Following on from a post by the lovely VicWelton on Instagram about whether Parent Blogging was dead, I just wanted to jot down my thoughts, on my blog. I don’t think blogging will ever be dead, it’s not even dying. I’m still finding new blogs on a regular basis. Some stick around, some don’t, but it’s definitely very much alive.
This blog carried on from my original parent blog, Baby no5, which I started when I found out I was pregnant with my fifth baby. (No surprises there then.) It was a real baby blog, talking solely about baby things. But, babies grow up, so my blog grew up too. Way back at a blog camp in 2011 I decided to start a new blog, and leave anything baby or mummy related out of the title. It took me ages to come up with a name, but it ended up as Raisiebay and I’ve been here ever since.
The Beginnings
I’ve always kept a diary, written down little snippets of my life. I still have my diaries dated back to the eighties (eek.) When people started keeping regular diaries online I was excited and keen to join in. There was My Space and Live Journal but I felt it was all a little too public for me, so I wrote my own blog, in HTML and published it online but I never even checked to see if anyone was actually viewing it. (And I had no idea how to write a comment section.)
Then I joined blogger and had about four blogs running at one point. Always trying to find a niche and failing. The baby blog was as niche as I ever got but I gave that up because I had more than baby talk alone, and to be honest after having five of them, I’d had enough of baby talk full stop.
After ten years here on Raisiebay, I’ve still not found my niche, it’s just my life and bits and pieces I think others might find interesting. I could pop in some photos, tell you about my kids schooling, reminisce about a day out or holiday, tell you what I’ve been buying or watching on television and in the last five years I’ve also talked about my chronic illness.
I did start another blog a couple of years ago which I use mostly for my book reviews and crochet. It’s a little less personal and hopefully more informative. It’s actually a little more niche. What the heck is niche anyway, who wants to be niche?
Niche
Niche – noun
a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service.
“he believes he has found a niche in the market”
Niche – Adjective
denoting products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population
“other companies in this space had to adapt to being niche players”
OR Niche – noun
a comfortable or suitable position in life or employment.
See, I’ve been here ten years, I’m comfortable and happy. This blog suits me and I’m not going anywhere. I’ve found my niche, it was here all along!
Where To Go From Here
When you’ve been around the block a few times (haha, my Mom used to say that when I was young) you see things changing and adapting. You can go with the flow or stay with what you know. I think I know blogging and I’m happy with it. Even if people stopped coming here, I’d still keep writing for as long as I can. I back up all the time so I hope nothing ever gets lost. This is my life, the edited version, my space on the internet, and it’s all mine.
I have never been huge or popular but that doesn’t matter. I’ve made friends and had some wonderful opportunities. And this hasn’t stopped, it does ebb and flow, but it’s still going the same as ever.
I still have around 800 posts that need a bit of editing and don’t have keywords. But they still get pulled up by search engines and visited. When I spot a post that has been visited and I’ve not edited it I go along and spruce it up. I want people to be happy with what they find if they’ve searched for it. And honestly, I get visitors to my older posts all the time. If I’m getting visitors they must be coming from somewhere, so I know that I’ve now created a hive of things that are not only interesting to me but also a source that someone else is seeking.
This is my space, so to be honest, I’m not going anywhere. I will keep doing what I’ve always done, I write from the heart and put a little bit of me out there, and if there is something I write that’s helpful or interesting then that’s wonderful that people can find it.
Social Media
Blogging and social media are best friends, they go hand in hand. If you have written something on your blog then you can go and tell others over on Social Media and they may come and take a look if they are interested.
Social Media started off as a place to be social and soon people picked up that you could forget about updating your blog and go straight to Social Media and cut out the middle man so to speak. Why write a carefully constructed post and then have to go on SM to promote it, when you can just write it straight to SM.
This began on Facebook where people started ‘microblogging’ and then it moved onto Instagram where you could write a whole story to go with your picture. But if you don’t want to write you can also video yourself and do a vlog, or just speak and make a podcast. There are so, so many ways to get your voice heard these day and so many platforms to do it on. It’s no wonder that people are choosing other options to blogging.
Of course, you can do it all, but that sounds like a lot of work. So people choose whatever is best for them. Some people feel like they are missing out because they can’t get the hang of a platform, or just don’t feel comfortable. (You’ll not find me on Tik Tok.) But, it really doesn’t matter. The Internet is a big place and there is room for everyone.
Final Words on Whether I Believe Blogging is Dead
I love blogging because of it’s permanence. My posts are all in one place and if I want a trip back to 2012 it’s just a click away. It may crash, but the information can be recovered, and I don’t have to beg any big Social Media company to give me my account back.
I found four new bloggers that I’d not read before only last week, and I always find more. I have regular blogs that I visit and enjoy so much. I love writing and I love blogging and if you were thinking of starting a new blog then I’d say go for it. Some people turn them into full time jobs, some, like me, part time jobs, other’s just enjoy their own little space to say whatever they want. Blogging is not dead yet…I’m not sure I’ll be lasting another 20 years, but you never know.
If you want to follow me on Social Media, I do post there occasionally 🙂
My Other Blog At Home A Lot
Or you can read my Blog Manifesto written in 2016, a lot has changed since then but my intentions are the same.
What are your thoughts? Do you think blogging is dead?
I’ve been blogging about the same length as you. The question about whether blogging is dead seems to come up on a regular basis, which I think is good. No bad idea remembering why you do it and working out how you’d like to change it up. I can’t see it disappearing. I agree with you about having more control of it than anything posted up on Social Media. Saying that, I quite like posting up a quick story on Instagram, so I think they can co-exist. I love reading other people’s blogs and I still miss some people who gave up. I’m here to stay. Glad you are too.
Of course they can co-exist, I write little stories on Instagram myself sometimes. But I still think of my blog as no1. Glad to hear you’ll be sticking around too.
Keep on keeping on, Anne. Fair play!
Thank you Enda, I will. I hope you will too, I love your storytelling.
I’ve been blogging for nearly nine years and some of my older posts are still the most popular. It is a niche blog because it’s just about books but I do love reading family and lifestyle blogs like yours. That is what’s so great about blogging, everybody can create their own little space and as we’re all unique all our blogs are too 🙂
#MMBC
Catherine recently posted…National Insect Week: Picture Books about Insects
It’s a lovely feeling when you find someone has been reading your older posts isn’t it. I would book blog all the time, but I’ve too much else to say 🙂
I’ve had a fairly similar journey to blogging as you – still have all my diaries from age 7 onwards and had a Live Journal for a bit before starting various blogs and then eventually sticking with my current one. I always enjoy reading your blog and I love blogs that are personal and share little snippets of every day life. For me blogging captures days out and things in a way that social media doesn’t – I’m so thankful for all the moments with Jessica that have been captured as a result of my blog – there are so many little moments that I would have forgotten had I not written about them at the time. Blogging has certainly changed over the last few years but I’m with you – I don’t think it’s dead yet. #MMBC
oh yes, I didn’t focus much on the memories…it’s all there and so easily accessible. If I’m ever missing a certain photo I’m certain to find it in my blog files.
I don’t think blogging is dead. For me, blogging is about sharing my stories and experiences. I also don’t have a “niche” but I love being online, writing, and (hopefully) inspiring and supporting others!
~Jess
#MMBC
Jess Foley – Writer recently posted…Let’s lose the provocative parenting labels: you do you
Yes, perhaps if I didn’t spend so much time blogging I’d get that book written 🙂
As a writer I prefer blogging. As someone who reads though I follow and read a number of blogs because of the writing and the level of interest the writer brings to the topics. Some are funny, others are educational, etc. but they engage me and keep me reading my blog list.
I’ve just not had that huge interest in following people on other social media formats.
I’m always engaged in blogs, it’s someone’s sharing of ideas and thoughts. I can tell a sponsored post from a mile off, but that’s the beauty of blogging, you don’t have to read all of someone’s posts.
I agree with you! I’ve been blogging for over a decade. I had a pregnancy loss blog that I wrote on the first year after loosing our Baby until I got pregnant with our healthy #3, a political blog I started after hundreds of hours researching common core, I ran a women’s contributor Bible study blog for two years, I’ve had to hodge podge blogs of personal musings and now have started a blog about my sexual journey through the Zodiac from my open marriage.
I also started writing in journals first and I also love to have my work in one easily accessible place.
I remember when I first heard about blogging on a news cast just as it was starting to hit mainstream (15 plus years ago now). I was ecstatic about the idea of being able to send my thoughts and experiences out into the world for anyone to read. The idea of connecting like that and causing another human to see something from my view was thrilling. It’s original intent is still at the heart of why I blog and it’s still thrilling to me today.
As long as there are people who love to write and share with the world, blogging won’t die.
Coming to you from the Monday Morning Blog Club link party <3
Yes, I so agree. I just love to write and it’s a thrill if anyone comes along to read. I’ve shared a lot on my blog, but only what I want or need to share. You can write for other places but they have a habit of adding stuff, mostly things that make me cringe. I enjoy being in control.
I have been blogging for over 8 years and it certainly isn’t dead. It has just changed like our blogs have over the years. I still get excited when I find a new blogger to follow, there are so many new people blogging and that is fantastic x
Kim Carberry recently posted…Our 2021 summer bucket list!
Building friendships through blogging is an extra bonus 🙂 x
I don’t have a niche, I would get bored. I like to write whatever motivated me at times. I find blogging great to help my mental health and give me focus. X #mmbc
I’ve been blogging for almost 8 years now and although I’ve seen many blogs come to an end over the years, I think blogging is still very much alive.
As for a niche, I suppose mine is famly lifestyle but I like to cover any topic I want to. I wouldn’t like to stick to just one niche, I have too much to say about everything haha!
I’m in it for the long haul and feel really lucky to have made so many lovely online friends along the way, including yourself. x
Jayne @ Sticky Mud and Belly Laughs recently posted…Win A T-Rex Head Torch From Wicked Uncle
aww thanks Jayne, I consider you a friend too. I love to hear bloggers are going to stick around. I don’t what I’d do with my day if I didn’t spend so much time reading blogs, I’d much rather do that than scroll through Social Media. x