I have been blogging since I was still in college, circa 2009. Money was not the priority at that time as I blogged merely to share what I felt. Also, I used my blog to rewrite what I learned at the college. In 2012, after graduating, I decided to be more serious with my blogging hobby. I wanted to make money from it. Long story short, I went being a professional blogger since then, until today. Professional means I make a living from blogging.
If you still remember, blogging was very lively in the 2010’s. In Indonesia, there were so many active blogging communities. Be it in the campus level or broader level. There were also plenty of blogging contests and festivals held by communities and companies. People blogged for a wide range of reasons. Not just to make money. Some blogged only to show their existence.
Time flies and plenty of things have changed. Many people I know who used to blog are no longer blog. Some are very busy with their job. Some still produce content, but no longer for their blog. Instead, they produce content for social media — Instagram in particular. Some turned into a YouTuber, and even TikToker.
Well, the content creation trend has shifted today, following the popularity of video sharing platform like YouTube and Tiktok. Even on Instagram, you will find more video content instead of photos. I completely understand. To be able to survive, we sometimes need to follow what’s currently trending. I also realize that today’s people prefer to enjoy video content instead of text. If we take this circumstance to business perspective, then content is the demand. Supplier (content creator), will think twice to produce products (content) if the demand is low. That what’s happening with the blog content today.
The situation is getting worse today with more blog content is created by machine — ChatGPT and the likes — instead of human.
Even with the current circumstance, I am still blogging. I may be naive, but no. Blogging is still potential. Even more potential than before. With the content creation trend has shifted to video, you have a big chance to be standout with your blog. There are still many brands that market their products via text content. With fewer competitors, your chance of getting clients is bigger.
Also, the monetization models are broader if you have a blog. You can install ads, accept paid content, run a membership, sell something, and a lot more. More importantly, you have a full control over your business asset.
If want to blog, maybe it’s the best time to get started.