I started blogging in 2013 at a time when Google+ was on the rise and Instagram existed solely for personal use (and the default filters were all the rage). Every time I have tried to pick blogging back up over the past 2 or 3 years, I notice the way blogging has changed and it makes it harder and harder to get back into it. Sometimes it makes me wish I never stopped and other times it makes me not want to come back at all.
Back in the day, ‘5 Reasons’ or ‘5 Ways’ used to be some of my favorite posts to write. So, in classic blogger fashion, here are 5 ways that blogging has changed since I started in 2013.
1 | Bloglovin’
First on the list is Bloglovin’. This has been a burning question in my mind for quite sometime. Does ANYONE use Bloglovin’ anymore, and does it matter?!
It used to be such a big deal to be on Bloglovin’ to help grow your readership. Having a large following on Bloglovin’ was also a significant sign of how successful a blogger’s page was. I remember finding new blogs to follow and basing my perception of popular blogs and bloggers off of how large their followings were. Although I still use Bloglovin’ daily to read some of my favorite blogs, I don’t feel it is as popular.
2 | Link ups
Link ups are a fun way to build community and find bloggers in your same niche. They also help drive traffic to your blog posts and encourage engagement. But, do they still exist today? Does anyone partake in them? I used to love (and host) a fun link up each month called Through the Lens.
3 | Passionfruit Ads
Yes. For those who have been blogging as long as I have (or maybe even longer), you are certainly beyond familiar with Passionfruit Ads. Passionfruit was a platform primarily for bloggers used to set up and sell sponsorship programs or sponsored ads to other bloggers or businesses. Passionfruit made it easy to set up an ad account, work with other bloggers and get paid.
After starting up blogging again after 2 years off, I googled this company and couldn’t believe the articles I had found about them. Scamming people and ultimately shutting down?! I used to swear by advertising via Passionfruit and offered several sponsorship programs through them for my own blog. Talk about a downfall and speaking of sponsorships…this brings me to my next way blogging has changed.
4 | Blogging Sponsorships and Blog Buttons
Sponsoring other blogs in return for sidebar ad space, guest blog posts or features was also very popular in 2013. Bloggers were able to gain a lot of exposure through advertising on other bloggers websites which in turn helped them connect with more bloggers! I was very fortunate to meet many great bloggers through sponsorships.
Most of the bloggers I met I am still following and friends with today. The more I write about blogging in 2013, the more I am reminded of how the internet and technology is constantly changing and developing. I guess in some ways, the progression of the internet is kind of like raising a child. Just when you start to gain familiarity and a routine with your baby, baby enters a new stage of development and changes again. When you think you understand the best way to grow and promote your blog, Social Media goes ahead and creates a new platform you need to be on.
Next up: Instagram.
5 | Instagram
Instagram. This platform was almost brand new when I started blogging. Instagram was so new that I didn’t even use it to promote my blog (I’m not sure anyone did at that time?). Twitter, Facebook and Bloglovin’ were my social media mediums of choice.
Instagram has completely changed the game by bringing to life a new type of blogger. Micro-bloggers, Influencers and celebrity influencers. Its mind-blowing, “Instagram influencers can receive payments ranging from free product to $1 million dollars” according to this article. That’s an incredibly large range. Being in marketing and a creative by nature, Instagram is by far one of my personal favorite platforms (ready for the plug? follow me here).
Blogging for 2020
All in all, blogging has changed in many ways since 2013. How could it not? But, there are still many aspects of blogging that have remained the same.
Bloggers continue to seek and build community with one another and to create new content. We work hard to learn and embrace different platforms and unknown algorithms. I left blogging in 2015 and came back in 2017. I suppose I just couldn’t live without it!
How long have you been blogging? What changes have you noticed?
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