The Rat Race of Blogging?
This post is long overdue, but I have 2nd thoughts publishing because I may be misunderstood.
After reading the blog post of an old e-buddy, will a blog survive without an audience? , I kinda reflect and look at how I started blogging and where it led me. I have to admit, at one point, I lost focus and became conscious of blog metrics, blog income, and blog recognition.
It appears like, most, if not all bloggers, after blogging for a while, tend to join the race to have more readers and visitors, be the best blog or blogger, or be the most influential, or the blogger with the most income generated, and so on and so forth. While these are not necessarily bad, it can rob us of the simple joys of blogging, the one we have when we are just starting.
Promoting our blog or posts to social networking sites and e-groups are not bad, but are we writing for readers who have yet to find our blog? Recommending our own blog for an award or recognition is not also bad, but don’t we have one avid follower who can do this for us? Perhaps the perks that goes with blogging like paid reviews, ad sense and blogging events can influence a blogger’s behavior and objectives.
I am not against marketing a blog, neither against blog monetization and paid reviews. I am not also against awards like Philippine Blog Awards or Top Ten Influential Bloggers. This blog provides this blogger passive income and this blog is also a a finalist on the 2007 edition of the Philippine Blog Awards. I also nominate bloggers that deserve recognition.
While we have our reasons for blogging, I guess we should always look back and revisit our roots, so as not to be trapped on the race to the top. There is joy and fun to blogging with or without the income, with or without the recognition. These are bonuses but the real accomplishment is to be able to accomplish the goals we have set for our blog(s).
16 Responses to “The Rat Race of Blogging?”
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Thanks for the visit
This blog of 6 years is a witness to my ascendancy to executive HR position and my foolish attempt to start my own company, ha ha.
This blog used to be the depository of my thoughts about people management, social web and how to use this to build your personal brand. I have since diversified to niche blogging and decided to use this to keep my personal reflections.
If you are looking for my thoughts on cyber wellness, please visit Web Safety PH.
And for my writings on people management, leadership and fusion of old school values and modern day technology, please visit WSPH Training and Consultancy.
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Thank you for reminding me about what is my motive blogging. I just want to share information and knowledge.
See you around.
thanks fo sharing about that.. it’s good article.. keep sharing.
It is tough to keep the real goal in sight. Of course some people really blog just to make money and that’s fine but to do it to gain the accolades can be an exercise in futility.
Hi Blogie, yeah, I tried to earn something from blogging but I really suck at it. It all depends on the goal of the blogger and if at the start their intention is to earn income from it then at least they achieved their goal.
Good read. This is an excellent reminder to all of us bloggers. Its okay to start earning from our blogs, put advertisements on our blogs, aim for blogging awards and recognitions but never forget about what made you start blogging. Its important that we maintain our passion and keep having fun and enjoy what we do – blogging.
Well I am not too Keen on Paid to Review as well it can Be False information to The Readers as they come to you as a Guide somehow. But I think Monetizing can Give you a reason to blog and It kind of make you Feel like Important and Can Boost confidence which will lead to better Posts
The joy of being able to help your readers by providing them very useful information is what makes a blog stand out. As long as you develop the passion for it, money and other opportunities will follow.
As for me, my blog opened some opportunities for me aside of course from monetizing it providing me passive income. I was able to do an article for Good House Keeping Magazine for their money management portion with the link on my blog. Aside from it, I got a text message before from the President and CEO of a major insurance firm asking me if I’m interested to pursue other career opportunities.
I agree blogging can become an obsession if we let it. I am not too worried about getting a whole lot of followers and do not monetize my blog. I don’t need the pressure. Life is more important than being on the computer all day long.
I agree with you 100%. Nowadays it’s just about money (awards,etc) and we forget the pleasures that we find in the simple things we do in life. One of them is to write with freedom of mind and spirit….when we write to ourselves!
I completely agree with you gentle folks!No doubt:life is more important than blogging just for monetary purpose only.We should never overlook the very fact why we started blogging right in the beginning!Thanks a lot !Pl keep the ball rolling!
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep a good balance you must keep moving forward
i totally agree with you.
Life seems to be one fool thing after another where as lovers are two fool things after each other
I think it doesn’t really matter if we want to make some money with our blog. As long as we don’t try to forget ‘Life’.
This is a good reminder to all the bloggers who are now focusing more and more with monetization. Making money out of your blog is a good passive income. As for me, I started blogging earlier last year because I just want to share my experience in web development then later work out on making money from it. I still posting pertaining to my aim.
When it comes to earnings I’m not really earning hehe.
These is a new technology emerging called lifestreaming. Some say this will replace blogging. Many imminent bloggers have already switch or at lease try to mix with lifestreaming pages. But of course for me, blogs will still remain, but in an innovative and revolutionized faces.
Great reflection of your blogging lessons. Thanks for sharing.