Blogging Is No Longer Relevant in the Age of Social Media (Blogging is Dead)
I hear this more and more often, social media killed the blogging star.
Or…
Blogging is dead.
It seems like every day there is a new social media platform popping up that demands or attention.
And if you don’t climb on board, you will be left behind. I think this practice can lead to spreading ourselves too thin.
Time is wasted and our blogs suffer when too much emphasis is placed on getting our message out on every social media platform under the sun.
The majority of your time should be dedicated to producing rock solid blog posts that educate, engage, and promote.
No matter what the buzz is telling us, blogging is still a vital part of driving traffic to your site so don’t give up on it yet.
In the beginning
In its infancy, blogging was a platform used for self-expression. You could post on just about any topic and find a reader somewhere. Those that have stuck it out have realized that their self-expression was really building an audience. The audience turned into loyal followers and a revenue stream. Don’t quit.
In the now
Today, the blogging scene is saturated with mediocrity and social media has become the platform of choice for many. In some cases, social media has completely replaced some blogs. This is a bad idea.
Many experts believe that Facebook and Twitter has become a black hole from which many businesses will never return.
If you are running a business and have elected to rely only on a Facebook page or a Twitter account, you are missing out on potential greatness.
The blog should serve as the central location from which all other media avenues must lead. A well thought out blog post can add relevance and authority to how people view you and your business.
Recent studies show that more that 55% of businesses with blogs generate more visitors to their site (HubSpot). And, to add to that, the rate of inbound links drastically increases with a blog.
What does this mean? Inbound links signal to search engines that this site must have some authority and Google loves that. The more authority you have the better your chances of being found in the search engine results.
Big reward
A blog is a lot of work but well worth the effort. Unlike social media, a blog can be easier to capitalize on because it supports engagement on your site in an environment that you control.
A blog is not something to half-ass. If you are going to put in the effort to write useful content, make it count. A bad blog is worse than no blog.
For inspiration, Social Media Examiner has a handy list of businesses that are using their blog successfully that highlights some of the more inventive blogs on the web.
Don’t believe the naysayers
With the increase in mobile access to the internet, some say that the blog will concede to the shorter social media style posts (Twitter). I don’t buy it. It may kill the personal blog but not the business blog.
Don’t rely on social media alone to promote yourself and connect with your customers.
Now, get writing
There is no magic recipe that is going to make all of this happen. To put is simply, you will get out of it what you put into it. I hope in writing this I have inspired and motivated you to pursue a blog. I believe that they add a lot of value when done right.
Blogging may never return to its glory days but it is still a worthwhile way of promoting your business.
