The Negative Side of the Blogging Culture

Recently, though, there’s been a shift in the blogging community. I’m not talking about the “eCourse” shift. I’m talking about the “I don’t like this aspect of blogging/social media, so I’m going to talk negatively and bash everyone who does it this way” shift. It’s just been so negative lately in the blogging space. And I’m not talking about the casual blogging tip posts where bloggers share what they have learned or what strategies have worked for them. I’m talking about posts where people straight out say: “Flat-lays on Instagram are crap and I think the people behind them are liars and aren’t being authentic” or “5 reasons why I don’t read your blog or 5 reasons I unfollow you on Instagram.”
I think it really struck me just how negative the blogging culture has become when I was reading a post about a blogger who decided to stop pursuing follows and likes and who just wanted to write and be happy with that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Go her! However, when I scrolled down to leave a response, someone else’s comment caught my eye. The person who left this comment basically said her new motto for the year was that she was going to immediately unfollow any blogs that were too cute, nice and creative and made her feel bad about her blog.
I sat and stewed about that comment for hours. What kind of mentality is this? Why must we immediately stomp on someone’s hard work because they may be a few steps ahead of us? Why do we get offended because someone might work harder than us? Where is the support for each other? Why can’t it be “5 reasons why I read your blog” or “5 reasons why I follow you on Instagram?” Why must women tear each other down because they don’t share all the talents as someone else? I’m not a crafty person, but I don’t immediately think “wow, that person is so talented at whipping out crafts that she makes me feel worthless, so I’m not going to read her blog anymore.” Instead, I try to appreciate her talent and enjoy looking at her hard work and feel inspired to try something similar when I have the time (which I probably won’t, but hey, I can dream!) There is no reason for blogging to be a competition; every person is unique and has their own story and we should be celebrating that instead of tearing into each other and using our blogs to dig at each other!
Here’s the thing: everyone’s blogging journey is different. You don’t HAVE to make money off of your blog. You don’t HAVE to have Pinterest-worthy photos. You don’t HAVE to have white backdrops for your Instagram shots. But hey, all the props to you in the world if you DO want to make money or if you DO want to have a specific niche blog. You do you, boo. Do what makes you happy!
And yes, if you want to monetize and turn your blog into a business, there are definitely strategies and techniques you can use to be more successful at turning your blog into a biz. I LOVE reading blog tips and tricks, pouring over new strategies for Pinterest and sharing what’s been working for me. I’m not dogging on anyone who shares their strategies for success; I think it’s amazing when bloggers share those things to help others and I try to share my (limited) knowledge as well! And the cool thing is that you could do something totally different than me and be just as successful! Those kinds of posts are awesome and so needed in the blogging community; but only when done in a positive and encouraging way.
And of course, not every type of blog/niche is going to be your cup of tea. I’m not a mom, so I don’t tend to click on blogs about pregnancy or interactive games for 2-year-olds. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate those types of bloggers and the great work they do over there! My point is this: do what works for you and what makes you happy!
It just makes me so sad to see all of the posts out there that have such negative undertones, instead of celebrating the diverse talents and successes of everyone. I know a lot of amazing bloggers who work really hard and are hustling because they have blog dreams and there isn’t anything wrong with that. And I know some people who use their blogs to share what’s on their heart and don’t bother about page views. There isn’t anything wrong with that, either. Let’s celebrate them all!
No matter what kind of blogger you are, no matter what journey you are on, if you are happy, that’s all that matters. If you want to post beautifully curated and thought-out photos on Instagram, you go for it. If you want to post photos of your dog or of your coffee mug and not worry about editing them, you go for it. If you want to write sponsored posts and monetize your space, GO FOR IT! And if you just want to write about your life and what’s been going on, do it. If growing your followers makes you happy because you are connecting with like-minded people, THAT IS OKAY! And if you don’t give a crap about who is following you or who is reading your blog, that’s just fine too.
This is all I want to say: as a blogger, when you sit down to write on your piece of the internet, you are writing into someone’s heart. You have the power to connect with someone out there who may feel alone or who may feel discouraged. YOU have the power to make connections that could change someone’s outlook, that could motivate someone to go after a dream or that could simply inspire someone to buy that red lipstick they’ve been afraid of. Use your words to spread positivity!
There is enough negativity in this world and the blogging culture doesn’t have to part of it.