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Throughout the last few months, I’ve been worried that personal blogging is on the decline. I was seeing fewer comments on my blog and even though there were a lot of blogging tips and tutorials going around, I was seeing fewer personal posts in my Bloglovin’ feed. I’m obsessed with blogging, with no intention to quit, so it was puzzling that many people had stopped.
I decided to get out there and see what had changed. I saw just as many blog linkups, and their linked posts. I saw plenty of bloggers connecting on the SITS Girls website and SITS social media channels. I read a statistic on BlogHer that 81% of U.S. online consumers trust information and advice from blogs. I joined Facebook blogging groups that boast over 1,000 members and counting! You know what I discovered through my extensive research? Blogging is NOT on the decline! Why was I wrong?
Quite frankly, I got comfortable within my circle of blog friends. I discovered my blogging tribe over two years ago, and I discovered bliss. Personal connections through blogging are legit. I have since met dozens of my blog friends in person and I feel that I have a genuine relationship with many more. “In person” people don’t always get what we do as bloggers, and it can be tiring explaining that it’s a real job, or the real deal. What fills this friendship gap? Online friends. How do you find them, though?
And very importantly – how do you maintain these connections while making new ones, too? Two years is a long time. Of course many of my blogging friends dropped in and out of the blogging world! It’s the cycle of life and it’s the cycle of everything. Luckily, many of those who left blogging are still my friends because the connections are so powerful.
Since I’m still very much immersed in the blogging world, I have had to learn to widen my circle there again, and to discover new voices.
Personal Blogging Isn’t Dead
Here are five useful tips on making all those meaningful connections to help you stay sane in the online world.
Go out and seek!
Connection comes from action! Don’t just sit and read. Say hello. Add value to your blog, another blog, or an online forum or Facebook group by introducing yourself. Maybe you don’t know where to look? Look for like-minded people, although the fact that we’re all bloggers makes us at least somewhat like-minded.
Do you have a career that you blog about or for? Do you have a favorite hobby, sport, or interest? If you do, there’s a high chance a group of people is out there who share your interest. Where you can start: The SITS Girls website, other blogs where you like the comments and want to connect with the commenters, Facebook groups, Twitter, Periscope, and even Instagram. You can join a Facebook or even a Meetup group for bloggers or online entrepreneurs in your geographical area or within your area of expertise. Do some searching and ask for recommendations from friends you already know – these groups are a wealth of knowledge, support, and connections. As with in-person connections, some will stick and some won’t. With some, you will think the connection is so strong, only to be wrong. And yet with others, the connection will take you by surprise with its lasting strength.
The time to make your impact is NOW.
Add value to the community by making intelligent comments in forums or on blogs, sharing good content, and otherwise helping out. Be kind and respectful. Interact with people online you specifically want to connect with – mainly because it can get very overwhelming to reach out to too many, and I’ve seen many people burn out fast. You might be able to tell early on that there’s not a connection to be made, or that someone is not interested in connecting back in general. Move on.
Leave genuine comments on blogs, favorite their tweets, and repost their Facebook statuses. Let them know you love their work! You could even email and offer to interview them for your site or talk about you guest posting there or them guest posting on your blog. Everything you write online should reflect the personality of you and your blog, brand, business, etc. It’s also awesome to know and reach back to your own readers and fans. Reply to them and visit them back.
Vulnerability is in.
Honestly, I’ve always thought it was! Let yourself be vulnerable and share what you actually think and feel, because we are all humans, and we are all looking to relate to each other. And when someone touches your heart, tell him or her. Write a meaningful comment or send them a private email if you don’t want it public.
Maintain, maintain.
Keep up your commenting and visiting. Share your friends’ content, and you can even make the decision to be Facebook friends. In my experience, the trend to be Facebook friends with blog friends is strong. Find and join tribes through Triberr, LinkedIn, or email groups and online forums. Even if it’s just Facebook messenger, it can be a powerful “checking in” tool.
Widen.
This is where I went wrong. I got too comfortable and a lot of my blog friends lost interest in blogging. I went to a blog conference last year. To widen my connections, I could go back there or attend a brand new conference in a brand new place. Create your own group, or meet up, or even conference, especially if you have good leadership abilities. Email a few people who are on your level, business-or-blogging wise, and ask if they’d like to form a mastermind group for friendship and support. It’s nice to have a place to ask for feedback on ideas, push each other forward, talk out the tough stuff, and celebrate success. Bonus points: organize a retreat together!
As with a good book, I don’t just suddenly stop reading. Stories go on and many blogs do, too. I’m in love with the written word and I’m in love with photography and products and food and all else that is housed and showcased within the blog walls that we all love so dearly. This blogging world is complex and beautiful, and there are ways to navigate together.
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Blogging isn’t dead! I do find though that I tend to forget to interact with people on my blog. But on my obsessive journey to find a contest to enter (my guilty pleasure) I found a personal blog that was on the smaller side but I read a post of theirs and I was reminded about how much I do enjoy the personal side of blogging. I do more work on a product review blog than my more personal blog and that’s not good! Of the two, I prefer the personal blog and just got back into it today. I highly recommend seeking out new blogs. I think people change their blog habits and either blog less and so it’s harder to find posts. So I try to keep a link of favorite blogs and purposely visit them once a month to see what they are up to 🙂 Even if I don’t get an update about it on my email or blogger feed!
hah, that’s the best guilty pleasure ever! I bet it pans out every now and then, or more.
I love the way you do branch out.
My blog is a product review blog AND a personal blog, so it’s weird to keep up with.
Love this! I’ve been hearing about blogging being dead a lot too and hoping it isn’t true (even though I haven’t blogged or commented nearly as much this year). These are great tips for connecting more!
It’s been a transitional year for many!
Speaking of which, I’m in cold shock that my first conference was a year ago. I’m feeling so nostalgic.
I love that you shared such great information about this topic, Tamara!! It’s been a shifting thing, it seems… and much like you, I had so many friend who I was tight with just stop blogging!! Most of them are pretty much gone. Sigh…
Branching out is key. Totally agree. And doing other things with your words, like submitting to other sites… that is another way to find new blogging friends and followers. I have connected with new friends by joining new FB groups and moderating one as well. There really are so many opportunities for us bloggers to connect.
Whew. I’m glad it’s not dead too!!
Ooh, moderating groups! That’s a good one. I find that joining them has helped a lot. Maybe I need to create my own group..
Food for thought!
I love this. And I love you. I don’t think personal blogging is dead either, though I have the same problem with the engagement/comments (used to get a lot more). I wonder if people start out strong and then either have a hard time balancing blogging with all their other responsibilities or perhaps they are still finding their niche or… who knows. I just am so appreciative that there ARE such great resources available so that we can connect with truly amazing bloggers… just like you! XOXO and hope you have a great weekend, my sweet Tamara 🙂
I certainly wonder about it all. What things are changing, with me, with my blogging friends, or with blogging in general…
Then I just sit back and realize that it’s pretty great! And there are people like you!
xoxo
The decline in comments has been really frustrating to me as well. I have tried Link Ups and faithfully visited and commented on so many blogs, but the return response was so dismal that I gave that up as well. I am looking to be part of a tribe and would love it if one would adopt me 🙂
I do comment and have a good looking lifestyle blog where I share recipes, gardening, decor, beauty and so much more. This blogger is up for adoption and desperately seeking a blogging community that supports each other through blog visits and commenting. I am tired of talking to myself and would love some company! 🙂
The comments used to really propel me forward so when they declined in general, I had to seek other things out. Along the way I did meet new blog friends which is fun. I used to always meet new friends here at the daily check-in but with restructuring, I find I do at the linkups that the SITS Facebook page has.
You sound very worthy of adoption!
Gorgeous look at you here! 🙂 I saw your post and had to come comment hehe. 🙂 I’ve been desperately looking for bloggers that are both a) near me and b) blog about science-type topics but it is incredibly difficult and so challenging! it is hard work but it is fun and worth it. Great post lovely! -Iva
That does sound tough! I don’t know ANY other science bloggers, actually. You’re one of a kind, my dear.
I went on a similar journey. I felt like blogging was on the decline because so many of my blog friends were closing up shop and disappearing. But it turns out there’s still a great big world of bloggers out there. I just had to go looking for them again.
Hi Tamara,
This article could not have caught my attention at a better time! 🙂 I blog about inspiration, being a mom, school, and things that are interesting to me and with the lack of blog comments I was a little worried that people aren’t necessarily interested in what I write about. However, I realized that I must reach out into the blogosphere a little more. I also had to understand that I should reach out and make connections with more bloggers who are and are not in my own personal niche. I took the first step by joining bloglovin’! I loveee bloglovin’! I will be visiting your blog soon Tamera!! 🙂
predentalstudentmom.weebly.com
**Correction: Tamara 🙂
The lack of commenting was getting me so down!! People say it wanes for summer break but this started in March! Connections are what keep me going so I worried I couldn’t go on without them.
Luckily I’m finding new love with blogging!
Its really true that personal blogging is not dead yet. every day many bloggers register their blog or website and started to blog new things. on the web we can find contents in every filed and its help to our reading experience so it should be continue
Love that answer. I look forward to seeing it continue!
Great Article Tamara i agree with you. blogging isn’t dead.
Thanks so much for reading! And I’m glad so many of you agree that blogging will live on.
This is so good – and so true! I’ve wondered about it too, feeling like almost the last blogger standing from my original (awesome) circle of blog friends. Times change and people move on – me, I’m still blogging, even though many others have stopped. I need to get back out there and make some new blog friends! thanks for the insight, great post! x
I often worry that will be me! The last blogger standing. They certainly do drop off, but others are always joining so I just have to learn to keep looking!
Thanks for reading this!
I’m totally guilty of this! I found my tribe and have gotten very very comfortable. I need to be better about widening my circle and engaging too! That’s definitely where I’ve fallen down. Love these tips Tamara!
It seems like a lot of us did it! Couldn’t help it. The tribe thing is STRONG and powerful. Who knows? You may find yourself meeting friends and posing in front of Han Solo!
You bring up an excellent point, Tamara. I’ve become comfortable with my tribe, and am guilty of staying in that group and not reaching out to new bloggers (or at least new to me). I’m going to make an effort to find a new blog once a week or so.
In some respects, I’ve loved the tribe thing. We have all been through life’s ups and downs together. On the other hand, so many people have left the blogging tribe! Sob.
I’ll always be here..
I was starting to think along the same lines too. I was so wrong. I have kept a online blog or journal from the time I was 15 through LiveJournal. The last couple years I have kind of moved away from the more personal live journal. I read a lot of different types of blogs now. Blogs that aren’t as personal. I started missing the closeknit group of friends I have made there. Anyways… The more I look online and branch out I see that personal blogging is still alive and well.
I’m so glad we were wrong! And I never kept a Livejournal account but I used to “stalk” other people’s blogs!
I thought things were much more business-like but I actually think more sponsored posts are gearing towards getting personal. I think brands are catching on!
Hi there, love your articles! I have found a few on pinterest and enjoy your perspective on things. I totally agree about personal blogging! I am currently looking and finding for great new people to connect with. I love how there are so much wonderful diversity in the blogging world and the community is supportive in so many ways. Thanks for sharing and I hope we can connect further 🙂
Wow, thank you! That makes me so happy!
The blogging world is vast and complex and wonderful. Something for everyone.
Would love to connect!
Hi Tamara,
I am not a blogger yet but hope to be one someday. I thought your article was real valuable as sometimes I think, “Will other people read my blogs?” I’m signing up for your blog.
Thank you so much! I hope you get inspired to start your blog. It was one of the best decisions I ever made! And even if just my mom is reading it, that’s ok with me.