Invitation to eavesdrop…
Some helpful conversations circulate social media, but unless you happen to be connected with those people, great comments are lost in cyber space for very few to see. With permission, I am sharing a conversation in a Facebook author group this week.
An author friend Penny Reeve posed this question on Facebook:
“… Would you say you reach/engage with more people on a regular basis via your author Facebook page or your blog? (i.e. – not numbers of ‘liker’ or ‘followers’ but actual engagement/interaction).”
My reaction was:
“I have found that more people are reading my blog than I realise. But they engage with me on Facebook. Determining what to post is another thing. I am asking myself about that all the time. Lots to write about, but have to focus direction, as we can’t do it all.”
Penny then asked,
“Kayleen, I know what all the ‘experts’ say, but what do you personally find are the measurable benefits of your blog as opposed to a Facebook page or other social media platform?”
I answered,
“Your blog is a way of contributing on a more substantial level. You get to write and share more meditative content, on a far easier to navigate platform. It doesn’t get lost in feeds and is preserved for passers-by. Less discriminatory, as you don’t need to belong to the social platform to visit. A very different medium to work with. Added bonuses are e-commerce and other add-ons and you own your own content if you host your site.”
Which media wins?
Social media is more like texting friends and stopping to chat. Disadvantage is that it is less conversational like what we are having here. This is why I like to combine the two.
It is so true, social media is just that – social. It wins hands down (for interaction) but it can’t replace the blog or website. I have access to some wonderful content on blogs that you can’t find on social media. Social media is a jumping stone to a solid diet of contentment.
I would love to know how many people read my blog, where it goes and how helpful my posts are. After all I spend a great amount of time considering my blog and how it can serve my readers. It could be discouraging to assess its value by the amount of comments, particularly as we get more accustomed to the interaction on social media. But every now and then someone lets me know they find a post or posts encouraging or helpful in some way, and it motivates me to continue growing my little blog.
I can almost hear the sound of crickets in here sometimes but occasionally a little voice pops up and says a friendly hello. Thank you to those little voices who take the time to say hello in our busy hectic spinning world – YOU ROCK mine 🙂
About my author friend Penny
Penny Reeve writes great Christian children’s book that my kids have independently indorsed. This is one of my cubs with a couple of her books (book are appreciated by my kids at Christmas). My first impression of Penny face to face was a delightful presentation at a writer’s conference. Her animated presence was captivating. She inspired me as a children’s speaker. You can check her out here: http://www.pennyreeve.com
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