This post was significantly updated in 2026 to reflect new information. An archived version of Liz Strauss’ article from 2007 is available for reference here.
Back in 2007, before social media algorithms dictated our content strategies, a curious observation emerged from the blogging community. Three relationship bloggers—Phil Gerbyshak, Mike Sansone, and Liz Strauss—were all pursuing the same goal of building meaningful connections with their readers. Yet each approached it differently.
Phil’s style centered on email conversations and visiting other blogs. Liz anchored herself at her own blog, responding to every comment while maintaining a steady practice of reading and engaging elsewhere. Mike took things offline whenever possible, meeting fellow bloggers face to face in Iowa restaurants and at local events.
The differences revealed something worth considering. Phil’s network consisted of email correspondents who mentioned him in their posts. Liz’s community formed around comment threads and Skype conversations. Mike’s relationships existed primarily with people he’d met in person, bound by geography and shared meals.
Each built genuine relationships. Each maintained an engaged audience. Each succeeded precisely because they understood a truth we often forget: relationship building in digital spaces doesn’t follow a single prescribed path.
What relationship blogging meant then
The term “relationship blogger” described creators who prioritized human connection over traffic metrics. These bloggers understood that readers were attracted to people, not blogs.
They pursued interactions with strangers to form new connections. They took values like loyalty and friendship seriously, often transitioning online relationships into offline ones.
The philosophy recognized what many bloggers forget today: the medium through which you connect matters less than the consistency and authenticity of the connection itself.
How relationship dynamics have shifted
Fast forward to now, and 95% of bloggers use AI tools at least occasionally, dramatically changing how content gets created. The average blog post runs 1,333 words and takes just under three and a half hours to produce, down from previous years as AI streamlines the writing process.
Yet many bloggers focus primarily on building relationships. 66% of blog-maintaining businesses publish content for brand awareness, and 77% of internet users regularly read blog posts. The audience exists. The attention remains available.
What’s changed is how those relationships form. Geographic boundaries that once limited Mike Sansone’s community have dissolved. Phil Gerbyshak’s email-first approach now competes with DMs, Slack channels, Discord servers, and dozens of other communication platforms. Liz Strauss’s comment-centered community building faces the reality that comment sections have been replaced by social media reactions scattered across multiple platforms.
The fragmentation creates both challenge and opportunity. Today’s relationship blogger must decide not just how to show up, but where to show up, and for whom.
Why different approaches still matter
The fundamental insight from 2007 remains valid: authentic relationship building doesn’t require following someone else’s playbook. What worked for those early bloggers wasn’t their specific tactics but their commitment to consistency within their chosen approach.
Consider what this means for current creators. Some thrive building email lists and nurturing subscribers through personalized messages. Others excel at hosting Twitter Spaces or running LinkedIn newsletters where discussions unfold in real time. Still others create intimate communities on Patreon or Discord where depth trumps reach.
None of these approaches inherently outperforms the others. The blogger who answers every comment builds relationships just as meaningfully as the one who hosts monthly Zoom calls with their audience, who builds relationships just as meaningfully as the one who meets readers at conferences.
The mistake happens when we assume the method that works for someone else should work for us, or worse, when we spread ourselves thin trying to maintain presence everywhere simultaneously.
What relationship blogging requires now
The core principles endure. Relationship bloggers still seek opportunities to meet people. They still pursue interactions that form new connections. They still value friendship, loyalty, and the transition from digital acquaintance to something more substantial.
But the execution must adapt. Where Phil, Mike, and Liz each mastered one primary channel, today’s creator faces pressure to maintain multiple channels while platform algorithms actively work against organic reach. Social media traffic has become increasingly unreliable, with platforms like Facebook seeing referral traffic to blogs drop over 20% in recent years.
This fragmentation requires clearer thinking about where your energy goes. The blogger who tries to be everywhere becomes present nowhere. The one who commits to their natural communication style and optimizes for depth rather than breadth often builds stronger, more sustainable communities.
Some bloggers naturally gravitate toward written responses and asynchronous conversations. Others come alive in real-time video chats. Some prefer the intimacy of one-on-one exchanges. Others thrive facilitating group discussions.
None of these preferences makes you a better or worse relationship blogger. They simply determine which tactics will feel sustainable long enough to actually build the relationships you’re after.
The question that remains
Nearly two decades after those three bloggers demonstrated different paths to the same goal, we still face the same fundamental choice. Will you build relationships the way someone else built them, or will you discover the approach that fits your temperament, your communication style, your available time and energy?
The tools have multiplied. The platforms have evolved. The AI has accelerated production. But the core work remains unchanged: showing up consistently for people who might eventually become more than readers.
That’s what relationship blogging meant in 2007. That’s what it means now. The only real difference is whether you’ll have the courage to pursue it your own way.
