The Evolution of Blogging: If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now

This post dives into how blogging has evolved over the past decade- from the old SEO tactics and keyword stuffing disasters to the rise of influencers and the challenges of monetisation. It explores the fine line between passion and profit, the power struggle between bloggers and traditional media, and the often misleading promise of “exposure.” If you’ve ever wondered how the blogging world went from creative expression to a cutthroat business, this is the behind-the-scenes look you’ve been waiting for.

I often ask myself, “If only I knew then what I know now, how would I have changed my approach to blogging?”

Ten years ago, the rules were completely different. Back then, we were all under the spell of SEO, keywords, and the never-ending debate between white-hat and black-hat SEO. (It didn’t help that some people treated blogging like a hacker’s paradise, finding every possible loophole to game the system.)

SEO Was King (And a Tyrant)

In the early days, search engines were everything. Bloggers were obsessed with keywords- so much so that some thought stuffing a blog post with “best coffee in New York” fifty times would make them the next J.K. Rowling of caffeine content. And for a while, it worked. Then Google caught on and sent keyword stuffers into exile, and suddenly, we all had to learn how to write like humans again.

Let’s not forget the golden age of link bait and clickbait- those cleverly disguised traps that promised inspiration but delivered nothing more than a poorly copied Bob Dylan lyric. If you think about it, with over 100 billion songs on Spotify, one could have built an entire blog empire by copying and pasting song lyrics and slapping on, “This moves me.” Genius? Maybe. Ethical? Not so much.

The Rise of the Content Machine

Then came the era of content overload. Bloggers were churning out mindless posts just to stay relevant. Quality? Who cared about that? Volume was the name of the game. Some people thought a 200-word blog post was acceptable, but let’s be real- if your blog post is shorter than a ranty Facebook status, what are we even doing here?

Meanwhile, press releases became the blogger’s best friend- and worst enemy. Initially, they were informative and valuable. Then came the lazy bloggers who simply copied and pasted them and tried to pass them off as their own by adding “in my opinion” to the intro. Newsflash: Just because you rewrote the first paragraph doesn’t mean you can actually callyourself a writer.

Bloggers Become Influencers (And the Industry Takes Notice)

As blogging evolved, so did its business potential. Passion projects turned into profit projects, and suddenly, everyone was an influencer. Food bloggers became “food and lifestyle influencers,” which conveniently gave them an excuse to write about skincare, gym routines, and their pets eating habits. Diversification was key- except when it wasn’t. Some bloggers went so far off-track that one day they’d be reviewing fine wine, and the next, they’d be raving about apricot jam on margarine sandwiches.

Brands quickly realized that bloggers were a goldmine. Unlike traditional media, bloggers didn’t demand advertising fees or lengthy negotiations. A free goodie bag and a press release were enough to get their product featured within minutes. It was a win-win-win for brands, at least. For bloggers? Not so much.

The Great PR Exposure Myth

Ah, the infamous promise of exposure. Publicists and brands convinced bloggers that working for free today meant getting paid tomorrow. Spoiler alert: Tomorrow never came. Some bloggers were promised future paid campaigns that never materialized. Others were straight-up ghosted.

One particularly ridiculous incident involved an event where bloggers were originally offered R2000 for participation. Unfortunately, I was out of town reviewing a hotel (humble brag), so I missed out thankfully. Turns out, the event organizer pocketed the money and left the bloggers unpaid. The worst part? The same organizer later offered me a measly R300 for a similar event. R300. That barely covers breakfast for two at Woolworths. Hard pass.

The Harsh Reality of Blogging as a Business

Blogging stopped being just about creativity and started becoming a full-blown business- one where bloggers were often treated as commodities rather than valued creators. Expenses piled up. Hosting, website design, logos, themes, and tools cost real money. And while most blogging tools seem affordable at $10 here and there, suddenly, you’re spending thousands on resources just to get advertisers who will never pay you.

At some point, every blogger realizes the hard truth: If you work for free once, you’ll always be expected to work for free. Once you allow yourself to be undervalued, good luck raising your rates later. That’s why I made a decision early on- I’d rather work for free than let anyone undervalue my worth.

Exposure Doesn’t Pay Bills

Looking back, blogging has been one wild ride. It started as a passion, became a numbers game, turned into an influencer feeding frenzy, and finally settled into an ongoing battle between exposure and fair pay. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: Know your worth, and don’t let anyone- especially not a press release-happy PR rep- convince you otherwise.

If you’ve ever found yourself on the receiving end of an “amazing opportunity” that turns out to be glorified unpaid labour, just remember: You can’t pay your bills with exposure, and R300 isn’t enough to sell your soul.

Here’s to blogging smarter, not harder.

Cheers! 🥂