I just picked up the November issue of WIRED and read an article (page 27) called Kill Your Blog by Paul Boutin. Paul states that if you’re thinking of starting a blog – don’t, and if you already have one, pull the plug.
Well, besides the fact that he has his own blog and writes for blogs and hasn’t pulled the plug on his yet, he does have some interesting insight.
I agree that the blogging landscape has changed and that blogs are now littered with advertising and sponsors all seeking to sell you something. It just feels different. And there are many other apps such as Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter that have revamped the way we communicate.
Personally I have thought about killing my blog for various reasons such as lack of time, not being able to continiually write what I consider good stuff, and the lack of dialogue due to increasingy busy schedules. But is this any reason to stop? Then again, if what Paul writes is valid, maybe it is time to pull the plug.
So what do you think? Is blogging over or is it just time to reinvent it?
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It’s an inevitable transformation from ‘cool’ and ‘revolutionary’ to commercial. We see this in many different forms throughout history. I can’t help but think of pop art and other mediums when a big change comes. At first it is pure and new and cool. Then the commercial reality of our world sets in and things start to change. Isn’t in inevitable that Wired would declare this? Wasn’t it unavoidable?
But let’s get real. I want bloggers to make money. For the real blogging revolution to have any impact, there have to be dollars attached. How did we think this would look? How else were bloggers going to get their slice?
Al, Thanks for your slice of insight! I think that the “doing it because it’s cool” and the “doing it for money” debate is a tough one.
I remember the crap that flew when Tony Hawk went on the sponsor path or when Metallica entered the commercialized music venue. There’s nothing wrong with earning a living doing what you love to do but some die-hard fans hate the idea of someone doing something for money. To them, its selling out.
Personally, I believe people SHOULD be able to make money with their ideas or skills and without being condemned. I will also say visiting blogs with 20 sponsor ads blinking can be quite extreme (and nauseating).
Can we have both? Can we do what we love to do and still be cool, all the while making some dough?