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I keep reading tweets and news articles either questioning, or in some cases flat out stating that blogging is dead. I’m here to say that regardless of what other websites have to say about this, blogging is not dead. Most of the articles point to Twitter or Facebook as the new craze. These sites definitely add to the social experience of the web, and add value to social media. Blogging may be on the decline as web usage changes over time, but blogging is here to stay.
First of all, comparing social sites to blogging is kind of an apples to oranges thing. There’s a bit of overlap of course, but for the most part Twitter and Facebook serve a much different purpose than blogging. Blogging is a place to unpack ideas and opinions, share thoughts about what’s working (and what’s not) in modern life, culture, community, or even your own head. Some use it as a means to keep in touch with friends and share their daily lives, and those are the users that are likely to abandon their blogs in favor of more social sites. I know of several bloggers that have made this choice. Other bloggers, I would say more bloggers, use their blog as a platform for sharing their ideas with the world. This type of blog is not going anywhere, they’ll be around for years.
I have been blogging for six years now, and have also created accounts on just about every social site that I could find. I have loved Flickr since day one, it is THE place to share and peruse photography. And, it meshes with my blog perfectly. Facebook took me a while to warm up to, but now I love it. I enjoy keeping up with the daily lives of my friends, and I’ve even regained contact with some that I had lost touch with years ago. Twitter is even more fun. I’ll admit that it took me months to understand the point, much less embrace it. Now I’m addicted, I love it more than ice cream.
What I’m saying is that I ‘get’ blogging, and I also ‘get’ social media, and there (currently) is no site that makes me want to give up my blog (whether I have 2 readers or 50,000 isn’t the point). What’s more, I’m not going to stop reading blogs. My Bloglines account is loaded with dozens of RSS feeds that I check almost daily. Some are friends, some are blogs with tips for saving money or that provide social commentary, but I love all of them. If one of them drops I’ll go looking for other blogs to enjoy.
If I feel this way about blogging, then there are others. And if a community of people aren’t going to ditch their blog and want to read others, then blogging is certainly not dead. The fact is that Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, etc do not replace blogging, they enhance it. Conversations that happen in more social spaces generate ideas that get explored on blogs which prompts further discussion… and on the cycle goes. Besides, if marketing sites are still publishing a guide for blogging, then what about it is dead?
Blogging is not dead. Blogging is doing just fine.
13 Comments
I sure don’t want to believe that blogging is dead. I love to blog and write about the things I’m passionate about. Even if every body else isn’t doing it, I know I’ll keep on bloggin’
I think you are right blogging will carry on for a long time, it has been around for years but has only become really popular in the UK in the last 2/3 years and its here to stay. Long live the blog!
Agreed. As long as there are people out there with things to say, and people out there to read it then blogging is not dead
Blogging is something that is essential in the internet community. There are plenty of interested individuals who want to write about something and you know that they just need to start a blog.
While blogging may be famous in some countries, there are still those who are just starting to be introduced to it. Some don’t even have internet connection that’s why they don’t know anything about blogging. But if they were to be introduced to it, I’m sure they will appreciate what the blogging community is doing.
Saying that blogging is dead is pretty much the same with saying that the internet won’t last long.
No blogging is not dead… simply bc it gives a voice to any lambda on any subject..
You’re totally right Jared! There’s a reason why the internet is called the information super highway! People want to ge† indside knowledge from their peers, one of the most effective ways of doing so is blogging…
Excellent Post. I think blogging is not dead!!!
Blogging ain’t dead and it won’t be for a long while yet, it still adds value to the web as I see it.
I think that the original spirit of the blogosphere is being diluted, as mainstream media bloggers take over what was meant to be a playground for amateurs.
Blogging will die when the internet does and that won’t be happening any time soon.
I’m still hearing how blogging is on it’s way out but be prepared to see your great great great grandkids still blogging. I was laughing since to many people have to much to say and for some blogging gives them a way to do it. Keep going and good luck
I think blogging is good and popular ,but this days there are too many blogs out there so it is a bit confusing
Like everything that’s massively popular when it first appears, blogging’s popularity has receded a bit as the novelty wears off, but it’s here to stay, that’s for sure