Blog on TwitbookPlus

Apparently, according to something I read online over the weekend (so it must be true, right?) blogging is fast evolving into a niche activity thanks to the uptake of such fancy-schmancy websites like Facebook, Twitter and maybe even the new Google+.

Given that when blogging started it was a fairly niche activity, and given that I’ve been blogging since about then, it feels comforting to know that my hobby is returning to its roots.

Of course, in the intervening 12 or so years a lot has changed and blogging won’t ever really be the same maybe this is what it needs. I wonder if this something that other such social media type websites might follow in the coming years. For a long time, blogging was the only quick and easy way to self-publish. These days we are spoilt for choice and, as most of us are inherently lazy, the quicker (and therefore shorter) the better.

What does that mean for me?

I’m not really sure to be honest. Whilst this may sound harsh, I don’t get much value from this blog anymore so it’s dropping down my priority list. Do I get value from the other websites I use, you ask? Hmmm let me think.

Yes, I do get value from Twitter and Facebook.

Please note: your idea of value may vary.

Broadly speaking Twitter lets me keep in touch with acquaintances, Facebook lets me keep in touch with friends and family (and acquaintances), my onemanwrites blog helps me focus my professional thoughts, and everything else that passes my online filter is pushed to either Pinboard or Tumblr. That leaves this blog in a virtual no-mans land and, as has been evidenced over the past couple of years, has turned into a public diary which as much for my own need as anything. I’m not even going to mention that other writing place I have (except I just did).

As for Google+, well it’s still too new and for the moment the only thing it might do is kill my personal Twitter account. Time will tell.

And all of that is only considering, largely, word based content. I’ve still to shift from using Flickr as my main photo ‘presence’, but maybe that too will change? Who knows.

I’m not going to stop blogging, that much I do know, just as I won’t stop posting photos, bookmarking links, and generally sharing the stuff I stumble upon online. This blog, as with all my other online accounts, are but a representation of the parts of me and my personality I am happy sharing with the world. From that point of view, blogging has, most definitely, been on value and so, for now, I’ll keep on blogging as and when inspiration strikes.

After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Comments

  1. I wonder why you don’t get much value from your blog. Is it because you’ve said pretty well everything you want to say, for instance, so the shorter communication of Facebook etc is enough, or because you don’t get enough feedback from comments to make it satisfying?

  2. Excellent post, Gordon. After 7 years, I took my blog down last week for similar reasons, wining the justification and drive you have.

  3. Z – possibly, plus sharing smaller snippets of my ‘life’ on Twitter and Facebook means I don’t feel the need to do, for example, posts like I did about Glastonbury. Feels a bit repetitive to me.

    Lyle – will check that out!

    Cliff – yeah I’m still not convinced I’ll ever shut this down, but given my professional blog gets twice the hits it might happen one day.

  4. 500px have had issues today, but in general they strike me as being what Flickr were back at the start.

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