I've been reading about how to improve my blog since I first created it, and it that time it seems like there have been waves of change. Traffic exchanges I've used have seen their peaks and fizzled out. I've jumped on networking and link sharing bandwagons and have now seen 90% of those expire. I've contributed to other blogs, commented on relevant posts, and tried to get involved in forums that I knew would introduce me to like minded people. Although all of these strategies paid off at one time or another, they all took a lot of work and most of them didn't last.
Is blogging dead? No. As long as people, like myself, are still interested in doing it they'll be around and some of those blogs will thrive. My Internet success is minor, and it's relative to what I wanted to accomplish with it in the first place. I'm not trying to make money online or feed my ego too much, I just wanted a way to build credibility for my work and impress potential festivals and employers. In this respect, I can say that I've been living up to my goal. Whether my blog has 1000 or 100000 views doesn't matter much as long as I'm connecting with people who help broaden my creative experience - either by interacting, sharing feedback, or offering work.
I think commitment provides the real lesson and reward. Blogging gives the average person a chance to connect with strangers around the world. There are a lot of people with shifty motives, but I find if you're genuine and upfront about what you're trying to do you'll often find your target demographic naturally; those people just like you who are trying to connect, be inspired, get informed, etc. Blogs die by choice or an inability to adapt - not because people aren't interested anymore.
Keep your blogs alive folks! Create because you love to and that passion will pay dividends in readership.
4 comments :
You're definitely right, Luke. Blogs aren't dead. Nor will they ever be. But yes, most people let go of theirs more often than not and never change what they do or update theirs or try new things. Yours in constantly changing in look and content and even if I didn't know you I would still visit regularily.
You'll probably hit 100, 000 views by the end of this year so I'm assuming you're not worried about yours as much as you may be others who have seemed to fall off the wagon. If there's one thing I know about you it's the fact you thrive when others around you thrive and have the same kind of motivation you do - especially when it comes to blogging and filmmaking. I feel the same way a lot of the times. Hell, if it wasn't for you I doubt I would have a blog at all or still try and challenge myself with new movies or even movie reviews. It sucks when you feel alone in your efforts, and you know that better than anybody - especially when it comes to something that is usually team-based, like making movies or workign effortlessly on a blog (which requires more input from others than anything else but you get the point).
Either way, I'm glad your blog is around. It (along with a few other select sites) is more often than not a first stop for me daily. Most of all, it motivates me to continue mine and not be a failure and let everybody down.
haha, yup, don't want to let everyone down! I'm glad you're still sticking with your blogs too Tyler. You know I'll always be there to leave a comment if it seems like your letting them slide. And, they're a great way to stay in touch, especially for film schoolers like us :)
I think it takes a lot of different sources to stay inspired and motivated to keep pushing yourself - especially if your doing it (keeping a blog) for more than just a place to vent. Using the internet as a business card, my blog gives me some personality online along with my portfolio. I always feel pressured to live up to an image I'd like to see myself as. But, I've also seen my motives change over the years.
In the last several months I've been a lot less worried about actual traffic numbers and focused on real readers - while the number of visitors has shrunk, actual readership and the time people spend on my site/posts has increased dramatically. The stats are now reflecting people who actually stick around, not just hits.
It's a learning process, but I think there are a lot of rewards if you're keeping a blog because you enjoy it - not because you think you have to.
The traffic exchanges I've used, like BlogExplosion, definitely seem to be on life support, only waiting for someone to pull the plug. But I still pop in occasionally to browse a few blogs. ;)
Most of my blog traffic comes from google, but because of my blog's content(knot work), I have a following of folks with similar interests from various forums that I frequent, as well as visitors from YouTube and Instructables, where I've put up a few tutorials.
I think the blogosphere will continue to grow as long as there are folks with something to share...
Yes, I still go on to blogexplosion from time to time too but it does seem to be on its last legs. Most of my traffic now comes from my YouTube links and searches, which like I said, seems to be the best because people who find there way here themselves tend to stick around longer.
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