Dateline: 19 October 2016
My extreme southern garden blogging friend, David The Good, announced today that he is giving up his daily blogging regimen. He will now blog only once a week. David's reasoning...
"My suspicion is that blogging is a dying medium. There is too much content out there and too many distractions competing for our attention. Who has time to do all the online reading they’d like to do? It’s easier to flip through Instagram or watch a YouTube video for most people."
I think he is absolutely right. Blogging is not as popular as it once was. There are so many blogs to read, and people really are too busy. Besides that, there is plenty of other internet media that is considerably easier to experience than reading a blog.
I came to this conclusion earlier this year after getting involved with a Facebook page. Far more people are looking at Facebook because it's faster to "consume." It's also more entertaining. There is much more visual amusement there. I'm not passing judgement. I'm just saying that it is clearly evident. And it is what it is.
The fact that precious few people read my blog writings became crystal clear when I left The Deliberate Agrarian blog and came here to Upland three months ago. The Deliberate Agrarian had an e-mail subscriber list of 1,356 people. But only 182 of those people have signed up for the e-mail subscription to this new blog. That means that 87% of the people I thought were reading my writings at The Deliberate Agrarian probably weren't actually reading it.
I blogged at The Deliberate Agrarian for 11 years and it has had 3,812,025 page views. Even though I'm no longer posting there, that blog had 1,2191 page views yesterday, while this blog had 388 page views yesterday. That 97% difference further underscores the fact that few people actually read this blog.
What are all the visitors reading at The Deliberate Agrarian? Well, most of the page views are of blog posts related to my Whizbang products, like the chicken plucker and the cider press.
One of the few non-business posts that has a LOT of views there is Delmar Ain't So Stupid. That's kind of nice to see, because it is one of the better essays I wrote there over those 11 years.
I'm not complaining. I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm not even looking for more readers. I'm just pointing out a reality that I find very interesting.
At this point, I have no intention of stopping my personal exercise in blogging. But I have been making an effort to keep my blog posts more visual and less wordy (this blog post being an exception).
If you are a regular reader here at Upland, you are among the few. And I appreciate you.
Now, I need to go figure out what this Instagram thing is all about.....
I prefer words to pictures myself. Is blogging a popularity contest or is it about creative expression? Of course if the purpose of a blog is to generate income, then traffic is extremely important. I guess everyone's reason for blogging is different. I checked out instagram, thanks for the link. Perhaps once people become saturated with images it too will start to decline?
ReplyDeleteEven though your Upland site is getting off to a slow start, I think blogging will create more enduring content that Google search likes. This may be one reason why your old site is still getting so much traffic -- it is well indexed by Google, and searches still find it. The social networking venues may provide more transient interest, but I think well written material will have long term value. Social networking sites may have use in pointing people to your blog, but I still think blogs is where enduring, valuable content lives. Guess it depends what your goals are ...
ReplyDeleteI did and do actually read you blog. I look forward to seeing something new pop up. I have followed you for....7 years. My favorite post was the writings of I think it was your grandmother or great grandmother. The one sentence musings she wrote.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Sherri, I prefer to read a story than watch a video, the only exception is when I am looking for instruction on how to do something, then I like words AND pictures/video. But Herrick you are correct in your observations, the vast majority of people like videos and can get them easily on their phones. I am constantly annoyed by video downloads every time I try to read a news article on the internet. Keep on blogging, people will find you.
ReplyDeleteI came right over when you made the announcement about changing locations - I just didn't sign up for the email because your posts pop up in my Blogger feed reader. I click right through as soon as I see new content.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed the decline of the blogosphere and more importantly, the sense of community and the quality of writing throughout it. I greatly appreciate those who still take the time to share important insights and do it with good quality writing; so thank you, many times over, for continuing to blog. Seeing your posts pop up makes my day!
I've been reading you for a long time. I have you saved in my favorites and visit all the time. Im not on the automatic subscription,and still have you listed as the Delibrate Argarian. Then just click over to The Upland. maybe others are viewing the same way. Love reading your stories about your family of long ago.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading you for a long time. I have you saved in my favorites and visit all the time. Im not on the automatic subscription,and still have you listed as the Delibrate Argarian. Then just click over to The Upland. maybe others are viewing the same way. Love reading your stories about your family of long ago.
ReplyDeleteHerrick, I have seen the same. I have a friend who has actually said he has lost the ability to read books because the information does not come fast enough. I find that unfortunate, as I think over time it lends itself to the inability to think critically.
ReplyDeleteI think another reason is simply that for many bloggers I have seen go dark, they have surrendered the fight for information. They see a darkness coming and having sounded the trumpet for as long as they feel able, they are retreating into the communities that they have set up, perhaps ready to emerge after whatever disaster they are concerned with has passed.
I blog as a personal exercise as well. It has becomes a valuable part of my day and so I continue to do it. But I must confess that even I am considering letting some of my other writing projects drift off. Literally, there seems to be no audience and after a while continuing to write in hopes of changing something and never reaching a soul dampens the ardor.
Keep writing friend. I appreciate it.
Elizabeth L Johnson said,
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of women made comments here. Women are generally word oriented. Women like very much to write and to read. We're "word" people. That's also because we're detail oriented. Words express details best (blogs); lots of words. Also, I bet most of blog readers are older. Including myself at 60 yrs old, we have more spare time, generally, to read a blog. Having been the product of a MUCH better public school system in the mid-1950s into the early seventies, until technology appeared (computers, internet, and Commoncore), penmanship, literature, and English grammar were regularly taught. Now the dept. of ed's commoncore has rid our public schools of penmanship, cursive writing, literature, and the classics of the world. Students learn that fast, quick texting and communicating are a necessity in our busy world: agrarian life slows one down. Melonie was right about the lack of community and writing without integrity. Thinking and reasoning are no longer taught. It takes time to reason.
I'd like to add my two cents of encouragement to go along with the comments listed above. Like several of the previous readers, I have not actually subscribed to your blog, yet I still pull up Upland nearly every day. I find the writing thought-provoking, challenging, and uplifting - in addition to it being educational and just plain fun to read. Keep posting, sir; we, your readers, do appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI read your new updates every time they are sent to me. I don't click on your actual blog very often because I'm on your e-mail list and they show up there. You are right about people becoming too lazy to read anymore. That is not a good thing. All this IM, and instagram, and YouTube, and texting, makes everyone lazy. Just read some of the messages. No one can even spell or punctuate anymore. They abbreviate everything so much it hardly makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to add my two cents as well. I haven't subscribed but I do though arrive here most days, just as I did at the Deliberate Agrarian site. Your writing is crisp, clean, greatly informative and (wonder of wonders in this world) written in actual English. My children call me the Grammar Nazi. I just feel that it isn't too much to ask that those born in this country obtain the ability to read, write and spell in their native language.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your writing past and present. I hope that you will continue in the future.
I have a list of blogs I can flip to but few I do often and yours here and before were one of them. I never subscribed but learned a lot and loved to see what you were up to and doing and thinking. You are honest and to the point. I never wasted any time coming to your blogs. I enjoyed them. I was worried when this post started that you might express that you too were thinking of stopping blogging. I want substance..not two sentence statements or the newest trends etc. I don't like Facebook for the most part. I come to blogs. I check out their u-tubes. Then I go and actually read a BOOK! Can you b believe that in todays world?? :-))))) I can't imagine having a blog and to keep writing often for it. I am not a writer. But I do appreciate your talent in doing so... :) Sarah
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog through a reader, and so while I almost always read your posts, I rarely click through. I discovered you when I started keeping chickens about 5 years ago, and have been very blessed by your writings ever since. While I have very much enjoyed your more philosophical posts, the ones that have really stuck with me are the nuts and bolts posts about your experiments and projects in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI don't see myself ever again using facebook for anything other than promoting my family's small business endeavors. Too much drama there, and it seems to have replaced the hoax-laden e-mail forwards from the earlier days of the internet. I sure do understand why you would want to find a way to actually interact with people online. I know that many bloggers have come to feel like they're talking to themselves these days.
Hello Herrick, I don't "chat" but I do love to read,listen & learn. Your blog on a scale of 1 to 10 is a 10. When I talk about any of your post with my husband I always call you "The Whizbang Dude". He knows immediately who I'm talking about. Cheers! Sheri Cline from Washington State
ReplyDeleteHerrick, do not stop blogging. Your blogs are full of innovative ideas that make us think. I suspect most of us have learned something here and I hope I've contributed a little in my responses. As an IT professional I will tell you that some in my field do not use social media. One reason is over privacy concerns but the bigger reason for me is that much of the social sites are "me" centered and designed for instant gratification. Gardening and the natural life are not instant. It takes time and work and patience. If we focus on ourselves we loose sight of what we're doing. I work around lots of young people during the week and can also tell you that the self-absorption is discouraging. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. are either the cause of this or a reflection of it or both - I can't really say for sure.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I'm getting at is that your blogs are full of valuable information that must be properly digested and thought about. I don't want a 5 second snippet of how to grow a carrot - I want more in depth knowledge - like the series on cover crops - that took some time but it was worth it and so are your blogs. I will keep reading as long as you keep writing. Thanks for blogging Herrick.
Herrick,
ReplyDeleteI'm not signed up as a subscriber, but I've "liked" your facebook page, and so when I see on facebook that you've posted something, I head over here.
I garden, I preserve the food from my garden, and I cook from scratch. I know there are other people out there that do these things, but I know none of them in real life.
Many gardening books and gardening blogs are full of surface information. They do not ask "why", or "what if".
So I read your blog as a kindred spirit, and as someone who is looking for answers to questions. You are truly appreciated.
I started to respond but let me be succinct and just say "What W. said"
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how reads are counted. I use a service to read blogs called Feedly. It aggregates all of my 180+ blogs that I follow all in one place. I for one still enjoy reading blogs and still follow many of them. I will actually still go back and read blogs that are no longer updated just for the fun of it.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am not sure how reads are counted, but I have Upland bookmarked and check it at least weekly (more, now that I'm retired). PLEASE don't stop blogging; your writing is so full of valuable and interesting insights!
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm surprised at the response to this blog post! Such a variety of insights. And encouragement. Thank you, all.
ReplyDeleteI have no intention of stopping my blog writings. But they will surely ebb and flow with the vagaries of my life.
Here's a visual for you... When I think of Facebookers and Bloggers, it reminds me of so many roosters, each on top of their own barnyard manure pile, crowing to the world.
:-)
I'm not on the email list because I just don't like getting emails like that. If I got on the email list for all of my favorite groups, I'd just be deleting them because I read the feeds for them daily. You are on my feeds list and I read all of your posts unless I somehow miss getting online for a day. I was amused the other day when a friend sent me the link to one of your articles that I had just finished reading.
ReplyDeleteHello Herrick,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Upland. I do not subscribe; I have Upland Google Chrome bookmarked. I almost quit my blog back in August, but restarted it after a few week hiatus. I do not know about you, but as the author of a tiny blog, I find that only about 2% of my unique visitors have ever commented. After reading this, I decided to include a few pics in my last post (on shotguns for homesteading and defense). Keep up the good work at Upland!
Hi -
ReplyDeleteI bet a lot of people are like me - they don't sign up for subscription and have simply bookmarked your page. I go back and read the DA posts often - there's so much there. Following your Canoe story link, I just spent a couple of hours over there reading your Getting Started essays which led me down other rabbit holes :) Did you move to the new site due to technical limitations using the older blog version/software? None of my business - but why'd you move after 11 years? Nothing wrong with reassessing and moving back to where you began if so inclined. There's so much great content over there and you've built a very large group of DA readers.
Regards,
Muns
OK I see - I read Post 1 - you decided to move away from the political writings. Well I always agreed with your political posts and it was sort of fun periodically reading the indignant posts from the horde.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Muns
Definitely don't count readership only by email subscriptions. I use the Atom feed over there ---> under 'Subscribe' and it shows up in Feedly, so I rarely visit the site directly.
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ReplyDeleteHi Herrick, I gotta say, I'm glad you are still around. Sad to say, I haven't been keeping up on your posting for several years, as I get sidetracked too easily. Spending too much time learning things related to the business I'm building.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I was actually talking about you to someone yesterday and sent her links to your old blog. Figured I'd do some reading today and got quite the scare on the sideline post mentioning the passing of the deliberate agrarian. Thought you were gone...
I'll definitely be making a concerted effort to check in more frequently and get caught up. Your writing is enjoyable to read but difficult for me to pry myself away from so I spend hours getting caught up. Not to mention getting sidetracked if I visit the sites you link to.
To be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever get caught up with everything you've put out there since my reading fell off, lol.
But as many have already stated, I much prefer to read over doing facebook and similar, and I'm not much of a video watcher either. I'll be checking yours out, though, as I have time because I expect I'll learn quite a lot.
Keep it up, and I'm glad you are still around.
Tracy
I use Netvibes to keep track of all my blogs (if I can, some don't enable their RSS). Do you know I read it there? I feel like it can't possibly ping anything when I read blogs through the reader, and I feel bad, because I live and breathe blogs. I'm just starting out on my homesteading journey and know I have so much to learn. I appreciate everything you've written.
ReplyDeleteHerrick, I am a long-time follower of yours. I wanted to weigh-in with a different perspective of why people may not be reading as much. I loved the Deliberate Agrarian because it was about culture AND agriculture. It was a message that interested me. Now the message has changed and I am not as interested in the new material as I was the old material. Regardless, good luck with your new blog. I miss the "good old days" at the Deliberate Agrarian and still check in there from time to time. Thank you for keeping it up and available. Best of wishes, Sherri.
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