// The Evolution of Blogging

Have you noticed a shift in the blogging world recently? Part of me has been wondering if it's a widespread thing or if it's something that I'm sort of projecting due to my own feelings toward blogging. While there was no specific "start" date for the shift, I attribute a lot of the change to the end of Google Reader. Many bloggers publicized the ability to subscribe to their blog via Feedly and Bloglovin. While I love Bloglovin (and feeds in general) and read blogs exclusively this way, it has completely changed the interactions on blogs. 

Truth be told, I was never super invested in Google Reader. It was never my main method of blog reading. My GR was filled with too much junk and unsubscribing to blogs was a bit too time intensive honestly. For this very reason I read blogs via bookmarks -- yeah, old school. Once I started using BlogLovin (post GR), I became very intentional with my subscriptions. Currently I only subscribe to about 13 blogs. That doesn't mean I'll only read those 13 blogs, but I've been very slow and meticulous about what blogs I add and why. It's a stark comparison when you consider I subscribed to over 300 in GR/Blogger... I never read that many blogs! Opening GR to me was like immediately setting myself up for failure. BlogLovin (and Feedly) allows me to have a "fresh start" with blog subscriptions, and I really like that.

I've witnessed (and participated) in several conversations about this shift in blogging recently. Mandi of Making Nice In The Midwest recently posed the question "Do you ever just have one of those nights where you wonder if you're even relevant any more? Like, internet wise, not like real life wise." I feel like that's a potentially loaded question, but it was born simply due to dwindling blog stats. Many bloggers (including myself) chimed in and mentioned that they've had these thoughts, too, and that Mandi certainly wasn't alone. Even "professional bloggers" nodded in agreement and expressed their thoughts on the issue. Mandi suggested the change came with GR dying and people opting to follow less blogs. I mean, that's what I did, so it seemed to make sense. I added to the conversation by saying that the slack in the blog world helped me feel more comfortable stepping away for a few days at a time. I don't feel as pressured to create content every single day. In the 4.5 years prior I felt like I needed to keep on the grind in order to keep up with everyone else. So in one way it's a blessing that blogging is letting up, even though my thoughts were totally self-imposed. There were/are tons of other bloggers out there who can go days, weeks, months between posts and still have an engaged and excited audience. I think being okay with those breaks as a blogger is actually what's so surprising, ya know?

Are you a blogger? Have you noticed a change in your blogging stats and the interaction on your blog? Do you publicize BlogLovin or Feedly as a way to subscribe to your blog? This is my theory: These feeds allows an alternative way to read blogs. Readers no longer have to visit the blogs themselves, and they don't even have to read truncated feeds. I've read contrasting opinions and "facts" on whether or not BlogLovin hits actually "count" as pageviews if the BL navigation bar is still in play, so to play it safe when I visit a blog via BlogLovin on the computer I always click the little [X] in the nav bar so I'm just reading the blog as is. I read blogs because I truly enjoy them, and I want those bloggers to see that reflected in their pageviews. Clicking out of the little [X] (even if it does nothing more than give me peace of mind) literally takes no extra effort. However, I do almost all of my blog reading on the BlogLovin app... where I can see the whole blog post at a glance. I've yet to find a source that says the BL app gives those pageviews. I hate the fact that the easiest way for me to read blogs means that I'm skimping out on giving bloggers pageviews (and pageviews = profit!). I also found it difficult and tedious to check out the comments on the app. (You can fix this by going into your BL app settings and turning off "mobile view" - the blog will load as though you're viewing in a browser, and you can quickly access comments, too!) 

Feedly is also a popular blogging feed that many use. Feedly gained insane amounts of popularity when GR was going down (so much popularity that the site crashed for a while!). I love the way Feedly allows you to customize the reading experience, but Feedly doesn't count toward stats at all. That was the reason I decided to ditch my Feedly account. I felt like it wasn't fair for the blogs that I was reading.

In my opinion comments and engagement have also dwindled due to the switch. Maybe a lot of people are just "over" blogs (I totally get it!) and maybe the blogging bubble is about to burst. Who knows! I've been a little shocked at how many "huge" bloggers I follow whose comments have dwindled by upwards of 40-50%. I've noticed it on my own blog, too. I've even noticed it as a blog reader. I'm more of a quiet reader myself, but I try to be mindful of my presence and comment any time I have something to add to the conversation, but doing so through feeds is more time consuming, thus making me less likely to do it. Mandi's blog is one that I read regularly, but because I don't like clicking through and waiting for multiple pages to load, I rarely comment. (And if you want to get technical, that means I'm contributing to her bummer feelings toward herself/her blog because I don't interact. And I say "her" as a universal pronoun which encompasses all blogs that I read!

No one wants to be that entitled person who feels like they're owed something by their readers. After all, it's only blogging. Yet at the same time I think people want to understand why blogging is going the way it's going. Is it silly to invest all of this time thinking and worrying about it? Well, that depends on who you ask. I think in this day and age there are so many "professional" bloggers who basically do their blog for a living. I know it's a goal for a lot of people. There's nothing wrong with the job and there's nothing wrong with the goal - but much like the 9 to 5 job market, you have to be hyper-aware of what's going on around you in order to "make it." 

A large part of me wonders where blogging will be in 6, 12, and 24 months. Obviously blogs will always exist, but I'm speaking more in terms of being digital influencers. One or two years ago, blogging was at an all time high. Bloggers were "celebrities" and brands flocked to them at rapid speed. Many brands severed their blogger programs all together and even more cut back on their outreach greatly. I'm wondering if it's a sign of the times or if it's just a coincidence... What do you think?

I plan to continue blogging as long as it's fun for me. I blogged with less than 5 readers for quite a while in the beginning, and while those posts are uber embarrassing, they were honest and authentic. I wonder if we'll start seeing as rise in authenticity in the blog world again? I'm probably just reading too far into it... It's all speculation and nonsense at this point anyway! Haha

Edited to add: Another potential culprit of blog engagement: Instagram and Twitter. So much is shared quickly on those two platforms, it's almost pointless to go read a blog now. Not only that, but 90% of the time when I ask a question via the blog, my readers will engage with me on Twitter or IG instead. Interactions are quicker and more likely to get noticed. I don't know how I forgot to include these in my post! (Thanks to Danielle + Melissa for reminding me!) -- Is Instagram the new blog?!

86 comments:

  1. it's funny that you write this 'cause my blog best friend and i were just talking about this very topic. i have noticed the change - whether it been from stats to people commenting - however, i think what has kept me going is a real love for documenting and writing and creating.

    i appreciate your thoughts on this, especially since you are someone i have looked up to for a long time in the world of blogging and art. thanks, friend. :)

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  2. I'm not a "big blogger" by any stretch of the imagination... but even I have seen my comments cut in almost half since the end of GR. My page views are still OK, but interaction is definitely down. I try to get around this by more more interactive on FB/Twitter (which you're great at!), and definitely try to keep in mind that I don't blog for the comments... but very astute observations about blogland. we're definitely in some sort of transition.

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    1. From a reader's perspective, I think it's easier to interact with bloggers on their FB/Twitter/IG accounts - the notifications are quicker, and we're all so used to this instant gratification craze nowadays, leaving comments on blogs and then waiting for follow-up comments and conversations seems almost trivial.

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  3. I certainly feel like the death of GR gave a lot of blogs the opportunity to rise up from behind the curtain with a certain "look at me now!" kind of attitude - it definitely leveled the playing field for a moment. But I think losing GR forced people to get serious about the blogs they were serious about keeping up with. My reading list is constantly evolving - and I don't use any of the above mentioned services to follow up with my favorite blogs. Like you, I bookmark and I have a specific list on my blog with links to make it easier for me to check out my favorites. The only issue I have with this subject matter is that it brings up the age-old conversation about authenticity vs popularity vs traffic vs content. It's such a tightrope, and honestly, I don't know where I stand on the whole situation. Typically, I find new blogs to follow in a very organic way of following links and comments and doing things the "old school" way. I never follow a big name blog **just because** and I would hope more people become selective in their reading choices!

    Sorry for the longest comment I've ever left here!!**

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  4. Kaelah, I agree with you on a lot of things you stated here. For one, I too noticed a major drop in comments on those "popular" blogs. Like, major! The only time I see a lot of comments on their posts these days is if they're hosting a giveaway and commenting is a requirement to win. I usually read posts and only comment when I feel like I have something to contribute to the convo, as well. I am not sure if the end of GR has been the major contributing to a drop in page views, but I wouldn't deny it either. I personally think that there are SO many bloggers these days, it just gets overwhelming trying to keep up with them all. That's why I love using Bloglovin. I get my feeds emailed to me daily and I can choose to go a week at a time without reading posts and then go back on a day when I have nothing to do and want to catch up on some blogs. In any case, I have a really small following on my blog, and I am completely okay with that. I do sympathize with those who earn a profit through blogging, though.
    P.S. With Bloglovin' there is an option in the settings that allows you to open blogs without the BL banner so you don't have to do it every time. ;-)

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  5. I'm not a "professional" blogger by any shot at all! I started a fashion blog that was mildly successful a few years ago but shut it down and took a blogging break for a good year as fashion just wasn't for me. Still love reading them though! Now that I have started a new blog, I have noticed the increase of readers is drastically lower. My current blog is more for me and I don't worry about how many readers I have but it was a little startling to see my readership grow so so slowly when 2 years ago it rocketed in a couple months. None the less I still read the ones I love and comment when I have something to say. I guess there is always a boom and a bust.

    I have found that I have really stopped participating in giveaways. Not all of them but I will look at the entry rules and if there is a list of 30 ways to get 30 entries, I wont bother. I don't want my twitter/facebook/bloglovin/email to be completely over-filled and also whats the point in entering when most people will get 30 entries and I will just leave a post comment and get one entry. Odds are just not in my favor and it doesnt seem to be fair. I do understand why the brands want that though but it seems a bit like cheating for popularity. This could possibly be a reason why brands are getting out of the blog world? Perhaps more people like me just wont bother to enter?

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  6. I can't believe this post, is coincidentally the first blog post I am to read after my month long blogging hiatus. And its completely relevant, I didn't understand why I was suddenly repelled (over exaggerating) from the blogging world recently, I have use the excuse of life and work... but that could clearly not be the case as I have been blogging for almost 5 years....

    I can't believe it, but your reasonings are ideas I have not noticed. I had never used Google Reader, I just followed pages and thought it was a way to express your "like" towards it, not to actually read. I've always used bloglovin', and I would scroll through my dhasboard and only read what I liked based on the image/title/blog...

    Yes, blogging has changed, I feel like there is less content of it... and it has become commercial. I've always used my blog as a diary. I don't know, I'll ponder further onto this a little more.

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  7. I leave comments on the blogs I visit so I don't think the bloglovin bit matters to me much. I find that the best way to have interactive followers is to interact with them, respond to comments and visit their blogs as well. Part of the reason I tend to be less interested/excited by bigger blogs is that lack of interaction. All I know is that I enjoy blogging and as long as I continue to enjoy reading and writing blogs that's what I'll continue to do :)

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  8. Really interesting post! I have noticed a shift since GR died out, but it's the opposite here - my pageviews and subscribers have multiplied like rabbits. It's crazy! I assumed it was because everyone was reading through GR, where the pageviews weren't counted, and once it died they had to either email subscribe or pull through BlogLovin or the old-fashioned bookmark way. I should also point out that the very nature of my blog content is definitely related to this; I just find the sewing blogger network to be COMPLETELY different from other blogs - everyone is super duper encouraging and awesome. So really, I don't think I have any room to talk about this haha.

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  9. I was never a fan of Google Reader and have always use Bloglovin. I've actually notice my stats going up, but there is very little interaction and it's hard to get comments. I definitely feel like the influence of blogging is decreasing (and will continue to do so), but like yourself, I'll continue to do it because it's something that makes me happy.

    Great post!

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  10. Very interesting subject... I have to admit that I am one of those readers who comments a lot less now due to the death of GR. I absolutely hate bloglovin (long story) and I now use Feedly which is only ok. But I can't see comments at all using the free version of Feedly. Which means I have to click through to the website, which is an extra step and makes me wonder why I don't just use bookmarks. Because of this hassle, I don't comment as often as I did before. And you're right, I also don't read nearly as many blogs as I used to. I think the death of GR may have fundamentally changed the blogging world completely by accident. I'll be interested to see how blogging evolves for sure... Well, I may comment less but your blog is definitely in my short list of must reads! :)

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  11. after reading your post, and through some of these comments I just wanted to say that I have a pretty small blog (20 followers), but I have only noticed an increase in page views and a a new reader or two since GR shut down. I don't know why this could be, but I myself don't use feedly and while I have a bloglovin' account I'm not very active. I have just been utilizing my blogger dashboard since day one and this seems to be working. I try not to worry too much about what is going on in the blogsphere and instead just keep doing what i'm doing. It's easy to worry about page views and comments and how many followers I have but I still believe that if you're happy with the content you're publishing on your blog then you're probably better off keeping on that same path.

    I do love that you share posts like this one. It's one of the reasons I've been such a longtime reader of LCHB. it's nice to have a blog I can read that encourages discussions like this. So thanks for doing posts like this one!

    Reagan
    http://hellonvmbr.blogspot.com/

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  12. this was thought provoking. I just started my blog around 2 months ago and have felt/seen this shift. I think blogs are slowly becoming irrelevant or dare I say all the same? So it is hard to really engage your readers when they have seen the same post about a million times over. I am where you were a few years ago, I only having a handful of readers and so I don't have any real pressures (except the pressure I put on myself to do better, be better). Starting out, I tried doing posts that seemed bloggery (just made up a word), but it didn't feel authentic or coming from the heart. I think blogs with heart will last and these - let's do another roundup on what shoes to wear this season will die out. I am trying to make the shift to blog with more heart and authenticity but still balance in a few "pretty" style posts. Thought provoking posts always win in my book! We should start a movement in the blogosphere or something where bloggers come together to create more meaningful content!
    xx Alecia

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  13. That's a lot to think about! I have noticed several companies have stopped partnering with bloggers, but as a relatively new blogger who does love this field....I hope this is not a sign of the end of blogging times! :) Since Google reader shut down, what I've noticed is that I've largely ceased to grow follower-wise, but my pageviews and comments per post have grown--since interaction is what I love, the follower part I don't mind so much!

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  14. I took an impromptu hiatus for about a week because of these feelings. I thought to myself, "does anyone even care that I'm gone for this long? It's not like many people follow me."

    Because really, following a ton of blogs, reading them all, commenting on them all, AND creating unique content every day IS a full-time job (and I've already got one of those outside of my blog! "Aint nobody got time for that" one could say).

    Personally, I LOVE LOVE LOVE commenting on other people's blogs. I love feeling like I have something to say, even if it really is small-talk. And then I get so excited when they come back to my blog and have some kind of small talk for me. But I know the majority of anyone's readership is made up of lurkers. And that can be tough, because you really want to know that people are enjoying your blog. I think it's easier to just scroll past when you're not doing it old school, like you are, and just not leave a comment.

    I dunno. Blogging is weird! But I still love it, man.

    Elyse @ Cuddly as a Cactus

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  15. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject and for your honesty about the situation. I think your point about authenticity was bang on. When the boom was going on I was following so many fashion blogs and beauty review blogs, but in the last year I've unfollowed all of them. Just like the unread Instyle magazine on my table, they weren’t contributing to my life in any meaningful way. They weren’t sharing a dialogue or information that enriched my life. A lot of blogs were just about the products and giveaways, and they weren’t giving away any of themselves. Simply put the buy buy buy was not working for me anymore. I wanted more out of my blogging time since time is the most precious commodity. I wanted to be part of a sisterhood because there are so many talented, inspirational and interesting women out there. We can do so much all together, so much more than buying the latest shoes.

    I’m not saying that personal style bloggers are bad, but it’s when it’s all about the buying that it became a problem for me. I think style bloggers are so creative, and their confidence inspires me. But I need more. I want their latest thoughts, not just the latest purse. Like your blog is so wonderful, you share your personal style alongside the beautiful stories of your family. As a soon to be adoptive mother, I am so inspired by your relationship with Toby. To just take on the role of mother to him with so much love and grace. Thank you for those stories.

    I hope that the blogging burst will leave us with our authentic voices and real stories and a strong community of women.
    Cheers.

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  17. I don't think you're reading too far into it at all. I'm a little guy blogger, and I've noticed a severe decline in pageviews, although I don't know that I was smart enough to tie it to the death of Google Reader. I've been blogging since 2005, in a few different places, and it seems so strange how it's evolved. In the Xanga days (holy flashback), it was almost all about journaling- a more pure, authentic day of blogging, before we were completely overcome by pageviews and sponsorships. When we blogged just for the sheer fun of it. Don't get me wrong, there are still "big blogs" out there that manage to put out great content (*ahem, Kaelah). I think now, though, the market has become oversaturated with those trying to "make it" as a big blogger, and you have to weed through all the crap to get to the good stuff, and that exhausts people into not even trying.

    (I think I jumped off the deep end with this one)

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  18. I've noticed! I noticed in the summer time, but I brushed it off because summer is hard for every blogger... everyone's out on trips and having fun.but now its school time, people have a routine... you know, get to work/school. check your blogs on your breaks or after work... and my numbers are still low. And I am not a big time blogger. I don't really even check my stats anymore, But if I noticed, then the big bloggers are probably freaking out. I even noticed on some of my favourite big blogs, their comments are, in fact cut in half! I guess its sort of a good thing for me, because now i know when I comment, they have a better chance of seeing my comment. But still It's not a good feeling. I think everyones just trying to get used to the new way of checking out blogs maybe?
    I personally haven't been commenting as much because seriously most of the posts are garbage, I'm not saying you and your blog. (I love your blog) But the blogs i picked out to keep following on bloglovin', they are just coming out with... crap. It's just a lot of posts on things that I don't care about. I'm not going to click on a giveaway I'm not interested in, I usually skip wish-list posts, because... i don't care what you wish you had. I skip outfit posts I think look boring, people doing reviews on things that don't matter to me like; make up, really, really bad tutorials or DIY's. Like things that don't need step by step instructions. or people posting once a month and it's a 'update posts.' and I forgot who you are...
    I mainly follow fashion blogs or lifestyle blogs, and most of them post outfits. I like looking at those for myself and just inspiration for artwork but lately its just the most boring stuff ever! Like things that don't match or just bad...I don't know what it is. I miss the old days when I used to be inspired and what to tell people about this blog post because it was so awesome. I think we let too many bad DIY's get through and now we just have a lot of garbage blogs all copying each other and people are finally noticing. And now it's harder to find the good blog.

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  19. Losing GR was definitely the push I needed to re-evaluate the types of blogs I read, why I read them, and whether I was still interested in them or not. I definitely thinned the herd after that happened. I realized I unfollowed a lot of people because they became far less authentic and more desperate to get content up every day, host a million rafflecopter giveaways, and get a sidebar full of sponsors. I have nothing against those things, but I don't want to lose the fun and interesting reading content as a result of it. It also helped me realize that trying to keep up with the blogging rat race is stressful, exhausting, and futile, especially since it takes so much away from the original reason I started blogging - to write and connect with others. I've noticed now that my reading platform (I use Digg Reader and love it) is full of people who don't feel obligated to post every day but when they do, it's stuff that is very authentic and engaging.

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  20. Interesting! I could definitely see the death of GR causing such a shift. I followed a ton of blogs in GR that I followed because of a giveaway or whatever but now I have very few I follow in Bloglovin', which I love.

    You're obv one of the ones I follow ;)

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  21. I have definitely noticed an interesting shift in the blogs I read as far as their comment sections. I think commenters are leaving fewer "spam" comments (example: "Love your blog! xoxoxo Girly Girl at Girly Girl in the Worldy World! http://girlygirlworldyworld.com visit my blog! follow back!"!) because readers make it a little more difficult to do. But I also think there's a kind of burnout happening with commenters who comment on huge blogs but never seem to see any response or sign that the blogger even reads it. Which, once your comments get above a certain number, is it really feasible to read them all? Especially with the prevalance of spam comments on the really big blogs? Who knows.

    I do thin the "blog every day" trend is going to die a hard death here very soon. It's just not going to be worth it, unless it's a blog run by several collaborative bloggers, to attempt to generate content every. single. day. There are several big blogs that have very clearly lost a lot of quality because they're pushing to update once or even three times a day. Sure, it gets the clicks, but it also drives away long-time readers.

    I think my favorite bloggers right now don't update every day, really. Three times a week, once a week, those are the bloggers I am really loving, in part because I feel like the content is more well thought-out. Once four days a week are formulaic "filler" posts, I just don't see the point.

    I definitely try to click over to blogs that I really enjoy when I'm browsing with Bloglovin'. Especially if I'm going to leave a comment. But there are a lot of blogs I skim and never comment, and it's inevitably the bigger bloggers with the constant quantity but lack of quality content.

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  22. As a reader who uses bloglovin, I must say that I don't feel preference to bloggers who update on the daily. If the content truly intrests me, I will appreciate it whether its everyday or once a week. And that is what I like about bloglovin, it tells me when there is a new post to read. It would be good to get to the bottom of whether or not reading through blogloving counts toward pageviews.

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  23. Oh my gosh, THIS. A month or two ago, I revisited the first couple of posts on my blog. I was getting what I now realize is a ridiculous amount of comments when I first started out. Now comments have dwindled to nothing while my pageviews have gone way, way up. I should be happy about that, but what good are pageviews without interaction? I would love to know who is reading and how they found me and if they have a cool blog too. The lack of interaction has caused me to feel really unenthused about posting, to the point where I'm lucky if I can bring myself to post more than once a week.

    I definitely feel like blogging hit critical mass around the time I started mine, so I missed the "salad days" of it. I often wonder what the role of bloggers even is nowadays, now that brands have basically used us up and spit us out, stole all our good ideas, and moved on. I really think that dwindling stats and dwindling opportunities are going to create, as you said, a rise in authenticity. It will weed out the bloggers who are just doing it for the money and/or free stuff, and make successful bloggers question their content. I'm totally fascinated by the self-awareness and shift in attitude toward blogging that's been taking place gradually over the past few months, and I'm interested to see where it takes myself and everyone else in the next few years.

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    1. I'm interested to see if this weeds people out as well. I really do miss authenticity, even in my own blog I feel like people aren't interested in my ramblings, but hey! Maybe they really are and I just let the bigger blogs pull me away from what my blog used to be.

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  24. I don't see or feel what your saying at all. I'm an Australian blogger but having said that aside from fellow Aussie readers the rest of my readers are from the UK and USA. I'm finding everything on a rise for me. But I do think you need to go where your audience is. My blogs FB page has become a place where my readers go to comment on different things and blog posts. So I ensure I'm engaging where ever my audience is.

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    1. That makes me wonder if it could be a regional thing, too? :)

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    2. IT is SO crazy that you say that because a lot of my engagement comes from you fabulous Australians!

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  25. As someone who is still considered relatively "new" to the blogging scene, I arrived just in time for the death of GR (and at the time I was like, "why is everyone so upset???") just because I did not understand the principles of following, etc. I, like you, Kaelah, just bookmarked blogs I stumbled upon, or was recommended to read, and checked on them the old-fashioned way. Honestly, I don't read my Bloglovin' feed. I still hit those bookmarks on my toolbar, or check IG or Facebook for updates. I'm old and Bloglovin' confuses me, just like PS3.

    In the beginning, I was a comment machine, but I never received any feedback from bloggers that I read, or the feedback was slightly "sponsorship-orientated": like, have you used my codes yet, etc? I felt used, so I stopped commenting and reading certain blogs.

    When I started my own I made a promise to myself to keep it AUTHENTIC. I do not care if 2 or 2000 people read my blog, I just want to express myself and support other blogs I enjoy. I don't think I could be a career blogger because of the devotion and dedication it takes to pursue new ventures and "keep up with the Joneses" so-to-speak. I just put my little heart out there and hope someone else enjoys what I have to say.

    I'm not sure what will happen with blogging down the road, like you, I am curious. I have about 10 hardcore commenters, and I adore them! I love interacting with people who read my blog, no matter who they are, and I hope maybe with this switch we will see a change where blogs with substance (such as this one xxxooo) endure, and those who are merely "fluffy" perish.

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  26. I find the opposite actually. I'm a small blogger, I have about 200 followers and 1250 Twitter followers. My numbers are increasing everyday and I think it's because there are so many 'small bloggers' out there now. We support each other, give each other advise and interact with each others blogs. 'Big' bloggers never make an effort to reply to comments or chat with us on Twitter so maybe that's why they are suffering. Anyways, just my 2 cents :)

    www.squidgymoments.ie

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  27. I couldn't agree more. I have 174 followers via GFC but only 16 via Bloglovin'. I think it's telling us something. Just like you, my following number shifted from hundreds to only twenty-ish blogs, so I guess my blog is one of those blogs that got ditched when people switched to Bloglovin'. I used to get at least one comment per post (I'm not popular) but now it's zero. But I'm not blogging merely for pageviews; I'm blogging because I like it. As long as I still like it, I will continue blogging. Even if my 16 followers unfollowed me.

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  28. To be hoenst whenever I read check my feeds I never actually read the post in my reader. Like EVER lol! If I read something I usually intend to comment, seeing as how I can't do that in readers I go directly to the blog. I use readers to just get notified when something is updated so I'm not checking all the time on my own. I was using Bloglovin' but I started to really hate it, I switched to Feedly and love it. But with both I would always right click the title and open the post in a new tab, oh they got their pageview!

    But as a blogger who isn't blogging 'professionally' or have sponsors pageviews aren't important to me at all.

    I also honestly don't think the shift was due to GR going under. I've truly noticed a change in the way people blog compared to say 2 years ago. Not that it's a bad thing or anything like that it's just different and for me personally, not as enjoyable. Like I myself am losing that spark that led me to blogging and made me enjoy it. Now I just go back and forth on whether I want to blog or not at all. I find it harder keeping up with my favorite blogs. I feel like even though people aren't going crazy with their sponsors anymore like it was for a while (which I avoided reading blogs for a while because of that) posts just don't seem as genuine I guess. Like I feel like I read one blog and another posts something almost completely identical within a couple hours or so and everything just gets repetitive.

    But yeah long story short I don't think the change in blogging really has to do with GR at all, maybe for bigger bloggers it has because that will obviously affect your traffic but overall idk. Ok I'm done with this insanely long comment lol.

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  29. I have to admit that I think that blogging has become so oversaturated with zillions of blogs that it's kind of reached its limit. I don't know what will be the next thing but I've definitely noticed that blogging seems more out of "fashion" now. I almost feel like sites like Instagram have made people just want to view photos and not read what people are thinking. It seems like to me that people are getting further and further away from actual communication and just want quick photos and sound bytes. I think that a lot of bloggers also feel like we're losing that thing that made us want to blog originally. Maybe blogging is jumping the shark. Though, I know that you love sharks so.... :)

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  30. I've only just realised that when I read blogs in bloglovin the author doesn't actually get the page view. So, thanks for the tip, I will definitely be clicking that little X from now on! I'm a small and quite new blogger, but I have noticed interaction decreasing. I'm not sure why - possibly because the emphasis in blogging has changed, and it's not so much about the community anymore, people don't come to blogs to find likeminded people to connect with (although I hope that's not the reason of course) or if they do, there are just so many blogs out there it's hard to know where to start! xx

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  31. lately (the last few months) I've felt really disconnected from a lot of bloggers. several blogs just seem so "CONSUME CONSUME CONSUME" driven and i realized they don't speak to who i am as a person. i gladly welcomed a new subscribing system to clean out my feed and stay up to date only on the blogs that leave me feeling inspired.

    right now i only follow local bloggers (ya, know the nashville gang that i love to see what each lady is up to and i feel like i am having a coffee date with them when i read their blog) and a few other bloggers that i have such huge crushes on that i kind of consider them more of my friend than a blogger. . .(Creature Type, Room 334, etc) if that makes sense?

    also lately it seems more and more people are getting criticized on snark websites and i think it's made a lot of bloggers paranoid to really be themselves anymore. like there is literally an entire website dedicated to hating on other people who are posting about things they love— isn't that kind of fucked up? i dk. i have felt very disenchanted with the internet lately. most if it has to do with me personally wanting to start my own business and hone my craft so instead of consuming what other people are doing/making i've consciously decided to focus on what i am putting out into the world instead.

    but i have found that even if there is less interaction that it seems to be more genuine/thoughtful. like i usually always know who is commenting before i've even read the name because i just know my readers that are actually reading and relating to me as opposed to those who accidentally found me while googling for kittens o.O

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  32. As a wordpress blogger, they ditched GR a while ago. I saw a significant change and basically had to start from scratch again. Fortunately for me that meant I had to go from 10 back to zero instead of 10,000 to zero. Blogging is a tough thing and I struggle with it all the time. Sometimes I feel like I'm blogging for other people and not for myself and that snaps me back to reality.

    May be totally off topic, but I had a conversation with my husband about my small business the other day and how I hadn't yet found my "nitch" in the handmade market. I posed the question, "do I start creating things I know others will like? Or do I keep doing what I'm doing until what I'm doing IS the thing people like?" That's what's going to make me happy.

    While it's important to stay up on trends if you're trying to make a living, it's more important to do things you love, whether that's blogging (after blogging dwindles in popularity), or creating art and jewelry that only a handful of people respond to. The over saturation of bloggers and Etsy shop owners definitely makes it more difficult to engage with readers.

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  33. I feel pretty much the same... I was almost asking myself everyday is it worth it. I have a smaller blog but I do get enjoyment from sharing crafty things, but with feeling the disconnect I started getting caught up in what others were doing and stopped being true to myself. So I re-evaluated things and I am on what I call The Journey to Epic Failure. I blogged about here if you're interested! http://polkadotsarelove.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-journey-to-epic-failure.html

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  34. I have a teeny tiny blog with a handful of followers, so I'm not really 'big' enough to have noticed a drop-off in interaction.

    This is just my opinion, but I do feel like a lot of people began writing blogs to make money and/or get noticed, and a lot of those people (with HUGE blogs and HUGE numbers of followers) have stopped blogging. But I also think a lot of bloggers who started a blog because they wanted to write and share something with the world have continued to keep plugging away at it and will continue to do so, regardless of how 'big' their blog is. Personally I don't think your blog has to be huge in order to feel successful at it or feel like it's worthwhile. If you enjoy doing it, do it! Even if you're not attracting followers by the dozen. Who cares?

    That being said, I'll continue to blog as long as it's fun for me. It's something I enjoy doing, and I view it almost like a diary - this is what I was saying/doing/wearing at this point in time.

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  35. I've noticed this shift too and I know I have been part of it. I used to try and comment on every blog on my reader once a week but I just do not have the time at the moment. It really bums me out and I feel far less connected to other bloggers now that I don't do it so often.

    By the way, if you go into your settings in Bloglovin' there is an option right at the bottom to get rid of the frame and when you click through it takes you to the actual post. It saves going on to the page then having to click the x. xo

    xo

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  36. Nothing lasts forever, so goes the Internet. Once upon a time, I was a Livejournal "celebrity" and before that a Myspace "scene queen". I would get hundreds of responses on a post about my mundane day and upwards of 600+ comments on a selfie. Nowadays, I can hardly reach 100 pageviews on a blog post. The shifts in technology and social networking trends seem to kill off certain Internet ecosystems every few years.

    I don't think blogging will really ever be completely wiped out. But micro-content trends like Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr are starting to consume blogging as we know it. People don't want to read lengthy thought-out content anymore, and they definitely don't want to spend the time writing a response if they can just hit a "Like" button.

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  37. I honestly stopped reading blogs altogether about 6 months ago. It was irritating me how 90% of bloggers just create content for readers just for the money without any regards to their own views and opinions. It honestly made me feel like they think all of their readers are just sheep waiting to be told what to buy and when to do it because "Hey, I did it!" and the worst part is that people are actually buying into that bs.

    It got to the point where every baby blog had the same bobochoses leggings and freshly picked mocs, and every fashion / lifestyle blogs where advertising for Kate Spade or modcloth or whatever and everyone lost their identity and what was left was just a jumbo-sized wishlist of things most people could never afford. So there you are left, feeling like you need to have all this things that you can't afford, and that you have to have a lifestyle that is picture perfect and a family that is the definition of what a 50's family is supposed to be when in all reality is SAD how many bloggers spend their days editing their life because it is nothing but full of messyness, mistakes and not so great times, like in any of our lives.

    Also, bloggers where supposed to be this big because they where regular people, reachable and always so nice. Now most of them chose not to share bits of their life because they know they will not be getting anything in return **ahemm bleubird** and that is just sucky.

    I don't mean to sound all bitchy about it but I'm kind of glad that this is happening. I honestly don't think bloggers will ever get back to that sense of honesty and realness that they are lacking. But for me and my blog it represents the opposite, I'm rapidly gaining readers because I chose to talk about my not so great life, and I talk about nerdy things that let people know that I don't live in an anthropology catalogue. I talk about books, and design and sucky time as a freelancer and a mother. I've seen my older followers go but a whole new ones come without any particular effort on my part.

    anyways, thats just MY opinion.

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  38. I am a small blogger with less than 20 followers so I haven't noticed a drop off of interaction really there, but I have noticed it on other big blogger's pages, the comments do seem to be fewer. I agree that I think it has a big thing to do with instagram and twitter. I find that in comments on my own blog and other's, people rarely actually read what I or another blogger has wrote, and comment is purely based on my/their outfit. People seem to want that quicker interaction now that they get through those other outlets, which I think is kind of sad. I have read blogs for years, and I don't comment on them often, but when I do I always try to comment on the outfit and something they said.

    As for the Bloglovin nav bar not giving the reader pageviews, I didn't know about that! That doesn't seem to be very fair to the bloggers, but I have the settings set so I don't get that little bar anymore. I have noticed that I have many more blogs on my bloglovin than I actually have time to read and I think it is time to clean it out a bit. I used to use the bookmark method too, but I think it's nice to let the blogger know that you are following through one of those type of sites. Not that it's not okay to do that, I just know it brings a smile to my face if I see another follower email!

    I didn't start my blog to become a big blogger or anything like that. I like that I can look back on memories that are clearly documented and I like to write, so it gives me a fun place to be creative.

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  39. I can't decide if IG and twitter help or hurt blogs. In a way, its another way to engage and share content and info with your followers and build new audience. On the opposite side of the coin, if someone could read a couple sentences or look at a picture and get the gist- why would they read your blog? Its all very complex. I definitely see waves and wanes in popularity and I have stopped looking for a rhyme or reason to things. The posts that I think are total throwaways are the big hits. I have seen a drop in commenting which I hate...because frankly I get so excited when someone comments, because I know I truly engaged them enough to interact and they didn't just mistakenly stumble upon thatgirlinthewheelchair.com through google image search or some weird foreign feeder site.

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  40. I love Bloglovin! I liked having my Google Reader overload of blogs wiped out, and then re-adding what I wanted to selectively. I very rarely browse other blogs outside of comments I get on my blog. I rely on my blog feed and their links to other favorites.
    I also feel like since Google Reader ended my traffic has spiked, and my followers on Bloglovin' has tripled. Maybe it's just because I am personally gaining some speed & getting better at what I do, but it's been a nice change to feel like people appreciate all the time I spend in the kitchen.

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  41. I was really drawn in by the title of this post, because I've been noticing over the past year this huge change in blogging. Which honestly, I really have enjoyed. I believe more people are blogging about things that actually matter to them, and not just "this is one picture of something I wore today" sort of thing. (Which if that's what you like to post, then keep doing that because your blog is about you!) They are shaping more into mini-magazines and I love reading things like that. I think people just want to read more personal thoughts. Learn about the actual person. See photographs that inspire.
    I was thinking about where I thought blogging would be in 6 months or a year.... and honestly I have no clue either. I think the whole idea of being just a "blogger" has already gone away, I think most people want to develop something more than that (like their personal business, etc). Or just simply keeping it as a journal. I have noticed as well the decrease in comments since I first started blogging, which I honestly I have problem with reading post and not commenting as well.
    I'm really happy you shared this post. Your blog is completely about you, and your thoughts. And if you're not blogging for yourself, then that can't be enjoyable. I started my blog because I thought I'd be "good at blogging". Haha, whatever that meant is gone and I use my space as a place to share my photographs and days with others, and to document my life at this time.
    Okay, this comment is very long! So I'll end with a simple "you are always so spot on with your posts" and thanks for sharing/listening.

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  42. Arg, wrote you a long comment and then it disappeared. Damn. Ah well, I totally agree with you and wanted to let you know you don't have to click through to blogs on Bloglovin' if you change your settings. Right at the bottom there is an option to have the funny window thing or not, if you choose not when you click through it takes you right to the actual blog post xo

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  43. agree re: twitter/ig front. if i have something to say, chances are i'll have something scheduled already, so i'll turn to social media instead. then, if i do cover it on my blog, i feel like it's old news. totally doing myself a disservice, and run myself ragged posting - what is essentially "filler" until something worthy comes along... remind me why i blog?? i think i've forgotten.

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  44. As someone who has worked in fashion, the big brands pulled back from what I can tell as they just weren't getting the revenue. The average reader just didn;t have the money to spend on the items. Smaller shops do much better with bloggers asthey can afford the products. I remember a blogger having a bag I loved (c/o) but it was $700! I could never afford or justify paying that!

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  45. I definitely agree that blogging has taken a bit of a dip. I'm struggling to find new blogs by new bloggers that really keep me engaged. It seems to all be the same thing. One blogger will release a post about a topic and suddenly there are 200000 posts on the same thing in the same week. It's tiring.
    Also the Bloglovin' mobile app frustrates me, it doesn't deliver things as quickly as it should and the comment option is frustrating. I'd like to be able to comment from the app itself without the mobile web view. In saying that, I haven't lost GR at all. It's still there, still keeping up with the posts being released so maybe I'm just lucky?

    Sam x

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  46. I was just thinking about this recently! I though maybe I've lost my blogging mojo. I recently moved to Wordpress so I just attributed the lack in stats to that but I totally agree with the whole demise of GFC being a demise in stats. I use Feedly more than bloglovin mainly because I like to see the entire post and not a sample (I'm super lazy). But I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in feeling this. I also think the world of blogging is in a state of change too, like looking back it seems so much different than it is now so imagine what it will be in the new year.

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  47. I don't think the blogging will go away completely but I do believe it will lose it hype great deal and bloggers will go back to roots, blogging for really themselves and not for the pageviews or sponsors. And that will be the point where all of us really benefit. I do believe there will always be some kind of big company sponsoring but hopefully not as much as in our faces as it is now.

    You can spare yourself from the rest. You are the most honest, down to earth blogger I ever have on my bloglovin. <3

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  48. I have absolutely noticed decreased engagement in comments (not in views) after the demise of Google Reader. I stopped subscribing to a lot that I followed via GR because it's nicer to manage blogs and folders with Bloglovin, so I agree with your point there too. I think I am just starting to appreciate blogs and blogging myself, so I hope the bubble doesn't burst! But I will keep reading your amazing blog! Love your outfits and your sincere thoughts.
    kw ladies in navy

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  49. I only started my blog after the demise of google reader and my push to start blogging was largly due to Bloglovin because I felt it was the perfect format to follow blogs and promote my blog. It also looks pretty and is much more attractive than the google reader. I can't compare to the google reader days but I find it interesting that there is a fall in comments and followers because fo it.

    Rowdy Fairy Blog
    Follow Me on Bloglovin!

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  50. I definitely have seen a decrease in personal engagement over the past few months. I'm not sure it's because of GFC though. (I've never really used Google Reader to keep up with blogs so I didn't really experience the loss of it like other did.) My pageviews have increased recently though (and I saw comments from others in the same situation) so I don't think people are necessarily reading blogs less, just not engaging as much. Over the summer my pageviews and comments always go down though so maybe people are experiencing the summer slump?

    I really still enjoy reading blogs even if they're not completely original blow-me-out-of-the-water content. I like to get outfit and makeup inspiration from others. I like interacting with the bloggers who have become my blogging friends. There are a ton of reasons I read different blogs. I don't see myself quitting blogs any time soon.

    It can get sort of annoying when a blogger has only c/o items in every single post, but I'm not really bothered by the commercial aspect of blogging. Especially if it's done tastefully and not excessively. I actually enjoy occasionally working with brands. Why shouldn't we be able to benefit a little from the work we put into our blogs? I'll never understand people who are so adamant that we can't profit at all. (I'm speaking generally as I really don't profit from my blog other than the occasional c/o item).

    Okay I'm rambling. Your blog is always genuine and has great content and I genuinely love reading what you have to say. You're truly yourself in your blog and I can only hope I come across as genuine. I just want readers to be able to hear my voice, so to speak. And to enjoy my outfits and be inspired by my blog just like I'm inspired by theirs. I think that's the best thing I could ask for.

    I really truly hope blogging doesn't become obsolete, but the nature of the internet is to change quickly so we'll see. As for now I'll continue blogging because I enjoy it - even if it can get a tiny bit stressful sometimes. I'm interested to see where this all goes. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!

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  51. I definitely feel as though this is a conversation that many bloggers have been having. I was with 3 other bloggers the other night and we had this very same conversation. Your add on point was our biggest point. Though I'm not much of a Twitter'er myself, only when bored...or pooping (lol) I definitely feel like my interest in blogging has certainly changed since Insta. I too have the feeling of "Well, I don't really need to read their blog seeing as I can see what they're doing _x a day" I also know that I have stopped blogging as much, now whether that has to do with general lack of interest on my part or because of Insta, I really don't know. I too feel less pressure though based on this general evolution of blogging and numbers dwindling, etc...it's kinda really nice. I feel like no matter what happens, blogging was really what started it all, for me anyways and I think I'll always have one...who knows...

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  52. i agree with you 100% and i have been just thinking the same thing!! i definitely think there is a shift in the blogging world and i think it's due to GR going away and definitely IG/twitter popularity. i do feel like esp when i post a photo from a blog post, sometimes readers will just engage/comment there instead of visiting my blog and leaving a comment b/c quite frankly, it's much easier to "like" or "comment" on an IG pic!!

    but i have felt the stress to post almost every day in he past few years but now i am going to take things slow and if i don't have time to get a post up, i won't stress about it!! thanks for your insights!

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  53. I found this post really interesting, Kaelah! As an Aussie blogger, I was shocked at your feelings towards blogging and had no idea that brands are pulling back from blogs! Blogging hasn't really taken off here yet (yeah I know, we're a bit behind the times) and so for me, the feelings you have probably aren't going to come for another couple of years yet! 80% of my audience is from the UK as well, and things still seem to be gaining momentum over there, so it makes me excited to see what the future might bring. I love blogging, but Im definitely the kind of blogger who doesn't feel guilty for stepping back every once in a while! xx

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  54. I'm wondering if Pinterest maybe has something to do with it.
    I know in my personal experience, I used to read probably a dozen blogs for outfit/style, home decorating and DIY/craft inspiration. With Pinterest in the picture, there's an endless supply of that all in one place. Now I only read about 2-3 blogs (yours included!) on a daily basis.

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  55. So at first, I thought this post was going to be a trip down memory lane of how blogs got started and I was hesitant to click because I had a professor in college who was/is obsessed with blogging so I've heard that lecture multiple times....I'm glad this wasn't that lol I actually get a lot of my readers through Facebook and Twitter. Since my blog has a more narrow niche, it's hard to get the "blogging community" interested in my posts, since they are very Pittsburgh specific and obviously not all bloggers live in or love Pittsburgh. Honestly, I don't care. When bloggers are into blogging just for the page views, that's when they need to stop. I like know that "real people" are reading and sharing my content and my page views and comments are from people who actually what to engage with my blog, not just other bloggers looking to comment on my blog so I comment on theirs. I always try to be genuine with my comments and feedback on blogs and only follow ones I actually like, so I'd hope the bloggers who follow me are in it for the same reasons.

    -Chelsea
    chelsandthecity.blogspot.com

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  56. As a brand I can say blogs use to be the way to get my stuff out there (though for me this is like the 5th "goto way" in my 10 years making thing, everything is always changing) but now I'm lucky to get a dozen hits from an integrated post. However when that same blogger shares the same products she received in the mail weeks prior on Instagram/twitter I get triple the amount of hits and actual sales. Plus a huge boost in followers. So I totally believe in Instagram and Twitter taking over. It saddens me, because I really love blogs. I love all the beautiful photos and long post. I just love to read. I hope things don't change too much, and if they do I hope it's happy change at least. As for me as a seller, I'm upset that I have to find yet another way to get my stuff out there, it seems like things are changing faster.

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  57. As someone who's blog is just an offshoot of my photography business (and is very, VERY neglected), I've never taken page views into consideration for other writers. I use Bloglovin', but I always hit the "x" at the top just because it looks neater and I'm a weirdo about stuff like that.

    I WILL say that I very rarely leave comments just because it feels awkward. Does that make sense? Awkward, as in it feels like trying to fit in with the cool kids table at lunch.

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  58. I noticed about a 15-20% decrease in pageviews and dear God do I miss the 'next' button on my Google Reader. I use Feedly and visit the site when I want to comment. I think if anything, my engagement has increased dramatically with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest... where it used to be measured in comments, now the conversation is over several channels which personally, I like. Also, I had a post go viral on Facebook post GR shutdown, not only was it fascinating to watch from a social media standpoint, but it has left a huge increase across the board on all my networks. There are big benefits to your reach when your readers can interact with you how they like.

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  59. I'm a very small blogger in terms of reach (not alway so but that happens when you shut down and start over) and even I've seen a huge shift post Google Reader. I read blogs exclusively through it and have switched to Feedly and shamefully admit...I like it better. It makes it easier to comment because the page opens in the app itself. That said, I think people are reading less now. I've cut down a lot, either as people stopped posting or their posts became 90% about sponsors and ads. Nothing wrong with generating ad money, but I don't read blogs so much to see what products people endorse as who they are. I would love to see a resurgence of more authentic writing again!

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  60. The amount of comments on my blog posts have actually grown since GR died. Granted, I changed platforms (I now blog on Squarespace), but I think that Disqus has a lot to do with that. I personally love it when I see that a blogger has added Disqus to their site. It's much easier to comment that way.
    I see the shift you are talking about, but I focus more on the part where you mentioned authenticity. I think that people have gotten fed up with reading "sponsored" content. I understand the "need" for sponsored content as a blogger because you'd like to receive some sort of compensation for the time and effort you put into blog posts. But if you think about it from a reader's perspective....
    Let's say I follow 100 blogs and 60 of those blogs are bigger blogs with a lot of sponsored content. That means that 60% of my reading is not authentic anymore. It's just advertisement. And if I wanted to spend my time looking at ads, I'd just watch t.v., which would require a lot less thought and time (in the short run).
    I think that a lack in authenticity is the culprit. Now I'm excited (and surprised) whenever I'm reading a blog and it's an honest post where the blogger is sharing real feelings and emotions. My most popular posts are the ones that have to do with how I feel about something important to me. It may seem a bit narcissistic, but I think the point of blogging is relating to people all around the country, and even the world. If people read that you're real and that they can relate to you, they will comment and follow you because you've become a sort of friend.
    I know that you (Kaelah) probably know all of this already. I'm just adding my two cents to the conversation.

    Great post! And good thoughts!

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  61. For me I do use Feedly but I do find lately it is too over whelming and just click off as there is so much to read, I need to do a clear out even tho i feel bad to not follow people Im less likely to read anything. Any blogs I am really really into I would usually follow them on Facebook and Twitter so if I see they have a new post I would click directly to their page. Im not usually a big commenter but if I enjoy it I might retweet if it is relevant to me or will go back and like it on Facebook. I think its also the comment system blogger has, its old fashioned and need to incorporate the "Like" option that we have all become accustom to on facebook and other sites like tumblr. Some blogs I have seen have a facebook comment system built in and I am thinking of even adding that to my blog rather than the traditional blogger one.

    Enjoyed reading this Kaelah!:) xx

    www.claire-ann.com

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  62. personally i have started to comment way less since i started reading blogs on my phone through blog lovin. it just seems like too much of a hassle. i have seen my stats go down (not that i have THAT many subscribers) since the death of google reader, though I can see that with a lot of the big blogs, i cut a lot of blogs from my reader when i got into bloglovin, and most of those were "big name" blogs that I didn't feel a personal connection with.

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  63. Well I've never had many readers other than friends or those who have occasionally found my blog from a tweet or something so I haven't seen a drop in pageviews or anything but I do know that when I switched from GR (ugh I miss GR SOOOO much) I definitely thinned out how many blogs I was following. I tried feedly for a bit and hated it and I'm really not that crazy about bloglovin' either. I use the app mostly (and have it set so that it opens blogs in my browser and not in the app so I hope that might help bloggers out) but it drives me insane that it doesn't have notifications. Without notifications I space checking the app and end up with a crapton of unread posts to the point there's no way I can get through them and I have to hit mark as read on a bunch of them.

    As for comments it's a pain to comment via mobile for me as I tend to write little novels like this, haha. Plus my browser suddenly just freaks out instead of allowing me to comment with my google profile. >.< I think it's terrible that these new main options either don't give bloggers their well deserved pageviews or don't say or prove that they do. Maybe having a blogger like you talk about it and get others talking will help them realize they should make sure bloggers are getting their views. I'm going to start closing the bloglovin' header when I read on my computer from now on, though, just in case! Perhaps these changes in stats are why I've seen so many blogs drop from posting daily to 2-3 times a week, though!

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  64. Well I've never had many readers other than friends or those who have occasionally found my blog from a tweet or something so I haven't seen a drop in pageviews or anything but I do know that when I switched from GR (ugh I miss GR SOOOO much) I definitely thinned out how many blogs I was following. I tried feedly for a bit and hated it and I'm really not that crazy about bloglovin' either. I use the app mostly (and have it set so that it opens blogs in my browser and not in the app so I hope that might help bloggers out) but it drives me insane that it doesn't have notifications. Without notifications I space checking the app and end up with a crapton of unread posts to the point there's no way I can get through them and I have to hit mark as read on a bunch of them.

    As for comments it's a pain to comment via mobile for me as I tend to write little novels like this, haha. Plus my browser suddenly just freaks out instead of allowing me to comment with my google profile. >.< I think it's terrible that these new main options either don't give bloggers their well deserved pageviews or don't say or prove that they do. Maybe having a blogger like you talk about it and get others talking will help them realize they should make sure bloggers are getting their views. I'm going to start closing the bloglovin' header when I read on my computer from now on, though, just in case! Perhaps these changes in stats are why I've seen so many blogs drop from posting daily to 2-3 times a week, though!

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  65. I am semi-new to the blogging world (being a blogger now) I used to always be reader instead of the writer so I don't know how it is with the use of the other platforms. Personally, before using bloglovin' (which has only been about a few months ago on and off) I just kept a bookmark folder of all the blogs I love and clicked them daily to check what was up. I'm big on viewing the blogger's page because I love all the visuals that come with reading the post. I feel that the blogger's website/design and everything else is part of them.. making the experience unique to each blogger with different page visuals. Since I don't see the writers face-to-face, their page is my visual of their personality. I really hope blogs continue to live as I am just now getting into this and loving it. Btw, I've always loved your blog. It is so lovely and also fun to read (:

    <3 Ella

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  66. I love that you posted about this - I've had my blog for about a year and a half, and I've witnessed so much change and growth in that time! I think you're right that we're heading toward another change in the soonish future...but honestly, I'd disagree with there being less interaction. Maybe it's just because my blog is slowly growing so I see it more on my blog, but I think that because bloglovin' makes you click on each individual post, you're more likely to "engage" with that post. That might be through commenting, liking, or sharing in some way. I used to also follow through bookmarks and I was much less likely to click to a specific post and comment that way. In the same vein, I think that bloglovin' also lured bloggers away from the "I'll post something small every single day" and lead to larger, more comprehensive posts every three days or so. These are just my observations though! Thanks again for writing this post - such an interesting look at the "blogging world"

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  67. I didn't really use GR, and I tried bloglovin' for a while but I just didn't really like it either, for technical reasons, aesthetic reasons and also, because I want the blogs I read to get the page views and I'm not sure that BL actually does that.

    I'm currently using the WordPress Reader, which isn't the best, but I feel like I can follow a lot of blogs that way. And when I click on the post, it takes me right to the blog, so I know for sure my page views are counted. :)

    I'm sure there is some co-relation to blog interest and the shut down of GR, but I think it's more than that. Blogs get boring--and I think that's becoming more of a problem than anything else. I'm not an amazing blogger, and I really only post twice a month. I don't have a lot of followers, but I'm not really in it for that. And maybe because of that my opinion doesn't really matter.

    The truth is SO many blogs follow this standard format OOTD, Links of the Week, Wishlist, Crappy DIY, because that's the secret formula for success! I don't have problems with these things in particular, but churning out content like this, just so you have a post for that day doesn't really add any value to the reader. Or at least, that's my opinion--these types of forced posts really don't interest me when they don't seem genuine. I think if bloggers posted less "what they think they should post" and more of want they really want to post about, blogging interest will grow....interaction will grow and there will be a lot more interesting things to read on the internets.

    End rant.

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  68. I have definitely noticed the change too. Much of my engagement is via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and not as much on the blog any more. Social media has provided us with such instant gratification, and almost instant response that people are less apt to leave a comment or visit & read the entire post. While I myself have become more of a silent reader than I used to be, I do feel the shift.

    I really appreciate this post, and am almost glad to hear it coming from you. As Ilene said, you (and her) have been my most favorite bloggers that I look up to since the beginning, when I started blogging 3 years ago.

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  69. honestly I just simply think peoples interest change with times, as your interest change you don't really follow the same blogs I use to be big on fashion bloggers..I'm not really invested in fashion as much as I once was so many of those bloggers I just don't read anymore.

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  70. I have always used Bloglovin from long before GR closed down because it was so much easier to organise and manage who I followed and which posts I read. But I have definitely noticed a drop in commenting. I use twitter a lot and often when I want to get involved in a talk or say hi, I use that. I have a lot more people I talk to through twitter than I do on my blog. It just feels more personal sometimes although that doesn't work so well internationally thanks to time zones... Plus I think there is a slight laziness when I read blogs from a reader full stop - it is so easy to flick through posts almost like reading a magazine, skimming rather than engaging. I love recieving blog feedback through comments though so I am really trying to be active in commenting whenever I see something that sparks my interest or just impresses me. I get so inspired by what other people are doing and it is nice to give some of that back. I really hope that blogging starts a move towards what it used to be- a community rather than a commercial industry.It seems like it might evolve towards that again and I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and play my part
    xxx

    Chambray & Curls

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  71. I've switched from GR to BL a few years ago, taking all the blogs I followed with me, and never looked back. I never thought that this reader would not translate in views for the bloggers! Since I follow almost 250 blogs, I never click the X, and just browse from one to the other. While I never had too many comments on the blog in the first place, I did notice less visitors (but a relatively stable number of views...).

    P.S. Summers are always lower in visits for blogs & the numbers have been growing since the temperatures went down :)

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  72. At first, I read through this post, but then x-ed out of it because I was deep in thought... But I went back and decided to say something about it.

    I think blogs are so valuable. Twitter? You're so limited. Instagram? I can't just live on little fuzzy pictures alone. I appreciate the quality that people put into their blogs and their writing. The quality they put into the pictures they take of their outfits and friends and family... The ultimate outlet of creativity to me... Writing and photography. I don't know where I'd be without reading blogs; they help me wind down at night and to spark my creativity when I need it.

    As for the GR/BL debate I've always been on Bloglovin'. I never really took to GR; I started over at Bloglovin' and I'm glad it's at least stayed so long. There are so many positives and negatives to streaming sites like Bloglovin' though. Sometimes I have to mark all as read because I just don't get to a blog and then I'm upset I missed it. But by the same token, when I bookmarked my blogs, I had my favorites that I knew I'd check everyday and only from time to time would I look at some other ones. I'd never expand the list of blogs I loved; which Bloglovin' totally fixed. Except now I have close to 300 posts sitting in my feed. Hopefully going to catch up on them, but it drives me nuts.

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  73. Have you noticed a shift in the blogging world recently? Part of me has been wondering if it's a widespread thing or if it's something that I'm sort of projecting due to my own feelings toward blogging. blog

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  75. I don't think "the blogging bubble is about to burst" ... because blogging can be used for SO MANY DIFFERENT things. I do, however, think that lifestyle blogs are going to shrink down as people realize they have other things they could be doing than reading about someone else's life. That is really just a source of entertainment - that time is a luxury and is the first to go when someone gets busy.

    Reading about email marketing or running my business or how-to fix something around my house? That I can make time for. Reading about when you took your daughter to the museum? I'm sure she's adorable but I just don't have the time.

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    1. I agree, I have my subscriptions set up in different categories, "Daily Reads" "Casual Browsing" "Business" and "Outdoors" that way, I can quickly scan the headlines to see if anything catches my eye in the different areas...like you said, if I'm not interested in anything having to do with the Outdoors today, I'm going to skip all of those articles. It's about using our time wisely.

      As for interaction going down, I think that the interaction goes where the blogger is focused - if I'm on Twitter all day, I'm sure my interactions there are going to increase over the interactions on my blog, where I only spend 1 day a week there. If bloggers want to increase interactions, they need to start the conversation and interact with readers - a two-way street, if you will. I'd rather have 3 or 4 great comments than 100 "so cute!" comments, but that may just be me.

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  76. I know this is going to sound awful but I didn't even consider the effects that readers would have on bloggers. I was never really a commentor. I just kind of...assumed that my favorite bloggers would know their information was getting to me. Yes, I know.

    Your post has really inspired me to put forth more of a reciprocal relationship with some of my fave bloggers, and offer them encouragement, even if it is just a "this is fantastic" comment. Because we all want to know we are appreciated, right?

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  77. I didn't know that about Bloglovin...I'll be clicking the x from now on!!
    I am a small blogger, but I enjoy it still. But as a reader, I'm pretty bored of blogs all looking the same and sounding the same. I'm not sure how long I'm going to be entertained by reading loads of blogs that are so similar, all pumping towards this "perfect life" image. I try to read lots of different ones but at the end of the day, they are all so samey.

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  78. As a reader and aspiring blogger, I have also noticed the decline in interaction lately. I think another culprit is YouTube. It is unfortunate because I like getting on Blogger and reading blogs. I follow so many but few update the way they used to. Coming from a reader's point of view, it is very sad. This generation is taught to crave tiny bits of information instead of taking the time to read a long blog post. I love instagram but it and youtube kill the world of blogging. It seems like bloggers think -Why spend the time to write out a tutorial when I can demonstrate it on YouTube or post a picture on IG and receive immediate feedback? It also seems like some "professional" bloggers only post sponsored posts and are too comfortable in their success to take the time to put forth any effort on a real post. One positive thing is Pinterest keeps the world of blogging alive.

    Thank you for writing this post; I have been noticing quite a difference lately also.

    sweetsouthernpea.blogspot.com

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  79. Your postscript struck me because through your entire post I kept thinking to myself, "People aren't commenting because they are on Instagram!". I think that IG is a new and easier way to blog....I see a lot of the people I follow posting long comments that are basically blog posts in themselves.

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  80. This is really interesting and I really, really enjoy your thoughts on this. It definitely has me thinking.

    I just returned back to the blogging world over the summer after a long hiatus (single mom with a special needs kid, working full time, finishing my degree... all the time sucks :) ) and I came back with more focus, too. I never really used Google reader but since joining up with Bloglovin', my comments/engagement and stats have grown. I am not sure what came first, the chicken or the egg. Is it me? Is it bloglovin'? Is it more engagement on my behalf? Not sure. I try to get my Instagram traffic to my blog as much as possible (I keep my link in my profile), same with Twitter. I feel they are TOO restrictive, but that's just me. It's like Insta and Tumblr are kinda sorta the same, yet not. I am not too sure.

    Sigh. This is a lot of food for thought! Thanks for posting this!


    www.jaimelovesstuff.com

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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB