A new start

 

I have been thinking about blogging but am not sure about about it.  In the spirit of 2023 I asked a spiritual adviser...or actually an AI website a simple question: is blogging still popular?  Here's the reply:

Yes, blogging is still a popular and influential medium in 2023. Here are a few reasons why blogging continues to thrive:

1. Self-expression outlet: Blogging allows people to share their thoughts, opinions, experiences, interests, and more with a potentially large audience. It's an appealing self-publishing platform.

2. Business/marketing value: Companies leverage blogs for content marketing, SEO value, connecting with customers, promoting products, building brand authority, etc. Blogs drive business.

3. Source of news/info: Many readers rely on blogs, particularly niche blogs, to provide specialised, detailed news and commentary on specific topics of interest.

4. Social connections: Readers form communities in blog comments sections and groups where meaningful interactions can occur around shared interests or experiences.

5. Income opportunity: Successful bloggers can earn income through advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, selling products, consulting, or leveraging their audience. Top bloggers do quite well.

So while social media now competes with blogging for people's online attention, the depth, control, and creative possibilities blogs provide ensure they retain a vital place in the digital landscape - with audiences still very much engaged. The fundamentals that made blogging popular in the first place remains quite compelling.

So there you go...seems it is still worthwhile.   Around 2010 when blogging took off in the UK I considered it but then Twitter became popular and I started using that instead.  In those days it was described as a 'micro-blogging site'.  A way to fulfil the aims of a blog without the downsides.  Nowadays X (formerly known as Twitter) seems to be most often described as a 'hell-site'.  Will it survive?  My guess is yes but in what format is anyone's guess.