Remember Google Reader? Remember how much we all loved it? This was totally the way I organized my sewing blogs. This was how I kept up with friends. And when Reader went away, I had a tough time getting back on the horse.
There are some blogs I know and love and type the URL into my browser to go straight there. Others, though, I found through links or Pinterest or tips from someone else, and I saved them–to my Reader. When Reader went away, we all had the chance to export our lists, and could transfer our blogs over to another reader. Problem was, like so many folks, my Reader had gotten a little bloated, and I just had WAY too many blogs to move over. I wanted to start fresh.
We never know how great we have it until we don’t have it any more, right? I thought I was so smart! Dumping all my old list and starting from scratch! But I lost a lot of great links in the process, and I feel like I don’t see some of the really amazing things going on around the sewing blog internet now. So much of my interaction with other sewing folks has moved to Instagram, which I do adore–it’s true micro-blogging, and gives us all a chance to share a SINGLE image (no more laborious tutorials!) and get instant gratification (no more waiting for comments to appear!). But I miss the DEPTH of content I found on all those blogs, you know? The more thoughtful posts.
They’re still out there, but as someone who still writes semi-regularly, I find I have vastly fewer interactions on individual posts than I used to. I hate blogs that have turned into a zillion giveaways and product promotions, and I’ve worked hard not to have mine become that–and still, fewer people come by and leave a comment or interact than they used to. Traffic hasn’t gone down all that much–folks are still coming and LOOKING–but comments are way down, and that’s such a bummer.
There have been piles of articles written about this phenomenon, but I wonder about sewing blogs specifically. Do you think that sewing blogs are losing steam? Or are outdated? Are sewing blogs a thing of the past, and people really just want to skip from place to place and find resources without really interacting?
I’d love to hear what you think. How do you view and interact with sewing blogs these days–regularly, or as a periodic resource? And for the very few blogs that you wait longingly to see a new post on, WHAT IS IT that makes you mentally bookmark that blog, no Reader necessary, and head back again and again?
image via Authormedia
Accacia
November 3, 2014 at 1:43 pmI use feedly to keep up with sewing blogs. I also really liked google reader, but have gotten used to using feedly.
Deborah
November 3, 2014 at 2:12 pmI use Feedly now, too, but I have found that I am much less likely to comment through that format than I was in the past. Do you find yourself clicking through on Feedly to leave notes or to let bloggers know you’re there? Hmmmm….
Samina
November 3, 2014 at 1:56 pmI’m sorry to have seen Google reader go, too. I use feedly now & it’s not perfect, but it works for me. I certainly hope that sewing blogs aren’t on their way out. I don’t write a blog, but I follow quite a few. I’ve learned a lot & gotten tons of inspiration from them. I’m not always great at commenting. I hate to comment just to say something, although I appreciate that as a blogger, it’s nice to feel like you not talking into an empty space. I’m still trying to find that happy medium between inane babbling & letting the bloggers who I follow know that I’m there.
I can’t get into Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter. They just don’t do it for me. Besides, I don’t need any more time sucks – it’s hard enough for me to focus on getting my job done, as it is!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:16 pmHaha! Yes, I totally get sucked away from doing actual work to look at IG (like I used to do with Twitter, but I hardly even use Twitter anymore). I still love to browse blogs, and have moved to Feedly, but I just don’t find it as compelling as Reader used to be. Maybe it’s the interface? Which seems just as friendly, but something…isn’t the same. 🙁
Annie
November 3, 2014 at 2:01 pmI follow via feedly, and then pin things to pinterest that I want to bookmark and make at a later date. I don’t comment a lot, but I’m reading and enjoying and sharing! Please don’t die, sewing blogs! I need you!
I personally don’t love following sewing (or other) blogs via instagram. It’s hard to click on links to get more information. And my instagram is mostly my family and friends.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:18 pmThis is so interesting, because I hardly think of Pinterest as a place to save blog posts. I think of it more as a resource where I keep an idea board to peruse when I have a specific purpose in mind. Hmmm…. I’ll have to think about how Pinterest fits into my overall understanding, since I don’t see it as a social network??
I need sewing blogs, too!! I feel like it’s a glimpse into what my friends are thinking, in addition to what I see them doing on IG.
Louise Marie
November 3, 2014 at 3:14 pmi use Bloglovin as my reader. It is no Google Reader. i still miss Google. Pinterest is amazing for bookmarking my inspirations. I do not comment as much as i used to. Actually i never was one to comment much, but Google made everything so easy. i feel like having a temper tantrum, kicking my legs and stomping my feet. i would if i thought it would bring back Google Reader.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:20 pmYes! Temper tantrums all the way. What do you think it was, specifically, about Reader that made it so much easier? Clearly, Bloglovin’ and Feedly lack it, but I wish I had something more tangible to go on.
Shelley
November 3, 2014 at 3:19 pmI now use IG as a sort of “filter” that helps me focus on which blog posts I want to read. If I see something there that catches my eye or looks interesting (like this post!) I’ll click through and read it. The only blog I actively seek out is AMH because she’s a fabulous writer and always gives me something non-sewing to think about too. I think a great tutorial is always a draw for readers, but giveaways and a million ads that make the page take forever to load are a complete turnoff for me. Unless a blog is going to tell me how to do something, review a new book/pattern, or just consistently provide the pure enjoyment of reading something well-written I usually skip it.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:22 pmSee, this fascinates me. I do the same thing now, but when I first saw folks posting to IG to say they’d posted to their blog, I thought it was a little bit of a turn-off. (Now I do the same thing, so clearly I’ve come around.) I guess that would make IG your primary means of interaction?
I agree with you: I always go for good writing and good content. Tutorials are nice, but I tend to in those rather than really read them. (Of course, how many Pins do we all have that turn out to be a good photo and ho-hum writing/content?)
Load time is so specific and useful–what a great thing to add. Yes! Slow loads and I am GONE on a blog.
Jo
December 9, 2014 at 4:58 pmI’m always looking for good blogs so who is AMH? How do I find her?
thanks,
Jo
Belinda
November 3, 2014 at 3:31 pmI use bloglovin and it works for me. I comment about as much as I ever did, which really wasn’t often. I, too, hope sewing/quilting blogs never go away! They are so often my source of inspiration and technique how to’s. I’m on Instagram, but only so I can see & comment on what others who used to be on twitter are doing. I don’t use my phone to take pics do you won’t find pics of my projects on Instgram. I love your blog voice & what you post about, Deborah, so please never stop 🙂
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:24 pmI love you, too, Belinda!! You’re one of my favorite people, and we’ve never even had a chance to meet in person. Your comments are always so specific and uplifting and encouraging–just a joy to have you come by and add to any discussion.
I have Bloglovin’ for just a few blogs, but I generally delete the daily email when it comes in and rarely read it. I wish I knew what it was that I don’t love about it? I’d love to find a really solid, reliable way of letting the bloggers whose blogs I love best know that I read their work every time they post! That’s another pet peeve: the blogs that make it super hard to comment. I WANT to interact, so I wish they’d let me!
lisa
November 3, 2014 at 5:11 pmI use feedly now, and I do comment less. But I think the main reason is because I dont read on the computer anymore. I read on my phone, and its a pain to leave comments. But I get to keep up more cause I can read in the car line or at practice or wherever. Some blogs have gotten a little over the top to with the requirements for comments. I understand not wanting spam, but if I have to include three emails, my home phone, and name of my first born im just not going to comment ya know! (Your requirements are fine though cause obviously I commented
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:26 pmYes! How much does it stink when you write a whole comment out and then it gets deleted because you couldn’t jump through all the hoops?? Blech.
I have to do more thinking about the mobile reader thing. I don’t quite know how to process that folks might be READING more but INTERACTING less…
Mary
November 3, 2014 at 7:14 pmI have feedly on my phone, but rarely use it. I get daily emails from Bloglovin and I’m loathe to delete them, so they pile up because I just can’t read blogs every day. I used to sit down Sunday morning and read through tons of blogs, I don’t do that anymore. I don’t like Bloglovin so much, but what else do we have? I have some blogs bookmarked and I’ll go through and read several posts at once. I am mostly sent to a specific blog post by IG – either someone mentions it or I see something I like on a post and want to read more. I like to put more photos on my blog than I would on either flickr or IG. Aww flickr – that is a whole other can of worms.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:27 pmThis sounds like me. I’ve gotten to where I had four blogs I checked every day, and one of them shut down, so I’m only at three now. I didn’t even think about Flickr, since I never used it as much as some other folks did. What do we do to replace Flickr? Is it just all IG now??
Belinda
November 12, 2014 at 4:07 pmI’m still a big flickr user. They did fix the format thing that I didn’t like at first, so it feels much better. I’m really glad I stuck with flickr now. I use it, sort of like a mini blog, to document my projects, along with some detail about the project. As far as I know, there really isn’t another place for someone like me to do that. I do custom sewing on a limited basis & don’t want/need to maintain an on line shop. I can, however, point potential customers to my flickr account so they can see the kind of work that I do. Feel free to visit 🙂 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/bgelhausen/
Anna Veach
November 3, 2014 at 8:47 pmHi Deborah, I’ve really moved away from reading blogs because I don’t have a real computer at home and it’s kind of tricky to read blogs on my phone. I will occasionally click through to a post if someone announced they blogged on IG but now IG is my go to resource for inspiration. I still appreciate blogs (used the Noodlehead gathered clutch tutorial this weekend) but I really don’t have time to read blogs anymore. I used to subscribe to tons of blogs to go to my email and then I would pin them for future reference but I just don’t have time for that anymore! I do follow you on IG and I’m not shy about commenting on there!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:30 pmI had this conversation a few weeks ago, about how for many, blogs have become more of a resource and less of a daily read. Some blogs are even undergoing re-design for exactly that reason (I can think of three really big ones just off the top of my head), so that they don’t function in the old-school reverse-chronological format anymore, but as “cards” where people can spot an image and click through, regardless of when it was written. I thought I’d do the same, but just couldn’t find a new template I liked, and didn’t have the energy to create new content AND re-design my older content. Bloggers are in a real corner in some ways these days!
P.S. I love IG, too, and love leaving and reading comments there!
Mel
November 3, 2014 at 9:32 pmI use Bloglovin and find it works really well for me. But honestly, the number of blogs I follow now is way harder to manage than it used to be a few years ago and I literally just don’t have the time to comment on everything I like. If I like the look of a post in Bloglovin I’ll click through to the blog and quickly pin it to come back to at a later date but realistically it isn’t all that likely.
A few years ago I figured there were 20 or so really good blogs that were worth bookmarking and reliable reading but that number is SO much bigger these days, so many more great bloggers have entered the blogosphere and really I think there is just only so much space in my brain to take it all in. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by the amount of great stuff being produced I don’t even know where to start!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:34 pmThat’s true–but I said in another reply that sometimes I feel super let-down when I click through a Pin or link and find ho-hum content on the other end. I agree that there’s a ton of content out there, and lots and lots of pretty pictures, but I don’t know that I could name 20 blogs that have really quality writing and consistent content 80% of the time? So even when I’m busy writing this post and having this conversation, even I read fewer blogs than I used to… I want to concentrate my energy on the ones that really provoke me to think.
Courtney
November 3, 2014 at 10:12 pmI’m still reading blogs, but definitely not commenting. I keep up through bloglovin, and it won’t let me comment on my iPhone, which is how I usually read posts. I wonder if this is common as I get fewer comments on my blog. Curious to hear your feedback…
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:36 pmThis is what I’ve been hearing over and over: folks read, but don’t always interact. I agree and totally think it has to do with mobile users, but IG is mobile, too? My core instinct is always to assume that there is a LOT of content, but only so much QUALITY content, and that we have to find a way to (1) sort through the noise and (2) reward the creators of good content to encourage them to keep producing it. Which is, you know, not a small order.
Kim
November 4, 2014 at 12:59 amI prefer to bookmark the blogs I read. I organize them by topic (sewing/gardening/art projects). If I used a reader, they would get lost in my email. I confess I rarely comment on posts because I do not blog and am not sewing regularly. I just truly enjoy reading about sewing and seeing all the lovely creations. I have enjoyed your blog for several years and appreciate the effort you put into it. This post has inspired me to comment more and show my appreciation for the time an talent that goes into writing great blogs.
Heather L
November 4, 2014 at 12:18 pmThis is how I follow and read blogs too. I’m “blog shy” and tend not to comment unless I have something really new to add to a conversation (or, ha, to chime in on something like this). I have been sadly deleting some blogs from my bookmarks this past year as they have started posting mostly giveaways or promotion (and even too much self promotion…not that there’s anything wrong with a self promotion, but when every single post is “look at my new pattern!” it feels like I’m reading the shopping network.). Posting frequently keeps me interested. I don’t blog (had a mom blog for family once upon a time which I gave up) but realize it’s a ton of work and I appreciate when someone starts to have some success with it, but it’s a fine balance. If my opinion. I love blogs but do think I would get more sewing done myself if I gave them up. 😉
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:38 pmSo, when you bookmark them, do you have a drop-down menu that you head to in order to read? Which is to say, do you kind of have a mental list of the blogs you’d like to read and you have to physically head there to read them? I think I use Feedly that way, for the most part–as a list to scroll through to see if the titles appeal to me and make me want to click through. Which is why, while I understand the partial feed, I still really dislike it.
Erin
November 4, 2014 at 8:51 amI use http://www.theoldreader.com . It’s fairly similar to Google Reader (you can like and star posts to keep track of them). I really miss GR though.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:39 pmYou and a couple other commenters have mentioned this reader–I’ve never heard of it! I use Feedly, for lack of a better option, but really haven’t ever gotten the hang of it. I will still never completely understand what it was about Reader that made Google think we ought to get rid of it.
Samina
November 12, 2014 at 3:53 pmI used TOR before I moved to feedly. It was closer to Google Reader, but had a lot of hiccups in its early days. I think they took off far faster than they were able to handle & I got frustrated with the problems so I switched to Feedly.
Maureen
November 4, 2014 at 10:11 amWhen it comes to technology, I am always three steps behind the rest of the world. I don’t do twitter, instagram, etc. I detest facebook. I bookmark the blogs I follow and comb through them several times a week. I don’t want to receive emails about recent posts, because it just clogs up my inbox.
The blogs that appeal to me contain thoughtful and regular posts. Good photography always catches my eye. The bloggers who only say “read my new book” or “buy my fabric” leave me feeling cheated. My time is precious and I don’t want to waste it reading advertisements.
Sewing blogs have given me an education and a community, and I will be hugely disappointed if they go the way of the eight track tape. Fewer comments doesn’t necessarily mean fewer readers. Writers who put a big piece of themselves into their posts invite more feedback. Some posts just aren’t worth a comment.
Keep up the good work. Whipstitch is one of my favorites!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:41 pmOh, thank you, Maureen! What you say here is what I keep reading: folks are coming by, they’re reading, but there are fewer comments. I agree about time being precious–I wonder what impact it would have to post less often but more substantively? Would that encourage you (or others) to comment more if they knew there would only be a couple posts a week to interact with?
Leslie
November 4, 2014 at 2:17 pmI have thought about this too, but I thought it was just me and the way I use blogs these days. I used to see so many tutorials, so many fresh ideas that would inspire me, and I was sewing quite a bit. Now it seems that many of the bloggers I used to follow have matured, so they either post fewer tutorials in favor of excerpts and promotions for their latest book, or they have slowed or stopped posting altogether. I use Feedly and while it is not nearly as reliable as Google Reader, these days my feeds are mostly full of fashion and design blogs, instead of crafts and sewing – I can’t figure out if I have changed or the internet has. I suspect it is the internet; it used to be I was adding new blogs to my feed on a weekly basis, somebody linking to someone else’s project. Is this now going on inside Pinterest now? Or Instagram? I too craft and sew far less than I used to – is that a shift in my lifestyle (as my kids get older and less likely to wear the clothes I make for them) or in the blogs themselves? I do sense that the landscape is vastly different now. I am so turned off by the sponsored posts and thinly veiled advertisements. I totally understand that blogging is work – hard work – that should be rewarded, and I am not against bloggers earning money for their work. But like anything else, I think blogging has evolved, and some great voices have been lost over the years when their blogs became full-time jobs with part time pay. I applaud you for keeping it up; I would much rather see fewer, well-thought out posts than a post a day where 95% of it is babble or ads. And I am thankful for Feedly, because I don’t think I would have stamina these days to click separately on 30 blogs to see who updated every few days.
Maureen
November 5, 2014 at 3:06 pmYou said what I wanted to say, only better.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:45 pmOh, this is such a lovely comment. You ask so many questions that I ask myself, and that I just don’t have answers for. I find that I read less and DO more (because I can) but that my interests have expanded beyond just sewing and into other areas where I spend my time: gardening and freezer cooking and “homeschooling.” I use Feedly to keep the list pared down, and to skim through who’s got a new post, but I really never, ever go back and see if I missed a post from a particular blog outside my three-ish favorites. I would love to find a way to really reward the best writers and content creators so that they hear back from readers and know their work is appreciated. I mean, other than another blog award.
Tamie
November 4, 2014 at 2:39 pmI never used reader to track the 150 blogs I follow. I created a blog that I don’t post to, only to have a blog roll on there to keep up with new posts. It works for me. I do watch instagram but much prefer blogs.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:46 pmBlogrolls!! Remember those?!? Oh, good times! When I started blogging o Blogger, that was totally how I kept up with who’d written and what was most recent. I suppose I use Feedly in a similar fashion, but so rarely have the time to really delve deeply…
French Toast Tasha
November 4, 2014 at 6:29 pmMy favorite is when blogs have a “subscribe” feature just for themselves, that sends new posts to my email. I’m pretty picky about which blogs I follow, meaning I only follow those that truly bring more joy and ideas to my life (including this one). If (hopefully) the title of the post appears in the email title, it’s pretty easy to figure out which posts I want to read. I never got into Google Reader, but this system works well for me.
Of course as some bloggers move on to bigger and better things, our online circles will shift and evolve. I do feel like there are still plenty of interesting blogs out there, and it certainly doesn’t seem to me that the whole sewing blog scene is fading. Perhaps part of the answer for those who aren’t satisfied with the blogs they used to follow, is to explore around a little, maybe some new blogs you’ll love have come on the scene relatively recently.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:48 pmI agree–the online sewing scene is almost certainly not going away, just changing form. I love seeing that, and watching how there will be more and exciting ways to share content. I just wonder how those will serve to continue to create community. That’s always the hard part–I really struggled with Sewing Buddies, wanting to create that community, and it was always a push. Ravelry does so great for knitting, but somehow we’ve just never found that nexus for sewing??
Rachelle - Warming Crafts
November 4, 2014 at 7:23 pmI use a combo of Bloglovin’ and Pinterest which works well enough, though not as well as GR did; I still miss it. I don’t comment a lot, but probably should more than I do, I could blame my RSI, but to be honest it’s more just me being lazy and wanting to spend more time knitting or sewing.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:49 pmHaha! Man, I love me some honesty. Yes, and despite this whole conversation and my own sadness at receiving fewer comments, I confess that I comment less often than I used to. I feel like there are so many times when I want to comment and hit a roadblock, and just don’t have the time or energy to jump through a lot of hoops!
Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts
November 4, 2014 at 11:52 pmDeborah, thanks so much for raising this issue and creating a space for discussion. I, too, miss Google reader and am still adapting to life after it. I have noticed a shift. I feel like people are blogging less and relying on IG more. Where does this all leave us? What will the future of blogging hold? What new technology will create a new shift? I’ve got more questions than answers!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:51 pmI know!! Me, too! I have talked to so many sewing bloggers who really feel that their entire voice has moved over to IG, and that’s it’s just an easier platform for communicating their ideas. It really is true micro-blogging, which is what I love about it, but it takes a lot of the content and excitement away from the larger blog, which I feel conflicted about. I love the insta part of it, but I miss the longer-lived archive that a blog creates.
susan
November 5, 2014 at 12:37 amI ony rarely comment on anything. But, this is an interesting topic so my two cents are….
I’ve only ever bookmarked thngs that have interested me, and now I pin them as well.
I love your blog, especially that you have a page just for sponsors.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:51 pmPinning keeps coming up again and again! Do you see Pinterest more as a social platform, or as a resource site??
Ginny
November 5, 2014 at 6:28 amI agree that there is a transition happening. I agree with many of the comments above, maturation of both the blogger and the reader, change in lifestyles and tools available- reading and posting via cellphone….different available formats and others I am sure. I use Bloglovin’ , IG and direct email subscriptions. Although I never was a prolific blogger I found that the demise of GR and rise of Pinterest and IG made a huge difference. I miss the interaction of comments – my original goal in blogging, and although I still read many blogs its usually on the weekend trying to catch up. I have noticed that I do tend to skip through what I have already seen on IG unless it is amazing, and the ones that have consistently become all about advertising and giveaways. I agree with you and enjoy blogs that have depth (thus my comment here). It doesn’t have to be thought provoking every day but to hold my attention and readership it just has to have a combination of sewing/education/personality/insight or thoughts on current issues in varying degrees – wish I could quantify that more even for myself.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:56 pmYou’re so right–the change in not just readers, but in what bloggers want to write about. I think it does my heart good to see so many folks indicate that they still read, even if they’re not leaving comments. It must mean that as I’m maturing and changing my preferences and interests, that there are folks who want to be along for the ride? That’s always good news!
Jean C.
November 5, 2014 at 7:35 amMy blog has never been one of those “must reads”…. which is fine. Although, I have found that lately, when i have time to read/sew…. I would rather be sewing. I still enjoy a good sewing read, but don’t take as much time to comment. Like I said, I would rather be sewing. Hang in there… it will come back around.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 2:57 pmThis is such an insightful point–I can point out the reduction in comments all day, but there is also a reduction of posts (mine included) that reflect more time DOING. And that’s such a good thing–it does my soul good to be at my machine more than my keyboard!!
Cherie
November 5, 2014 at 11:48 amGood post and good questions. I never used Google Reader to begin with. And I don’t use Instagram, just Pinterest. I just bookmark certain blogs in a folder. There have been ones that I have read in the past, but I got bored with them because it was all about self promotion. I’m sorry, but I come to read about sewing not about how great you are and how cute your family is. It borders on narcissism. That’s just my opinion, of course. There are some blogs that I’ve read in the past that would focus on sewing and now focus on other crafty stuff. Those I’m not reading anymore. Also, I don’t read a lot of blogs anymore because I don’t have littles anymore. My kids are tweens/teens. And that’s where my sewing interests lie. Besides sewing for myself, quilts, bag making, and home dec sewing. As far as commenting is concerned, there are some blogs that make it too difficult to comment. I feel that it’s some kind of exclusive club or something. So, I don’t comment. Now your blog on the other hand, is awesome! While I do admit I see some advertising on your blog. You know, about your classes, patterns, etc. I don’t mind because 1) you are a true sewing teacher and an author. 2) You also post other stuff. Stuff that is truly inspiring to me! 3) And yea, I was excited to buy your e-book on pockets! And one of these days I hope to take one of your e-courses. 🙂 I absolutely love your blog. It’s one of the very few sewing blogs that I read anymore. I like your writing style. I am serious when I say that you inspire me to want to sew more. You inspire me with the stuff that you sew. I love the variety of things that you make. I love that you teach with your posts. Even if it’s something simple about the kinds of fabrics that you used in whatever you make. I have your sewing books, too. Ok, I guess that you get the point. 🙂 Your blog is awesome! Lol. I look forward to your posts eagerly. Sometimes I want to comment because perhaps I commented on a previous post and am afraid that you might think that I comment too much. 🙂 Keep up the good work, Deborah!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 3:06 pmOh, Cherie, you are so sweet!! That’s just what I hope the blog is–I want to make a record of the things I’ve made for my own reference, but I also want it to be inspiring to others and to be optimistic and authentic and to offer consistent and reliable instruction. We don’t have many ways to leave a legacy in this life, and I really see my blog as one way for me to do that–it means so much to me that you enjoy reading it!!
Rae
November 5, 2014 at 8:24 pmI love that you brought this up! I use Bloglovin’ and read most posts in their daily email digest, then click over to the ones that look interesting (like this one!) and sometimes comment (like now!).
I wonder about the reasons for fewer comments too…it seems like a few commenters above have mentioned too *many* blogs to comment on all of them…I feel like I read fewer blogs now though, so I’m not sure that’s true for me. I have a good excuse — too busy with Hugo!!
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 3:08 pmSee, exactly! I don’t have too many to keep up with–I find too few that have content that engages me. I don’t even really need it to be DEEP content, just authentic and engaging, something that makes me want to click through and makes me think. I even loved it when you wrote about not feeling like you’re doing much lately (but! I didn’t comment!), because it feels more like where my life is, and that appeals to me. So maybe that’s part of the answer–readers are looking to connect with folks whose lives intersect with theirs, and it’s just always going to be a fluid relationship? Maybe?
Jennifer
November 6, 2014 at 10:51 pmI do concur with a lot of the other commenters. Some blogs are too self absorbed, and borderline narcissism. Some do not have any depth to to them. Some make ya feel inferior. Some make up poor quality projects and think that they are stellar. Some just wing projects and result in poor quality and it has me baffled on why others think it was a great project to begin with. Then there are the self promoting blogs, the overly filled with sponsors, and giveaways galore. At one time yes, this was me. I was that kind of blogger! Today… it disgust me. Don’t get me wrong, I do celebrate others who have a level head about it all, but others who feel that being popular is more important than treating their following/customer right are the ones that turn me off.
At one time I used to follow nearly 200 blogs because of GR. Since it was killed off, I have tried Bloglovin but I do not have any lovin for it. Feedly is what I have resorted to and its okay but like yourself Deb, I have only a handful of blogs that transferred over. Yes, I have even noticed the decline of communication and community. I used to be envious of the community factor because I could not ever find any connections. I would try and get rejected. I always got the impression that everyone in this sphere wanted to be famous and crap on those who do not measure up to their standards. Guess I was trying too hard. One way or another it all was a turn off. I did eventually find a community of quilters off line, and I have had a better sewing/quilting community experience then here online. I always found it kind of funny that those who do blog are super shocked when you walk up to them in real life, and introduce yourself. A couple that I have introduced myself to were astonished, and looked like if they could not wait to find the nearest exit. It did baffle me a bit because some of these folks pour their heart and soul out on their blogs and it made me even wonder do they even realize people are reading what they are saying/writing. And why would it surprize them so much that some one local would want to connect with them? After all isn’t the sole purpose of connecting online with others with the same interest the whole point of hoping that you might run into someone local?
As for the rest of the current blogging culture, it has died of some. Most folks prefer the short term mediums (social media). They are easier, quicker, and more gratifying. Another cause if you think about it, most folks have returned back into the workforce again, and who really has time to blog, and connect when on top of working there is a household that is in need to be ran along with an abundance of other things that is in need to be done. Its nothing personal…its just life!
Finally comments. I am personally not much of a commenter unless you give me reason to. Ex: this post! You have given me some substance to stop by and say, “Hey Deb, you’re right about that!” Otherwise I just keep to myself. There is nothing worse that telling someone that whatever it is they are posting about is cute when you don’t really think so or commenting just to comment.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 3:12 pmI really hadn’t thought about the folks who have gone back to work and aren’t reading anymore–how interesting! But I agree with you whole-heartedly about wanting good content that compels me to comment. Maybe we’ve all been reading blogs so long that it takes that much more to get us out of our chairs to comment??
Fooniks
November 7, 2014 at 4:48 amGreat post! It’s so easy to scroll through your blog feed, click through posts, read the content and then close the tab and not leave feedback. I come from a country where people don’t really express their thoughts whether it’s positive or negative. And I’m guilty of reading a post, thinking to myself “This is awesome”, make a witty comment about it in my head and still not actually post a comment. And that’s horrible! I love it when people comment on my blog so it’s dumb that I often don’t leave feedback on others blogs.
Though I think one of the reasons why a lot of people don’t comment is the lack of response by some bloggers. I’ve experienced it quite a few times where I make the effort to comment on something that has inspired me or struck a chord and not receive an answer from the blogger. If it happens one or two times with the same blogger, I can understand it(especially when they get a lot of comments) but when it happens to more than five comments on the same blog and when I see a lot of people’s comments not getting any response(especially when the comments are really thought provoking) then it feels like the conversation is one sided. Why should I comment and put my time into commenting when I know I won’t get a response.
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 3:13 pmHaha! This is totally how I do with email, too. I read it and “reply” in my head, and then I don’t write the real reply. Eeek! SUCH a bad habit (albeit much ruder with email than with blog comments).
And I agree: it always feels more substantial when comments get responses–even on IG!
Hanne
November 10, 2014 at 6:23 amI never used google reader so I don’t know if that’s the reason. But I feel as if it has something to do with mobile devices. I used to check blogs on my ipad a lot, but I tend to leave less comments when reading on the ipad.
I switched back to pc for blogreading (I use bloglovin for organising the blogs I follow) and I noticed I comment a lot more and do it quicker.
Also, a lot of people comment on my posts on twitter/facebook, so maybe that’s where a lot of comments and interaction happens? At least it is for me.
I love reading your posts, so please keep on writing 🙂
Deborah
November 12, 2014 at 3:14 pmThis seems to be the real culprit–how hard it is to comment on mobile devices. I still read on my laptop, because I can, and never even knew it was super tough to comment on the go!!
K Hahn
November 10, 2014 at 9:03 pmI have several blogs I check in on daily. Others I check once or twice a week. I do have pinterest but only check it about every so often. I do comment if I feel I have something to add of value.
Kay Stephenson
November 12, 2014 at 7:03 amI use Nextgen reader, which is served by feedly, and I had to chuckle when I read your post this morning. When I opened Nextgen, I had 109 unread blog posts. Talk about a bloated list. For myself I find that I don’t blog nearly as often as I used to. It just takes so much time for me to write a post and get the pictures just right. Then if there aren’t comments, it seems like maybe I wasted my time. I’m also am kind of sick to death of people publishing their to do list and calling it writing. I can see why it would be tempting to use your audience to guilt you into doing your work, but it makes for some seriously boring posts. I’m gradually dropping anyone that isn’t taking the time to write something thoughtful, or inspiring, or useful.
Kathie
November 12, 2014 at 12:42 pmHi — I transferred to Bloglovin and it works fine for me. I regularly delete subscriptions to keep to a manageable “to read” list which, for me, is rather small. I have no interest in Twitter or Instagram as I try to limit time on the computer (or phone). I keep blogs on my list if I enjoy reading the posts, and I prefer posts that more article (sharing a point of view, a thought on something happening in the world, etc.) in their nature or teach a very specific skill. This is my first comment on a blog, so that tells you something about the community aspect of blogging for me. I don’t write my own blog so maybe that has something to do with it. Whipstitch is one of my few feeds that has survived all my editing, so please keep on writing. I love your point of view and interpretation of the world from the “nerdy” posts to the practical “how to cloth my child” situations.
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November 12, 2014 at 2:08 pm[…] I asked the question about Google Reader killing blog comments, and not intending to do an experiment, also posted a […]
Cynthia
November 12, 2014 at 5:39 pmHere are my two ideas as to why no one comments anymore on blogs:
1) Blogs used to be the norm for social interaction. My whole family read my blog and, like Facebook now, it was like a tennis match, an online conversation where ideas went back and forth. Facebook killed that. I rarely get comments anymore after 10 yrs of blogging. So why do I still blog? Many reasons, but one reason is this: My blog gives me the ability to say to friends in real life “It’s on my blog, look it up” thus absolving myself of any more guilt at not personally going to their house to teach them how to make pleated drapes, Christmas stockings, or show them how to make bread from scratch.
2) With all the social media the “personal side” of blogging is gone now; therefore, readers don’t feel the need to say “Thank you” to a stranger for taking the time to write a sewing tutorial because the author will never know who she helped or didn’t. I have fallen into this category sometimes. I am embarrassed to admit that. I will search “Triangle Quilt Tutorial” on Pinterest, jump around from blog to blog until I get the gist of it, then move on.
3) Readers want info and they want it fast. And commenting takes time and they’re not willing to do it unless it benefits them. Case in point, on my blog I have a very popular post about our remodeled new kitchen. I put every detail in the blog–from paint colors to tile brand choices. Yet I still get comments ALL THE TIME from strangers asking those very questions, “Please share your paint color”. It burns me up. Read the dang blog post to get the answer! But that would take time and they just want the info FAST without having to do any work. They want to be spoon fed the info because all they’re looking at are the photos anyway. They have been “Pinterest-afied”. It’s all about the photos now. It’s not about the dialogue.
P.s. I’m a new-ish follower on Instagram