Everyone has gone blogging crazy!
Not long ago, blogs seemed to be the reserve of a niche group but all of a sudden, they’ve become mainstream. Women’s magazine websites’ are emblazoned with messages screaming “read our blog” and sites like ASOS are embracing the new-found interest with gusto. It’s a fantastic promotional tool for ASOS: they can comment on celebrity fashion events and then include links to their offerings of the A List-inspired clothes to buy. Shoes like Kate Moss? Here they are for sale. Perfect!
IPC Connect, the publisher of the women’s sector of magazines like Now, Look, Pick Me Up, and Chat, has recently appointed a new, and it’s first, digital development director. Kevin Brown has been brought on-board to capture the female audience that is now “migrating from print to the web”. They are not alone in wanting to grab a slice of the blogging action, as a way to counter falling circulations.
There are a number of reasons behind the so-called “migration”: not least the Facebook explosion. But is it just another fad? Social networking has become a little bit old, with the Facebook fatigue really kicking in. Now instead of “Jenny Morris is think she can’t believe how many people are on here”, you are more likely to read “Sarah Barlow is logging off for good”.
Will blogging go the same way? It’s a way that magazines can talk directly to their readers on a more regular basis but how long before the ennui strikes again?
If done properly maybe the blog can withstand the test of time, but doing it because blogging is the new black? Not likely.
