The Resurgence of Blogging: How to Thrive in a Video-Dominated World

Back when I first started in this industry more than a decade ago, blogging was just becoming popular. The experts unanimously declared that you couldn't be a successful author without a blog. Blogs were all the rage. Everyone was engaged in guest posts, interviews, book reviews, blog hops, and monetization. Whenever you needed information, you’d Google it, and a billion and one blogs would pop up!

In the early 2010s, the blogosphere was a bustling metropolis of creativity and information sharing. Bloggers were the influencers of the day, crafting long-form content that resonated with readers across the globe.  Almost daily there was a new blog popping up, and the excitement surrounding new templates and designs was a really fun time. 

According to Technorati’s 2013 Digital Influence Report, blogs were among the top five sources of trustworthy information for consumers, with 31% of online users finding blogs credible. The personal touch and in-depth insights provided by bloggers made them a reliable source for niche interests and expert opinions.

However, somewhere along the way, blogs began to fade. I'm not exactly sure when or why, but I’ve seen a lot of successful bloggers step away. Blogs that were once "the spot" to be are no longer active. Nowadays, everyone is saying you need to be on YouTube, TikTok, or doing a podcast if you want to be successful.

But is that really true? I'm not so sure. Yes, if video content is your thing, then go do it and have fun! But if you're anything like me, you prefer the safety of the keyboard rather than the spotlight of the camera. Surely, there's still a place for us bloggers, right?

In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards visual and audio content. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts have exploded in popularity. A study by Cisco predicted that by 2022, online videos would make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic, 15 times higher than it was in 2017. 

The ease of consumption and the engaging nature of videos have contributed to this shift. Podcasts have also seen a surge, with Edison Research reporting in 2020 that 37% of Americans aged 12 and older listen to podcasts monthly, up from 24% in 2017.

Despite the rise of these new media forms, my recent experience has given me hope that blogging as a creative art form isn’t as dead as I thought (and as everyone says). Last year, I participated in the Back-to-School Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, a blog hop where readers would hop from one blog to the next, gathering clues to complete a phrase that would then enter them into a drawing for several prizes.

I’ll admit that when I joined, it was out of nostalgia for the good old days when these were so popular, but I really didn’t expect much. However, I’ve never been happier to be wrong!

That single post garnered upward of 500 views, 50-ish comments, and I gained quite a few new newsletter subscribers. I also saw an uptick in downloads of my first book, Eternal Curse, which is permanently free. For me, this was extremely successful and very reminiscent of years ago when these types of promotions were so popular.

This experience has reinforced my belief that there is still a place for bloggers. I, for one, am not giving up on mine. In fact, I'm re-devoting more time and effort to growing this blog. I've set up a regular blogging schedule with helpful, engaging content. 

I know the landscape of blogging has changed, and to still be effective, I need to keep adapting as well. But I'm hopeful for the future, which isn't an either or. Blogging shouldn't be competing with video or audio platforms but enhancing those. Just like there's enough room for every author and book, there's enough room for all types of content platforms! 

What do you think is the future of blogging? Is there still a place for it? 

Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments!