Being a blogger usually means that you have to branch out and talk to other people on the internet. As a complete introvert, this is easier said than done, but is also so much easier than talking to people in real life. I'd much rather send someone an email than make a phone call. But at the same time, if I've ever written you an email, even a really short one, then I've probably agonized over every word and spent at least twenty minutes on the thing before hitting send. That's just how terribly awkward I am.
But I digress (as usual...). In the scope of social media, I feel like I have two things pretty much figured out. The blogging is pretty straightforward--I know what needs to be done at this point, just need to keep doing it and do more. The second thing is Twitter. I'm not obnoxious with it, just mostly use it to promote my blog posts and connect with other writers. But tell the me from four years ago who was just starting to use it that she'd eventually have over 1,800 followers and she would not believe you (she would have said "I thought this was for stalking celebrities!").
So, blogging--check. Twitter--check. But I feel like I should be doing so much more and just don't know where to start. There are a few I'm considering, so if you have any input or advice on these, I'd gladly take it!
Facebook. I have a personal Facebook page, but I don't like to link it up with any of my blogger stuff (I used to post links there but quickly realized that no one actually read them...). I don't use it all that much, honestly, except to keep in touch with people I don't see anymore. What I've been on the fence about is creating a Facebook author page. Mostly because, well, I'm not an author yet. But I'm thinking it may be good to start one early. I've also had two things published in anthologies, so that counts for something, right? Mostly it would help me connect with other authors on Facebook, which I don't like to do with my personal one.
Google+. Ok, I have a Google+ account. A few of you have added me to your circles. My thing with this is that I just haven't taken the time to figure out what the hell Google+ actually is. It's on my to do list, I swear. I don't think I can really make a judgement call on this one until I actually figure it out, but I would eventually like to do more with it.
Instagram. This is one of those things where personally I feel like, what's the point? But then again, I feel like I'm the only person who doesn't have it. Seriously, if you look at the photos on my phone, all of my pictures are of food I've made or my cat. But then I've been told that's all Instagram is, really, so...maybe?
What do you think? Should I branch out? What other social media do you use as a writer?
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I hear you about writing an email rather than making a phone call. I always feel way more awkward on the phone.
ReplyDeleteI have a blog and a Goodreads page, both of which need more sprucing up on my part. :)
You seem to mirror exactly my situation! I do best on blogging and Twitter, I have a personal Facebook page but hardly use it (I seem to have a blind spot with it for some reason), also on Google+ but don't know what it's all about, and haven't considered using Instagram at all. My phone doesn't even have a camera, so there's no point really! I don't think we can do them all because we'll be spread too thin. I've heard it's best to get really proficient on two or three, which you are, so I don't think you should worry toooo much.
ReplyDeleteI heard an expert once say to pick one or two forms of social media and master them. That is far better than being spread everywhere and unable to maintain it all. I look at Alex J. Cavanaugh on this one. He's got the blogging things down. Does he bother with facebook? Nope. Twitter? Not really. It's just blogging, yet he does it exceedingly well. I think the key is really to just become a genius about the places you're most comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteI think you can only master a couple. I'm on Google+, although I don't use it like I should, but I'm not on any other social site. Twitter, I still don't know what I'm doing, even with almost four thousand followers.
ReplyDeleteAnd Crystal, thank you for the vote of confidence!
I think it is better to pick what social sites you're more comfortable with and stick with them. Being everywhere doesn't help. I feel most comfortable on my blog and Facebook next. Twitter is too much noise for this introvert, even though I'm on there. I feel like I'm at a party and everyone is talking at once and all I want to do is hide in the corner. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI think you're doing plenty with those. I mean, really, who has the time for much more. I mostly just stick with blogging and then I'll maybe tweet 10 to 20 times a day depending on how social media driven I feel or how many things might pop into my mind. Blogging pretty much is enough though. I can hardly keep up with that.
ReplyDeleteThough I did think of one that might be important for writers--GoodReads! I guess you should probably do that one. Sometimes LinkedIn can be pretty useful too.
Now I'm realizing that maybe you do need to do more. Maybe hire a publicist to do it all for you. Don't we wish?
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Ha! I had to laugh reading this, because I realized that I can't give you advice, because I think about all of this stuff almost exactly the same way!! Facebook - personal stuff, catch up with people. Google+ - promote posts, find bloggers' blogs, wonder the heck else it's for. Instagram - what's the big deal, again? should I have it?? LOL. If you find out good stuff, post about it, will you?
ReplyDeleteThe advice I've been given by professionals is that if you don't like a particular form of social media, then don't use it. You'll just end up putting lackluster content in it and turn off potential fans.
ReplyDeleteLOL . . . love your comments on facebook, google+, and instagram. I have all of those, and I use facebook for keeping touch with friends and family, and now bloggers and writers . . . sometimes I think about getting a separate account because do bloggers want to see pics of my kids? Is that just weird? I don't yet. Google+ seems to be a combo twitter/facebook/blog type area, and I use it a little, but not as much.
ReplyDeleteInstagram . . . I got it partly because my kids have it, and then somehow I ended up with my kids' friends following me, with a few people my agish, a few writers, and a few family members. It's a little odd, and mainly I post pics of family stuff and some writing stuff. I still don't really know what I'm doing with it, really.
Since you asked ... my answer is, you should be writing.
ReplyDeleteAss in chair. Words on paper.
I have two reasons for social media--to keep up with friends and market my book. Visual marketing is HUGE right now and people love seeing snippets of your life. If I want to post an update, often my first question is, can I post it through a picture? Those tend to stand out more than just text posts. I'll post pictures on Twitter, Instagram, and Twitter...but if I'm blatantly marketing, often that's for Twitter. I usually will post good news about my book and hope people will see that as a reminder to buy my book on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteI have found Twitter useful, and while FB has been good for my Woven tour, I find myself having a harder time finding something to say there than on my blog. FB is more for family and friends, Twitter is for everyone, and my blog is my corner of the Internet where I can say and post as I like. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been struggling with the same questions. I haven't done a good job keeping up with my blog (I'm trying to fix that), I don't do Twitter, and I really just want to use Facebook for friends. One thing I've found helpful is getting an author page going on GoodReads and then connecting with different groups there. You might try that.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
We should be friends ... because of this: "I'd much rather send someone an email than make a phone call. But at the same time, if I've ever written you an email, even a really short one, then I've probably agonized over every word and spent at least twenty minutes on the thing before hitting send. That's just how terribly awkward I am." Yeah. Me, too. :) As far as social media goes, I love Twitter - there are so many great ways to utilize it as a writer. I also love blogging as a writer. The rest seems like work.
ReplyDeleteRight now, I only use Twitter for writing. Might use Facebook soon.
ReplyDeleteI could relate to just about every word you wrote LOL. I hate talking on the phone unless it's to a few people I'm close to and I would much rather text or email. I am also totally clueless about Instagram and Google +. Honestly I think Google + is the most confusing thing ever LOL. I have a FB author page but I forget to use it half the time. And I try with Twitter but I still can't say I actually enjoy it. I am hopeless at social media LOL.
ReplyDeleteI blog and I'm on Facebook. I do have an author's page, but unless you set up your initial profile as an author when you first sign up, it probably is a waste of time. I do post blog links on it, but the engagement is really slim, which is directly due to the fact that the page was set up some three years after I'd joined Facebook. I may give serious thought again to liking a slew of pages under my author's name, just so I can start drumming up some interest in my writings again.
ReplyDeleteI don't do Google+ because I was added to it against my will. When you agree to do something simple as having one name on your Google accounts (YouTube, Blogger, Gmail), you automatically get added to Google+.
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