2007 Blogging Trends Predictions Meme
Michael Ono made me feel great today as he tagged me with a meme that is going around. It is not just the fact that he decided to send the meme my way, but he listed me with the likes of Paul Scrivens and Paul Stamatious. How cool is that?
The meme, set to cover four predictions on what we can expect to happen in the blogosphere/new media world in 2007 was started by 9rules member Andrew Wee, who posted the idea on the Notes section of the 9rules Network website.
Automattic Releasing At Least Two Hosted Applications
Automattic, the creators of WordPress, is doing very well with its WordPress.com service, and I see them continuing to push forward and releasing two new hosted applications in 2007, with both free and paid account options.
The first piece of hosted software I see coming down the pipe is bbpress, their very basic forum software. If they are smart, they will make it so that it plays nice with WordPress.com and its userbase/user accounts, as well as allow it to be its own independant service. They will offer many of the same paid upgrades that WordPress.com allows including domain registration and some CSS Editing.
The second piece that Matt will push out is a new hosted project management and organization application. A direct competitor to 37signals’ Basecamp, Automattic will work on pushing out a better design, as well as start working at building a theming and plugin community for their new software.
Since the software will be hosted, only plugins and themes accepted by the Automattic team will be added, making sure it stays high quality and allowing the userbase to be involved with the development of the software. Something that WordPress.org users already enjoy.
Between the two applications, Automattic will be able to increase its staff two fold, adding more of the main community members from the WordPress.org community. Some new designers, some new programmers, and some other support staff. Matt will have to deal with his growing company and treat it as a real company, not as much fun, but interesting.
WordPress growth and development won’t be effected much, as Matt Mullenweg still focuses most of his time and effort onto WordPress.org/.com.
Blog Network Starts Releasing Content in Print
One of the most interesting thoughts I have had recently with all kinds of money flowing into blog networks is that they could take on main stream media in their own domain.
Sites like Gizmodo, or Joystiq could become great monthly magazines with a few small tweaks and some money spent in creating print editions. Some sites would work well as small newspapers, while others would work well as a book printed once or so a year.
I don’t know if they would go it alone, and start from scratch or if they would purchase some small publication. I personally wish Jonathan Snook had the money and time to work on some more great books.
Blog Monetization Sources will Change
With many new companies coming into play in 2006, I don’t see 2007 being too different for advertising companies like Text-Link-Ads, and others. I have a feeling that some companies will die off or be sold to others. I wouldn’t be surprised if Google, Yahoo or Microsoft bought another advertising company to target bloggers directly, and merge the service with their own respective services.
The amount of money that flows into blogs will grow, but not as drastically as some people might hope. The return on investment that companies will get will vary from place to place and have them scratching their heads hoping for a new system of metrics to help them decide which sites might be worthy of their time, and of course money.
Main Stream Media Will Source Blogs and Bloggers More
As bloggers continue to be the first on the scene of major events, main stream media will have to source the general public more and more for their content and information. Why send a reporter to a foreign country when you can buy the content from two or three great writers that are also bloggers.
The situation will be touchy at first, and rather difficult, but I think by the time December of 2007 comes around, you will see bloggers that sell content to newspapers rather than posting it on their own blog. This might also start happening for magazines as well, much like popular bloggers that have another great skillset participate in books today.
This system will also help newspapers be more responsive to surprising news and interesting stories. They will still have issues with fact checking and whatnot, and there will probably be at least three major stories of a newspaper printing something that is completely incorrect or fabricated.
Who I Tag?
To continue the meme, I tag another 9rules memeber, Marco Jardim, and some other great people, Gary Cottam, James Cogan, David Krug and Mark Wood.
11 Responses to 2007 Blogging Trends Predictions Meme
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Michael Said,
January 2, 2007 @ 4:55 pm
Ha I actually thought it would be good to get a wide variety of people into the meme. Hmmm Automattic you say? I personally can only see them strengthening Wordpress. Unless you have some information that I do not.
I honestly can’t see Blog Networks releasing content in print. There would be too much overhead and to me that would be a step backwards. I can see Blog Networks having a brand presence on print in the same way that Cannon Camera ads now displays the Flickr logo. I saw an ad in the Metro recently.
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David Peralty Said,
January 2, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Hey Michael… I do have some information that you don’t… as the writer for Blogging Pro and the co-host of the WordPress podcast, I have heard it from the horses mouth that they want to continue to expand their services. I have also heard some mumblings towards doing an organizational tool, either as an addition (plugin) to WordPress or a seperate tool/service. As for the bbpress detail, that is all me just guessing.
For releasing content in print, you have to remember that there are still so many people that read magazines and newspapers, they don’t go online for their news and details, and much like bloggers getting chapters in books, I don’t see it as a step backwards, but a step to the side.
You are right that it has much more overhead, but with multiple millions going into blog networks, it might not be all that far from the realm of possibilities. I know Sugar Publishing has enough money to start a small print publication. I am talking about something in the realm of php|architect’s size.
Anyways, mine might not be as close to the realm of possibility as yours or what other people will post, but that was the fun in writing all this. If I am way off base, I don’t mind. If any of this comes true… I will be elated!
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Michael Said,
January 2, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
True dat about print but I do think that part of that is due to influence. Once the up and coming juggernauts make the switch to the web they can bring they’re influence along with them so I’m sure that people will make the transition to the web with no problem.
I think the real problem right now is that the real writing ninjas aren’t particularly interested in blogging and they either write it off or mess around in a typepad account.
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Tony Said,
January 2, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
Well Google is pushing its advertising into the print media, so there is some potential. I figure a lot of people would still prefer to just pick up a hardcopy of content rather than try to figure out what RSS is.
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andrew wee Said,
January 3, 2007 @ 9:13 am
as i’m reading all the meme posts, what i’m realizing is that unless you’re a fervent newshound, you’d be picking up the missing pieces through the meme’s thread.
all the trends raise will move up the ramp in terms of importance, not necessarily because the tech involved makes it so, but more because the mindshare and awareness expands…
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Zachary Houle Said,
January 3, 2007 @ 9:37 am
“I think the real problem right now is that the real writing ninjas aren’t particularly interested in blogging and they either write it off or mess around in a typepad account.”
I think a lot of them *are* — witness some mainstream media types who now have their own blogs. But the really limiting factor for total participation, as least as far as I’m concerned, is still that attitude that blogs don’t pay. If you want the real writing ninjas to get involved, there has to be a better revenue generating model. Quality does not necessarily equal number of eyeballs visiting a site.
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Zachary Houle Said,
January 3, 2007 @ 9:41 am
For instance, just to further my former post, Tara Hunt has a lot of very interesting things to say — but I wouldn’t consider her a great, award-winning writer. (No offense, Ms. Hunt, if you stumble across this comment.)
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Zachary Houle Said,
January 3, 2007 @ 6:04 pm
… And I wonder now if that all reads/sounds a bit more curlish than I really wanted it to, which was not really my intent. (sigh). But I do stand by the above: the notion that you have to do it *solely* for the passion, not the money — and anything that suggests otherwise is somehow corrupt and corporate — seems really ludicrous. Can there be a balance between the two?
Anyhoo … . That’s my last word on the matter.
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andrew wee Said,
January 4, 2007 @ 8:05 am
zachary: the market will dictate the success or failure of a blog through it’s readership or lack thereof.
moneitzation isn’t evil unless you consider blogging to meet your survival needs as ‘evil’.
blogging is a value neutral activity.
assigning a value to that is just as good as calling water ‘good’ and fire ‘evil’. -
James Said,
January 4, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
David, thanks for the tag! I’ll cook up a post on my blog shortly. The ‘print’ idea is an interesting one. Blog networks need to be careful about how far from their primary focus they stray. Most blog networks are pretty small ops, especially as compared to traditional print publications. Taking your eye off the online ball to capitalize on offline pastures could prove costly in more ways than one, and hurt blog networks more than it helps. Just my two cents. But could it happen? Quite possibly.
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Jonathan Goodpasture Said,
January 5, 2007 @ 4:06 pm
Hey what about a reality television show? Your imagination could realyl run wild with this one huh?
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