Recently, I shared my 8 year blog anniversary post where I expressed a bit about the reality of being a blogger today. Needless to say blogging in 2023 is not the same as it was in 2015. While I touched on it just a bit, I wanted to save the big conversation for today. Interestingly, I don’t see many people talking about this and to be honest, I’ve been putting this off but I do think that it’s an important conversation to have. So here is the big question – Is blogging dead? Is it still worth it to create a blog in 2023? Is this the end of blogs as we know it? Find out below!
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Is blogging dead in 2023?
My Personal Experience as a Blogger
Before I dive into this, I want to note that this is solely based on my personal experience. This is also not a post filled with negativity and complaints – just facts. I love what I do and I will continue to do it no matter what. However, blogging is like any other job and it should not be taboo to express honest feelings about the industry and calling things out for how they really are. I’m going to be 100% real and I know this may ruffle some feathers.
I’ve witnessed the blogging landscape change for the last few years but this past year (in my opinion) has made it completely evident that blogging is definitely not what it used to be. One of the best aspects about blogging was the community. EVERYONE was so kind, supportive and excited! As the years have passed, I’ve seen more and more blogs go dark. It’s so sad to see so many give up but truthfully, it’s hard to sustain, especially if it’s more of a hobby than a career.
Blogs are demanding, time-intensive and can be expensive to maintain. I don’t think that people realize just how much time goes into each and every post. It really is a labor of love. And then you have to work hard to get your work seen and sometimes, this can take even more time than the post itself. Because sadly, just purely writing doesn’t pay the bills. A lot of bloggers continue with their blog because of their passion for doing so. And honestly, this is exactly what you need to continue pushing forward. Having a love of what you do is absolutely necessary!
Which brings me to social media…
Social Media & Blogging
The rise of social media has single-handedly both helped and harmed the blogging sphere. There is just SO much these days and as a blogger, you have to constantly be evolving and keeping up with the latest trends, platforms and updates in order to thrive long-term. If you are the only person doing it all, it’s even more difficult.
Social media is so fast-paced which is the opposite of the long-term content that blogging provides. People are so used to consuming quickly and even then, if you don’t gain a viewer’s attention within the first few seconds, forget it. Blogging is more intentional. There is more heart and knowledge in the content. It’s driven by passion and community whereas, social media nowadays seems to be driven more by trends, popularity and what *may* go viral.
Social media has proven to be lucrative for some and others have taken notice. When I first started my blog and Instagram, there were doubts from other people. I did not gain much support – in fact, there was a lot of criticism. Granted, this was during a time when no one was really doing it. It was all new and people didn’t understand.
However, when my blog and Instagram started gaining traction and growth, many people approached me asking for “the secret to success,” growth tips, etc. Many of these people were bullies from my past, family that only reached out when they wanted something and bloggers/influencers that had never spoken a word to me before and in fact, weren’t even following my account. This was the beginning of the end, in my opinion.
People started to see the “glamorous” life of an influencer (or what they perceived to be) and they were intrigued. It looked “easy” and therefore, many others joined the influencer community in hopes of making it. In a few years, it has gone from people wanting to chase their dreams and passions or leave behind a toxic work environment to people wanting to gain fame, attention and wealth. What does this say about our culture?
Early on, many bloggers made the switch to social media only. The amount of time and effort put into blogging doesn’t always pay off so this completely makes sense. However, the influx of influencers has exponentially increased over time. Expectations are lower for those entering the space out of desperation but this has made it even more difficult for those who have been around a long time. It has become nearly impossible for the majority of seasoned career bloggers and influencers to sustain the business they’ve built.
In addition, more platforms have popped up over the years. They prioritize new accounts, decreasing the reach of older ones. Newer platforms have introduced new mediums, which means more skills to learn in order to stay relevant (and in business). Long gone are the days of doing it solely for the passion of it. In order to stay in business, one must evolve, learn and grow with the influencer landscape. In short, social media has gone off the deep end.
How Others View Bloggers
How others view bloggers has a lot to do with this as well. While most bloggers and influencers mean well, there have been some that have given us all a bad name. And this certainly doesn’t help with what non-influencers think about us. I’ve seen posts calling out influencers for being materialistic, fake, unrealistic, greedy, etc. And trust me, as an influencer myself, I have seen this happen too. People sell out. They push cheap items on people that they don’t need just for the sake of a pay check. Let me reiterate that this is a VERY small percentage of influencers and bloggers but it’s enough to hurt the perception of all of us. Just know that many of us, including myself, started this and continue to do this because we love sharing and we love the community we’ve created.
It’s Time Intensive
Many people think that bloggers do nothing all day but sit around and this couldn’t be further form the truth. It’s not a “hard” job but it is a time intensive one. It can be difficult to keep up with everything, especially if you don’t have a team. This lack of time means that some things are not prioritized. I should also mention that many bloggers are NOT full-time. They still have other responsibilities and many still have full-time jobs.
In fact, at the beginning of my blogging career, I had three jobs. I worked as a substitute teacher full-time, taught guitar lessons in the evenings AND owned an online boutique. I didn’t go full-time with blogging until many years in. Because of this, it can be hard to keep up with a consistent posting schedule because let’s be real, we all have things that we need to prioritize.
Pressure & Expectations of Blogging
Influencers and bloggers have a lot of pressure and expectations. Some of these are only imagined, but they are still there. There is pressure to keep up with everyone – in terms of follower growth, engagement, jobs, looks and material things like cars, homes, clothing, etc. There is a pressure to do always “do better” for the purpose of personal validation and sustaining their business. Make better content, look younger, upgrade your life in a million different ways, etc.
Some people even feel pressure to befriend other influencers for the sake of their own career. And somehow, everyone is a professional model. There is so much pressure for older influencers too as a new generation of younger ones enter the scene. It can be very draining physically, mentally and emotionally. You can feel burnt out trying to keep up and if you’re not in the right mindset, you can certainly struggle mentally and feel like you aren’t good enough. This is where self-awareness and practicing gratitude really come in handy.
Although, I’ve never felt pressure to this extent, I have succumbed to the comparison trap. I’ve felt that I wasn’t good enough because I didn’t look certain way or live in a giant house or because I was petite or didn’t have endless amounts of money. But I love what I do and this has far outweighed every pressure that I’ve felt. In order to make it in the long run, this is essential. And I want to emphasize that this is by no means, me complaining (I LOVE what I’ve built here) – I’m simply stating the truth of what being an influencer or blogger looks like today.
Blogging is Competitive
Now, more than ever, it’s increasingly difficult to “make it” an influencer. This doesn’t mean that there’s no room for anyone because there certainly is. There’s just so much more competition these days and honestly, I blame this one on TikTok. TikTok has made it possible for many to “go viral” and gain a following, which is incredible! However, this means that there is more competition for those of us that have been in it for longer.
Back in the day, you had to work hard to build up blog traffic, constantly learn new skills and simultaneously learn and grow social media platforms. It was much harder when I started. The landscape has changed so much since then. However, although it’s easier than ever to gain a following these days, it’s actually harder to make a full-time living.
Many go into blogging or influencing to “make a quick buck” but that’s not how it is at all. I mean, it’s certainly not rocket science or on par with something as significant as learning how to be a surgeon, but it’s not as easy as people make it out to be. The industry as a whole can be a bit sketchy at times and learning how to make a living doing what you love takes time. Some people can be an overnight success but for the majority, it’s endless learning, experimenting and putting these into action to create something for yourself.
Misconceptions About Blogging
There are many misconceptions about blogging. One of these is that you need to have money in order to start one. Truthfully, I didn’t even have a job when I started. I signed up for a free blogging website and styled outfit from items that I already had in my closet. Is it easier with money? Yes, definitely. But it’s not impossible.
Outfit Details
Pink AW Bridal Dress (Use lizzieinlace for 10% off!) c/o | Kate Spade Pearl Handbag | NewBella Pearl Heels (similar) c/o | Lele Sadoughi Pearl Headband (similar) | Sequin Jewelry Pearl Bracelet (Use LIZZIEINLACE20 for 20% off!) c/o | L’Oreal Lipstick | Halo Hair Extension (use LIZZIEINLACE for $25 off!)
Blogging in 2023 and Beyond
Bloggers are a resilient bunch. And those of us that have been doing it for at least five years have had to evolve many, many times to keep up with the ever-changing technological advances and social media platforms. In order to survive, we had to evolve.
I think that there is so much value in blogging that others don’t see. Blogging is so different than any other platform out there. It can be incredibly vulnerable and personal, which is what drew a lot of people initially. Now I think it’a much more information driven. But this doesn’t mean that the connection is completely lost.
I have so much respect for those that still have blogs because obviously, it is a labor of love. I know this. SO much time, effort and heart are put in to each and every one of our posts. To me it truly shows the character of someone and their values. We are not on here to go viral – we are on here to connect.
Is Blogging Still Relevant in 2023?
So the question on everyone’s minds…. is blogging dead? My answer: not in the slightest. While blogging isn’t what it once was, it’s still relevant in a different way. With how fast paced everything has become, I think that people are sick of the content overload, to be honest. There has been a resurgence in nostaglic things (fashion, movies, decor, etc) and with blogging being one of them, I can see people coming back to it.
I also think that people are craving to slow down a bit more. They want to be more intentional with what they read, watch and digest and want to add more value into their lives in some way. I really think that this is a result of what has been going on globally over the last few years. In short, blogging is still beneficial to both bloggers and their readers.
What are your thoughts on blogging in 2023? Whether you are a blogger, influencer or reader, I want to know your thoughts. Join the conversation below!
xo
