Araz Gholami

These days I often hear people say that social media has caused blogging—and more importantly, the hyperlink, the very foundation of the web—to slowly fade away. I completely disagree, because here’s how I see it:

Back when social media wasn’t so widespread, those who truly had something to say were busy blogging. Alongside them, there were also the casual writers—people who blogged not because they had something meaningful to share, but because there wasn’t any other platform available to post their daily lives and random thoughts. As social media grew, that group left their blogs behind and moved to platforms that better matched their style. Photoblogs closed and turned into Instagram profiles, diary-style bloggers moved to Twitter, show-offs headed to Facebook, and so on. A big chunk of blogs shut down or were abandoned. I’m not even talking here about those who turned their blogs into magazines just to make money.

So what happened? We assumed blogging had died. But if you look closely, those who had something real to say and were blogging back then are still blogging today. They’re still sharing ideas, linking to other content, and actively engaging with fellow bloggers. All that really happened was the casual crowd disappeared.

If that’s the reason you’ve been holding back from blogging, it’s time to rethink it with this perspective. If you have something to say, blogging is not only alive—it’s more alive than ever. The tools and platforms are better. Blog designs are more attractive and functional. And best of all, you can now publish your posts anytime and anywhere straight from your phone.

Related:
Write for Your Audience, Not Your Competitors