I read with interest Shelley's post about the baffling and frustrating world of marketing. No author I know becomes a writer because they love the marketing. Most of us hate it - perhaps not all of it but the relentless push to keep your book or your name visible. I love the human encounters. The book club talks and public presentations, the chance meetings with readers, even the conferences like Left Coast Crime, although the pressure to perform and "be seen" can be intense.
But the day to day promotion online, mostly through social media, is becoming harder and harder, and I find myself wondering whether it's even worth it. Besides this blog and my website, I use two SM platforms - Facebook and Instagram - although I am much more engaged with Facebook. I did join Twitter but quit when Musk bought it. Instagram feels like flinging mud at a wall. I have no idea whether anything sticks. There is no give and take. Facebook, on the other hand, allowed me to build a community and communicate back and forth. I did create an author page as well as a personal one but found most people joined the personal page, which became a combination of friends, family, and fans who became friends. I post about book news but also about my dogs, cottage, travels, and notable day to day stuff. Since I joined in 2009, I've reconnected with faraway cousins, old classmates, and book lovers I've met at conferences and events.
But Facebook is becoming less and less useful and enjoyable. It is increasingly filled with sponsored ads, unsolicited posts, and pointless reels, so much so that posts from my actual friends are far fewer and are lost in the clutter of junk. In Canada, Meta blocks all links and posts from news sources, which means we can't share interesting information found in magazines or websites. And as people have noted, a web search on a product results in a feed inundated with similar products.
But even worse, in the past six months or so, the increase in AI posts, bots, and misinformation has increased exponentially, to the point that nothing on Facebook is trustworthy. During our recent election, Facebook was flooded with fake videos about the candidates, especially Mark Carney, our new Prime Minister. The veracity of ads has always been suspect but now I believe nothing. Even if the source is a recognized business or person, there's no guarantee the post actually comes from them. Hacking and scams are everywhere, and I scroll in vain through piles and piles of junk in search of meaningful posts from friends.
In Meta's pursuit of the almighty dollar, Facebook has lost its original purpose, and in the process its soul. It had been a unique platform for staying in touch with people and building new friendships, and I mourn its passing. No other platform does this; most are shallow and self-centred "look at me" style trivia.
It's taken me over fifteen years to build a community on Facebook, and I know I will lose most of that if I give up on Facebook, but I am near the tipping point. I have not yet tried Blue Sky, but it seems to function as Twitter used to, sharing information but not creating a community. What do others think? Has anyone found a promising alternative?
3 comments:
Barbara, you have stated it so well. Facebook was my community, and in fact, it's the way my husband Mike found me, after 47 years (we met at Queen's University.) So I can look on Facebook with good feelings for the most part. But it's changed, and as you say, it feels like a sales platform now. Twitter and Instagram - they are broadcast media.
Thanks for this. I'm on bSky every day and find it collegial in the best sense of the word. Sys ops are hard on bots & trolls, so far -- it's been good [8 mos for me]. Loads of Cdns, some of the old crew joined bSky during the Great X-Exodus. Few of them posted regularly -- I had to search for them. But then they drifted back, so I haven't closed my X account yet. Hate the day-to-day FB and how much the system interferes in groups, group threads & just the number of clicks required if you wanna comment on someone else's comment -- jeeze Louise! BlueSky has 'starter packs' usually prepped by one indiv in whatever trade, profession or special interest it is. That was helpful. I'm still exploring & making new connections, but every Login looks more & more familiar as the folk I followed elsewhere make the move. Will you? I hope so!
I have a BlueSky account--mostly to "claim" my name on there. It feels like Twitter or Truth Social only the opposite. Very one-sided. Very political. (I won't touch Truth Social with a ten-billion-foot pole, but that doesn't mean I think doing the same thing in reverse is a good idea). Fine for personal use. For biz interests? Honestly, I think it's time to find a new or old way to reach readers (those email lists, folks!) Maybe the best use of socials is to make use of the influencers already visible on them? I've tried to coordinate with Bookstagrammers, asking if they'd take an e-arc in exchange for a review/post. It worked better in 2023 than in 2024. And if doing that means I have to be on Instagram all the time and take time to make graphics and publish reels. . . nope. But that's just me at this moment.
Post a Comment