Ramblings of a Book Sniffer: Social Media

ramblings12

 

All blogs have some form of social media or another. It’s just one of the many ways a person can follow a blog. Considering most people have a social media account of some sort, it’s a lot easier to “like” or “follow” a page than it is to subscribe via email or to bookmark a website to check up on later. So, yeah, social media for blogs is a big deal. However, I’ve noticed everyone does their social media sites differently and it makes me wonder which way is best?

I’ve come across some Twitter and Facebook accounts that only post a link to their latest post and that’s it. There’s blogs that post both their stuff and also post the links to other blog’s posts as well on a daily basis. Then there are some that use Twitter and Facebook as a way to connect with their readers and talk about what’s going on in their personal life as well as linking up to their latest blog posts. I fall under the latter. However, I have to wonder, is that what people want?

Does anyone care that I’m currently sitting down with my cat to read the latest and greatest in an awesome series, or that I’m finally able to stream an episode of Outlander? A lot of the time I feel like I’m talking to myself since no one responds. So it makes me wonder, am I doing it right?

 

Personally, I like following blogs who use their social media as a way to talk to others, not just for promotional purposes. I generally tend to not follow Twitter accounts that just post link after link without any real tweets. Mainly because I’m on Twitter and Facebook to talk to people. However, and I know, I know I shouldn’t look at numbers but let’s be honest here, we all do it at some point, I find myself looking at the blogs that just use social media to post the links to their latest posts and they have a huge following. So, again I ask, would it be better if I just hooked my social media accounts up to a platform that will automatically share my latest post for me without actually interacting with anyone? Is that what people prefer?

I guess this discussion post is both to the readers and bloggers out there.

What do YOU prefer when it comes to following/reading social media updates from a blog?

 

 

18 Thoughts on “Ramblings of a Book Sniffer: Social Media

  1. I’ll be interested in seeing the responses. I need to step up my facebook page, I tend to not post anything on it myself, my blog autoposts a link to the new blog post.

  2. Jenny on 16 March, 2016 at 1:27 pm said:

    You know, it’s funny. I don’t really tie my blog and social media together. Sometimes I tweet about a post but usually I tweet random stuff life you and when no one responds I’m sad. Are we doing it wrong? I don’t know. Sorry I’m not much use.

    • HAHaHA Well you will have to give me your twitter handle. I will respond. There are times where I reply to a blogger’s tweet and I get nothing. NOTHING. It’s really sad. LoL

  3. My Twitter is the one you avoid hahaha! Although I understand your concern from a content standpoint, it helps heaps with my blog stats especially in viewership.

    I tried using my SM to converse but like you, I feel like I’m talking to myself. Maybe my status updates aren’t reaching the right people? Maybe because I’m not on SM everyday? I don’t know and I gave up trying to figure out the formula. I post when I feel like it and if I end up having a convo with someone then it’s okay, if it’s dead air I’m fine with it too.

    I find more gratification on my blog interactions from comments and y daily hops. It’s a matter of priority too because if rather have activity on Talk Supe than on FB and with limited time to spare, I prefer the former:

    • I agree. I get more enjoyment and interaction with comments but I really hoped I could converse with people in real time, ya know? I’m at the point where unless this generates a different response, I will just post links on my SM and call it a day. BAck when I started blogging, Twitter was huge. There were hashtag chats going at least once a week and I met a lot of cool authors/bloggers on there. Now, it’s like they’ve all gone their separate ways and I’m stuck in the past like, “Guys, come back!” LoL

  4. I always feel like I am talking into the void on Twitter. I post links to my blog posts, but I also post the random stuff too, like pictures of my puppy, what book I am reading, etc. I like when other bloggers do that as well. I really want to start using the twitter polls that everyone loves doing, but I am nervous no one will participate and then I will feel silly. I don’t know. I do enjoy interacting with other bloggers not just about bookish things on Twitter. I just don’t think I am very good at it. Sorry that my comment won’t be of much help, just know that you are not alone!

  5. I use mine to post…everything. lol I do share links for the blog (rarely do I share them for other blogs on FB but I do on Twitter). I totally just chat things up and post what’s happening every day or photos or as I’m reading if things strike me funny or whatnot. I get decent interaction most weeks. Every once in a while like the last few days it’s hit or miss.

    I rarely follow blogs on social media that just post their links. I get that in Feedly already. I don’t need that on another site too. I’d rather see what they’re up to and what they’re ready that day or photos or whatnot. I like seeing the person behind the blog 🙂

  6. I’m one of those lazy bloggers that doesn’t use Twitter that well… my blog posts go there and some stuff from FB will follow over there too.

  7. I’m going to answer this from both a blogger and reader’s point of view.

    As a blogger I am teaching myself to be more open on my blog’s FB/Twitter/Instagram because before I was just those people who would post blog stuff or share other blog’s stuff and it was so boring to me! So now I try and share a bit more of my life on there even though I lead a VERY boring life. Lol. It’s mostly pics of my dog or cats.

    As a reader I LOVE interacting with a blogger about life as well as books. Anna from Herding Cats and Burning Soup is my blogger idol because she balances everything so freaking well and makes her FB posts so interesting and easy to interact with but she also chats about books which is what drew me to her blog in the first place.

    So I love having a platform to engage with people.

  8. I like talking on Facebook but I feel like I have no time for Twitter. It’s so hard to keep up with so much social media.

  9. I always feel like a stick in the mud because I’m *horrible* at social media. The private recluse and social media don’t bode so well together, so my twitter is the feed with updates from other websites. I also have no idea how twitter works (how do you see if someone likes your status? reposts? replies?! I don’t get it!) and I’m never on Facebook because it’s like a black-hole that sucks you in and keeps you there and then spits you out feeling absolutely miserable about your life…

    But I hear that that’s just me.
    I do intend to get better at all of the social media business… eventually…

    The only thing I keep updated and track is Instagram – the #bookstagram community is FANTASTIC and it’s really easy to make friends and chat with people. Not only is it artsy, but it’s friendly and looks b-e-a-uuuuu-tiful! I have noticed that we don’t get much traffic back to our blog, but we also don’t advertise it too much either so I reckon it’d take a change in attitude to get more traffic. But I have so much fun on Instagram that I’m okay with it all. Instagram is where I find the most wonderful book bloggers, too – much better than bloglovin or pinterest. 🙂

    Great post – it’s nice to know that the lack of feedback is, unfortunately, pretty common. I’ll try to talk more, because it’s nice to meet new people, I just forget that too often.

    • I feel ya. I’m a really quiet person normally. So it’s hard coming out of my shell on SM or on the blog but if you look hard enough you will see it. I try. I really do. LoL It doesn’t help though when you get no reaction from people when you post something on SM though.

      People “like” a tweet by clicking the heart symbol. That or they retweet it to their followers. FB, for me, feels pointless because no one interacts with me on there. It just seems like a place where people post their links and that’s it.

      I don’t have a smartphone (still rocking the flip phone) so Instagram isn’t something I can utilize. I hear that it’s popular though. I feel left out but not enough for me to want to fork over another $50 on a data plan for my phone 😛

  10. Hi there! Stopping by from Bloggiesta!

    I do…Both. My blog’s Facebook page will take you somewhere that is separate from my personal Facebook stuff, and there is a bit of a reason for that, but if you look hard enough you can find my personal through the blog one. Twitter, on the other hand is both personal and blog. I don’t have separate Twitter accounts. I use the same Twitter account for everything. With Facebook, I was able to create a “page” for the blog, without having to create a separate account altogether. With Twitter, I would have had to make a separate account, and I didn’t want to hassle with having to hop between different accounts, so I just use the same one I already had.

    So for me, I guess it depends. We each have to do what we have to do. I personally prefer being able to interact with people, but I have a tendency to overshare and I have to be careful with that, I guess, too.

    • Sounds like you are doing the same as me. Twitter’s more personal since it’s me and not the blog. I post personal updates, blog updates, and talk to family/friends/bloggers/authors on there. Facebook is a bit more reserved and strictly book/blog related. I get more response on Twitter than I do on FB though.

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