Are blogs relevant in today’s social media world?
I was asked the other day what non-horticulture attributes, or classes have helped me in my blogging. Really, there are few classes that helped with my writing. Looking back, perhaps a journalism class or English class where I paid attention might have been helpful. I find English a more enjoyable subject now, as I am interested in cleaning up my writing a bit.
The most important attribute however is passion. You have to want to communicate with others, which was the impetus for this blog. Really, that’s where we stand with all of social media today. To be effective you have to reach your intended audience. At first my blog was geared towards my customers, but it has since shifted to a trade blog. This is important as it has put me in contact with others in our trade that care, and can make a difference.
We are entering uncharted territory. The future is wrought with potential pitfalls, as well as tremendous upsides. The trade is changing before our eyes as unsustainable practices are dropped, and new methods are employed. The public will be continuing its interest in becoming self-sufficient as the economic conditions continue to deteriorate. We are winding down from 30 years of unsustainable growth in this country, and the winding down is/will be challenging. That’s where a blog can come in useful for a garden center. People will need information, humor, and a feeling of connection as they traverse this new world. While Facebook and Twitter offer a way to communicate to the customer, its questionable how they will be able to continue as competition and economics come into play. Your blog can be a “home” that folks can come back to again, and again. You can “own” your website and blog, you cannot “own” your Facebook Page.
I think it depends on the objective. For ongoing communication – yes. For an archive of searchable content – yes, as long as the content is something the person you want to find you would actually look for. Here’s a recent data chart, based on the objective of SEO, which may not be the primary objective of everyone, but should at least be considered. http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=32221
The question isn’t whether blogs are relevant. It’s whether you’re using an integrated communications approach. The blogs we post (a*k*a original content that resides on OUR website) are used as fodder for social media updates and e-newsletter articles. It’s all interconnected.
There will always be room for good writing regardless of the form it takes. Facebook and twitter only provide taste and tempt you towards the meat and potato of the subject intended. Blogs for me allow the writer to be free in the information they wish to give, without an editor of sorts cutting it back to what they feel is right. The most I’ve learnt from gardening wasn’t from a book or a class but from mine or other peoples experiences for which blogging is a great tool. I just started a blog for myself this year and have found that its model is constantly changing from journal, to reference, to soap box. Writing has become my therapy to poke fun at the lunacy of this industry, but isn’t something that could be attached to the business I work for at the risk of offending the customers that provide me with great subject matter. Where will my blog go in future is anyone’s guess but sometimes the journey is better than the destination. Still it’s my blog and it represents what I want to communicate at that point in time. Thank you for your thought provoking posts!
Robert,
Yes! I enjoy learning about many companies via their blog. Often, I find myself heading straight to a companies blog so as to see who is running the operation. It’s a peek at the “soul” behind the enterprise. I think too often business think that if a blog is not about the “business” side, no one will care.
I am also tiring of trying to be everywhere as once. What with Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, etc., the blog is like an old friend who accepts you for who you are, and allows you to be the person you where meant to be.
Keep writing, and we’ll see where it takes us.
Cheers!
“You can own your blog, but not our facebook page”.
Sez it all.
With all those irritating scripts making everything unfindable, anything posted to facebook has a shelf-life measured in hours.
A short shelf-life might appeal to people that say stuff without considering the ramifications, but to those of us that would like to just link to our conversation, rather than repeat stuff we’ve already said… FB leaves much to be desired.
Blogging is a new medium, it’s a skill that is still developing. Probably the thing that helps us to be skillful bloggers is the capacity to learn from our experiences, and notice how our efforts are received by others.
Not sure there’s too many classes that teach us to pay attention to our surroundings.
But… sign me up.
Blogs will continue to remain relevant as long as people don’t find a better medium to express themselves. Before social media became mainstream, blogging was the best way to connect with your audience. Even now, new blogs continue to be be created at an explosive pace and the trend is continue to grow in the foreseeable future.
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