In last week’s video I examined 5 Emerging Trends in blogging. A few readers emailed to say that while they agreed with the trends I had identified that they felt a little overwhelmed by them and not equipped to embrace the trends on their own blogs. They were concerned that they were too far behind the big blogs and said that they felt like giving up.
The emails reminded me of some of my own feelings when I started blogging. While I started out five years ago – at the time I remember feeling like I was too late to the medium. Other bloggers seemed like they were so much more advanced and in my lower moments I wondered if there was any point in blogging on.
In this video I want to balance the 5 emerging trends in blogging with 2 things that haven’t really changed in blogging – things that I don’t seem going away any time soon. While the trends are worth keeping an eye on don’t lose sight of the basics – the things that don’t change!
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content
you are king of that
without content no website
You mentioned people (especially those getting started) that felt overwhelmed and considering giving up. I think we’ve all been there at some point.
I think part of the problem is the way online businesses are marketed to. Internet Marketers are constantly pushing what’s new and using scare tactics to make us feel if we done jump on the new trend now we are doomed. It is just not the case.
The Internet is relatively new, and more people are coming online every day. This is growing. And the new people coming online are not too late. They just need to focus on what works, not on keeping up with the latest trend.
Great content works.
Genuinely helping people works.
The BASICS still work!
Thanks for the video.
Edward
Nice reassuring follow-up! Thanks, Darren!
This video was quite motivational. As ProBlogger discusses that even though there will always be trends to deal with, there will always be constants.
He discusses two (which i agree with) are not going anywhere, and anyone can implement. Anyone who is, or is not, into trends.
Watch the video. It will give you hope that you are NOT too far behind in the blog-o-sphere.
Thanxs, Darren.
Too true, Darren. As the Levis Jeans commercials always say, “Quality never goes out of style.”
Nice video, Darren. I do have plans for my blogs in the future – though that will take a lot more time, money and effort. In the meantime it’s reassuring to know I’m on the right track.
– Deb
One thing that isn’t changing in blogging in the future is that I will continue blogging.
I am not going to stop. I am determined to continue blogging and to do my best and become successful. I run a financial blog and I am loving it.
So there is something that definately will never change in the next few years…that one’s for free Darren, you can use that one….haha
the pros got me beat!…that don’t mean I don’t try!…
Thanks for the nice follow up Darren.
And while I’m commenting, I’d like to tag you and ask you to play along.
For more information you can look here.
http://sportsandcooking.com/general/give-and-thou-shall-receive-my-6-5-word-memoir
You have it exactly right, Darren. And I would argue that these new tools will come over time. I find that visiting other blogs on a regular basis can provide ideas for several tools that one might be able to implement. The biggest thing is to know that blogs are a continual process, that evolve much as we do over time.
Darren, THANKS! As a person new to blogging, but who is so addicted that I started a second blog yesterday, I found myself wondering about infrastructure, trends, and keeping up with it all. Nice to hear quality content and creating community still rank.
I think those are very encouraging words, and it all seems to go back to quality of content. If you’ve got quality, and you’re putting at least some energy out there to let people know where to find your quality product, they will find it.
That’s one of the awesome things about the internet; we don’t need a big record label to let the whole world listen to what we have to say. We don’t need big budget studios behind us so we get in the maximum number of venues. It’s all at our own fingertips, no matter what Web 2.0 developments we’re embracing.
Thanks, Darren.
(A humble P.S., Watching video of a person talking down toward the camera is like looking at someone peeking over the side of a well. When you look at on the computer, it doesn’t feel right.. Straight-on feels like the person’s sitting with me and feels a lot better.)
Blogging is still open for new content and new ideas, and i say for long time! Great video Daren.
Thanks Darren, for your encouraging post. Producing quality content and creating community – that’s it!
Darren,
Thank you for the uplifting words. You continue to inspire us.
Your comments on content were very true.
Darren, thank you so much, you made my day!!
I was feeling discouraged about how far behind I am on all the stuff that’s going on your blog, never mind the blogosphere in general, that I was thinking on giving up on the whole thing. But after watching your video post i am energized to go out and produce quality content and to create place for belonging.
Thanks…
Thanks for this Darren.
I’d like to add something to what you said about community – I not only go online looking for community in other blogs, it’s a huge part of the reason I blog myself. I’ve ‘met’ some fantastic like-minded people since I started writing that I would never otherwise have encountered, and to me the community is entirely reciprocal.
Darren;
Thanks so much. I just started to get things set up for my first
Blog in the last month. I have not even put up my first post yet,
for the very reason’s you state in your video. Thank you for the encouragement. I now know more then ever it’s not all the
addons, and tricks. It’s about good writing and good content.
I did pickup problogger today.
Thanks for your efforts.
Technology is getting simpler and simpler over time. Therefore one should not be worried about technology. 10 years back just to create a simple personal website one has to posses a lot of computer skills. Nowadays everyone can create a website with a few mouse clicks.
I think many people get sacred of technology due to the terminology. The terminology is very overwhelming to the average user. The core concepts of technology is simple but the terminology is what confuses the average user.
As Darren pointed out, content is the key to success. If technology is the key to success all IT people will be running successful blogs.
Darren has a degree in Theology, and Maki (at DoshDosh.com) is a Philosophy Student. But their blogs out phase other blogs, because of the QUALITY OF THE CONTENT.
darren speaks true words
content is of course king but we need to remember that until Google can index the words said in videos and audio text is always going to be the way that people find new pages, and that means that us, as bloggers who primarily write text we are still going to be very successful.
I just read elsewhere that even at this late date we are still just the tip of the iceberg but I like your reinforcement, Darren.
I feel better now.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was really ready to give up after blogging for a year and now have something to move forward with!
I really enjoyed the video version of this post. It was short, sweet, and to the point.
I agree, the some of the recommendations for new trends are overwhelming. Hence, this is the reason why I appreciated the clarity this video provided.
Thanks Darren. It sure is reassuring. Content is truly the king.
Content is always king. You can’t keep up with everything. Be selective and do what you do well. Quality verses quantity (of technology)
Rosh
http://www.prosperousartists.com
http://www.roshsillars.com
I like your VIDEO.
Anyway is important to be selective in all your choose.
http://www.stiriaz.com/general/index.php
Interesting perspective on blogging and the technology trends thereof. It makes me wonder – will the trends be the same for corporate blogs as well as personal/social blogs?
And while I agree that content is king, corporate blog content usually isn’t as ‘sexy’ as personal blogs can be… Thus, are readers expecting different content from a corporate than a personal blog?
nice video, interesting!
things like this hard to change from time to time, nice point of view from u.
good luck mate
hey darren you have said a nice piece bout that….
Cool post.
Hi Darren… thanks for the inspiration. You know, there are always ups and downs with everything. It’s good to know that on one hand this is no difference in this case, but that on the other hand, you can be success in being consistent or incorporating change. It’s limitless.
One trend I think that could be emerging more main stream down the road is the way people are connecting through Virtual Worlds.
But web 2.0’s and beyond will always need and still be using “text” as a way of communicating. I can’t’ see “text” ever disappearing
I noted that one contributor to this thread of provoking conversation stated that he expected that text would be one trend that remains for some time.
However, when I consider the convenience and the fact that most individuals are not skilled typist, the concept of video seems far more pertinents as a trend likely to evolve and dominate the online market.
Just as hunch in any case….
@Reginald
Yes your right, video does seem to be an emerging trend and I do like it as well.
Text will always be with us as well, written words will always be important. This site has great videos as well as a lot of informative posts with text. I can’t imagine all the written posts disappearing from the sidebar here for example and all being replaced by videos.
Both words and visual media are with us….part of web 2.0
Thanks, Darren. Bloggers encouraging other bloggers is not only good business, it’s also compassionate.
I’d second with Edwards Lomax regarding it’s not just new bloggers that sometimes feel like giving up, I think most of us have thought about it at some point.
This is why it’s so important to be passionate about the niche your blog within. If your not passionate, the blog soons become stale as you loose confidence in yourself.
I earn next to nothing in revenue, but its the fact that people read and comment on my content that keeps me going and continuing to write.
@Reginald.
I hope video isn’t the future of blogging, because who would want to see my ugly mug on video.
I’d rather stick to writing, and podcasting I think :D
Thanks very much for this.
I’m about to launch a blog that I’ve been designing/working on on my laptop and it’s been something thats been an off and on thing throughout the past year.
It’s taken me some time to bring myself in to a state a clarity about the content of my blog and this has surely given me a positive confirmation to keep going with what I’ve been working on.