Social Media - is it Really Worth Much of Your Time?
I have to confess I'm still exploring how I feel about using social media in my internet marketing efforts. Personally, I don't like Facebook and I don't have an account on it (I used to years ago, and I've come and gone from it several times, but was last on there in 2011 I think. I just find myself hating everything it stands for. But that's just me. I certainly don't want others to feel like they shouldn't use it if they genuinely like it.). I'm also not keen on Twitter. I'm still undecided about Google+.
I love Pinterest though. It's so visual and fun, and I love how you can just follow specific boards you're interested in, rather than getting bogged down in everything everyone posts.
In the bootcamp course, Kyle does keep mentioning how we should post our new blog posts to our social media accounts. However, I think this is only really worthwhile if you are already an established user of these social media. If you are already linked up with loads of friends and family on there, you may get a few referrals from them if you blast out to them. It could get a bit annoying for them, but still, you have to put up with all their annoying baby photos anyway.
But what I do think is a bit of a waste of time is when somebody sets up their first Facebook or Twitter account just to start promoting their WA links to. I don't think much will happen from that. Also, this whole idea of following other people in your niche: why? Won't you all just be trying to sell to each other? Much like what happens in the Warrior Forum. That's one reason why I love WA so much. No spam or selling to each other.
But I like Pinterest. But just because I like it, does that make it a good way to spend my time? But today I saw Jay's training video about re-purposing content, and I loved his idea of using Canva to create eye-catching images with short bits of information on them. This is exactly the kind of thing that would do wonderfully on Pinterest.
But I'm also curious about tools like Hootsuite to automate social media. But as it turns out, Carson and Kyle actually think this is a bit of a waste of time, and social media in general.
There is this thread from 2 years ago:
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/lorriebrown3/blog/...
Take a look at this long comment from Carson on the subject:
And how about this video from Kyle:
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/facebook-...
And also here's a very recent comment from him on the subject:
So that's it really. They must be right, because they eat, sleep and breathe internet marketing every day. And it's totally in their interest to make us as effective at promoting WA as we can be. So if they say don't spend much time on social media, I won't. And I certainly won't stress about the fact that I'm not paying any attention to Facebook or Twitter.
So I've come right back round to thinking that I'll probably stick with Pinterest. I'm really visual, so I will spend a bit of time each day making eye-catching things on Canva or whatever, and share it to Pinterest, and then spend a bit of time having fun on Pinterest and interacting with people on there, but not too much.
When you divide the day into time spent on the different aspects of WA, time soon slips away. I've got blog content to write, site comments to write, YouTube videos to make. Things that will hopefully actually make a difference to my business.
Recent Comments
53
I think Kyle and Carson are trying to keep training focused on content and their goal for us is to have pages and many posts on the search engines. It makes sense because that way the people that find your site are looking for you with keywords. Social media can waste a lot of time that could be better spent writing.
I am glad I ran across this blog from you. It is a good reminder for me to follow what the training teaches. I have gotten a little lost wondering around out there on the Internet.
Thanks for your reply.
Yes, it's important to have a sense of discipline with internet marketing. All these things are useful tools, but we have to be careful not to just get distracted. It's good to make an effort to stay on track and keep our main goal in mind, which is to build up a great website that helps people and ultimately makes sales.
WA can suck up as much time as social media. I try to limit my time here to an hour a day, but learning is addictive.
I think there is only one medium worthy of your time, YouTube. And perhaps Pinterest too
Both are very visuable and that's where the next generation is holding up, I see my children live with youtube.
Excellent, thanks for your input Loes. I agree that video seems to be the way forward. I've just got to explore the best ways for me to use it. Of course, things like Biteable are a great way to create quick videos, but I'll explore other possibilities too. I should probably pursue the whole screencast thing, eve though I've recently felt frustrated with that, and even though it doesn't really come naturally to me.
When You have problems to talk a video through, perhaps you have a very good friend who's having an easy talk, to help you with it;)
Is Hoot suite not a program to combine all social networks.I looked at it a long time ago in the google whatever -I cannot remember the other word.
Yes, that's right. It's supposed to save time, looking at it all in one place, and being able to schedule updates. But Carson warns that it could still take up a lot of your time with very little result.
Interesting that you bring this up because recently I felt a little bad for neglecting my Twitter. But I thought it was more worthwhile to continue working on a new post for my website. I'm happy I prioritized the new post, especially because my traffic has been steadily increasing despite me not adding a new post for a month.
I do think social media is still helpful, but I won't be spending much time on it either. Thanks for the reassurance!
I am so glad to hear that Marcus, Thank You! I have bee stressing over opening up a facebook account just because of bootcamp keeps stressing it all the time. I am relieved! I never was a fan of facebook. or twitter, and people ! know spend a lot of time just being social, and have limited time because of it. Just my opinion also, if you like it fine!
Chas
The biggest positive I have seen from using Google+ is that my posts there, related to my blog post, seem to get good rankings in Google. Often time my G+ post is highly ranked on the specific keyword.
I believe what Kyle was teaching was that social media sites could be helpful, so posting to them (using very little time) might be useful. But, obviously, it is up to each individual as to which sites they use and whether they do it or not.
I am slowly coming to the same realization. There is just not enough of me to go around and cover all these bases. I have a new program that will put me in front of targeted traffic I hope is going to make up for the lack of social media trafficking.
I spend as little time with social media as possible, due to 0 interest. I have a token Facebook page for my main Website, and I regularly post updates to it, but there's not much happening with it.
Oddly enough, a few articles I've posted on my Website have drawn a lot of traffic (thousands of visitors) from Facebook, but NONE of that traffic is coming from the links on my Facebook page.
Charlie
That's interesting Charlie. How is all that traffic coming from Facebook if it is not coming from your Facebook page?
(I don't know much about social media marketing.)
Somebody found a page on my site that they liked. They went to Facebook and posted the link on THEIR page and shared it with their friends.
It's weird.
Charlie
See more comments
Love it.
I feel my time is wasted on social media sites as well.
I will go with what Loes said below:
Focus on Youtube and Pinterest. (So far I don't really like Pinterest either. How am I supposed to get followers there?)
Focusing on YouTube and Pinterest suits me just fine :-)