Some time back on Laura's blog she wrote a post I can't even remember the name of or what it was about.
BUT.
I said something like, "I'd blog all the time whether people read or not" and she wrote back to me and said, "no, you wouldn't. Even if you won't admit it, you write for the conversation" or something like that.
The whole thread is as I remember it.
Laura, do you remember?
Anyway, she was right.
Because seriously in the history of forever (8 years) I haven't thought about stopping writing as much as I have over this last week.
And no, nothing's wrong with me.
Well now, the screws that were loose are still loose :)
But no-one's reading.
My "readership" is like 1/3rd of what it used to be, and comments are of course also waaaaaayyyy down.
I've always had low comments on the Organising Queen blog but that doesn't bother me (much) because the readership has always been there, and fairly consistent (okay it's not growing much but it's a really nice decent size).
The blog is starting to feel like Twitter (and you all know how much I hate Twitter because no one talks back)...
On the other hand, I'm loving Instagram.
I'm not on there much at all these days because of the lack of decent wifi, so if I do go on during the day, it's to post, not to scroll through other people's pretty pictures. If people comment on mine, then I do feel like it's just good manners to comment back. Right?
So that's where I'm at with the blog and social media.
Facebook is still off my phone - long may that last.
Speaking of work stuff, even MORE things are blocked after we moved buildings. On the bright side, no distractions so I'm super productive but on the other hand, no reading or commenting on blogs at work so there are always about 100 posts unread. I'm going to have to unsubscribe from some because that unread number makes me twitch.
How many blogs are you reading these days?
How active are you on social media?
I'd love to hear from the 5 of you still reading ;) (couldn't resist!)
Blogs ... as they use to be ... do seem to be on their way out. I've not read as many since Google Reader was pulled ... all of the alternate programs were difficult to use or just didn't have the features I used daily or wanted me to pay a monthly fee. Nothing against monthly fees, but they just are not in our budget. I've read from dozens of other bloggers that they feel the same - reading other blogs is a lot harder now.
ReplyDeleteI catch a few on Facebook. A few on Feedly. But mostly I miss them because they are not easily visible or readable.
I've found my desire to blog has dropped as well. If nobody is there to say "cute kids" or "great article" ... why bother. Coupled with the fact that I seem to be swimming in mental mud the past 2 years, I just haven't got the heart to keep going.
We have fairly slow internet - and something like 7 computers and 4 devices that might be accessing at any given time, so uploading and looking at blogs is a rather boggy chore ... and I'm not into Pintrest or anything else. I even keep FB logged off.
But I have found that the less I read other blogs or was able to keep up with them, the less motivated I was to blog either. I'm not using FB much, people don't comment on much there either. So much of the time I feel like I'm sitting in the corner, behind a potted plant, watching a party going on around me and feeling quite lonely. .... People don't seem to be doing email much anymore either.
Yip I remember! Strangely I have had very similar thoughts recently. I wrote two really heartfelt, emotional posts last week (or the week before) and only Julia commented on the one and only a few days after it went up did people comment on the second one. I took it really personally.
ReplyDeleteStrange thing is last month my stats went up, a lot BUT did you notice I changed my headlines? I was trying it out from the writing course I did a while ago. Minute I went back to my old headlines numbers dropped :-/
I think life sometimes just run away from us. I haven't read blogs for 2 weeks and I have over 400 unread posts in my reader. Overwhelming...so before I can ever think of blogging I have to mark it all as read...or I simply wouldn't blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful for fb groups because that's the only place I am "reminded" of blogs to read. I've never had many comments so I guess I cant miss what I never had, hehehe. I found this on BlogShareConnect, see fb is my link :)
ReplyDeleteI have noticed too - but on the other hand I have not been blogging much or reading much as life has been in hectic overdrive. I also noticed that this time of the year (and December) are low traffic times through the years on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI read ton of blogs, but I'm terrible at commenting. I do however find it much easier to comment if that blogger is on twitter. Then it just turns into a chat. My twitter experience is different to yours, I love it because it's this giant conversation you can opt in and out of as needed.
ReplyDeleteI just tried to comment, then lost my comment as I had to go sign in to gmail which I really don't feel like doing - sometimes I really find it hard to just leave my thoughts without signing in and signing up. I realise this is an antidote to trolls but sometimes those of us inclined to just comment are deterred. My 2 cents as to why comments may be dropping?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say that it's dead but I would say that it's evolved to something fairly superficial or commercial. The reason I haven't been blogging is because in addition to my feelings of vulnerability, I also feel like I don't fit in anywhere. I have ZERO desire to be popular or sponsored. I haven't been reading many blogs because I just smell the lack of authenticity from behind my screen. I don't need to read articles. I want real life. I want real feelings. I would also say that time is a factor (for me) because I am very aware of how much online stuff can cut into my real life if I don't manage myself enough. So basically I think that blogging is not dead but blogging as we know it has evolved.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding the opposite? Our readership is much more in the last few months than it has ever been, with a fair amount of comments etc. I have been really trying to keep it interesting and relevant and not just a personal diary. I don't know if that helps at all.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the only way that I get to manage my blogs and reading others is by using Bloglovin - quick, easy and free! I can mark as read ones that I don't particularly want to read (new nail varnish colours etc) but make sure that I still see ones that I am still interested in - even if it's a couple of days late.
I think I still have 4-5 blogs posting consistently, and some crafty/decor ones. I can't find any new ones and so many are closing shop.
ReplyDeleteI will say my posts have dwindled thanks to starting school, but more because I've grown addicted to my iPad and we all know how tough it is to properly blog from that!
Sighhhhh, Feedly says I have like 258 unread posts, I haven't blogged in over 2 weeks myself.. I'm not sure why... I too am loving Instagram though.. let's talk about it at lunch next week.
ReplyDeleteI do not really keep track of comments unless it htopens to be a post I am liking for advice in. I have been blogging less because work is very busy now. I read all the blogs I subscribe too and a few like yours where I can't subscribe. If it is to difficult to access or comment on from my reader I do not bother. I also do not like to read blogs that advertise to much. I want to read real life, not advertising.
ReplyDeleteMy comment is so badly written. Sorry. I actually can write decent English.
DeleteHrm... Not sure that my last comment took. In case it didn't, I said something about not having found a good replacement for Google Reader, and that in its absence I find it hard even to keep up with my dear dear friends' blogs, like yours, Laura's and Mandy's.
ReplyDeleteI had to stop by and comment because I am feeling the same way! I've been blogging for almost 6 years and I think my readership is at it's lowest point in about 5? Are people too busy to read now? #Cry
ReplyDeleteI read much more than I comment. But even my reading is sporadic because my schedule is so out of control busy. I also have little to no time to update my blog, which I feel chronically guilty about. : (
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOOO!!! I just wrote the best comment, and the computer ate it. :/ Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'll just quickly say that Grand Central Station is one of my favorite places. :)
And I'll repeat what I originally wrote, that I am in the midst of the usual workday craze, and I thought, "Oh, just let me take three minutes to pop over and see Marcia...that will help get me through the afternoon." :)
Don't you dare stop writing!!! Please!!!
I don't think it's dead. I agree with Laura it is frustrating when you pour yourself into a post and nobody seems to care, but I think blogging is therapeutic as well - a place to write, get it out. I do wish sometimes for a wider audience but the thing is I do feel better (charged up) for writing and that in itself is good for me.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Laura about the titles - writing seachable stuff as well that people want to read.
I am not sure, honestly. I know I spend a lot less time reading blogs than I used to. Currently I blog on my business site, so the focus is less "personal diary" and after a long day of work + kids, it's hard to actually come up with something good. And I don't know if it's as much of a priority for me as it used to be.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of giving up Facebook entirely because it's such an addiction for me. And a time-waster. I guess the short answer is, I don't know, and the online world seems so "noisy" these days that sometimes I just opt out.
I don't think blogging is dead but I do believe it has evolved a lot around the other forms of social media that surround it. So I find that instead of people commenting on my blog, they interact with me on Twitter regarding my posts. I think that because the blogging world has become so much more crowded of late (everyone and their dog now blogs where as before it was at least in my mind a select few) and people are reading everyone and don't have the time to comment on everyone's postings.
ReplyDeleteI am always behind on my reading and as such end up commenting late. That said I also don't comment on every blog I read either cos then I would never get anything else done.
xxx
Oh my gosh, what wonderful, heartfelt comments. I feel like if I just responded here, they'd get lost so I think I need to do a part 2, but thank you one and all for making your voice heard.
ReplyDeleteXXX
Wrote a long comment and it got lost :(
ReplyDeleteI think blogging is on the verge to die. I don't blog health stuff anymore as well because I see how people rather like to read short updates.
I am so busy as well these days that reading and blogging are not an option anymore. Having my own business vs working in office, wow! A difference as I am constantly busy, 24/7.
Think why I am not blogging anymore is that I am now only sharing to the outside world that I want them to know and being more private with my life. As on Facebook I only have people I have met in my life or know via previous years of blogging. No strangers. Hope you get the understanding why I don't blog anymore or read.
I rarely comment, but as I once told you before, I have to click on each blog post of yours to read them and it takes up too much time. If I can see them in Feedly (or what used to be my Google Reader), I could read the whole post and then comment. If I can't read the whole blog post, you pretty much lost my readership unless that tiny bit that shows up makes it interesting enough for me to click - and this isn't just you, it is several of the blogs I read. I used to have this one cooking blog I read faithfully and tried his recipes. Ever since he switched to a short version with a click to read the whole post, I think I've only read 2 of his blog posts in the last 2 years.
ReplyDeleteI do like IG though. It's easy to comment and it's short. I've very grateful for that as it still helps me stay in touch with you.
I'm also removing myself from FB slowly. I don't have it on my phone and I refuse to login at work so I only check it once a day at home. I'm trying to lesson the amount of time I'm on the computer/phone to be more connected to in-life people, especially my little ones at home.
Granted, this doesn't mean I don't think of people often...
xoxo
I am so behind on my reader. But I refuse to mark it read because I've cut down my list to people I actually want to read/take the time to comment to.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, there's like no interaction any more. I thought it was just me, because I failed to post pretty much all summer. I don't know if I feel better knowing it's not personal or worse...