Klampert

Twitter killed the blogging star

At 12:01am on 1 August 1981 MTV aired it’s first video with “Video Killed the Radio Star“, by the British synthpop/New Wave group The Buggles. It marked the end of radio as we knew it and brought an era of video. Like every season of change we as people rebel against it as well as beg for it to come back once we have lost it. It is amazing to me now that we LOVE Pandora radio and online streaming audio and in the last 10 years MTV scarcely even shows a video. There is always a generational shift back and forth.

A few years ago when Twitter and Facebook came out it marked and era of micro-blogging that quickly dissolved the smaller community of blogs. It was one of the reasons I stopped blogging for a while. I was no longer able to commune with people on my site. I could only talk with others in 140 characters or less. The larger blogs like Randy Elrod’s, Carlos Whittaker’s, and others of course could maintain it’s community. The super small bloggers who just used it as a diary also maintained. It was the guys like me and conner byrd (worship city), Fred mckinnon, Mudpuppy and a good 40 other bloggers I can think of that took a hit. Now I don’t mean they took a hit in traffic because that was never the point. They lost their voice, their influence, their community, and amazingly enough even friendships. It may sound like I’m being overly dramatic, but I think we have lost something in our lives. We have lost great insight from amazing bloggers because we are too busy to read more than 140 characters. I love to learn from my peers and have developed many friendships through blogging.

Just like the paradox with MTV and pandora I am hearing rumblings from old friends returning back to blogging Like I did last week.

So here is my petition: It was never about the hits. It was about the community. I know we all crave that again so I ask…What is stopping you from starting back up with blogging? What is stopping you from firing up google reader and using it like you did 3 years ago? Use twitter (I love it myself). Use Facebook (extremely powerful). Return to blogging folks because nothing compares to sharing a complete thought, your life, and your faith with others and in 141+ words.

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Joel Klampert

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Comments

13 responses to “Twitter killed the blogging star”

  1. Fred McKinnon Avatar
    Fred McKinnon

    Joel,
    That’s the reason I have continued blogging, actually. I actually spent a good bit of time this AM revising my blog/twitter strategy. I set some goals, measured some things (well, it’s not about the hits/subscribers, but that IS a metric I can use to see if the community is growing) in Evernote, and we’ll revisit it this Fall.

    Glad to see you back!

  2. Joel Klampert Avatar
    Joel Klampert

    Fred… RIght there with you. I am all about being intentional. However you can be 100% intentional and if everybody doesn’t come back to blogging then you are still left with a diary. I am praying we can encourage our old friends to come back 🙂
    thanks for the welcome big guy.

  3. Jason Durham Avatar
    Jason Durham

    Joel, I too am looking at a return to blogging. But looking to see how my passions’ have changed in terms of what I want to write about. I hope to be doing so shortly . . . 141 characters or more!
    J

  4. Joel Klampert Avatar
    Joel Klampert

    Awesome Jason… cant wait to see you back… and man are you right I am not writing or even thinking like I was even a year ago. Passions indeed to change

  5. Dan Thomson Avatar
    Dan Thomson

    Hey Joel..I too am taking a serious look at blogging. I take up your challenge, embrace it and hope to be encouraged by yours and others you mentioned. All this with the possibility that my life and my family can pour into others in return. I make it a habit to research those I communicate with in 140 characters or less so I can truly understand who they are and what makes them tick. That’s where as you mentioned – solid friendships can be built – even over great distances.

  6. Ben Avatar
    Ben

    Beautifully put Joel! I feel the same way. Miss that timeframe 2005-2008. I find it difficult to formulate anything worth saying that I haven’t already said in twitter. What I do miss most is the friendships and camaraderie that was built thru blogging. Maybe it’ll be cyclical and make a comeback?

  7. Mike Mahoney Avatar
    Mike Mahoney

    The key is finding the balance and not being that guy who uses Twitter simply to promote his blog. I hate that guy.

    There has to be relevant conversation for each medium. There are things that are applicable to Twitter and things that are applicable to blogging. I’m not sure blogging will ever foster the same kind of relationships it once did (on a broad scale) but certainly there is an opportunity for a deeper conversation, something that has been sorely lacking.

    I’ve lately been looking at my blog and asking “Is this all there is?” Thanks for the kick in the pants.

  8. Joel Klampert Avatar
    Joel Klampert

    @dan well dude… can’t wait to get to know you more. I just subscribed to your blog. now get writing! ha ha!

    @ben dude you are right it was a great time period. There will be a few of us who will be at a loss for words but if we get back to “intelligent” commenting we can continue the relationships at least.

    @BIG_MIKE you are most likely right that it will be a little different. however if we only let the big dudes have a voice then what God wants to say through us will be very limited. It has been lacking and I am always glad to give you a kick in the pants.

  9. Mandythompson Avatar
    Mandythompson

    Well said, Joel!! And I think you’re right. Now, we’re constantly passing each other & sayin hey on the sidewalk of twitter… But nobody’s stopping to have lunch together anymore.

  10. Bobby Gilles Avatar
    Bobby Gilles

    Good piece, Joel. I’m excited you’re back to blogging. Never took you off my feeds.

    I go through periods where I am more of a lurker/reader than commenter, but I love good blogs. Twitter & Facebook are cool but they can’t replace blogs.

  11. Joel Klampert Avatar
    Joel Klampert

    @mandy exactly!! love that. hey on the sidewalk of twitter.I love me some twitter sidewalk but I do miss having lunch with you and others.

    @bobby wow dude..thanks! It is great to be back actually. I feel like I have so much less drivel to speak on right now. Don’t be a stranger with the comments my friend.

  12. Ryan Egan Avatar
    Ryan Egan

    I’m with everybody. 🙂 Welcome back to blogging and I hope your return can hold me more accountable to blog regularly as well.

  13. Joel Klampert Avatar
    Joel Klampert

    and I am looking forward to being more active in my commenting and discussion 🙂 thanks ryan

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