I’ve been blogging since 2011, and it’s changed a lot. When I first started blogging, I used to pretty much be able to tell you every running blogger out there. That’s because there weren’t that many.
Thinking out loud, now with the internet explosion, anyone, and everyone blogs. That’s not a bad thing, but many blogs get lost in the sea. Plus with so many different social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it’s easy to just microblog from those too.
So in 2016 what went on with LOLZ blogging?
Believe it or not, I blogged less in 2016. For the most part, I stopped blogging about my personal life. Maybe I grew up, or maybe I finally realized no one cared what my favorite color was.
I kept my blog focused on running, more gear related posts and of course diners. Occasionally, I blogged about life too, but it was mostly running related. It’s not that I don’t have a personal life, but due to my husband’s job, there are a lot of things I can’t share on the internet. My life does not revolve around running but my running blog pretty much does…
Plus many of my friends don’t run and don’t use a lot of social media, it’s not appropriate for me to post about them via the blog and to be honest, half the time my life isn’t terribly thrilling. I run, work and come home.
So what happened in the world of LOLZ blogging this year?
Since it’s my primary focus, I recapped running here.
In Actual Blogging:
Number of posts: 276
Most Viewed Posts:
Asics FuzeX
Losing Toenails: A Runners Rite of Passage? (From 2015)
Dropping 9 minutes from my Half Marathon Time
Top Referrers (Where did people come from?)
Random places on the internet
Twitter
Facebook
Looking Back:
Honestly, I love blogging, and I enjoy it. I put a lot of time and effort into blogging, and I plan to still keep doing it. It’s not my full-time job, and I doubt it will ever be. Due to the nature of social media and how much self-promotion you must do now, it’s very hard for anyone to make a full-time income from blogging.
I promote products that I like and have used. Personally, I cannot imagine promoting brands and companies I cannot foster relationships with. Would I like to make more money blogging? Sure but who wouldn’t…There is a lot of balance with that.
I would be lying if I didn’t say several brands lost my respect as a customer based on bloggers they chose to represent them.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your mindset, there are hundreds if not thousands of bloggers now. The internet is saturated with bloggers vying to work with brands.
But that is the nature of blogging! At the end of the day, I’m fortunate enough to shut my computer down and not worry about followers, blogging or the internet because it’s not my full-time job. I respect people who want to do that, but that is not the lifestyle or career for me.
In 2016, my blog posts, stats, and views went down, and I’m fine with that. In 2017, I predict as a platform blogging will continue to decrease.
Many bloggers will go the route of microblogging on social media platforms versus lengthy blog posts. I won’t be excluded and I’ll be both amazed and proud of myself if I reach 276 blog posts next year too.
I always find it fascinating to see where people are from so here are some of the top countries!
Questions for you:
How has your blog evolved and changed this year?
What is your favorite social media platform?
I haven’t blogged much this year, I’m not sure if thats because I didn’t run much for the most of the year or because I try not feel like i have to post something and instead just blog when I feel like I really want to. Instagram is probably my favourite.
My blog has evolved over time too. It’s a really interesting process to see what works and what you want to do more of. Congrats on a great year!
My blog grew a lot this year and that’s something I’m proud of. I totally agree with you about brands and who they choose to work with. It really has make me notice a lot more things for sure.
That is so great Steffany and I’m happy for you. I always enjoy reading your posts.
Well, I don’t blog. And I am off all of social media now… which is very freeing. So my favorite way of keeping in touch with my favorite bloggers is through the old fashioned www.
100% agree about brands and who they work with. I’ve definitely taken more notice of that this year, I also agree that blogging is on the decline, but I still love doing it so I’m happy to continue.
You’re definitely right about there being a lot of blogs out there. Personally I don’t mind product reviews but it’s the ones where they feel they have to hashtag or mention every company that they are sponsored by in EVERY POST that annoy me.
I read the ones that are honest, not marketing driven, and down to earth. People who talk about their highs and lows.
Blogging has definitely changed a tonne since I started, and it really does feel like the focus is shifting more and more towards being a pro at social media. I’d probably say that Pinterest is my favourite social media platform since it’s where the bulk of my traffic comes from, but it’s a little harder to actually connect with people on it.
I would say you were one of the first bloggers I started following Amanda so I know you how much it’s changed. I feel like it’s definitely been in the last year too.
I have never seen the point of Pinterest – probably because I don’t how to use it to any advantage
This is so cool, and I think it’s great you are secure enough in your blogging to share these stats. I’ve had a blog since 2008, but I didn’t really start promoting it until this year with the book. I find your posts interesting, easy to digest, and you seem like a very down-to-earth, matter-of-fact type person, which is nice.
Ha, they are just numbers Elizabeth. It doesn’t really mean a whole heck of a lot to me. I always appreciate your support and comments!
I’ve been blogging awhile and have noticed the drop off with a lot of running bloggers. A lot of people just do instagram now which I totally understand because it’s easier than writing lengthy posts and people love pictures/visuals. I actually DO blog for work (for my company, not my personal blog which I do for fun, obviously), and the stats for that are all over the place depending on posts. Like you I’m not big on sponsored posts or companies, although I am doing a giveaway now for a race I’m an ambassador for. I always wonder if people would use those products, wear those shoes, run those races, if they had to pay out of pocket for them. I believe some would but I find a shoe review from say, you, a lot more unbiased because you don’t represent a company or brand.
I also think it’s a good idea to keep personal life off blogging. I share some personal things but the older I get, more established in my career, and seeing the repercussions of bad social media decisions, the less I want to blog about non-running things.
I actually started blogging more this year. I used to just write a post every few months and leave it at that. Since I found running, I’ve really found that blogging about it is a lot of fun. I’m sure my friends appreciate it since they don’t have to hear it 24/7. LOL.
I am with you, if i needed this as a full time job, there is no way I would blog the way I do. That being said, I have no plans on changing things up, this is a hobby for me, therapy and after a year of micro-blogging on Instagram, I greatly prefer regular old blogging.
Wishing you nothing but the best in 2017 and can’t wait to read more posts from you!
I just listened to a marketing podcast the other day about this exact topic. It was very interesting…this is what I got from it. Blogging has changed, and statistically blogs have lost traffic. Platforms such as google, Instagram etc. have a lot of control over traffic. Platforms like these, ultimately determine who has quality content, who does not, which effects traffic towards your site. According to the podcast… having a podcast is the new trend over blogging, and at this point they aren’t effected with a decrease in traffic the way blogs have, instead podcasts and their popularity has only increased.