Blogging // How Do You Read Blogs?

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How do you read blogs

Hey dolls! So usually in this Blogging series I write on topics that people have lots of questions about, or that I feel like I might have some small amount of authority on. But this time I have a question for you! It’s about how you read blogs.

I’ve been noticing lately (as have lots of my colleagues!) that our readers are using our blogs in different ways than they used to. People used to come to the blog, spend time reading the content, stick around and post a comment, and even come back for conversation in the comment section. But I feel like since the dawn of intense social media use, readers are consuming blogs in different ways. Maybe they’ll pop by and just scan a post, or just look at the photos, or even just read the title and decide if they want to invest. On the flip side, lots of people are spending time on social media, and there’s lots of conversation there in the comment section, and even more activity with “likes” and so on.

So! How do you like to interact with your favorite bloggers? Are you still reading full blog posts? Or do you check out the first image and then bounce? Do you like to use a blog’s comment section? Or do you find social media easier for interaction?

I’d love to hear any and all of your thoughts! I feel like it’s my job to keep up with a changing world and I’d love to concentrate efforts where our readers need it the most. So. Let’s chat. xoxo

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25 Comments

  1. I still use a blog reader (The Old Reader) even though Google Reader went a while years ago. I do find myself skipping content if it’s not for me or something I want to read about, which I wasn’t doing a few years ago. I think that’s more of a reflection of my personal life than blogs themselves though! I am finding blogs to be generally less personal than they once were and more influencer-centric which I don’t love but know is a nature of the beast!

    1. I think blogs are definitely becoming less personal! It’s so tricky, because once you monetize you have to balance that brand work with your own voice. I know some bloggers who are AMAZING at staying authentic in that way. It’s something that we’re always striving for here, too. Thanks for your insight Allyson! xoxo

  2. Social media is so much easier to connect but I feel like it often lacks authenticity. I love reading blogs and get so excited when my favorite bloggers post. I use Bloglovin’ to keep up with my favorite blogs.

    1. Agree 100% about social media. It makes engaging so simple but it’s often hard to feel authentically connected with only so many characters, and in the midst of a zillion other likes/comments. I still love going directly to blogs, even if it’s just to experience a post in its home environment on the page. I feel like there’s some value to that experience as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Courtney! xoxo

  3. I use Feedly to follow blogs I’m interested in. I think there are two reasons I click over to a post. If it’s a personal post that discusses a topic I’m interested in, I’ll read the post, spend time with it and possibly comment. Usually this is with bloggers I’ve been following awhile who regularly post personal, interesting content. I’m a little bit invested in their lives, I guess. The second type of post I click over to is simply to pin images. This could be the kind of “pop by” posts you are talking about. The posts that I do this for are mainly things I might want to use later, or things I think my own audience will like. For example, I’d pin recipes to cook myself later or pin wedding images since I have a wedding blog and my Pinterest audience is interested in wedding content. Hope that helps!

    1. Good point about pinning! Thanks for bringing that up. Sometimes I use the favorites feature in Feedly but always forget to go back and see what I favorited, so I usually end up going to the blog to pin too. And I so agree about becoming invested in the lives of the bloggers we love. I think that’s a little of why we all share in the first place — to connect. Thanks so much for your thoughts! xoxo

  4. I still read blogs, but I usually don’t comment. Even on social media. (This is a bit of an anomaly for me commenting right now! I think the only other comments I made were on a post of yours a couple months back!)

    I just like to watch, read, and be inspired.

    I find snapchat and instagram stories almost too much information for me, but I am probably in the minority.

    I think what you’re doing is great! I love your blog, it’s real, down to earth, but also inspiring enough for me to want to DIY some things myself.

    1. Interesting! So you’re more of an observer. I definitely go through phases like that in my content intake. Sometimes it’s just nice to let it flow over you and absorb the things that stick. So grateful for your thoughts and your kind words! xoxo

  5. I’m going to cheat and agree completely with Caitlin – I use Feedly too and often skip right by posts that don’t interest me. I rarely comment, but definitely gravitate toward personal posts and creative posts or recipes I want to pin. Thank you for your hard work and all you do!

    1. Interesting, Angela! Thanks so much for your insight. I tend to do the same on Feedly, which is why I’m always trying to share the type of things that I myself would want to stop and read. With so much content, readers have to pick and choose and I’m so grateful that you stopped by to read and comment today. xoxo

  6. I used to read a ton of blogs via Bloglovin’ but now I only have a small handful that I bookmarked on my computer and check once every couple of days/week (yours being one of the keepers). I had found that blogs were pushing out so much content that it felt watered-down. Now, with only my favourites that I check, I actually read most of the posts. Whereas before it was a quick glance or pass-by if I wasn’t interested. Hope that helps! And keep it up!

    1. I’m always so grateful that you keep coming back, Jessica! And I agree about there almost being too much content – we’re trying to find the quality/quantity balance. Your thoughts definitely help. xoxo

  7. Like Jessica, I only have a few blogs that I keep up with consistently. I read all of the content on these blogs. Usually, I’ll only comment if there is a request for feedback or I personally completed the DIY. It’s a pet peeve of mine to have to sift through 100 comments on a project or recipe that all read “Cool” or “Can’t wait to try this” when I really just want info. from people who have been there, done that.

    1. Totally! I never thought of that about scrolling through the comments but I’ve definitely experienced that before. I so appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. xo

  8. I use a reader (feedly). i love when blogs have the full post available in the reader, but I understand that you want us to go to your website. So I usually read the little blurb then decide whether I want to finish the post. I very rarely engage in the comments unless the post (a) really moves me and I want the author to know or (b) asks a question I feel like answering :-).

    1. Thanks for the input Sara! We’ve been debating about the full post in the reader vs. leading people to the site. It’s a tricky conundrum. I so value your thoughts. Thanks!

  9. Hi Chelsea!

    Over the past two to three years I have significantly lessened my blog reading. I used to spend so much time reading them but started to feel like what I was reading wasn’t very authentic anymore with so many bloggers being paid to write about certain products. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand it’s a business for many and it’s people’s livelihood to partner with brands for sponsorship. There was a time where all I was seeing was sponsored posts that seemed very off brand for many of the bloggers I followed and I got turned off. And then I kind of just stopped reading all together. Now, most of the blogs I read are home decor blogs, food blogs, and party planning blogs, probably because I’m in a different place in my life than I was a few years ago and these types of blogs appeal to me more. When it comes to style blogs, if I see something I like on Instagram, I’ll head to the blog to see more pics but usually don’t read the copy. Because I work in social media marketing I do see that Instagram, Facebook & Snapchat have taken the place of blog comments – it’s a more open dialogue and quicker response time.

    Hope this helps.

  10. I read my favorite blogs pretty much every day. And I go to the site, not a reader. I even have an order for the ones I read! What a dweeb. I also almost always comment, depending on the content or how many comments are already posted. If there are already a ton, I doubt mine will get read so I won’t comment. I am out for interaction. I work by myself so I consider commenting “chatting” with people. Instagram, Stories, Blogs. Just chatting with people. I don’t worry too much about sponsored posts. Sometimes it’s a stretch to connect the writer’s post with the brand OH but what I SUPER notice? When you can see a brand has reached out to a group of blogs with the same audience! I think I saw a DIY with TicTac containers like 5 times one week! Ha!

  11. Such a great topic Chelsea! That’s so true what you noticed – social media is the easiest form of connecting and chatting these days. I think mostly because of how much easier it is to comment and interact. I always put an extra time and effort to sit in front of my MacBook and just go through the posts that pop up in my Bloglovin and comment, but will never do that if i’m on my iPhone.

  12. I still read full blog posts, but that being said, I think the title definitely has a lot to do with my decision on which blog posts to click on in the first place. I have a wide selection of favourite blogs which I read everything that they post (this one being one of them!), but when I’m glancing at unfamiliar blogs the title and the quality of photos definitely plays a big part in my decision to read the post.

    I know that it’s the content that matters, but there’s just so much to read out there so if I think I’m not going to like something, I won’t waste my time on it, y’know? I also still love commenting and reading the comments as that’s where I find other blogs to follow!

    http://www.thesmalladventurer.blogspot.com.au/

  13. So I’m kind of a weird one…I like reading blog posts but I never subscribe to blogs. I usually visit a post (maybe more if the recommended posts at the bottom catch my eye) and then never subscribe. I do however pin the post or follow them on Instagram to stay tuned. This way I can always go back if I need to. I guess I hate subscribing because I already get too many emails.

  14. Hi, I just got started on the “blog thing” but i am enjoying spending the time reading about peoples lives and travels, i get inspired by craft ideas and i certainly pin a lot of the recipes, I find there are so many so do not tend to visit the same each day.

  15. I have to say I’m somewhat new to blogs. Creating a new business I’m heading into the world of blogging.
    But I’m a visual learner so I tend to watch youtube other then read. I’m trying to read more blogs to learn….

  16. I read a lot of different blogs, but almost all of them are educational. And usually, I read the whole post if it’s something I was looking for and if it’s useful for me. For example, I have to write a lot of papers. And pretty often, I face some problems, so I need to find something useful and inspirational online. I try to look through different sources, then I scan what is written, and if I find something which looks helpful, I read it the whole. For example, last week, I was writing one paper on Trail Of Tears, and thanks to this source https://studydriver.com/trail-of-tears-essay and very informative and interesting Trail Of Tears essay examples, I managed to get all the writing ideas and some inspiration for writing. And it was the source that helped me out because the examples provided there had the most accurate info I needed.