Are Blogging Sites Threatened by Social Media?
It seems that recent past indicates a decrease in the number of blogging sites found on the internet. Many reports infer that the increase in social media use is an indication that people are replacing their blogging efforts and visits with social media use. The questions are raised as to whether in fact the blog platform itself is being pushed aside in favor of social media sites. On the surface it seems these questions may be valid but a closer look reveals that comparisons between blogs and social media sites may not be entirely justifiable or accurate.
Current claims are that social media use is ‘siphoning’ away blog traffic thereby leading to the eventual demise of blogs as we know them. The question here is how can this be true when it appears that blogs and social sites serve fundamentally different purposes? True enough these sites both are social gathering spots however comparisons end at that point.
Here are 3 fundamental differences that can be found when comparing the purpose and characteristics of the blog platform to that of online social sites.
Focus
Blogs are highly focused where social sites has little or no focus other than to exchange casual chit chat. Now this is not to belittle social media sites but their purpose is for simply socializing with no major focus towards any one theme or topic.
On the other hand blogs are created around a particular topic upon which the focus is maintained. In fact if the blog was to alter or lose its focus it would also lose its readers. People are attracted to a blog platform for what it is all about and if the information they find there is of use they will continue to return.
Purpose
The purpose of a blog is to educate and/or inform its readers. To do so a blog platform must maintain a strict adherence to the subject matter it has identified itself with. Social sites have no such constraints insofar as any subject matter.
The purpose of social sites is to make available a location for people to gather. The content found on most social media sites is not set but rather it is chosen by participants and subject to immediate change all the time.
Educational Value
Sure you can pick up helpful tidbits from social media sites but that occurs incidentally. The main intent of a blog is to share useful information with readers who in turn also contribute their own by leaving comments at the site.
Claims that online blogging sites are falling by the wayside in favor of an increase in social media use may not be entirely accurate. Although a blog platform and a social media site both function as online social gathering spots they appear to serve different purposes. The fundamental differences between these 2 sites as discussed above indicate a mutually exclusive and ongoing need for both.
