Cemetary in New Orleans, Louisiana
I can’t remember where I heard (read?) this, but I’m not sure I completely agree. However.
People who strive to reach the normative markers of immense success should probably take a really long look at the value their blog provides and ask themselves this: is the value I provide to my audience equivalent to the demands I am placing upon my content in terms of its performance?
Often, people feel as if they are not being heard, read or followed and forget to ask themselves… well, why is that?
Of course someone wants to hear about how your sick dog is all better. I just don’t know if everyone wants to hear about it.
Let us make peace with the idea that while someone may not find our thoughts on certain subjects fascinating, that does not mean that they do not find us fascinating.
Or that they don’t like us.
Or that they are a big jerk for not reading our blog.
Or that only popular people get read because they are constantly self promoting. Four years in, I am of the opinion that the majority of time popularity is achieved through commitment, talent and providing value.
When I was at BlogHer in August, I intentionally left my business cards at home. My reason was I wanted to learn, observe and get to know people. I’ve felt uneasy about my blog for a while and I wanted to refocus. I felt like handing out my business card would be akin to handing out tickets to a show featuring my son having a meltdown after eating a Hershey’s bar.
A lot of people thrusting business cards in my face before they even knew my name were personal bloggers. Which is totally fine. Mostly.
I don’t know. I feel like it’s a huge error to assume everyone is going to be interested in what I have to say. Maybe you should ask a few questions before assuming anything?
Like, say, here… I want to educate interested audiences on pretty specific topics regarding diversity, multiculturalism and emerging American identities. I’m not super duper famous with tens of thousands of subscribers because I haven’t added the specificity to my goal of “I want to educate the WHOLE WIDE WORLD AND MAKE EVERYONE LOVE ME BEST!!! WATCH OUT, ANDERSON COOPER/WOLF BLITZER/JON STEWART.”
I just want people to know more about these topics when they leave here than when they got here. Right now, a few people is fine with me.
I understand that everyone isn’t interested in these topics.
Some people want to look at cute babies, delicious recipes, hear about sick dogs, or create communities of support. I wonder, though, if shoving a business card in someone’s face is the best way to achieve that. It’s interesting that some people feel the best way to promote a personal blog is to be… well, so impersonal.
An interesting development in personal blogging rests upon collaborative efforts between personal bloggers of (mostly) diverse backgrounds. What this does, I think, is create a far more valuable medium of communication in that several perspectives are presented. In this way, a reader just clearly identifies with some voices on the blog and at the same time is enriched with new perspectives.
So. I’m curious.
How many single authored, personal blogs do you read weekly?
Why do some make the list while others do not?
LOL. Funny you should mention this. I spent four years or so doing the personal blogging thing. Then a few months ago, I enlisted a few other personal bloggers to start a new blog with me. I figured that we each had audiences, some of which overlapped, that could see new things through our various contributions. OK. Really my impetus was that I had reached a slump in my personal life and needed new energy. Since the blog was supposed to be about going out, it forced me to get off my ass and to walk away from the computer/TV. It’s been so successful that I have difficulty finding the time to actually write posts these days. (OK. Maybe all those Zynga games on FB interfere as well. Just like work.) But since my current blog is all about motivating myself, I feel less guilty than I did in the past when I don’t post for some time.
I read about 30 personal blogs a week, give or take. I read them because I usually have a connection of sorts (a friend, or someone I’ve “known” via blogging, etc.) If there is not a “connection”, per se, then the blog is one that is probably entertaining, inspiring or informational to me.
I’ve been blogging for 7 years and long ago established that I would never be wildly successful. I realized that my story is not particularly interesting nor compelling and that my audience will always be limited. Eventually, I decided that I would be my own Audience of One and write primarily for myself (and in some aspects, for my children.) Once I made that decision to “pull back” on the caring? My satisfaction with my wee little site has never been better.
I read a ton of blogs weekly, but the ones I like the most are ones… well, I think it’s the ones where I feel like I’ve gotten to know the person to some extent. Initially, they either had to make me laugh, think, smile or maybe even – pissed me off, to some degree. There was some sort of connection there, though. I definitely look for people with brains – and common sense. Oh, and common decency. Everything else is pretty much up for grabs. To be honest, when all they do is promote themselves or their blog, it turns me off completely.
Aside from Aiming Low, every blog I read is a personal one. I wrote a piece a couple of months ago about how all the personal blogs I had on my first roll only had one left that was still writing regularly. I write a personal blog. I write it almost every day, barring sickness or incident. I don’t hand out cards, even though I have them.
None. Does that surprise you?
I only read a few a week, not because I don’t find way more than that interesting, but simply due to time. And, I’m right there with you about the purpose of my own blog. I write for me, and to provide what I think are interesting, diverse topics, and if people come to read on a regular basis, then I’m happy, but it’s not what drives me. An old country song’s refrain went something like this: “I’d rather have you hate me for who I am, then love me for who I’m not.” True, true. . .
Most of the blogs I read are personal…the thing I like about them is that I get to keep up with my friends (or friends of friends…or strangers), realize that we’re all going through similar identity issues, and still have the occasional intellectual discussion when they or I post about something not related to our lives. I don’t really care that stats on my blog are consistently low (I assume about 30 views per post is low–but I make no effort to publicize my blog other than on facebook), but I do wish that more readers posted comments so that it would be more interactive. Is that weird? The only non-personal blog I read is Aiming Low, and even with that, I read only a small handful of writers and/or skip a lot of less-appealing topics.
I read several. I used to write one, still have it, just haven’t felt compelled enough to put something new out there. The ones I read are people I know or have met and find interesting enough to want to keep up with.
i only read the blogs of people i’ve slept with…
p.s. i just read your blog.
p.p.s. Honestly, i read peoples blogs who have something INTERESTING to say. There are TOO MANY damn blogs out there where people just regurgitate what they did that day and made for dinner. That is interesting to NO ONE except themselves. And thats fine. But then to bemoan the fact that they have 20 followers and 1 comment per post and it just strikes me as insanly blinding to what you are providing people.
You might love my blog, or hate it, but i honestly only post a story if i think someone will find it funny, or at least interesting.
I’d read more if they actually posted once in a while. They’re in my reader, but I think a lot of personal bloggers have gotten frustrated because they feel worthless. I know I felt that way – and I wasn’t writing about what I ate for dinner. On the other hand, I didn’t have a clear focus on the kinds of things I was writing and simply wrote what I felt like at the moment.
The blogs I read regularly are ones by people I’ve connected with on some level or another: compelling writing, humor or because I’ve met and spent time with them.
I only read personal blogs, but only the ones that interest me, either (a) because I know the person and am familiar with and invested in his or her life or (b) they write in an interesting style, generally with a sense of humor, or (c) both a and b.
Of course, I just cut down the 900 blogs in my feedreader to 50 because I don’t have the time right now, if that gives any indication.
I subscribe to around 100 personal blogs, but many of them have stopped posting regularly (ahem). I’d say only 25-30 of them post as often as weekly. Maybe only a dozen who post as often as I usually do. Then again, I just took off the better part of a week because I was sick.
Generally, personal blogs make my list if I initially find them to be interesting in any way. I skim everything in my feed reader (I have lots of non-personal feeds in there as well), and if something jumps out at me I take a longer look. So, generally, short feeds (click here to continue reading) don’t do much for me. Unless that first sentence is pure gold, that is.
My blog is intensely personal, so I am completely understanding of my “low numbers”. I don’t self promote, I don’t tweet nor have a blog based facebook page. It is my personal therapy and I appreciate the solid feedback I get from the handful of loyal friends I’ve made there. In fact I see a few of them in the comments above, bless ‘em.
I try to read those who read me and that means most of my reader is full of personal blogs. Though not all. I do have a few humor based folks on the list. I consider myself damn funny in life, but I am not a humor kind of writer. I leave that to satirical professionals.
I am quickly turned off by the shameless self promoters. I get it, and it’s their choice to be so, but it’s not my bag and I typically stop following them.
Now go and read my blog!!! PLEASE!!! Just kidding. Maybe.
I try to keep up with the sites written by folks I’ve gotten to know and like from conferences and the like. I actually don’t read any aggregate sites, except for the one for which I write (DadCentric).
However, I sometimes go weeks without reading at all, unless the sites are in my reader, which I haven’t updated in over a year!
PS- I can’t believe Adam deleted me from his reader (I assume)!
Muskrat, you’ll always be on my short list.
I read almost no personal blogs anymore. Twitter and Facebook are a much easier way for me to keep connected with people on a personal level than reading someone’s blog.
I primarily subscribe to blogs now that offer some type of value that can’t be gotten on social media.
You are a genius. Obviously.
I’m a personal blogger and read almost all personal blogs. But the sad thing is is that yes, I think personal blogs are dying. And I miss them. I blame facebook.
I’ll read aggregate sites if the author posts a link in their twitter feed. I only subscribe to twitter accounts of personal blogs I read. There are about 15 or so blogs I read, all personal.
Maybe I’m in the minority…but mostly what I read are personal blogs. Then again, I’m a personal blogger. My numbers are low and I am truly okay with it. I’ve found a good group of friends. I really do this for community, not for anything else. I have no ads. I join next to nothing. I’m just okay being me.
This conversation has been going on for three years, so I’m not a believer. I don’t think it’s dead or even dying.
I don’t want to hear what people are getting for free. What trip they are paid to be on. What they are selling. I get tired of reading 22 sponsored posts about the same thing. When people start doing that, I take them out of my reader and find someone new.
But maybe I’m the minority. Shrug.
I read personal blogs but it’s more often that a topic or title catches my eye or an online friend pops into my head and I want to see what they’re up to. I haven’t found very many collaborative blogs that I go to because so few are able to create a thread between the bloggers to attract me there week after week. I would love to find a blog with very different views discussing or coming at a similar topic each week without being mean and angry. Or something along those lines. Maybe? I do think that collaborative blogging is going to become more and more common if only to relieve a bit of the time/effort a personal individual blog takes.
All of the blogs I read are personal blogs. I tend to dislike the alternative because I always feel like I’m being sold something, or else the stories are disjointed and disconnected with no thread running through them, no continuing narrative. I read and fool around online to give me a break from my life, not learn how to improve it or change it or fix it or examine it. I want to immerse myself in something. So I read personal blogs.
[...] Read the rest at Native Born. [...]
Actually, I’d say 95% of the blogs I read are personal blogs. I read them because I enjoy their voice and the experiences they share. Sure, I don’t dig 100% of their content, but I enjoy most of it so I read. I’m just one person living one life experience, and I love reading about others’ experiences.
My blog is a personal blog. Not only is it personal, but my audience is extremely wide and extremely diverse. I realize that this means that my content will regularly be relating to one portion of my audience while alienating another. That’s what happens when half my audience is from one world and the other from another. That’s also why, rather than freaking out about who’s going to enjoy what, I just write what interests me. Because the one thing that my entire audience has in common is that (for reasons I can’t figure out,) they enjoy what I have to say. It is what it is.
This poses an interesting question and something I was talking about yesterday on the radio. I do feel luckier than most in that I blog under the various ‘voices’ in my head and other personas which make up the whole.
Depending on time of life or day, we often feel like different people. For me, there is snarky and pithy HerMelness; there is her less black and white author, Mel; there is Widow and parent, Melinda and a host of other people who sometimes come uninvited to the party. I find I have something to say…start to type and then the voice with the most relevant or stronger input ends up writing the piece.
This could also speak to the fact that I do like surprise and abhor routine so, to answer your question, I don’t tend to stay with blogs that only ever have one perspective or ‘thing’ to say. And given time constraints, I probably catch up with 7 blogs in a good week.
Thought provoking post.
PS: You wrote a piece about fear a while ago which I keep in my In-Box and have used a few times with my young people. I meant to tell you that ages ago.
I read personal blogs every day (depending on the amount of time I have). I love the thoughts, the style, the words of others- even those to which I do not have a direct personal connection. I rarely, if ever, read a non-personal blog.
That being said, the ‘promoters’ usually turn me off from reading their blog. I read only a couple of the big-timers. I suppose, for me, it’s akin to thinking, “Is this someone I would want to hang out with in real life, if ever given the chance?” If the answer is yes, I tend to keep reading!
I am definitely late to the blogging scene as I’ve only been doing it for a year. My goals are personal rather than financial so I don’t mind that my stats are low. Sometimes I wish my blog had wider readership but I also like te freedom that comes with low visibility. The field is so large I don’t know how anyone writing a personal blog for $$ can compete. Most of what I read are personal blogs and I love using twitter to find new voices.
I do agree that I don’t like the hard sell when it comes to pr for a blog, whether it is via social media or live at a networking event.
I only read personal blogs because I don’t want to be sold something. If I’m looking for a review or to buy something I’ll search that particular item. Blogs with a very specific agenda (sponsors/products)that they push post after post after post and very little personal posts turn me off.
I still right a personal blog w/out ads, with no product reviews, it’s just me babbling on about my life. I’m either a rebel or a relic, I’m not sure which.
Virtually all of the blogs I read are personal. I have no wish to be showered with ads or sponsored posts. I try to stick with quality writers with something interesting to say.. Even if I don’t agree with them. I think the decline in the number of personal blog readers has a few reasons. First, I think it’s probably a cyclical thing. The world has changed a bit in the last couple years and I think people overall have less time to devote to what might be considered frivolous pastimes. Next, of course, is lack of tolerance of opposing opinions. Dare to dissent and be mobbed by the righteous and angry. Lastly, I would cite the lack of quality writing. If I wanted formula, I’d read romance novels. If I wanted incoherent rambling, I’d read my own damn blog, and if I wanted to remodel my life to be just like someone else’s I’d choose davinci or mother Theresa before I’d choose an Internet personality. My apologies for any spelling or capitalization errors, my Internet is currently out, and Siri may not be quite as gifted as we were led to believe..
I’ve been thinking about this a fair amount lately (is there something in the water? It seems to be showing up everywhere). I’m a personal blogger, and I probably read about 100-150 personal blogs. Personal blogs are what brought me to this space, and what keep me here, honestly.
I do wonder about personal blogging, but I’m not sure I think it’s dying, so much that I think fewer people are interested in it, really and truly INTERESTED. As people have found that there are other ways of making money online besides open your heart to “strangers”, they’ve done that, leaving the realm of the personal to the rest of us. I think that there will always be people who want to connect, which is a different beast–and those of us who do will continue to do so whether we have 5 readers or 5000.
I have a zillion personal blogs in my feed reader, but many of them are defunct. Still, I enjoy getting peeks into the bloggers’ lives, even if I sometimes skim rather than read them all.
As for my own personal blog, I’ve always written it with low expectations of readership. I’m thrilled if someone wants to read it, but not disappointed if no one does.
I don’t write myself and read only personal blogs of complete strangers, about 20 (25?). But not everybody writes every day or even every week.
I would read about your sick dog if it was well written. Anything is interesting if it is well written. Plus you have a lot more interesting topics than your sick dog. (Which may or may not have something to do with the actual existence of a dog, who knows.)
Most blogs bore me rather quickly and I delete them from my list, yours I have been reading quite a while now. I don’t always agree with you you and hardly ever comment or feel the need to interact, but I enjoy the read.
So please keep it up.
I pretty much only read personal blogs as well. Occasionally I’ll read a group blog, but only for a particular author (or two), but lately it’s rare. My time is more limited that it used to be, which is why my blog has cobwebs on it. Of the personal blogs I read, most of them are people I actually have a connection with.
I read you, sybil, Earl and Dave regularly. I wish Petunia in Paradise posted more but she’s too busy having an actual life. I never promoted my blog. In fact I specifically either ignore or viciously attack people whose comments and patronage I have no interest in. I don’t bother with political blogs anymore because everybody is stupid now. I don’t Twitter and Facebook sucks. I read newspapers and actual magazines. I hate my cell phone and willingly forget to bring it with me. For exercise I drink and fall over. What was the question?
I only read personal blogs but haven’t had as much time lately. My personal blog has become a place that I practice writing and connect with people. I had a revelation at BlogHer last year that I’m not interested in “fame and fortune” unless it’s measured in real connection.
Love this post. Love this conversation. I only read personal blogs, mostly. I read a few crafty blogs, one fashion blog, and I read Aiming Low. The blogs that make my list are the ones that seem the most honest, the most personal, the most real. If they make me laugh, they stay on my list forever. I’m interested in people. In their stories. In their experiences. I’m a people-watcher. In college I used to sit on the lawn outside the dorms at night and look up into all the lit windows. I wasn’t trying to spy or be a creep. I was just curious about all the varied lives inside and all the varied experiences. Personal blogs are like lit windows on a cool dark evening.
Assalamualaikum Faiqa, firstly, I am glad I trailed Unknown Mami to your site. You write with stark frankness that is captivating and easy to read. Add value is the key point to bring forth and be reminded. Some of my posts have values, while some are my indulgence. I do try to make my posts worthwhile because I do appreciate time and effort of my readers.
[...] Is personal blogging dead? [...]
I actually don’t read any personal blogs, except those that belong to my close friends so I can keep up to date about what they are doing. My favorite blogs are about issues I care about: human rights, aid, storytelling, international issues/development, women’s rights and feminism. I also follow a couple of photo blogs like wedding/photography/fashion etc. But personal blogs of random strangers? I fail to see how that is interesting to me…
i could have written what sybil law did earlier:
I read a ton of blogs weekly, but the ones I like the most are ones… well, I think it’s the ones where I feel like I’ve gotten to know the person to some extent. Initially, they either had to make me laugh, think, smile or maybe even – pissed me off, to some degree. There was some sort of connection there, though. I definitely look for people with brains – and common sense. Oh, and common decency. Everything else is pretty much up for grabs. To be honest, when all they do is promote themselves or their blog, it turns me off completely.
in addition, i like when blogs have a previous post and next post button to make commenting easier…what the fuck, faiqa?
(dear lord, please make me not be stupid enough to have missed those buttons on this here blog!)
Holy moly, wtf, indeed. I just noticed that. Over a hundred comments in the past week and not one person said a thing. You’re awesome, B.
Am late to this party but here’s what I have to say anyway. I reconsider the point of a personal blog ALL the time, especially since I am back to work (writing this on my lunch break), too tired to keep up often and wonder out loud “well who the hell really cares, anyway?” Content, at least the good stuff that takes a little effort to write, should be put in a place where it’s actually READ, right? Not in just some far from SEO-tastic any old blog. But. I have come to the conclusion that I write for myself. But where does that leave me? Am I really into “branding” myself? To steal your point, what are these business cards for then? But the contacts and connections I’ve made while mindlessly plugging away on my blog and on Twitter ARE so so SO valuable. And partly why I found the job/career I did. So I guess it is worth something in the end still. I think…
I have at least 50 personal blogs on my Google Reader, give or take 2 or 3. One of the reasons it might take me a while to read those blogs is time or the lack of it or the improper way I manage it the last couple of years.
Personally, I don’t think personal blogging is dead. It’s more abut the time people take to read and write blogs. I somtimes go 10 days between posts, but that doesn’t mean I would give up my blog(s). I plan to be around for the long haul.
i don’t know why, but this post has stuck with me for over a few weeks now. probably because i mostly read personal blogs and just don’t get why you asked if they personal blogs are dead…it had me all about confused. then it kind of hit me today and i know this is going to come out wrong, but i don’t know how to phrase it better so i will trust that you know my heart says this in an innocent way: just because your focus has changed doesn’t mean that what you are no longer looking at isn’t there. personal blogging isn’t dead. and this post kind of makes me wanna dust of my blog and write something. probably something about why i insane enough to comment on a weeks old post that i already commented on. sigh.