From the early days of personal online journals to today’s sophisticated content platforms, blogging has undergone a dramatic transformation. But in a world obsessed with fleeting trends and visual spectacle, where does the written word truly stand?

1. Dinosaur: The Rise of Fleeting Attention
2. The ‘Bird’: Evolution and Adaptation
3. Mental Health Impact: A Double-Edged Sword
4. Monetization: A Lingering Uncertainty
5. Blogging & Social Media—A Symbiotic Relationship

Having blogged for 13 years, I’ve witnessed and adapted to numerous shifts in the digital landscape—only for it to evolve again. Today, mass communication is faster than ever, leading to a mental overload where content is dynamic, fleeting, and rarely static.

Blogs, once a rage in the digital world, seem to be overshadowed by videos. Engagement has plummeted even in dedicated blogging communities. In a Facebook group of 600 subscribers, fewer than 10 actively participate over two months. Blogger forums are filled with discussions about declining rankings and traffic, particularly after Google’s helpful content update.

Technology evolves, and so do content consumption habits. YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok (banned in India), podcasts and the ever-shifting sands of Google’s algorithms, make content creation a complex space. The question that often comes to my mind is whether this makes blogging a digital dinosaur, or has it evolved like a bird—adapting to new environments while maintaining its essence?

Dinosaur: The Rise of Fleeting Attention

Fastest finger first, that’s the content game for now. Attention spans, according to numerous studies, have shortened. The allure of sound, motion, and glamour overshadows the written word. The social media rabbit is winning the race against the blog’s turtle steps.

It isn’t just camera in motion, it’s also the instant 2-minute content stemming from AI platforms that’s eating into the turtle’s share. A case in point is OpenAI’s Studio Ghiblisque style generated images.

Given the fastest finger first phenomenon, I began my exploration into the digital landscape by consulting AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, and Copilot. The unanimous response? Personalisation trumps bots any day! While challenges exist, blogging, storytelling, serious content creation is far from extinct.

Quoting from a Linkedin post by renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, “…all storytelling is a combination of the past, present and future. Because the future pulls my words, Studio Ghibli’s images, in a forward moving direction. AI on the other hand, cannot see the present, nor the future. It can only analyse a potential future, based on past data. Whereas I can or the animators at Studio Ghibli can effectively see the future. That’s why human storytelling will always outperform AI.”

Yet, the race to know everything every millisecond has led to a mindset shift. Then, is a slow and steady approach still viable? Richa Singh, CEO, Blogchatter, during an Instagram Live session, emphasised, “Blogs promote in-depth, personalized content with a longer lifespan. They are stories that engage and provoke thought.” This perspective highlights the enduring value of thoughtful, well-crafted writing and long-form content.

Years ago, when social media gained traction, many bloggers felt discouraged. A fellow blogger advised me, “Your blog is your space, your brand, your expertise. Social media is rented land—fleeting, algorithm-driven, and unpredictable.” I never forgot that advice. Yet content creation isn’t a cakewalk.

Suchita Agarwal, Operations Head at Blogchatter, and blogger at Tales of Suchita, notes, “Both social media and blogging demand significant effort to engage an audience. As writers, we’re more comfortable with writing, but it’s still a lot of work. Video consumption is quick, but video creation is equally demanding. We need to stop viewing them as separate entities and start seeing how they can work in tandem.”

Jaideep Khanduja of Pebble Galaxy adds, “I see blogging as a space for depth, reflection, and storytelling—things that quick social media posts and videos often can’t capture. While short-form content is trending, there’s still an audience that values well-written, thoughtful pieces. My focus, as always, is purely on organic growth, beyond boundaries.”

The ‘Bird’: Evolution and Adaptation

Like birds evolving from dinosaurs, blogging has adapted. Modern blogging is no longer a solitary platform but a dynamic ecosystem incorporating multimedia elements, cross-platform strategies, and niche specialization.

Cindy Ann D’Silva of Blogaberry says, “I now use social media to drive traffic to my blog. I repurpose the content to suit different platforms. Realising the potential, I planned this out over two years. Consistency is important.”

There are many advantages of owning your own space in the digital world:

1. Niche Domination: Unlike fleeting social media trends, well-crafted blog posts establish expertise and authority. From sustainable living to mental health advocacy, catering to focused audiences, bloggers have carved out specialized niches.
   
   
2. Hybrid Content Strategies: Integrating blogs with social media and newsletters amplifies reach and fosters community. Successful bloggers repurpose content across platforms—turning blog posts into Instagram carousels, Twitter threads, and LinkedIn articles.
   
   
3. Cross-Posting Synergy: Sharing content across platforms maximizes visibility and leverages the unique strengths of each channel. Different demographics engage with different platforms, ensuring wider reach. Repurposing content saves time and resources.Consistent brand messaging across platforms enhances brand identity.
   
   
4. Evergreen Content and SEO Power:  Unlike social media posts, which fade quickly, blogs remain searchable and relevant. Blogs on timeless topics (for example, ‘Tips for Better Sleep’) continue to attract traffic, years after publication. SEO optimization and backlink building enhance discoverability. Control over content on owned domains ensures longevity.
   
   
5. Ownership & Control: Social media visibility depends on unpredictable algorithms and changes made by the tech company, whereas a blog is entirely owned by its creator.

Ritu Bindra, administrator of the Bookish League WhatsApp group and a seasoned book blogger at Bohemian Bibliophile, reinforces, “I manage two blogs that are on the opposite end of niche popularity. Blogging is kinder and allows you to set your pace. Social media needs you to be constantly active. My mother, Madhu Bindra, who runs the food blog Mads’ Cookhouse, hasn’t posted anything in the past four months yet continues to receive similar traffic on her blog and YouTube (including subscriber growth) as when she was active. That would be impossible on Instagram. It is more or less similar on my blog, although the frequency has reduced to posting once a month.”

Her tips on remaining relevant: Prioritizing Google for traffic, Using Search Console for tracking and ironing out issues, using Schema or a rich text plugin for a better ranking, and evergreen content does help.

Mental Health Impact: A Double-Edged Sword

Content overload, the constant search for something more has led to more mental health studies than we could ever imagine. The results have been shocking, if we go by the researches regarding the impact of social media. The talk around web series, Adolescence on Netflix, is a case in point. Praised for its cinematic excellence and slow storytelling, the series revolves around a 13-year-old boy who murders a female schoolmate. Closer home, Crime Aaj Kal on Amazon Prime has three seasons on the impact of digital world on the youth and resultant cyber crime. Both these series stem from real life incidents. Well, as the old adage goes, haste makes waste. On the other hand, well thought out content has an enriching effect.

Blogging is a two-way mirror—one for the blogger, and the other for the reader. Therefore, its impact varies for both.

• For Bloggers:
  • Cathartic Expression: Writing serves as a therapeutic outlet for processing emotions.
  • Community and Connection: Sharing personal journeys fosters a sense of belonging.
  • Potential for Burnout: The pressure to maintain consistency and meet deadlines can lead to stress and burnout, especially as repurposing needs more creativity, commitment and consistency. It can take a toll on the solo creators shooting arrows in all directions.
    
    
• For Readers:
  • Inspiration and Support: Blogs on niches by experts offer guidance and validation.
  • Information Overload: The abundance of information can be overwhelming.
  • Reading vs Watching: Reading helps generate new neurons, changes neural pathways leading to better mental health and more retention power. Constant scrolling and watching sound/ motion, camera is exhausting for the brain and the eyes.

Janaki Srinivasan of Beyond the Familiar summarises the love for long-form, “Good writing is never outdated. Even in the age of eBooks, we still like physical books on our shelves, simply for the joy of it. Blogging spreads awareness. To survive in this chaotic race, we need to nurture our craft and keep evolving to write for an audience with changing preferences.”

Monetization: A Lingering Uncertainty

The oversaturation of online content and the dominance of large platforms often make it challenging for individual bloggers to attract significant advertising revenue or secure sponsorships. Analytics take precedence in both, and bloggers need a 360° strategy.

“The Insta party is over…” ace fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee shared his views at the Second Edition of the Indo-French Luxury Symposium, referring to brands desiring real human interactions and results, possibly through physical print media, rather than doomscrolling branding. Accessibility is passe and scarcity is premium, going by the global trends set by the uber rich and luxury brands such as Bottega and Balenciaga moving out of social media space. There’s a reverse model in place–targeting the niche customer rather than all and sundry. It’s all about money balls rather than eyeballs.

What this means for people who share genuine information, long-form content, offer personalisation, commitment and evergreen content: your chances of surviving the storm are higher!

Blogging & Social Media—A Symbiotic Relationship

Blogging is neither a dinosaur nor a bird in isolation. It’s a hybrid. By embracing cross-platform strategies, focusing on quality content, and understanding the evolving digital landscape, blogging will continue to evolve.

In a world of eight billion people, there’s a need for diverse voices and platforms. Blogging, with its capacity for depth and authenticity, remains a vital part of this digital ecosystem.

What are your unique reasons for loving blogging? 😊

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Recommended Reading

A: Chandigarh Rock Garden Concern: Why Public Art Matters
B: Bhimtal: The Emerald Beauty in Uttarakhand
C: Chambal Valley: Outlaws, and Tales of the Ravines