Hi friends! ☀️ I hope you’re all doing okay!
I thought I’d talk about blogging today. Well, I thought I’d rant a little bit, too, you know me, and talk about how blogging has changed in the past years I’ve been there. So… here goes.
This is a very important note about this post: I might come off as harsh, but nothing, nothing in this post undervalues the work of any member of the book community, whether they’re booktubers, bookstagrammers, have big twitter accounts and so on. I am talking about what I’ve seen changed and grow.
A million thanks to Ellie @ On Ellie’s Bookshelf, whose comment and suggestion to write about book blogging and its changes has inspired for me to write this blog post!
? 3 ways book blogging has changed
1. Having a book blog isn’t enough
THERE I said it. It hurts my tiny book blogger heart, but it’s true. A book blog, right now, just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.
Having your own book blog, your own wordpress, blogspot, hell, even your own domain name, gorgeous design, branding and incredible blog posts, something that is pretty stunningly incredible, if you ask me…Well. It doesn’t feel like enough.
Now, you need to complete this book blog with the mandatory side-accounts on social media:
- A twitter account, to be up-to-date with the latest book deals that are inevitably announced on here, the authors and their news, cover reveals and exciting things,
- A bookstagram, because bookstagram is thriving and it’s a must-need,
- A booktube channel, because, well. Booktube.
A simple book blog isn’t enough anymore.
To put it metaphorically, the book blog used to be the ENTIRE body and now it’s just this random bone somewhere in yourself. You kind of don’t know why it’s there or why it is, but you’re used to it being there. Wow. Way to make it weird.
Okay, but why do book bloggers need to be on social media?
Interesting question. I’m not going to say that you need to be on social media. There is absolutely no obligation to do something you don’t want to do, to have a twitter account if you don’t like twitter, to create a bookstagram if you can’t, or just don’t even want to take bookish pictures at all, to go on booktube if you don’t want to show your face. (me)
I’m not going to lie, though. As a long time book blogger and as a person wanting to be part of a community… I feel like, now, in 2020, you have to be on social media. Just having a book blog isn’t enough. A book twitter, a bookstagram, hell, a booktube channel…if you have the golden foursome, well, you’re golden.
To be honest once again: if you have the golden foursome, I don’t know how you can handle it all in 24h per day. I think you might be a superhero, have some kind of magical powers or just don’t need to sleep.
At all.
Like I said before, if you have it all, you’re golden, because… well, you’re in for all the conversations, you’re in the community, at the heart of it ALL.
Also, just for the little anecdote, when I was brainstorming for this post, I read comments from a blog post I wrote in 2018. Some friends I’ve known for years were telling me, in 2018, that they didn’t have twitter or bookstagram. These same friends now have both and are active on both. Some added a booktube channel to the lot, too.
2. The conversations have moved on from book blogs
In a little over 5 years of blogging, I’ve seen conversations moving on.
From blog hopping, commenting on blogs, exchanging conversations back and forth with bloggers on their book blogs, people started talking more and more on social media. Exchanging tweets, instagram DMs instead of taking the time to leave a comment.
People don’t comment as much as they used to and the conversations are happening on social media, now.
I’m not here to throw rocks at anyone for this happening. I understand this switch.
Our attention span is terrible. It’s much, much easier to comment on a tweet, to send a DM, to react quickly to an instagram story than it is to comment on a blog post. You have to log in sometimes, you’re on your phone sometimes, you just want to leave a thoughtful comment and can’t, for the life of you, read in detail a long blog post.
That’s it, really: it’s easier to consume other kind of media than blog posts.
It’s easier to watch a booktube video, because you can just listen to it on the background while doing something else.
It’s easier to scroll down instagram or twitter and read short captions.
I do get that, I really do. I mean, it’s so easy.
I also get that, sometimes, it’s easier to tweet about a book than to write a full review. Sometimes, a tweet-scream about an upcoming read will gather hundreds of likes and retweets while a simple book review won’t attract that many people. Sometimes, an instagram picture will be worth a thousand words, and 1k likes.
Social media has become almost a mandatory extension to book blogging and, to be considered as a book influencer, you don’t even have to have a book blog anymore. In six years of blogging, I’ve seen people take social media as an extension to their book blogs, then keeping their social media accounts as their main accounts and giving up their blogs altogether, too.
☂️ Related blog post: Why don’t you comment on blog posts?
3. Book influencers aren’t book bloggers, not really
I think the thing that hits me the hardest is how people talk about book influencers.
For publishers, for awards-givers, for the world: book influencers aren’t book bloggers. Meaning: they’re not the ones with a book blog, a website where they talk about books.
They might be. They might have a book blog, but…. it’s a side-media. It’s not THE thing they’re valued for.
Book influencers are influencers because of their booktube channel with over 10k followers. They’re influencers because of their bookstagram account with over 25k followers. They’re influencers because of their 5k following on twitter, their daily viral tweets screaming about books and so on.
When we talk about influencers in the book community, more often than not, we don’t recognize, or hold as high a standard, a book blog, aside from a booktube channel, a bookstagram or even an influential twitter account.
Once again, I am not undervaluing the work of any kind of book influencer or saying they don’t deserve their success. I know that, no matter the platform you choose, it takes hard work to do it and to make it where you are now. Hell, it takes me about 12 business hours to draft a single tweet and it takes me about 5 gigantic days to get one photo okay for my instagram account and I’m not an influential, or big account of any kind.
I’m not pretending I know how the publishing world works in detail and especially when it comes to their marketing strategies for books. What I am certain of, though, is that they pay attention to your social media presence, sometimes even more than your book blog.
Having a great bookstagram account, twitter or booktube channel can give you more opportunities than just a book blog. Publishers care about that. About how your tweet can turn into a social media conversation, about how, even if just for a day, you can turn a book “viral” like that, too.
It’s obvious, in a way: there is a larger audience to be reached on social media.
Yet, if you ask me: a book blog lasts longer than it all.
? Where I stand personally on these book blogging changes
In over 5 years of blogging, I’ve seen it all change and grow, I’ve seen the conversations moving on and, I will admit it: I have changed my book blogging ways because of it, too.
I created a bookish twitter account as early as 2015 (I started blogging in late 2014).
I was late in the game, but a couple months ago, I jumped on the bookstagram bandwagon and created a bookstagram account.
So, yeah, I’m a sheep. Moving on, following the flock. Because I know that, like anything in the world, book blogging will change and keep on growing with its time. Tik Tok book bloggers will come and grow maybe, too, who knows?
I’ve seen conversations moving on, but personally I am still more at ease with the comments. I saw how easy it is to comment on tweets and to talk on instagram and I’m only human, I’ll take the easy, quick way out sometimes. I don’t blog hop as much as I used to, either. But I still want to, because I still believe in book blogs.
I still believe in long comments and conversations on book blogs. I believe in good old book reviews lasting for years, in book recommendations blog posts, in long-ass blog posts like this one I pour my entire being into and, to be honest, I kind of hope you do too.
☂️ You might also be interested in: 5 lessons I’ve learned in 5 years of book blogging
Are there any blogging topics you’d like me to talk about or give advice on? Feel free to let me know!
How do you think blogging has changed lately?
Do you feel like conversations have changed? Do you feel like you need social media to be relevant? Let me know in comments!
Twitter ☂️ Bookstagram ☂️Goodreads ☂️ Bloglovin ‘☂️ Support the blog
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence says
I have to agree with you here, rarely do you find a blogger who doesn’t have multiple social media platforms! Due to the effort involved in maintaining social media, one definitely cut back on my blogging time and posts. I still love blogging though and I’m glad you’ve stuck it out as you’re a big part of the community!
Marie says
I so get that, juggling between everything and posting regularly is almost impossible, some concessions have to be made here and there for it to all work out okay 🙂
Thank you, Jeann, that’s so sweet of you to say <3 I'm so happy to still be here! <3
Meeghan reads says
This is really interesting, Marie!! I am fortunate to have a great relationship with a bunch of publishers in Australia, so I do get sent physical books. I’ve really slowed down my photos on my instagram page (I mean, I don’t have time for anything at the moment!!), but I have been doing a lot of stories instead, and they seem to be boosting my follower count still (although, who knows how that even works…). In saying that, I think I’m still relatively small time compared to so many other people!!
Marie says
Ahh that’s amazing, I’m so happy for you! 🙂 and I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself on bookstagram, too, that’s the most important, to love what you do 🙂
Thank you!! <3
tonyalee says
Honestly In my 7 years of blogging, It’s been ever changing lol I totally agree though, that having a blog just isn’t good enough anymore. People don’t want to read reviews or long posts – they’d rather see a twitter thread. I also think this is because the visual aspect.
That being said, i ALSO agree that being an influencer is different than a blogger. And not to shit on what they doX blogging is a lot more work imo.
Thanks for your honest thoughts! I’m glad to see there are some of us that like a good old fashioned blog.
Marie says
I get what you mean! It’s easier to read a twitter thread than a blog post for some reason and I completely understand that 🙂 I feel like being an influencer, whether on social media or thanks to a blog, is a lot of work either way, the work is just really, really different. Personally I find it more rewarding on a book blog, but I might change my mind later on ahah 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts as well!! 😀
tasya @ the literary huntress says
This post hits all the mark, Marie! I’ve been blogging for almost 7 years (I know, I’m old) and these changes are 100% accurate. The rise of other social media really moves the conversation elsewhere and I created a book twitter because of the ease of connection too. While this means more discussions, it can also mean more overwhelming. I don’t create the other two because I suck at taking pictures and I hate seeing me on video, but even with only book twitter, I still missed a lot of discussions ?
Marie says
Ah I’m amazed you’ve been at it for 7 YEARS, what an incredible amount of time. I’m happy you’re still here! <3
I so agree with you that social media is a little more overwhelming. It's fast paced and everything is so so fast compared to blogs and it can quickly get stressful!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! <3
Laurie says
I’m just in the game for 3 years, but I totally can relate to what you’re saying here. It seems Instagram is more important now for publishers as well, it looks like Bookstagram counts more in regards of getting review copies etc. I can’t take bookish pictures due to my visual impairement and because I only read ebooks and audiobooks, so therefore I can’t do Bookstagram (really) and Booktube. So, no review copies for me then 😉
I also notice this about the commenting thing. However, I totally quit commenting on Blogger blogs because of the difficulties with that commenting system.
Great post Marie!
Marie says
I feel like instagram is the place to be when it comes to books, really, it’s thriving lately ahah 🙂 I think that’s great, but there is a lack of ebooks on here, that’s for sure, too. That’s something I’d love to see more on bookstagram 🙂
Oh yes, I can understand that! Some commenting systems are so complicated, I tend to give up on them some days, too, ahah 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
Rasya says
Interesting take! I also started Twitter because I feel like I’m missing out from the community lol. It’s much easier to communicate using social media than on blog posts comments.
Marie says
There’s just so much happening on social media now ahah. No matter where we’re at, anyway, we will miss out on things, I’m trying to live with that haha 🙂
Holly says
yes yes YES to this entire post! I feel like you just summed up everything I’ve been feeling lately!! I so miss the good old days of book blogging when everyone would comment on each other’s posts all the time and you didn’t have to have multiple platforms to juggle all at once. I have a bookstagram that I’m pretty active on, and I love it, but sometimes I can’t help wish it could be simpler. Anyways, thank you so much for writing this post! <3
Marie says
Ahh thank you Holly, I’m so happy you liked this post <3
I feel so nostalgic about all the commenting that used to happen on book blogs and how the links and relationships were born right there on blogs, instead of social media. Things are changing and growing and they can be fun on other social media now, too, but it's so complicated to juggle it all as well ahah 🙂
thank you so much, i'm so happy you liked this post <3
Amber says
I’ve been apart of the book community for maybe 10 or so years. I agree with everything you said. I use to make YouTube video about books. I started it before it became this huge thing. I started to fall out of love with it and decided to pick up book blogging again about 4 years ago. In that time I created an Instagram and a Facebook page. I had twitter since 2013 for my youtube challenge. I wanted a platform where I could draw people to my content. It makes me sad that bloggers are becoming less common. I love pouring my heart into my work and not having to worry about putting on makeup or editing a video for booktube.
I felt obligated to create my instagram and Facebook page because I saw bloggers with a huge following have these things too. I wanted to find a way to bring people to my blog without being annoying ?
Great post! I’m interested to see how it changes in another 5 years.
-Amber
Marie says
10 years? wow that’s such an incredible amount of time, I’m happy to hear you’re still there!! 😀
It indeed seems like social media is kind of a side-media that’s very important and really common now, in addition to our blogs. I’m really curious to see how things change in the next years, too 🙂
thank you for sharing your thoughts, Amber! 🙂
Stuart Danker says
I never knew book blogging was a thing, and now I have a whole new world to explore. I’ve always been just an avid reader and writer, but this article really opened up my eyes to what I’ve been missing. Thanks for writing this!
Marie says
Oh this makes me really happy! I hope you’ll find amazing bloggers and book recommendations! 🙂
OnElliesBookshelf says
Love this! Thank you for mentioning me! I totally agree – there is still a place for book blogs as long as people enjoy reading them (and I for one still do!)
Marie says
Thank YOU for the blog post idea, it was really fun to think and write about! 🙂 and I agree, there is still a place for book blogs! <3
themagicviolinist says
I feel like a grumpy old-timer, but the evolution of book blogging moving toward social media makes me really sad. xD I remember being such an avid book blogger back when I was 14-17 or so and responding to tons of comments and commenting on dozens of other blogs a day and writing new posts every week, but at some point I got burned out because everything started moving to Twitter and Instagram and it just didn’t feel the same to me. I’m not a huge bookstagram fan, if I’m being honest. The bookish social media accounts are cool and all, but they feel more artificial to me than blogging. Blogging has always been my online community and I love leaving lengthy comments and having in-depth conversations about things. I have a Twitter account I go on once in a while, but I honestly just don’t have the time to get too into it. If that’s the way the book world is going, I guess I’m content to sit back and observe from afar.
Marie says
Ahah nooo you’re not a grumpy old timer at all, I’ll join you in the nostalgic ranks 🙂
I understand what you mean and I will always love the lenghty blog posts, comments and conversations we can have on book blogs, they always make me so happy 🙂 <3
mydeerbooks says
J’ai trouvé ton article tellement pertinent ! Quand je vois l’évolution de ces dernières années, je ne peux qu’être d’accord avec ce que tu dis. Aujourd’hui, envisager un blog (quel que soit le sujet d’ailleurs) sans envisager un compte sur les réseaux sociaux en complément, peut rendre la visibilité beaucoup plus compliquée.
J’ai aussi remarqué que les commentaires se faisaient plus rares sur la blogosphère. Je suis la première à avoir plus de difficultés à commenter un article de blog qu’à répondre à un tweet ! (J’essaie de remédier à cette fâcheuse habitude d’ailleurs !)
Mais malgré tout, je ne me vois pas abandonner mon blog, pour rien au monde. Je pense qu’un post sur insta ou un tweet ne peux remplacer un article travaillé. Il vient clairement en complément, et je pense qu’il faut le voir comme ça : un complément, et non un remplacement. En tout cas je pense qu’on a tous cet espoir en tant que blogueurs haha
Je pense que ce qui fait la différence c’est aussi l’intention des lecteurs. Les lecteurs de blogs recherchent plus de contenus, de détails, ont du temps devant eux pour se poser devant un article et le commenter. Et quand ils ne l’ont pas, les réseaux sont un bon moyen de maintenir un lien avec la bookosphère 🙂 Après, est-ce aussi le résultat d’une société où tout est bon pour gagner du temps, ou tout doit aller vite ? C’est fort possible et ça pourrait donner lieu à un grand débat ^^ !
En tout cas je veux croire que les blog ont encore un long chemin devant eux et tant qu’il y aura des blogueurs pour les faire vivre et se soutenir alors il n’y a pas de raison que ça change 🙂 !
(Mon commentaire est beaucoup trop long, sorry, mais je trouve ça tellement intéressant d’analyser tout ça haha !)
Marie says
Je suis entièrement d’accord avec toi ! Aujourd’hui, on ne peut pas imaginer de blog sans réseaux sociaux, c’est impossible. Et il y a tellement qui se passe sur ces réseaux, aussi, du contenu additionnel, des échanges, etc, ça fait vraiment partie de l’identité des blogueurs.
Je suis entièrement d’accord avec toi : tout dépend de l’intention des lecteurs également. J’avoue que, de voir une personne commenter sur un tweet partageant mon article, plutôt que mon article en lui-même, ça me rend un petit peu triste aha. Mais je sais que c’est plus facile de commenter ainsi parfois.
Ce qui me rend le plus triste, c’est le fait qu’on ne prenne plus le temps de grands commentaires et conversations comme celles-ci, parce que ça me rend tellement heureuse ahah et on pourrait débattre pendant si longtemps sur ce sujet. c’est pour ça que j’ai eu envie de blogger aussi, pour discuter longuement, pas seulement échanger des courts tweets 🙂
MERCI! Ma réponse est aussi longue ahah, merci pour ton partage et pour ton avis, je suis contente que mon article t’ai plu <3 <3
Linda @ flourishreader says
I totally agree with you (although I “just” started blogging in 2017! I’m active both on my blog and on goodreads and I used to regularly post on my bookstagram too but as an international reader who prefers to go to the library and have less physical books I somehow just got tired of that…. I also don’t have a booktube channel nor booktwitter (though I am thinking about starting one). I think that being active on so many platforms is not as easy and I respect those who are. ?
Marie says
Oh I can completely understand that. I haven’t been on bookstagram for long, but we see physical copies of books way more often than ebooks, for instance!
I agree with you and have NO IDEA how some people maintain such a great presence EVERYWHERE, they must have some sort of magical powers hahaha 🙂
thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Linda! <3
Jordann @thebookbloglife says
I feel you on the need to have all the social media, it sometimes feels like you need four hundred hours a day to keep on top of it all.
It would be nice if it was easy but then anything worth having isn’t going to be totally easy! <3
Marie says
Right? I’d say eight hundred hours, even, hahaha, there are just SO many things to do at all times!
Agree <3 and as long as we love it, we should keep on going 🙂
Lois says
You hit the nail on the head with this one. I think a lot of the changes, especially in regards to social media influences all have to do with the idea of generating instant reactions, and a lot of the time it spans from lack of time even to a sense of impatience. The way we consume media, in general, has evolved and, I find people are more likely to react to snippets over in-depth pieces. It’s so easy to be out of the loop, even with the use of social media, because by the time you catch up with a certain topic, the masses have moved on to the next one. I’m still a fan of the old school commenting and blog hopping, but I’ve definitely found that there’s less direct interaction with the blog.
Marie says
Yes! That’s exactly it, the way we consume media, and therefore the way we consume blogs, has changed a whole lot over the years and I have a feeling it will continue down that road ahha 🙂
I’m glad you still like the old commenting too! I find it so comforting and…. well, calming, compared to the other media frenzy haha 🙂
thank you, Lois! <3
waggytalesblog.com says
Thank you so much for this. My blog is 3 years old and I have been noticing lately that people don’t comment like they used to. I thought I was doing something wrong! I’m too busy reading great books to spend hours on social media and as for booktube…no-one wants to see this face! Actually, I didn’t even know booktube was a thing! Book bloggers have been a really supportive community in the past and I hope the comments make a come back! x
Marie says
Oh not at all, you’re not doing anything wrong, no worries! Things are just evolving and the conversations moving on, people taking less time to comment on blog posts 🙂
I hope that they will, too and that book blogs will always remain a thing 🙂 <3
thank you so much!! <3
waggytalesblog.com says
That’s very reassuring, thank you .
Eliza (@ElizaRapsodia) says
I do agree with all of this! My blog will be 10 years this year and it is real that people do not leave comments in blog post and book reviews anymore… at lest not as much. I am really lazy to mantain a bookstagram (I have one but I have not uploaded a picture in months) I really liked your conversation in here and good points about the book influencer thing.
Marie says
Thank you so much, Eliza! I’m so happy you could relate to this post 🙂
Aria says
I’ve only been blogging for a little over 6 months, but I’ve still noticed a lot of the things that you talked about, like with most book bloggers having multiple social media accounts.
I only have Instagram, which I got like a week ago, and it’s not really a bookstagram, more of a private account where I’ll post about books. But I have noticed that if you want an arc, for example, the form you fill out or whatever will ask for all your social media first, assuming that you have it.
I also can see what you mean with people commenting less in blogs than on social media. It does feel like one picture of a book on bookstagram can get thousands of likes and a hundred comments, while a book review on a blog might get read by 20 or 30 people, depending on the blog.
Anyways, this was a really interesting post, and I enjoyed reading it!
Marie says
Yes exactly! I have noticed that, too, that publishers are asking for your social media handles first, before asking for a book blog. It really shows how they value book influencers’ social media presence even more in the past couple of years!
Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts, Aria 🙂 and I hope you’ll keep on blogging your way and posting pictures the way you want to, too 🙂 as long as you’re enjoying it, that’s what matters 😀
Aria says
That really is what matters ?
Aj @ Read All The Things! says
I don’t think I will ever get on BookTube. I subscribe to a few channels, but I’m not brave enough to put myself on there. I tried Bookstagram and gave up. I’d rather look at travel photos than books. I do put a ton of effort into my Pinterest account. I’m not sure if publishers care about that though. I guess it’s good that I don’t care about getting ARCs! I’m happy with used books or library books.
Marie says
Right here with you, I’ll never start a booktube channel that’s for sure ahah 🙂
Pinterest is more of a search engine than a social media like twitter or instagram, but it can bring you an enormous amount of traffic, so that’s fantastic that it’s working out for you! 😀
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 😀
Clo @ Cuppa Clo says
Definitely agree with you on all this. For me I like having social media as an alternative way to connect with the person behind a blog, I just really enjoy connecting with people but I’ll always return to the blogs. BookTube I used to watch a ton of before I started my own blog, now I hardly watch it. I don’t have the patience to sit and listen to videos about books, when I can read and engage with multiple book bloggers posts, leave comments that I know they’ll appreciate. I’m also on bookstagram though only recently have I properly revived it and the amount of time and energy that has to go into it, even with me trying to keep it as simple as possible. I feel in so many ways that a lot of the people who are on the outside (publishers, other people who aren’t in the community) don’t fully understand the sheer amount of time, work and energy that goes into even just one account/platform.
I also wish book bloggers got more recognition, we’re doing the same amount of graft as other platforms but I feel like part of the shift happened when blogs began getting overlooked. As well as that, you can have a viral tweet and reach thousands of people…but that tweet/post will be gone as quickly as it appeared. Blog posts will (providing the blog site is still up) still be up for years to come, an online archive of sorts.
Going back to my first point of social media being a way to connect with the person behind the blog, it’s an easier way to interact and have a conversation, it’s also a fun way to discover new people. Whereas blogs are a great way to talk about interesting topics, raise awareness about other things, social media can lend itself to helping that grow. Specifically twitter I feel. Also I’m sorry if my comment is all over the place Marie, my head is a jumbled mess but I loved this post so much! <3
Marie says
Ahh thank you so, so much for your sweet comment, Clo <3
I so agree with you that social media is a way to connect differently with the bloggers, too. I've gotten to know and got closer to other bloggers thanks to social media, too and I find this wonderful, but…. it just takes so much time and effort to be EVERYWHERE and to maintain a presence on everything, it's overwhelming and I so agree when you say that people don't realize just how much time, energy and work it takes to do it all.
I think that social media is a great complement to the blog, but I feel like lately and the way the trends are going, book blogs are getting more and more overlooked and it makes me sad. Like you said, their content is more lasting too and we can have such great conversations on book blogs, too <3
thank you so, so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!! <3 <3
Nicole Evans says
Wow, did this post ring true and also break my heart a little. Mostly because, even though I’ve had my blog for nine years, I think, I didn’t really truly get active with it and use it within the book blogger community until the past few years and I almost feel like…I missed out? Because while I have a Twitter account and use it to talk about books a lot, I don’t use it the way you describe here. And I have no interest in creating a booksagram account, even though they are all SO LOVELY, just because I don’t want to have another account to manage. And booktube requires my face, which….nah.
So yes, I’m one of the ones holding onto the book blog and hoping it is still seen as relevant, in an age where you can get the same opinions in bite-size pieces through other mediums that allow for greater expression and artistic influence. And it makes me sad, in some ways, because I just don’t have the time or the talent to try another avenue, on top of everything else. I don’t plan on stopping book blogging, but I do hope it as a medium still stays relevant and that I’ll still use because I love it, even if it doesn’t.
Wonderful post!!
Marie says
Okay Nicole but you’re me, because that sentence “And booktube requires my face, which….nah” is like, exactly what I say word for word ?
I’m so happy that you’re holding on to the good old blogs and know that I am right here with you, loving them with all of my heart and soul. Even if there are easier, quicker ways to consume content lately and even if society is moving towards that, too, I believe that we book blogs will stay relevant and last as long as we don’t give up and still spread the love for them <3
THANK YOU so much for sharing your thoughts, Nicole <3 <3
Nicole Evans says
Hahahaha, yep! We are very much the same in so many ways. <3
Yes, exactly! I don't think I'll ever give up book blogging or reading them, because I just love them so much! Thank you for writing another wonderful post, as usual. <3
Sophie @BewareOfTheReader says
I agree withh all that you’ve said! The blog is for mong post and discussion. But IG is what made me seen it seems. I think it fits my creative streak.
Marie says
Instagram really is hyped ahah and I understand that it’s such a great place for book lovers to be on, too 🙂 It requires a whole lot of time and creativity too and I deeply, deeply admire so many bookstagrammers for all the work they do because wow.
I’m happy you enjoyed the post, Sophie!! <3 <3
Cee Arr @ Dora Reads says
Honestly? My blog turned 5 last Halloween – and I’ve noticed zero of these changes (sorry, I totally appreciate your points – I’ve just not experienced any of them!)
Yeah, Twitter drives traffic to my blog and helps add to the conversation, but I didn’t have a Twitter ’til 2016 (and before that I barely had any traffic, tbh. Hell, I barely had a blog, and I rarely blog-hopped.) I still don’t have a Bookstagram (and probs never will.) I’ve only had Pinterest in the past year or so.
It’s like… the blog’s your concert venue, right? But you need to put the posters up outside so that people know what bands are playing. If you don’t have signage, no-one’s gonna come through the door! 😉
I think the changes have been more social-development than social-media. Book blogging’s grown up – we’re happier to read books other people aren’t reading. We’re happier to be political. We’re much better at supporting diversity. We’re more respectful of differing opinions (…for the most part.) And the reviews and discussions are both complex *and* accessible- and that’s awesome! (Then again, maybe you’ve not seen any of that – the blogosphere is a deceptively large place!)
Marie says
Well I’m really happy that these little changes haven’t affected you and your blogging personally, that’s great! 🙂
And YES definitely, I agree with you that the discussions have changed and grown and complexified and the strikes for diversity have been amazing, too. Maybe I should write another post specific on book blogs posts changes, since that wasn’t a main topic here! 😉
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!! 🙂
Kat Impossible says
I feel this blog post on such a deep level. I mean, you already know my stance on this. While I do have a pretty decent Twitter account, it stresses me out so much already. Due to the character limit, you words can get misconstrued easily and things blown way out of proportion. I can’t, just really physically can’t, do bookstagram haha because what is light, a working camera etc. And no way am I going to talk on camera anytime soon again. I would also in no way want to discredit the work the people with multiple accounts do, but I miss the heydays of blogging … it often feels like the least important platform, when it also requires a shitton of work.
Marie says
I get that so much and I feel like it’s so complicated to be everywhere, let alone maintain a decent presence all at once without losing your mind a little bit at times?? haha.
I get that so much, I feel like book blogging on good old blogs is so, so disregarded while it requires an incredible amount of work.
Thank you, Kat <3 <3
Priyasha says
I ABSOLUTELY ADORED AND AGREE WITH THE POST. I KNOW THIS IS OUR SAFE HAVEN AND OUR COMFORT ZONE . But even I know this is not enough . As a first year student of Business Administration , we are taught the importance of Social media in our lives and yes to be updates we need to be there .
Glad to know your opinions.
Once again great post .?
Priyasha @booksandco.
Xoxo
Marie says
Thank you so, so much!! So happy you enjoyed this post 😀
tiffany @ readbytiffany says
Ahhh amazing post, Marie!! I high-key have been waiting for it ?❤️I honestly agree with so much of you’re saying. I honestly think Pinterest is up there with must-have social media too but I CANNOT balance all the social media. It’s really sO MUCH. I wish publishers would give more attention and appreciation for book blogs in addition to the other platforms. I think what I really appreciate aboout blogging the most is that it’s so much slower pace and personal?? (not saying the others aren’t but they’re more quick messages than a thoughtful post)
Marie says
Ahhhh thank you Tiffany I’m so so happy you liked this post and could relate to it, too! <3 <3 I agree that Pinterest feels like a must, too and… there is just SO MUCH.
I agree with you, too, about publishers. It's great and I understand that they pay attention to social media so much now, but I wish they'd pay the same amount of attention to book blogs and their potential <3
Agree! I love how slow, calming and personal it feels on a blog <3
Carol says
Terrific post! Social media is vital to blogging! …,and very time consuming! When I started blogging I had no idea how much time social media would require! I don’t do the golden 4 ….I focus on bookstagram, twitter, Pinterest, and goodreads. There’s no book tube in my future unless I find a partner who will do it!
Marie says
Thank you, Carol! 🙂 I so agree, social media is kind of vital now, but it also takes sooooo much time to do it all!
Louise @ Monstrumology says
I agree with you so much! I’ve been blogging since 2011 and even more has changed since then so it can be hard to keep up all the time. I will always prefer book blogs to any kind of bookish social media and even booktube because it is so easy to get lost in all of the noise on social media, and I just can’t seem to get into booktube videos because I can’t really use them as a form of background noise. That, and I also don’t want to show my face or my voice.
I think another problem I have with bookish social media is that so many people are too concerned with numbers. If I get at least one comment on a blog post, my day has been made, but there are people on Instagram who get upset if their photo doesn’t get at least 1000 likes. I understand that putting together a photo is a lot of work, but it’s not the end of the world.
Marie says
2011, wow this is so impressive, I’m so happy you’re still blogging after all this time! 🙂
I agree with you! It’s easier to get lost in all the social media frenzy, while book blogs feel more rightly paced for me, too. They’re calm and peaceful ahah 🙂
I so so so understand what you mean here. I feel like numbers are just “bigger” and always takes big proportions on social media and they don’t on book blogs. I mean, numbers aren’t the end of it all, we need to have fun and that’s what matters 🙂 (also, 1000 likes is a gigantic amount of likes already haha)
mortalreader says
Marie, this post is absolutely fantastic.I feel so much of the same, I’ve been really struggling lately. It feels like nothing will ever be good enough, I don’t know how to interact on twitter and get people to have a conversation back. My bookstagram I started, I have finally stopped trying to achieve something amazing, I had one previously where I spent so long taking photos and editing them but they never would be as good as the insane photos people take (they are so talented) so now I grab a pillow and my book and take a photo and I’m going to share quotes and make my bookstagram for me.
I just struggle with it all because it seems like you have to do it all and you have to buy all the latest books and be really up to date and I’m not. I’m reading series that are 3/4 years old and I can’t keep up so I don’t feel like i’m relevant and worthy…
I hope my brain blurting all this out makes sense. Sorry for the rant! Fab post Marie xx
Marie says
Ahhh thank you Hannah!! So happy you liked this post <3
I'm happy you're making your bookstagram for you now! It's so easy to get lost in a "I want to succeed with tons of props and likes and everything" and to get into a "do it all" mindset and just…. burn out and feel stressed out about it. I know I feel that way every now and then, but… it doesn't make me happy.
I get what you mean about reading the latest books and doing it all! I feel the same way, but I believe that there is room for everyone, no matter how old the books you read are and no matter whether you're on bookstagram or not. As long as you blog with your heart and are happy about the books you read and blog about, that's what matters <3 <3
Thank you!! <3 <3
Whimsically Meghan says
??????
Great post Marie! 😀 ❤️
I agree with you on your points. It totally feels like you need to have all the socials in order to have a successful blog, which I don’t know seems sad to me. I don’t understand why the blog can’t be enough. Who has the time to do all the socials anyways? Some days I don’t tweet because I just can’t think of anything relevant to say, and Instagram is a ton of effort; some days I don’t have the mental capacity to even think of taking a bookish photo.
Again, this was a wonderful post!
Marie says
Ahh thank you so much Meghan! <3 so happy you enjoyed this post.
I agree with you, it's so so hard to have the time to be everywhere, yet it feels like you HAVE to be everywhere, too? It's a little exhausting at times ahah 🙂
Thank you! <3
Whimsically Meghan says
You’re welcome! 😀
Right?! I can only be in one place at one time otherwise it can definitely be exhausting!
❤️
Margaret @ Weird Zeal says
I loved reading this post!! As someone who’s been blogging for only about two years, I’ve definitely seen changes during that time but not a ton. I would imagine that in five years there have been LOTS more changes that I wasn’t even aware of!
Oh wow, yep, it definitely feels like having just a blog isn’t enough, and it’s interesting to know that it wasn’t always like that. Like you said, I have no idea how someone would maintain having a blog, a book twitter, a bookstagram, AND a booktube channel – I barely have time for two of the four!
I can definitely understand why social media has become necessary for book blogging, though it is sad to see conversations moving away from blogs. I do still love the communities and conversations that happen here, though!
It is weird to me that no bloggers are really considered “influencers.” I guess it just has to do with the smaller audience size, but it also sometimes feels like our hard work isn’t valued as much ?
Anyway, I love this post and I think you expressed all of this so wonderfully! And I’m with you that I still believe in book blogs 🙂
Marie says
I think that social media is necessary now and they can be a nice complement to blogs, but it makes me sad when people give up on good old blogs for that, a little bit. I feel like book blogs are still wonderful places where we can express ourselves lenghtly and have amazing conversations too 😀
I agree. I used to feel like book influencers were, well, book bloggers but I feel like the ones that are considered as influencers don’t even have an actual blog, they’re more of a bookstagram account, for instance.
Thank you so, so much, Margaret <3
thereadingdove says
I totally agree even tho I just started my book blogging a few years ago.
Marie says
I’m glad you agree! Thank you for your comment 😀
Kay | Hammock of Books says
Great post! I feel like yeah (unfortunately) the conversation has really shifted away from book blogging and towards other social media, even in the just 2 and a half years I’ve been here, and I can only imagine what it was like before then. Tbh I’m like a fake teen because I’m honestly terrible at social media?? I even just created my personal instagram fairly recently and I rarely use it, so like I don’t want to make a bookstagram, but also I feel like everyone is doing that now and sometimes I feel left out, not to mention forever wondering if the reason I don’t really get ARCs is because I’m like not active on socials and my small blog is just getting forgotten. At least there’s still some book blogging like this long post you wrote and this (fairly) long comment I’m writing haha not all is lost <3
Marie says
Thank you so much!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this post <3
I understand your frustration! It feels like you have to know and to be fluent in social media to get more opportunities too and it makes me a little sad, because not everyone likes social media. I wish book blogs weren't as overlooked as they are when it comes to opportunities. You have such a wonderful wonderful blog and I'm certain you can get opportunities, ARCs and beautiful things happening to your little corner of the internet, don't give up <3 <3
Germaine Han says
Agh yes, this post hit me in so many ways about how book blogging… is kind of dying. It also addressed a feeling that I’ve had for a while, which is the need to expand. I already have an Instagram account (though I doubt you can truly label it bookstagram since it’s not completely bookish), am considering Youtube, and trying to avoid Twitter (can be too toxic for my mental health, no offense meant to anyone who has a Twitter account).
Plus, I remember putting out a poll a while back asking if people would rather read a 300-500 word post or a 1000 word post, and the shorter one won by far. You’re definitely onto something with the attention span point.
I loved this post, Marie. It made me think about how book blogging has changed so much, and I hope that we all stay alive out here as bloggers <3
Marie says
Oh thank you so, so much, Germaine, I’m just so happy you could relate to this post. <3
I felt the need to expanse early on, too and lately with bookstagram too, both because I was curious to see what I could do creatively and because I felt like…. I was "missing" this part of being a book blogger. Which is dumb, because you're not any less of a book blogger if you don't have any kind of social media. I certainly feel like it sometimes though.
(and no worries, I get you about avoiding twitter. I'm taking very regular breaks because it can be so very toxic and draining…)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic! I still believe in book blogs and know that we can survive and thrive out there, as long as we keep on pouring our hearts and love into our blogs <3
Germaine Han says
Exactly, you’re not any less of a book blogger if you don’t have social media, but it’s hard to stick to that sometimes. I do agree that as long as we keep pouring love and authenticity into our blogs, we can still make it! The blogging community is small, but still very much present <3
Marie says
It is hard, especially when we feel like it’s mandatory to have and be active everywhere lately, too. And yes! We’re all still here and happy to be <3 <3
Lila @ Hardcover Haven says
you hit the nail right on the head, marie! i’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and—especially as a blogger of six years (whew! i’m still hangin’ in there!)—this is so hard to reconcile with.
the thing that makes me most upset and sad about this is that the push towards bookstagram and booktube kind of ends up locking out low income readers from joining the community. and before i get a crapload of people saying “but if you have access to a computer or a phone then you can take pictures or quality videos! and besides, like, filming and photography equipment isn’t expensive! you just need a ring light and that can be as cheap as $24 on amazon!”, let me (a real life, actual individual who has lived below the US poverty line since she was 9 years old) tell you a few things:
1) having access to the internet doesn’t mean you actually own a computer or a phone/a phone with a camera. it’s very easy to use a public library or school library once or twice a week to create a blog and post regularly/schedule regular posts. so don’t ever make the assumption that access = ownership. it doesn’t, peeps. 2) owning a camera/laptop with camera/phone with a camera doesn’t mean you have the ability to make quality content. and i say this because, after six years of being a blogger, i can recognize that, while it’s not exactly ALL about the number of followers you have, the reality is that quality = followers = engagement. there are always those people who are so emphatic about how “UGH! stop focusing on numbers! you’re here to make friends, not be popular!” and right here, right now, i’m calling you out on your bs—because that’s exactly what it is: complete bs. you can’t make friends if you have no engagement. so don’t even come at me with that argument. but the main point is that engagement tends to be directly proportional to quality. and “quality” on bookstagram and booktube tends to be based mostly around aesthetics, as opposed to a book blog, where quality tends to be based on your ability to articulate your thoughts. which means that if you don’t have a high quality camera/high quality phone camera, as well as typically having good lighting? you’re sh*t out of luck. and finally 3) if you’re going to tell a poor person that spending $24 – $150 on equipment simply to record books isn’t that much money, i don’t even know where to start with you. because you clearly don’t actually realize what poverty is or what living in poverty is like or even the actual value of a dollar. because for me and millions of other people around the world, it would be the choice between spending $24 on a ring light to record books (for which i wouldn’t even get a monetary return on my creation) or eating for half a week. sorry, maybe you like bookstagram a lot, but i am not willing to quite literally starve myself for it.
so, yeah, sorry for the tangential rant. it’s frustrating because blogging tends to be the most accessible option for people—for people who are low income and don’t have access to equipment, for people who are differently abled and may not have the ability to make videos, for people of color who face more vitriol online (especially when our faces are literally visible to a camera). i worry about the fact that it’s going by the wayside because i want this beautiful community to be accessible to EVERYONE, just like reading is! i wish there was something i could do to make it different, i really do, and that feels really hopeless.
but who knows—maybe blogging will have an unexpected resurgence and in five years you and i will be eating our words! whatever happens, i’ll be rowing my little blog along down the river of the bookternet for the forseeable future!
thanks for a really great, thought-provoking post <3 <3 <3
Marie says
Lila, thank you so, SO much for taking the time to share your thoughts on this, you made such valid points here and I appreciate your thoughts so, so much <3
I agree with you that book blogging seems like the easiest and most accessible option for everyone. It is SO true that people without tons of physical copies aren't as appreciated, therefore aren't getting as much engagement either, on bookstagram than people with gorgeous, gigantic shelves and always physical copies in their photography, too. What makes me sad is that, YES, we can definitely see a switch and feel that bookstagram is a must right now, but like you perfectly said it, it's not the most accessible option there is and this makes me afraid that we will lose valid, incredible blogging voices because of that.
I also wish there is something we could do differently! I know that personally I will keep on supporting and shouting about book blogs as best of my abilities and really hope that people will continue to blog and not get too discouraged 🙁
Thank you so, so much for sharing all of your thoughts on this <3
Amber says
Agreed! I’ve been around for 10 years now and I’ve seen blogging be the OG and then slowly start to fade more and more. It’s a shame, because book blogging really lets you deep dive into books and discussions, but I feel like it’s a lot harder to do that on Twitter or IG because it’s expected to be quick and snippy. Booktube is slightly different, but it’s a struggle on there when you want to be a bit more creative but the platform restricts you a bit.
I’m on all four platforms but I can only realistically manage two at a time under normal circumstances (during this pandemic I’m doing a bit better). I suck HARD at IG because I’m not a natural photographer, and I keep forgetting it exists. Twitter, I’ll probably never leave, and for the past couple of years I’ve been focusing more on my Booktube channel than my book blog. Just because I am finding the quick and sharp discussions a bit easier to deal with alongside working. It’s all a tonne of work, and I really don’t like that book blogging is fading a little bit 🙁 I’m glad there are still so many blogs around though!
Marie says
I agree with you so much! I think that all media have different purposes for sure, but the thing I miss the most is having all of these wonderful, long and deep bookish conversations. Now, it’s more of a habit to share quick and short things, which I understand, but well… it’s making me nostalgic, too haha 🙂
I am amazed that you are on all 4 platforms! Managing it all seems so complicated, if you do this full time maybe, and still… it’s a lot ahah 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
ReadyouLeyre says
This post was incredible. I haven’t been in the book community for that long. I started my book blog 2 years ago and discovered goodreads and booktube at the same time. But I too see these changes you have mentioned. Right now, it’s so much easier to use social media for almost everything and there is no denying the impact it has on everyone.
But there something about owning a blog, commenting on other people’s post that is kind of nostalgic for me. It brings me comfort being a book blogger and talking about the books I love, even if there isn’t much people out there reading. It makes me happy, which I think is what makes me continue doing it, even if my presence will never be “seen” enough for publishers. I feel enough with this, and it makes me happy
Marie says
Ahh thank you, I’m so happy you enjoyed this post <3 <3
I so agree wtih you on that, there is something so comforting about a book blog and I always love it so much <3
ashley @ socially awkward bookworm says
Great post, Marie! I definitely have to agree with you on these points. I do have a Twitter and a Bookstagram and feel like I’m missing out on more of the book community if I don’t have these things. I’m not always on Twitter/Bookstagram lately, but I still feel like it’s kind of necessary to have it.
Marie says
I’m glad you could relate to this post! It feels so necessary lately to have social media as well!
Caitlin @ Caitlin Althea says
I love this post so much, Marie!! I definitely haven’t been on the blogosphere for as long as you have, but I really hope I will some day <3
As someone who only joined last year, I can't imagine having a book blog without at least also having a book twitter lmao ?? So I guess that’s a testament to how much the book world has changed since you first joined. I really hope book blogs don’t completely fall by the wayside though. Sure, other bookish platforms have become bigger than book blogs, but the conversations happening on the blogosphere are fun and important too, dammit. I honestly feel like the book blogging community is the most welcoming and least drama-filled bookish platform. & it sucks that it’s becoming more and more underrated everyday in favor of faster-paced conversations (that I find hard to keep up with, to be honest ??♀️)
Marie says
Ahh thank you Caitlin and I hope you will, too, you’re one of my favorites <3 <3
I 200% agree with you here, I've never felt more at ease, comfortable, welcomed and in a friendly environment than on book blogs and it's so wonderful. I hope that we can boost book bloggers and that they will remain really alive <3
@messybunandgettingdone says
This is so true for any type of blogger. It’s amazing how many different platforms there are. I have even recently joined TikTok…which is a whole different beast, but then I think I found my people there…you’ve made me think of some interesting parallels about blogging and TikTok…Maybe I’ll write a blog about it. One thing that has made the use of multiple platforms easier for me is autosharing/posting…wordpress, for example, can auto post to FB, twitter, LinkedIn, etc…when I send an email, I can create a quick post to FB, IG, Twitter. When I post to IG, I can send that over to my FB. But, yes, It can be absolutely DRAINING to try to maintain them all!
GREAT POST – and I’m not even a book blogger!
Marie says
Agree! My area of expertise is book bloggers of course ahah but I think it can be true for all kinds of blogs, you wouldn’t imagine a blog without social media accounts going with it, too 🙂
Oh I’d be curious to hear your thoughts about Tik Tok, let me know if you plan on writing that post! It sounds so interesting 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! 😀
@messybunandgettingdone says
I LOVE TikTok! And yes, I’m planning to write about it very soon!! I be sure to let you know. ??
Marie says
Ahh yay! Can’t wait to read this 🙂
Kat @ Kat from Minas Morgul says
I agree very much!! I actually had a bookstagram first but only because my Harry Potter fanaccount transformed. I think it wasn’t even called bookstagram back then. My blog is now 3 years old, I think? And even in that time so much has changed, especially when it comes to twitter. I had a twitter and deleted it, because nothing ever happened there. And then, two years ago I made a new account and suddenly everything seems to happen there. And I agree, as a blogger you need social media now. It feels like social media is just getting more and more important, especially for promoting books and bookish merch. But I go into another direction, I think. I enjoy blogging more and more and social media less and less. I just wish more people would take the time to comment on other people’s blog posts more regularly. That was definitely better back then. So yeah, I very much agree with you!
Marie says
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Kat! 🙂
I’m glad to hear that, I feel like I’m still in that same direction, enjoying blogging and social media a little less. I feel like it’s necessary lately, but I’m still more comfortable on blogs 🙂 I also wish that people would take more time to comment and share their thoughts in length, but…. well, people don’t have time anymore 🙁
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I’m glad you feel the same way as I do! <3
Aila @ One Way Or An Author says
I’m so glad you’re still book blogging Marie <3
And yes, the general trend is social media because it's much easier to gain an audience/exposure… especially if you're out here to #influence. Though in my opinion, you can't really trust influencers because how many of them really READ the book you know? And how many are paid ads? While I don't really look for those posts on social, I understand the need from a marketing and sales standpoint. I would say that the ones that do their due diligence with book blogging and reading reviews come out with a better reading experience though, in the end.
Marie says
Aww thank you Aila, I’m so so happy you’re back <3 <3
I get that so much. It's so much easier to get an audience there, and a quick one for sure, but… I'm like you. I don't necessarily trust everything out there and am more enclined to buy a book that I've read about on a blog I love than on social media 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! <3
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles says
Agree, agree, agree! I have seen that switch to social media and the comments become less common. I totally blame time flying and us having to be on top of everything.
Wonderful post, love xxx
Marie says
Yes definitely! We always need to be on top of everything and it’s easier to take the social media route than to read a blog post lately ahah 🙂
thank you my sweechie! I hope you’re okay <3
Olivia @ Purely Olivia says
This post is amazing, Marie! I really agree with a lot of your points. I’ve only been book blogging actively for three-ish years now (I have blogged for longer but I wouldn’t say I was really in the community), so a lot of these changes I feel like were already in place when I joined, but I definitely notice them!
Having blogs not be the main source of book influencing makes me sad, but I know that all the other sources like twitter, Instagram, and youtube have content creators that work incredibly hard, as you said, so then I feel bad about being sad about that. But also as you said, I still believe in book blogs too and I can’t see myself becoming more into another form of sharing content over blogging! I just love it so much. (I do love bookstagram too, though I have yet to be consistent with posting pictures in the almost two years I’ve been on it, so clearly it’s not my life calling.?)
This is wonderful, you discussed this so well!❤️
Marie says
Ahh thank you Olivia! <3 <3
I'm glad you can relate to this post and glad I'm not the only one being a bit sad about book bloggers not feeling as valued as other influencers ahah. <3 Thank you! <3
Juliet @ This Girl's Book Room says
I’m so so glad you wrote this post as I’ve been feelig a bit down lately about this very thing! At the end of the day, I love reading and writing; I’m not a visually creative person at all so bookstagramming and booktubing are never going to be for me. It does seem though that it’s becoming more and more about the visual and less about words, which I think is a shame. For me, there’s a real craft in putting an engaging blog post together, and it’s a bit disheartening to see people migrating towards Instagram and other quick-hit social media forums. No disrespect to anyone who has become succesful in these fields; it takes its own type of dedication for sure. On the positive side, what it has done is make me put more effort into seeking out other book bloggers who are more like me, and forging connections within this subsection of the online book community 🙂
Marie says
I agree with you SO much, there is definitely a craft and a lot of work that goes into writing a blog post. Not saying instagram or anything isn’t work, it’s different for sure!
I just wish that the book blogging craft was just as recognized as other crafts 🙂
Thank you so much!! I’m so happy this made you seek other book bloggers and I hope you’ll find ones you love and will have wonderful conversations with <3
LENN says
I totally agree, and I think this doesn’t just happen in the book blog community but in others, too. I’ve noticed a lot of my favorite book and fashion bloggers switch to booktube and just post a blog post link their videos. It’s saddening, but I don’t know if there’s anything we can do. 🙁 Personally, I am more at ease with book blogging and writing instead of making videos because I am awkward.
Btw, I love your blog and its design! <3
Marie says
Ahh I agree with you, my focus was on book blogs since it’s my niche, but I agree that other kind of bloggers are dealing with all these changes, too. It’s the way the world grows right now, unfortunately, but I hope that there will still be a place for our little blogs! <3
Aww thank you so much, this means a lot!! <3 <3
Sophie Li says
Hi Marie!
Wow this is a great post although it makes me a bit sad that book blogging isn’t the way it was before. I own instagram and twitter accounts but to be honest it’s really hard to keep up with it all! You really need more than 24 hours in a day! I love writing blog posts because I can write to my heart’s content. My blog really feels like a place where I can be myself. I agree that blog posts last longer because you can always go back and read old posts, but tweets disappear after a while (you could track them down but I don’t think anyone bother to?)
Marie says
I so get what you mean, you need to be constantly connected and it’s a bit overwhelming ahah 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Sophie <3
Kalpana | booksandclicks.com says
I actually started my blogging journey from Bookstagram. I did microblogging through my IG account for 2 years before getting my own domain just because Instagram felt a little restrictive after a while. True, my bookstagram account gets way more likes and comments but the small number of comments I get on my blog posts are precious 🙂
Marie says
Oh that’s so interesting to hear! I’m really glad you decided to create a blog and I hope it brings you a lot of joy 🙂 <3
Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books says
I’ve been blogging since 2012 and have seen it go through SUCH a transformation. Most of the “big” bloggers back in the day don’t blog anymore or have quit blogging for Bookstagram, etc. I admit it makes me sad and I know things have to change– but I hate change!! I’m going to blog as long as I love it no matter what happens with the platform. But yeah, I also Bookstagram and use Twitter, but I feel like I’ve always sort of used them anyway, so it was nothing new. I hope blogging makes a comeback!
Marie says
Ahh exactly! I’ve seen that switch too, so many bloggers I used to know have now switched to bookstagram and it makes me a little sad.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Michelle! 🙂
Sophie @ Me and Ink says
This is really funny because I was literally thinking about changes in the book community especially related to book blogging this morning but I really loved seeing your thoughts as I feel like I’ve only been in the community for around 2 years so to read your view on the subject is really interesting !!
I definitely feel like book twitter and bookstagram are very big platforms, you have lots of massive accounts who provide lots of great information. I kind of can’t imagine not having one of these if you have a blog which proves your point a bit. They feel very core in the community !! And of course, booktube is very big and I probably knew about it before book blogging ironically !!
I definitely feel like book blogging is an almost quieter part of the book community now but it is still one of my favourites as every post is full of recommendations, they are so flexible for readers as you can search for lists you want and skip sections on books you’ve read meaning you can get to the information you want quicker in a way and it is very aesthetically pleasing to look at meaning it is accessible!! I also think book blogging is open to lots of great discussions with a lot of depth which you don’t get anywhere else. It may not be as popular but there are a lot of strong, passionate voices who are so lovely to talk to. I obviously still love a long comment and post too so I’m thankful for every book blogger out there (I mean I am bias to blogs and loving them as I have one but I stand by my points still, haha)
This was a wonderful post and I loved reading about it, it was really insightful and personal which I loved!! <3
Marie says
Oh yes, I so agree with you, book blogging feels like the quietest part of the bookish world for sure <3
I agree so much as well that it is the best place to have great discussions and in depth discussions, too, something that isn't happening on twitter or instagram, no matter how big the threads or captions get, because… well, I feel like people aren't on social media to read long stuff? I know that's why I still seek out blogs, to read longer kind of thoughts about all the books <3
Thank you so, so much, Sophie <3 You are one of the strong, passionate, kind book blogging voices I adore reading and always love chatting with you <3
Sophie @ Me and Ink says
Yeah I agree those types of social media are all about being short and snappy like you said but I love long lengthy discussions !!
Aww… thank you soooo much Marie !! *cries* that means soooo much !! I always love your posts and talking to you as well !! <3 <3
Marie says
Exactly! I love ranting a whole lot, too, sooo…?
Ahhh I love you thank you!! <3 <3
Crystal @ Lost in Storyland says
I agree that the book community seems to have moved from blogs to social media—and that, now, the book influencers are the ones that have a major following on one of these accounts (and often don’t have a book blog). I have social media accounts, but I confess that I don’t update them as frequently as most do. I try to interact with a few posts a day, but it’s overwhelming to keep up with social media feeds. I prefer blog posts because I get a chance to slow down and engage with the material.
Marie says
I get what you mean so much. I much prefer the slower rhythm of blogging that allows me to catch up when I feel like it’s, it is way less overwhelming 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! 😀
abigailblessing says
Yes! Your post is on point. I recently ditched social media (including bookstagram) and I’m figuring out how to promote my blog without it. Book blogs can survive! Thank you for the encouragement!
Marie says
Oh thank you, so happy you enjoyed it! I hope you’ll keep on loving blogging and always happy to send good thoughts!!! <3
Stephanie says
I think you’re spot on with all of the changes. For myself, I use twitter way less, but I absolutely LOVE bookstagram. I’ve had the most growth with it in the shortest amount of time, which is honestly really cool to watch. I do like to dabble in youtube videos as well because I think they’re fun to film. With that said, I still really love to blog.
Marie says
I’m so happy you are loving bookstagram, yay! As long as you’re doing what you love the most, that’s what matters 😀
Macey @ Brine and Books says
Although I only switched over to being a book blogger over this past year, I can totally see where you’re coming from, and I feel the same way as you do–even if I can’t fully understand because I haven’t been doing this as long as you have. (Does that even make sense haha.) I really wish book blogs were still valued & viewed as the main avenue of/for book content :/ I love that my book blog allows me to coalesce two of my loves–writing & literature. Getting to WRITE about BOOKS??? It’s my favourite thing :’) The love for this dynamic duo is what has actually stopped me from starting a booktube or a lit-themed podcast already. I feel like I would be too repetitive, but mostly, I worry that since youtube & audio are more accessible & digestible, as you said, my book blog, which I treasure dearly and have put so much time, effort, and a bit of money into, would be overlooked & forgotten. That’s not to say that I’ve completely written off podcasting or booktube because it does seem appealing & fun, and never say never. But it’s at least keeping me very content with where I am, for now. Book blogs for the win, always!!!! <3
Marie says
Ahh thank you for sharing your thoughts, Macey! <3
I agree with you, writing about books is so wonderful and makes me so happy, too. I get that audio, youtube and other kind of platforms can be more accessible, though, but they also require more material and sometimes they can be really expensive :/
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and all the love for book blogs <3 <3
Lydia Tewkesbury says
Thank you so much for writing this ❤
I think it’s sad too, that less people want to read posts so much as they want to read tweets. I’m still not really on social media for my own blog – but cause it’s just a thing I so when I have time now for fun rather than something I feel like I’m ever going to make successful – and it definitely shows in my numbers! I am so impressed by how hard you work for all this – especially as Twitter can be so toxic. Maybe one day I’ll finally start doing it. I get weirdly self conscious, if that makes any sense at all ?
Marie says
Thank you so much for reading and oh, thank you so, so much ??
I soooooooo get the feeling self-conscious thing, I can’t even begin to tell just how anxious I can be about one little tweet or every single post I write ?
Lily @ Sprinkles of Dreams says
I loved reading this post so much, Marie! I agree with so many things you said, especially the overall social media aspect, how tweets can go viral, and how publishers value Instagram/Twitter followers (which are, in a way, easier to gain, imo?), and the way you ended the blog post had me tearing up a little. :’)
Ever since I went on a blogging hiatus, I haven’t blog hopped at all, but I still really enjoy it, whenever I do? (Though I’ve still been lowkey following and reading your blog posts silently, hehe.)
Anyway, this was a great post, and such an important conversation to be had. <3
Marie says
Oh Lily thank you so, so much, I’m so happy you enjoyed this post <3
I understand it, though, it takes so much time and it's easier to catch up with a few tweets or instagram posts than to read blog posts, but it makes me a bit sad to see book blogs being cast aside a little bit.
Thank you so much!! <3
S. J. Pajonas (spajonas) says
All of your points are extremely valid. The whole world has shifted to social media, for better or worse, and not just book blogging. I’ve noticed the conversation move to social media, and I miss the days of book blogs. I’m glad you’re still here! As an author, I used to rely on certain blogs to pick up and read my books and share them. It doesn’t really happen anymore except for a few. I’m not sure what’s to come for authors in this space anymore. It’s very dark and murky territory.
Marie says
I feel like, when it comes to authors and promotion, everything has shifted to social media, too and I feel like authors and publishers collaborate more with bookstagrammers, for instance, now, than book bloggers. It’s just the way things change, I guess 🙂
S. J. Pajonas (spajonas) says
I can’t even get bookstagrammers to give me a passing glance. Lol. I’m just sticking with my book bloggers that I’ve known for ages.
CG @ Paper Fury says
Yeah it’s changed a lot, hasn’t it? ?I don’t have the energy for it all so I transferred a lot of my focus to Instagram…plus I think with social media it’s easier for people to give a small comment, a quick like, and it’s about being visible and heard. So it’s a faster way to get that? and I know it’s depressing to write a 2K blog post with all your heart and …nobody reads it. Whereas a 20-word tweet someone will read. It’s not fair all the time!! But yeah!! And I do think social media is just as much work as blogging. It’s just sad when things (and sometimes people) get all left behind because of it. I do miss the golden blogging days! Buuuut I haven’t blogged properly in so long myself. ?
Marie says
It really has! and I completely understand the switch, too, social media feels quicker and easier while blogging requires long commitment to read a post, write acomment and so on. I appreciate people hanging onto book blogging so much more because of that, too <3
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Cait <3
Gayathri Lakshminarayanan says
Well written. I had been slacking on my blogging (again) and I am now trying to catch up. And with that comes the pressure of promoting it everywhere at the same time, which is something I am beginning to dread. So thank you for telling that may not be necessary!
Marie says
Oh yes I can understand that. It can get so overwhelming, there is just so much to do! Do your very best and what makes you the happiest and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. you’re doing amazing <3
Angela says
I totally agree that social media has become more important. I’ve resisted joining Twitter for so long and I don’t really want to, but at the same time I feel like I’m missing so much! Bloggers will post about something that happened on Twitter and I’ll have no idea what they’re talking about. I do love Instagram, though!
Marie says
Yeah I can understand what you mean, it’s so easy to feel like you’re missing out! But you shouldn’t create an account if you don’t like twitter or anything, do what makes you comfortable and happiest 🙂
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
I agree that this is the reality now. But I started blogging more for me than anything, so I don’t know that I’ll change all that much. I feel like to be a successful Booktuber you have to be young (and pretty?), and I just don’t fit that mold—but maybe things are changing a bit there too? I don’t know that I’ll ever have the energy to get myself all made up to talk about books, but I suppose you never know. 🙂
Marie says
I get what you mean. I know that personally I just don’t like showing my face anyway so booktube would never be a thing hahaha 🙂 but you never know! as long as you do what makes you happy 😀
mathcrln says
I completely agree with everything you said in this post and, although I’m not 100% a part of the community either, I think it applies to pretty much every fields. Today the discussion has moved from talking about the actual deep content (really thinking and exchanging thoughts on a given subject) to anything shallow. And just like you I don’t undervalue any Youtuber, influencer, etc. now do I judge the person who consume this content, but i find it a bit sad, that blogs and the human part of it, where both the reader and the writer pour their heart and connect in a deep way, making them more than just numbers on a dashboard. Anyway this post really made me think, thank you Marie! ?
Marie says
I feel like it applies to every field, yes! Social media is such an important part of society today and, while it has its perks, I also love connecting in a deeper, more meaningful way through a blog <3
Thank you so, so much for your comment!! <3
Davida Chazan says
I still don’t get Instagram, and I don’t see how it helps get traffic to my blog. Twitter, yes, but Instagram… unless you have 10K followers you can’t put in hyperlinks to your posts, you can only hope and pray that someone will like something enough to visit your profile and go to your blog from there (which almost never happens to me). I don’t know about YouTube because I wouldn’t use it to promote my blog (I am really not photogenic, and I have an annoying sounding voice, so there’s no way I’m going to make videos of myself talking about books)!
Marie says
Gaining traffic from instagram without 10k followers is a bit more complicated, that’s for sure 🙂 social media are helping with promotion, sometimes but they’re also just a whole different media to put yourself out there now, too 🙂
thank you for your comment! 🙂
May @ Forever and Everly says
i love this post and you so, so much, marie. i respect you a lot for being able to write these types of posts so eloquently; discussions about this are sorely lacking. i haven’t been here nearly as long as you have, but i’ve been blogging long enough to have seen how publishers have come to value social media a lot more than blogs. which is fine, i think! it’s how a lot of the world is working now, being influenced by social media. but it just makes me so inexplicably sad to see book blogs, as you said, not being counted as a platform for being a book influencer.
i’ve come to enjoy book twitter and bookstagram (to a certain extent, ha), and i appreciate both the community and boost it gives to me being a book blogger! but i truly do wish being a book blogger was enough ?
Marie says
oh thank you so, so, so much may, I’m so happy you enjoyed and could relate to this post, too <3
i agree with you that it's just the way how it is right now, but i still wish book bloggers with only a book blog could be considered as highly as other bloggers with massive social media following. Book blogs have such potential for content that really lasts and that should matter, too <3
thank you so, so much!! <3
Chana @ Paper Procrastinators says
This is such an interesting post!! And I definitely agree with you about how now having “only” a blog doesn’t seem to be enough. I haven’t been active on bookstagram for a while posting wise since it required time and effort that I didn’t really have, but while I was active on bookstagram Malka and I definitely got a lot more book promotion opportunities there than we got through blogging. I am in awe of people who have the time and energy to maintain a twitter, Instagram, blog, and booktube. Maybe one day they’ll reveal their secrets. Great post Marie!!
Marie says
Ahh thank you, Chana! <3 I am in awe of them, too, it is such a gigantic amount of work ahah I don't know how they pull that off!
Tressa @ Wishful Endings says
I totally agree with this. I started blogging about a year before you, in 2013, and then social media was a thing, but not necessary. I’m very glad that I did start social media accounts from the beginning though – although a bit late in adding Instagram a few years back. I also run tours and publishers don’t ask for blog statistics, they ask for social media reach. I’m getting to the point where I’ll have to not offer tour spots to book bloggers who don’t post their reviews other than their blog and who don’t share on social media. It’s that big of a deal to authors and publishers, so it has to be a big deal for me too. :/
Marie says
Thank you so much, Tressa! I’m glad that you felt the same switch in everything. Publishers, authors and everyone on marketing teams care more about social media reach than book blogs, something that is understandable, but still a littel sad 🙁
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight says
I think you’re totally right here. I hate it, but you’re definitely right about the changes. The thing is, and maybe I am just old and stubborn, but I still would never buy a book based on a tweet or a Bookstagram post. When I scroll through those things, I don’t want in-depth book reviews and such. I won’t lie, I barely read Insta captions, I mostly just want to mindlessly look at pretty pictures. And when I am on Twitter, I want to just be SOCIAL. That doesn’t mean I won’t like, buy a book because I see there’s a sale on social media or whatever; I definitely do! So it DOES absolutely have its place! I just wish that people didn’t see it as such a replacement for blogs, because it just isn’t, at least for me. Wonderful post as always, Marie!!
Marie says
I get what you mean so much! I rarely read the long captions on instagram, I only do it when it’s a friend’s blog post or someone I really appreciate / trust / am curious about, but… well, I maybe read 1 out of 100 captions when I’m scrolling ahah 🙂
I agree with you SO much on that. I feel like the two complement each other well, but I wish book blogs weren’t forgotten or replaced by them altogether.
Thank you so much Shannon! <3
Cas @ Daydreaming Ink says
Marie I love this post so much!! Writing a comment definitely takes a lot longer than commenting on an instagram post/replying to a tweet, but I still try to make time to read and comment on blog posts because there’s so much more that can be expressed in a blog post compared to a tweet/instagram post? And I definitely feel like there’s more pressure to have social media, like I’ve had twitter for about as long as I’ve run a blog so like 2014, and then I got bookstagram in maybe 2017/2018 because it started to become all the rave. I certainly sense a shift towards social media and all the more instant platforms (idk I personally feel like I put booktube in a different category because it’s a bit less social media and more blog-like??), and with a lot of publisher databases they ask about your other social media accounts as well as your blog so I do feel pressured to be promoting on twitter/instagram/etc.
Marie says
Thank you ahh I’m so happy you liked this post! 🙂 I agree with you, we can feel this switch for sure and I just hope that book blogs won’t be forgotten in it all 🙁 <3
Marta @ the book mermaid says
I absolutely love book blogs because everything else is just so much fast-paced and I feel I can’t keep up. I love being able to save blog posts for later, read them all when I have time, see thought-provoking discussions, leave comments because I know how happy they’ll make the person receiving them … But I also get sad realizing that book blogging doesn’t seem enough. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to “save” my bookstagram, university work is slowly killing me … And the more time I wait, the more unmotivated I get. :/ But yes, it seems like everyone is moving to a more fast-paced book world and sometimes I get really scared I’ll be left behind. It’s a stupid thought in my head, but it’s still there ):
Marie says
I agree with you so, so much Marta. Everything else is fast paced and rushed and so much more stressful, too, I’m happy to have a calm, peaceful pace here 🙂
I’m sorry uni has been so harsh lately! I am always just a message away if you need, always! <3 You won't ever, ever left behind by me, that's for sure. I still believe that book blogs will stay, even if some people are moving on, some others like us will stay and love it and it will be GREAT. 😀 <3
Marta @ the book mermaid says
Thank you for your sweet words!!! <3 <3
thewolfandbooks says
Whew, I’m late to the comment section.
“Having a great bookstagram account, twitter or booktube channel can give you more opportunities than just a book blog. Publishers care about that.” Oof. that hit me hard. I remember around last year how undervalued I felt as a book blogger. If there was a call for a bookish content creator for something related to an article or video, it was ALWAYS “Any Booktubers who can this… or that.” Never book bloggers. I will say we get to take part in blog tours. But yeah, I love having deep, meaningful discussions like this. The connection between bloggers feels more authentic. Other platforms seem to be about the numbers or an aesthetic. Or hyping mostly popular books.
I’ve taken longer breaks from posting on my blog just because I don’t think what I do is appreciated. It makes it easier to burn out. I feel like I was competing with all the other platforms so I’ll be honest and say I put less effort into blogging now. I read for fun behind the scenes and post whenever I feel like it now.
Marie says
Ah not at all, you can never be late! <3 thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic. <3
I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling that way. There's something so… authentic, yes, about book blogs, that make me feel comfy and happy and I really really love it. <3
I'm so sorry you've been feeling that way! 🙁 I get that whole feeling like you're competing against other platforms, too, but I think in the end, what matters the most is to focus on what you love. Put the effort you feel and want to in your posts and read for fun the kind of blog posts you want, whenever you want. It's a hobby after all <3
Jamie @BubblyBooks says
I’d be interested to see Book bloggers on TikTok ?
Marie says
It could be fun ?, I’m certain some bloggers are already there, aha 🙂
Stephen Writes says
This is a fantastic post, Marie. I have only been book blogging since the beginning of 2018 but I agree with lots of the things you say.
I think book blogs are still the best platform to discuss books and I regularly set time aside to look through others’ posts. The only social media platform I use is Twitter. You are absolutely right about others who do booktube and book influencers do work very hard, but most of their success is now driven through social media. Have you noticed too that since covid, lots of bloggers seem to have made the switch to booktube?
Really great discussion! ?
Marie says
thank you so much, Stephen, I’m really happy you agree on this 🙂 and thank you, for still reading blog posts, I and so many other bloggers are so thankful for that and to see that our lengthy posts are still appreciated 🙂
and yes! definitely, i guess since the situation gave some people more time for new hobbies… it just makes me sad to know more people are leaving book blogs. 🙁
thank you so, so much!! <3
Amy @ Bursting with Books says
This is so interesting! I’ve definitely struggled with feeling like blogging has value to the book community (hence my intermittent blogging for the last 3ish years), and there’s not a true answer to not having that feeling. But I definitely agree that social media has more instant gratification, but less longevity. And I certainly hope that publishers eventually come around to realizing the value of this virtually untapped resource. 🙂
Marie says
Yes, let’s hope so <3 Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts, Amy! <3
aina says
Those who can handle book blog, bookstagram, book twitter and booktube are really some kind of superheroes. Like how did they do that? What kind of super power do they have to be able to do that?
I come from bookstagram. That’s the first platform I got into and introduced me to online book community. And then I made book twitter and then I branched out to book blog. I’m not really active on book twitter though. As for bookstagram, I’m still active but not that much. These days I focus more on book blog. Personally I feel like social media platforms are too fast paced for me and I’m the type who can get overwhelmed pretty easily. That plus I don’t have the energy to keep my account up-to-date all the time so yeah.
Book blog is more peaceful for me. More serene and it gives me the space I need when it comes to voicing out my thoughts on something. And unlike social media, I can go about things on my own pace and there’s no pressure to be active almost every day in order not to miss out on something.
Anyway this is a great post, Marie! Thank you for writing and sharing this with us. There surely have been changes to how the publishers and book community use the internet and it will keep on changing as the world advances. But I hope book blogging will stay relevant just like any other social media platforms.
Marie says
I’m with you, I don’t understand HOW people can juggle with it all, it’s so much work and takes so much time. Unless you’re doing it full time without work or classes or anything, I just don’t get it ?
I understand what you mean. Social media is so fast paced, while blogging feels a bit more… peaceful and relaxed, in a way, and I like that, too! <3
Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic!! <3
Solace In Reading says
i really love this post. esp. as someone who started on bookstagram and is now realizing that she likes blogging better, it’s interesting to see this. i feel like blogging gives me more space for thoughts and makes me think a lot. as a new blogger, i hope to advocate for book bloggers.
Marie says
I’m glad to hear you love blogging, too! It’s such a lovely way to talk about books. I hope you’ll have tons of fun with it all 😀
Solace in Reading says
i am! it really makes me think and i think my writing skills are going to improve