This evening I stopped by a blog that I tend to visit on a fairly regular basis. I couldn't help but want to comment on the post, Why 15 Million is a Big Number, on many different levels. The post makes a reference to another post at A VC. Of course, as things tend to go in the blogging world, the post at A VC certainly wasn't the starting point. It appears that the bubble has burst - that bubble being blogs. Evidently, there are somewhere around 15 million blogs. I guess, because some people tend to start up a blog and abandon them entirely, Technorati tracks a much larger number of blogs.
It is this disparity that seems to be driving the controversy. After all, how many people do you know who started a blog but didn't seem to follow through when it came to posting regularly? Personally I don't feel that this indicates that any bubble has burst. There are a multitude of reasons that people may not follow through when starting up a blog. So, while this is clearly a demonstration of conjecture and speculation, I don't mind building on a few examples that began at Virtual Economics and even illustrating a few of my own.
Running out of ideas or the words to express them
I have to admit. This has happened to me so many times. However, I guess maybe some people are much more opinionated than many others and never run out of something to say. I can certainly recall reading an article that, at first, jumped out at me - I had everything to say. After reading the article and comments that followed it, I had nothing at all to say. In the end I may, or may not, have actually posted anything. Sometimes reading an article and then reading comments which parallel your own beliefs may have somewhat of a cathartic effect. I can't necessarily back this up with any hard, scientific evidence - I just believe it's true - and I imagine there's at least a few people who may agree.
Running out of time
My sister has commented that she has no idea how I manage to maintain a blog, be married, have two kids, and still actually have a job as well. Sometimes I wonder, too. It does take a commitment to post every day, respond to comments, and devote time to creating a community within your blog. That's not to say I do it well. I know that I am not exceptionally good at visiting other people's blogs on a regular basis. I do read quite a few using Google reader, however.
Unrealistic Expectations
I imagine that this might account for quite a few abandon blogs. Just as droves of people sought their fame and fortune with the next, best dot com blunder, it doesn't take but a few mouse clicks to identify any number of these people with their very own money-making blog ( or blogs ) lately. Dreams are easy to bust. If someone is counting on their get-rich-quick scheme taking off overnight, they will give up quickly when the money doesn't start pouring in.
Too many options
I'm not saying that by virtue of too many options there exists a difficult choice in blogging platforms. But how many people have abandon Blogger for Wordpress? How many have chosen to stick with My Space for their blog as opposed to one they started at MSN or Yahoo? I myself started at Blogger at my own host, then gravitated to Movable Type, then Wordpress, then back to Movable Type. I've always used my own host which, of course, wouldn't have any adverse reaction when it comes time to track. But what about those who have chosen the free hosting options?
Spreading it too thin
Another trend I've noticed is that many bloggers ( especially looking to monetize their blog ) choose to spread themselves across many blogs. I could never do this. I've been thinking about working on a second blog around the end of this month. Whether or not I choose to monetize it . . . well, I haven't really decided. Right now, I am really struggling with the decision because I frequently do not post on the weekends. Sometimes I fall victim to the time factor; sometimes I'm just a little too lazy. Biting off more than you can chew is a little de-motivating.
Losing faith
Sometimes it hurts a little when you don't see people commenting or your traffic counts aren't moving along with your own expectations. This point, I'm sure, goes hand in hand with realizing that realistic expectations need to be set. But, above all, sometimes people aren't willing to be patient. I suppose I could throw in the fact that splogs certainly don't help make the number of blogs appear to be larger than it really is. While I'm confident that there are efforts to eradicate splog scum, they are still a reality. So just to sum it up, I have to agree with all of those who are saying that this is no bubble.
It's the reality that blogging is just like any other hobby, profession, or thing people do to pass the time. Not everyone can do it. The barrier to entry is very low, but not everyone can do it, do it well, and dedicate the amount of time that is truly needed for it to become part of their life. Anyone can go out and buy a tennis racket and try to play tennis. All you need is a few bucks and a block of time. But that doesn't mean that you will continue to play for the rest of your life. Some people will try it once and the tennis racket will go into a closet to become a permanent fixture in the back corner. Others will play long into their later years building and fostering a passion for doing something that leaves them happy and fulfilled.
I have to admit. This has happened to me so many times. However, I guess maybe some people are much more opinionated than many others and never run out of something to say. I can certainly recall reading an article that, at first, jumped out at me - I had everything to say. After reading the article and comments that followed it, I had nothing at all to say. In the end I may, or may not, have actually posted anything. Sometimes reading an article and then reading comments which parallel your own beliefs may have somewhat of a cathartic effect. I can't necessarily back this up with any hard, scientific evidence - I just believe it's true - and I imagine there's at least a few people who may agree.
Running out of time
My sister has commented that she has no idea how I manage to maintain a blog, be married, have two kids, and still actually have a job as well. Sometimes I wonder, too. It does take a commitment to post every day, respond to comments, and devote time to creating a community within your blog. That's not to say I do it well. I know that I am not exceptionally good at visiting other people's blogs on a regular basis. I do read quite a few using Google reader, however.
Unrealistic Expectations
I imagine that this might account for quite a few abandon blogs. Just as droves of people sought their fame and fortune with the next, best dot com blunder, it doesn't take but a few mouse clicks to identify any number of these people with their very own money-making blog ( or blogs ) lately. Dreams are easy to bust. If someone is counting on their get-rich-quick scheme taking off overnight, they will give up quickly when the money doesn't start pouring in.
Too many options
I'm not saying that by virtue of too many options there exists a difficult choice in blogging platforms. But how many people have abandon Blogger for Wordpress? How many have chosen to stick with My Space for their blog as opposed to one they started at MSN or Yahoo? I myself started at Blogger at my own host, then gravitated to Movable Type, then Wordpress, then back to Movable Type. I've always used my own host which, of course, wouldn't have any adverse reaction when it comes time to track. But what about those who have chosen the free hosting options?
Spreading it too thin
Another trend I've noticed is that many bloggers ( especially looking to monetize their blog ) choose to spread themselves across many blogs. I could never do this. I've been thinking about working on a second blog around the end of this month. Whether or not I choose to monetize it . . . well, I haven't really decided. Right now, I am really struggling with the decision because I frequently do not post on the weekends. Sometimes I fall victim to the time factor; sometimes I'm just a little too lazy. Biting off more than you can chew is a little de-motivating.
Losing faith
Sometimes it hurts a little when you don't see people commenting or your traffic counts aren't moving along with your own expectations. This point, I'm sure, goes hand in hand with realizing that realistic expectations need to be set. But, above all, sometimes people aren't willing to be patient. I suppose I could throw in the fact that splogs certainly don't help make the number of blogs appear to be larger than it really is. While I'm confident that there are efforts to eradicate splog scum, they are still a reality. So just to sum it up, I have to agree with all of those who are saying that this is no bubble.
It's the reality that blogging is just like any other hobby, profession, or thing people do to pass the time. Not everyone can do it. The barrier to entry is very low, but not everyone can do it, do it well, and dedicate the amount of time that is truly needed for it to become part of their life. Anyone can go out and buy a tennis racket and try to play tennis. All you need is a few bucks and a block of time. But that doesn't mean that you will continue to play for the rest of your life. Some people will try it once and the tennis racket will go into a closet to become a permanent fixture in the back corner. Others will play long into their later years building and fostering a passion for doing something that leaves them happy and fulfilled.
Great follow-up to my entry! I have had most of the same problems and have almost given up more times than I care to talk about. But, in the end, I still like to talk about things that are important to me, and this is the easiest (besides actually speaking about them) way to get the word out. And yes, it is very depressing to see your numbers in the toilet for a long time - but then, all of the sudden, you get a following, and you start climbing up the illusive technorati ladder.
Thanks for the thumbs up, Beth. Perhaps something I forgot to mention, although it would have been a little out of place perhaps, is that the Internet is pretty forgiving. You can try as many times as you want no matter how many times you fail. As the saying goes, "If at first you don't succeed . . . ."