I’ve been thinking about social media for a while; here are my thoughts.
Social media is what you make of it.
Social media is a tool for you to use. Some people use it to boost their social standing, while others use it as a space to post their artworks or cosplays. Some people are collectors, and others enjoy eating food and/or making food. Some people use it to stay in touch with their friends; others use it to keep records. There’s no right or wrong way to use social media.
On Validation: Social Media versus Blogging
I’ve heard a lot of people say that you don’t need validation from posting, or from followers and engagement. Okay, then why do I see so many people asking for more followers and views on their blog posts? Many bloggers have written about their blogging goals for 2021 and most of them include achieving a certain number of followers and views. Is there a difference between needing validation from social media versus blogging?
I don’t think so. Many Instagrammers pour a lot of time and effort into their posts, just like bloggers. Both Instagrammers and bloggers create content. Is it “seeking validation/attention” or is it “having goals”?
On Taking Breaks versus Productivity
I’ve seen many content creators (cosplayers, bloggers, writers, artists, podcasters, YouTubers, and VTubers) apologize for not putting out content on time or for taking a break. It seems like taking breaks is a bad thing. Does anyone else find this weird?
I know that for certain platforms, the algorithm works in the favour of those who constantly post. I also sympathize with those who want to stay “relevant” and avoid losing followers.
How I Use Social Media
In my The Kore Wa Watashi BlogΒ Award post, I self-proclaimed as a kuudere and used Houtarou Oreki’s photo to describe myself. While watching Hyouka, I resonated with what Houtarou said (shown above). It made me think, Why do I post on Instagram? I’m not enjoying it as much as I used to, and I don’t need validation from likes.
People use social media differently. Like I said, I view social media as a tool. You can find me most active on my Twitter, and I seldom use Instagram now. I still get some enjoyment out of Instagram – at the moment, anyway. If there comes a day when there is nothing to gain from social media, I will cease to use it.
Final Thoughts
Some people live their lives on social media, and I won’t be the judge of that. I hate it when people tell others to go outside/do whatever they do, as if they are superior. I will say this: social media shouldn’t be an exhausting thing. If you find that you are drained from it, consider taking a break. Perhaps you are putting unnecessary stress on yourself by placing too much importance on it.
Wretched and Divine 
You have very valid thoughts on the subject. I was honestly hooked as soon as I saw Oreki as the promo image for the post. Ha-ha! π I find myself apologizing for posting late, but maybe I shouldn’t, bloggers aren’t machines after all. But, when I post on time, it makes me feel good about myself. I can’t really say what the “right” solution is. Mainly, I like keeping up with my own goals, because if I hold myself accountable, then things get done.
I understand the “follower goal” discrepancy, online attention can be an addictive drug. I don’t care how many followers I have personally, all I care about is whether the people who do like my stories… CONTINUE to enjoy them, and I would like them to be entertained by my writing, in general. I talk about spirituality and politics openly, so I only expect to ever have a niche audience. But, I’m okay with that. “Selling out” and appealing to everyone isn’t for me. And if other people find more catharsis and acceptance by doing that, then that’s their own journey.
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I think that’s great. Meeting your goals always feels good. I think it’s only toxic when it’s more like, “I HAVE to post, even though it’s causing me stress…”
I am comfortable with the number of followers I have here on WP, but I’ve also been blogging for around 7-8 years. I wonder if my attitude would be different if I had significantly fewer followers…
I think that’s a fantastic mindset! I also occasionally blog about topics that most of my anime readers do not have an interest in (i.e. Chinese shows and musicians) but I still get enjoyment and meaningful experiences out of it. Because this type of thing is different for everyone, I think it comes down to understanding ourselves well – and we’ve got that. π
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It is easy to get carried away with the likes, followers etc. on any platform, including WP. I feel like most bloggers seek a larger audience/seek social validation, and some are much more vocal about it than others. If we had no readers or followers, would there be a point to blogging? Personally, I would probably quit if I had zero traffic because I blog for an audience, rather than solely for myself. I have met some interesting people through blogging and blogging has been much more rewarding for me compared to other platforms.
As for social media, I used it religiously for 10 years and decided to take a hiatus a couple years ago to focus on my life goals. That was a good decision for me, and I still haven’t returned to social media after I accomplished these goals. I need to have a purpose in order to invest my time and energy into something, and FB, IG etc. wasn’t doing that for me anymore. As I get older, I am beginning to realize that I share very little in common with most of the people I am “friends” with on those platforms.
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RE: “If we had no readers or followers, would there be a point to blogging?” This is something I’ve thought about a lot!! I can say that I would continue to blog with zero traffic, but I am unsure how I would react if that was my reality.
I’m starting to feel that way with IG. Nowadays when I scroll through my feed, I feel tired after thirty seconds. It’s just not bringing me joy anymore, which is probably a sign. My experience with Twitter is completely different, and it might have to do with how the platform is not focused on largely edited images, but on daily, random thoughts – stuff like that.
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As an ancient blogger, I started writing my blog as a diary for myself, and I’d probably still write even if my readerbase disappeared tomorrow. It’s always fun to reflect on the stuff I’ve done, what I’m feeling and the like. When my stuff helps other readers, that’s icing on the cake π
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I think these are totally valid points and generally true as well.
For me personally, I think I would probably still blog even if I had no readers though haha. Blogging has become just a fun outlet to express my thoughts. Although I address my posts to others, I’m mostly blogging for myself and as a way for my future self to look back at how I was~ It’s kind of like a journal and it’s fun to see how much I’ve changed, or how much I’ve stayed the same~
Social media is just an extension of myself and a way to express myself, but also stay connected to my friends and family. It’s how I can still socialize~ I used to be super active on my social media accounts like FB and IG. Although, I haven’t really been as active. I am on Twitter more now though. Which is funny because I actually was never active on Twitter before. I only started being active as I started blogging and making friends through blogging~ But yeah, all my friends and family (other than my parents and grandma) are all in other states, or the other side of the world. Becoming adults and living our own lives with different schedules also makes it hard to regularly talk. So social media is basically how we keep in touch and see how everyone is doing; Even if we’re not in constant communication. Like sometimes my friends and I don’t message each other for weeks. But it’s nice to see snapshots of each other’s lives and still feel connected~ Although, that’s part of why I always have to announce if I’m taking a break from blogging or social media. My friends worry if they don’t see me post something for a while. It’s like a way for them to see that I’m still alive and doing alright. There was actually a period of time when the pandemic started where I just inadvertently took a break from social media. I think I was off of FB and IG for a good month or two? I ended up getting alot of messages from very concerned friends who thought something happened to me. I’m a “do what I want, when I want” and will post when I want kind of gal. But I’ve made it a habit to post about my breaks and what not so people know what’s going on and don’t worry~
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I totally get what you mean by blogging is like a journal. I feel the same way, as I often read my old posts, especially my diary posts.
Ooh, I see! It’s clear to me that you have very wonderful, thoughtful, and loving friends~ It’s awesome that you are using social media as a way to connect with them. When you explain it like that, it certainly makes sense to let people know when you are taking breaks. I wouldn’t say that I am in the same boat, as most of my friends IRL do not follow my blog or Twitter. Different reactions/responses to different situations, I suppose!
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Same~ I like going back through my old posts. I admit sometimes I cringe at myself though haha~ But for the most part, it’s fun to see if my thoughts and interests have changed, or if I’ve grown a bit at all.
Yes!~ I’m very lucky to have very caring and wonderful friends~ Most of my friends just found it very odd I was suddenly inactive for such a long period of time on FB and IG. So it was touching that they all reached out to make sure I was ok. Other than a small handful, most of my IRL friends don’t follow my Twitter or use Twitter. I mostly just use it for blogging friends and to promote our blog haha~ Most of my IRL also don’t really follow the blog either. It’s really just me and my friends who are the creators and other bloggers for BAYOG~ Other than that, it’s just my 2 besties who check out our posts on occasion haha~ But yeah, everyone is different~ I know alot of people have different reasons/goals/intentions when it comes to blogging and social media. It’s still pretty interesting though since it’s an interesting way to look at other people’s perspectives~
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