I know, you're thinking why am I whining about this when I could just continue to ignore it all. Well, last night my husband chanted, 'one of us' at me and even though he has never seen Freaks, the implication was clear. I know I will soon succumb to the siren call and become one of them, or you...I assume. So I'm curious, what's the point? Do I set up a personal page and then a business one and what the heck is up with all this 'fan' stuff. I'm constantly seeing people asking for fans and I keep thinking how silly it is to ask for fans. Is this one of those words that has an entirely different definition in this world, because I was under the impression that fans were people that liked you and/or your brand, not people trying to get reciprocal attention. I really don't want to get into a numbers game again and I certainly have no desire to play games and answer quizzes. Is this place going to annoy the crap out of me? It's a moot point I suppose...I'll join eventually, but that doesn't have to stop me from questioning the reasons why.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
One Of Us
I feel my resolve cracking. I have been holding strong against the facebook, but I don't know for how much longer. I was happy to add this social network of things I'll never do. Said list includes watching the film Titanic and well anything Twilight related. Then my husband joined in and everyone I know is apparently there. In fact I haven't gone a day online without several people mentioning the damn place. I really don't want to join another social network, I already deleted my indiepublic profile and I've all but completely abandoned myspace. Won't this just be another place to waste time. I already have this blog, the wunderkammer, my etsy store, flickr, steamteam and of course the twitter, when am I even going to find time to maintain a new place.
I know, you're thinking why am I whining about this when I could just continue to ignore it all. Well, last night my husband chanted, 'one of us' at me and even though he has never seen Freaks, the implication was clear. I know I will soon succumb to the siren call and become one of them, or you...I assume. So I'm curious, what's the point? Do I set up a personal page and then a business one and what the heck is up with all this 'fan' stuff. I'm constantly seeing people asking for fans and I keep thinking how silly it is to ask for fans. Is this one of those words that has an entirely different definition in this world, because I was under the impression that fans were people that liked you and/or your brand, not people trying to get reciprocal attention. I really don't want to get into a numbers game again and I certainly have no desire to play games and answer quizzes. Is this place going to annoy the crap out of me? It's a moot point I suppose...I'll join eventually, but that doesn't have to stop me from questioning the reasons why.
I know, you're thinking why am I whining about this when I could just continue to ignore it all. Well, last night my husband chanted, 'one of us' at me and even though he has never seen Freaks, the implication was clear. I know I will soon succumb to the siren call and become one of them, or you...I assume. So I'm curious, what's the point? Do I set up a personal page and then a business one and what the heck is up with all this 'fan' stuff. I'm constantly seeing people asking for fans and I keep thinking how silly it is to ask for fans. Is this one of those words that has an entirely different definition in this world, because I was under the impression that fans were people that liked you and/or your brand, not people trying to get reciprocal attention. I really don't want to get into a numbers game again and I certainly have no desire to play games and answer quizzes. Is this place going to annoy the crap out of me? It's a moot point I suppose...I'll join eventually, but that doesn't have to stop me from questioning the reasons why.
Just some of my rambling thoughts... The only reason I joined facebook is because most of my friends keep track of each other there. And then once I'd joined, all these people I'd known decades ago started popping out of the woodwork and asking to be added to my friends list. You can block apps you aren't interested in (I do it all the time), and you can group people's posts so you can choose which you want to see at a time.
ReplyDeleteThere are also applications that will let you post once to your facebook status and the same post will pop up on twitter as well. That way, those people who friend you on facebook but don't have a twitter account will see the same posts. It cuts down on the need to jump from one site to another.
From what I can tell you from my limited exposure to Facebook [about 2 weeks] from a Twitter point of view is that your main section of Facebook is status updates which are the equivalent of Tweets. People can comment on the status updates almost like direct replies. There is "stuff" on the side of the status updates [adds, other people you might know, etc]. You don't have to do anything you don't want to [ignore people, etc]. You can add your own photos to Facebook or, from what I've seen, link to your Flickr account. There is also real time chat. Not sure how the whole fan thing works, but it looks like you can be a person and a "company" at the same time. Tweetdeck can post to both Twitter and Facebook for status updates. You can't see followup comments on Facebook status updates though. It is a feature they are working on...
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, it doesn't take up a whole lot of time and is very little maintenance in my opinion.
Just think of it as another way to advertise your blog, Etsy site.
ReplyDeleteI keep up with friends and family there. I hear a lot of people use it for marketing, but frankly, I ignore that. If I want to buy something, I can find it on my own. LOL! Seriously, I find the "fan" invites annoying. I joined one, zakka, not knowing much of anything about FB at the time. When I have time, I'll delete it. I prefer the blogsite.
ReplyDeletei can't go there (fingers make the sign to avert the evil eye). i could never add a ball like that to the juggling mix of family, house and creativity. loads of people like it, but it would drag me under!
ReplyDeleteI mostly ignore my facebook page but its useful for group updates to friends and its got an event/invitation feature that allows for RSVP thats kind of cool.
ReplyDeleteThey made some things weirdly complicated though, like uploading photos.
And the constant clamor of applications that want you to add them is SO annoying.
Facebook is something that you really have to keep a firm hand on to keep it from eating up even more of your time than Twitter does.
ReplyDeleteFans are people who follow your business page. You can use your business page to send your fans updates about sales, new items, whatever. Some people will inundate you with requests to be their "fan" and then inundate you with updates about their sales. I quickly unfriend those sorts of people.
Facebook is full of apps. You can block the invites, and you can "hide" them on your main stream.
Facebook groups are ideally places to meet up with others who share your interests, but I've yet to join one that really felt like an active community, and I've been slowly leaving most of the ones I've joined.
Once you block all the apps, it basically boils down to being just like Twitter but without the 140 character cap and with less spammers, but you still have to weed out the people who only want to tell you what they just listed on Etsy. It is easier to carry on longer, more meaningful conversations, which is good if you want to form some deeper friendships or catch up with old friends.
Just think, it's another place where you can ignore me!
ReplyDeletedon't do it! be strong!
ReplyDeletei refuse too. ;p
Wouldn't you like to be a luddite too?
ReplyDeleteThough various Etsy team members swear by facebook for increasing sales, I still stubbornly refuse.
I resisted for a long time, but I'm a total addict now. Its like Twitter PLUS - all the good stuff about twitter plus way more functionality - images, links, groups, etc.
ReplyDeleteImagine if people could comment on your tweets so the conversations became threaded in a way... I use it for keeping track of friends, promoting cool stuff of my own and of others, and entertainment. I ignore all the apps and quizzes and say no to anyone I really don't want to hear about / from. By limiting my friends' list, it's a great way to keep in touch with a bunch of people you care about but can't find time to email or phone on a regular basis.
But like Twitter, there's also a lot of clutter and it's a huge time-suck if you let it be!
My hubby is still holding out stubbornly, too...
I was the same way but have found that not only am I more connected to what the moms in my homeschooling group are doing, but also people that I lost touch with have found me on FB and I am in touch with family members I was not keeping up with.
ReplyDeleteI do also have a business page and I am getting more traffic and branding because of it. If you want to understand the "fan" issue, I can send you some links to articles that explain just who needs to get the obligatory 100 fans and who does not - email me at kate@wovenstones.com if you want those links.
Now I will say that I NEVER play games, do quizzes or any of the other stupid stuff that so many of my friends do. I have no time for that. And if I dont like the content of a friend's posts, I will hide them. I spend as little time as possible. And privacy settings, use them, use them, use them! I can send you a link for an article on that too!