Posted by Do you sit around reminiscing about the "good old days"?
As much fun as that may sound, I personally always held a high level of contempt for those who spent a lot of time living in their past. The kind of people who live in the past seemed, somewhat, weak to me. A lot of that thinking was formulated from reading and listening to Dan Sullivan (though I never took Sullivan’s, The Strategic Coach, program I did listen to many of his audio programs and read his books). Most of the successful people we know don’t live in the past, in fact the majority of them believe that the best is yet to come and spend the majority of their energy looking forward and creating their future.
Social Media and Digital Marketing helps you stay in the present (and looking towards the future).
It’s one of the main reasons I love what I do. Being a professional marketer with a focus on the Digital Marketing channels, leaves little time to look back as everything we’re creating at Twist Image for brands is based firmly in the present – with an eye towards the future. That being said, it’s easy to reminisce about the good old days of Social Media.
Remember when Blogging was Blogging?
Remember when a Blog was an online journal? A true online personal canvas of someone’s life in words. A digital diary that everyone was allowed and welcome to creep on. The early days of Blogging were so innocent and beautiful. Individuals would frequently share everything (down to the sordid details). It was a time when spelling and grammar didn’t even rate as an important component of a Blog. It was a time when you could dump on a brand – not to have an outcome solved, but simply as a written gasket to relieve some pressure (and you didn’t get into trouble or lose your job for saying so). Back then, individuals didn’t Blog for comments, linkbait or Twitter retweets. They didn’t Blog to build more fans on a Facebook page and they didn’t Blog to watch their web analytics grow. Most people who started Blogging, did so with the simple intent to share their thoughts in hopes that they might connect with others who either agreed or wanted to engage in some form of written discourse.
Blogging is now publishing.
That’s not really true. Blogging was always publishing, it was just another kind of publishing. These days, Blogging is more like a simple way to publish and broadcast your content. It could be a multi-authored Blog. It might be a news-driven website using a Blogging platform to publish. These days, it’s not uncommon to see entire corporate websites developed on a Blogging platform (look no further than WordPress). It’s amazing (and inspiring) to see – and be a part of – this publishing transition and revolution, but sometimes I do miss the days when Blogging wasn’t like every other kind of publishing and content. The days when it was raw, innocent and real. When it was a lot more like punk rock versus Top 40 music.
Do you miss the good old days?
Never another podcast episode or article 
Mitch I’m so glad someone else’s talking about this. I’ve only been in blogospheres about 7 mo, but reading books like ClueTrain Manifesto has revealed to me this wasn’t always the case. Sites like CopyBlogger have gotten blogging down to a fine art, where it’s hard work and serious stuff. Polished blogs are impressive, but it’s sad to see in a way. Fortunately in my circles, artists are still quite homely in their posts, as it’s their artwork that’s drawing the crowds. But in the marketing circles…oh dear.
I wasn’t around in the old blogging days (pre-2007), so I’m not really sure what I missed, at least as a contributor.
However, sometimes I do get annoyed with the current presumption that blogs exist to sell and to make money. Yes, they certainly CAN be used that way and I see and appreciate said value.
But they can do a lot more.
The great adventure of blogging started in May 2010 for me as a challenge to «speak my mind». But lately, I feel a pressure to turn this innocent pre-2005 style blog into a more professional one – one that would attrack more readers and which would be devoted to my area of expertise instead of being «a journal» like you said.
Mixing personal and professional doesn’t seem the right solution to me. Still wondering what to do.
This is Source Blogger.
In my opinion, blogging is just getting started. There is such a great potential out there.
But, on the other hand…. I agree that there is an enormous disparity in blog quality…
Blogging is a fine art… and some have a desire to aspire to greatness.
Well, whatever that is?! LOL
Jeffrey Baril – Source Blogger
“Determined to make you a better blogger!”
http://sourceblogger.com
The lines between blogs and publishing keep blurring more and more as it becomes even more mainstream. As these lines blur, I see the pressures of traffic/ROI that publications require being applied to blogs. Platforms like the iPad are really taking this further.
Which begs this question Mitch: Is the word “blogging” on its way out? Will it be replaced by something else more representative.
Words like “Blogging” and “Podcasting” perhaps will become more specific in the future as more people understand/participate/create?
Meaning:
Digital Magazine
Web Show
Digital Newspaper
I dunno…what do you think?
I think those words are here to stay. It’s like saying, “we’re going just call in ‘media’ and not ‘social media’!” I’m not sure if that’s possible.
I just upgraded to WordPress 3.0, and I love it. Even this latest version is far more powerful than it’s predecessor. I would never want to downgrade my CMS.
Blogging can still be “raw and real,” and I think it is more real and awesome than ever. The integration of social sharing plug-ins make blogging more exciting than ever before.
I’d have to agree with Mitch. “Blogging” as a word is here to stay. What might change in the future is the degree of usage. True enough, with the lessons that past bloggers have learned (think libelous suits, disclosure of identities, accountability, etc) – people are becoming more and more defensive online – hence forcing bloggers to try and be as cold as product whores.
You go about your business then you get paid if you do good.
We’ll never get back to the good old days. Do I miss the good old days of blogging? Sometimes, but we can only move forward and adapt to the changing times.
A parting cliche: Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Mitch and Danny,
Very good points. It is definitely an interesting subject. And time will tell of course, but that is true that we are still at the “beginning” of this publishing revolution. TV wasn’t re branded when cable was introduced.
-D
Yes, the good old days were a little more care free. You can say whatever you want without a name to a face. Today, it’s about transparency and authenticity. Now, since we have to show our faces and use our name, the quality of our post is extremely essential. Who would want to place their name and face next to a crappy blog post.