Dylana Suarez

The Future of Blogging



The future of this blog is always something to think about. Many bloggers I have talked to have this exact same thing on their minds. As many of us enter our late 20's, the drive behind our careers may or may not change drastically. Where exactly will we grow from here? Will we want to be doing exactly what we do now in our futures? How will our current digital presence mature as we mature as individuals? Do we think our careers will revolve around fashion for the rest of our lives? Will we still be having the same urge to share our outfits with you all? Currently, for me at least, this is all left in a big pile called the great unknown. Things have changed so much since I started this blog way back in 2009, which was right around the time I graduated college. I started this blog just as a hobby and as a creative outlet. Never in a million years did I think I could make a living running this thing. But thanks to a little thing called social media and Instagram (INSTAHAM as I like to call it sometimes) everything I do on here has gotten the chance to gain a whole lot of exposure. But a lot of times I miss how blogging was like before social media blew up and Instagram took over. None of this existed way back at the beginnings of DYLANA/SUAREZ (previously Color Me Nana, and before that Dylana in Wonderland . . . cringe). It started to make me wonder, do people even care to visit the blog to read more beyond just a pretty photo? Or would they rather just see something quick on Instagram and call it a day?
To me, social media is a both a really awesome thing and also a really not very awesome thing. It's awesome because I wouldn't be writing you right now from the comfort of my own bed and actually saying this is my job. It's awesome because I have the freedom to share as much or as little of my life as possible on here, and actually get quite a meaningful response to what I put out there from a good amount of those who visit. Whether it be via a comment, a tweet, or an email, it really is crazy to think that some of you out there really take the time out of your day to put in some extra feedback and thoughts. It's also awesome because I get to do a lot of different things I love to do on a daily basis and I never feel limited. I'm my own boss and I have a lot of control and it feels amazing. Not a lot can say that.
On the other side of the spectrum, sometimes (maybe a lot of times) social media can lend a superficial aspect to how we view the lives of others in relation to our own. This superficiality can definitely force one to lose focus on the authenticity of the content put out there. Social media (Instagram in particular) is designed to showcase a perspective that will get a positive response from viewers (a.k.a. a lot of likes). And especially today, brands work with bloggers based solely on the amount of followers they have as opposed to the actual quality of the content. In reality, numbers-wise, I am nowhere near some of the girls who run fashion blogs out there. But at the same time I am consistently working, and I feel like the quality of my work is the game changer for me. I work hard, I'm passionate, and I just happen to have a blog that connects me to more people than if I didn't have a blog. As a blogger, it's not my main goal to work with the biggest and most influential brands out there (although at times I do have the opportunity to do so, which is quite amazing), but it's not the driving force behind the growth of my blog and of my work.
Personally, I feel like I get the most out of what I do when I am working with the smaller brands, even start ups, who build up these amazing ideas from almost nothing. To be a part of something from the tiny beginning to the end product on a smaller scale level is far more interesting to me. Mostly because it means that I am so much more involved from the get go. I appreciate the industry more when I am actually down and getting my hands dirty. You know, doing the grunt work, as opposed to signing a big contract with a big brand for so and so number of social media posts. Hey, those are nice, too, and I love to support big brands I believe in and who think I am influential, but personally I get the most out of projects I can be thoroughly involved in. I learn the most that way, too.
I work hard to keep it as real as I can on here. Behind the cool outfits, fun parties, and prettier side of the industry is a whole lot of work, organization and spreading myself thin a lot of the times. I do get comments here and there about selling out whenever I put a sponsored-style post out there, and I can't deny that I do this. But as times changed, a lot on here will have to change, too, especially with me doing this full-time. But I promise that everything you will read and see on here is real and true.
So as a follower of the social media/digital world, what do you guys think? How many of you are actually coming here to learn, read beyond the pictures and dig a little deeper? And how many of you prefer just the visual aspects and inspirations; to be constantly updated with just bits and pieces via other social media platforms, such as Instagram or (dare I say it) Snapchat. Where do you see blogs in five years? This last one is always interesting for me to think about. I think blogs will still be around. There will always be those dedicated readers who will keep on coming back, as others come and go at a much more exponential rate. But in the long run, I think those bloggers with something actually meaningful to say beyond just the chic outfits, designers digs and glistening vacation snaps will survive. Quality over quantity. I like leaving a blog feeling inspired not to just dress well, but to live well. Those blogs that help me think about more meaningful things than just the best ways to layer in winter. Those are the blogs I'll keep on reading five years from now.
  • Love
  • Save
    10 loves 5 saves
    Add a blog to Bloglovin’
    Enter the full blog address (e.g. https://www.fashionsquad.com)
    We're working on your request. This will take just a minute...