Or is it my naivety that leads me to ponder in this way?
The number of bloggers who seemingly start out as your everyday “I’m here to share” type personality and quickly become “hey, I have 600 followers, time to make some money!” seem to be on the increase. Have you been romanced yet? The blogger who “finds” your blog and leaves a comment for every post you write, quickly becoming your best blogger friend. And what happens when you become a follower of their blog or buy something from them? You never hear from them again. Ever. No emails, no comments, nothing. Sound familiar?
I realise that blogging can be a good way to make money. It can be a great advertising platform for your business (I always mention a new Etsy listing and have links to my shop) but doesn’t there need to be more than that? These thoughts led me to revisit my reasons for starting a blog in the first place.
I enjoy reading other blogs.
I have learned a great deal about various crafts, homeschooling and so many other interests from the internet and blogs. I felt that I could also share skills in this way.
Initially I wanted to document my sewing and crafting journey. My blog has become more personal over the years so that I now also share a lot of myself and my family.
I still think blogging is a great thing, but I guess from time to time I start to feel a little disillusioned by the whole “big blogger, small blogger” thing. Kinda like a popularity contest?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject……
Oh, and by the way – if you’re one of those bloggers I’ve been “romanced” by – I no longer visit you. But then I guess you wouldn’t be reading my lowly little post now would you?
I'm slowly catching up on my reading over the summer. Totally agree with what yourself and Tanya and Kate have said. I write for a way to share stuff with people who are interested and I read for the same reasons. I don't mind the odd promotion as long as it is irregular and doesn't have that 'fake' ring to it, eg different from that bloggers usual style and I am perfectly fine with people advertising their own wares via their blog as that is sometime why I have started reading it in the first place :).
Thanks for sharing everyone, it has been so interesting to read all your comments!
I must admit I have been a bad commenter lately – still reading but not leaving comments. I tend to read while I hand sew etc (and do it on my phone which makes commenting harder). I have noticed that there are more blogs being sponsored/calling for sponsors/promoting and giving away mass market stuff. I skip those posts and if it happens all the time stop reading those blogs.
I am a small blogger and always will be but I blog for me really so am comfortable with that. I don't follow blogs and don't expect people to follow mine but it is always lovely to get a comment.
PS – your circle skirt that I saw in your sidebar is just gorgeous.
So interesting to read your post and everyone's comments!
Sometimes it seems like there's a fine line between sharing something you love and advertising. I think that's why I've so far rejected any idea of sponsored content.
I'd love to think my followers check in and read my posts but I doubt that they do it regularly… just as I am too busy to always visit them and comment, especially as I read from my reader rather than their blogs.
Ultimately I blog for me and if others like it, great!. If not, no worries. I still enjoy the process of sharing, and reading what others share.
merry christmas to you!
It's funny that I started blogging 4 years ago to share my knitting and not feel so isolated as a new stay at home mum. I never imagined I'd run a store or be sent products to review or earn money that helps the finances of a family of 6. Sadly, the more people read and comment, the more you blog and the more emails come in the less time you get to spend replying to each comment, to each email and to reading blogs. A bit like running a store, the more you spend on a craft business the less time you get to actually spend time doing that craft for yourself. I can't believe I had to buy summer dresses for my girls this year.
I know I started my blog to share my craft and family life and that is what my blog will always be about! The ads and product reviews for me are the nice to haves that have come along the way!
Corrie:)
When I first started I got really excited about getting followers, because I felt like I wasn't talking to myself, but I pretty quickly realised it's not how popular you look, but what is written that is the most important. And also that having huge numbers of followers meant that you almost always had to have a huge output of posts, almost daily – and it seems that only the 'business bloggers' can do that.
I can't keep it up for too long because I don't have the time to make it a job – it's for fun for me. The time factor is also a difficulty in going back to favourite blogs and leaving comments as often as we might like to.
There will always be people who are using blogging as their business tool – maybe they feel that we 'amateurs' are what's clogging up the airways – and I hope they don't cause you to dislike blogging and bloggers because of their need to market and sell.
Keeping blogging because of your own reasons and I hope that 2011 shapes up to be a great year.
I blog every now and then, sharing the things I make and want to share. I know I have nog many followers, my mum being the biggest fan probably.
I enjoy finding new blogs and giving a comment every now and then. I tend to answer every comment I get on my own blog, sometimes we exchange emails on a personal subject, like 3, 4 mails. To discuss matters further than online, but not to every reader online. I enjoy reading and having contact with people all over the world without travelling!
I keep blogging as I do, I have no intentions on making money on my blog and I doubt if I could, not being able to put all my time in it.
Well, just blog for your own purpose I would say;blog on!
warm regards, Heidi Margit
This is such an interesting topic. I think the blogs I read and connect with are bloggers who write for them selves and aren't interested in the popularity contest. I only read blogs that share the same interests as me and am completely disinterested in people trying to sell me stuff that they haven't made.
At the end of the day, I blog because I have something to say and as a way to record what's going on. If people want to come along for the ride, that's fantastic.
I hope your last few days of 2010 are fabulous.
Funnily enough i did a post on why i blog (because my husband is away at war & it gives me something to do after the children are asleep) & i do a little advertising but i list it as 'i dabble in blog advertising' as trust me, if all the businesses i promoted for free paid me, i'd be very wealthy!! I only promote what i love, which is handmade or family orientated things, i do giveaways & have fun. I ensure my content is still crafty & interesting, my 4 children & wholesome things we do. I don't bother promoting my business too much, just when i'm at markets which benefits 100s of stall holders.
I think what you have probably found is that those who blog for making money ventures, perhaps aren't your/ my kind of people. I'd just stop following & not let it bother me. I hear you on the ones who dump you, doesn't take long to comment every so often back!! Some make lots of money, some peanuts, it's a lot of work & time for what what is considered 'a free way to make money'!! Advertisers have just found blogs are a great way to reach people, thus the massive increase this year. What gets me is when the blogs you love JUST become advertising blogs, how boring!!
I have 2 giveaways on now, both no brainers, just comment, none of this blog about it/ add it on facebook/ links etc, just follow & comment, cool family orientated prizes, what i'm all about. Love Posie
I haven't 'caught up' on what my 'bloggy friends' are up to for a few weeks now, and have missed the snippets of other peoples real life and craft and thoughts. I have noticed some of the blogs I like to read doing more product promotion or review and 'if you do a post about me' you can win a prize sort of thing, which I don't really like- although, I reckon you do get genuine ones/ I don't have a business though and have a time every now and then when a bit of jealously strikes of those who have created a 'full time' blog (from advertising or whatever else)- and those who are able to do what they love and make money from it…but then I stop and think and realise I don't think I would be able to pull it off! I think/ hope I can tell when what I am reading sounds genuine, truthful and real, and that's what I like to read, and write too, actually.
I started blogging so that my family could feel a little closer to us and see what the kids are up to and how fast they grow and flourish. My blog is "private" not public and I only have a small amount of followers.
I love reading about other families where crafting or gardening, self sufficiently and homeschooling feature as these things i would LOVE to do but don't for many reasons so maybe I live a little of my life through them?
I leave comments when I feel connected with the person or I would like them to know how their post has touched me.
Living in another country often means I feel homesick or a little isolated but reading blogs makes me feel somehow a little more connected, if you know what I mean.
I use to follow some of the "big names" in crafting and quilting but that was before all the sponsorship etc.
Great thought provoking post, thanks . Hope you had a lovely boxing day.
xx Clo
I am a 'small' blogger, sell my bags to friends and their friends. For me it"s in the first place documenting my sewing and knitting. What i don't understand is : I have more than 100 followers, but why did they became followers?( I never asedk to become a follower…..) I never see them again. I have about , maybe 15 persons who give a comment irregulary. Only 5 or something that come back to give a comment on each post.
I , myself follow about 20 blogs. Sometimes a week , I visit them but not always leave a comment. For me visiting the blogs I love is so INSPIRATING.
I've really noticed a slow down since Blogtober finished. I am no into "following" blogs just reading them although I do have a follower button for those who want it. I want to read blogs that inspire me to do something and often scour google images looking for what I am not getting so much of these days from blogs I look at. I answer when I am well enough to write words but often just look. When I first started out blogging I thought making a little money might be nice but now it is about the craft. The things I advertise on my blog are done for free for friends and for no other reason. Thanks for sharing your craft with us too. Cherrie
This year I have noticed a big difference with bloggers and comments.
I love getting comments and leaving them. Last year, I had more time to read other blogs and leave comments. This year I have had to cut back on the blogs I read since Joseph has been so demanding of my time. I have noticed that leaving less comments has affected the amount of visitors I had coming to my blog.
It was a worry to me at first and I thought maybe I needed to change my blogging style. Then I decided I didn't start blogging for others. I did it for me. I have to blog for my own reasons and not for what others want.
Ive noticed some of the blogs I follow now have/call for lots of sponsors etc and seem to be constantly promoting products. These are the blogs I tend to loose interest in.
I love to follow blogs that are cafty and are by people who seem like nice, real people. I quickly loose interest when it suddenly becomes a whole look at me and how many followers I have thing.
I dont expect a reply to comments I leave on others blogs. I rarely reply to comments on my blog (the majority of comments are from no reply bloggers anyway!) but I will often pop by the commentors blog and leave a comment at some point.
I to enjoy reading others blogs, being inspired by their creativeness and encouraged by their ideals. Since I stoppped scrapping find my blog to be a great way to record all those photos and memories that I was previously scrapping.
Nic xxx
Coz I cant edit- I agree with you! But its not gonna stop me from doing my sort of blogging.
im another who doesnt have a business. I guess i am a busy body who likes to see what others are making, doing, how their lives are going. Maybe ill change my busy body to friendly.
I am too another who fails to reply to alot of comments. This is mainly coz I post pics of things I have done and often just get a "thats lovely" sort of comment. Most of the stuff I also post on CM, and I often dont comment again on those threads.
I also lose track of people who post too much.
I dont think a lot of followers good blog. But I do like ones that keep my interest thats for sure.
the whole blogging thing always gets a post every so often, the why do we do it, do we feel guilty about not replying to comments or leaving comments.
the truth with most of us i guess is that we become a little time poor & therefore rely on google reader for a quick run down or sometimes we just need to step away from the computer. I am speaking from personal experience and sometimes life gets a bit too much & the comments become a little sparse.
don't get too disillusioned, the blog community is a great one.
I don't use it as a business tool, I don't sell anything online.
I love baking & taking pics and sharing them.
all the best to you for the new year ♥