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Lately I have been thinking about blogging and how it has changed for me since I first started.
Blogging isn't about writing anymore.
Lately I have been thinking about blogging and how it has changed for me since I first started.
Blogging isn't about writing anymore.
It has become about advertising, pimping out your blog to get ad spaces, buying up ad spaces to get your blog noticed, getting sponsorships and having people pay for a space on your blog. What if I just really like someone's blog and I want their button on my blog all the time, is that allowed?
It is about following the blogger not only on their actual blog but on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I don't have a fancy phone, my phone is as plain as they come and guess what I'm ok with that. I get annoyed if Sean even dares look at a text on his phone during dinner time.
Why because I don't want to be so connected to any form of social media that during one dinner time we can't go without looking at our phones. Because I don't want to be those parents at a restaurant when I was in Tucson where their 4 year old was playing on his iPod Touch with earphones in his ears rather than talking with his parents during dinner.
It is about link-ups, "follow me? I'll follow you," seeing some blogs grow really fast and others crawl along.
It is about seeing some bloggers just take off with their blog, show up on every blog you know and then suddenly completely disappear from the blog-world. What happened to these bloggers?
It is about seeing some bloggers just take off with their blog, show up on every blog you know and then suddenly completely disappear from the blog-world. What happened to these bloggers?
It is about blogger meet-ups and honestly for me this is the best part of blogging. There are some awesome ladies I talk to frequently whom I would have never met without blogging (Katie, Jamie, Kasey,) and there are some bloggers I know I would have out with on a weekly basis if geographically we lived closer (Callie, Stesha).
It is about time management and if you don't have time to work on your blog, you feel you need to write an I'm sorry blog post, I'll get back into blogging soon.Why if the real world, your family and your friends need you more, don't feel bad, it is life and real life happens.
What happened to blogging just being around writing?
It is about time management and if you don't have time to work on your blog, you feel you need to write an I'm sorry blog post, I'll get back into blogging soon.Why if the real world, your family and your friends need you more, don't feel bad, it is life and real life happens.
What happened to blogging just being around writing?
55 comments:
I agree, Meg. It seems like it's become this superficial thing and a popularity contest- who can get the most comments, etc. Another things that's bothered me is that a lot of bloggers don't even write well- or write at all.I try to balance my posts with fashion, beauty, life stories, etc. and I always include real writing and my own opinions.
Life Unsweetened
I feel like its all a choice. As long as people remind themselves of way they blog and write about what they are passionate about that should help keep the focus on what we are doing. If you want a button or ad space I say go for it. As long as we kept in check with ourselves what we are doing it for! Something to definitely think about.
It really does seem like that's what blogging has become, but I don't think it has to be that way. We just need to keep writing for ourselves. I'm not at all opposed to a bit advertising or promotion on blogs but I usually prefer blogs that are genuine, and don't cater to sponsors.
I'm not going to lie, I have really tried to avoid most of that. I mean, definitely no technology at the dinner table (though I try to make that true in general if I am with people anywhere unless it is necessary). But all the advertising and "follow me" and stuff... *shrug* I'm not really there. I blog because I need to keep up with recipes and want to share my life with my family and friends who live far away. A huge added bonus has been that I've made other blog friends through blogging and I love that! Blogging has been so much fun for me and I don't want that to change. :)
it's a balance, for sure. I had never thought about asking for sponsors until I read a post about taking pride in your work/writing and not being afraid to ask for some support in providing your material. I don't know, something about that resignated with me. But I stop following blogs that are all sponsored posts and ads, because I feel like they are selling out. and I always check my motivation behind blogging, because if its something other than simply enjoying it, then I don't want to continue.
I totally agree with this post. I'm coming up on a couple of months that are going to be super busy for me so I know I will be blogging less. I was going to write a post about what to expect from me during that time because that seems like a standard blogger thing to do. Then I thought about how silly that is. Nobody needs to know ahead of time that I might only be posting twice a week and to be honest, most people probably won't even notice!
I agree Meg. I used to really care about how many comments I'd get on my posts because it validated what I wrote. However, I now hva emore followers than before and waaaaay less comments. Lately, sometimes none to 1-2. I don't get it, but I refuse to blog for anybody but me. I think of all the things you wrote about and I just can't grasp it all. It's too much work! So, I'll continue writing for me, because I like it, and I like the connections I make with the people in blog-land.
Love this & so true! I haven't blogged in almost 2 weeks & I have to say, I feel ok about it! Life has just been crazy busy & it's the last thing on my list to try & squeeze in - & I'm not going to feel bad about it. However, I do enjoy keeping up with everyone else though! :)
I totally agree with you - it's a gentle balance!!
I totally agree with you ... It seems like in the past couple of months, all I see now is Sponser- Ad space and no one does the whole button swap anymore for free? I barely get comments anymore (not that its important) and I usually dont have much time to blog. Its hard to keep up, like everyday ... I agree with you sister!
Amen!!!!! You put it together perfectly! Thank goodness there are still people like you in the blogging world :-)
This is a great post. It has become much more about marketing, and networking. Beautiful thoughts on the subject. Loved it :)
great, thought provoking post Meg. I wonder if a lot of people, like me, entered the blogging world in the past year or so without really having a "purpose" to blog and thus you see all the distractions?
So true. My blog is very small (I think I have maybe 50 followers) and sometimes I get embarrassed by. I also don't always have time or the energy to write daily and I try not to feel badly about. I remember that I started blogging as a way to connect to people and also to be able to look back on my life. I need to remember to blog about what is important to me whenever I can write and leave it at that. Thanks for the reminder!
I agree with all of this! Blogging can be very time consuming and hard work. I do use a lot of social media, but I think there has to be a time to unplug. I don't read blogs/comment ever on the weekends.
-Sharon
The Tiny Heart
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Great post. This is exactly how I feel. Blogging is for most it seems, just another popularity contest.
Great post! I quit taking sponsors last month because it was all getting too much for me to handle.
I really miss the days when I first started blogging!
So true, I miss when blogging was simpler and less of a popularity contest. I used to worry about comments but it's a waste of time to worry about such trivial things!
Amen sister. Being new at this, I don't see it as all of that. I try to look past it and blog as a hobby. Not a popularity test, not a link up party, not everyday, just having fun and meeting people. I totally agree with you in the fact that we shouldn't use our phones at dinner or when trying to talk to someone. It can be so rude!
I agree with you wholeheartedly. There are times when you need to step back and look at the bigger picture... I try to unplug on the weekend (besides Instagram!!)
I agree with a lot of what you have said here but I am a visual person and not such a great writer so I tend to share visual things. I love all the friendships I have made though blogging and I love to READ those that have the knack for writing, like you :)
I love this! I blog for my family and myself. Anyone else who wants to read it is more than welcome but that isn't what it's about for me.
Girllll I feel you! I actually just blogged about this same thing a few weeks ago. I took like three months off blogging because I was so fed up with all of it....but I have decided to blog about what I want, when I want. If i never get another reader, it doesn't matter, because I am staying true to myself :)
I actually just unsubscribed to a bunch of blogs that were constantly promoting the "follow me and i'll follow you" stuff. There was never any interesting content on those blogs...just promotion.
I feel the same way! It can just get too crazy! I hate when I look at a blog that has no real content yet has over a 1,000 followers just because of the link ups. It seems really silly to me.
Thank you for this post. I have been thinking about this a lot.
-melanie
Amen!!! It's getting ridiculous! It's really sad.
Perfect post! I started my blog after I moved to a new city and got married, graduated, and started a new job. I want to write to help my bad memory remember such an amazing time in my life. The best part of blogging has been my memories and the people like you that I have met! Awesome!
AMEN to this post. Amen amen and amen!!!! i love blogging, but it doesn't run my life. there's nothing that annoys me more than someone who's like "oh i'm sorry i haven't blogged. i've been off living" - like, dood. come on. i love your blog, meg! i think we'd be real BFFs in real life. or something. you know what i mean. thank you for this post, girl!!
This was a really thought-provoking and awesome post. Over the summer I felt so "linked in" with everything that I was constantly checking my phone or seeing who commented on what and all of that silly business. I got tired of it! Hearing about a kid wearing earphones at dinner instead of talking to their parents makes me so sad. We are becoming so connected online that we become disconnected in real life!
I want to keep my blog about writing and sharing what I love with others. I love writing, it has always been a huge passion of mine. I try not to care about followers and let everything else sweep me off my feet. But, I do love meeting several awesome people from around the country (and world!) and I agree, it's the best part of blogging. :)
Interesting conversation Meg. I hadn't really been immersed in the blog world before last year so I'm not sure if this whole blog pimping and follower craze is something new or not. Perhaps that is how blogging has always been. I told myself from day one that I wouldn't care about the number of followers I had. To me it's quality over quantity. That is one reason why if I do a giveaway on my blog I don't make it a required entry to "follow" my blog. I'd rather people follow bc they enjoy what I have to share not do it just to try to win something. I recently started ad space on my blog but I would never say no to a button swap and I think I am very laid back on pursuing the whole ad thing. I do unfollow blogs that become 100% sponsored posts bc they simply don't appeal to me. I absolutely agree with you about why do we feel like we need to explain ourselves if we don't blog for a few days or even weeks. You're right we don't hold that much consideration for our friends and family in explaining to them our lack of contact or what not why should we feel we owe it to strangers!
Amen, sister! I have had a similar experience with blogging, or at least my feelings followed a similar timeline to yours. When I began, I didn't care if I had 0 followers or 100, I just wanted a place to write. Somewhere along the way, that started changing. I wanted other people to know I was here, I guess. :o) And I don't think there's anything wrong with that, until it gets to the point where your only purpose with blogging is to grow and see how many followers you can get. Which everyone knows - followers don't mean readers.
I got caught up in all of that for awhile. But then I realized blogging had stopped being fun. It was more like work. This is one reason I refuse to create a Twitter account or have a facebook fan page. And I REALLY don't understand the point of sponsorships. If you're so focused on maintaining all of that, you'll never have enough time to actually blog, much less live your real life. And real life will (or should!) always take the priority.
I started blogging 5 years ago and things have def changed. I'm not going to lie, it never gets old getting a new follower. It does make me feel good, like people enjoy my blog. And I do have a linkup and join one every Friday, but I like those because I like meeting other people :) I've met great "friends" through blogging.
I don't understand making people pay for advertising. I never have paid and will never charge.
my thought's completely. I think the mistake people make is trying to grow their blogs as fast as possible first, and enjoy blogging 2nd. It's kind of a bummer.
- Sarah
agirlintransit.blogspot.com
I have definitely approached the quality over quantity when it comes to followers. I write (ok, technically, I take pictures) from my heart and I appreciate all the lovely people who enjoy it. Your blog is great and continue to make it for your own memory book!
I'm with you on these blogging issues...
I have only a few followers but I like them a lot because they're following me because they like my blog not because of an exchange follow deal.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm very new to the blogging world, but my favorite moments are always when people take the time to read what I write & then write genuine comments. They are what makes blogging worth it... Am definitely not into the whole "Follow me, follow you" thing - hopefully that fades out? Ha!
I couldn't agree more. I've actually stopped following some of my previously-favorite blogs because they aren't the same. They aren't what I originally came for. A lot of them, sadly, have changed for the worse. I hope more people get back to the real reason they blog (whatever it may be) and not for the money or popularity.
I started blogging for myself. I had followed 2 real life friends for a while and then one day I just decided to start a blog too. My family and friends that live far away read it and keep updated on fun things I've been doing, and I also like to have a place to keep every day memories my boyfriend and I make. I'm still pretty new to the whole blog world, I don't understand the ins and outs of it as far as sponsors and such, but I also don't really have an interest in knowing, if that makes sense? I started following a few people who's blogs I had stumbled upon and enjoyed reading. I must admit though, I did get excited when I had a few people start following me. :)
I couldn't have said this better myself. I haven't blogged in awhile for two reasons (honeymoon and just kinda sick of it). I feel like my blog was better when only my best friend and mom read it because I wrote some great posts with this illusion that there were others reading and appreciating it. Now I guess that illusion is gone - if your blog isn't full of instagram pics, giveaways and blog hops then it seems like people just skip right over you.
great post. I've been blogging for right at 4 years, have a couple hundred posts but only have a little over 100 followers, and if I get more than 5 comments on a post it's a big deal. But I don't blog for anyone and I've always felt that way, I simply blog to keep a record of my life!
Wonderful post!
I am trying to stick with the blogging basics and remember why I blog. If I am busy then I'm not going to post!
Don't even get me started about kids and i products at meals!!! I've also seen toddlers in strollers with ipads. CRAZY!
I totally agree. Its gotten out of hand. Its all normal on my page haha
I agree with this, and I am happy that my hubby will be home soon, so that he can take up all my time! I enjoy doing link ups, sponsoring blogs that I believe in/want to support, I like having my Wednesday guest posters, etc., but I will NEVER stop writing. When I talked about being overwhelmed one time, bloggers suggested that I post less, and I was like...."Um...no." I blog first and foremost for myself. If anything, I will comment on others less. I love reading blogs and having those relationships (my second fave of blogging), but I have to stay true to myself. :)
I hear you, girl! Why isn't blogging just about writing? My phone is not a smart phone...actually it's stupid :) haha.
Amen to this post! Which is mostly why I've been not posting as regularly because I want to actually put some of ME and MY WRITING on my blog again. You're motivating to write a nice, raw, honest post for tomorrow!
I participate in a few link ups but try so hard to still write actual 'real' posts in between those fun posts. I've been blogging for 3 yrs and things have definitely changed since then. Seems like things are all about being popular instead of just wanting to be read & understood.
I definitely feel a pressure to do sponsorships and giveaways...not like a pressure-like I have to do it, but more like every one is always advertising for them so should I? But in reality I have NO time to commit any more than I already do. I am happy with my 55 followers...for now...and enjoy my random posts that I do. I love meeting the people I have met so far, like you and Andrea of Blonde Ambitions and Shanna of Because Shanna Said so...I enjoy Leeann, Sami and Dana's link ups because I would write about my weekend anyways.
I also hate the cell phone at the dinner table!! I have a smart phone (iphone5) but when we are eating dinner, the phones are put away. My brother & sister -in-law are always on their phones at family dinners and it's kinda sad. I will admit to TV on during dinner, but I try to turn it off for Sunday Night dinners.
Girlllll, preach it. I crave authentic words whether they are pretty or ugly. But, there have been fewer words and a greater number of business transactions.
Amen!!! Really. I don't like those "I followed you, why don't you follow me?" comments...I ignore them. I don't even feel tempted going over to look what blog they are having unless their comment is more than the "follow comment" then I might be going over and have a look. And yes, I want dinner time to be strictly dinner time too. Sadly, not always gonna happen. :(
And funny...I am having a little blog block lately, besides regular stress that I just haven't blogged in a little while. I do not feel pressured. We should blog when we feel like it and not when we think others would probably like it. :)
Great post btw. :)
xoxo
I completely agree. I wrote a post today similar to that. This is my second round at blogging, because the first time I was focused on all of the above and it was like God said: okay stop. When you do something, do it for my glory.
The first time sadly was to give me glory, and I need to remind myself that even through blogging I need to write to reach out, to share, to encourage.
I love that other bloggers still have that great mindset of just writing.
You said it best my friend.
For the past few days, I've thought about completely changing what I write on this blog. All I want to do is just write about random things that are on my mind. It's EXHAUSTING trying to keep up with all the "cool" link-ups and what not. Plus, I feel like the bloggers who ARE obsessed with getting new followers no matter what are pretty fake. I don't know, just my opinion.
But thank you for this awesome post. You're so wonderful!
I really appreciated what you had to say. My friends and I just started our blog a few weeks ago and it's important to keep in mind that content is key. If you aren't writing about what you love and enjoy and what goes on in your head, then what's the point? It's also about encouraging others and can be a great outlet to connect with people around the world, which is what I'm most excited for. Thanks for the reality check!
I often think the same things about blogging. I don't have a 'fancy' phone either. It has no internet, so it sometimes takes me a day or two to respond to comments, emails, tweets, etc. I sometimes feel I do need to explain myself because I think people jump to the conclusion you're ignoring them and not that you have a 'dumb' (as opposed to a smart) phone. ;)
I've been trying to step up my writing and be a little more honest, because I have some old favorite blogs that don't excite me anymore because it feels like they've 'sold out' to ads and things they aren't passionate about. Glad you've shared these blog thoughts with us all.
Yes! Great insight and questions, I loved this post.
I like that you mixed the good & the bad of blogging, and it all is true. Thanks for sharing :) I really love it!
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