just getting started out. Terry has been there through it all, documenting it to show to his readers the world over. Read on to find out to why he launched his site, to what extremes he went to get his name out there, and more.

mashKULTURE.net: What inspired you to create a sneaker/streetwear blog?

Terry Ng: The quest for the perfect sneaker! Seriously though, Kineda started as a personal blog of my interests and has slowly matured into what it is today.

mashKULTURE.net: What were the biggest difficulties you encountered starting out?

Terry Ng: Growing the brand had to be the hardest part starting out. I did everything I could to get Kineda in front of as many eyeballs as possible. I hit up stores, parties and even placed flyers on over a thousand cars on the streets of San Francisco. You’d be surprised at how well guerilla marketing works.

mashKULTURE.net: As your site has grown, how much has your daily routine changed?

Terry Ng: After a decade of Kineda being online, I’m still the primary designer, photographer and writer. On occasion, we’ll have a guest writer from the vibrant community of readers.

mashKULTURE.net: How has content on your site(s) changed over the years? Why?

Terry Ng: Back in 1997, cloud computing was non-existant and updates were slow and infrequent. The great thing about the current technology is that content can be published faster, easier and from anywhere there’s an internet connection. It’s been a wonderful change, since content stays fresh and abundant.

mashKULTURE.net: Do you have any content quotas? Is there a required minimum you set out each day of how many posts to publish? If so, does that ever jeopardize quantity over quality?

Terry Ng: No quota. Having a quota I believe only sets you up to deliver articles that are bland and uninteresting.

mashKULTURE.net: What’s the secret to your website’s success?

Terry Ng: As long as you have passion for what you’re doing, I believe you’ll be successful.

mashKULTURE.net: How important is social media to your blog(s)?

Terry Ng: Social media is very important. It allows me to interact with readers outside of the blog environment, and get to know them on a more personal level.

mashKULTURE.net: What are your thoughts on the drastic rise in street culture blogs over the last few years? Do you see any parallels between the growth of streetwear brands and the rise of street culture blogs?

Terry Ng: As brands become more mainstream, it’s natural to acquire more fans of the streetwear culture.

mashKULTURE.net: How do you think this large number of sites affects street culture itself?

Terry Ng: I think it helps solidify streetwear as a real culture and not just a fad.

mashKULTURE.net: What is the biggest mistake these blogs are making if they are making any at all?

Terry Ng: The biggest mistake I see is the huge amounts of sites that only display aggregated content and offer nothing unique.

mashKULTURE.net: What advice might you give to them?

Terry Ng: Be innovative, and provide high quality and original content that no one else is offering. You may only be able to publish 2-3 posts a week, but readers will appreciate the difference. It’ll set you apart from the crowd.

mashKULTURE.net: The current recession can be seen as part of a natural cycle, a form of cleansing as many new, less-creative brands go under, and the streetwear market contracts. Do you feel that the over saturated “street blogosphere” will follow the trend? Where do you see the future of these blogs heading?

Terry Ng: Readers have a short attention span. They’ll continue to bookmark blogs that keep their interest and disregard the blogs that don’t.

mashKULTURE.net: Where do you see the future of your own blog(s) heading? What short and long-term goals have you set?

Terry Ng: Kineda Streetwear. Look for it in a store near you soon!

mashKULTURE.net: Any closing thoughts?

Terry Ng: Don’t ever stop dreaming or trying. There’s always room for another streetwear blog. After all, someone needs to help me find the perfect sneaker!

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