Is Blogging Still Relevant in 2022?

I often get curious looks and quizzical expressions whenever it comes up in conversation that I run a local travel blog, but the braver of the lot will sometimes ask “Isn’t blogging dead?” or some variation of this question. People watch more than they read these days, and a common saying exists in Jamaica that if you want to hide something from a Jamaican, you should put it in writing. The vlogging world has picked up a lot of traction thanks to the YouTube platform, and it’s actually quite lucrative with many vloggers and YouTubers making six figure incomes and giving up traditional jobs, due to advertisements, sponsored posts and affiliate marketing. A popular YouTuber will easily garner 10,000 views within 24 hours of releasing a new video, while it may take months for a blog article to gain the same kind of response. Thus, the question is valid. Is blogging still relevant in 2022?

Well, my answer is.. it depends on why do you want to blog and what do you want to achieve. Read on to learn why blogging is still relevant in 2022 and why it will always remain relevant once the Internet exists.

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Blogging Provides Solutions & Advice

When you turn to Google for advice or for solutions to common problems, did you know that most of the websites which appear on the first page of results are actually blog articles? Bloggers write because they’re often good people who want to share their experience or knowledge on a particular topic, and enrich lives. They may have overcome a challenge or obstacle by figuring things out on their own, and know that someone is likely to benefit from what they have learnt. From the beginning of time, humanity has been faced with challenges and our collective survival and advancement is due to the legacy handed down from generation to generation as we figure out solutions to everyday problems. The Internet allows one to access these solutions and advice through the click of a finger, and thus blogging will always be relevant.

Blogging Is A Fulfilling Hobby

Blogging is an excellent means of self-expression. We have an innate desire to be seen and heard, and expressing oneself through the written word is one way of achieving that. Blogging allows ordinary people to express their honest views and opinions without much censorship, and to share photos and videos of their travels, food, latest arts and crafts and basically any single thing which matters to them. For others, blogging can be a sort of online journal, allowing them to obtain feedback, support and encouragement from readers. Also, blogging can be used to share useful advice and it can be rather satisfying when people comment and say that your blog post encouraged them to try something new or empowered them to fix a problem they were having.

Blogging Is A Great Way To Meet New People

The blogging community tends to be quite friendly and approachable, with most seasoned bloggers always excited to meet and welcome newer bloggers to the community. You can gain a lot of advice and ideas from connecting with the community, and even form mutually beneficial partnerships in way of guest posts, meetups, workshops and other forms of collaborations. Some of those friends may remain in the virtual space, but if you meet any online who live in or are visiting your area, this can be a chance to form solid friendships in real life too, especially since you already have several things in common. I’ve met so many great bloggers and role models in person whom I likely would not have met otherwise. Blogging offers a great space for introverts like myself to get out of our shells and learn to navigate this social world in which we live. Note: Always exercise caution when meeting up with people you met off the Internet in real life.

Blogging Can Be Lucrative Too

Of the 600 million blogs on the Internet in 2021 (source) and counting, most will remain as personal blogs and never amount to much. However, thousands of bloggers have monetized their sites and can earn as much as six-figure incomes and quit their day job. Even if it’s not as successful as that, blogging can still make a decent addition to one’s portfolio of multiple income streams. Bloggers make money the same way vloggers on YouTube do, that is, through displaying advertisements, affiliate marketing and sponsored posts. Companies will partner with bloggers to post content that’s suited to their niche because they understand the importance of using influencers to promote their products and services. Let’s face it. If you have an audience, you have an influence. Thus, blogs can still be monetized successfully these days once the blogger remains patient, diligent and consistent. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work which goes into making a profitable blog, such as editing, SEO and purchasing domains, equipment etc. and it can take lots of investment and patience before you reap any profits.

It’s up to bloggers to decide what brands they’re willing to showcase on their sites, because not every job is worth accepting. Some companies can hurt your business and reputation, because people read blogs to get authentic reviews, and can smell from a mile away if something appears fabricated. Once your audience no longer trusts you, that can affect views and therefore decrease earnings. Some perks are not necessarily monetary too. Sometimes you may get exciting products to review, free trips etc. in exchange for a blog post to promote the business, but again, bloggers have to be smart in choosing which emails to reply to. Many phishing and blogging scams exist, where companies either try to steal information or will send you a product from a far distant land and say YOU have to fund shipping costs, which may end up costing more than the value of the actual product.

Wrap Up

I hope I’ve managed to convince you that blogging is still very much alive! If you’re interested in starting a blog, purchase a domain through my affiliate link here at no additional cost to you. Also, check out 10 lessons I’ve learnt through blogging and see how this hobby has enriched my life. Long live the blogging community, both to those who write useful blogs and to those who read them.

‘Til next time.

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