Another annus horribilus for social media. If your Latin’s rusty (and, really, whose isn’t?) that’s not a medical term for a digestive tract illness. It’s just ancient-speak for a very bad year.
Let’s review.
Zuck got his nether regions kicked by congress. We hit peak (fingers crossed!) IG influencers. The mindfulness movement saw hordes of friends (both of the real and Facebook variety) taking vacations from the platform. Bots, trolls, fake accounts – it all added up to a big icky feeling.
Hey, social media isn’t going anywhere. But the bloom is definitely off the rose. We know about its dark side: the corruption, the political meddling, the opaque algorithms, the privacy violations, the non-stop selling. Never mind the FOMO, inferiority complex and general distraction and time-suckage.
For those of us in business, it’s a dilemma. Stay – and pay to play? – on the platforms for questionable ROI and ethical quandaries? Or… what?
As social media licks its wounds, and we appraise its place in our lives and business, I say stay but with a major proviso: make blogging the main event.
Let your blog be the star and relegate social to the role of supportive side-kick. It’s never been a better time to blog. Here’s why.
Quality over Quantity.
If you’re like me, running your own business, with your finger in all the pots, it’s easy for marketing to fall to the wayside. Blogging is a way to centralize your efforts. Create a great post every week or two, then use it as the foundation for all your social media and marketing efforts. Instead of a bunch of scattered social-media sweet nothings, you’re putting some real meat on the table (or tofu, if that’s your thing). Point is, it’s substantial.
Own Your Audience.
Social media’s opaque algorithms decide who sees what. They essentially own your followers and control access and exposure. With blogging, you distribute directly to an engaged audience through your mailing list. (Don’t have a mailing list? Don’t worry, check out this post on how I am building mine). Use social to drive traffic to your blog. Once they’re there, invite them to subscribe. Easy!
Build Enduring Rapport.
Blogs are connection hubs, where you can have intimate, meaningful dialogue with smaller, more valuable audience groups. By sharing insights, experience and value, you’re letting your audience know who you are, what you stand for, and the value you offer.
Dive Deeper.
People expect blogs to be longer than a typical Facebook post or Instagram caption. They come with a bias to more attention. They are terrific platforms for your expertise, your personality, your brand. Dig deep to deliver value.
Is this is just the motivation you need to want to hone or launch your blog. Need a little help getting going? Sign up for my newsletter.
