I am always lost for a reason some of those who are considered the “big boys” need to make the statement every few months that blogging is dead. Or that they are leaving blogging behind for greener pastures. Quite frankly, I think it is complete bullshit. (Sorry, that was the only word I could come up with that actually captured my true feelings).
The latest to join the cry that blogging is dead or they are shutting their blogs down is Steve Rubel. I am not sure why we should care. Rubel makes the statement that he is evolving from blogging to “Lifestreaming.” Again, so what. And what does this have to do or what impact does this have on the smart business or professional service firm who is using, god forbid, a blog for marketing or promotion. It doesn’t have an impact at all.
As others have stated, “LifeStreaming is great but….” If you think about it, LifeStreaming sounds like what blogging first started out to be. Just a way for someone to keep an online journal of their thoughts or opinions. I also agree that blogging is not dead, they’re just fragmenting. Evolving perhaps might be a better word to use.
What is really ironic or maybe even stupid is the fact those who declare blogging dead or dying are the same ones who make this statement on their own blogs. They are not dead, they are evolving. Even for the business or service firm who are using blogs as a marketing tool, they are evolving. And part of that is being caused not only by the power of WordPress. But because of tools like social media. Twitter and Facebook are the first ones that come to mind.
However, these tools are not causing the demise of blogging. They are in fact enhancing blogs and making them even more popular and successful. I just don’t see those who use a blog to market and promote a business or professional firm moving to “LifeStreaming.” I do see their blogs evolving as they adopt and use social media tools with their blogs. I also see their blogs evolving as they take advantage of the power of WordPress. Take for example this blogsite of one of our clients, Stucco Italiano.
Twitter, FriendFeed and yes, even Posterous are not going to cause the death of blogging. They will enhance and/or evolve blogging.
I am certainly not suggesting blogging will not change and grow over time and become more then it is now. If I just look at how blogging has changed since I started over 4 years ago, I am amazed at what has happened. Those bloggers who are not willing to adopt the new ways of using blogs will be left behind. But there will always be blogs. Just as there will always be websites. After all isn’t a blog just a website that has evolved into something more.
Blogging is not dead just because someone with a little influence gets bored with their blog and decides to “LifeStream” with a different tool. So hold you head high and keep on blogging.
