5 reasons blogging is still relevant in 2022
We know the chance to hear unique voices is more important than ever at the moment, but is blogging still the way to put your ideas across in 2022?
The art form itself is practically as old as the Internet and offers individuals a chance to share their passions with an audience of like-minds. Around ten years ago, though, it was picked up by companies as a part of their marketing arsenal.
As a personal blogger, how can you ensure your blog stands the best chance in 2022? Let’s look at five things that prove blogging is still relevant in 2022, and how you can use them to influence how you write your own blog.
Our top 5 reasons blogging is still relevant
Interested in blogging? Here are the top reasons we think it’s still a great idea.
1. The stats speak for themselves
Internet stats are often so vast they lack meaning or application. Even so, when you see 409 million blogs are still read per month across 20 billion blog sites, it almost immediately answers the question ‘is blogging still relevant in 2022’ with a resounding yes. And we still have 4 to go!
It’s a big pie, and it’s your job to find a way to carve out a teensy slice. Working out exactly how to do that can be fun in itself.
2. The blog format
Light, skimmable content is perfect blog fodder. As a medium unto itself — not quite as throwaway as a magazine, not quite as dry as a Wikipedia entry or academic article — the blog offers something unique. It hits that glorious sweet spot between informative and informal.
They’re a place readers know they can find answers quickly, in a way that’s easy to understand, and one that’s highly consumable. Blogs tend to incorporate an element of fun (say, a ‘top 5 list’) to capture attention and inspire readthrough to the end in a moreish way.
3. Relatable, insuppressible content
Even company blogs tend to be written in a manner that conveys personality. Personality makes things relatable to other humans. While writers are likely to have an agenda, or show bias, the deep sense of the person beneath the words allows readers to agree or disagree with them. And both can be good! Provoking a reaction is what writing in this space is all about.
From a company standpoint, where readers might reserve more skepticism towards the ‘views’ of a company, an individual writer will exude an authenticity that transcends their words, and therefore has a great (okay, let’s agree on moderate) influence on the reader.
Not only this but, as we mentioned in the first line, freedom of expression is more important than ever. Blogs are perhaps the one written medium that allows succinct and articulate points to be made by anyone and published for everyone. There is no censorship in personal blogs, and this can be a huge virtue in a world where so many news outlets have agendas. This is something we should cling to, and nurture to ensure it doesn’t ever die out.
4. Constant evolution
Ever since their conception just over 20 years ago, blogs have been constantly evolving. Initially, they were almost like diaries (or ‘logs’), hence the eventual merge/contraction of web and log into ‘blog’. It was only around 10 years ago that they were properly picked up as the form of marketing they’re so often used as today. But they’re still evolving, and it seems unlikely they’ll stop, as long as people find new ways to share information online.
It’s this constant evolution that sees them stay fresh, and find new uses, audiences, and potential. Some are enduring, others are not. One thing is clear though, they are currently an integral part of the arsenal of tools used by influencers.
Indeed, some of the biggest influencers are bloggers. Companies use influencer bloggers for several reasons. Mainly, to reach the audience of the influencer, who will have been chosen specifically because of the audience they attract.
But beyond this, endorsements have value in and of themselves. When you’re googling a review for a free-standing mixer, who do you trust more? An influencer chef who is also passionate about the product, and uses it every day, or the company that makes it? An influencer review blog also comes with the added benefit of the influencers picking up on something they love about the product that might be missed by a marketing department who don’t use it every day.
Blogs aren’t just evolving because of influencers, though. The content of blogs themselves is always changing. Think of how many blogs these days include mixed media (videos, audio, recipes, even unique photos, and artwork).
By following the trends, you’ll notice what others do, and even start applying some of your own unique ideas. You will be part of the evolution of blogs themselves. And where there’s still evolution, there is definitely still opportunity.
5. The infinite nature of niches
It’s highly likely that we’ve all read a blog in the last few weeks (in fact, it’s 100% guaranteed that you are right now).
But elsewhere, whether it was a food blog, product review, a guide to something technical, an opinion piece to make sure you were definitely right to hate that film — the blog is very much a medium we relate to. But it’s so infinite. There’s a blog out there on just about anything. It far surpasses mainstream thoughts and ideas. Whole communities of enthusiasts can be founded around a niche blog. And the best way to find audiences like this is simply to write about what you love. Because if you can demonstrate passion, originality, and an untapped angle, an audience will follow.
Of course, it’s also good to remember that, if you’re so inclined, promoting blog content on social media is relatively inexpensive compared to other things. Use Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to create a page for your blog, and then sponsor posts or content to draw in readers.
So, are blogs still relevant in 2022?
Based on our top five, the answer is a resounding yes. Blogs will continue to have a place for as long as they continue to evolve. Not every blog will be a huge success, but there are no guarantees of success in anything before you try. And one thing’s for sure, you fail at 100% of the things you don’t try. With so many blogging platforms to choose from, save yourself from overwhelm and wasted time by finding out which platform might work best for you.
Then, let us help you get your blog site online. This Bloggers’ Week, we’re celebrating with huge discounts on everything you need to start the perfect blog, vlog, or website. Give your voice a home with up to 95% off everything you need, and never look back.
One more thing to mention is that a blog has more of a feeling of accountability than a social media post as it’s on your site, not a generic platform. As such it is likely to be better trusted, which is increasingly important!
I needed to read this. Thanks for sharing.