I started blogging in 2012. Well, actually I’ve been blogging longer than that, but those blogs no longer exist. I have blogged on LiveJournal, Xanga, DevientArt, MySpace and even on diary threads in forums! I’ve always been a big lover of the internet, computers and tech!
What is blogging?
Blogging is a form of writing which provides personal opinions and analysis and posting them online on blogs (web logs). Blogs are typically updated regularly to keep readers updated with the latest trends in the industry, event or topic. They can be used to promote lots of things, anything from eczema cream to holidays aboard.
When I think blogging, I imagine lifestyle blogs, beauty blogs and mum blogs! When I started in 2012, most blogs seemed to be fashion blogs, then there was a shift where beauty blogs seemed to be the main type of blogs in the blogging community I was in. Now, there are more blogs about lifestyle, wellness and slow living.
The use of mobile devices has changed the way people blog and create content.
Originally, blogs would be on a standalone website like this one here. You would either use a hosted platform like Blogger or go self-hosted and have your own domain name. But blogging seems to have changed with the rise of mobile and mobile apps.
Twitter came along. Twitter was the perfect companion for a blog. With the ability to share links, retweet and connect with others it was a great place to promote your website and get traffic to your site! I still love Twitter today for promtoing my post.
Along came Instagram next. It seemed harmless enough at first. A bit of fun – sharing pictures with the terrible filters and borders that would be later phased out.
But it wasn’t long before people stopped using Instagram as more of a way to share snaps of your night at the pub with your mates. Instead, the pictures and flat lays started to get better. Staged. Perfected. The quality of the phone camera improved, making it easier to take professional-looking photos right at your fingertips. Instagram, unlike Twitter, was the first social media app that could really rival the blog.
Soon enough, the word Influencer came along and people were getting sent PR products for Instagram and even getting paid to post to Instagram. People were making money on Instagram alone, rather than through a blog post and posting to Instagram as an ‘extra’ or to promote the post. The instagram grid photo WAS the post!
Everyone was dying to get to 10k for the swipe up feature! That’s what brands wanted. That’s what seemed to be the sign of a successful instagrammer – having 10k followers.
Tiktok
Although Instagram introduced video in the form of stories (to compete with Snapchat) and IGTV (to compete with YouTube), it still remained an app to share photos.
Tiktok came along and took the world by storm by allowing people to create short videos with a big impact. The music, treads and technology in this app meant people could create very clever, entertaining short videos right from their phones.
I’ve been a member of many social media sites that haven’t quite made it (remember Vero?) but Tiktok was different. It caught on in a big way. Even Instagram was forced to compete by bringing out Reels.
All this has been possible because of the improvements in the mobile phone.
Tiktok is a threat to both blogs and Instagram as the younger generations seem to prefer this type of content consumption.
What impact has this had on blogging?
Well, blogs are still popular today but there are many people that use Instagram and Tiktok as a blog, instead of a standalone websites. They’ve replaced the need for a blog and many people can make money full time using the apps. It’s not just the photo apps that are a big hit, but podcasts too, such as the one that Dustin Ramsdell runs.
Social media like this tends to be of a more personal nature these days and blogs have shifted from being a personal diary to informative posts that solve problems, teach and inspire others. SEO is even more important on blogs now! Blogs attached to businesses as a way to get customers and trafic will always exist, in my opinion. But the threat lies with the younger generations. Will they bother to create blogs, or just stick to the latest social media platforms on their phones?
What’s the future of blogging?
The future of blogging is uncertain. At this point, it’s difficult to tell whether blogs will still be around in the future or if they will be replaced by something else completely.
Blogging has been around for nearly two decades and many would argue that it’s lost its purpose in the social media era and is being taken over by mobile apps. Although they are gathering popularity, I don’t think they will irradicate the need for blogs completely.
Blogs are a great way to make money and if you get it right, you can even make yourself some passive income. This means you can switch your computer and phone off while you make money passively – like being an influencer on social media where you always have to be present.
What do you think?