Blogs..... what do we say?

[v_lazy_dragon]

My blog has been dead and gone for years I am afraid. I have had more success with Facebook pages; as an easier way to share stuff without all the image hosting faff.
As an observer, I enjoy finding a good blog and digging through their past posts but don't actively follow any anymore

[BillK]

Every time I think blogging might be a good idea, I login here, and at The Wargamers Forum, and onto my local groups Salck site, and then ask myself 'why?'

I find inspiration and information in these three sites and can start or post to a thread if I think there is a reason. Plus, there is more 'community' input and comeraderie here.

[Fitz]

I follow a few blogs via RSS, but often find myself skipping over posts. I keep a couple of blogs myself on Blogger, one devoted to my gaming and modeling stuff, and the other everything else, and they serve several functions for me.

First, as a source that I can link images from to places like this. Second, as progress journals for whatever project I might be engaged in at any given time. Third, as a place for thinking aloud, usually about yet another house rule to whatever wargaming or roleplaying system I'm favouring at the time.

Something I like blogs for is modeling tutorials and reviews, but they're dwindling fast and these days everyone seems to head straight for Youtube to present their tutorials. A video tutorial can have its benefits, but they're not great when it comes to involved technical processes, when the ability to reread a text-&-images blog often makes the process a lot clearer. As for reviews, I can hardly think of a single instance where the video format is an improvement over text and photos.

[eilif]

I still blog at our club's blog, chicagoskirmishwargames.com. I think we're using wordpress.  Blogger is still free I think.

Our blog doesn't have open comments though and I typically also post small updates here and at Dakka.  None of these generate alot of comments, but alot of people appear to at least be looking and I get periodic interaction, advice and encouragement which I do value.  Perhaps ironically, the most consistent and engaging responses to my work came on a wargaming forum that I no longer participate in much for a few reasons.

Really though, I do it for myself.  I very much enjoy being able to look back through our blog as it's a fairly complete log the last decade of my hobby and our club's activities. A few times a year I'll go down the rabbit hole reading old project logs and AAR's and I always find it pleasant.  Lots of great memories and some very clear indicators of how far I/we have come.  It's nice to know that stuff is stored somewhere not subject to the lifespan of a forum.

I'm not a member of FB/Insta/Whatever, so they don't figure into my hobby.  YouTube likewise has a near-negligible effect on my hobby.  I will occasionally watch some TMX content, but YT is generally just a way to spend an hour watching a lower-resolution video of what you could have read on a Blog in 5-10 minutes with better pictures.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I've been Blogging for over fourteen years, the content varies, but is mainly about my wargaming hobby. I don't find it a chore, but enjoy writing it as a record of my hobby. I have often thought that there must be a better way, but after so long and feeling comfortable with what I do, I don't expect to change now.

I use Blogger, but for the main reason that it is free and it is the one that my son set up for me all those years ago.

Like earlier comments, the amount of views and the number of comments are well down, but I do not write for views or comments, but for myself.

I try to have between 10 and 15 posts a month, sometimes more but am not worried if I don't post daily or this regularly. I think of it as a personal hobby diary and would recommend it as a pastime.

Tony
https://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

[FifteensAway]

Another option for a blog - and one I hope to explore more in retirement - is to use it to tell narrative stories with our miniatures.  See General Pettygree for one of the best examples.  Also, War in 15 mm's vanity site, as he calls it, is a great option for sharing our hobby.

[syrinx0]

I still follow a few blogs. You often see more pictures and details than most people post on laf.   I watch a lot of hobby videos (aquariums, modeling, painting) on youtube but generally those are specific to projects I am working on or techniques I am considering while blogs I just follow to see what others are doing.

[War Monkey]

Okay, I'm here again,
I blog on blogger as many here may` do it to share ideas and projects. I like to show how others can build terrain on the cheap or doing head swaps to create a different figure. I post ideas and projects I am working on. I strictly in do things in 15mm hoping to inspire and to see others giving it try, to see their creation hopefully post here or on The Wargames Website.

If I was doing this for fame then I must be totally doing it wrong. I guess if I was going to do it for fame then I would be on Instagram, Twitter or YouTube.

For me this is my history of gaming.

[Norm]

An interesting question that just happens to have been asked a a time when I have pulled back from wargaming social media in an attempt to free up excessive time spent at the keyboard.

I would describe my blog as being fairly successful with a good number of followers and a good monthly hit rate.

However, my posted articles tend to be quite lengthy, detailed and often analytical. The consequence is that the demands in time to service that are high. I have also been a very productive commentator and supporter of other blogs and the combination of those two things is quite a time sink.

A further disincentive is that for the work put in, only a small core of regularly kindly folk take the the time to comment and engage at the blog.

I wrote a final ‘transmission ending’ post at the link below, that better explains things. I may return at some point, revitalised, but that doesn’t feel like something I want to do right now,

LINK
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2022/03/suspending-blog-activity.html

[tomrommel1]

I still use a blog, but mainly to have a place to collect all the pictures of my models and beeing able to use them here and elsewere as I once lost all my pictures as the photohosting site started to charge exceptionally high charges. The other reason is to be able to track my work, as often I can't remember the colors I used on a paintjob and if I want to repeat it .....

[The Dozing Dragon]

I blog via http://www.deartonyblair.co.uk and have done for years. Mostly about old school miniatures and occasionally old school gaming. There are a lot of regularly updated blogs out there.

[robh]

I don't blog, have no interest in blogging and frankly think 99.something percent of the blogs that are out there are junk. I am an old school believer that fora and chat groups are the best venue for hobby interaction and discussion.

I have about half a dozen active blogs saved in my PC bookmarks which are either military tech or history "research" sites or sites dedicated to supporting a given rule system. For generic "thoughts and opinions" content I think podcasts are a much better resource. I will happily listen through hours of those while painting but have absolutely no desire to sit at a screen and read that same content.

[TWD]

The most important thing is a carefully curated front page; no one wants to see a front page consisting of one long article with loads of text & pictures that are essential views of the same wargames table.

No one?
Are you sure, because that's *exactly* how I like my blogs. 😁
I dislike having to click through to "read more" as I am interested in the latest update
They are, in my view and as the name suggests, logs or diaries.
So a first page with just the latest update on is exactly what I want and I tend to follow those and click away from the "read more/jump link" blogs.

And don't get me started on that format where it's a bunch of pictures on a grid you're supposed to mouse over and click on!   

Carefully curated content with links and clicks through to other content are websites rather than blogs IMO.

I realise that WordPress in particular blurs the line between blog and website but I view them as distinct and serving different needs.

But wouldn't it be dull if we all thought the same?

[TWD]

I think all I'd add to all the above comments is that if you are seeking the dopamine hit of people replying/commenting/liking/sharing your content (and who doesn't love a bit of that?) then there are other (newer) social media platforms that deliver that much more effectively.

In the past people kept paper diaries - most of them weren't expecting them to be read by anyone else - they were a record of personal thoughts, reflections, passions and ideas. I think of blogs as a modern, electronic version of that format.

It used to be a cliche of Indie bands in the music press of the 90s to mumble "we just make music for ourselves and if anyone else likes it, that's a bonus" but that is pretty much how I view my blog 

[modelwarrior]

No one?
Are you sure, because that's *exactly* how I like my blogs. 😁
I dislike having to click through to "read more" as I am interested in the latest update

 Think Im the same. I just dont bother looking at front pages and web site design. I just read the latest stuff and take inspiration. As long as the blog has a menu Im happy.
 I have a blog but as others have mentioned its more to record what Im doing than to get hits. Get more feedback on facebook posts these days. Blog interaction is very limited these days.