I’m really excited – and very nervous, as well – to introduce you to my brand new feature here on Drizzle & Hurricane Books : Book Bloggers Talk and, together, to tackle the first topic about Thoughts on the Future of Book Blogging!
This idea has been on my mind for a little while now, ever since I rebranded and self-hosted my blog back in October, actually. Since my life turned a little bit upside down around that time, I didn’t end up putting it together until now, but… now here I am!
What is book bloggers talk about?
Book bloggers talk is a series of blog posts featuring book bloggers and their thoughts and opinions on various topics in the blogging community.
The goal of this feature? To highlight book bloggers’ incredible work, show its value, give a voice to book bloggers, hopefully one that’s loud.
My aim is to talk about many different topics, from book blogging’s growth to tools we use, to bookstagram and book blogs, to inspiration, ARCs, money and more. I’m hoping that you, book bloggers reading this, will eventually want to participate and share your voice with me on important topics.
Okay, that’s it for the introduction, onto serious things now. Also, read on if you’d like to participate!
Is book blogging dead?
Wow. That got dark quickly, Marie. I’m sorry.
With book blogs often cast aside now in favor of bookstagram, booktube, Book Tok and social media more generally, this question has been on my mind for… a long time now. I don’t know if book blogging is dead, resting or still, alive and burning bright. Let’s hear what other book bloggers think!
Let’s hear book bloggers talk!
A million thanks to Vicky, Julie, Anna & May for sharing their thoughts on the topic. Please take some time to check out their work!
Vicky, from the blog What Vicky Reads, says:
I’ve been a book blogger since 2014 when I first discovered blogs for books existed and I’ve been blogging over at What Vicky Read for about 4 years now so I feel that I’ve been in the blogging and online book community for a somewhat decent amount of time now to have seen some changes.
The book community has definitely changed in the last 7 years that I’ve been a part of it but is that a result of technology changing too? I think so. Often I think about how far technology has come in the last 10 years. 10 years ago, if you clicked on the Internet icon on your phone, you might’ve pulled the battery out of it in a panic because you can’t waste your the money that you put on your sim/phone whereas now we can access the internet almost anywhere without worrying about accidentally racking up a £50 bill, cameras are much better quality and you can essentially do pretty much anything all from a phone. Of course, it should come as no surprise that both creators and their audience have adapted to this, whether that’s in the form of podcasts, booktube, bookstagram, booktok or wherever else the bookish community is.
And I think that’s it. 5 or 10 years ago, blogging was pretty much at the top of the bookish community whereas now, the community has spread across social media platforms with every person preferring one medium of another, but is book blogging being left behind?
Well, yes and no. Does it feel like blogging is a dying art? Again, yes but also no. Blogging is still important because it’s another way of consuming content. We are readers after all, so why wouldn’t we visit blogs that talk about the very things we love to do? Is it because watching a Tiktok is a quicker way to consume bookish content? Or because watching a video is more relaxing? Or maybe it’s easier to simply get book recommendations through a picture on Instagram rather than reading a full blog post? Whatever the answer is, book bloggers are still here contributing to the book community with our written thoughts.
The thing about book blogging is that it’s a staple of the online community as a whole and it’s so easy to get involved with the best part being that it’s free. All you need is your thoughts and a want to share them with the outside world and you’re good to go.
The main thing is that book blogging is here to stay, but if it is going to take its place amongst the likes of booktube, bookstagram and booktok, we need to adapt.
But how, I hear you ask? The book blogging community is in need of a revival, but we can only do that with the support of the community and that’s through the uplifting of bloggers whether that’s a simple share of a blog post, following a blog or commenting on a post.
– Vicky @ What Vicky Reads ☂️ Find Vicky on: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Julie, from The Lady of Pages, says:
I’ve been blogging in the International bookish blogging for about a year and I feel like the book blogging world is slowly changing. I’ve noted that there is a lot more diversity and that book bloggers started to talk about things that need to change like international bloggers not being eligible for certain things as well as some of the realities of what really involve book blogging such as hours of planning, writing and more.
Social media has certainly taken a lot of space in the bookish community and it is now the first platform to talk about books.
However, book blogging has still an impact on the community even though less known, especially because of the lack of visibility. Today, book blogging is still relevant mainly as it is the historical place of the bookish community.
As well as that, I feel like book blogging has a future as more and more bloggers start to promote their work on other platforms to produce some more different content and that a blog might become a huge bonus in comparison to those you don’t book blog. I also think that book blogging is growing more originally and diversely.
Last but not least, book blogging could change in the world of 2021 with more interactions and most importantly, the fact that a lot of people are rediscovering the pleasure of reading with the pandemic and it could bring plenty of new bookworms around the book blogging community.
– Julie @ theladyofpages ☂️ Find Julie on: Blog | Instagram | Goodreads
Anna, from Scones and Tomes, says:
I guess my first intro to the book blogging world was about 8-10 years ago over on Tumblr when everyone was still using PicMonkey to edit their photos and Booktube was still a hidden corner. Back then, it definitely seemed like the community was a lot more light hearted and focused on the actual reading aspect of the bookish life over aesthetics and “spilling the tea”. But, then again, everyone was reading Twilight, John Green, Divergent, and Cassandra Clare.
Now the book blogging community is so much broader and we’re having really hard conversations and challenging inequities within publishing and the community itself which is incredible. I believe that book blogging is incredibly more relevant especially with the rise of quick social media. Few online mediums have lasted this long (remember Myspace?) and I think as long as there are books being published there will be a need for book bloggers.
However, it’s becoming increasingly important for bloggers to learn how to market their content across a variety of platforms, which is time consuming and exhausting work with seemingly little return regarding engagement and publisher recognition.
In 2021 and going forward, book bloggers and other bookish creators need to continue coming together for blog tours, fighting inequity, screaming about our favorite titles, and promoting each other’s creativity. I think if that can happen instead of the current division over what platform is “better” I think it could be an even better community experience.
– Anna @ Scones and Tomes ☂️ Find Anna on: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
May, from Forever and Everly, says:
I’m in my fifth year of blogging now, and though I don’t love it any less than when I started, there’s a certain resigned feeling I have that wasn’t there before. I joined social media platforms in my second year of blogging, and that was when I became aware of the disparities between book blogs and other platforms.
In the age of social media, it’s no wonder that people flock to these platforms to find people to follow, or that publishers reach out to these content creators instead of bloggers.
I don’t think book blogging is dead—so many bloggers are still making phenomenal content, promoting books, and engaging with both books and audiences in ways that are unique to book blogging. But I do think it has been and is still slowly shrinking, as people either forget about book bloggers, ignore them, or don’t even know they exist.
The way I’ve adapted is to use social media to promote my posts and hope I can direct my social media followers to become my blog followers. I never used to think social media was critical to being a “successful” book blogger, but, now more than ever, it really can’t hurt. I think it’s the only way to “compete” with other platforms and stay as relevant as we can—to use those platforms to promote our blogs to a wider audience.
I think, ever since the explosion of Tiktok, there’s something that is difficult for book bloggers to adapt to, and that is the desire for shorter and more visual content.
Tweets can’t be more than 280 characters long, Instagram Stories (and now Twitter Fleets) are up for only 24 hours, Tiktok videos last no more than a minute, Instagram captions are only a few paragraphs. Tiktok, Instagram, and Youtube are all visual platforms.
This to me shows a desire for less “demanding” content—it’s so much easier to scroll Instagram and quickly double tap a photo, or to lie in bed and watch a Youtube video before going to sleep, than to read a 1,000 word-long blog post.
Unfortunately, I think there’s little that book bloggers can do to adapt to this. All I can do is attempt to be more entertaining in my writing/with the content I put out and to include as many visual elements as I can in my posts (which I suggest bloggers do anyway, regardless of trying to adapt). But I do know that I personally am not willing to sacrifice the quality of my content and cut down my posts to fit the audience’s desires.
I’ll be honest that book blogging often feels a little hopeless.
We blog to talk about books, and when no one is reading and no one is commenting and no one is even acknowledging us our content—it’s despairing. It’s incredibly demotivating. I don’t have a particular happy note to end this on, because I unfortunately don’t think much will change to be more in favor of book blogs in the future. If anything, social media platforms will continue to grow while blogs stay stagnant.
But I try to remind myself that I’m creating content in ways that no one else can replicate, and that even if there’s no one else, book bloggers will always be there to support and listen to me—and those two truths are what keep me going.
– May @ Forever & Everly ☂️ Find May on: Blog | Twitter | Bookstagram | Goodreads
How do you feel about the future of book blogging? Do you think book bloggers will adapt, or do you think they’re slowly cast aside in favor of social media? I would love to hear your thoughts in comments!
What do you think of this new blogging feature? I really really reaally you’ll enjoy it!
Twitter ☂️ Bookstagram ☂️Goodreads ☂️ Bloglovin’ ☂️ Support the blog
That’s such an amazing idea, Marie 💕 What I love the most in reading book blogs is the diversity of content and the astounding care book bloggers take in offering such beautiful and original posts! I don’t know what the future of book blogging is, but what I do know is that I’ll always come back to it, even if I need breaks sometimes. And I know I’m in the minority on this, but I don’t really care for booktube? Mostly it’s because I have a hard time focusing on videos (I prefer reading blog posts at my own pace), even though there are exceptions of course and creators I adore there.
Oh thank you so much, I’m so happy you like it🥺 I agree with you so much on that, it’s so wonderful to see the time book bloggers take to craft their posts, I admire that so much.
You are NOT alone in that, god I’m so glad you said that. I’m not into booktube that much, I feel like I don’t really focus that much on videos and prefer reading blog posts, too. So happy I’m not alone!! <3
I love this new feature! I don’t think book blogging has died really but it definitely has adapted and other platforms like Instagram and tiktok just help promote books even more!
Ahh thank you so much! I agree, there are so many different ways to promote books now and it’s wonderful to see that, too 🙂
This is a FANTASTIC introduction to a new blog series! Each of the bloggers brought up such valid points that I’ve considered as a blogger too. I truly believe blogging is still valuable, but I think as many bloggers put it, it’s more about adapting and uplifting each other as much as possible. Looking forward to reading more of these posts! 💗
Oh thank you so much 🥺🥺 I agree, blogging is so valuable and it’s important, even more now, to keep on uplifting each other’s work <3
Great discussion topic! It does feel like book blogging is getting left behind but I find it interesting that a lot of booktubers and bookstagrammers are starting blogs now too!
Thank you so much, Amber! I agree, it’s interesting to see how some started on social media and are turning to blogs now, too! 😀
OMG ! I can’t believe it is finally here! I’m so honored to be part of this new features and I can’t wait to read the next one!
Thank YOU so, so much again for participating!! 🥰🥰
While social media is easy and all, social media reviews and content is still not SEARCHABLE, in my opinion. It is not long-lasting content. It is short-lived content which gets more views and engagement because of the lesser time it requires. In my opinion, blogging will still stay and be the backbone where informational and long-form content will be posted. This age is of social media and quick marketing, but it is not very reliable. I’ve seen pretty photographs and quick promo of problematic books on Instagram without any mentions of its gray areas, simply because it doesn’t fit in the quick reviewing format. But blog reviews talk about it. So in the end, I still trust long-form reviews on blogs more. As times change, content changes. We may not know but blogging could come back as the place to be years later.
Lovely post and collection of answers! It felt like a discussion.
200% agree. Social media is quick marketing and I understand the investment in it, but for long-lasting, searchable content, book blogs are what matters the most and CAN make a difference, too. I also feel like I trust book bloggers more, but maybe that’s because I rarely ever read captions on instagram? 😂 I tend to scroll down and down, but rarely stop to read, whereas when I’m on book blogs, I take time to read more.
Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! <3 <3
AHHHH, Marie I love this new project of yours and what an important first topic of discussion! I have a lot of feelings about the shift in the bookish sphere away from actually reading and discussing the books being promoted. I think there is a place for all kinds of bookish content, but book blogging definitely is still an important part of it.
Ahhh thank you SO much, Kal! I’d love to hear your thoughts about the shift and everything if you ever feel like talking about it. I agree that there is a place for every kind of content, it’s so interesting to see how the places grow, sometimes merge together and so on! 🙂
This certainly is a thought provoker and loved reading the different points. I started my blog here 6 years ago but had a FB blog page since 2012 and FB is literally dead in the water, I don’t know why I even bother still updating it (I think I do in the hope that a few people still see it!)
I think I’ve adapted by blog by making my posts shorter (and hopefully snappier!!) to try and make people interested in reading mainly because of IG, Twitter and the dreaded TT (which I’ve still not posted on!!)
I really hope that blogging isn’t a dying platform because I love it, it’s my little bit of non-pressured escapism!!!
Oh thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed this post. <3 I don't think it's a dying platform, either, I just think things are changing and we need to grow and adapt to it all, in a way! :)
Yes you’re right, changing and adapting!
I love, love this post and wooo to the start of your new series Marie! I think the main thing which we struggle to compete with is random people ‘stumbling’ upon our blogs. Social media is contained, it’s its own platform and it makes it very easy and accessible for a variety of people to discover you and what you’re about. Blogs by contrast are looking for needles in a haystack until you discover one…then you can slowly start to discover more. For me I remember it was such a slow process because I just didn’t know where to look? Instagram, you have tags to filter through or the explore page. Twitter again you can search for things using keywords. TikTok I haven’t a clue cause I don’t have it but I’d imagine it’s similar. YouTube again, you can search and the platform gives you videos to look through. So we’re left arguably floundering in the darkness and I think it’s why a high proportion of our readers are likely to be book bloggers or have been in the past.
I DO however think the main way to combat this is for other creators on the other platforms, to start shouting us out. I know a few have already done so and I believe that did help increase views etc, bringing in new people. Yes we have social media but it’s difficult to reach new people until you’ve made friends I’ve found. I also think in terms of the content each platform produces, book blogs are still ahead in terms of having those important discussions, talking and promoting diverse books. Book bloggers opened my eyes to so much where the BookTube videos I was consuming before were….shoving mostly white authors at me which nothing wrong with it? But it’s super important to reading a variety of books, to be boosting diverse books and I really don’t see how you can properly do any of that in such short videos. YouTube yes you can, you have more freedom. But a lot of the reels/tiktoks I see on Instagram that are bookish are promoting the same white books that do not need more promotion. They really don’t and it’s incredibly frustrating because book bloggers knows that those videos have the potential to reach a wider audience, people who are readers and those who aren’t. Whilst we spend hours learning how to market, how to format, doing the research for what books to recommend, to share and some of us are struggling to even get one comment or getting 100 views on a really wonderful post. Videos like that are being created and then those same people get defensive if they’re called out.
I suppose again, a way to help that would be for us to figure out a way to create on those mediums but then where does that leave our blogs? Blogs are likely going to be around for as long as the internet is. Social media, as far as I’m aware everything you post and create you could then lose if that social media folded and went obsolete. Unless you’d saved everything, you would lose it all. Blogs don’t have that same issue as far as I’m aware, unless the host you’re using went down but again. If you’re backing up your blog, you can resurrect it.
Social media is constantly evolving, trends are constantly changing. Things that were considered old and outdated are suddenly back in, record players and things like that are coming back into being trendy. There will come a time I think, when people will want more than just social media. I enjoy social media but I would 10/10 times prefer to read meaningful blog posts from people then watch videos or stare at photos. Visuals are impactful but words move you in a different way I find. You have more room to fully explore ideas, you have the freedom to do whatever the hell you want within reason because you’re not needing to comply with the social medias rules on a blog. I hope, god I hope that publishers start to actually recognise book bloggers tireless work, the emotional drain, the labour you and so many others do. I hope that one day we can say we’ve made some progress, that no it’s still not perfect, we are still fighting to be treated on the same level as other platforms.
Is book blogging dead? – no, it has a quick turnover because we’re underappreciated, overworked and feel worthless thanks to a variety reasons. For that reason it can often feel like it’s dead or dying, many of us experience multiple burnouts, a desire to quit but for those of us who stay. We may adapt by branching out to other topics and not just books.
Ahem I have no idea if this makes any sense, I’m hoping it does Marie but I adored this post, loved this topic and I agree with so many of the points the other book bloggers made! <3
I completely understand that and I’ve heard that argument before. I agree that book blogs can be hard to find when you just don’t know what you’re looking for and, if you have no idea they exist, well… you just, don’t find them ahah. I know once you start with one, it’s easy to find more for sure! But yeah, I agree, with social media it’s easier to find bookish people. That being said, you are SO right: I feel like this is WHY book bloggers DESERVE to be shouted at on social media more, so that people can discover them more. Platforms like bookstagram and booktube should talk about us more too so we can easily be found, too!
It’s so different on booktube and other platforms, you’re so right: it’s so easy for them to gain a wider audience, lots of views, likes and shares compared to us. But YES I so agree with you: with those platforms, you are dependant on them. With a website (self-hosted), you’re not and the content and everything is and remains 100% yours. I think that’s so important!
Thank you so, so, so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic, I LOVED reading your comment so much and completely agree with you. Blogging has such a quick turnover because it feels so disheartening sometimes. I still believe we’re a great community and should fight to keep on being seen. <3
This is so interesting and to hear everyone’s own opinions. Since i’ve been away for a year, i’ve definitely noticed a change. I feel like there is a dip in book blogging at the moment but I do think it will come back. Things like tiktok are so hyped and popular right now, people are binging shorter content but I think it will come back to blogging and booktube once again.
I’ve signed up to potentially participate too!
Oh thank you so much! <3 I think that book blogging will always be there and hopefully not everyone will leave it for easier platforms ahah :) Thank you so much!! <3
I love discussion posts and this is a great topic! Thanks! I agree that we need to be on a variety of platforms to promote and drive traffic back to our blogs!
Thank you so much, Carol! 😀
I really liked the interviews you put in this post. It did make me feel a bit hopeless as I just started my book review blog! But it is the truth.
Oh thank you so much!! I’m so sorry to hear that! 😔 you shouldn’t feel hopeless, though! Book bloggers have been there for a long, long time and I believe they are here to stay, no matter what changes and how our platforms grow. Keep on doing what you love <3
What a fun feature! I love reading everyone’s views. I definitely think book blogging has branched out into social media, and a lot of people are trading in regular blogs for IG, etc. I’m usually the last person to try a new social media avenue, so that’s a little frustrating for me. I’ve loved blogging for the last 5 years, and I hope to continue doing it for many more years!
Oh thank you so much, Angela! I agree that a lot of people are branching out, but I hope that people will stay on book blogs, too. My love is always there for good old blogs ahah <3
Once again blown away by your topics Marie!! I enjoyed reading this so much, and it’s something I’ve been pondering quite recently as well. I created a booksta a few months ago and it is so crazy how much growth happens compared to blogging. But book blogging is still my one true love haha, and it feels more “mine” than any other platform i’m one.
Oh thank you so much Erin 🥺😭 I completely agree with you. A blog is something that entirely belongs to you, unlike anything you put out on social media, as well, so it’s nice 😀
Marie, this is such an incredible idea. I literally did a webinar for Welsh libraries on the supposed “dying art of blogging” and this post hits the nail on the head for everything I hoped I was able to convey. I think the highest demand for bloggers is being active across multiple platforms and finding adept ways of using social media as a way of amplifying the blog. Which is a task and gives us more work to do on top of maintaining the blog. However, I don’t think blogging with become a thing of the past, and it’s more to do with the change in how our audience engages with the blogs.
Okay so where can I watch that webinar 👀 this is such a brilliant idea!! I’m glad you could do this and that you can relate to what other bloggers said, too. I completely agree that it feels like we have to work extra hard to be everywhere to feel successful. It’s a little tiring!
Thank you so much, Lois! <3
Love the new feature, Marie! I just rebranded so I really hope book blogs aren’t on the way out 😅
Also, I tried to click the button to sign up for future topics but it didn’t seem to be working properly? I’ll keep trying, hopefully the problem is at my end!
Oh thank you so much, Alex!! <3 Oh no! Please let me know if it still doesn't work and I'll see what I can do! <3
This is a marvelous idea and a great topic! I’d be totally game for participating if you’ll ever have me. On this topic, I definitely feel like the book blogging community is more for me than vlogging or tik tok. I think the two different types of social media serve two different types of reader populations – extroverted and introverted, in a way. This isn’t always the case, but for me it is! I am definitely shy and have some social anxiety, so thinking of starting a vlog or tik tok is terrifying. Plus, I couldn’t with my day job. So blogging offers a bit more safety in that arena. There are a lot of us in this similar situation out there. I agree with the comments above that we need to support each other more!
Oh thank you so much, Nikki! Of course, I’d love to have you, feel free to sign up for the newsletter so you can sign up for the upcoming topics 😀
I 200% relate to your answer here and it makes me feel so happy to know I’m not alone. The simple idea of putting my own face on an instagram story is a massive NO for me, so starting a booktube channel or a tiktok or anything like that just doesn’t work for me. 🙈
Thank you so, so much <3 I so agree, we all need to support each other as best as we can <3
What an incredibly insightful post Marie! Thank you so much for this new blogging feature, I’m so excited for future installments 🙂 I have seen many bloggers talk about appreciation (or the lack thereof) in comparison to other social media platforms before, and reading these lovely bloggers’ eloquent thoughts on it has been really interesting, if not a little bittersweet. While I can understand the appeal of other social media platforms, there’s something so special about blog posts that I’ll always treasure. It’s just so clear that all bloggers put so much effort and time into creating high quality content, and it makes me so happy reading their posts. Bloggers are such kind creatives, and I am so happy to have found this community!
Oh thank you so, SO much, so happy you enjoyed this <3 I'm with you, I feel like there's something so special about blog posts, they always make me happy and you can clearly see the passion shine through them, too <3
Thank you so much!!
Congrats on launching your series!! I can’t wait to read it all the topics, this first one was such an interesting discussion!
Ahhh thank you so much, so happy you liked it! 😀
*standing ovation* I absolutely loved reading this! Such a great series idea and so much truth here. I joined the blogging world doing American Girl stuff wayyy back when Blogger was the huge go-to. Now… well, a lot has changed. 😂 It’s definitely important bloggers continue to adapt as attention spans get shorter. I love the emphasis that the community will always be here for each other!
Ahh thank you so much! <3 <3 I agree, it's lovely to know that the community is here and that we have each other's backs <3
Hi Marie!
I really like that you’ve asked a tough question and put it out there. It’s something that I’ve been wondering these days too. I agree with May–I think that people these days are short on time and attention span and… I guess it’s just more entertaining to look at something that’s visual like a video or an instagram post? Although I would love to branch out to other platforms, at the end of the day, I just don’t have time, and my heart is in writing blog posts, not taking pretty book photos or making videos (though I do enjoy looking at these). I think, regardless of where book blogging goes in the future, I want to continue blogging for me and support other bloggers 🙂
Hi Sophie! <3
I agree with you! I feel like it's just, now, people have a shorter attention span and it's easier to turn to these kind of content than to blog posts. I'm sad to see so many people giving up on blogging because of that, so I'm so happy to hear that your heart's here, too. My heart's into blogging more, as well and I hope we'll both continue down that road <3
This is a lovely new feature, and I look forward to reading more installments of it! While I certainly hope book bloggers can adapt in an ever-changing & rapidly-moving “industry”, the future often does seem bleak. Like May said, it can be so demoralising when one is getting little to no return on one’s blog posts–ie, the heart and soul of our bookish engagement. However, the truth and reality that there still are a lot of active book bloggers out there does inspire hope! x
Ahh thank you so, so much, Macey <3 <3 I agree that it feels a bit hopeless sometimes... but it's great to see that some bloggers are still holding on :D
I’m so excited to read more from this feature! Also, this was a really important subject to discuss. I do think blogging can stand the test of time, especially if bloggers come together to support each other. It may also be a good idea for book bloggers and booktubers to collaborate on different projects.
Ah thank you so, so much, I’m so happy you liked it <3 I completely agree with you, I'd LOVE to see more collaborations between the different platforms! :)
I love this new feature! Thank you for always discussing important topics, like this! I am looking forward to the next part!
Oh thank you so, so much, Morgan! <3
This is fabulous! I tend to agree with your guests, I don’t think it’s dead. I think the market has just been… diluted I guess, by all the other ways to consume bookish content. The thing is, I think book blogging will never be a completely lost art, at least as long as there are people still looking to read posts. And as An Old™, I am here to say that other Olds™ will probably always feel that way. Like- I use various social media platforms, but I can honestly say that I have never once bought a book because I saw a tweet, or a bookstagram picture. It might alert me to a book, or make me appreciate the cover or whatever, but the truth is, it isn’t going onto my TBR until I hear some feedback from trusted reviewers. That is just how it is for me, and I have to assume some other people as well.
If anything, I think that publishers have put all their eggs into one basket, and I don’t see it having the financial rewards that they think it will. Like bookstagram is fine, I scroll through it from time to time, but I don’t read all the captions and hashtags, and like I said, I have NEVER bought a book because I saw it there. Yet, I find that lately, publicity caters almost solely to that medium, and I also feel like its heyday is behind it. I don’t think blogging will ever be the “popular new thing”, but I think it will always be steadily there, long after the “new thing” is obsolete.
Thank you so much, Shannon! <3 I agree with you 200%, I'm so glad to hear you saying this. I never bought a book because of a bookstagram picture. I can't say so for a tweet, because I might have read a tweet, added the book to my goodreads TBR and then later on bought it, but I can't recall which book(s) this happened with 😂
I feel like publicity teams are focusing on bookstagram and other platforms, but I agree that they may not be the best investment. I feel like reviews on a book blog just last WAY longer than an instagram post and they should know that and invest in that, too.
Thank you so much, Shannon. You saying that book blogs will always be there steadily just gives me so much hope. <3
Social media has enabled diversified content and its impact in the traditional blogging is very much visible. I feel like this community was a lot more active 5-6 years ago than it is today? That might be for a number of reasons but a wide range of platforms is definitely one of the reasons.
For me, personally, reading contents always gives me butterfiles which goes for blog contents as well. Although I do enjoy Instagram stories, especially the book recommendations. However, I always prefer to read reviews and share my thoughts in a non-restricted manner which as pointed in the post most social media sites have limits to their content time or words. So here’s to wishing and hoping for this community to thrive for eternity!!!
Oh and love this feature Marie! 🙂
I agree with you! I’ve been blogging for so long now and I’ve definitely seen a switch, the whole activity turning slowly to other platforms, making blogging a little less… active than it used to be.
I agree with you, I love reading book blogs and I feel way less restricted and more creative when I can work on my blog, too.
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment <3
Sometimes blogs feel like they are the reviews of the book world. Barely anyone reads them because they are all reading the other content, but people would notice and be annoyed if they weren’t there anymore.
And I do think it is both a blessing and a curse that blog posts take longer to consume, or more effort, than other mediums. Instagram posts and tweets might draw attention to a book, but how can you really decide whether to read it without reading a more in-depth review? Also, blog posts have more staying power. I have people reading blog posts I wrote 8 years ago. Publishers should not overlook that.
This is the perfect metaphor wow, you’re so right. I so agree with you that it’s both a blessing and a curse. For me, book blogs have more staying power than social media and we’re able to gain traffic and give people recommendations with our posts from YEARS ago, too. I agree that publishers shouldn’t overlook that!
Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts <3
Book blogs have definitely changed over the last 10 years, but I’m still discovering great blogs like yours so it can’t be dead. 🙂
Ahhhh thank you so, so much!! 🥺😭🥺😭
Fantastic post! I enjoyed reading the responses, and comments on this one. I can be counted among the book bloggers who joined social media in the hopes of directing traffic to my blog. I’ve actually found Pinterest to have the most success for me in terms of conversion rates. While I’ve found the appetite for blogging may have gone down, in favour of easy access IG book reviews – the content on a book blog will perform better for much longer. We’re a lot less reliant on constantly changing algorithms, so for that reason I think book blogging will have a consistent presence for a while yet.
I’ve signed up for the newsletter and will be excited to read the next in your series!
Oh thank you so, so much Steph, so happy you enjoyed this! I completely agree that any social media content depends on algorithms while we have way more control on what we post and the way we’re seen on our blogs, too.
Thank you so much for signing up!! <3
thank you so much for letting me be a part of this amazing series (and allowing me to be in the post that kicks it all off!). i’m so so excited for the rest of the posts, and i loved reading other bloggers’ thoughts on this same topic. it’s sad that we all recognize how blogging isn’t as valued by the wider community as it once was, but i hope your series can make a difference! <3
Thank you so much for participating and for sharing your thoughts, I really really loved hearing what you had to say here and 200% agree with you, too <3 Thank you! <3
I definitely really resonate with what May has written. My engagement was never exactly big (my own fault, I could have worked harder than I have), but in the past year it has fallen off almost completely. It makes me sad. I find that as my own tastes have shifted – I started this as a YA blog but that’s not really what I am primarily reading any more – my audience, such as it was, has moved away from what I’m writing, and I’m not sure how to go about finding an audience more in sync with what I’m doing now. I have found some blogs writing about the sorts of books that I’m reading, but they are less engaged with each others’ content that the YA blogger community is/was.
Thanks for starting this feature. This post was really comforting for me to read! I have been wondering a bit what the point of my blog even is lately. I’ll keep doing it, I’m sure – mostly because I don’t know what to do with myself if I’m not working on some writing project haha – but it can be disheartening for sure. A lot of times I feel like I just don’t have anything to say that anyone wants to hear any more – which as someone who wants to be a writer is definitely a concern!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this post, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! <3 I agree, I feel like the YA blogging community is so much more engaged than any other community (that I've seen, so far!) and stepping away from it, it might be a completely different way to blog and engage, I guess.
I understand what you mean, it's always disheartening to feel like you're writing and screaming into a void. I'm certain that people want to hear what you have to say and I feel like, now, to be seen and heard more, we just need to adapt a little more to other social media and put ourselves out there, too. It's more work and it's more exhausting, but I feel like it's something to do, lately, too :(
Haha that is very true! In terms of that I have definitely got way more into Instagram this year – it’s something I’ve come to really enjoy doing.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it so much! 🥰
Thank you so much for this post, I think I really needed to read something like this today to gain some perspective. Personally, I feel that although there is a lot more emphasis on Instagram / TikTok etc., those platforms work at the whims of an algorithm which means your content may or may not be seen by all your followers (regardless how many you have). This is especially true for bookish accounts. Blogs on the other hand, I like to believe, have genuine subscribers as people will actually enter their email to subscribe only if they REALLY intend to read your content 🙂 I fully agree with the points made above about adapting your content + using social media platforms to promote your blog! 🙂
Oh thank you so, so much, I’m thrilled to hear this post could be useful to you <3 I completely agree with you here. Other platforms depends on algorithms and your content isn't really yours, either. Blogs are entirely ours and they can be seen and visited no matter what, plus they have more staying power! People can and will read a blog post from years ago and... I never scroll down to see an instagram post from years ago 😂 Thank you so, so much for taking the time to share your thoughts! <3
Aww you’re welcome! I really enjoy your blog and look forward to your posts, I hope you continue writing 🙂
Oh thank you so, so much, you’re so kind 😭
I loved this first post and I’m so excited to see what topics you’ll bring next 🥰🥰 It really breaks my heart to see how book bloggers are being undervalued and to see less people reading blogs nowadays. I do understand why, though. Instagram, Youtube and TikTok are more appealing to most of the audience, and I really can’t blame them, society as a whole is changing, and so are we, and then we adapt. But other bloggers (not exactly book bloggers) are still running successful blogs, I think it truly is like May said, taking the best advantage over what the audience prefers, and direct them to our page.
Ahh thank you so, so much Marta! <3 <3 I agree, it's important to take advantage of the new platforms, but I also think it's important to remember that blogs are here to stay, too. we shouldn't give up on them <3
Omg Marie, this post is literally amazing! I love the new idea and can’t wait for future topics! I actually started off as a bookstagrammer before beginning a book blog but I will always prefer blogging over any other social media platform. I feel like the community is so much more genuine and I love reading other people’s in depth thoughts rather than seeing some aesthetically pleasing things (though I still love that, of course!).
I’m still pretty new to blogging I guess, but I’ve never been in a community that’s so open and warm and like I said, genuine! I definitely think bloggers and their work deserve to be acknowledged more! Let’s pray book bloggers will rise again and be more appreciated again!
Loved reading this post!!
Ahh thank you so much love <3 I'm so happy to hear that you had the opposite journey, I always find it so interesting to see how and why bookstagrammers decided to create a blog. I'm happy you're enjoying your adventure here so far! :D Thank you so much for your sweet comment <3
oh, i adore this feature already! i love the idea of getting to know new bloggers and also hearing different perspectives.
i think anna nailed the point for me: while i don’t think book blogging will ever die, because blogging continues to be relevant, the rise of social media made it so now bloggers also have to interact on twitter and instagram and all that in order to “remain relevant” but don’t get nearly as much recognition for doing bookstagram/booktube on top of book blogging. it really sucks and i can not wait for this feature to also include questions about the recognition of book bloggers by publishers and the bookish community in general.
Ahh thank you so much Lais, so happy you liked it <3 I agree with you: it feels like we have to be present on different platforms and able to keep up in order to be as relevant as possible. It's exhausting!
I'm definitely hoping to talk about that sometime! Thank you!
I love this new feature so much and the discussion was amazing!! 🥰 This was a topic that I have been thinking about a lot from time to time, especially as everything feels like it’s getting more fast-paced. Personally, I love how welcoming the blogging community feels and how nice the style of interaction is – it feels so much safer than social media for me! But I also see that times are changing and people might be turning to different sources of content. It’s a bit sad to see but I still think blogging has a chance to endure ❤
Ahh thank you so much! <3 I agree with you, the interaction here feels so nice and relaxed, in a way, I really like it, too :) Thank you!! <3
(Trying this a second time.. first comment got ate when I tried to comment before work 😬)
Good Job Marie!! I feel like most of us gets tractions from other bloggers— i don’t think i’ve gotten views other than my friends I send them my link or others within the community. To be frank, I’m okay with that.. I’m not personally after all thoses extra stuff from publishers, I just wanna share and communicate with others on my nonesense about books or other passions 😅
Ahh thank you so much <3 <3 It's true that we're getting a lot of traction and love from people in our own community, but I still believe we can reach some other readers out there, someday :D
I think this was such an interesting post! It was so great to get to hear a variety of perspectives and see what the common themes were, and what individual insights each blogger brought to this post.
Personally, I do agree that other forms of social media are definitely more popular and yield better opportunities. HOWEVER, I still don’t see myself ever embracing a different kind of platform. For me blogging is the best. I have a close-knit group of readers that I get to interact with, I get to write long, rambly posts and 5 paragraph comments that no other platform lends itself towards, and I can include pictures if I’d like, but it’s not a requirement.
There’s something that blogging captures that other platforms can’t and I think we sometimes forget that. I’m so grateful for all the opportunities that blogging has granted me, but in the end, I’ve kept on blogging because I keep having more to say, and I enjoy this platform. I just can’t make myself want to interact on other platforms, and so I won’t. And that means that I’ve come to accept the fact that my growth as an “influencer” will be smaller relative to other platforms. But I’m genuinely okay with that.
This was such a fantastic discussion though! I’m so proud of you for starting this new series! Luckily for me, being so bad at blog hopping means I can go straight to the next installment now, without having to wait!
I understand what you mean. I love that there is so much more room to express yourself in blogging, too, and so much more possibilities. I also love that this is a platform that’s entirely ours. That being said, I’m still having a little harder time than you are getting to terms with the fact that growth, appreciation and validation is really low, compared to other platforms. It can be so frustrating!
Thank you so, so much, Malka! <3
I have been reading posts regarding this topic and this post is one of the most interesting and informative one I have read. Like to this line very well said “In the age of social media, it’s no wonder that people flock to these platforms to find people to follow, or that publishers reach out to these content creators instead of bloggers.” Thank you for this! bring back memories.
Oh thank you, glad you enjoyed it 🙂