The widely popular pastime of blogging, though probably thought of by most as a relatively new hobby that took off in the early 2010s, was actually first introduced only a year after the internet was birthed in 1996. The first ever recorded blog was documented in Pennsylvania by Justin Hall, a college student at Swarthmore. That year the term “weblog” was coined in 1997 but began personal blogging three years before, and continued for eleven years.

 

Blogging has rapidly evolved during the 21st century with hundreds of blogging platforms available globally to choose from, some of the most commonly known are WordPress, Medium, Squarespace and Wix. Over the last two decades, blogging has become not just a hobby but comfortably a lifestyle and a career. Almost all social media influencers have utilised blogging to advance their career as it is one of the key essentials to content creation. Not only social media influencers but it has also become a major platform for marketing, allowing businesses to negotiate sponsored posts to sell their products and gain endorsement. Thus, website design and content creation are become increasingly sought after skills in the corporate sector because of its ability to deliver brands value propositions in an easily accessible and enticing way.

 

Thinking back to 1997, it was probably unimaginable how much blogging would become monetised and centred around consumerism. Many may argue that the more commercialised blogging has become, its affiliation with branding has shifted the focus onto a more vacuous function of profit-making, the more it takes away from its purpose of self-expression through journaling and amplifying peoples voices. 

 

Medium for example, exceeds in upholding this principle. The platform is ad-free through using a metered paywall and subscription service of £5/month. If users do not want to pay for a subscription they can access five free articles a month, which seems fair given they need to generate income somehow. The income from subscriptions is distributed to their writers depending on how many ‘claps’ (likes) their post receives from subscribers. Many may argue that if you’re going to pay for a subscription to anything you’re better off investing your money into established journalism such as your preferred newspaper. However, it is arguable that Medium is more intuitive to their subscribers needs with the use their algorithm, making the content more specific to readers preferences. The content therefore becomes more niche and personal as it has not been fine-tuned by an editor, creating a much more raw and authentic feel. Thus, the platform amplifies new and unestablished writers by boosting their content to a wider audience. 

 

Medium is setting an example for the future of not just blogging but journalism, in the digital age blogging or anyone posting online can be considered a journalist. Its strategy in distributing their revenue fairly to its bloggers, intuitive algorithm and allowing readers to tailor their content and gives a voice to undiscovered writers, is an inspiring model that the blogging industry should be paying more attention to.