Blogging

The Golden Age of Tech Blogging is Over. Not a Chance!

By Mark Evans in Blogs 1 Comment Tags: , ,

Apparently, the “golden age” of tech blogging is over. Yup, that’s it. Just six years after blogging caught fire, Jeremiah Owyang has declared tech blogging has arrived at a sad juncture.

It has something to do with a few large tech blogs (TechCrunch, ReadWriteWeb and Engadget) being acquired, several burnt-out bloggers (Ben Parr, Marshall Kirkpatrick, etc.) leaving for greener pastures, shorter attention spans among consumers, and new business models that make it more difficult for tech bloggers to carve out a living.

You have to give Owyang credit for publishing a post with a catchy headline during a slow news week, but I’ll politely take issue with his thesis. While it has been amazing to see such vibrant and extensive coverage of technology over the past years, how does Owyang know it was the “golden age”?

What we’ve seen is thousands of new players offer extensive coverage of a fast-moving industry. Having written about tech since 1995, it has been great to see so much activity for a sector that I’ve been so enthusiastic about and involved in.

But just because a few large blogs get acquired, which I think spawned Owyang’s thesis, doesn’t mean tech blogging landscape is dramatically changing or it’s entering a less interesting or lucrative period.

Change is Constant

The realty about technology is change is constant. Nothing stays the same or lasts forever. Companies come and go, blogs emerge out of nowhere and then disappear. Tech analysts become big stars, and then fade in the background. It’s the nature of the beast.

Rather than buying into the idea, the “golden age” has come to an end, I think the tech blogging market is evolving after a terrific run. It’s natural to see some more large blogs be acquired because success attracts higher valuations, which rewards entrepreneurs for all their hard work.

It’s completely understandable that some high-profile bloggers are moving on given the pressure of having to generate multiple posts a day because the business models of many large blogs hinge on volume, volume and more volume.

And shouldn’t be surprising to see business models evolve but, truth be told, most bloggers don’t blog to make money, and those who do will find new ways to generate revenue.

Another Golden Age?

Finally, there will be a new breed of tech blogs that will replace the old guard and revitalize the tech blogosphere. They will approach the market with new energy, enthusiasm and ideas, which could create another “golden age” of tech blogging.

That’s the funny thing about the tech world – just when you think nothing could top what has unfolded, it just keeps on getting better.

Given the time of year, perhaps Owyang is feeling sentimental about the “good old days” of blogging but as someone who has been hammering away here since 2004, I can tell you that blogs come and go, stars are made and flame out, and tech blogging has never stayed in one place too long.

Is “Just” Blogging Going to be Enough?

By Mark Evans in Blogs 7 Comments Tags: , ,

As someone who spent nearly 15 years as an ink-stained newspaper reporter, my passion is writing, which explains why I produce lots of content for this blog, the Sysomos blog and my Globe & Mail “Start” column.

I pound out the words, find an interesting image, and hit “publish”. Done.

I’m starting to think, however, it might not be enough to simply write blog posts. In many ways, I’m starting to feel my content needs to have more variety to engage readers and deliver different types of stories.

It’s one of the reasons why I have been actively exploring the idea of video recently – a hat tip to Marcus Sheridan who contends the only way to get good at making videos is by doing them.

Truth be told, I haven’t done many videos because it’s not part of my “reporting DNA”. I’m a notetaker, not a video guy.But I think that is going to change for a few reasons: Video is sexy content. People like videos, Google likes videos, and it is a different way to tell stories. Video is also easy. I just got a iPhone 4S, dug up my Kodak Zi6, and started mucking around with iMovie.

My interest in exploring the world beyond words was captured by Trevor Young in a blog post for Edelman Australia. He talked about bloggers becoming “micro-publishers”, who deliver content in multiple ways: blogs, videos, newsletters, photos, etc.

Perhaps this represents the evolution of blogging as opposed to Young’s suggestion “it’s the end of blogging as we know it”. As blogging matures, it needs to become a richer, more compelling and engaging experience. Social media has changed how people consume content, while video has become ubiquitous and user-friendly for both consumers and creators.

The challenge for many bloggers is shifting editorial gears. Those of us happy behind the keyboard will have to adopt new tools, embrace the idea that video is as powerful a medium as words, and look to tell stories differently.

For some of us, it may not be an easy transition because we’re so used to creating content in a particular way. For others, having new ways to tell stories will be a positive thing. It will be a refreshing editorial challenge, it will force us to learn new tools, change how to “report”, and provide audiences with new insight and perspective.

Personally, I’m excited about becoming a multi-dimensional storyteller because change is good. While I will continue to be a hard-core  blogging advocate, blogs that stand out from the crowd will have different editorial angles. This is not to suggest people who stick to words will be left behind but I do think offering posts and other kinds of content is an attractive option for bloggers and blog readers.

What do you think? Is text enough for bloggers?

Why Blogging Never Loses its Mojo

By Mark Evans in Blogs 2 Comments Tags: , ,

In the scheme of things, blogging is a labour of love. It takes a lot of time and effort to consistently generate posts that provide value.

So it was interesting to read Mitch Joel’s blog post about what blogging has offered him over the past eight years, which seems like an eternity in the scheme of things. It got me thinking about this blog, which I started on a whim in 2004 (originally using Blogware).

At first, the goal was to simply understand the buzz about blogging. But it quickly became more compelling and time-consuming. And while the focus on the blog has evolved from VoIP to Web 2.0 to social media and start-ups, it has never lost its appeal.

So what does blogging offer that keeps me going after more than 3,700 posts? Here’s a few ideas:

1. A love of writing. I’ve always enjoyed writing, and spent 15 years as a newspaper reporter, which meant writing articles on a regular basis. After leaving journalism for good in 2006, blogging has kept my hand in the game and provided the opportunity to write about things that interest me.

2. Content marketing: As a believer in the idea that content is king, I see content as a powerful marketing tool. A blog offers a platform to show existing and potential clients what you’re interested in and your insight. It gives people a good sense of how you think, which hopefully sets the stage for them to reach out for more information or a conversation.

3. The ability to participate in interesting conversations: The fascinating thing about the tech world is that change is constant. One day, the BlackBerry is the king of the world, the next it’s struggling to stay viable. HP is in the tablet game, then it’s out. Having a blog provides a great way to be engaged and involved as opposed to sitting on the sidelines.

4. Blogs are more rewarding intellectually than Twitter or Facebook. I’ve always contended that blogs are dinner, while Facebook and Twitter are dessert. Blogs are substantial and filling, while dessert is something you taste rather than get nutritional from.

5. Blogs are a body of work that can repurposed into a variety of things. The content can be used for a book, newsletters, magazine articles and presentations. Blogs generate a lot of editorial goodness.

It is difficult to sustain a blog, which explains why so many are abandoned. But they generate so many benefits that it has never dawned on me to walk about from MET. In many respects, a blog is part of your personal and professional journey, and it feels like there’s a long way left to go.

 

Why Blogging is Social Media’s VIP

By Mark Evans in Blogs, Social Media 3 Comments Tags: , , ,

BlogAs an enthusiastic blogger, it is somewhat discouraging to see blogs lose some of their lustre amid the fascination (obsession?) with Facebook and Twitter.

As someone who has been consistently blogging here and other places for the past seven years, I have always argued that blogs are the most powerful social media medium because they offer a way for people to provide insight, perspective and information. In a fast-paced, multi-tasking world, it takes time to create and read blog posts but they offer tremendous value for bloggers and readers.

That said, I’m probably biased because I’m a writer by profession, having spent more than 10 years as a newspaper reporter. As a result, writing a blog seems natural and the posts tend to flow. For many people, however, writing can be time-consuming and laborious, making it challenging to consistently write blog posts.

Nevertheless, I believe the ROI of blogs makes them compelling. They provide an opportunity to build a personal or corporate brand, establish domain expertise, showcase insight and thoughts, participate in the conversations of the day, and boost your SEO.

In the wake of my blog bullishness, it was heartening to see Hugh MacLeod declare in a recent blog post that he was giving up Facebook and Twitter to “reclaim” blogging. Here’s how Hugh explained his decision:

“Because Facebook and Twitter are too easy. Keeping up a decent blog that people actually want to take the time to read, that’s much harder. And it’s the hard stuff that pays off in the end. Besides, even if they’re very good at hiding the fact, over on Twitter and Facebook, it’s not your content, it’s their content.”

MacLeod is making a fairly radical move given how Facebook and Twitter have become integral parts of our digital activity, particularly for an entrepreneur such as MacLeod who could benefit by having a presence in the biggest social markets. But I think MacLeod’s motivations have much to do with the fact that blogs are an opportunity to stand out from the crowd given it’s so easy for post an update or tweet. Sure, blogs take more work but for anyone willing to commit themselves to blogging, there are a variety of benefits.

My belief in the value and power of blogging makes writing posts a joy – at least most of the time. It’s an investment and it takes time but it is also tremendously rewarding. Unlike MacLeod, I’m not going to give up Twitter or Facebook, although blogging is where most of my social energy goes. At the end of the day, it’s the most satisfying and fun, and it’s the perfect vehicle to show potential clients what and how I think.

Looking for Blog Post Inspiration?

By Mark Evans in Blogs, Social Media 1 Comment Tags: , ,

IdeasIn writing two blogs and an online column, I create more than 40 items a month. It may not be the volume generated by writers working for big-time blogs such as TechCrunch or GigaOm but it’s, nevertheless, a lot of content.

The challenge is coming up with ideas for blog posts that provide some kind of value and insight. At times, it can be a struggle when the creative juices aren’t flowing. At other times, it can be easy when the ideas just come rumbling down the pipe.

There are a variety of techniques I use to trawl for and generate ideas for blog posts. What I’m seeking is sparks, tidbits or food for thought.

1. Twitter: I don’t follow a lot of people (about 350) but I try to focus on people who tweet about things I find interesting and relevant to my professional world. I try not to spend too much time on Twitter because it’s a productivity-killer but I scan my stream on a fairly regular basis looking for ideas. I often “favorite” tweets that have the potential to become blog posts.

2. Newspapers: Yes, it’s old school but newspapers are an efficient way to scan through a lot of information. I’m mostly focused on the business section but often find good material in the news, life or entertainment sections. I use the “rip and read” technique by ripping out interesting stories to look at later.

3. Conversations: In talking with other people, you’re tapping into a new world of potential ideas, even if they aren’t involved in the Web and social media. When I’m having lunch with someone, for example, I’m often taking mental notes about potential blog posts. In an ideal world, I’d attend more conferences because that’s when the ideas for blogs can come in waves.

4. Reading: I consume a lot of content – both off-line and online – with different goals. Sometimes, it’s for information, sometimes it’s search related to a client, and sometimes, it’s just for ideas. Sometimes, I’ll read a good blog post, and then provide my own take (while, of course, providing credit and a link to the original blog).

5. Clients: When I’m working with clients, it pretty common for blog post ideas to pop up that have to do with different issues being tackled. The trick is writing a blog post without referring to what a client is doing so they tend to be about high-level issues or trends that are relevant to many companies.

What techniques or approaches do you use to come up with blog post ideas?

How to Compete With Big-Time Tech Blogs

By Mark Evans in Blogs 4 Comments Tags: , ,

In a word: don’t.

Going head to head with major tech blogs such as Mashable, TechCrunch, ReadWriteWeb and GigaOm is a fools’ game. They have too many people at their beck and call, they pump out way to much content, and they’re far more connected.

In other words, trying to compete against them as a go-to resource is madness.

So how can us regular bloggers be topical, timely and relevant to people looking for insight and information? Here’s a few tips:

1. Don’t jump on the bandwagon. When news breaks (e.g. the launch of Google+), you know there’s going to be a tsunami of blog and traditional media coverage as everyone decides to provide some kind of opinion. Rather than joining the fray, stay away.

2. Take a deep breath, wait a few hours or perhaps a few days, and then write a post that benefits from having time to think. This lets you provide new or different perspective that has a better chance of standing out from the crowd.

A good example is a post I did on HootSuite’s surpassing two million users. Rather than writing about this benchmark, I took a different approach with a post suggesting HootSuite was Canada’s biggest online success story. Even though the post appeared a day after the news broke, it attracted a lot of attention.

3. Write against the grain. When everyone is blogging about Google+, it might more sense to focus on another topic that is getting less attention.

4. Be true to the things that interest you as opposed to chasing the news. If you’re focused on a particular topic, stay focused rather than shifting gears. This lets you do what you do best and, as important, meet the needs of your readers.

5. Be happy, don’t worry. Don’t worry if you’re not blogging about the new, shiny thing capturing all the attention. There’s so much happening that it’s okay to say “pass” until a story that really interests you comes along.

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