Why No One Is Really Reading Blogs

Social media sites become No. 1 online activity.  That’s the headline from an SF Chronicle report on what we are doing on the Internet.  Sometime you don’t need the Neilsen Company to tell us what we already know, but it sure helps to confirm what my gut has been telling me.  And that is most people who are on the Internet are on Facebook, playing video games, or just plain emailing.

The choice quote in the article is this:

“Despite the almost unlimited nature of what you can do on the Web, 40 percent of U.S. online time is spent on just three activities – social networking, playing games and e-mailing, leaving a whole lot of other sectors fighting for a declining share of the online pie,” Nielsen analyst Dave Martin said in a news release

I know that the good folks at WordPress often say that the “Death of blogging” stories are grossly overrated, but sometimes it seems that they are just trying to reassure their users that, yes, people are reading blogs.  That may be the case, but the kind of blogs people are reading I think has shifted from personal blogs of a few years ago, to more professional blogs, or “how to” blogs.

Nevertheless, with Facebook capturing so much of the online share, it makes me wonder what people are doing on that site that makes them spend upwards to 6 hours on it.  Sure you can be a Farmville drone, but I’m guessing people have their Facebook page open at work and just kind of leave it there minimized on their computers while they do other things.  It’s not that they are actively on Facebook. Rather, they are checking their page like you would check your email or text (and by that I mean every now and then).

Anyway, have a look at the article to see that the dream of the Internet being a vast sea of information has turned into this vast dump of status updates, gaming, and quick hit emails.

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4 thoughts on “Why No One Is Really Reading Blogs

  1. I spend a disgusting amount of time on Facebook daily. Mostly because I am starved for social interaction and I'll take it in the form of refreshing my newsfeed over and over again to vicariously live through other people or commenting on statuses and photos.

    I found, at least in my new life, I haven't had or taken the time to read blogs because they take more time and investment, but FB is quick, in and out, social time. Pretty sad really. Also, I'm checking FB using my phone which I can easily read on the display but a blog post I'd have to zoom in and scroll around in order to read the text and to then write a comment… that takes lots more time using the usually only single hand free to slowly thumb in my comment.

    1. And plus you have a little baby that makes it tough to sit at a computer screen and read blogs! But I feel honored that you dropped by, Cherry. 🙂

  2. This is sad news for a well educated society. I like Cherry's comments that she needs social time. People are inherently social; we need it. In today's society, we are increasingly being isolated. How many times have you had a conversation with your next door neighbor?

    Ted, I like your blogs. I've become tired of dealing with technical and scientific problems. Your blogs make me think in a liberal arts way. These "soft skills" are important in making a well rounded person. Thanks.

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