Self-publishing is the newest fad. I'm no exception - with my blog, I'm sharing my thoughts with everyone (or no one) who happen to stumble into my site. Implicitly, I'm hoping for an audience; otherwise I would have written a diary, or created a personal digital journal.
The exact number of blogs created to date is unknown - WSJ had an article quoting numbers ranging from 10-30 million. Quality and purpose of blogs varies. What's universal is the format: a simple, chronological record of thoughts.
By definition, a blog is independent, subjective and opinionated. There are no editors, no publishers, no advertisers, no shareholders. It is a form of self-expression and promotion. Some would argue that blogs are less biased than traditional media – I tend to think otherwise. What blogs give, however, are ample choices for readers to match their individual tastes (thus appealing less biased to the eye). In other words, it serves an expanding number of micro-segments.
The creation of micro-segments is great for consumers, but challenging from a revenue standpoint. I suspect advertising will trump subscription - and that targeted marketing will override mass advertising. Yet, will advertising dollars directed towards micro-segments be sufficient to support good quality content? On this, I remain bullish, and I am optimistic that blogs will in time find a strong footing.
Annette.
P.S. If you like this post, do visit thinkmedia.blogs.com for more rantings!
ed: JH
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