Hey guys! I’ve been wanting to do a follow up post of last years post about blogging for a while now, andĀ finally I took some time to put my thoughts together.
It was so amazing to share with you last week the evolution of this website and how different challenges and opportunities have shaped who I am and what I do today. And, as you know, blogging has been absolutely key to that.Ā I wrote last years post because I felt that, unfairly, blogging was starting to be seen as a dying art as other social media platforms took precedence. As I’ve mentioned time and time again I really dont believe in ever putting your eggs in one basket, particularly a basket that you have no control over. The last 12 months have only reiterated that fact, and highlighted that even though it might be a tough slog,Ā it’s worth investing time in your blog.
Why Your Blog Is More Important Than Ever
You Can’t Control Social Media Platforms
Part I of this postĀ talked about this too, but as time has gone on this has only become more clear. Chances are by now you’ve read the widelyĀ shared article about the underworld of Instagram. Basically Sara talks about the various ‘strategies’ being used to inflate follower counts and engagement rates. And when I say strategy I mean tactics that put the onus on numbers and in the process devalue quality content.Ā AĀ few months ago I did a bit of research, basically wondering how it seemed some peopleĀ were managing to create such an engaged audience and grow so fast, despiteĀ the changes to the algorithm. After a bit of googling I found out about many of the tactics that Sara mentions – Follow/Unfollow techniques, Comment Pods and Like Bots and Loops. Basically a focus on numbers that not only set impossible standards but means good content isn’t recognised the way it should be. On the one hand this revelation wasĀ rather depressing but on the other it wasĀ a relief, finally understanding the reality of the social media landscape.Ā It also underlinedĀ the fact thatĀ we have zero control over how social platforms evolve – it was, after all, the algorithm thatĀ paved the way for many of these techniques.
Putting side the ethical/moral questionsĀ involved with these techniques, the promise of numbers regardless of content quality isĀ undeniably appealing (the pressure is real guys!), but ultimately I always feltĀ that the amount of time you would spend keeping up these strategies was better spent investing in your blog, business, goals…Ā and life! WhichĀ brings me back to my point. The reason people originally loved blogs and social media is that they provided an inspiring, fresh perspective that spoke to individuals in a different way to how mass media had in the past.Ā Good content rose to the top. But as these ‘strategies’ have become widely usedĀ it has been less about creating inspiring work than slogging away to get the numbers up. And seriously, that’s no way to live. In case this is sounding too depressing for you, don’t worry. It’s my feeling that thisĀ bubble won’t last forever. As people become more aware of these tactics, social platforms will realise theyĀ undermine their whole premiseĀ and hopefullyĀ intervene (Instagram has recentlyĀ shut down a bunch of Like Bot companies). Which I really hope they do, considering just how many people there are out there who create incredible, creative content and have fostered an amazing community through blood sweat and tears. It would be sad to lose that! Or, they let it continue this way and things get worse and worse.Ā Either way, if you invest time in the content on your blog, and use social platforms as additional extras (rather than your main focus)Ā you’re on the right path to a communityĀ with value that can’t be taken away.
You Can Collect Real Data
OK so when you think about it, most waysĀ that you get traffic on a blog is related to aĀ platform that is controlled by someone else. Instagram, Bloglovin, Pinterest, Youtube, Twitter, Weibo. Even Search Engine Optimisation (something that I wholeheartedly believe in) is a function of Google which is, you guessed it, an actual business that wants to make money. Because of this you can’t rely on things staying the same, in fact what you can rely on is that they won’t, as platforms look for different ways to monetise what they do an reward shareholders. But do you know the one place that you can get traffic that isn’t controlled by anyone than the actual user? Email lists. To this day, email marketing is the most successful form of digital marketing, because you connect directly withĀ people bored in their cubicle or on their sofa. Therefore, everyĀ time someone comes to your website you should be trying to get their contact details from them, which essentially will build your data base, give you information about where they are based and create a source of traffic that you can rely on – whether you choose to send an email every day or every year.
Good Content Gets Results (And Traffic)
As other platforms have grown bloggers have naturally dedicated more time to those, which for some has meant less content being posted on their sitesĀ and thus less readers. Even I’m guilty of pasting less than I should – although I do believe in quality over quantity…Ā Ā In many ways this has created a terminal loop whereby bloggers post less and lessĀ and the decline continues.Ā Which only sees theirĀ dedication to blogging drop even more and thus their traffic… You see where I’m going?Ā Although yes reader habits have evolved, I truly feel that if you consistentlyĀ post useful and interestingĀ content with good SEO,Ā package it appropriatelyĀ for various other channels so that you lead people back to your blogĀ and utilise your email list, your readership willĀ grow. It makes sense that making sure you don’t switch your focus to a different channel is important for maintaining a community.
And on the subject of sponsoredĀ content, marketers are getting increasingly savvy toĀ the various techniques out there for augmenting numbers, with different toolsĀ popping up to aid in understanding actual reach, as well as simple eye ballĀ analysis saying a lot too (if it looksĀ too good to be true it might just be). With that has come a resurgence in the value of blog content –Ā where a) a more long termĀ connection can be made with your audience and b) readership isĀ less likely to be faked.
You (Can) Do You
Although authenticity is an overused word, I do think it holds weight. These revelations about some social channels don’t mean all is lost. In fact to me they mean the opposite – if blogging is your true love you should keep on keeping on! Ā And use social channels as fun, enjoyable, artistic and inspiring extras, without getting bogged down in the numbers (or feel you need to augment them). Ā Look at also supporting your blog with other channels that let your authenticity, who you really are, shine – like youtube or podcasting. Blogging has the amazing ability to speak in detail to people across the world who have the same interests as you, and an authentic approach to blogging will always win you readers. And remember, one real, engaged reader is more valuable than one million not-so-real interactions.Ā On the flip side, if theĀ rise of other platforms hasĀ meant that you side stepped your blog, now’s a great opportunityĀ for a reboot. Consider how you can authentically engage your audience and build a community that will outlast the various evolutions of social media.
Love to hear your thoughts on this one guys! It was hard to write because my intention isn’t to offend anyone, I just thought it was time we opened up thisĀ conversation again. Do you think your blog is as important as ever? xxx
Photos via my visit to Boutierre Girls Studio!
Such a great article and very inspiring to still continue to blog. Thank you.
Nathalie
http://www.nathalie-alexandra.blogspot.com
Thank you so much I am so glad you like it. x
I’m a self-published author, and the things I can do/have to do to market myself can get mind boggling, but I love being able to write freely on my blog. I like posting tips and tricks there, share my thoughts on the writing process, maybe an unedited short story or two. It gives me a clear voice across the platforms, and gets away from the limits of social media.
I love that you talk about how crazy it got, even for you–because it is! And yes, I have heard that email lists are the end all and be all of online marketing! Thank you for sharing! <3
It gets so crazy, particularly if you let yourself become obsessed with the numbers. That’s a scary rabbit hole! The key is to stay focused on what matters – the people read.
Loved this super honest post so much! I’ve always focused a bit more on my blog (mainly because I feel like I have a lot to say), so I’m definitely sad to see that blogs are declining in terms of viewership š Thank you so much for sharing all of these great insights/advice!
XO, Elizabeth
https://clothestoyouuu.com/
I definitely think that if you post good content consistently, your audience will grow!
Your post was so inspiring and motivating to me, especially the first point about follower numbers! Thank you very much for this!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
Love, love LOVE this post – totally agree with you – especially on authenticity being key!
Rebecca
xx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
I am so in-and-out of love with different social media all the time, I could never imagine trying to build my entire future, or even a hobby just based off them š
Thanks for sharing my dear! It’s so so true š
xx Michaela
Michaelablog
Bloglovin
I’m so happy to hear you agree x
Love your thoughts on this! I can’t seem to get anyone to follow my blog!
More on this subject soon! x
I’ve been reading you for years and I like your refreshing and honest perspective. I also appreciate your open discussion– that said, I don’t know if I have ever commented before! š I keep up with a few blogs because I enjoy reading and connecting that way. IG is fun but it is more for me a tool to use when I am waiting for something (like an appointment). Anyway- thanks for your blog!
Thanks Olivia, I am so happy to hear you are a long time reader, it’s that which keeps me coming back and writing every day š
Great read, with excellent perspective!
These are great things to keep in mind! All very true!
I love this post! Of all the channels of communication blogging is my favorite one. I like that even with algorithm changes or trends, blogging is the most stable way to build an audience. (But I do need to work on SEO and being more consistent!) Thanks for sharing š
I am so happy to hear that. Yep your blog gives you control, where as with other mediums you are at the mercy of all the changes they want.
Thanks for this post! Great reminders.
Hannah | Stories Of A Telescope
So happy that you found it useful…
Amen to all of this. I found myself sharing less and less on my blog this last year and have felt reinspired to share more lately and have this piece of the internet back for myself!
Thats so great to hear! Yahoo!
As an artist I have felt nothing but overwhelmed as I have tried to balance creating and marketing. With trying to promote on facebook instagram, twitter and sending out regular emails, my blog has come last on the list. After looking at my website stats today I realized my blog shows potential to engage more people and I really need to get back to creating good quality content. Thanks for the encouraging article
Thats so great to hear! Yes I agree, your blog is the home of all your content, and something that people can refer to anytime they need to. It’s not so easy with emails or other social media š
I just came to this revelation the other day! I have spent monthhhsssss trying to understand the new Instagram and lost all focus on my blog and writing. Like most I was obsessed with Instagram. But as soon as I realized how I could have spent all those hours writing content instead of trying to beat the system I felt stupid. Instagram is a fun extra. And if people love your blog then they will follow you on your social media anyways so why start backwards?
Thanks for this post!
The Fernweh Wolf / Travel & Lifestyle Blog
xx
I think a lot of people are being pulled down that rabbit hole just like you were – it’s easy to think that if you get the numbers on social media you will be successful. That only works if it’s an engaged audience and not just empty users, forced engagement or bots. Just keep doing what you are doing š
I needed this!! Thank you for putting this together. I sometimes feel like creating and marketing my own stuff can be overwhelming but I love what I do, and I can tell you do, as well.
Genevieve | blueaugustine.com
It can be exhausting can’t it? But the joys of a lovely audience and being able to authentically talk to people on the other side of the world is such an amazing rewards. I hope all goes well for you!
This was such helpful inspiration. I haven’t started my blog yet. But it’s coming soon. I wish you could do blogger workshop tour. I’d fly out to anywhere you’ll be leading it. Great work!!
Yay! I am so happy to hear that. Hopefully some of this content can help you š
Thank you so much for this post! I’ve been in the biggest rut lately in terms of blogging and the woes of Instagram. I’ve had my blog for about 6 years, and Instagram account for maybe 3-4 years? It’s been so hard to ignore newer accounts who just shoot up past you because they use tactics such as follow/unfollow, bots and engagement pods. I was invited to a few engagement pods that I joined for a while, until I started having posts from other girls saying “please comment on the bag, it was a paid post”. This actually made me kind of angry that brands and advertisers were actually being cheated on engagement and audiences that they thought they were reaching with these influencers. I also work in a digital marketing agency so it all just gets incredibly frustrating and overwhelming sometimes. But thank you for this post, I really love creating content and this has helped give me back a clear perspective and direction!
X
Thanks so much for your insightful comment Nora! I am sure a lot of people feel you on this – it’s so disheartening when you see that people are succeeding without having to put all the hard work in that you have. But that is life isn’t it? And I think in reality the best creators who have an authentic audience will always rise to the top.
As a marketer you must see that advertisers are getting more and more savvy! Thats why I think your blog is so important, and it’s key not to get caught up in that numbers game – I can only help but think that people who have dedicated all their time to it must be so over it – constantly chasing the likes. Chase the actual audience instead I say! By doing amazing content that people want to read. š
Oh thanks so much for the reassurance, I agree that I enjoy people who are putting more time into content. I think the focus has shifted a lot, I mean because of what other mediums now offer, people want to see interesting series, cool analysis and posts that they will remember on blogs. That’s the key thing to focus on wouldn’t you agree?
Thanks so much!
I think in the past it was easy to feel success when you had small wins, like say having 200 readers on your blog, but now we have so much to compare to, and such high standards to live up to that we always berate ourselves about our failure rather than what we have achieved. Just having a presence online and a community (no matter the size) is an achievement that is relatively rare. Try not to focus on the numbers (been there, done that) and instead focus on the community š
Thats so intersting!
Great post! I think we all need to take a step back and look at the reason why we started blogging and what we want to share with people. You can read about how to get lots of followers but like you said then content isn’t recognized as it should be.
https://dreamofadventures.com/
Totally! I think that instead of focusing on numbers it should be about community – so yes replying to comments and engaging with your audience is key!
This was such an encouraging post for me! I’m currently in the process of starting up my blog and have been feeling so overwhelmed and shadowed by super “famous” insta blogs… which really got me down because “fame” and “faking it” is completely the opposite of the intention behind my own blog! So silly!
Thank you for giving the real rundown of things in this post. It’s good to know!
I’ve loved your whole blog series!
X Christelise
I think it’s easy to feel like you’ll never be so-and-so but to be honest that doesn’t matter, you need to pave your own way and not worry about other people…. Easier to say than to do I know!
Insightful post. Thank you for your tips!
Thanks so much for tuning in!
Let me just say that this whole post has let me breathe a deep sigh of relief. I have been feeling pretty crappy about Instagram for MONTHS now, and I thought I was the crazy one. After reading the “Monster” post you shared I must say that I was horrified by what the social media platform has become and am realizing my instincts were correct. I know I post great content, but for the life of me I could not get any new followers and just thought I was going crazy. I started my account a little late (after having a business account under another name that I no longer use since the early days of Insta) and haven’t been able to get it off the ground despite good posts. I was also suspecting a “shadow ban” for maybe posting too many hashtags or putting them in my comments. The whole thing just ended up feeling pointless and I took a three week break from my account in May. I have chosen to never post unique content to Instagram, unless it’s a funny Snap, so that I don’t waste any effort on the gamed system. It used to be fun and felt rewarding, and frankly kind of innocent, but now it feels like the same type of stuff, a lot of marketing gimmicks, and more people pretending.
I will definitely be spending my time on my blog and building my email list from now on š
http://www.shessobright.com
I am so glad that I could make you feel better on this score. To be honest, it’s easy to think that there’s something that you are doing wrong, but in reality so much is happening behind the scenes that you can’t possibly keep up with the changes/tactics. I was nervous sharing this post to be honest because I know lots of people use these tactics, and I’m not into pointing the finger or making people feel bad – the struggle is real and I for one understand it. That said, I guess what I wanted to underline is that in the event people are tempted to try these things that they should look to their content and website presence because that’s the place that a real, authentic community will be built. It wont be long before pure numbers are known to be pointless, and brands will be looking for real life communities instead. xxx
Question; what blogs do you follow? Because you linked to ‘Behind the quest’ and it seems really interesting, would be great to know which blogs you regularly read. Thank you š
Yes, my blog is important. I just started it, after feeling like there’s too many blogs out there already. But I convinced myself to start, and I’m just making myself keep going. Not doing all the “right” things that can be overwhelming, just writing about myself and reaching out to people I know first….I”ll get more serious soon. Today I’ll publish my fourth post. You can check my blog out at: unaskdforadvice.com. Thanks! Love, love, love your work…you are my inspiration!
That’s reassuring to me as someone returning to blogging after a four year hiatus. I had a feeling that somewhere out there were more people looking for the same things: inspired by interesting content, pleased to see and engage in debate, and to find something with depth. Real engagement has to be worth so much more in terms of satisfaction, and, ultimately, in creating that richness of content that makes people readable and relatable over so many years. So good to see it articulated powerfully – thank you!
apackedlife.com
Thanks for posting this. I started a blog this year, as an outlet for creativity, since my design job is for a large bank and consists of forms and cards. I am also studying real estate so I also post articles that relate to that. My blog is http://dianepenelope.com and I try to post every other day, if not every day, but it comes in fits and starts. How do you stay inspired all the time?
Love Geneva she inspired me to start blogging again! Check out my latest post on creating a signature style: https://kbcloud.wordpress.com/2017/07/13/creating-a-signature-style/
Thanks for all your amazing advice through the years on this blog!
OMG This is just what I needed to hear. I compare myself way to much to other people. And my blog does need a reboot. Thanks for the encouragement š
I so enjoyed this post! I’ve recently begun my blogging journey, but am already feeling in a rut. It’s so easy to get discouraged when things don’t happen overnight! This definitely gave me the reboost I needed to keep on truckin’– so thank you! I can’t wait to read more of your posts in this series.
xox
Claire
http://www.styledbyclaire.com
This is so helpful! I just started my blog and I’m a little overwhelmed. I’ve really been pouring my soul into my blog everyday and I’ve been frustrated because no one is reading it! Ugh! Really inspires me to keep going when you said that If I keep creating good content, then eventually I will get there. Thanks so much for this post I needed it.
Teenage Wayfarer
Thank you for posting this. It’s super helpful especially considering my blog is only a week old and there’s so much self doubt. It’s hugely overwhelming. You’ve inspired me to give it my all and stick with it as I grow my following. I love creating content and just hope that one day my blog will be as loved as yours.
Sarah | http://sundaysmitten.com/
Thank you so much š I truly enjoyed this read! I started a blog a while back for a fun, creative outlet and to always have a place to come back to where I discuss new adventures for my son! I have a ways to go to get where I want to be, but I am having fun enjoying the ride! Thank you for the tips and clarity!
http://www.mrsmotivatedmommy.com
This is so helpful. I love how transparent you are about your journey and the journey of this site. I’ve been working for two years with my sister and a friend on our site The Spinsters Union (www.thespinstersunion.com) and although we all believe in it, sometimes it feels like you’re working and working and working without yet seeing the results of the work. Encouraging to hear your story from the first post and to remember from this post, that even if it doesn’t always feel like it the quality of the content does matter.
lovely post…. thought provoking….
your blog is your property… social media is not….. you own that space temporarily….
Thank you thank you and thank you for this blog post!! You dont know you are doing a huge favor to blogger community
http://www.simplenchic.com