At the time of writing this, the question “Is Blogging Dead” or some variant of it gets searched over 1000 times a month.
So it appears to be a topic that’s top of mind for a lot of people. Whether that’s long-time bloggers wondering if they should keep at it, or if someone considering launching a blog, but isn’t sure if it’s worth it.
But here’s your answer:
Is blogging dead?
Nope. Not in the slightest.
Okay, there you go. You can dip out if you want.
BUT I’ll admit the answer isn’t that clean. There are layers to this. Because while blogging as a whole IS NOT DEAD, some aspects of it definitely are.
So if you’re considering launching a blog or are looking at pumping life back into an existing one, stick around so that you don’t waste your time and energy on methods that won’t serve you.
(If you want the video-version of this blog post, scroll to the bottom!)
Blogging is NOT Dead
In our social media-dominated age, the idea that blogging is dead is VERY pervasive.
But let’s stop for a second.
When we want information or questions answered, many of us turn to Google or another search engine with our queries.
And where does Google point us to?
To websites all across the internet.
And a blog is really just what we call a website that is updated regularly with new posts.
A quick Google search has told me that there are 8.5 BILLION Searches a day. That is a LOT of opportunity for blogs to surface and find success.
Blogs are still a lot of people’s go-to to find expert and in-depth information.
And in my personal experience my blog, comfygirlwithcurls.com, isn’t dead.
It’s how brands and other cool opportunities have found me, AND it brings in some nice ongoing affiliate income and ad revenue.
Related: How to Write Product Reviews for Passive Income
And I just launched this blog, so things can’t be too bad, can they?
So why do people say blogging is Dead?
People primarily discount blogging because it’s evolved, and people aren’t sure how to keep up.
Social media has replaced a LOT of things that people used to turn to blogs for, so bloggers have had to adapt to remain successful.
People also say blogging is dead because arguably, strategically writing and optimizing blog posts is more time and labour-intensive than creating content for Instagram
So when people don’t see immediate progress from a blog, they often dismiss the whole medium.
And so let’s talk about what is dead when it comes to blogging…
That way you don’t launch a website with high expectations, fail, and become yet another person shouting from the hilltops that the medium is dead and buried.
Blogging as a Public Diary is Dead
This is primarily where I think the idea that blogging is dead stems from.
Because people want to open up their blog, talk about their day, what they ate, with no clear through line or message and expect to have tons of traffic and income.
But that’s not how blogging (at least with the expectation of income and readers) works.
Thanks to social media, there are so many platforms available for people to share real-time information about themselves and their thoughts, so why would anyone visit one person’s personal blog to get their deepest thoughts and perspectives when they can get that on the fly from TikTok, instagram and tiktok?
Even general opinion pieces are more likely to gain traction housed on a platform like Medium or from blowing up on social media, than they are on your individual site.
The most successful blogs are less about you as an individual, and more about the value you provide to those reading it.
Blogging Without Strategy is Dead
This is tied to the above, but if your blog is a willy-nilly, random, unfocused corner of the internet… that’s cool. But don’t expect people to find it, let alone read it.
If you want readers, you need to have a plan not only for your focus (i.e. knowing your niche and/or target audience),
but also in how you plan to drive traffic to your site. (This is where SEO and Pinterest comes into play).
Blogging as a look book/ loose inspiration
If your content is made up of outfits of the day (ootd), fashion inspo, hair inspo. You aren’t likely to see a lot of success. Especially if your blog posts are lean (i.e. not a lot of content, just a couple images and a bit of text).
That’s because these are fulfilled by other mediums where they can get many sources in one go.
That’s not to say inspirational content doesn’t have a place on your blog.. but tying into our last point you need STRATEGY around how you plan to surface the content.
Because why would I go to your website to search for summer hairstyle inspiration.. when I can search that term on Pinterest, use hashtags on Instagram and get content from a LOT of different creators at once.
Final Thoughts + The Video Version
If you’re willing to play the long game, on a platform that you OWN, where you aren’t at the mercy of third parties and algorithms.. I encourage you to get started on a blog..
Just make sure you keep this post in mind when you launch it!
Video version of “Is Blogging Dead” here:
Related Posts:
