I’m not very active on social media
Partly it’s because I’m too busy with work. And partly because I need to prioritise my activities, mainly because I’m busy with work… Well, we all have only 24 hours a day, and something’s got to give, right? And between work, blog, husband and friends… sleep, food and the gym should be high on the list, and sometimes all I want to do is vegetate on the sofa watching telly. So, I’m not very active on social media; I don’t have the time or the energy for it.
And, to be honest, I don’t really know that much about social media, either… But, for what it’s worth, here’s my two cents on various social media platforms:
Blogs
I read blogs mostly on my iPhone, usually on the train. This makes commenting quite a challenge, though: after I’ve corrected all my spelling mistakes I’m ‘timed out’, and then I just think: sod it, I’ll write my comments later, when I’m on my laptop. And then I forget the whole thing. Or get busy with work.
I like style blogs because they democratise fashion. There are lots of very smart and stylish bloggers of all ages, shapes and sizes who make fashion their own, mixing and matching clothes that fit their budgets and their lifestyles. I find that fascinating. And I don’t just look for bloggers who are the same body type as me, or whose style resembles mine. No, I like variety: I find the explosion of colour and print that seems so natural to some bloggers just as interesting as the minimalism of others. What I want to see is how the blogger’s personality is reflected in their style. You don’t get that in fashion magazines, with their identikit skinny models and impractical outfits.
I’m not on Facebook. There, I said it. I don’t plan to get a Facebook account any time soon, either. I don’t really know why. I guess I haven’t come across good enough a reason to join.
But what about staying in touch with friends? And finding old schoolmates?
Well, I prefer a face-to-face chat with a friend, or emails. As for long-lost acquaintances… They can stay lost for all I care. There’s a reason we lose touch with old schoolmates / former boyfriends etc, and rekindling a ‘friendship’ of this type is more trouble than it’s worth.
But maybe Elegance Revisited needs to be on Facebook? I could mention interesting blog posts I come across, or discuss films and TV shows and current events with my readers… That does sound interesting. But do I really have time for it? No, I don’t. At least not at the moment.
Besides, I spend my days trying to make people communicate. I need some me-time when I can be a bit less social…
YouTube
is for cat videos. What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning, very relaxing. If you love cats, that is, and I do (I love small dogs, too). Why not get a cat of my own, then? Well, I would, if it wasn’t for allergies… So, I’m grateful for cat videos.
The cutest cat video ever? How about THIS? Seriously, how can something so small be so assertive, with so much will power?
I haven’t really ventured there yet. Frankly, I couldn’t care less. I don’t see how you could have a meaningful conversation on Twitter. Not that I care much about meaningful conversations, anyway… After work I often prefer no conversation. Or maybe that’s just me being a bit socially challenged. Or my personal goal of working hard at being shallow… OK, digressing here…
So, Twitter… this is the place where people vent their feelings on this and that, and indulge in some sort of perverse DIY therapy by shouting at perfect strangers… Yep, I can live without it. At least for now…
I love Instagram!!!! So many beautiful pictures and talented photographers in one place. And kittens! Between you and me, I think kittens rule Instagram… Don’t believe me? Try #kittens…
I got on Instagram maybe 6 months ago. I thought I might post a few pictures every now and then, maybe post photos that didn’t make the cut, for the blog, but were quite nice. My feed has about 400 pictures now… I really try to limit myself to 1-2 pictures / day, but it’s obvious that it isn’t working.
And what do I post? Well, silly little details of this and that, there is no master plan. I do post something every time a blog post goes live, but I think the blog-related pictures are just a drop in the ocean; most of my feed is about sunsets and scenery, interesting design and architectural details… I have been photographing these things for years, but it’s only now that I have a place to display them.
Does it bother me that my Instagram feed is somewhat different from my blogs? Not a bit. I think that it just shows another side of me and allows me to explore interests that fall outside the scope of Elegance Revisited (style, travel) and Dilettante Artist (my so-called art). Instagram also allows me to express myself using pictures instead of words. This prevents me from overanalysing everything, and makes me explore a more emotional, rather than the more natural (to me, that is) intellectual approach to my subject matter.
Yes! Pinterest in fun! And very useful. I pinned a lot of pictures when I was doing research for a ring I had customised. It really helped me define what I was looking for. And as I’m interested in comics and Pop Art, I pin all sorts of pictures I like. I’ve learned a lot about illustration just by studying the images I’ve pinned. Well, of course you know that I’m not a real artist, self-taught or otherwise, but I’d like to think I’ve improved a bit since I started ‘photoshopping’… And a lot of it is thanks to Pinterest (and illustration blogs, and YouTube videos).
I have several other boards, too, but I seem to neglect them a bit. I might pin lots of pictures one day, and then ignore Pinterest for weeks at a time… Not very consistent, I know. Of course I pin my blog posts, some outfit photos etc. Isn’t that what bloggers are supposed to do?
Google+
I have no idea how Google+ works. It confuses me, so I’ve been ignoring it for the most part. I’ll figure it out. Eventually. After I’ve sorted out my LinkedIn account… Maybe…
Anyway, I have joined a few groups and get alerts when members post something (very nice!). And sometimes people comment on a blog post on Google+, and I try to remember to answer these comments. And of course I share my blog posts, mainly because Blogger asks if I want to share a post when it goes live… But I’ll get there, one day.
Yes, I’m on LinkedIn. It would be foolish for a freelencer to avoid it, after all. So, I’m on LinkedIn. There’s no photo, though. No work history or education listed, either. There’s just… my name. I’ve been meaning to sort it out for a while now (maybe 3 years?), but I never seem to get around to it. And yet people find me there… I don’t think I’ve ever reached out to anybody, but every now and then I get requests from people wanting to connect with me on LinkedIn. And most of them are people I’ve actually met! I really need to find time to sort out my LinkedIn page… Maybe next year.
So, there we have it: my take on social media. I know, I know, there are all sorts of forums and apps and whatnots… Who has the time? I’ve always hated spreading myself too thin; I prefer to focus on one thing at a time. So, I decided that it’s OK to choose my social media platforms to focus on and ignore the rest, at least for now…
What’s your favourite social media platform?
Tiina
I understand your reluctance to embrace social media. I felt it too before I leaped in. When you have your life comfortably arranged, you don't feel a need to add something new. Younger people do that in their struggle to keep up with the modern activities of their friends.Like them, I was pulled into social media by my (younger) friends. I went to explore what they are doing and what the fuss is about. I'm glad I did. I like several sites and don't find them to be the wastes of time I anticipated (which you cite as a reason to avoid them). Also there are unexpected benefits. Glad you're raising the subject.
Oh. I'm not afraid of adding something new to my life, just that I don't have time for everything possible, so I have to prioritise. And I'm pretty good at that: if something doesn't capture my interest immediately, I won't take a second look (thus, no interest in Facebook or Twitter…). But I can also get really enthusiastic about something new really fast (Instagram).
I am on all the social media you mentioned in different degrees. It started with Twitter, done that, don't use it any,ore other than blogposting. Then visiting blogs, starting my own blog (oh in the meantime Facebook), then Pinterest (couple of boards), then Facebook blog page, Google+ and latest IG. And my goodness… does that take time!! I often have to reset and make sure I spend enough time in real life with real friends. So far so good. You really have to be passionate about a subject or you don't last on these media. Outfits and dressing is my passsion. Call me superficial… you are right. But I am not hurting anyone and am amusing myself tremendously.Greetje
Yes, it's very time-consuming. That's why I focus on the social media platforms I find interesting and completely ignore the rest. But sometimes I think I'm getting addicted to Instagram and need to take a break…
Loved this post Tiina! I so agree with you about most of your comments regarding social media. I'm personally still having a hard time with Instagram. I don't like it. It seems even more shallow and vapid than the rest (you know that standard is already crazy substandard). bisousSuzanne
Well, there are people who just use Instagram for selfies, I find that boring. I loveInstagram because there are really great photos,and some very artistic stuff, photos that capture that 'decisive moment' (in the Henri Cartier-Bresson style).
I'm on all of these with the exception of YouTube and I use LinkedIn strictly for work.Social media is so time consuming so I'm not on it as much as I probably should be to grow my blog. I really need to focus on one area and be an expert at it!JillDoused In Pink
I think it's better to focus on something, do it properly and just ignore the rest. We only have 24 hours a day, and a lot of other things to do.
I think it's getting slightly ridiculous the number of social media platforms there are. You are so right about spreading yourself too thin as they are all so time consuming. I should pin and instagram more but just don't seem to find the time! I do really like twitter though and have found lots of interesting articles and blogs through there.
I think we should just focus on the social media platforms that seem to serve a purpose, and people have different preferences. I use Pinterest every now and then, but I find it's very handy, a digital notice board or an archive of interesting images. But I really, really like Instagram: I post whatever I find interesting, which seems to be a lot.
I love Instagram and am just now becoming obsessed with Pinterest, but I definitely know the struggles of keeping up with it all. Thanks for linking up to "Bloggers WHo Have Inspired Me"Rachel xo Garay Treasures
Instagram is great, isn't it? I can spend quite a lot of time browsing pictures, and I seem to be posting quite a few, too.