November 13, 2010
-
Quiet bloggers
It is a bit disheartening seeing how quiet Xanga has become. Yes, I know some folks have moved their blogs elsewhere or have simply stopped writing. Others have hit a busy period in their lives. I can certainly relate to being busy. But I wasn’t expecting the decline in activity to be so startling. Although I subscribe to almost 200 blogs, a lot of them are now dormant. About 30 to 40 are regularly active and another 10 to 20 somewhat active. I just did a quick check of the front pages (ok – I know Xanga is usually even more quiet on the weekends), but blogs that have 8 comments are now getting to the front pages. I can’t say this is good or bad. I suppose it’s good because it gives exposure to others that don’t normally get exposure.
But sites need traffic in order to attract ad revenues. I hope financially Xanga will fine. I don’t know what else the average Xangan can do to generate more traffic aside from writing, commenting and recommending. I thought this might be a good chance for other bloggers to be discovered. But this is so diverse of a community that my favorites and recommendations won’t necessarily be your favorites & vice versa.
Recently one of my dormant subscriptions, neo_plasm suddenly popped up after 2 years. I never knew him but he always had something interesting to say and his comments were often insightful. He wrote:
“I wonder if anyone will ever study the early era of blogs in the pre-facebook era. It was a short span of only a few years, but I think it was a distinct time (maybe 2002-2006). People were pretty naive about what they put on the internet. There was a lot of sharing, and it made for really interesting reading (well, sometimes). In 2010, there’s more awareness of the drawbacks of putting so much of yourself out there, and also of the limited returns you get. Hence, the graveyard of purged/abandoned blogs that I used to read.”
I think he’s probably on to something. Maybe people are a lot more conservative with what they write. I used to read a lot more intimate details about people’s lives. There was an air of innocence and trust (misplaced perhaps) back then. That’s pretty well gone now. You don’t want that stuff out there where your employers, family, friends and stalkers can find them.
So maybe we’re seeing a shift in attitudes? What do you folks think?
Comments (32)
Well I know my blog style has changed quite a lot over the years. Haha yeah, Saturdays are the days where you will see the least amount of comments on posts on the front page. Like I said, midterms and what not have been keeping a lot of people busy lately, but personally I haven’t really seen too much decline in traffic as of late. Funny enough, the last post I did got the most feedback of the posts I’ve done in at least the past month.
I sure am more conscious of what I’m putting information out there, whether myself, my family or my friends. Though, on another hand, I think that’s another reason why I’m blogging less, people are simply information overload. We don’t need to know what you do every single minute (twitter/facebook/foursquare… etc. statuses) I felt overwhelmed with people’s lives sometimes I just want to focus on LIVING my life rather than documenting my life. But I think that’s also why it keeps me coming back to Xanga – I know I will always have a place to come back to here on reading something a lot more insightful than a lot of stuff out there.
I was actually thinking of putting a blog like this yesterday…
Xanga for sure has become pretty quiet. Just a few months ago, I would log on daily and find that at least 4-5 people have made a new blog… but lately it’s become so quiet.
…Have you ever wondered what happesn to the ones that just vanish after blogging on a semi-daily basis?
Agreed, its frightening what information people can gather from the internet by performing a Google search. For me, I’d rather err on the cautious side, than say too much & try to take it back (which I still do on occasion, well actually all the time)
@Roadlesstaken - somedays it looks like you and Dan are the ones carrying the load for Xanga (I’m exaggerating of course). I think people should skip midterms and focus on blogging.
@Nickolaj - I don’t really want to read the what I’m doing stuff or where I am etc… I’d rather read something good and compelling. Or an interesting photograph or poem.
@Devilzgaysianboi - I read your mind and decided to do it for you.
Sometimes I get snippets of updates. I think some have gone to tumblr world while others stay on Facebook rather than have multiple blogs.
@tsotofu - I’ve been lucky even though I blog anonymously and no one has done / stalked me. Actually if they did, I guess I won’t know. You even put less information about yourself than I do. btw – the first couple of times you took back and entry or pulse, I thought I lost my mind. Cuz sometimes I’ll read it, wait a bit before commenting.
hm……I guess .we only respond to the subjects that we are interested..whether it’s on Xanga, some other blog sites, even on FB….and just as Nickolaj said…after a few years of non-stop putting ourselves on to the net, maybe it’s time for someone to cool it down, and wait for anohter trend….?
I think you are right about “people are a lot more conservative with what they write….”. I’m in a relationship now, and can no longer blog about my longings for another person, not a good idea to get into trouble, since my ‘other-half’ is an avid reader or my entries. Also, I found there are more entries from my subscriptions during the weekdays too. But overall, Xanga is more quiet than that of a few years back.
@agmhkg - I wonder what the next trend will be. Interesting thought – maybe a lot of folks just want to give it a rest.
@CurryPuffy - J also reads my blog although I’m not sure if he finds it interesting or not.
Here’s my theory on all this: it isn’t that Xanga has become more quiet but that over time, most bloggers tend to eventually reduce the amount they blog and sometimes quit blogging alltogether. So if you subscribe to a fixed group of people, the number of active bloggers will decrease over time because of natural causes. Part of keeping the site healthy is going out and making new connections, subscribing to new readers, and renewing the network. I notice, for example, that I receive 1-2 new subscribers a week. I need to be more proactive about reading their blogs and, where interesting, subscribing.
@CurryPuffy - Yes but is your other half an avid reader of other Xangans’ entries? That’s the important thing here since he already knows what you are doing. Ha ha!
@Nickolaj - I agree with your idea that blogging often offers something more substantive than, say, facebook.
I second Christao408. We need be proactive. I also feel that the ease of gleaning in formation from blogs and using it to get to peoples financial accounts and even getting credit cards has caused some to rethink, e.g., I will not apply for a job that request a credit report as requirement for interview.
Third Chris.
I get several subscribers in a week. I like going to their sites and leaving comments. I wish that the front page would post good meaty material than some of the silly things that are getting posted these days. May be the age of the blogger has changed and they are more flighty.
I too hope that xanga stays healthy…. especially for me. It is the only way for my therapy.
I think you raise good points. I also think Facebook has taken the people who don’t really like to write, since you don’t have to on there. I haven’t done this long enough to know how it’s changed, but I do think it’s sad if it’s declining.
I agree with your observation. In the past (and I am referring to the mid-1990s, early 2000s), people were more “real” in the online realm. An example: When using newsgroups back in the 1990s, one always used a genuine e-mail address. That was netiquette, and you got flamed for not observing that. Then the spammers came, and now newsgroups are dead (or dying), people moved to Boards using nicknames, or people started using fake e-mails in newsgroups. I see a similar trend in blogging. This time it’s the fact that companies try to turn the personal information of people into some kind of business model. It may contribute to people sharing less online. Yet another reason could be that writing a blog takes more effort than just 140 characters on Twitter. Laziness is a powerful mood killer.
I know that I’ve been super busy with my move and everything and I’m sure that with holiday season beginning, a lot of people are just not updating as frequently. I’m with Chris though; I think that we have to be proactive and get out there and meet new bloggers. I haven’t subscribed to anyone new in quite awhile. I should probably do that.
I used to get my comments but I also used to post more exciting stuff. I have toned down my writings. I have to keep looking for new subscribers. I check out most recommendations as a way of connecting. I deleted about 200 Friends that were either gone or inactive for a long time. I had a few re-apply for Xanga Friend who had been reading my postings, but never visiting or commenting.
blessings
frank
all the folks I subscribe too are as busy as always Matt
A lot of my friends on xanga have left and I have returned after not having blogged for a year. I’m definately more aware of what I put out now.. before I was sort of carefree almost. I miss the era that you mentioned in your blog. Facebook is ok too but it doesn’t offer what xanga does which is why even when I’m not blogging I’d always find myself missing xanga… I miss reading about random people’s personal lives ad sharing their sorrows and happiness and I miss a lot of my old friends here on xanga.
I blogged a lot more in college during a period when i was finding myself and needed an outlet. Lately, i’ve only written about mundane things. Intimidation plays a part after reading well written posts. I just type out whatever’s in my head. I still find it interesting to read what people are up to, but ny life is rather boring. =]
@christao408 - but eventually we’ll run out of new subscribers to read, this only works if Xanga can continue to attract new bloggers right? I’ve stopped subscribing for awhile as I was running out of time to read blogs. Sometimes I can spend a couple of hours a day reading and writing on Xanga. But it’s tough to find time lately.
@Fatcat723 - yeah, the ease at which others can get at information is a bit scary. A credit report for a job interview – now that sounds really strange.
@yang1815 - so concise… hahaha.
@ZSA_MD - I’ve stopped subscribing some time ago so I could find more time to read my current subscriptions. I think I’ll have to start finding new subscriptions. I hope Xanga stays healthy too. I think it’s vital for my sanity.
@Sunrise_Hope_Joy - thanks for your comment, I think you raise a good point too. I’m sure there were some Xangans who used this site pre Facebook not for writing but more for social reasons.
@beowulf222 - ah laziness… writing does take a lot of effort but it’s more rewarding.
@TheCheshireGrins - yeah, I just started to subscribe to a couple of new sites. Sometimes I wish I could just hit a button and my favorite bloggers would start writing.
@ANVRSADDAY - I’ve deleted a few friends too. I think that’s one of Xanga’s corniest thing. Thanks for your comment.
@AppsScraps - I can certainly understand. Sometimes this place is an escape from the day to day stuff.
@unfathomed_caves - there is something about reading about other people’s lives, all their ups and downs that just pulls me in.
@piyapong - I sometimes am scared to leave comments for the same reason. But after awhile, I just do. After all, everyone is just human. Odd, I think your life is interesting.
it is really cause people have learned that their positions on most issues can be expressed in 140 characters.
i can’t really speak for others, but as for myself, it’s not that i don’t have time to blog, but that i always find myself running out of things to blog about. i used to do the day-to-day blogging, but those grow old fast – after all, noone really wants to hear about my regular work days =P
i’d have to agree with him, but also, i think age plays a factor in reasons why we pull back/stop blogging. as we get older, we just become more cautious of what we put out there. jobs look at this stuff. things you say may haunt you later. or maybe it’s just me.
and regarding front page getting 8 comments … i’m thinking that front page is smarter than it looks. the content might be based on how many comments are being added within a specified time period – not just total comments per post.
Yeah, it may seem like I’m one of the bloggers who have dropped off the face of xanga, but I guess it’s been because I’ve been more action oriented and haven’t been as thoughtful lately. Some parts of me miss the sentimentalism and what not. I guess the shift for me personally just has to do with goal shifting with life and career pursuits. Once I can make a stable income and can start exploring art more as a creative endeavor again rather than as exercises to exhibit my mastery of skills, I should be writing a little bit more.
In a way, not writing can also be a good thing emotionally. When you’re affected by heartache, words can flow like blood out of an artery. Eloquent, but not always pretty. Perhaps stability fosters inactivity. No news can be good news, eh? But yeah, sometimes it may be just about redefining or revamping the blogging experience. I can see how it can get dull for some, but there is potential to improve the blogging experience. Perhaps the website can be made more interactive and user-friendly like facebook used to be back in the hey day. Perhaps there can be a “New Wave” era of blogging on Xanga that could actually make more attempts to treat blogging more as an art form rather than a high school popularity contest. Aside from that, I don’t really know exactly how Xanga became popular, but I would say there doesn’t seem to be much actual outreach to recruit new folks. While Twittering is great and all, it’s just too ADHD. Imagine a world where novels will consist solely of tweets. Would make people value sites like xanga more
Gosh, this is so true… I just came back to xanga after a two year break, and I’m so sad to see the community withered away like it is. I wish it would come back.
I definitly agree, pre-facebook and after.
I think there’s validity in the fact that blogging does put anonymity at risk, especially if it has a stake in one’s professional life. I, too, am feeling a little guarded in what I choose to reveal and discuss in my blog entries.
Another reason is the notion that blogging has become an expendable commodity. Influential bloggers are taking full advantage of this by marketing themselves to the right type of audience. In other words, by filling a particular niche, they can be paid and leveraged for outreach, public relations and word of mouth advertising. Conversely, bloggers, like us, who continually report the day-to-day happenings and reflections of our lives fill up this meaningless void. To compete against these influencers would mean churning out more compelling content versus staying true to the way we express ourselves.
i always thought blogs (even though it’s on the internet) is personal in nature. a blogger gets to share experiences, good or bad that is related to his/her life or from another that has inspired him/her. for awareness i guess. now, i don’t think my understanding of xanga is still it. i see posts that don’t have any relevance in one’s life at all. yeah.
as for quiet bloggers, i am guilty of that. i just wish i have more time. i don’t even have time to watch tv anymore. it’s a real bummer.
i’ll be honest… i’m the conservative type. i do constantly think about how much i should or shouldn’t include on my blog, or whether or not i should actually share what i experienced at all. as much as i’d like to share and be heard, i’m constantly trapped between being unmotivated and being scared of sharing too much. yes, i’m a private person. extremely so.
I’ve not given it any thought about xanga not being around because
of financial reasons.. that would be a very sad day indeed.
Hmm. something to think about. I will have to do my part.. no?
*~matthew~*