Within a couple of weeks (somewhere early Dec), this blog will have reached 500,000 readers. A joyous moment I will celebrate by over-dosing on Belgian chocolates, an experience you can share by mailing me a print-screen if you happen to be reader #500,000.
Nevertheless, I”m experiencing the slow but persistent emergence of doubt about the value of personal “user generated content” (like in blogging) from the viewpoint of me, the author. After two years I often feel like I’ve become an unpaid copywriter & photographer.
Not that I ever wanted or needed to earn one cent through blogging, but still, being an inspired author covering a multitude of subjects regarding Antwerp, I used to put in a lot of time and effort, with currently only rising numbers of anonymous drive-by visitors in return. Visitors who just devour my content and click “next blog” 20 seconds later.
Many bloggers with a consumptive audience have already switched to alternative and more personal, more interactive social media like Facebook, with blogging slowly becoming a one way street I’m increasingly uncomfortable with. [Check the 1/10/100 rule]
At present I’m taking a yet undefined break – I’m still pondering the issue, looking at the options and will decide how to proceed when I return (“an Antwerp picture blog” was suggested, as I own thousands of shots), but I do wonder if anyone feels or has felt the same. [Update Sat Nov 28, 2009: the 500,000 visitor mark was reached around 4 am (GMT+1). Thanks for being such loyal readers.]
This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
This morning actually. Lacquemant will be 1 year old half December. I share your doubts, yet there are for me two advantatages over Facebook and Twitter.
1. Twitter is too quick, too limited (140 characters per tweet). That’s just often not enough.
2. Facebook is too personal. A blog provides more anonimity.
But I also feel blogging is in decline.
[Blog author: "congratulations on the first birthday of Lacquemant Benjamin! I share your views regarding Twitter and Facebook - and like we both noticed, blogging in general is in decline. I do own a huge number of pictures I want to show off though, so I may give it a try here."]
Comment by Benjamin — October 25, 2009 @ 12:44 pm |
A few bloggers I know have slowed up or stopped altogether recently, but for a variety of reasons unrelated to social media (although one in particluar does seem to spend more time tweeting these days, to the detriment of the blog).
I use all of these platforms, but will continue to use the blog to express things which require more than 140 characters, and to attract the occasional reader not already part of my “friend” circle.
To be honest I only ever expected blogging to be a “one-way street”. The responses and interaction I’ve experienced were just a bonus.
[Blog author: "I considered comments to be just a bonus as well Simon. Unfortunately I appear to have attracted the 'drive by crowd' when I check my sitemeter these days. Most of my visitors don't even bother to read an entire post anymore, they're actually gone within 20 seconds. The picture I shot of the woman in red here explains it all: 400 pageviews at Flickr (=people who actually clicked through to check out the photo I shot) within a few days, but no readers at all when I count the longer posts without images."]
Comment by simonlitton — October 26, 2009 @ 12:42 pm |
It’s funny, but on the other hand I have heard that the exact same thing is happening to social media. A friend of mine in IT has been telling me that Facebook, et. al., have been bleeding users consistently over the last 6 months, and he seems to think social media is on the way out as well.
He’s a good friend, but I don’t think he’s right on that one.
As for blogging, I think it depends on who you’re visiting. There are plenty of blog sites I’ve visited that are still getting in excess of 15-20 comments, per day. As to the actual hit rate, that I’m not sure of.
[Blog author: "guess it's indeed dependent on the blog content Mr. Nighttime. I've attracted the drive-by blog-crowd who will just check out the pictures and leave. As for the social media I read that many users do abandon their Twitter accounts, with FB relying partly on their numerous applications/games to keep users entertained. I'm also convinced sites like FB are here to stay, until the next killer application in online social interaction comes along. Thanks for commenting."]
Comment by Mr. Nighttime — October 26, 2009 @ 5:54 pm |
Since I blog for my own enjoyment and info. without being too serious or too intimate (like facebook), it does not bother me whether blogging is on the decline or not. I like your way to celebrate your event with a box of chocolate!
[Blog author: "thanks for commenting from LA Jeannette. It's a pleasure noticing some people actually blog for their own enjoyment, although you do get on average 20+ readers who leave often very witty comments. I guess your artwork attracts a valued audience. As for the chocolates: yes, I will share a box of Leonidas chocolates with visitor #500,000 (destination restrictions apply, and yes, I know I should have picked a more exclusive brand
"]
Comment by jeannettestgermain — October 26, 2009 @ 8:57 pm |
I also blog for my own enjoyment. It gives me someone (actually several people) to talk to several times a week. I love it when people comment and when I get a new commenter, or a new follower, but am not overly conecerned about the ‘drive-by visitors, or hit rate (though don’t let that fool you into thinking I don’t check obsessivly, every day!!).
I love photo blogs and get a lot of inspiration from them, but am also finding that I prefer the ones that explain the photo; I don’t often comment on them because I can’t think of anything original to say, but that doesn’t lessen my enjoyment of the blog.
Right, only 11,389 more visits and those Leonidas will be mine to share with you.
[Blog author: they will be Violet. I'm still trying to find a courier service that doesn't charge 10x the value of the Leonidas pralines though, as sending them by regular mail would take ages. I also noticed many countries will not accept "perishable goods" in international transit. Oh well, let's see what happens when I get 20 claims from people insisting they were actually #500,000
As for blogging: I guess I will focus on pictures with a story. There's such a huge backlog (like in 'over 5,000') of images I never found the time to post, and many carry a unique story. Thanks for being a regular reader! "]
Comment by VioletSky — October 28, 2009 @ 3:27 pm |
My husband always reminds me that the point of life is to be happy. If blogging is something that you enjoy, then continue. If it does not, then stop. You should treat yourself to a little Pierre Marcolini to congratulate yourself too.
[Blog author: "Thank you Lydia -and may I say so, you're a woman with true style: Marcolini probably produces the best pralines in Belgium. Whenever I visit his shop in Antwerp it actually feels like I'm about to buy diamonds
As for blogging: I'm waiting to rediscover the fun part, and when I do, I'll be back."]
Comment by Lydia — November 2, 2009 @ 7:15 pm |
“I’m still trying to find a courier service that doesn’t charge 10x the value of the Leonidas pralines though…”
Well, if one of your many fans from the USA wins you can farm it out to these guys: http://www.leonidas-chocolate.com/
[Blog author: "thank for the link Lee. Weird how prices change across the Atlantic: their 1 lb Ballotin box sells for US $40 in the US, while I pay about €9 ($15) for exactly the same item here in Belgium."]
Comment by Lee — November 4, 2009 @ 2:46 am |
Aah yes, “free markets” at work. We now buy our Speculoo style cookies from here: http://www.biscoff.com/gourmet/shop?method=home with seemingly the same kind of pricing differential. But, it does bring a bit of Belgium to us here in the now cooling Midwest.
[Blog author: "it actually goes both ways: most US corporation selling their products in Europe use a 1$=1€ rule, cashing in on the difference. In general life is more expensive in Europe, but I'm sure you noticed that during your stay in Belgium. Ah, speculoos from Lotus: isn't it wonderful how a certain taste can linger."]
Comment by Lee — November 4, 2009 @ 3:22 pm |
Back to visit your blog after some time off. let’s face it, fb and twits are thinly veiled marketing machines, so if you transfer your blog there, you’ll be providing the people behind these sites with more cents, and still not get any for yourself. so why not keep it open to the public, where it won’t be so exclusive. so long as you enjoy doing it, isn’t it fun to share info without the profit motive.
I am not really very informed yet about your interests (aside from chocolates!), have to go through the blog yet, but if there’s any bit of info i can share that you might be interested in, will do. having said that, enjoy your marcolini’s and leonidas.
[Blog author: "thanks for commenting from Antwerp. I actually do intent to keep this blog online at this very location, only I'm not sure about the direction I'm heading content-wise. I have no intention transferring any content to Facebook, which is indeed nothing but a thinly disguised & often rather silly marketing machine."]
Comment by ibbie — November 19, 2009 @ 11:08 am |
I’m currently re-evaluating my blogging too. It has never been a popular blog, and it was never meant to be that. It was more training in webhosting than anything else.
In september I’ll be moving to a new host and will probably try something new… most likely a complete site incorporating my blog, photo site, and who knows what else… going for the more united approach. It will be more a showcase than just a blog, as I’m slowly building a portfolio in different areas (photography, webdesign, CV, musician stuff etc.)
[Blog author: integration is indeed the way to go in 2009 Sven. At my end, the fun part disappeared, after having written numerous posts on my life in Antwerp. I'm waiting to rediscover the fun part, and when I do, I'll be back. Good luck with your endeavours and thanks for being such a loyal reader. Related: visitor #500,000 will hit this blog within a couple of days. "]
Comment by Sven — November 25, 2009 @ 9:55 pm |
Wow, that was like buying on eBay–if you’re not there for the last 10 seconds, you are out–and I wasn’t there.
I’m in at 500,003
Congrats on the 500K!!
[Blog author: "Thank you Lee! I was sound asleep while it all happened (it's 6h later here), but I did notice you were online several times for 1 hour 2 minutes 52 seconds from Wayne County, Ohio, browsing 19 pages, and that makes you my most loyal reader today. Visitor #500,000 came from Mexico and left within a few seconds. "]
Comment by Lee — November 28, 2009 @ 5:28 am |