I posted a video from YouTube a few days ago. I posted it on my personal facebook profile and on my Writer's Page - which automatically posts it to twitter as well. I was surprised at how little response it generated. I have no way of knowing how many people bothered to look at it, nor how many saw it and scrolled right on by as they looked at their homepages. But it made me wonder. Am I wasting my time with all this "social networking" ?
My facebook profile shows that I have 169 Friends and my Writer's Page says that 90 people Like this. My twitter account says I have 137 followers. Out of all these potential lookers, there were only 4 comments and 4 likes, with 3 of those being the same people. Does this mean that most people just don't take the time to click 'like' or make a comment - even if they are actually reading and not just scrolling?
It's not like I was the creator of that video or anything. But what it had to say in such a short amount of time was absolutely astounding. ( 1 minute and 47 seconds) As a writer it showed me how important words can be, and as a human it showed me there is yet hope in this world of ours.
Perhaps waking up to another dreary, gray day has dampened my outlook on social networking. When I looked at today's weather on my computer it said: drizzle. Now they have upgraded it to: Overcast. Yay.
Perhaps I am spending too much energy wondering why people don't care enough to interact within this social networking world. Or maybe I am spending too much time clicking like on my friends updates and videos and photos and quotes - making comments when I am moved by something they have posted or Blogged. Lets face it - it is hard to keep up with all of it.
Looking up right now at my Google reader notifier, it says I have 30 blogs to read and my Google mail checker says there are 20 emails, some of which will be Blogs I have subscribed to from WordPress. That's not counting both of my facebook account updates, twitter tweets, nor my Writer's Circle group posts.
I think I am trying too hard. And when so few people interact back, I tend to take it personally. Or, like I mentioned earlier, perhaps it's just the bleak day. It is only 29 degrees. And did I mention how gray, bleak, drizzly and overcast it is? Oh, I just looked outside. It's snowing. Sideways.
In case any of you missed it, and are interested in the video that got me started on all of this...here it is:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHzgzim5m7oU&h=b5cc8
There are over 3 Million hits on this video. 3,700,755 to be exact.
What did you think the woman wrote? Were you surprised? How did the video make you feel?
And now I am going to get off of all the social networks and spend some time editing and writing. That always makes me feel better, no matter what's going on outside. Not to mention the great feeling that comes with knowing I am not wasting my time!
As always, thanks for reading!
It's been a gray, nasty, dreary day here, too. (Though we haven't had snow--only rain!) I completely understand where you are coming from as far as the interaction aspect of social media. I think more people do read what we put out there but don't bother to 'like' things. I'll admit to being guilty of this. People also might not be able to keep up with everything; when you're following so many blogs, so many Twitter accounts and so many FaceBook pages while you are attempting to write, it could be difficult to read and comment on everything your followers and those who follow you post.
ReplyDeleteIt is frustrating at times; you put something out there for the world to see (which is the point of social networking) and you receive little to no feedback. I have this issue but I expect it only because I'm pretty new to the scene as a writer and don't have very much to put out there yet. I would try not to take it so personally; it will just further aggravate you. I don't think you're wasting your time. Just keep doing what you do, Sharon. People will come around! Hope it gets warmer where you are!
Fridays are tough days for social networking. I think it's because people are getting ready to leave their computers (at work..) We may never know if people are being touched by our writing (or posting), even though that knowledge is the single biggest motivator for a writer. We just have to keep going and hope it pans out. By the way, if I had as many likes on my author page as you do, I would still be thrilled beyond belief!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sharon. I don't think the problem is with you, it's the number of blogs and friends and different media we all participate in. I only have time to visit a few a day, and I try to leave comments (although Blogger hates me and usually makes this very difficult) but don't always get them in. I understand the frustration. Many days I wonder why I'm doing this. But I do enjoy getting to know people through blogs or having small conversations on FB. Twitter, although I have an account, defeats me. But hang in there and take heart. Your posts are fun to read.
ReplyDeleteLisa, Jessica and Ellis:
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your sweet comments ladies! The sun is shining today, and instead of being on the internet, I've been reading! (well, except for now...but it is almost 3:30!)
I just finished Jane Eyre! I can't believe I waited till now to read it. It was one of the best stories I've ever read!
I agree with all of you about the social networking stuff...it's all about the time...no one really has enough of it. I have decided that I'm not going to spend as much time online as I had been... I really need to spend more time reading and writing.
If I succeed in using my time more wisely, perhaps next weeks blog will be more uplifting!
Thanks again! :)
I find it surprising how antisocial social networking has become, especially in this tech savy generation. We post statuses and tweet and follow and its odd how little communication is involved in that process. I often find myself guilty of this, but then I remember the point of it all and it's to connect. Maybe it's because we are writers that we notice this. Maybe it's because as artists (yes writing is a form of art) we are naturally more in tune with our emotions than others. I don't really know. But I do know that I completely understand where you are coming from.
ReplyDeleteRetweeting and liking statuses are not really forms of networking or communicating with each other. I think we should comment and message more and support each other.
By the way, I watched the video when you posted it on twitter. It had me still staring at the screen for an extra 45 seconds. I like things that make me think. Words are so powerful. So what does that mean for the absence of words?
This is a test. I posted an extremely long blog
ReplyDeletejust now and when I went to post it it said sorry
unable to complete your request. I don't want to
do it again and have the same thing happen.
Ok, let's try this again!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you feel Sharon. Sometimes I feel as if I'm talking to the wall. I try not to take it personally but look at it from a perspective that it's just that people are busy and not as willing to dedicated so much time to social networking as perhaps I am. The other thing is you never know what is going on behind the scenes. I became very cyber-close with a girl in Savannah. Her and her husband owned a security system business, they were active in the church, she was a total sweetheart. It was 5 years (2 mo ago) before I found out he had a substance abuse problem, a temper problem, had spent all their money on whatever the substance was, the business had folded and she was moving to a tiny apartment. Thank God she had God! Anyway now I know why she would seem to "fall off" from me at times. As for the video, I posted it, my friends posted it and I sent it to my son who is Athletic Director at the High School here in town and he is going to forward it to all the teachers today. So, it's getting around! You have a wonderful day! DiAnne
Nova: "antisocial social networking" ha! I guess this is another way of saying stealthy stalkers!
ReplyDeleteyikes! Even when I don't have time to comment I still click like on so many of my friend's posts/blogs/photos/videos, etc. It doesn't take but a half a second for my mouse-finger to do that simple gesture of saying "hey, i saw this and took notice"
And you are probably right about "artists" being more emotional than some...
Gosh, it bugs me that so many of my so-called friends never ever bother to say a word. What's the point? I could simplify my life by just un-friending the silent majority but then I'd come off as anti-social!
Thanks for commenting, Nova. And congrats on the book!! See you on FB and Twitter! :)
DiAnne: Talking to a wall Ha!Facebook = wall :)
ReplyDeleteBut you are right...we do not know what is going on behind the scenes. (unless we are talking about some of our friends who are on facebook all the time and still choose to ignore our posts) I have a few...
I did see that you and a few others have reposted the video. :) I think I originally got it in an email. I just can't imagine how it could NOT have affected anyone who watched it. It's probably more likely that those who saw my post of the video just scrolled on by......
I am not saying that I watch every single video posted on FB. I ignore the music ones that I know I will not like, (sorry, I'm not into heavy death-metal music!) But especially if the person has made a comment that intrigues me-along with the video, I do take the time. I figure that they posted it because it was something important to them, and they wished to SHARE it with their friends.
You have a great day too, DiAnne. See you on FB and Writer's Circle. (ha, another email just came in from you!)
OOh MY !!!!! SAW this video on a high school friends FB page & immediately "shared" .... had NO idea it originated here !!!
ReplyDeleteam SOOO amazed & touched ... have to believe it is going viral - infamiliar with how all that translates back to it's origin, etc ... but i know several of my friends picked it up & ran with it also .... mighty important work & some good karma heading your way for this piece i'm sure ... :) !!!
Soozie, I got this video in an email and then posted it several times to facebook...my regular profile and my writer's page and also Writer's Circle. I'm not sure who originally posted it on Youtube. But it touched me profoundly.
ReplyDeleteThanks for following my blog! (I'm following yours too!)
Arrrgh! I just lost my comment. Grrr. Is it pushing the Preview button that does it? Anyway, it was really long and nicely worded and no typos and gah! :-P
ReplyDeleteI'll just sum up and say that it does suck and I feel that way too sometimes. But then I remember that with all MY commitments, I don't get to keep up with it as much as I would like to, so I can hardly blame other people for putting me off.
Anyway, I hope you stick it out. It wouldn't be the same out here without you!
M.E. Sorry about that...I don't know why that happens...but it has happened to me a few times too...here and on other blogs. I don't do the preview thing any more.
ReplyDeleteAnd I will stick it out...I'd miss the networking too much too!
Thanks :)