So, I've been wondering; and bear with me, because this post has evolved into something that I didn't know I needed to say! :) With all the different social media platforms now available that you can connect your internet self to, has blogging gone the way of rotary phones?
Just in case some of you didn't know what a rotary phone was! :)
People still need connection, it's human nature; but are Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook climbing the "social" ladder and taking over the blogging sphere?
Here we bloggers sit; creating ideas, mapping them out (sometimes >_<), completing the idea, editing, scheduling, and posting. But do we still have an audience? Or is it just the fancy pictures everyone wants to see?
Granted, I'm not much of a writer on my blog. I pretty much just tell you what I use and throw in some little tidbit; but I am working on that. But there are some very eloquent writers who pour their souls into their blogs. Do we read them? Or do we just look at the pretty pictures?
I've been thinking about this lately. I've never really gotten a ton of page hits, I never really thought I would, but I have noticed a decrease. Are people just too busy? Or has the blog trend died?
(Here's my segue into what I suddenly felt I needed to say)
Or, is it that blogging is still alive and well but it's commenting that is taking it's last breath. Are we becoming inactive in our commenting?
Are we all becoming a part of the instant gratification generation? I want it now! I don't want to wait, I don't need to wait. Nowadays everything is so instant. Watching your favorite show and gotta go to the bathroom? Pause it and go, or watch it on your phone. My nephews find it weird when I say to use the commercial breaks to use the bathroom. Huh? But I digress.
With Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we can just hit "like" and scroll on down, never taking into account the hours spent creating that pretty picture. It's all about the followers, the "likes", the re-tweets. Is our blog-esteem or even self-esteem based on the number of likes we've received on Instagram?
I mean sure, who doesn't like having a ton of people like their picture? And I mean "like". I feel it has a greater meaning behind it if there is a comment. I'd rather have more comments than likes or views (is that possible?) because then I know I am connecting with others.
That is the reason for my blog. I love to connect with people and through this blog I have met (some actually in real life!) some wonderful support friends. Many times these friends have pulled me from some of my deepest darkest holes. They have been my outlet to vent, my shoulder to cry on, and my partner in rejoicing!
To me, "liking" is superficial (don't get me wrong, sometimes I will like something on FB because I don't want to comment and get flooded with other comments, and yes I know you can turn those off). Commenting is taking a some bit of time out of your day to express your gratitude, your awe, your enjoyment, or your own point of view. It's letting the author know: hey, I read this, I liked it (or didn't, but please be nice about it!) and I want to let you know that I appreciate the time you put in.
I don't know, maybe it's just me. I feel, I don't know, just......you know? Does any of this make sense? I've just been curious about this. I started this post thinking that blogging might be dead, but then as I wrote I realized it's commenting and acknowledging the blogger behind the blog. Maybe I just feel this disconnect and I'm completely weird (ok, I know I am weird, but you know what I mean).
I just feel that as bloggers we should be more connected not just through numbers but through our experiences. I mean heck, it's the internet, people anywhere in the world can read this. The internet is a powerful thing (and a destructive one too).
Well, that's my two cents. Don't know if I my rambling diarrhea of the mouth fingers formed any coherent thought or opinion. But I thought I would share what I've been feeling.
I don't blog for the numbers, I blog for the connection. Do you?
**Edit: Thank you all so much for all the comments! I really didn't expect all of them. This post wasn't to create and force comments on my blog, I was just curious. And I guess I'm not the only one seeing this downward trend. So glad not to be alone! :)
(Here's my segue into what I suddenly felt I needed to say)
Or, is it that blogging is still alive and well but it's commenting that is taking it's last breath. Are we becoming inactive in our commenting?
Are we all becoming a part of the instant gratification generation? I want it now! I don't want to wait, I don't need to wait. Nowadays everything is so instant. Watching your favorite show and gotta go to the bathroom? Pause it and go, or watch it on your phone. My nephews find it weird when I say to use the commercial breaks to use the bathroom. Huh? But I digress.
With Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we can just hit "like" and scroll on down, never taking into account the hours spent creating that pretty picture. It's all about the followers, the "likes", the re-tweets. Is our blog-esteem or even self-esteem based on the number of likes we've received on Instagram?
I mean sure, who doesn't like having a ton of people like their picture? And I mean "like". I feel it has a greater meaning behind it if there is a comment. I'd rather have more comments than likes or views (is that possible?) because then I know I am connecting with others.
That is the reason for my blog. I love to connect with people and through this blog I have met (some actually in real life!) some wonderful support friends. Many times these friends have pulled me from some of my deepest darkest holes. They have been my outlet to vent, my shoulder to cry on, and my partner in rejoicing!
To me, "liking" is superficial (don't get me wrong, sometimes I will like something on FB because I don't want to comment and get flooded with other comments, and yes I know you can turn those off). Commenting is taking a some bit of time out of your day to express your gratitude, your awe, your enjoyment, or your own point of view. It's letting the author know: hey, I read this, I liked it (or didn't, but please be nice about it!) and I want to let you know that I appreciate the time you put in.
I don't know, maybe it's just me. I feel, I don't know, just......you know? Does any of this make sense? I've just been curious about this. I started this post thinking that blogging might be dead, but then as I wrote I realized it's commenting and acknowledging the blogger behind the blog. Maybe I just feel this disconnect and I'm completely weird (ok, I know I am weird, but you know what I mean).
I just feel that as bloggers we should be more connected not just through numbers but through our experiences. I mean heck, it's the internet, people anywhere in the world can read this. The internet is a powerful thing (and a destructive one too).
Well, that's my two cents. Don't know if I my rambling diarrhea of the mouth fingers formed any coherent thought or opinion. But I thought I would share what I've been feeling.
I don't blog for the numbers, I blog for the connection. Do you?
**Edit: Thank you all so much for all the comments! I really didn't expect all of them. This post wasn't to create and force comments on my blog, I was just curious. And I guess I'm not the only one seeing this downward trend. So glad not to be alone! :)
