We live in strange times for sure...For example, just this week two once well respected pillars of modern media go down in one day due to sexual misconduct. Stunning and sad news to be sure, for all parties involved. With that in mind, I’m not going anywhere near it! I will continue down my reasonably light and airy path and attempt to create some sort of a diversion to all this madness. In this case, I’m going to be bold and ask for some assistance...
Now that I have a few blog posts under my belt, when friends run into me in person the subject of me writing the blog often comes up. Now I hope you know, I actually try my best NOT to bring it up, because I have no clue what the rules of engagement are for something like this. For example, if you run into someone with whom you are Facebook friends, do you say something like, "Hey! Nice post yesterday...?” I know for sure I don't, feeling that there is some line crossed if you talk in conversation about your digital efforts at communicating. It’s like face to face, old fashioned conversations and communicating via social media are two totally different worlds. If asked and prompted, I will talk about the blog as much as anyone would like. But I am not one typically to blow my own horn, at least in verbal conversation. For some reason all bets seem to be off when it comes to me writing though. For me, the writing down of thoughts and (the possibility of) those thoughts being seen by someone else seems to cross some sort of boundary that I wouldn't cross in conversation.
The one question about the blog that seems to come up inevitably in some form during conversation is, "Who are you doing this for?" A legitimate question to be sure, and actually one that I have a tough time answering. The initial answer is, "Me", of course. I have already written about the therapeutic value of being able to convey my thoughts in some sort of written form. That has been a wonderful part of all this. There will be more to come on that subject. And yes, I know I write on the long winded side! But there is also the ‘meaning’ department. Of course what I write has meaning to me. But there is also a part of me that wonders if what I have to say has any value to anyone else. I guess my ideal goal in each blog entry is to try to convey some sort of message (albeit subtle sometimes) that makes one pause, maybe just for a short moment, to think about what I have presented. I have no idea if I am accomplishing that goal or not, quite honestly. I also get asked if I have a lot of 'followers', to which I always shrug. I don't know, and furthermore don't even know how you become a 'follower'. It's not like there's a little button that you click on that says 'Follow'...is there? Although there is considerable analytic data available from my website host, not one of its many sections of data details ‘number of followers’.
With the experience of posting something every Friday for a couple months under my belt, I can tell you it is a lot of work. Anyone that I've talked to with blog experience can attest to that. However, at this point it is still a labor of love. I have generated a good deal of so far unpublished material in one form or another, some complete entries and others just rough ideas, and do plan on doing this for some time to come. So I’m in this for the long haul, at least as my weird schedule permits. The work part comes in the notification, and I want to come up with an efficient way that notifies the people that would like to know about it, and doesn't bother the ones who aren't interested.
Please know I am flattered if you are interested, but also completely understand if you aren't. I can't quite figure out how to handle this, because I am on the inside looking out, and I don't know how I would react if I was reading something like this written by someone else. But I would ask you to bear with me and help me figure out a (better) way of notifying those that ARE interested.
So far I have used Facebook and LinkedIn as my two main methods of notification. I've recently realized the Facebook end of this may be flawed because of their dreaded 'algorithms'. (Thanks Alan Cohen, this is all your fault.) In other words, if I've posted that there’s a new entry on FB to all my 400-plus friends, those algorithms decide to notify some fraction of that number, based on what you 'like' and click on often and who knows what else. I don't know if it is 100, 200, or maybe just 50 or less. But in my mind, everyone that I would at least like to know that I am writing is not finding out about it, at least regularly. I don't know if LinkedIn works the same way or not...But including all my LinkedIn contacts close to doubles the possible notifications.
My next method has been the 'other' social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. These have not been particularly useful so far, mainly because I started new work related (Northend Media LTD) accounts, and consequently have very few followers so far. But I keep putting posts on, and following others as need be. I can be patient with regard to those.
The last, and most promising, method is what I call the ‘direct’ one. I have a text message group that currently tries to reach people I'm not FB friends with. I just send out a message saying there's a new post, and include a link. Pretty simple. I know there is a way to do this with email as well, but it require a few steps more than the text. But I could build a group email as well for notification if needed.
This is where I ask for your help. What should I do? Should I do anything? Or does it even matter?? After all, there are quite a few other things you could be doing with your time. If you would, please let me know in some way or another. You can comment on FB, LinkedIn, on the blog page itself, or via any of the ways to contact me listed in my 'About' page in the blog website. As a blogging newbie, I'm curious about all this, and at this point at least, know of no other way to figure what to do...
As always, I appreciate your time spent reading, and thanks for any input you may give. And please know, I'm just getting warmed up!!!