Earlier this year when a few longtime bloggers announced that blogging was taking a backseat to Facebook and Twitter, I simply shook my head. There’s a fundamental difference in the way people who build web properties for a living think when compared to those who publish online for other reasons.
For me, there’s really no appeal in spending a lot of time creating “user-generated” content via a social networking application. That’s like remodeling the kitchen in a house you rent.
Hugh McLeod kicked off the discussion last week with his post Blogging is Dead? According to Whom?. He said in part:
I guess my point is, if you’re one of these people considering giving up on blogging in exchange for paying more attention to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace, or whatever they throw at us mere mortals, bear in mind you are giving up on something rather unique and wonderful.
Darren Rowse elaborated on Hugh’s thoughts with an anecdote about a Problogger reader who regrets his decision to shut down his blog 12 months ago to pursue a social networking strategy.
I was offered a job through my blog….
I have 9000 ‘friends’ at facebook and myspace….
I used to know most of my readers by name and knew that they all knew mine - even though there were only 200 a day….
I know a lot more people see my profile on facebook - but most of them just are hunting for friend bait….
I used to spend hours writing things that meant something on my blog….
I now spend hours updating people on the lattes I drink and people I meet on Twitter….
I had a brand of my own on and on my own property on my blog….
I now have a brand on someone else’s property….
If nothing else, that final point of regret is key. As I commented on Darren’s post, people who abandon blogging have gone from developing a digital asset of their own that could have real value, to becoming someone else’s user-generated content.
My plan for Copyblogger from the beginning was to use it as a vehicle to become known in online marketing circles, but to also build an asset that has independent value. That’s just the way I think, and I see this approach becoming more prevalent.
Whether or not this approach feels right for you, consider this. Blogs like Freelance Switch and Zen Habits have grown big fast because readers tend to value the independent publication approach, and at the same time more value is created for the owners. I believe this is the route that even business and corporate blogs must take to succeed.
In other words, every company is a media company.
Valuable content on a site you own is a classic win-win for readers and the site owner, while publishing on Facebook is a lopsided relationship that favors Zuckerberg and his data-hoarding cronies. While I think social networking is useful in small quantities, I’ve no interest in becoming someone’s user-generated content, especially at the expense of my privacy.
What about you?
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I often wonder if I’m making a mistake by NOT being involved with sites like MySpace, Twitter, and all the rest. Thanks for the reminder of blogging’s uniqueness.
You hit it on the nail on it’s head when you spoke about using your blog as a
* “vehicle to become known” as well as
* using it to “build an asset that has independent value”.
In building our own brands, we have to take ownership into account.
We must consider who it is that really owns our work, will it be us…or the social networking profile of choice.
For some MySpace, Twitter and all the rest may it’s merit…but they must also consider whether those vehicles will give them the results that they are looking for in the end.
Thanks for the post.
Well, I was going to leave a well written, clever and insightful comment, but I don’t want to be just user generated content for Copyblogger.
Brian:
Good post & good points. The same can be said for those who use blogspot.com and wordpress.com for an extended period. They’re a great way to get started, but once you know you’re going to stick with it, host your own blog and build your own URL. Blogger is number 6 in Alexa rating from the donation of other people’s content.
Sean
[This user generated comment is the property of FranchisePick.com]
A few months ago, digg had a user party in San Francisco. There was a feel good appreciation of some of the top diggers who were there. These guys had 1,000 of front page stories, one or two of them had even produced fan videos.
I could not believe the dedication involved. One of the fan videos even joked about digging instead of playing with his 3 year old daughter.
Sad, and silly too. If they took they same effort of finding stories they like and writing a short summary with a link, they could be neatorama.
Jon, don’t think for a second I wasn’t expecting that one.
Thank you for the insight!
I totally agree. Thanks for putting my thoughts in your writing.
When are these sites going to start paying their influential users? Your point will remain dead-on until the user-generated content sites start compensating people for their “work.” Then it will be like the difference between using AdSense and selling your own advertising. Facebook isn’t worth $15 billion without its users, so when do we get a cut?
I see Twitter and Facebook as extensions of my blog rather than replacements. At least for me anyway. In my cast, my blog has links to me on Facebook and on Twitter. Also my Facebook uses the Twitter application to keep my Facebook status updated with my Twitter status. My Facebook uses the RSS application to show my latest posts from my blog and an Podcast application to show the latest episode of my radio show/podcast.
If Facebook becomes the place to learn about someone and what they are up to, then I am all set.
I would not be where I am today without social networking. I started out on MySpace which build a massive audience for me (5,000 subscribers to my MySpace blog). From there I launched my own website and started to get freelance work… I now use myspace, facebook, twitter, and other social networking platforms as places to drive traffic to my blog and it has worked well.
If I would have started blogging on blogger or even bought my domain I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have built the numbers or the audience half as fast.
built not build… argh… typing and thinking don’t always go hand and hand
Great insight here, Brian, and I agree completely. There is value in social networks, but it is secondary to the value that owning and controlling your own digital property (i.e.: a blog) brings with it.
This is a great article, and I agree with you, as many others.
I need to add that, with the emerging virtual worlds and the huge amount of data they carry, the need to “own” the thing you create and write is crucial for the freedom of people.
We cross our fingers!
damn solid point brian. it also deserves to be pointed out that twitter/facebook are mostly surface things, little thoughts that are usually forgotten. blog posts impact people more. SIGNIFICANTLY more.
Great post. I think the glut of social networking sites can leave us spread too thin. Find what works best and stick with it. That’s what the Problogger reader who ceased blogging has shared. 9000 “friends” — who has time for that!
While my blog is my launching pad, I do use twitter, FB, Viddler and Tubemogul to send stuff out and then post them to my blog.
The blog is where things “live” though and where my content always ends up.
I wouldn’t stop blogging though- that is foolish.
There wouldn’t be a real home for my content to live and for people to gather-
-just another social platform they can browse and leave when they get bored.
The majority of the comments on ProBlogger were of the mind that social media and blogging compliment each other, and I think people’s experience bears that out.
The greatest online social networking tool is still email and the guts to write one and send it to make connections with the right people. I spend most of my time commenting, emailing, instant messaging, and talking on the (Skype) phone. The bulk of the rest of my time is spent creating content. Very little is spent on social networks.
Social media and UGC are great tools to capture attention, but not such great tools to build long-lasting value. I use Facebook and Twitter to capture attention, but they’re just tools to funnel that attention to my blog.
The format of any blog tends to be ephemeral, but I can continue to offer the writing and ideas I’ve developed there in a variety of formats for many years. I think Kevin’s strategy is very smart–use social media well to build an audience, without confusing social media for the end product.
At the end of the day, life is painfully short, and I’d rather spend my hours creating something that I think has innate value. Personally, I see more value in re-creating Gaudi’s Sagrado Familia out of toothpicks than I do in becoming a top digger, but everyone values different stuff.
Thank you for the thoughtful article. I find myself sometimes a little “behind the times” when I survey the blogging landscape, but thanks to having recently discovered sites like yours, I’ve begun thinking of and revising my blogging strategy.
I’m sure it’s old news, but to me it’s still pretty amazing to see how the world has changed in the last 20 years or so.
Information at the tips of one’s fingertips, small but powerful multi-touch interfaced devices — it’s all becoming very Star Trek-y.
I must have missed this one. Who in their right mind would ever think building a presence on the flavor of the day is a solid business building strategy?
A year from now whatever social site someone spends all their time and resources on is more likely to be on the downturn (or simply gone) like Myspace than it is to be growing.
Appreciate the post, but I can’t believe there are people out there who need to be reminded that you sign up for social sites to pull traffic back to a home base. You never ever work online without your own site period.
” My Facebook uses the RSS application to show my latest posts from my blog”
Can you do this on MySpace, too? Can their blogs read feeds or do you need special code?
Well, Jack.. you know I agree.
But there’s been a lot of people saying this mess, and I think the tide has quickly turned back. I’m still puzzled as to why prominent bloggers with substantial digital assets themselves would promote such a position in favor of Silicon Valley start-up sites.
You’d almost think they had some other motivation.
Nahhh… couldn’t be.
This sums up my feelings quite well, and also describes one of the primary ways I use Facebook and Twitter.
I began blogging in Feb of 07 and I am confused by all of this “flitter” about social media.
All of this frantic running around to get in on the latest software, venue, website, blog and etc. drives me bananas.
On top of this I have to worry about using rich content and worry if SEO’s approve of my words. I just want to write and develop a readership and hone my craft.
I realize I have a lot to learn, but why should I think about jumping ship when I still need to master the one I’m on.
Brian, I appreciate this post and your encouragement to be independent. After all, we are all entreprenuers and known for our individualism.
Great post. In time people will discover the truth of the social-networking miracle… that it is just one more in a long line of mlm schemes that truly on benefit first movers.
Build your own brand. In time, if it is worthwhile, they will come.
No matter where you go content is key. If your content sucks no one will come. It has to be unique and stand out not just because you want to come up in Google but because that’s the future. If you can’t appeal to human beings, you won’t survive if search is all ‘user driven’ or ‘user generated’. With the development of AI algorithms I see more people getting fun, relevant content and sticking to them. It’s almost like brand loyalty. When I have questions, I always come to copyblogger because you always have the answers. And after a while, readers will expect certain things from certain writers/bloggers. That’s the bond that’s going to give more rewards both sides. As you said Brian, it’s a win-win situation.
I’m a homeowner, used to be a renter, so I love the analogy of being a renter when you focus on social media…….I own my blog, so that’s where my time is spent. I didn’t even start on blogger or wordpress, it’s just so inexpensive to get your own domain, why wouldn’t you?
Re: social media and focusing on that instead of blogging….I don’t get that. I have heard a lot of talk about using social media to promote your own blog and bring traffic to it, however I’ve always heard that the main focus of your blog should be creating unique content.
I wouldn’t ever think of dumping a blog to pursue building a social media profile, but if I could spend a little time here and there on the social media while spending the bulk of my time blogging, then that could be OK. I really don’t spend much time with social media right now, in fact of all of them, I pretty much just use Stumbleupon.
It’s impossible to declare which social networking tool is most appropriate or most effective. It’s dependent upon a multitude of factors. For instance, my blog has enabled me to effectively reach a niche market in a timely and cost effective manner. But, is that to say it’s the most appropriate tool for everyone. Absolutely not.
As usual, great job of saying what a lot of us think.
Another angle, not explored, is that those who gave up blogging to hang out posting pictures of themselves doing dumb things with dumber people is that they were on the verge of blogger burnout due to having exhausted the supply of content in their brains.
Little experience = few posts
Lotsa experience = lotsa posts
Brian,
Thanks for this post - confirmation of my own long-time reluctance to blog on the social networking sites that I’m a member of - the idea always seemed to me to be a duplication of effort, since I never had any intention of giving up my own blog!
Now I can continue to ignore the blogging aspects of them with a clear mind :-)!
Regards,
Martin
I agree with Sonia, I use LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. to bring readers to my blog. I never got into Twitter because my phone is just a phone! I don’t have the time or inclination to send and receive text messages all day.
I can see a day not too far off when a disaffected college student will write a Firefox add-on that updates all of your social network sites right from your browser. Then you don’t actually have to spend the time to go there. And that will crash the advertising model. Gotta love open source!
Own your shit. Always. And I don’t think you should ever use social networking if it is not part of a larger plan to trade a little bit of your ownership for a larger audience. But the goal should always remain the same…
Being a web designer I couldn’t bring myself to use something like blogger. It had to be my own. My own design. My own brand. My own content. Great article. Thanks.
I’m the exact opposite. I started blogging on MySpace and moved into the Internet beyond, as I like to call it. I wanted a home of my own.
-Melissa Donovan
Writing FORWARD
you’re so right, nothing compares to blogging!
@margherita
that´s right! YES!
It’s so true… why in the world would you give up blogging for facebook? You could do both, but there is so much more pride in having your own space where you are the king.
Thank god you said what was on my mind and bugging the hell out of me. The thing about owning, really owning one’s own blog is that we get to create and be in ONE conversation, not the unfocused hysteria of doing all, being all, often at the expense of our livelihoods. The only conversation that matters is the one that expresses brand you in service of your customers/clients.
Another thought on this post. Why do companies continue to use job posting sites in lieu of developing their own career sites? I understand the importance of expanding your audience by using sites like Monster and CareerBuilder, but many companies have really weak or even non-existent careers sites. It’s the same exact content issue in another arena.
Great post, Brian. While I have both FB and Twitter accounts, I generally find the platforms too ADHD for my taste. While many may disagree, I believe that creating a brand is fundamentally different than creating a celebrity persona for yourself via one-liners, the number of zombie points you’ve amassed, or how many “followers” you have. People who read your blog regularly because it resonates with them are a greater long-term asset, not only physically, but on a deeper level as well.
I can’t imagine giving up my blog and yet accept that maybe other people have a different vision and can get what it is they need solely from the social networks. I believe it is not a good idea to ignore the social networks and some of them like facebook have facilities for accepting blog posts similar to the way ezines do. On reading on the Ask Dave Taylor site I learned that we need to be careful with these RSS feeds and to only use an extract that has the post title and some freshly produced words in the excerpt and not the words of the post. The reason being is that we risk duplication of copy and the possibility of competing against our copy for Google ranking.
I wonder how that relates to posting the same video on several sites. Would this create similar problems?
I seem to have made an error in my url in that last comment.
I think you said it all especially the part about the blog being your piece of real estate so to speak. Sites like Facebook and MySpace are ‘community creativity sites’ the community determines where they go. A blog is defined by you and your interpretation of market needs and wants. I hope I made my point.
I suppose the majority of people on facebook aren’t looking to make money from the web. As an Internet Marketer I believe you can and should try to leverage the traffic those sites get, but you should be spending most of your time on your own properties. You have to give a little to get back.
Great article but I think it’s missing an important point. Eventually people may get tired of reading blogs that do not offer some type of social networking element. Yes blogs are great for finding content and for many people that is all they need but there are those that seek community. With the exception of Mashable blog don’t generally offer any networking.
I completely agree that we should “own” our own property but it may be wise for some blogs to keep up with the changing web and offer some type of networking. Whether it be incorporating widgets from other communities or creating your own community within your blog. I have recently done this with one of my blogs using KickApps > Horse Approved
Social networks are also a great way to increase traffic to your blog if you are intentional about it. I don’t mean leaving spammy comments either. People like to follow those that offer using info. If your goal is to always offer rich content whether it be on your blog or in a network than people will follow you.
I am currently experimenting with social network marketing as well as attempting brand myself as the Queen of Social Network Marketing. (iwebis.com)
Anyway, great article but I just thought I would include some of my thoughts
I agree with you Brian, I would rather create my own content to enhance my online property than being someone else’s content but monavea has a valid point of blogs lacking a community, which is what is the USP of social networking sites. I agree with her about using social networking for marketing your brand.
I am definitely with you Brian in saying that blogging is not dead..
Vineet Nair
http://vineetnair.com
Good point.
I like to think of my blog as an advertisement for myself, a way to share with friends and maybe meet new people, and something that might someday be its own product.
You defintely shouldn’t waste all your time on myspace and facebook, but I think a profile on those sites can sometimes help attract readers to your blog.
A few months ago I decided it was time to enter the online conversation and unwisely jumped into the whole shebang all at once. Trying to figure it out as I go along, not only do I find myself spread too thinly but can honestly say that the Facebook experience is feeling a bit like a big silly game. Sure it is a colorful way to share emails with my true friends but there is very little meaningful interaction with most of the people on my friend list. Don’t get me wrong, I am for goofing off just as much as the next guy but when you only have so many hours in a day for efforts that are actually going to get you somewhere the little trivia competitions and digital beers don’t quite cut it. Give me a real beer anytime.
Facebook is nothing more then a fancy email platform.
Until Marketers are capable of categorizing the different reach mechanisms available to them online, they will struggle to utilize ANY individual mechanism in a meaningful way… Neverlone use them coherently as part of a larger strategy.
The most amusing part of it all is the gross generalities I see when Marketers discuss these reach tools - whether they be personal blogs, or a myspace page.
There is no “Web 2.0″ - all these social media are vastly different. Facebook has nothing but a “user base” in common with Wikipedia. But the hypers of the “social web” would have anyone willing to listen believe these things all fit into a larger, extremely important scheme. And that newbies need to do them all… NOW!
Truth is, it starts, and ends, with the market. If you have a reach strategy which generates leads for less money then they can be monetized for - and a decent offer, then you’ll make money.
Everything else is bullshit. Simple as that.
I think it really just depends on what you’re interested in doing.
If you’re trying to sell something, like shoes, then it makes sense to use social networking and maybe blogging too. But if you’re selling a book blogging is probably better. If you’re not selling anything and instead you’re trying to sell yourself to potential employers or publishers, a blog is a good idea. If you just want to make money, well there are a ton of ways to do that and you just have to do what’s good for you. If you’re trying to get someone elected or change public opinion about something, you’ve GOT to use both methods: blogging and social networking. If you’re just out there to have fun, do what you want, both will do that.
Basically, it’s a false dichotomy. Obviously, you can do both, either, or none if you want. It’s a big, wide web full of possibilities.
i’ve generated visual content for 7 years since my daughter was born. For me it’s about the body of work and how it develops over time. (www.chloehoward.com)
The biggest *behavior* change in my authoring has been how I may carefully syndicate parts of that work within my social network in a targeted way, as all trackbacks come back to that *body of work*
I agree with the comment above. “Valuable content on a site you own is a classic win-win for readers and the site owner…” — To me, this is legacy building, and why we make, create.
I equate my blog to a “magnet.”
It attracts potential clients, new JV partners, advertisers looking to gain traffic for their business…and a little cash along the way.
Without it, I would not have the business I do today.
Joseph Ratliff
Author of The Profitable Business Edge 2
Jack said it best…never work online without your own site in mind