Web Strategy | Predictably Rabid
Jeremiah Owyang describes four trends that signal the end of the tech blogosphere, including a talent turnover. One of those exiting stars, Sarah Lacy, disagrees with Owyang and argues that the golden age of tech blogging is ahead, not behind us. She writes:
I’m a big believer that tech trends tend to over-promise in the short term but under-promise in the longterm. As Jeremiah points out, the last few years demonstrated some of the limitations of blogging — i.e., we can’t all make businesses and build big audiences, it won’t replace all older forms of media, and it’s a grind that will wear down all but the most intent. In a lot of ways sites like Facebook, Yelp and Twitter have scratched that itch for self-expression by giving the masses an easier and more painless way to get the endorphin rush that blogging gave in the early days. …
But there are still plenty of people who love to write — not just share, Tweet and comment — for a living, and blogs are still the best platform for that. In many ways, professional blogging is just getting started.
Among the six trends Lacy predicts: A new business model. “Blogs haven’t yet figured out a way to monetize their influence,” she says. “TechCrunch had an insane amount of reach and influence compared to any other platform for which I’ve written. And yet, TechCrunch made the least per ad of any platform for which I’ve written. There’s something wrong with that, and it’ll get rectified at some point.” Lacy is reportedly starting a new tech site with former TechCruncher boss Michael Arrington. || Related: The top 14 worst media/tech headline clichés of 2011
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