MarketWatch reports that contrary to some interpretations, Gartner Group analysts do not believe blogging is over. Blogging no more faces a demise than Facebook or MySpace, according to the senior analyst who was the source for last week's "blogging has peaked" story.
"The life span of the blogger is not that long," Daryl Plummer explained in an interview about his firm's annual 'Predicts' report. "It's not that they come to hate blogging, it's just that their lives go in another direction or they lose interest in the subject. So they stop."
The same thing is true for social sites like Myspace, he said. "The number of unique visitors is declining. There is an explosion of interest when something is new, and then when it becomes the norm it settles down. The steady state is less than the peak," he said, and next year will be the year of 'blogging saturation.'
Plummer cautions businesses not to ignore blogs just because their growth may stabilize in 2007. "If you don't pay attention to blogs and community contributions, down the road you're going to be way behind the competition because you won't understand how to reach the customer, and they won't understand why you seem so out of touch."
I believe that Mr. Plummer has actually highlighted a 21st century cultural issue, more than a 'blogger life span' issue. Many people seem to think that the pace of life today brings with it a sense of attention deficit disorder. Communications and information technology has been portrayed as a tool to help us all take-back control of our hectic lifestyles.
Has the application of technology really delivered on that promise? You decide. I'm already moving on to something else. I'm anticipating that 'traditional media' and 'participant media" producers and publishers will invest the time to learn more about each other's common interests and needs in 2007.
"The life span of the blogger is not that long," Daryl Plummer explained in an interview about his firm's annual 'Predicts' report. "It's not that they come to hate blogging, it's just that their lives go in another direction or they lose interest in the subject. So they stop."
The same thing is true for social sites like Myspace, he said. "The number of unique visitors is declining. There is an explosion of interest when something is new, and then when it becomes the norm it settles down. The steady state is less than the peak," he said, and next year will be the year of 'blogging saturation.'
Plummer cautions businesses not to ignore blogs just because their growth may stabilize in 2007. "If you don't pay attention to blogs and community contributions, down the road you're going to be way behind the competition because you won't understand how to reach the customer, and they won't understand why you seem so out of touch."
I believe that Mr. Plummer has actually highlighted a 21st century cultural issue, more than a 'blogger life span' issue. Many people seem to think that the pace of life today brings with it a sense of attention deficit disorder. Communications and information technology has been portrayed as a tool to help us all take-back control of our hectic lifestyles.
Has the application of technology really delivered on that promise? You decide. I'm already moving on to something else. I'm anticipating that 'traditional media' and 'participant media" producers and publishers will invest the time to learn more about each other's common interests and needs in 2007.