Is Blogging Dead?

by Jon on 2009/06/27

in Best Of, blogging

Is blogging on its last legs?

Is blogging on its last legs?


So Steve Rubel has dumped blogging for lifestreaming. Charles Arthur at The Guardian also notes that participation on Twitter and Facebook is replacing blogging.

Whilst I’ve noticed some of my favourite bloggers aren’t posting as frequently as usual, my own take on this is simple: don’t abandon your blog – just yet.

Why Keep on Blogging?

Scenario #1: The Personal Blogger.
Let’s imagine you write a few posts a week on a personal blog at YourName.com that ties in with your interest in, say, technology. Yes, you’re a bit of a geek but not hardcore. You use your WordPress blog to record thoughts about the latest products by Apple, plugin tips for WordPress and share tips such as how changes to your htaccess file will improve the way Google ranks your blog.

Even if you’re in a job, chances are when you come to apply for another one the recruitment team will Google you. It’s standard practice after all. Even if you’re on Facebook or MySpace, like a lot of people in your demographic, it is very likely that “Your Name” will turn up an eclectic but thoughtful bunch of posts at your blog in Google rather than a stream of snarky, meaningless noise in your Twitter stream. Google likes blogs, after all.

In other words, writing a blog (relatively) frequently will give you some control of how others view you online. That’s not to say they won’t find your Twitter account or Facebook profile; but compared to the non-bloggers out there you have a good chance of having some content on the web that demonstrates you’re thoughtful, analytical and a communicator. Not bad, really!

Takeaways for Personal Bloggers

  • a blog gives a more coherent impression of who you are than social media lifestreams
  • Google still tends to ranks them very highly in the SERPs so you can at the very least they can help you manage some simple personal brand management
  • blog posts show a more rounded side of who you are and tell a better story about you than 140 characters, links and retweets in a lifestream

Scenario #2: The Small Business Blogger
Don’t abandon your business blog for a lifestream. Your blog is a great way of generating traffic to your website and showing people who you are and what you do. At it’s best, a blog can show personality, skills and help you connect better with customers and potential customers.

By regularly updating your blog, providing readers with valuable insights, resources, news and suggestions, you are helping to show what you have to offer as a business. This isn’t just about pitching sales but making customers aware of how you work.

Your blog is your base, a place which you can control and grow. It isn’t a cacophony of noise like Twitter.

If businesses abandon blogs for social media (or lifestreams), trying to muscle in on the myriad conversations raging over there, chances are they’ll get lost in a sea of noise. In contrast, businesses that consistently provide meaningful content via a blog will standout. Not just because Google (and visitors) will find you but because a blog gives you the space to develop meaningful content.

On Twitter I might link to 5 Ways to Communicate Better at Work; however, just linking to valuable info isn’t going to help me establish my credibility or skills as much as actually writing something important such as, How Not to Pitch for Work.

Check out Six Must-Haves for Business Bloggers

Final Thoughts

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be on Twitter (or FriendFeed or whatever social media network you fancy); it’s a very different and valuable communication channel in its own right. But don’t forget that blogging gives you time and space to share something truly valuable. Bottom line, great content on a blog will benefit you and your business.

Image:FlickrCC

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Related posts:

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  4. 4 Tips for Business Blogging
  5. Twitter’s Hot – But Nurture Your Website

Jon Buscall - Communications Consultant

Communications Consultant Jon Buscall

I'm an available-for-hire online communications consultant based out of Stockholm, Sweden.

What I do:
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  • Jon
    @Charmian
    I agree, Twitter IS too limiting. I like to think of it as a place to build relationships and share knowledge but it's not like the kind of information hub that a blog can be.
    Looking at the kind of people I follow back on Twitter I notice often that I'm swayed by the kind of blog they have. Over time and space you get a better sense of who someone is.
  • I agree, Jon. Blogs are still alive. I feel this argument is a bit like the Monty Python skit where the wounded character is left for dead and tries to convince others "I'm not dead yet!"

    While Twitter is handy, it's not a replacement for my food blog. People have tried Twitter recipes but it hasn't caught on. Why? My ingredient list often goes beyond 140 characters. Recipes require words. Lots of words. Carefully crafted words. Twitter just isn't designed for this.

    As a food writer, I use Twitter for research and marketing, but blog to share what I learn. There's also little cross over between my Twitter Followers and blog subscribers.

    Steve Rubel might have jumped to Lifestreaming, but he writes about technology so it makes a bit of sense. Will people who cover issues like parenting or relationships etc find such a jump useful? I don't know.

    Charles Arthur notes the long tail is dying and bloggers are posting less and less. Fair enough. As Rick notes, blogging is time consuming. But according to one report, speedy Twitter has an attrition rate of something like 70% in the first 60 days. Seems even Twitter is too much for some.

    I think blogs are here for a long while yet. People crave information and they can't get all the details on Twitter. Not sure what the next wave will be, but Twitter is too limiting to make me give up my blog. Besides, has anyone managed to monetize Twitter? But that's another question.
  • Jon
    Thanks for your comments Rick. I agree with you. Blogging well is tough but the rewards are worth it. I think this is something businesses need to remember. You don't just create a significant blog in a week or month. It takes time and energy to develop and grow. As a hub, it beats social media hands down.
  • Good post Jon. Ernst has nailed a core reason to keep your blog. Blogging is still the center of the social media universe. Now you could easily argue I am a bit biased on that point but the facts support the argument.

    Yes many tech bloggers and other infected with the techy bug have slowed down or even stopped blogging altogether because they are distracted with the latest shiny new toy. But the majority of the blogging universe is still going strong and is in fact growing.

    The truth is keeping up a good quality blog is much harder than updating Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. It also serves a different purpose. You simply cannot convey the same type of long form communication via Twitter as you can on a blog. As an example a couple of months back I asked on Twitter if Oprah would like to address our community at BlogWorld. A small controversy ensued which would have been impossible to address in 140 characters. So I put up a blog post and a great cross blog conversation began. http://bit.ly/VD2kD

    There is one other important point here, anyone can create and maintain a Facebook presence, anyone can create and use a Twitter account and just about everyone can even hold decent conversations and build relationships; not everyone can write and maintain a quality blog.

    Blogging "well" is much harder that tweeting away 10 - 20 times a day. That pyramid continues when you cross over into podcasting and internet radio. That is much harder to do than writing. That is one reason why there are fewer quality podcasts than blogs and finally video is harder still. Yes anyone can create video but very few people can create quality video on a regular basis.
  • Good post. Always need that little reminder, my blog isn't leaving anytime soon... ;)
  • Jon
    Thanks for stopping by! I like the idea of a blog as a "hub". Twitter is great for driving people to your blog but you can't really showcase who (or what!) you are on lifestreaming sites like you can on your blog.
  • Ernst-Jan Pfauth
    Great post. This will help next time I get the 'is blogging dead'-question. I'd like to add one thing: a personal blog is of course the perfect hub for allyour online content. And the great thing about is that you can style it as much as you want. That boosts creativity and communicates your personal brand better.

    Once again, thanks. Now I'm off to Twitter this post ;)
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