Do you spend too much time on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? Everybody has to make decisions about how they use social media. Most bloggers share posts via social media. How many social media platforms should you use? There are so many choices. You might have guessed that I recommend that you simplify your social media.
How Much Do You Use Social Media?
What social media do you use? Why? Do you try to keep up with all of them? That’s a tough and foolish task, even for bloggers. It’s time consuming. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, Ello, Instagram, Path, Reddit, Tumblr, Squidoo, and StumbleUpon are just a few of the social media you can join. Check out this list.
If you don’t simplify your social media use, you might find yourself spending 20 hours a week online. Doing what?
I learned to simplify social media the hard way. When I first started blogging, I joined and tried to build presence on too many social networks.
Why? Because that was the advice I read on dozens of blogs about blogging. Build your networks. Join as many as you can. It turned out to be bad advice. It can take hours per week to build a presence on a single network. Times that by ten? Yikes! All your time gets wasted on social media.
By the time I started Hip Diggs, I had things narrowed down to a small handful of social media. Facebook and Twitter are the two networks I use most often. I still have accounts at LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and Ello, but I don’t use them often.
Why You Should Simplify Social Networking
- You’ll save time: You’ll save countless hours if you simplify your social media usage. Actively using more than two or three social networks will steal time from more important tasks. There are better things to do than build networks. Writing content, creating email lists, and face-to-face relationships all come to mind.
- You’ll specialize: It takes time to learn the ins and outs of each social network. Find the networks that fit your personality and your topic best. Focus on understanding those networks at a deeper level. I chose Facebook for the personal connections. I chose Twitter for the business connections. Each network has a learning curve. Rather then joining them all, join one or two and specialize.
- To focus on content: In the end, it’s the writing that matters. You can have 5000 friends or followers, but if your writing sucks, it sucks. Spend your time becoming a better writer. Limit how often you post to social media. I’ve found that 4-5 times per day is plenty.
- To get real: Focus on face-to-face relationships. I’m not just referring to business relationships. Social networking can pull us away from our most important relationships. When we’re constantly online, our family and friends suffer for it. Make a point to get off social media and get real.
Lee Babauta Of Zen Habits Agrees
His article is aimed at those who feel overwhelmed by the amount of time and energy they spend online.
My goal is to encourage you to think about your Internet usage from the start.
If you’re a new blogger, don’t fall for bad advice. Unless you can afford to pay a team of five people to build your Internet presence, simplify your social media from the start. Choose two or three networks and learn them well.
If you’d like more help on with social media and blogging, I have a few coaching spots available. Check out my simple coaching packages and contact me at danerickson@danerickson.net.
