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Are Blogs Still a Thing?
Are blogs still a thing? Is anyone still reading blogs? If you’re wondering if blogging is dead or if it’s still worth starting a blog, you’re in the right place.
I’ve been blogging since 2017, and even back then, a lot of people online were asking if blogs were still a thing or if they were a relic of the past.
The history of blogging goes back to the early days of the Internet, with many people agreeing that 1994 was the year that the first blog was created.
What seemed to be a cutting-edge form of digital media and communication decades ago might be viewed as antiquated now… or is it?
If you haven’t already guessed by the existence of this blog (which is all about… yep… blogging!), I believe that blogs are very much still a thing.
In fact, I’m still making a full-time income from my blogs after many years!
So if you’ve been thinking about starting a blog but were wondering if it’s even worth it anymore, I’m here to tell you that it definitely is!
Who Still Reads Blogs?
Millions of Internet users still read blogs every day. They might not even realize they’re reading blogs, because of their ideas of what a blog is.
Many people still think of blogs as online diaries, where bloggers share personal updates about their lives. This was certainly a trend in the blogging world in the early 2000s, but it’s one that has definitely changed over the years!
These days, blogs exist more as informational websites rather than online diaries. Having a personal touch is very important, but the key to a successful blog is creating content that exists to serve the reader, first and foremost.
Think about questions and topics you might search for on Google or Pinterest…
- Graduation party food ideas
- 3 days in London itinerary
- Journal prompts for grief
- How to get stains out of suede
- Creative money-saving ideas
- Halloween crafts for kids
Basically, any time you search the Internet for something and end up clicking on a smaller, independent website as a result, that’s probably a blog.
For example, you might end up on a food blog for recipe ideas, or a travel blog for trip planning help. Blogs are usually run by individuals or small teams, rather than massive businesses that run websites with many employees.
You might also come across links to blogs on social media platforms like Facebook or in email newsletters that you are subscribed to.
But What About Social Media and Video?
It’s true that social media and short-form video content on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have become increasingly popular.
Some people even prefer to get their information from videos.
For example, some people might search TikTok for “3 days in London itinerary” to watch a video in order to help plan their trip, rather than Googling that same phrase and reading a blog post to get the information through reading.
But for all the people who prefer getting information through video, there are still just as many who prefer getting information through reading instead.
And there are some scenarios where it just makes more sense to read rather than watch a video. So blogs are certainly still relevant in this regard.
How Do Blogs Make Money?
Making money from a blog is, in my personal opinion, easier and more consistent than making money from social media. As I mentioned, I earn a full-time income from running several blogs, and it’s mostly passive income.
I go into more detail about how blogs make money in this guide, but to give you a quick overview, here are the most popular ways to do it:
- Display ads: You know how you see ads on many websites as you scroll down the page? Those are display ads, and they can be very lucrative. The owner of the website gets paid based on how many views the ads get.
- Affiliate marketing: Bloggers can include affiliate links in their blog posts. When a reader clicks an affiliate link and makes a purchase through it, the blogger earns a commission (at no extra cost to the reader.)
- Sponsored content: Many brands and businesses are willing to pay bloggers for advertorial sponsored content, which could be in the form of sponsored blog posts, email newsletters, or posts on social media.
- Selling products: Selling digital products like online courses, ebooks, templates, and printables is another avenue you can take. For example, a personal finance blogger could sell printable budgeting worksheets.
- Selling services: As a blogger, you can also offer services like freelance writing, consulting, or coaching. You can also get creative here—I’ve seen travel bloggers offer services like custom itinerary planning, for example.
These are just a few of the best ways you can make money from your blog!
Is It Worth Starting a Blog?
So is it actually worth starting a blog? If you’ve made it this far, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that my answer is a resounding YES!
Blogs are still very much a thing, and millions of people read them every day.
There are tons of bloggers out there (myself included) who make a full-time income from blogging. Once you understand what blogging actually is and how to be successful at it, the opportunities are limitless.
Blogging is always changing and evolving, and it probably will look totally different a decade from now — just like it looks totally different right now compared to a decade ago.
If you’re willing to keep up with the changes and updates, though, I believe that blogging will always exist in some form, and be a profitable way to make money online.
How to Start a Blog
First things first, CLICK HERE to learn the cheapest way to start your blog!
Then continue reading for the next steps of starting your blog today.
Learn how to start a blog (the right way) with the help of my step-by-step guide on how to start a blog. This will walk you through the process of setting your blog up in less than an hour!
Or you can join 10,000+ email subscribers and sign up for my free course, Blogging Bootcamp.
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