Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Tired Of Social Media


A multitude of hands reach out form a computer display towards a recoiling businessman illustrating concepts such as social media gone bad.
Social media can be a boon to business, or it can steal your time.

An Endless Stream Of Shared Photos
I’m fading fast…at least with social media.  I checked facebook tonight for the first time in a week (and realized someone had sent me an important message five days ago…). I have no desire to peruse Pinterest…not to mention that I have some doubts about their terms of use. My eyes start to glaze over at just the thought of that endless stream of shared photos on Google+. My only Linked In participation seems to be confirming people who want to link to me…people I either barely know or don’t know at all.  And speaking of not knowing people, my twitter followers just keep increasing whether I tweet or not, and lately it has been mostly not.

Social Media…And No Significant Effect
My primary interest in social media has always been to increase the traffic to my site. Google analytics indicates that just isn’t happening. Out of approximately 1500 unique visitors a day to my site, less than a dozen come from social media sources. While I am hoping social media can provide me with more link juice, that doesn’t seem to be having a significant effect either.

Tired Of Social Media
I guess I am just tired of social media. I seldom get tired of photography. I spent today prepping for a stock shoot I am doing on Friday. That was fun. Friday’s shoot will be fun. I would much rather be creating images that posting them on a social media site.  Of course I love it when people enjoy my photography, but not as much as when I enjoy my photography!

Creating Stand Out Stock Photos
I got into stock photography so I could really focus on what I enjoy doing, creating photos that I want to create and that can earn me a good living. Social media has been creeping up on me, stealing time away from what I truly enjoy doing…making those stock images.  I am not going to quit social media, but I will be doing just a bit less of it…and a bit more of creating what I hope are stand out stock photos. Stock photos that are needed in the market place, and stock photos that hopefully can stand up to the intense competition that is the stock photo world.


11 comments:

Jim Goldstein said...

Always important to do what you love and let that drive your enthusiasm online. Never a good idea to force yourself to do anything as it will suck you dry. Luckily for me my only activity is an extension of what I love to do in addition to photography.

A bit of advice... I just got done doing some web marketing consulting for another photographer and I also shared with him the need to cater to one's interests and passions. The benefits of social media activity blossom from such an approach.

colin anderson said...

just make sure you post the pics so we can enjoy them!

colin

Mellimage said...

I can related to your feelings as well as to your observation. If any social media works for me, then it is Facebook, but other social media outlets hardly ever drive traffic to my site. Best traffic drive - commenting on other blogs(haha, my primary intention to leave this comment isn't to drive traffic to my blog, seriously).

Elenaphoto said...

I just clicked on this link from my Facebook newsfeed:) Here is social media at work for you:)

John Lund said...

Jim,

I think your right...while I am passionate about photography I don't have that passion for social media. But I do enjoy blogging!

Thanks,

John

John Lund said...

Colin,

You keep posting yours, I post mine!

John

John Lund said...

Melimage,

Does commenting on my own blog count?

Thanks!

John

Libby said...

Not to worry. The image will find it's way over to Pinterest soon enough.

Anonymous said...

Automate your picture publishing on every social media you can and forget about "socializing". We are photographers, FGS!

John Lund said...

Libby,

I suspect you are right!

John

John Lund said...

Anonymous,

I am trying...I am trying!

John

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