I’ve Done (almost) Everything Wrong On Social Media
(image via wikimedia)
When I started blogging a few years ago, I did almost everything wrong. I didn’t use any pictures in my posts. I referred to myself in the third person and first person plural. Some of my posts were over 2,000 words long. I wrote a bunch of jokes that weren’t funny. I’m sure anybody who noticed my blog back then thought it wouldn’t last.
Now the blog is doing okay, but I’m not doing much on other platforms like I’m supposed to for building an audience. I do a little bit on Twitter, but that seems to be for famous people or people who can spend all day on it, and I’m neither. Plus, most tweets are either meaningless (like mine) or horrible.
I was on Facebook for about a week and thought it was useless because I can just call or email my friends; I don’t have that many of them. I’m not even trying Instagram or some other platforms I’ve never heard of.
I’m dabbling with videos now, just because I can. I used to hate to hate being on video, but that attitude just doesn’t work nowadays, so I’m forcing myself. As I put more videos on YouTube (and getting criticized for it too), I’m getting more comfortable and developing a thicker skin. Aspiring writers need that thick skin.
Just like my blog years ago, my YouTube channel is starting off kind of slow. In the video below, I talk about all the stuff I’m doing wrong (according to the experts) on YouTube. When I’m wrong, I’m usually willing to admit it.
What social media platforms do you use? Which one (besides blogs) are you most comfortable with? What are you doing wrong on social media?
Dysfunctional Literacy 
I absolutely do everything wrong on social media. Can’t be bothered with facebook – tedious streams of people eating or on holiday. Twitter is just drivel. I’m technically on both, but I’m terrible at both too. It all just takes too much time anyway. If I did anything other than focus on the blog I’d have not time left between work and home stuff to actually write.
Hope the You Tubing goes well. I think you might actually find your niche just doing what you want and saying what you find interesting rather than conforming. I subscribed and I’ve never subscribed to a you tuber before
“If I did anything other than focus on the blog I’d have not time left between work and home stuff to actually write.”-
That’s a challenge. That’s why I relate the videos to my blog posts(most of the time), so I’m not doing something completely different.
A sensible approach. I enjoy your vids – relaxed and funny and smart
I never used social media at all until this past November. I wanted to start writing again (after a dry spell of many years), and a friend suggested trying a blog. So I did. Another friend introduced me to Instagram, and after exploring it a little I realized that there were things there that actually appealed to me, so I signed up. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong…I haven’t given much thought to the “right” way to do things. Maybe that’s because I don’t necessarily have a goal in mind for my social media use?
“Maybe that’s because I don’t necessarily have a goal in mind for my social media use?”-
Since I’m blogging/videoing for creative reasons, I understand what you mean. Somebody who’s more interested in getting a following (or making a living from it) would say “No goal?!!! How could you have no goal?!!!”
And that’s one reason (I think) why they would say we’re doing things wrong.
Write now my goals pretty much stop after “Don’t forget to post on schedule” and “Don’t post anything you aren’t reasonably proud of”. Maybe I’ll think of more when I’ve been at it longer. Lol.
*Right* now. Sigh. I’m going to add “Proofread everything, including comments” to my goal list.
I guess I’m doing most things wrong, too. Makes me feel a little bit like a rebel – ha ha. I have a FB account but I rarely use it. Since I’ve started blogging, though, I share all my blog posts on my FB page, so at least it’s good for something. Not interested in any other social media. I’m trying to have this thing called a life, which blogging is doing a pretty good job of interfering with. (Not complaining, though. I love it.)
“Not interested in any other social media. I’m trying to have this thing called a life, which blogging is doing a pretty good job of interfering with.”-
Yeah, putting content on every platform would take up way too much time, unless that was all we did, so choosing one or two seems to be the best best option right now.