The Technorati report is a must-read for anyone in the business of blogging for a living—or not for that matter, since an estimated 79% of blogs are personal ones. And those of us who are “professional” bloggers also maintain a personal blog (69%). The statistics below indicate there’s a whole lot of blogging going on.

So, why do people blog? It seems the majority of bloggers view it as an outlet of self-expression, sharing of ideas, and making connections.  And here I was thinking it was all about the ad revenue. In fact 54% reported that they blog for fun, not money. However, 42% wouldn’t mind making some money in the interim. Although there is money to be made, only an estimated 1% earn $200K and higher. The median annual income of bloggers is about $22,000, which supports the theory that a majority blog for personal satisfaction.

The profile of the average blogger did not come as a surprise. Bloggers are educated (72% are college graduates), mostly male (57%), and earn good incomes (50% have household incomes over $75,000). Technorati asserts, “Bloggers are not a homogenous group;” however, the above statistics do not scream diversity to me. It was great, though, to discover that female bloggers are far more sophisticated about bringing in ad revenue, driving traffic to their site, and converting business leads from their blogs—far more than their male counterparts.

There’s a whole lot of other statistics that I could rattle off here; however, even as I write they would lose their relevance, as there are new blogs popping up every day. Gone are the days when mere mention of your blog received a raised eyebrow of interest. Having a blog has become so mainstream. The question being asked now is when will the blogging go out of style?

In a recent post on Wired Paul Boutin sounds the death knell for blogs, citing how professional, well-heeled blogs like The Huffington Post are edging out your average blogger who doesn’t have the capital or the staff to churn out up-to-the-minute blog posts. Boutin’s suggestion: Just give up now, as you will never be able to compete.

I wouldn’t go as far as to discourage the birth of another blog. Now, that would be sad. Yes, the chances that you will be rich and famous (or infamous if that’s how you get your kicks) are slim by starting a blog in this market. However, the average blogger is not seeking worldwide acclaim (as the Technorati report reflects), but is mostly after an outlet of self-expression and connection (and also some moolah).

I’m sure those of you out there in the blogosphere have your own opinions. What do you think? Has blogging become passé?

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Social media in the midst of the economic crisis seems as fraught with egos as ever—perhaps more so than before. I’ve just spent another day reading warring viewpoints on the latest points of contention—Joe the Plumber (yay or nay?), the death of Web 2.0 (and how this or that blogger can provide the tools you need to stay ahead of the game), etc. etc. I become disillusioned when the blog-universe seems to be made up of nothing more than a bunch of self-promoters who claim to have all the answers. If social media isn’t about having a two-sided conversation then what is it about?

I was ready to give up and call it a day when I came across Robert Scoble’s post on blogging in a crisis. Scoble advocates balance, encouraging bloggers to listen, to seek out differing opinions, and to tell their readers what sources of information are informing their judgment. The blogosphere often seems like one big ego trip to me, so this was a refreshing read. I agree with Scoble in theory, though in reality there is no way I would ever be able to go through all of his articles and links. Neither do I imagine that a blogger with less time on their hands than he would be able to research and compile a similar amount of data. Yet who can truly argue with a call to invite differing opinions and to expand your knowledge base, however idealistic? In urging his readers to make well-informed judgments, Scoble certainly does his best to practice what he preaches. He aggregates an impressive amount of content from a rainbow of opinions and sources on his Friend Feed and his Google Reader Shared Document. I trust bloggers like Scoble who talk about their inspirations and references, who link to content that doesn’t necessarily support their argument for the sake of continuing the conversation. If we’re moving towards Web 3.0, a new frontier, then it can only help the growth of this web-universe we’re creating to be as well-informed about every opinion and influence out there.

This space is full of high-octane opinions, and sometimes I just crave a little online silence. When it becomes too much to deal with, I make a pretty pictures with This Is Sand, the web-o-holic’s path to zen meditation and relaxation. And in the spirit of Scoble’s post I advocate that you play the adreneline-pumping Kung Fu Election before chilling out with This is Sand. Just for the sake of balance.

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