I’ve been thinking about this post for a long time. I haven’t written anything ‘ meaningful’ on my blog for a while, because blogging has changed for me.
When I started sharing things years ago I hardly had any followers and never cared too much about what people thought. But in this past year, I’ve found it hard to call this blog ‘my space’. I have changed the way I blog and doubt I’ll ever go back to those days where I let you in on my daily up’s and down’s. However, in the odd post I HAVE written where I am feeling down, they are usually the one’s that rate the highest. Funny that. We Aussie’s are a funny bunch and for some reason we love it when people are feeling down.
Blogging doesn’t feel the same any more. There are heaps of reasons. I’ve thought about this… There are a lot of categories for bloggers (lifestyle, food, travel, writers) and it’s hard to measure one against the other. People have great layouts, great photos, great content and it’s hard to keep up.
I’m swamped with a list of blogs I love. Blogging has become a fierce competition. There are lots of swimmers and a tonne of sinkers. The sinkers are mean-spirited people and this is why blogging has changed for me. Those that believe their blog should be doing better (and it isn’t) will always knock those that are doing well.
Another obvious reason blogging has changed is because there’s suddenly money to be made. About 12 months ago the blogging and getting paid relationship barely existed. Money makes people strange – it always has… again, this is why there are swimmers and sinkers (the sinkers hate those that are making money). NB. I barely make anything out of my blog, so you can all stop thinking that. I’ve done 1-2 sponsored posts and I have a couple of advertisers in the sidebar. Not raking it in.
It’s really obvious that The Remarkable Group has been the leader in changing the blogging game. Ok, now you’re wondering what I am going to say here… Not for one second am I bagging The Remarkable’s. That’s not my style. I do like a lot of the bloggers in that group. I read some of their blogs, I see them at events… All I am saying is that they’ve brought money to the table. They’ve changed the blogging game as they’ve discovered there is serious money to be made. And I say good for them. But like I said, money makes people strange and jealous.
So competition amongst bloggers is getting wild. Commenting has decreased and twitter is hard to be involved in (it can turn on you in a second). Currently I am finding Instagram the happiest and nicest place to be.
Lately, all I’ve wanted to blog about are airy-fairy things. I skirt around issues, I ignore meaningful stuff and I don’t feel like having an opinion. There’s piles of issues I see on twitter which I’d normally be dying to write about (the prank call, questions to Mia Freedman about paying writers, the endless breastfeeding debates.. blah blah… there’s always something), but I never feel like sharing any more.
Then I wonder if what I am doing here is really ‘blogging‘? Am I turning this space in to a ‘website with changing content?‘ What IS the definition of a blogger these days? Are you a blogger if you write paragraphs and share your up’s and downs? Or should you be called a ‘business blogger’ if you make money from this place with a domain name?
I know there is vitriol floating around about bloggers at the moment. We don’t seem to be getting a good wrap. Jealous people have flocked to a forum to throw some stones at any blogger who earns over $1 for their blog. Lots of us have seen the discussions and I am predicting legal action over there soon. Such a shame.
I am not a writer and I’ve curbed my sharing. I love to shop, I love interiors, I love gadgets and I love reality tv. I’m a Mum to 3 boys who drive me crazy. These are the topics I want to write about. I know you still come to visit. And I love that you do! But for me, the game has changed. I feel safer and more at ease when I only share with you the fun times in my life.
So now, that I’ve shared these feelings, I will probably open myself up to criticism. I may block you, delete your comment, out you, or delete this post at any time. Because I can and will. I have got tougher. This is just how I feel. If you feel different, then that’s ok, but I don’t feel like having a huge discussion about it.
Be kind to each other. Let people do what they want to do without judging. Let people make money, talk about their kids, wear what they want… let people feel safe. Support each other. There’s enough money, domain names, readers in this world for us all to have happy and successful blogs.
If, at the end of the day, you go to bed happy with everything you’ve done, then whatever anyone else thinks doesn’t count.
Thanks for reading my blog every day. X