Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Why Blogs Die



This has been on my mind for a while now. Really ever since Young House Love decided to say goodbye to Blogland.

You see, Young House Love was the first blog I ever started reading. The first one and I read it for years and years and through them ultimately found this thing I call Blogland. Finding Blogland and expanding my blog reading list ultimately led to my desire to start a blog of my own. To say that I'm taking YHL's goodbye hard is maybe a small understatement.

The last few weeks I've started thinking about why blogs die and I've got a few theories.



1. Critics
It happens to everyone at one point or another. You're putting yourself and your personal life and sometimes the lives of those close to you onto the internet where anyone and everyone can read it, critique it, and judge it. It happens. There are a hundred ways a blogger can handle the situation, but it basically comes down to if a blogger can deal with it or not. If they can't, then bye bye blog.

2. Privacy
Bloggers are typically straddling an invisible line of sharing too much and not sharing enough to please your readers. A blogger usually has a list in their head of things they can't share on the blog. Once that list becomes too long, it makes writing a post difficult and you stop getting readers because your post quality starts to decline. Eventually a blogger's need for privacy outweighs their need for a blog and then bye bye blog.

3. Expectations
Sometimes you'll get a blogger who comes on the scene who is in Blogland just to make money. Which is totally absurd. If this is you, quit now and save yourself the time. Yes, some bloggers can and do make significant money blogging, but that's oh so rare. When you consider how much time and money they put in to make that money? It's just totally absurd to get into this for that reason only. Usually when these types of bloggers don't see the results quickly then it's bye bye blog.

4. Inspiration
You've heard it before, a blog is only as good as its last post. Content, content, content is the key to any "successful" blog. You can usually tell when a blog is nearing its end, because there will be a uprise in guest posts and sponsored posts and very few original posts. Usually, at least in the few bloggers I've discussed this with, it's not that you have nothing to write about, it's that you don't have a creative way to write it. But also, sometimes a blogger just has nothing to write about. When the post inspiration goes, that usually means bye bye blog.

5. Fun
Honestly, for the majority of bloggers, blogging is a hobby. Sometimes a hobby that pays, but mostly a hobby. Hobbies are meant to be fun. Bloggers need to enjoy the whole process or things start to become a chore. Once they're a chore? Well then they aren't fun. Once blogging isn't fun, then it's bye bye blog.

6. Time
In my humble opinion, I think this is the big one. This is definitely the number one reason I see blogs die. I've said it before and I'll probably say it a hundred more times - Blogging is a time suck. Blogging is so time consuming. There is nothing quick about any piece of the blogging puzzle and typically you're "expected" to blog 3-5 times a week! I say "expected" because that's what a lot of bloggers do, but honestly, do whatever you want. I clearly do. I've seen blog after blog after blog end because they just don't have time for the whole blogging thing anymore. A blogger is getting married or having a baby or just got a new great job and suddenly Blogland becomes just a huge time suck and not much else.

These are my theories. I think that when a blogger ultimately decides it's time to say goodbye that it's a combination of all of the above. Even if you're a blogger and you aren't ready right now to say goodbye, I'm sure you've at least thought about it for one of those reasons or another. I know I have.

What do you think? Are there any more reasons that I missed? What's a blog you loved that has said goodbye? Are you as broken up about YoungHouseLove as I am? Because dude..

17 comments:

  1. I completely agree with all these reasons. Blogging is a big investment and sometimes we don't realize the criticism, privacy concerns, and time consumption that comes along with it. Even so, I love blogging! And it's just so sad when we see some of our favorite blogs fall away.

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  2. I'm suffering with #4 right now BIG TIME. Not that I want to leave blog land, but I'm just having a hard time finding the inspiration I need. Like a REALLY hard time.

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  3. I agree with everything you said here. I am not familiar with that blog that recently died, but I would be heartbroken too if my favorite blog would go bye bye. Blogging is absolutely a time hog.. a child really. It needs attention like no other and that takes effort and sanity.

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  4. time is number one reason why my blog is dying a slow and painful death.

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  5. Great post girlfriend! I've probably felt all of these at SOME point. I've struggled a lot w/ content lately bc as we're on a tight budget I feel like I don't DO much lol! I feel boring and many days I wonder how in the world I can keep coming up with stuff to talk about?! It comes and goes in waves though!

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  6. Honestly, I think we're struggling with a lot of these lately. And while I love our blog, I'd be lying if in the last few weeks I hadn't seriously considered calling it quits. I like your list and think it is spot on.

    -Kate
    www.theflorkens.com

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  7. I'm so happy I found your blog today because this post is so so accurate! Blogging is a HUGE time suck and people that assume blogging is not expensive and time consuming couldn't be more wrong. Love your site!
    Katharine
    www.paytington.com

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  8. I think a lot of blogger enter blog world expecting to make it BIG in no time with little to no work. And that's just.. not... how it happens.

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  9. fantastic reason why many bloggers get burned out-it's a tricky line to walk with the overshares and time sucking! thanks for spelling it out because it helped to keep me in check!

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  10. I never read Young House Love, but I'm so sad when other blogs I love die! Especially if it's someone I've been reading since way before I started a blog of my own. It's weird! You expect them to be around forever or something. Plus it's strange how you can feel connected to someone after reading about their life for so long, and then poof! You no longer have any idea what they're up to (and should you really want to know that?) Okay, lots of weird thoughts on this. I'm done now :)

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  11. I agree--I don't know that I would continue blogging if it got to a point where it felt more like a chore than a hobby.

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  12. I think I've dealt with all of these except the trying to make money part. I have finally found a way to make it stay fun for me. I only blog when I have something to say. I only sponsor people I love to read, and only accept sponsors from people I can relate to. If I don't have time, I don't blog. No apologies. Real life comes first.

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  13. I think those are all accurate. I think for me... right now it's time. I have become so busy over the past couple of months I just can't find the time to blog more than once a week.

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  14. Blogging can definitely be overwhelming at times, and I agree that the stress probably leads some people to quit when it just isn't fun any more. I love blogging and don't post as frequently as many others, but that helps me maintain the balance that works best for me.

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  15. Blogging is definitely time consuming. And it can be overwhelming. Even when you are not posting content you still want to catch up on blogs and that is very time consuming as well. And it usually takes 30-60 minutes to write a post. Depending on how much content and photos you are adding. So, it does take a huge chuck of time and is something you have to be passionate about or it won't survive. Also I agree on the privacy issue. I try not to share anything on my blog that I would care if people I know might read. However, I feel like my blog friends know me better then some people IRL do. But, it is always a thin line.

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  16. I've definitely been not as good about posting regularly as I used to be because of the huge time suck. I am trying not to disappear 100% though! These are all definitely true.

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  17. OMG! I'm sooooo glad I came across this post. PRIVACY is the #1 reason for me. Privacy is kin to lack of content because...well....I don't feel like I can share what I want to. Awesome post!

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