I started my blog last year to share photographs and tips with my friends and photo peeps, but most of them never followed. I ended up with a completely different set of followers, most of whom I know nothing about. In this blog post, fellow blogger Florin shares his thoughts about why we blog and who we blog for. It’s an interesting read that helped me clarify some of my own questions. Enjoy!
Why do we write? At first glance, it seems obvious: we write because we have something to communicate, something that we consider worth sharing. But …
Who do we blog for?
It is all about the light 
I fully agree with what Florin has written. It’s a really interesting point, when I first started my blog I just wanted to share some of my photos and connect with other photographers; I wasn’t too concerned with building a following or getting likes. And I still feel the same way, except now I use the blog as a way to ensure I produce at least one photo that I’m happy with, every week. Even if no-one looks at it, I’m satisfied that I’ve produced something that appeals to me personally. If other people also like it then that’s great!
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That’s great. I had one on Facebook but now I have another (small but engaged) follow here. I enjoy “meeting” new people from all over the world.
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I dont blog but I can understand all that is associated with it. It isn’t much different than just posting pics on Instagram. The ideas and methods involved for me are the same. I had to give myself a break from posting to the masses. The masses of strangers who simply scroll scroll scroll and sometimes stop and leave a note. At some point I had to step back and try to feel whole again. To regain a sense of what’s real. There is a huge realm of counterfeit people who sit behind screens without thinking twice about how their actions could affect others. I had to step back. I had to heal from it. I needed to detoxify myself from it all. I’m still not in a place where I feel I want to share but I can say that I do very much enjoy following your blog. It is a good way for me to quietly enjoy the internet. A safe zone.
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Thank you. I enjoyed following your Instagram feed! Lots of people are quitting that platform and it’s not what is used to be. Below a sensible link about why artists quit social media.
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I follow you. (:
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The 3% 🥰
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As you pointed out, there may well be a difference between who we intend to speak to and who we end up speaking to. The broach reach and linked nature of the Internet facilitate that. Over my going-on 11 years here, commenters have come and gone, and by no means all of them, or even a majority, have been people who practice nature photography, which is the ostensible purpose of my blog. I assume you’re happy with the folks who found what you have to say worthwhile.
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I commented on Florin’s post, too.
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Absolutely, I am happy with my followers here. It is an interesting community with lots to offer, and I particularly enjoy reading other’s blogs. However, beyond the people who participate regularly, like you, there are also followers who subscribe by e-mail, or who don’t have anything on their WordPress site. Sometimes I wonder who they are, why they follow, and whether they actually read anything I post. About 2/3 of my followers here are silent and about 1/2 of those do not have any information attached to their wordpress handles or e-mail address.
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I think those of us who have been here for a while have all experienced what you’re talking about: people who subscribe but never comment, and some of whose blogs don’t have anything on them. Over the past year or so, most of the new subscribers I’ve gotten have names that make me believe they’re from the Middle East or southern Asia. I don’t know why so many should be from there.
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Thank you very much for sharing that video. I totally get where she is coming from and she reminded me of another feeling I had which I failed to mention … feeling completely personally ‘ violated ‘ . That I believe is the core to why I had to step away.
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She is a sweet heart I follow her too.
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Excellent thoughts!
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I thought so too. Thanks for stopping by, Howard.
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My blog beginning was an outgrowth of my experience with an online community of nature photographers. I had no idea of audience, followers, or commenters, but it was an opportunity to share my images. Here is that first post. In the coming weeks I posted occasionally and mostly the blog was visited by a few folks who were acquainted with my photography. It’s become a little more popular since then but as you have found, there is a small cadre of people who comment regularly, a slightly larger number who click like, amd a few more followers. Just as with most photographers, I shoot for myself as a non-professional who does not have to produce on command. From that I guess one could say I post for myself as well although I certainly enjoy the act of sharing and hope others find my images as interesting as do I. We all have our reasons, some like most and others more unique, and I found Florin’s post interesting and familiar to my own way of thinking.
I am not a very outgoing or social person. Were it not for social media I might have little contact with others which would drive my wife crazy as my only human engagement. 🙂
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“small cadre of people who comment regularly, a slightly larger number who click like, and a few more followers. ” That really sums it up. Thanks for stopping by and giving feedback. I’m glad that you blog, for no one should have to drive their wife crazy!
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Great food for thought. I used to post my images on Flickr, until the new owners got greedy. I tried a Facebook page, but, well, it’s Facebook – and a few others. Never got into Insta though I have an account.
Wordpress lets me tell a much better story with a series of photos and set my site up in a way I like. Like many others in the comments here and Florin’s post, hardly any FB “friends” or people I actually know bother to follow me here or click through shared links on my FB page, but I find the WP audience more engaging and international. I blog for myself and anyone who cares to follow my random posts. I have changed the way I post – I’m still figuring and experimenting a year into blogging kind of regularly – depending what I find and when life gets in the way. As long as I enjoy it, I’ll keep doing it, I enjoy looking back on my own work and see how I evolve. Cheers 🙂
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Yes, same with me. One year and still trying to find my way. At least on WordPress I feel like I’m building something, a story of my photography I can look back on. Thanks for commenting.
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My laptop went flat … I started out with the intention of giving photography tips and advice on gear but soon realised generally viewers either already knew or didn’t care about the technical stuff so much and it is a very broad international audience. So I changed my focus to showing what’s around me, what I find and do on this Island I call home, that I expect many may not have heard of, or at least know very little about. I think it showcases my broad photography skills and interests better too as I try to surprise and diversify to keep it interesting not only for the audience, but for myself. It helps push my preconceived boundaries. I’ve always preferred to create, rather than consume but I love looking and interacting with other bloggers when time permits, I’ve learnt much about different places and people here, a more personal perspective than the media offers and everyone has been friendly even if we’ve had differences. I like to reciprocate with people like yourself who have taken the time to comment my posts because I appreciate each one and they help keep me going when the self doubt kicks in, as it often does 😀 Thanks.
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I think all of us try to sort out these issues, and the resolutions are as different as the bloggers who come to them.
I started The Task At Hand because I wanted to learn to be a different sort of writer, less constrained by the demands of academia and my profession. That meant I had to write about something, so every week I wrote about something I found interesting, and I did it without worrying one bit about the ‘rules’ that were common then (for example: no more than 300 words!) or about how to attract readers. Since I wanted comments rather than ‘likes,’ I eliminated the like button, and went on about my business.
It took time for growth to take place, but over time real relationships were forming, too. Bloggers who came along in the first year still are with me, some thirteen years later. I’ve met several bloggers in person, and discovered one living only blocks from me — I ended up cat-sitting for her.
I guess I’d boil my perspective down to this: write what you want as well as you can.Share your photos because they please you. Don’t bore yourself, or your readers will be bored, too. Don’t worry about others’ response, and don’t pay attention to your stats page. Be patient. Be engaged with your readers. Most of all, have fun.
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I don’t know what you do in your profession but you certainly have something going for you, you can write! No matter what you write about, it’s a delightful read! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Still thinking on this one
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LOL same here!
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