Social Media Logos courtesy of Flickr.com
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Facebook. Shoot unless you just washed up out of the sea like the Madison the Mermaid Darryl Hannah character from Splash, you heard of Facebook.
There’s only about 2 billion people who have Facebook accounts. Remember how McDonalds says over a billion served. Well, that wouldn’t be enough to serve all the people with Facebook accounts.
I’m just trying to help you get your arms around those numbers.
Anyway, there is big news here on MMK. MMK now officially has a Facebook account. I know that doesn’t quite make it up there on the news with the moon landing, or Who Shot JR, or the latest Kanye video.
However, around these parts, it’s big news. I’ve debated doing this for a while. In fact to be honest, I have had a Facebook page for a few months. I just didn’t publicize the page.
It’s time to change all of that.
Let me come clean. I have issues with social media. I am not even sure how to articulate them.
“What’s on your mind?” is perpetually located on the Facebook site. But I rarely feel a need to share. The thought often goes through my mind – who cares? In reality, I’m kind of a private person. There are times when I would like my own island.
Let me guess what you’re thinking. “Uhh, MMK you’ve been blogging for nearly 2.5 years and have nearly 300 posts (holy crap!). You’ve shared some very personal stuff that now is floating around in cyberspace.” That’s all true.
Yet, when it comes to my blog, I take snapshots of my life, thoughts, etc. and choose very carefully before pushing publish. And even then, I consult Ms. MMK to see if I have gone too far. Sometimes, we disagree about what is okay to be made public. Anyway, the point is that the blog is highly controlled and limited. Know what I mean?
On top of my wacky inconsistent privacy rules, I am incredibly conscious of time.
I’m sure we all know people who are actively engaged in Twitter, Pinterest (know anyone like that Ms. Fox) Instagram, etc. Of course that doesn’t include Facebook and LinkedIn. One question – how the hell do people find time to make the moments that they are always sharing?
Maybe, it’s me. Somehow the world is passing me by. Shit, I’m over 40. Am I dinosaur? I hope not.
Let me back up here. I do have a personal Facebook account and actually go on it occasionally (mostly for my dad bloggers group – thanks Oren Miller). I have a LinkedIn account. And oh yeah, there’s that blog thing that I have posted to twice daily for nearly two and a half years.
I don’t have a big point here. However, I am issuing a call to action. Click here to check out my new Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Writings.of.Larry.Bernstein. Check out the new cover page – thanks R.L.
So, I am joining 2 billion people who also have Facebook pages. I may not change the world, but I will be active and have some fun. So, make sure to like me (like me, really like me), join the conversation and let me know what you’re thinking. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
Who knows – maybe Twitter is next?
I’m not on Facebook (I don’t go to McDonald’s either…. I suddenly feel very out of it after reading your post….) so I wish I could click “like” twice on this post to show you how much I enjoy reading your blog! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and getting back to work wasn’t too hard (that early alarm this morning after a few days of late mornings was a bit of a jolt for me!).
Thanks for the comment.
It was tough for me this morning also. I’m glad it wasn’t too cold this morning or it would have been a lot worse.
Thanks for the comment.
It was tough for me this morning also. I’m glad it wasn’t too cold this morning or it would have been a lot worse.
Yes, Twitter next! Welcome to Facebook. I already liked you…even before you were on Facebook…OK, bad joke. Haha 😉
It’s okay. I still say thanks.
Are you a big twitter person?
I’m not someone who likes to spread out my entire life before other people. But still, I think as a writer, FB is a necessity.
I like your post though!! 🙂
How do you use your facebook page in terms of your writing? I would love to hear your tips.
I am with you on that reluctance. I am not quite sure how to figure out the balance. How have you been managing it?
Yea, I’m kind of with you. I have FB, but I rarely go on it. It is nice, though,when I want to emote something and get some verification from time to time. Also, being a stay-at-home mom, it has its benefits to psuedo socialize with adults should the need strike me.
Do you use it for your writing? Have you found it to be helpful and positive?
I think the picture aspect can be nice.
I think I set up a Facebook page for my blog just after setting up my blog, but the whole social media side of things can be a bit of a minefield. I feel the need to promote my blog via social media (especially various places on Facebook and via Twitter), but I also feel that the time that I spend doing so is time that I could be spending reading other people’s blogs or just some ‘me time’.
With Twitter, I toyed with the idea of setting up a separate account for my blog rather than just use my personal account. In the end, I decided against that as I already run some other work-related Twitter accounts. Pinterest is pretty quick, easy and simple. I’ve only been using it for a few weeks and it’s helped to generate a bit more traffic without spending too much time on it.
Anyway, it feels silly talking about traffic so much. I do want to be read, but I also want to spend time writing and planning new posts. I just post one a week and am not seeking to make any sort of financial profit from it, but I find it hard not to keep checking the stats about how many people are viewing my blog and specific articles.
See, I’m totally out of the loop here. Pinterest for your blog? I go to Pinterest for craft stuff and recipes. I can’t keep up!
I have heard of some people that have Pinterest as part of their blog or related to it. Truthfully, I don’t know what the hell I am talking about.
That last paragraph is really where I am too.
So many people in our dad bloggers group talk about FB and it seems like a good way to get traffic. However, I don’t want to have FB just to get traffic. It sounds a bit snarky. Know what I mean.
Oh man – I got some issues.
I actually like my Facebook page. I don’t have a lot of followers or much interaction, but I can post those funny little tidbits from the day that are too short to write something long about. I get some likes, a few comments sometimes. I’m on Twitter too and honestly, I don’t like it. I am literally talking to myself. But I do it. Every now and then a fellow blogger responds. I get a few hits. I figure it can’t hurt. I don’t spend a lot of time on any of it because, like you, I have a life! 😉 Going to join your page.
I am with you Muddled Mom. That is kind of how I see using my FB page. It is a way to continue or extend the conversation.
Just ‘liked’ your page. 🙂
I finally joined Facebook a while back, but I interact mostly on my public page. I don’t do much on my personal page and only have a few ‘friends,’ mostly family. I still don’t understand it all that well. I prefer Twitter. I also have Google+ and LinkedIn accounts, but I rarely check in. As you point out, there just isn’t enough time. I think of all my social media sites, I enjoy my blog, Twitter, and Goodreads the most. In terms of book marketing, they’re probably the most useful, too.
Thanks for liking. I am still figuring it all out well. I do think that people who really know what they are doing can use these social media sites in ways to build an audience. I am not looking at these in terms of a book. At least not at this point. You know a good publisher? Just kidding.
Congratulations! Now, the next thing to do is either post annoying someecards on your page, or complain about people who do that. You have to make your choice now!!!
Uggh, the pressure.
Would you look at that? Look who decided to join us in the social media world of Facebook. And that was too funny – poking at me for my love of Pinterest? Hey, I’ve been upfront about an addiction 🙂
And now going to like your page!!!!
Thanks for liking the page and the welcome Ms. Fox aka Pinterest expert.
What advice do you have for me oh wise one?
Welcome to Facebook Larry, was already following you on FB 🙂 glad you are FB now too! I do it from time to time too but can’t always be on my computer or phone but many of my friends are always on FB 😉 glad to see you on FB 🙂
I am going to try and go on regularly. Now, I just have to figure out what regularly means.
Welcome! And be sure to check your privacy at the door.
Yeah I see that. I’m not so comfortable with that.