I’ve been talking a lot about social media lately – with what I’ve learned this past year/am continuing to learn – especially, since I was on a “year of responsibility” and building a better online presence was part of that.
I talked about how I basically abandoned my personal Facebook profile in favor of my Facebook page.
Now, on a basic human level, this has helped me immensely. I’m so much happier! I feel like I waste less time… Of course, I may now waste more time on other time-sucking activities or websites, but I still feel better that it’s not time spent on Facebook.
Also, I don’t get tempted to look at the profiles of people I really shouldn’t be looking at. I just – for me – I think Facebook is generally unhealthy. A very, very seldom peek purely to check on people I care about but don’t often talk to is maybe okay – especially if I reach out and try to strengthen those friendships instead of just creeping on them… But overall, I don’t think I’m supposed to be on Facebook and I’m really happy when I’m not there.
So, for my life, it’s been a brilliant change. I can’t tell you how healthy it was and how much I hope I never go back.
For my internet/popularity life though, it’s a different story.
I think I have somewhere in the vicinity of 2,500 friends on my personal Facebook profile. I already talked all about how much easier it was to get likes/comments in my other post on this.
What I didn’t think about was my klout score, y’all!
I’ve seen the klout score of some people who don’t seem quite as twitter/instagram savvy (not that I’m all that savvy) and/or popular and/or active… and oftentimes, it’s higher than mine… Sometimes by too much (in my opinion)!
And as I was thinking, “How could this be? Why is this?” I realized… They all get to connect their real Facebooks! I’m working with my little Facebook of only two-hundred and something people. (I appreciate the little fan group I have, for sure… They’re just not a big army… yet.)
Imagine if I connected my personal profile! Back when I’d changed my cover photo to one from The Price is Right, I got like 80 likes and tons of comments! I used to often get at least 30 on my half marathons photos. I’d even get a fair amount on interesting or somewhat funny (if I do say so myself) status updates.
Perhaps… just perhaps… now that Facebook made it possible to subscribe or follow or whatever they call it normal profiles instead of having to friend everyone… I should’ve just opened up my personal profile completely, kept that, and used it as basically a fan page.
Think about my klout score!!! *buries head in hands* Oh, that hard-to-build klout score…
I think it’s too late now, though! And I don’t want to go back! I want a great klout score. I want a strong social media presence. But I do not want to have an active Facebook profile. I don’t want that at all. And I think – and maybe this is foolish – but I think in this instance, I am allowed to sacrifice the opportunity to have more popularity for happiness instead.