Here’s an interesting tidbit. The Sacramento Bee reports that, according to MRI Research and CBS chief research officer David Poltrack, only 8 percent of Americans read blogs.
Seattle-pi – January 28, 2007
“One of the things that’s probably overstated by the press is how many people are visiting online blogs,” Poltrack said in a presentation to TV critics recently. “I think you all blog each other, but I’m not sure the rest of the world is joining in the process that much.”
The 8 percent figure is based on a survey of 20,000 people. In a conversation later, Poltrack told the Bee that he would guess the majority of people who do read blogs are bloggers themselves.
“That does not leave a whole lot of real people who spend their time with blogs,” he said.
Was My Cousin Correct?
I’ve been musing about my own feelings about my relationship with blogging and publishing. A lot has changed since those comments were made in 2007. I’ve been doing this since 2006 and see only improvements in the tools that are available to those of us who create content. I question why I spend the time creating these posts and I think I have figured it out.
Engagement
Social Networks use the term “engagement” as a measurement of their success. This has three major categories.
- Reaction – The “Thumbs Up” or other emoji such as hearts
- Comments – Readers comments
- Shares – What was written was worthy of being shared,
Sadly “engagement” has a dark connotation because platforms like Facebook and X (formerly called Twitter) have cooked up algorithms that reward the most negative types of engagement. These posts gain reactions, comments and shares by appealing to anger and division. It is toxic but undoubtably profitable for their profits.
Why I Prefer Self Publishing Platforms
It takes a bit more work to create content on a platform that isn’t trying to game the attention of the readers but it is possible. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) are publishing platforms that are “free” to use but with a catch. The user is being analyzed. I continue to use Facebook but mostly as a place to promote my published work.
I prefer the publishing platforms – WordPress, Substack, Flickr and others where I can add original content, usually photographs with some text. I value the “engagement” on those platforms, especially comments because I know they are in response to my own work not something parroted from a robot or algorithm.
The Future
What’s next? I’ve been doing this since 2006. It’s not too expensive to self-host My Strange Life. My posts for the New Ipswich Historical Society on Substack have been well-received. I have no intention of quitting. It is fun to interact and share with a group, even if it only with other bloggers as my cousin mentioned in his interview in 2007. Thanks to all of you (bloggers and fans) for tuning in and subscribing.
