Maxabella You raise good points about Facebook. I don’t have one for my blog for some of the reasons you have raised.
I’m also becoming a lot more cautious about what I post on my personal Facebook again for the reasons you have mentioned. When I find myself going through really hard and sad times, I change my privacy setting so that only I can see my updates and unsubscribe from others for a while. If this makes sense.
I do twitter as part of my blog and find it very liberating in its relative anonymity as is the case with my blog.
I think the FB page is a useful, alternate way for people to follow a blog. In that way it’s just another ‘feed’. I don’t use my page for much more than that or an occasional pic that doesn’t make it to the blog. As for twitter? Nah, not interested.
It’s a tricky balance between personal facebooking and blog facebooking. I keep mine quite separate, and I think that works for me. Having a blog that focusses on food and not me, helps too.
Twitter I just don’t seem to do very well. I share posts and interesting articles, but only occasionally have a conversation. I do find it a nice way of finding new people to read though.
So when I am on holidays I log off. I do not miss it, or miss out. I like not being available. I am not sure if anyone misses me.
I think it is an age and stage thing. When I was at home with the kids, it was vital. Now I have the kids at school and the opportunity to talk to real people in the flesh, all that braggery is a whole lot less appealing…..
Blogging is about it for me. I tried facebook but I just got sick of people who I didn’t really know wanting to be my ‘friend’ so after about 6 months gave it the flick. It just wasn’t my thing and I figure I spend enough time blogging I’ll just stick to one thing;) xx
Like Tenille, I keep it very seperate. I keep Lime Lane and me very seperate, as you might have realised. The trick, I find, with the feeds is to also keep them separate. So I “like” blogs etc from my Facebook Page and keep all the other stuff for my own profile. That means when I log in I either see friends or the online world from the Home button, depending on what I’m “using” Facebook as at the time. I think FB is great for people who aren’t full on into the blogging world and for some it is like their version of Google Reader.
I have had a facebook page for the blog for about 2 years now ( I think!). I don’t have a personal facebook page and had been very anti facebook page, so was relatively late to the FB page.
To be honest, it is really only the last month or so that I have really worked out how to use it affectively for my blog.
Even with me not knowing what I was doing really, it has been for sometime my biggest referrer of traffic.
I am really enjoying the interaction with my readers in this space. It is more real time and casual. I have also worked out that this is the way they like to be updated about new posts. Many just aren’t into subscribing either via email or RSS.
So after a very long answer, I really think it all depends how you use it!
Don’t like Facebook, nor do I do twitter. I never feel like I am missing out on anything. Recently started using instagram and I love photos and I love the visual aspect. I purposely do not like Facebook cause it has no individual appearance and I can’t stand for people to know where I am and when. I Dont understand what it achieve’s to have so many likes etc….. I really don’t understand social media much, or all the sublime rules. But that’s just me, and I don’t begrudge anyone who uses any of these things.
I’m thinking of doing exactly the same thing – just can’t be bothered with my blog facebook page anymore – it’s very unloved anyway!!! You’ve spurred me on to delete it xxx
Definitely food for thought. I don’t have a blog facebook page, twitter account, anything. Just the blog. I was thinking about starting a facey page for the blog but not sure that I’ll bother! Don’t really have the time for the extra social media maintenance anyway – some days I struggle just to get a blog update in.
I have a blog Facebook page which I use to connect with other bloggers and readers and blogs that I follow. I have a personal Facebook profile but keep them both separate, in other words I like blog Facebook pages via my blog Facebook page. And my personal profile is just to communicate with real life friends and family.
I enjoy Facebook, but then I don’t spend *a lot* of time on it. I dabble, not live on it. And twitter to me is a fun quick way to engage in some lighthearted banter. I see the behaviour and comments you mention but I guess I just don’t engage or really get bothered by it.
I have a Facebook page for my blog, plus personal Facebook plus I Facebook for Justb. Yes, it’s work but I love the social aspect of it,
Like Nicole (Planning with Kids) Facebook is the biggest social media refererral to my blog. I think that’s because non-blogging people are not into Google Readers and RSS feeds, Facebook is how they stay in touch.
So I talk to my readers there – most would never leave a comment on my blog but feel comfortable to talk on Facebook.
I am still working out the Facebook page for the blog thing. I find that some people seem to access my blog that way (as Nicole said before). I like that you can tag posts from others and interact. I don’t do Twitter so I guess it does that for me. When I remember. When I can be bothered. x
I have a page for my blog, I also have a personal page that bloggers have started to ask me to be friends on. I say yes, but then I hide them as I am not keen to see what they have to say AGAIN.
As others have said, many readers prefer to engage within fb rather than on yur blog.
I have also found fb an easy place to run my PR things in the last few weeks. It moves quickly so I don’t have a PR post sitting at the top of my blog for a few days.
I am so challenged when it comes to all forms of social media, I just don’t bother. Don’t have a facebook page for the blog, don’t do twitter or instagram (mainly because I don’t own an iphone) or pinterest. But I do LOVE blogging. And I agree, I see blogs (and my blog) as quite different to other forms of social media. For one, I can actually maintain a blog!
Blogs and blogging are my one true love. Facebook is a necessity for me only in a business sense. I virtually never update my personal profile. I’d love to delete it, but I actually need to keep it so that my sister can easily keep extended family and my personal friends up to date when I finally get a transplant ( I don’t want her to have to make eleventy billion phone calls). I also use twitter for business, but mainly just to chat to friends. When you live alone, it’s great to know that if you pop ontp twitter someone will be there (and I hate talking on the phone so I’m not going to be calling anyone for a chat). I can tweet and watch my fave tv shows all at the same time.
I admit that until recently I didn’t even know what Twitter was! I’m not so great on keeping up with social media. I’ve just started blogging again to give myself an outlet that is just for me to enjoy, and am quickly discovering there is a whole wide world of social media blogging I never knew existed! Good Luck with your decision.
I use twitter, I enjoy it. I don’t have my blog connected to my personal facebook, but I do put links to my blog posts on my fb page, for the benefit of my ‘real’ friends.
I actually just created a fb page for my blog tonight!… Not sure where I am going with that yet though.
Don’t have instagram or pinterest though. Not enough hours in the day!
A blog is diff to fb or twitter, because we communicate more than a sentence to two (mostly) and can therefore convey a clearer message (mostly!)
I love twitter and facebook because they allow for a bit more ‘conversation’ than blogs.
For my own blog, I like to share things with my readers that might be of interest, but I am not necessarily going to blog about.
I don’t subscribe by email to other blogs because I don’t want anything entering my inbox unless it absolutely HAS to. So twitter and FB allow me to keep up with my favourite bloggers and also get to know them a bit better.
Clearly, I like feeling like I am having a conversation with someone. If you didn’t have FB and never went on twitter I’d feel like all our ‘conversations’ are going only one way: you talking AT me via your posts and me talking AT you via your comments 🙂
BUT, if you find that certain favourite bloggers’ FB updates are putting you off, maybe the person you think they are from their blog, isn’t really who they are?
Ah you are so refreshing. I do have a fb page for my blog only because I started fb first and it works for me. But oh so many times I get fed up with all the look at me look at me’s. Blogs are I believe slightly more real. Fb can be incredibly pretentious but then again there is an unlike button.
I’ve been off of Facebook for over a year! I’m boycotting it. I think it could be called “fakebook” for all the reasons you have mentioned. I actually started blogging instead, because I think a blog post is much more “real”. I sure don’t miss FB at all! When I want to keep in touch with a friend, I have to pick up the phone. 🙂
It’s hard to comment on this one without being offensive. I have lots of opinions, I personally don’t mind Facebook as for me it’s a little like a local paper. I’ve never liked the whole ‘liking’ caper, and personally resent having to ‘like’ something that in the cold light of day, I probably don’t like. I struggle with blogging because I feel people spend too much time finessing the look of their blog, and their written content suffers. Pretty pictures aren’t enough to hold my attention. PLUS, I agree with Kelly’s interpretation of a blog, in the way often feels like it talks at you, not to you. I deleted my twitter account this week because it felt like another mouth that needed feeding, and god knows I’ve got enough of those. I just don’t have time for it, although I can see it is a great tool for connecting.
i don’t do facebook. i don’t twitter. i am doing fine without it. i don’t even read or check in on what is happening over on these sites. doesn’t interest me and i don’t feel like i am missing out. i love blogging and i love having a life away from the computer. each to there own though. social media seems to be taking over. i am constantly amused by small business & larger companies who are facebooking & twittering daily activities. i don’t get it. xo.
I just read this article this morning about Facebook http://www.mom-ology.org/page.php?pageid=3098&PHPSESSID=r2gugeh8vtujhhvlsktbp6gfn1 I don’t log on to my Facebook home page anymore or update my profile with photos and the like – I was spending way too much time looking at other peoples photos and filling my brain with too much information about everyone elses lives! . I do have a FB page for my blog which I like having as its a great way to connect with readers that don’t have a blog but I just use it to share links or ask questions- I wouldn’t dream of using it to update my day to day happenings! Great post- I think a lot of people are starting to question the use of Facebook.
I am trying to wean myself off my social medial addiction including blogs. Blogs can be just as much ‘look how great I am’ etc. I was obsessed with reading blogs for a bit there and now I only read my favourite few and not every day like I was doing. The extent of the whole thing exhausts me now. I don’t want to keep comparing myself anymore plus I just don’t have time!
I keep my personal fb & my loved page very separate. My business page is really just to keep people up to date on what’s in store or coming soon kinda thing, to people who don’t blog. My blog is often more personal though, I’ve found this has been a bit tricky since starting up my loved fb page because I’m not sure I want all of my ‘friends’ as in people in the town I live, reading personal stuff about my family, odd I know since it’s out there on the internet for all the world to see..It’s finding a comfortable balance i think.
Seriously, I think it comes down to why you blog. Some people do it for the love of it. Other people are trying to build themselves a business. If you’re in it for the love of it, you don’t need any of it – write your blog and be happy. If you want to build a business out of your blog, you need to develop ways for people to find it and visit it. Facebook is a great way to do that. So is Twitter. Simple as that.
As for the ‘love me, love me’ types, un’like’ them or hide their feeds. Simple as that.
I agree with you yet again Bron. I don’t do the facebook thing for my blog. It got way too much. I keep up to date with the blogs I like via my blogger feed. I do like Twitter as it’s a good way to have a quick little natter with my blogging friends, but I find it overwhelming at times. It goes at the speed of light and it’s too much for me too keep up with. I adore Instagram as I love taking photos. And of course I blog. And that’s where I am. I have a few toes dipped in the water, but I certainly don’t plan on diving in. xx
I get where you are coming from Bron. I kind of feel the same way. I mostly struggle to update my facebook page. I post links regularly, but it is an effort for me to post updates as such. I sometimes don’t know what to say. But I do like that I can engage with my readers easily there.
What I really struggle with is the tagging of pages just for the sake of it and the ‘shout outs’. I just can’t do them. And mostly I think it is rude. I think that will be especially hard for me with my new business page…
As with everything my motto is to find what works for you and leave it at that. i don’t like twitter so i dabble – it is the medium of choice for connecting with bloggers all over the place so i pop in.
Facebook I like and feel comfortable on so i put my efforts there. I aim to build a community so want the conversation to extend beyond my words with a few comments.
As Allison said if you are building a business platform (which I am)social media is critical and if you are doing it for memory keeping or self expression than you can ignore it all.
I get where you’re coming from. ‘Noise’ from social media can be hard to block out, and I do agree a lot of it can be sycophantic or plain whiny. But then I try rethink that it’s not like that all day, every day (or if it is that person gets hushed). It’s taken me a long time to get fb, and I still don’t think I get it right – but it’s not the biggest source of traffic for me.
Long story short, it comes down to priorities as others have said, but then I don’t think it’s an excuse to have stuff rammed down the throat either. Balance is critical 🙂
I set up a FB page for my blog because I kept getting requests from the blogging world to be “friends” and the lines kept getting all confused and merged (in my head at least). I now really enjoy it as another way to connect with readers. Conversations are easy to start on FB and the blogging comment section hard to work with I find. I try and do certain things on here, others on twitter and others on Instagram. They all serve their different purposes I think. Mostly I am just a social media addict. Yes, that’s it.
Hi there, I hear what you’re saying. I’m a bit like Nicole and the like, great way to transfer readers to the blog. I have a personal facebook, so I think about what I put on my blog page and whether it should be on my personal one or not. So I guess, yes I do like Facebook. Twitter on the other hand. It’s not that I don’t like it. I like the concept. But that is hard work. Some people are on there every night for hours on end and I just can’t make that commitment. as a result I always feel like I’m sitting on the outside there. And whilst sometimes that is a little hard to wear I’m not going to jepodise what I’ve got going on in my home for twitter. so I let it go and get on with it. Sounds like you’re not ready to let it go. There are no rules for facebook, you don’t Have to update it on a certain timeline!
I’m a bit with Nic and Alison. Firstly, it is my biggest traffic referrer, because many hate filling up their email inbox with subscriptions. Funnily, I get barely anything from Twitter for my blog. Secondly, my blog also feeds my business. People have said they chose to pick up the phone or email me because they felt they “knew me” via my FB and blog. Thirdly, I found this post when scrolling through FB! Hehe! You’ve certainly got me thinking though, Bron. x
I have a Facebook page for my blog, but it’s really just there for anybody who wants to read my posts that way. I don’t really say much on it, nor on my personal Facebook page either. I gave up Twitter at the end of last year. It was just too overwhelming for me. I stick to blogging, and communicating with other bloggers through the comments/emails I leave for them. At the end of the day I love blogging, and I love reading blogs, so if I’m going to get an hour a night to do that, I’d rather stick to it than be distracted by Facebook or Twitter.
I like noise. I’ve always liked noise. In real life and online. And If it gets too much I simply close the door for a while – both real and virtual.
Fb an twitter etc have been amazing for my business. When you start your business on the smell of a greasy oil rag, free social media helps enor mousy.
And I’m happy for people to celebrate good stuff that happens to them. I’d rather be happy for someone than sad for myself.
I almost shut down my personal FB page last year because I just don’t get reading about when someone has vacuumed. it became valuable when a close friend had a stroke and allowed her husband to update everyone regularly without being harrassed by phone calls. We now all post when we have visited and this helps her overseas friends. We communicate through a private group. I have never looked for my fav bloggers on FB nor do I have a page for my blog. I have started a new business however and will be venturing into FB for this. Twitter, I just don’t get.
I have both…plus FB pages for my Onesie Twosie business and my Scentsy sales. I did that so that I could keep my “personal” FB private and not advertise on that one. I rarely remember to update my blog page, mostly I just use it for the Networked Blogs thing because I think most of my readers are not my follower on the Google network. I have tried to separate my blog FB and personal one, although that is something I am only just starting to really separate, mostly because soon I will be a teacher and I would like some things to be a little more difficult to find.
I haver a fb blog page. It’s only 2 months old but I think people who like my blog find it easier just to have a quick glance than check the blog. I never post anything I wouldn’t want the whole world knowing and I don’t do pity in exactly the same way I don’t do sloth laziness clutter or squalor or “running out of time”.
I never look at other people’s blog’s fb pages. Just their blog or their twitter.
I have a personal fb page and I have just started twitter which I like, because it makes me laugh and if there’s one thing I love, it’s a pithy one liner.
Really enjoy your blog and the topics you canvass x
I have a FB page for my blog and a Twitter account. I use both to mainly promote my blog posts and to ask the occasional question. I try not to do the love me, love me! status updates, but I’m sure a few slip through now and then.
Twitter and FB are the two biggest sources of traffic for my blog, so I think it’s worth it. As the others have said, it’s all in how you use it.
Hmmm, where shall I start. Before I got onto Facebook (or Eff-book, as I affectionately call it) I thought it was a load of rubbish. Then I found myself stuck at home raising 3 little ones, feeling very cut-off and alone. My sister moved overseas and I decided to join Facebook to keep in touch. I began blogging last year as I way to release what was building up inside me. I began a Facebook page for my blog which I keep very seperate from my personal profile. I love my Facebook blog page and the interaction I have with my likers. I try to keep it fun and positive and I use it as a place to share things I’m loving, be it other pages, blogs, music photos, whatever. I’ve discovered all my favourite bloggers through Facebook and have made some life-changing connections. The people I connect with are like-minded and I feel like I’m a part of a community. I don’t have Twitter because i just don’t need it, Facebook is enough of a distraction. If there are any pages that don’t resonate with me I just unlike them or hide their feed, simple as that.
I run a small business, so yes, I am on Facebook and Twitter… I need to get the word out there, build a community etc etc. I also blog and follow blogs. I don’t have time to subscribe to every blog I would like to read, so I use Facebook to “filter” what I read. I only “Like” the blogs I enjoy reading. If something grabs me as I browse my news feed, I read it (including Maxabella Loves – in fact, that’s how I just found this post). I’m usually glad I did. Half the time, I don’t even get to read my RSS feed, but I always read my Facebook feed.
I think if you want an audience you need to be out there on Facebook. BUT you don’t have to be friends with people who aren’t your friends, and you don’t have to follow anyone you don’t actually “Like”! Simple. (In other words, please stay – I do have you in my RSS feed, but I like having FB contact with you.)
I go though phases where I love and hate social media. I find its a lot of fun and a great way to connect with like minded people but it can also make me feel exhausted trying to keep up with it all.
I so hear you and I only follow on FB the blogs that I REALLY love. My FB Page is for my business and my blog links to the feed so peeps can choose to read it or not. I have a twitter account but am never actually on it as it updates from my FB page (I don’t have the time to do both). I am on Instagram but not for social media purposes just cos I love taking photos and it can link to FB and Twitter if I fancy sharing. I think for businesses it is a love hate relationship but one we will never boot out the door but for blogs neither here or there. I do think that if all blogs get FB pages that comments and visits on actual blogs will drop loads as I already find so many people comment there instead and mine is not even a blog page…hmmm..tough one x
Interesting timing. As a new blogger I’ve been thinking about when/if I should set up a facebook page. Is it arrogant to set one up straight away? Will anyone want to actually like it? Will it just be another ‘thing’ to have to do? Ultimately I think the approach to managing a facebook page for a blog should be totally different to private pages. In my ‘real’ job I have managed fb pages for different brands, which have a very defined goal and brand voice. I think blog pages need to have a similar ‘brand’ mentality for them to work. Like you said, they should not all be about ‘me, me, me’ (that should be reserved for friends and family who actually care). Instead blog fb pages should offer something interesting and different to what readers can find on the blog. A successful page also requires planning and I guess that’s where the problem lies. When people have too many things on the go, they might not all necessarily be done well. As people have said, pick the things you enjoy and ignore the ones you don’t. I tweet a bit, love Instagram, am teetering on the brink of a facebook page and at the moment think Pinterest would be one step too far!
I have just popped in from blogland… I really get what you are saying. I have never linked my (family and real friends only) Facebook page to my blog, and to be honest I want to cut some of their feeds too. I have considered setting up a blog Facebook but never quite got there…. there is something quite overwhelming about people who share way too much info…. I blog. That is it, I link blog posts to Facebook for mum, but keep facebook private. I love to visit and share ideas but don’t cope with the overload of thoughts and inane detail poured out by some people. I visit, I comment so you know I’ve been, simple. That’s the way I like it! Don’t want to HAVE to LIKE it, just like it! X
For me, Facebook and twitter are just another communication channel and way to reach an audience. I would think if the people you like on Facebook use it as a ‘love me, love me’ or ‘pity me, pity me’ tool then maybe it’s more about how they use the channel you have a problem with than the channel itself. It can be used for good in the right hands. xx
I delete notifications from Facebook now, rarely accept ‘friend’ requests and find most of the stuff on there pretty shallow. I have a couple of good friends who post interesting, informative stuff but don’t have the time to wade through the pap to get to them. I’m with you. I choose blogging because I only have time for one form of social media and it’s my favourite!
I agree with Annie, I find most of my time on FB is spent eye rolling and sometimes I think it should be re-named Validation Book. But, it CAN be a good tool for communication, I would have missed a lot of good blog posts if it had not been for following the Facebook links. I like the conversation side of it, I like the link and info sharing. I guess I don’t like the status updates that would annoy me in real life conversation. The whole “look at me, love me” thing does my head in. I guess that’s certain people I have a problem with though, not necessarily Facebook itself. Loved reading this post and all the comments.
Face it (pun intended), you are just like everyone else and want the masses to love you, love you, love you. Love is even in your blog title. Just saying.
I hear you! There is something nice about blogging, that people have taken time to craft something thoughtful. But facebook, like you say a lot of the time it is just banal and background noise. I don’t have a facebook page because all the updates grated on my nerves. Although I do tweet a bit but not all that much!
I really can’t get into Facebook, I’ve never had a page and really dont think I can give the time to it. Delete it, you might even feel liberated!
I have caved in on tweeting though ….. I’m up to 2 tweets now and at last count (it took me a while) I have 1 follower (are they called that on Twitter?).
As a just-started blogger, I started a FB page because I thought that’s what you do. But, other than announce new posts, don’t really use it . I have a personal page for friends, so I can share family photos, news etc, but sometimes that will go for months without me posting on it. I do have a FB page for my jewellery website, and that has been my best form of advertising. I don’t do twitter, pinterest or instagram because I just don’t have enough time. I think the attraction to blogging for me is that it is about creating something, much the same as when I’m designing a new piece of jewellery. I love getting into the flow of the words.
I hear what you’re saying, and can totally see why people get depressed! There is way too much competitiveness (is that a word?) in real life (sorry, can’t abbreviate shit), I don’t need it any where else.
Great points there Bron. I have a FB page for my blog, but I use it more to communicate with readers who don’t comment on my actual blog, to let them know about posts and to share funny things that make me laugh. I don’t spend much time on the new feed part though because I don’t like a lot ofnthe negativity that goes on there. I stick to my page and check in on some of my faves. As for twitter, I tried to get a long with it, really I did, but I just suck at it. It reminds me a bit of walking into a party and just waltzing up to anyone and butting I their conversation, it makes me feel uncomfortable at times. I do send my post updates to Twitter as I have been told by some that they like to be notified of new posts that way, but I am terrible at replying to tweets – mainly because I just forget to check Twitter. I guess you could call me a twitter twit!
Really interesting, and I agree with most of it. I have twitter, but I do use it to communicate on a regular basis. Facebook however I don’t use, and I only update the facebook blog page with the posts from the blog. I don’t use it to chat.
I think it is great that there is a platform for each and every voice. I’m a blogger, I do have both a Twitter and FB account but don’t use either – I prefer blogging. Working out why you use each format is the key, then the decison is easy and pretty fuss-free if you ask me!
I dont have Twitter or a blog FB (I do have a personal one) I just dont feel the need to updat everyone on every little thing I do. Every now and then I will pop a status up, something funny one of the kids said etc…
But for the most part I find it all too time consuming, too bitchy and too ‘clicky’ in the blogging world. I have my little old blog that gets hardly any traffic and yet I still write – for myself.
I get that people need the comments and the traffic and the ‘friends’ but for me,I don’t need any of that stuff. No one in my real life world apart from my sister in law even knows I have a blog. I’m not ashamed – Its just my own little outlet and I don’t want to feel restricted on what I can write about.
Even though, sometimes I do due to ‘online’ people. Its silly really. I shouldn’t.
I get what you are saying though, you make some good points!
Ok. So many good points. So many things I agreed with!
I have FB, & twitter, & instagram.
I absolutely use instagram most (I’m a visual person), I like ‘seeing’ things. There are less words used, which funnily enough, irritates me less.
I don’t mind FB, but I think I moderate my use really well (i.e I don’t get email notification for anything posted there, & check in when I think of it).
My twitter style is similar to yours, pop in once in a blue moon. And when I do, it reeks of comedian wannabe tryhards (a lot of exceptions to that role). I don’t like the character limits, it makes people try be something different to what they are. Just my humble opinion.
So, why do I use them?
I’ve met seriously nice readers through both outlets who don’t do the google connect thing. And they don’t mind if it takes me 2/3/4/5 days to respond to things 🙂
Out of all of this, I think I would be guilty of the apparent false kindness. I don’t think I translate well online (via social media). I think I come across a little Pollyanna/ goody-two-shoes.
But the thing is, it’s not bullshit, because I know within myself, I actually really am that nice 🙂
And IRL, it irritates people 🙂
It pisses some people off that I’m just a genuinely nice person 🙂
And I love that 😉
And I love the posts you write that make people think.
Ahhhh – perfectly put! I deleted my facebook account about 6 months ago – It was getting too noisy in there! I live in a small town and I noticed people were ‘liking’ photos of people’s gardens and cakes and stuff – on ‘friends’ updates, with whom i new for certain would not bother with a real life ‘hey, how are you? garden’s looking great’… it came across to me as being painfully superficial and a little desperate – but mostly it made me sad that this was how people were (are) communicating with each other. I likened it to going to a very big party where there’s heaps of people gossiping and talking about themselves – which can be a bit fun sometimes but it gets old fast… Deactivating my account felt instantly very very good – quieter. I have never tweeted – nor do i understand it! Really – are these types of social media just encouraging people to pursue and prioritise popularity. Be ‘heard’ and projected into the thoughts and minds of others. Do we really really need that to feel security – to form identity… I hope not!! Blogs on the other hand – are Fantastic for inspiration, debate, learning, sharing and conversation. Great post!
I’m so with you Bron…..I think we;ve spoken about this too – so when you figure out just in fact IF you can delete a FB page, let me know….I’m in desperate need to delete my page that has sat idle for 3 years. I don’t know how some people do it all…and i’m one week on instagram and already feeling the “pressure” time to go totally private soon….and just stick to what i like ..blogging!
Sydney Shop Girl says
Maxabella
You raise good points about Facebook. I don’t have one for my blog for some of the reasons you have raised.
I’m also becoming a lot more cautious about what I post on my personal Facebook again for the reasons you have mentioned. When I find myself going through really hard and sad times, I change my privacy setting so that only I can see my updates and unsubscribe from others for a while. If this makes sense.
I do twitter as part of my blog and find it very liberating in its relative anonymity as is the case with my blog.
Sorry for long comment.
SSG xxx
Kerry says
I think the FB page is a useful, alternate way for people to follow a blog. In that way it’s just another ‘feed’. I don’t use my page for much more than that or an occasional pic that doesn’t make it to the blog. As for twitter? Nah, not interested.
Kerry says
P.S. FB is also good for highlighting/linking to other’s posts or articles that people might find interesting/useful. Ok, 2 cents worth spent 🙂
Tenille @ My Family Table says
It’s a tricky balance between personal facebooking and blog facebooking. I keep mine quite separate, and I think that works for me. Having a blog that focusses on food and not me, helps too.
Twitter I just don’t seem to do very well. I share posts and interesting articles, but only occasionally have a conversation. I do find it a nice way of finding new people to read though.
Do what you feel most comfortable with. xox
Diminishing Lucy says
I love them all, but it’s work. Fun, but work.
So when I am on holidays I log off. I do not miss it, or miss out. I like not being available. I am not sure if anyone misses me.
I think it is an age and stage thing. When I was at home with the kids, it was vital. Now I have the kids at school and the opportunity to talk to real people in the flesh, all that braggery is a whole lot less appealing…..
Catherine says
Blogging is about it for me. I tried facebook but I just got sick of people who I didn’t really know wanting to be my ‘friend’ so after about 6 months gave it the flick. It just wasn’t my thing and I figure I spend enough time blogging I’ll just stick to one thing;) xx
Kellie says
Like Tenille, I keep it very seperate. I keep Lime Lane and me very seperate, as you might have realised. The trick, I find, with the feeds is to also keep them separate. So I “like” blogs etc from my Facebook Page and keep all the other stuff for my own profile. That means when I log in I either see friends or the online world from the Home button, depending on what I’m “using” Facebook as at the time.
I think FB is great for people who aren’t full on into the blogging world and for some it is like their version of Google Reader.
PlanningQueen says
I have had a facebook page for the blog for about 2 years now ( I think!). I don’t have a personal facebook page and had been very anti facebook page, so was relatively late to the FB page.
To be honest, it is really only the last month or so that I have really worked out how to use it affectively for my blog.
Even with me not knowing what I was doing really, it has been for sometime my biggest referrer of traffic.
I am really enjoying the interaction with my readers in this space. It is more real time and casual. I have also worked out that this is the way they like to be updated about new posts. Many just aren’t into subscribing either via email or RSS.
So after a very long answer, I really think it all depends how you use it!
rex says
Don’t like Facebook, nor do I do twitter. I never feel like I am missing out on anything. Recently started using instagram and I love photos and I love the visual aspect. I purposely do not like Facebook cause it has no individual appearance and I can’t stand for people to know where I am and when. I Dont understand what it achieve’s to have so many likes etc….. I really don’t understand social media much, or all the sublime rules. But that’s just me, and I don’t begrudge anyone who uses any of these things.
PlanningQueen says
Should have said it was my biggest referrer for traffic in terms of social media.
Taryn says
I’m thinking of doing exactly the same thing – just can’t be bothered with my blog facebook page anymore – it’s very unloved anyway!!! You’ve spurred me on to delete it xxx
Louisa Claire says
Oh Bron, you do make me feel so uncomfortable sometimes. Thanks for making me think!
Mammamusing says
I have a facebook account but not a facebook page linked to my blog. Nor do I tweet.
My blog is just a little outlet for me to capture and share my thoughts and very rarely do I publicise it.
Nowadays I find it hard enough to find time to update my blog let alone any other maintenance attached to it.
I also rarely if ever check out the facebook page of blogs I genuinely enjoy and instead keep up to date through blogger.
Emily says
Definitely food for thought. I don’t have a blog facebook page, twitter account, anything. Just the blog. I was thinking about starting a facey page for the blog but not sure that I’ll bother! Don’t really have the time for the extra social media maintenance anyway – some days I struggle just to get a blog update in.
Peggy says
I have a blog Facebook page which I use to connect with other bloggers and readers and blogs that I follow. I have a personal Facebook profile but keep them both separate, in other words I like blog Facebook pages via my blog Facebook page. And my personal profile is just to communicate with real life friends and family.
I enjoy Facebook, but then I don’t spend *a lot* of time on it. I dabble, not live on it. And twitter to me is a fun quick way to engage in some lighthearted banter. I see the behaviour and comments you mention but I guess I just don’t engage or really get bothered by it.
cathy@home says
My facebook page to catch up with family like a notice board.
Ms Styling You says
I have a Facebook page for my blog, plus personal Facebook plus I Facebook for Justb. Yes, it’s work but I love the social aspect of it,
Like Nicole (Planning with Kids) Facebook is the biggest social media refererral to my blog. I think that’s because non-blogging people are not into Google Readers and RSS feeds, Facebook is how they stay in touch.
So I talk to my readers there – most would never leave a comment on my blog but feel comfortable to talk on Facebook.
MultipleMum says
I am still working out the Facebook page for the blog thing. I find that some people seem to access my blog that way (as Nicole said before). I like that you can tag posts from others and interact. I don’t do Twitter so I guess it does that for me. When I remember. When I can be bothered. x
ClaireyHewitt says
Oh Facebook, it gives and it taketh away.
I have a page for my blog, I also have a personal page that bloggers have started to ask me to be friends on. I say yes, but then I hide them as I am not keen to see what they have to say AGAIN.
As others have said, many readers prefer to engage within fb rather than on yur blog.
I have also found fb an easy place to run my PR things in the last few weeks. It moves quickly so I don’t have a PR post sitting at the top of my blog for a few days.
Mama of 2 boys says
I am so challenged when it comes to all forms of social media, I just don’t bother. Don’t have a facebook page for the blog, don’t do twitter or instagram (mainly because I don’t own an iphone) or pinterest. But I do LOVE blogging. And I agree, I see blogs (and my blog) as quite different to other forms of social media. For one, I can actually maintain a blog!
CurlyPops says
Blogs and blogging are my one true love. Facebook is a necessity for me only in a business sense. I virtually never update my personal profile. I’d love to delete it, but I actually need to keep it so that my sister can easily keep extended family and my personal friends up to date when I finally get a transplant ( I don’t want her to have to make eleventy billion phone calls).
I also use twitter for business, but mainly just to chat to friends. When you live alone, it’s great to know that if you pop ontp twitter someone will be there (and I hate talking on the phone so I’m not going to be calling anyone for a chat). I can tweet and watch my fave tv shows all at the same time.
Nat - Muddy Farmwife says
I admit that until recently I didn’t even know what Twitter was! I’m not so great on keeping up with social media. I’ve just started blogging again to give myself an outlet that is just for me to enjoy, and am quickly discovering there is a whole wide world of social media blogging I never knew existed!
Good Luck with your decision.
jody says
I hear you Bron… I have them all, still not sure I like them, but I can’t stay away. x
Lisa H says
I use twitter, I enjoy it. I don’t have my blog connected to my personal facebook, but I do put links to my blog posts on my fb page, for the benefit of my ‘real’ friends.
I actually just created a fb page for my blog tonight!… Not sure where I am going with that yet though.
Don’t have instagram or pinterest though. Not enough hours in the day!
A blog is diff to fb or twitter, because we communicate more than a sentence to two (mostly) and can therefore convey a clearer message (mostly!)
Kelly Exeter says
I love twitter and facebook because they allow for a bit more ‘conversation’ than blogs.
For my own blog, I like to share things with my readers that might be of interest, but I am not necessarily going to blog about.
I don’t subscribe by email to other blogs because I don’t want anything entering my inbox unless it absolutely HAS to. So twitter and FB allow me to keep up with my favourite bloggers and also get to know them a bit better.
Clearly, I like feeling like I am having a conversation with someone. If you didn’t have FB and never went on twitter I’d feel like all our ‘conversations’ are going only one way: you talking AT me via your posts and me talking AT you via your comments 🙂
BUT, if you find that certain favourite bloggers’ FB updates are putting you off, maybe the person you think they are from their blog, isn’t really who they are?
Kelly Exeter says
PS- I have very separate personal FB to blog FB 🙂
Beth @ Achoo You says
Food for thought there Bron thank you, I was drowning for awhile now I’ve taken a step back and doing what suits me the best
Grace of Autumn says
Ah you are so refreshing. I do have a fb page for my blog only because I started fb first and it works for me. But oh so many times I get fed up with all the look at me look at me’s. Blogs are I believe slightly more real. Fb can be incredibly pretentious but then again there is an unlike button.
Annie Smith says
I’ve been off of Facebook for over a year! I’m boycotting it. I think it could be called “fakebook” for all the reasons you have mentioned. I actually started blogging instead, because I think a blog post is much more “real”. I sure don’t miss FB at all! When I want to keep in touch with a friend, I have to pick up the phone. 🙂
therhythmmethod says
It’s hard to comment on this one without being offensive. I have lots of opinions, I personally don’t mind Facebook as for me it’s a little like a local paper. I’ve never liked the whole ‘liking’ caper, and personally resent having to ‘like’ something that in the cold light of day, I probably don’t like.
I struggle with blogging because I feel people spend too much time finessing the look of their blog, and their written content suffers. Pretty pictures aren’t enough to hold my attention. PLUS, I agree with Kelly’s interpretation of a blog, in the way often feels like it talks at you, not to you.
I deleted my twitter account this week because it felt like another mouth that needed feeding, and god knows I’ve got enough of those. I just don’t have time for it, although I can see it is a great tool for connecting.
MamaJots says
i don’t do facebook. i don’t twitter. i am doing fine without it. i don’t even read or check in on what is happening over on these sites. doesn’t interest me and i don’t feel like i am missing out. i love blogging and i love having a life away from the computer. each to there own though. social media seems to be taking over. i am constantly amused by small business & larger companies who are facebooking & twittering daily activities. i don’t get it. xo.
Megan says
I just read this article this morning about Facebook
http://www.mom-ology.org/page.php?pageid=3098&PHPSESSID=r2gugeh8vtujhhvlsktbp6gfn1
I don’t log on to my Facebook home page anymore or update my profile with photos and the like – I was spending way too much time looking at other peoples photos and filling my brain with too much information about everyone elses lives! . I do have a FB page for my blog which I like having as its a great way to connect with readers that don’t have a blog but I just use it to share links or ask questions- I wouldn’t dream of using it to update my day to day happenings! Great post- I think a lot of people are starting to question the use of Facebook.
Megan says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lipgloss Mumma says
Where’s the like button? *LIKE*
Ale says
Love your site.
I use to follow but I
made new blog
Check it out.
http://parialexa.blogspot.com/
Help I need followers 😀
Heather says
I am trying to wean myself off my social medial addiction including blogs. Blogs can be just as much ‘look how great I am’ etc. I was obsessed with reading blogs for a bit there and now I only read my favourite few and not every day like I was doing. The extent of the whole thing exhausts me now. I don’t want to keep comparing myself anymore plus I just don’t have time!
mel @ loved says
I keep my personal fb & my loved page very separate. My business page is really just to keep people up to date on what’s in store or coming soon kinda thing, to people who don’t blog. My blog is often more personal though, I’ve found this has been a bit tricky since starting up my loved fb page because I’m not sure I want all of my ‘friends’ as in people in the town I live, reading personal stuff about my family, odd I know since it’s out there on the internet for all the world to see..It’s finding a comfortable balance i think.
Life In A Pink Fibro says
Seriously, I think it comes down to why you blog. Some people do it for the love of it. Other people are trying to build themselves a business. If you’re in it for the love of it, you don’t need any of it – write your blog and be happy. If you want to build a business out of your blog, you need to develop ways for people to find it and visit it. Facebook is a great way to do that. So is Twitter. Simple as that.
As for the ‘love me, love me’ types, un’like’ them or hide their feeds. Simple as that.
Amelia {Weddings, Babies... Everything} says
I agree with you yet again Bron. I don’t do the facebook thing for my blog. It got way too much. I keep up to date with the blogs I like via my blogger feed.
I do like Twitter as it’s a good way to have a quick little natter with my blogging friends, but I find it overwhelming at times. It goes at the speed of light and it’s too much for me too keep up with. I adore Instagram as I love taking photos. And of course I blog. And that’s where I am. I have a few toes dipped in the water, but I certainly don’t plan on diving in. xx
Amy says
I get where you are coming from Bron. I kind of feel the same way. I mostly struggle to update my facebook page. I post links regularly, but it is an effort for me to post updates as such. I sometimes don’t know what to say. But I do like that I can engage with my readers easily there.
What I really struggle with is the tagging of pages just for the sake of it and the ‘shout outs’. I just can’t do them. And mostly I think it is rude. I think that will be especially hard for me with my new business page…
Deb @ home life simplified says
As with everything my motto is to find what works for you and leave it at that. i don’t like twitter so i dabble – it is the medium of choice for connecting with bloggers all over the place so i pop in.
Facebook I like and feel comfortable on so i put my efforts there. I aim to build a community so want the conversation to extend beyond my words with a few comments.
As Allison said if you are building a business platform (which I am)social media is critical and if you are doing it for memory keeping or self expression than you can ignore it all.
Miscellaneous-Mum says
I get where you’re coming from. ‘Noise’ from social media can be hard to block out, and I do agree a lot of it can be sycophantic or plain whiny. But then I try rethink that it’s not like that all day, every day (or if it is that person gets hushed). It’s taken me a long time to get fb, and I still don’t think I get it right – but it’s not the biggest source of traffic for me.
Long story short, it comes down to priorities as others have said, but then I don’t think it’s an excuse to have stuff rammed down the throat either. Balance is critical 🙂
BabyMac says
I set up a FB page for my blog because I kept getting requests from the blogging world to be “friends” and the lines kept getting all confused and merged (in my head at least). I now really enjoy it as another way to connect with readers. Conversations are easy to start on FB and the blogging comment section hard to work with I find. I try and do certain things on here, others on twitter and others on Instagram. They all serve their different purposes I think. Mostly I am just a social media addict. Yes, that’s it.
Miss Mandy says
Hi there, I hear what you’re saying. I’m a bit like Nicole and the like, great way to transfer readers to the blog.
I have a personal facebook, so I think about what I put on my blog page and whether it should be on my personal one or not.
So I guess, yes I do like Facebook.
Twitter on the other hand. It’s not that I don’t like it. I like the concept. But that is hard work. Some people are on there every night for hours on end and I just can’t make that commitment. as a result I always feel like I’m sitting on the outside there. And whilst sometimes that is a little hard to wear I’m not going to jepodise what I’ve got going on in my home for twitter. so I let it go and get on with it. Sounds like you’re not ready to let it go. There are no rules for facebook, you don’t Have to update it on a certain timeline!
Kellie says
I’m a bit with Nic and Alison.
Firstly, it is my biggest traffic referrer, because many hate filling up their email inbox with subscriptions. Funnily, I get barely anything from Twitter for my blog.
Secondly, my blog also feeds my business. People have said they chose to pick up the phone or email me because they felt they “knew me” via my FB and blog.
Thirdly, I found this post when scrolling through FB! Hehe!
You’ve certainly got me thinking though, Bron. x
Shelley @ My Shoebox Life says
I have a Facebook page for my blog, but it’s really just there for anybody who wants to read my posts that way. I don’t really say much on it, nor on my personal Facebook page either.
I gave up Twitter at the end of last year. It was just too overwhelming for me. I stick to blogging, and communicating with other bloggers through the comments/emails I leave for them. At the end of the day I love blogging, and I love reading blogs, so if I’m going to get an hour a night to do that, I’d rather stick to it than be distracted by Facebook or Twitter.
Penny says
I like noise. I’ve always liked noise. In real life and online. And If it gets too much I simply close the door for a while – both real and virtual.
Fb an twitter etc have been amazing for my business. When you start your business on the smell of a greasy oil rag, free social media helps enor mousy.
And I’m happy for people to celebrate good stuff that happens to them. I’d rather be happy for someone than sad for myself.
Vanessa says
I almost shut down my personal FB page last year because I just don’t get reading about when someone has vacuumed. it became valuable when a close friend had a stroke and allowed her husband to update everyone regularly without being harrassed by phone calls. We now all post when we have visited and this helps her overseas friends. We communicate through a private group. I have never looked for my fav bloggers on FB nor do I have a page for my blog.
I have started a new business however and will be venturing into FB for this. Twitter, I just don’t get.
Rhonda says
I have both…plus FB pages for my Onesie Twosie business and my Scentsy sales. I did that so that I could keep my “personal” FB private and not advertise on that one. I rarely remember to update my blog page, mostly I just use it for the Networked Blogs thing because I think most of my readers are not my follower on the Google network. I have tried to separate my blog FB and personal one, although that is something I am only just starting to really separate, mostly because soon I will be a teacher and I would like some things to be a little more difficult to find.
Faux Fuchsia says
How utterly INTERESTING.
I haver a fb blog page. It’s only 2 months old but I think people who like my blog find it easier just to have a quick glance than check the blog. I never post anything I wouldn’t want the whole world knowing and I don’t do pity in exactly the same way I don’t do sloth laziness clutter or squalor or “running out of time”.
I never look at other people’s blog’s fb pages. Just their blog or their twitter.
I have a personal fb page and I have just started twitter which I like, because it makes me laugh and if there’s one thing I love, it’s a pithy one liner.
Really enjoy your blog and the topics you canvass x
Dorothy Krajewski says
I have a FB page for my blog and a Twitter account. I use both to mainly promote my blog posts and to ask the occasional question. I try not to do the love me, love me! status updates, but I’m sure a few slip through now and then.
Twitter and FB are the two biggest sources of traffic for my blog, so I think it’s worth it. As the others have said, it’s all in how you use it.
Jess WhoaMamma says
Hmmm, where shall I start. Before I got onto Facebook (or Eff-book, as I affectionately call it) I thought it was a load of rubbish. Then I found myself stuck at home raising 3 little ones, feeling very cut-off and alone. My sister moved overseas and I decided to join Facebook to keep in touch. I began blogging last year as I way to release what was building up inside me. I began a Facebook page for my blog which I keep very seperate from my personal profile. I love my Facebook blog page and the interaction I have with my likers. I try to keep it fun and positive and I use it as a place to share things I’m loving, be it other pages, blogs, music photos, whatever. I’ve discovered all my favourite bloggers through Facebook and have made some life-changing connections. The people I connect with are like-minded and I feel like I’m a part of a community. I don’t have Twitter because i just don’t need it, Facebook is enough of a distraction. If there are any pages that don’t resonate with me I just unlike them or hide their feed, simple as that.
Cath says
I run a small business, so yes, I am on Facebook and Twitter… I need to get the word out there, build a community etc etc. I also blog and follow blogs. I don’t have time to subscribe to every blog I would like to read, so I use Facebook to “filter” what I read. I only “Like” the blogs I enjoy reading. If something grabs me as I browse my news feed, I read it (including Maxabella Loves – in fact, that’s how I just found this post). I’m usually glad I did. Half the time, I don’t even get to read my RSS feed, but I always read my Facebook feed.
I think if you want an audience you need to be out there on Facebook. BUT you don’t have to be friends with people who aren’t your friends, and you don’t have to follow anyone you don’t actually “Like”! Simple. (In other words, please stay – I do have you in my RSS feed, but I like having FB contact with you.)
Kelly says
I go though phases where I love and hate social media. I find its a lot of fun and a great way to connect with like minded people but it can also make me feel exhausted trying to keep up with it all.
Down that Little Lane says
I so hear you and I only follow on FB the blogs that I REALLY love. My FB Page is for my business and my blog links to the feed so peeps can choose to read it or not.
I have a twitter account but am never actually on it as it updates from my FB page (I don’t have the time to do both).
I am on Instagram but not for social media purposes just cos I love taking photos and it can link to FB and Twitter if I fancy sharing.
I think for businesses it is a love hate relationship but one we will never boot out the door but for blogs neither here or there. I do think that if all blogs get FB pages that comments and visits on actual blogs will drop loads as I already find so many people comment there instead and mine is not even a blog page…hmmm..tough one x
Anna @ green tea n toast says
Interesting timing. As a new blogger I’ve been thinking about when/if I should set up a facebook page. Is it arrogant to set one up straight away? Will anyone want to actually like it? Will it just be another ‘thing’ to have to do?
Ultimately I think the approach to managing a facebook page for a blog should be totally different to private pages. In my ‘real’ job I have managed fb pages for different brands, which have a very defined goal and brand voice. I think blog pages need to have a similar ‘brand’ mentality for them to work. Like you said, they should not all be about ‘me, me, me’ (that should be reserved for friends and family who actually care). Instead blog fb pages should offer something interesting and different to what readers can find on the blog. A successful page also requires planning and I guess that’s where the problem lies. When people have too many things on the go, they might not all necessarily be done well. As people have said, pick the things you enjoy and ignore the ones you don’t. I tweet a bit, love Instagram, am teetering on the brink of a facebook page and at the moment think Pinterest would be one step too far!
Tiff says
I have just popped in from blogland… I really get what you are saying. I have never linked my (family and real friends only) Facebook page to my blog, and to be honest I want to cut some of their feeds too. I have considered setting up a blog Facebook but never quite got there…. there is something quite overwhelming about people who share way too much info…. I blog. That is it, I link blog posts to Facebook for mum, but keep facebook private. I love to visit and share ideas but don’t cope with the overload of thoughts and inane detail poured out by some people. I visit, I comment so you know I’ve been, simple. That’s the way I like it! Don’t want to HAVE to LIKE it, just like it! X
Karen at MomAgain@40 says
I think it needs a redefinition and purpose…
If it does not work any more, chuck it!
Unfriend & Unlike are there for a reason 😀
brismod says
For me, Facebook and twitter are just another communication channel and way to reach an audience. I would think if the people you like on Facebook use it as a ‘love me, love me’ or ‘pity me, pity me’ tool then maybe it’s more about how they use the channel you have a problem with than the channel itself. It can be used for good in the right hands. xx
annie says
I delete notifications from Facebook now, rarely accept ‘friend’ requests and find most of the stuff on there pretty shallow. I have a couple of good friends who post interesting, informative stuff but don’t have the time to wade through the pap to get to them. I’m with you. I choose blogging because I only have time for one form of social media and it’s my favourite!
InkPaperPen says
I agree with Annie, I find most of my time on FB is spent eye rolling and sometimes I think it should be re-named Validation Book. But, it CAN be a good tool for communication, I would have missed a lot of good blog posts if it had not been for following the Facebook links. I like the conversation side of it, I like the link and info sharing. I guess I don’t like the status updates that would annoy me in real life conversation. The whole “look at me, love me” thing does my head in. I guess that’s certain people I have a problem with though, not necessarily Facebook itself. Loved reading this post and all the comments.
alexkeller says
Face it (pun intended), you are just like everyone else and want the masses to love you, love you, love you. Love is even in your blog title. Just saying.
EmmaK says
I hear you! There is something nice about blogging, that people have taken time to craft something thoughtful. But facebook, like you say a lot of the time it is just banal and background noise. I don’t have a facebook page because all the updates grated on my nerves. Although I do tweet a bit but not all that much!
Mrs Average says
I really can’t get into Facebook, I’ve never had a page and really dont think I can give the time to it. Delete it, you might even feel liberated!
I have caved in on tweeting though ….. I’m up to 2 tweets now and at last count (it took me a while) I have 1 follower (are they called that on Twitter?).
Lisa @ HomeWorkMum says
As a just-started blogger, I started a FB page because I thought that’s what you do. But, other than announce new posts, don’t really use it . I have a personal page for friends, so I can share family photos, news etc, but sometimes that will go for months without me posting on it.
I do have a FB page for my jewellery website, and that has been my best form of advertising.
I don’t do twitter, pinterest or instagram because I just don’t have enough time.
I think the attraction to blogging for me is that it is about creating something, much the same as when I’m designing a new piece of jewellery. I love getting into the flow of the words.
Mili O says
I hear what you’re saying, and can totally see why people get depressed! There is way too much competitiveness (is that a word?) in real life (sorry, can’t abbreviate shit), I don’t need it any where else.
Sonia @ Life Love and Hiccups says
Great points there Bron. I have a FB page for my blog, but I use it more to communicate with readers who don’t comment on my actual blog, to let them know about posts and to share funny things that make me laugh. I don’t spend much time on the new feed part though because I don’t like a lot ofnthe negativity that goes on there. I stick to my page and check in on some of my faves. As for twitter, I tried to get a long with it, really I did, but I just suck at it. It reminds me a bit of walking into a party and just waltzing up to anyone and butting I their conversation, it makes me feel uncomfortable at times. I do send my post updates to Twitter as I have been told by some that they like to be notified of new posts that way, but I am terrible at replying to tweets – mainly because I just forget to check Twitter. I guess you could call me a twitter twit!
Sonia @ Life Love and Hiccups says
And I hate spell check and commenting from my iPad as it makes me look like an incoherent idiot with all the typos 🙂
Ms K @ Mummybrain says
Really interesting, and I agree with most of it. I have twitter, but I do use it to communicate on a regular basis. Facebook however I don’t use, and I only update the facebook blog page with the posts from the blog. I don’t use it to chat.
thejadeleaf says
Absolutely not a fan of either. I don’t see the point.
Amy says
I think it is great that there is a platform for each and every voice. I’m a blogger, I do have both a Twitter and FB account but don’t use either – I prefer blogging. Working out why you use each format is the key, then the decison is easy and pretty fuss-free if you ask me!
Amba @ Team Mummy says
I dont have Twitter or a blog FB (I do have a personal one) I just dont feel the need to updat everyone on every little thing I do. Every now and then I will pop a status up, something funny one of the kids said etc…
But for the most part I find it all too time consuming, too bitchy and too ‘clicky’ in the blogging world. I have my little old blog that gets hardly any traffic and yet I still write – for myself.
I get that people need the comments and the traffic and the ‘friends’ but for me,I don’t need any of that stuff. No one in my real life world apart from my sister in law even knows I have a blog. I’m not ashamed – Its just my own little outlet and I don’t want to feel restricted on what I can write about.
Even though, sometimes I do due to ‘online’ people. Its silly really. I shouldn’t.
I get what you are saying though, you make some good points!
Cherie @ 'a baby called Max' says
Excellent.
Ok. So many good points. So many things I agreed with!
I have FB, & twitter, & instagram.
I absolutely use instagram most (I’m a visual person), I like ‘seeing’ things. There are less words used, which funnily enough, irritates me less.
I don’t mind FB, but I think I moderate my use really well (i.e I don’t get email notification for anything posted there, & check in when I think of it).
My twitter style is similar to yours, pop in once in a blue moon. And when I do, it reeks of comedian wannabe tryhards (a lot of exceptions to that role). I don’t like the character limits, it makes people try be something different to what they are. Just my humble opinion.
So, why do I use them?
I’ve met seriously nice readers through both outlets who don’t do the google connect thing. And they don’t mind if it takes me 2/3/4/5 days to respond to things 🙂
Out of all of this, I think I would be guilty of the apparent false kindness. I don’t think I translate well online (via social media). I think I come across a little Pollyanna/ goody-two-shoes.
But the thing is, it’s not bullshit, because I know within myself, I actually really am that nice 🙂
And IRL, it irritates people 🙂
It pisses some people off that I’m just a genuinely nice person 🙂
And I love that 😉
And I love the posts you write that make people think.
Mika says
Ahhhh – perfectly put! I deleted my facebook account about 6 months ago – It was getting too noisy in there! I live in a small town and I noticed people were ‘liking’ photos of people’s gardens and cakes and stuff – on ‘friends’ updates, with whom i new for certain would not bother with a real life ‘hey, how are you? garden’s looking great’… it came across to me as being painfully superficial and a little desperate – but mostly it made me sad that this was how people were (are) communicating with each other.
I likened it to going to a very big party where there’s heaps of people gossiping and talking about themselves – which can be a bit fun sometimes but it gets old fast… Deactivating my account felt instantly very very good – quieter.
I have never tweeted – nor do i understand it!
Really – are these types of social media just encouraging people to pursue and prioritise popularity. Be ‘heard’ and projected into the thoughts and minds of others. Do we really really need that to feel security – to form identity… I hope not!!
Blogs on the other hand – are Fantastic for inspiration, debate, learning, sharing and conversation.
Great post!
Brenda @ Mira Narnie says
I’m so with you Bron…..I think we;ve spoken about this too – so when you figure out just in fact IF you can delete a FB page, let me know….I’m in desperate need to delete my page that has sat idle for 3 years. I don’t know how some people do it all…and i’m one week on instagram and already feeling the “pressure” time to go totally private soon….and just stick to what i like ..blogging!
great post bron xx