Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Questions about that social media stuff

I used to love MySpace; I was on there all the time, checking in to see what my real and virtual friends were up to. That’s where I had my first web presence and my first blog. MySpace was so cool—I could connect with people I’d have never met otherwise, and through MySpace I made at least two new friendships that I truly value.

As the more user-friendly Facebook caught on, everyone seemed to desert MySpace. I haven’t been on MySpace in a while, but I suspect it’s as vacant as some of the strip malls I see around town here in Las Vegas.

I love Facebook! I feel it definitely strengthens established friendships, since it’s so easy to keep in touch, and it helps cultivate new friendships, too. It also makes it easy for me to keep up with my family. Some of my Facebook friends are folks I know only through the blogosphere, but I feel like I know them in real life. In time, Facebook may experience the same demise as MySpace, though I think it will remain intact for quite some time.

As far as Twitter goes, do I need to say again that Twitter can kiss my ass? God knows I’ve made some bad calls in life, but from day one I thought Twitter was an overhyped piece of 140-character shit and I still think I'm right about that one. I’m surprised it’s hung in there this long.

On to blogging… I love writing posts and I LOVE reading about other people’s lives, but I do wonder about the future of the blogosphere. Everybody is so busy these days and there are so many blogs competing for readers’ attention, I wonder if people will start to get burned out. I know I’m way behind on my blog reading and sometimes I actually get stressed about it, like I hope [insert name here] isn’t pissed because I haven’t visited lately.

So I have some questions for you:

1. Do you think that readers will burn out and today’s blogosphere will someday look like the deserted MySpace strip mall? Does blogging ever stress you out?

2. How about corporate blogging? Do you ever read corporate blogs, or are you like me and care only about real people, not corporate propaganda?

3. What about Facebook? Is it here to stay? (If they ever stop f*ing with the interface, right?)

I know that Twitter can kiss most of your asses, so I’m not even going to ask.

P.S. I’m going to keep blogging no matter what. I really value the friendships I've made through blogging. But more than that, my mother would kill me if I gave it up and she still scares the crap out of me.

17 comments:

raydenzel1 said...

I think I will be reading blogs and writing for a long time. Where else cam you voice a thought, post something funny(you hope), write a poem, find something you didn't know, find someone interesting each and everyday and meet people around the world.

Julie D said...

1. I don't think blogging will burn out as fast as MySpace did, simply because there are too many good, interesting blogs out there. There wasn't a lot about MySpace that was educational or informative. Yes, blogging stresses me out, I used to feel like I had to blog daily to keep my readership up. Now it's every few days, and I've learned to be okay with that.

2. I don't read corporate blogs.

3. I think FB will succeed, until they start charging to use it, which I believe is coming.

Oh, and Twitter...I am on it, but I don't get it. Frankly I think it's pretty stupid.

Tara said...

While I prefer MySpace to Facebook, it seems like Facebook will stay. A lot of people I'm hearing from are switching back to MS because of all the changes FB is making. Corporate blogging is boring. I prefer to read about real people. Twitter, no matter how hard I try to like it can kiss my ass.

Oh yeah, looks like Saturday the 20th will be the night I can come see your show. I'll be bringing Mikey as my date if he's available.....

Anonymous said...

1. Blogging totally stresses me out. I really care about the people who's blogs I read, but I feel like I don't have enough time to read them all. I do think that the blogosphere will survive though. Like Julie said there are too many interesting blogs out there!

2. I do not corporate blog.

3. I think FB will stick around until they start to charge. Which I wonder if that is coming????

I don't Tweet. :-)

Perplexio said...

1. I don't think people will burn out on blogging. Some blogs will die out due to lack of posting or lack of followers/commenters. But blogging in and of itself is here to stay-- the style of blogging and content may change over time but I doubt it will ever really go away. Blogging never stresses me out. I consider it a hobby. I know people are busy and have their own lives so I don't take offense when they don't comment as often and hope that they don't take offense when I don't comment on their blogs as often for the same reasons. But I never let it get my knickers in a twist.

2. I don't think corporate blogging will last. I don't believe most people even read corporate blogs. The only type of corporate blog I see being successful would be a corporate intranet blog to communicate information to employees of that corporation and for those employees to read and discuss that information. Generally people outside that corporation don't care enough about companies they DON'T work for to participate on such blogs.

3. I think Facebook will outlast Twitter, but I'm not sure it's here to stay... I once thought myspace was here to stay and last time I checked my account there I saw a cyber-tumbleweed blow through. The same fate could befall Facebook if someone else comes up with a better or more user friendly social interaction site.

I think Twitter is a passing fad. I don't tweet, nor do I read tweets of others. Twitter is the epitome of social masturbation and vanity. I don't care what other people are doing every second of every day in 132 characters or less and I'm pretty sure not too many people care what I'm doing up to the moment in 132 characters or less.

sandy said...

'Love Facebook and I recently became your friend, 'never look at My Space pages and don't twitter. I am however, a blog reader fanatic. I don't have one of my own......simply not clever enough...but I love reading others.

sandy

Hurricane Mikey said...

Blogs come and go, and they have since the first blogspot site popped up on the scene a few years ago. Lots of people start blogs, but very few keep them up. It's hard work, and after those first few great ideas that people have, they find that the well is dry. Those that last are the ones that keep the content coming on a regular basis. You can't build a readership if you're only updating once a month. More is better.

Corporate blogging is a joke. It sounds cool in meetings with the out-of-touch bosses, like whatever buzzwords are in fashion at the time, but nobody ever reads them--they're too PC and uninteresting. Seriously--try and name some good insider info or something newsworthy you found on a corporate blog. Even better, try and name a corporate blog!

Facebook, I'm pretty sure, is here to stay. I never really *got* MySpace, but then again, it was geared towards middle-schoolers. Facebook is a great tool in so many ways and I can see the utility of it. It's replaced the chatrooms of ten years ago, and it's a wonderful way to keep in touch with family and friends. But yeah, they need to quit f*cking with the interface.

Twitter is just electronic moronitude. I gave it a shot for several months, but I never got the hype, and it found it to be pretty useless. Not only that, all the 'tweets' and the over-use of tw-this and tw-that just make me want to kick people in the tw-nuts.

Also, I'm getting tired of the term 'social media' also. It seems contrived. Kind of like how everything is 'interactive'. No shit.

I Hate to Weight said...

i love blogging. otherwise, i'm computer illiterate. i can't figure out facebook and such.

i do get stressed out when i get behind. haven't figured that one out. i think i need to quit my job. ahhh, dreamy. but then i'd have a lot of other stresses!

Rochelle said...

I definitely suffer from blogger guilt at times ("Oh I should post today" or "I really need to read through my blog roll and leave comments") and I don't even have a job - what the hell else do I have to do?!?

I think that blogging will be around for a while -- there's something for everyone out there and there is a lot of turnover and new blogs coming out every day to keep people reading.

Have to admit - Facebook kind of overwhelms me - I only check once a week-ish and the idea of Twitter just gives me an ulcer!

Jay said...

I think Google is going to change the interweb. Just today CNN ran a story that Google is testing broadband service that is 100x's faster than today's broadband, which in theory would allow someone to download a feature length movie in less than 5 minutes. Pay .99c, start download, pop a bag of corn, and voila, you have a movie you're viewing from the web on your 100" HDTV. Yes, I realize that's not social media, but it's still pretty cool. :o)

It just feels like the interweb will be changing in a big way and some 15yo in his bedroom will create the next big instamatic social media thing.

classicrockforthesoul said...

I'm late on this one but I almost got eaten by all my homework.

1. I don't think blogging will ever go away now. It's gotten so huge. Personal blogs, news blogs, opinion blogs, etc. But yes, it does stress me out. Especially when I've been gone so long and come back and feel overwhelmed!!

2. I don't read corporate blogs so I can't really judge 'em.

3. Facebook fo life. :)

Vegas Linda Lou said...

Hmmm... very interesting. Looks like blogging is here to stay, though I think I'll suggest we can the corporate blog idea at work. Thanks for your feedback!

Bar L. said...

Yes, I get stressed out for the same exact reason you do - not enough time to read the blogs I care about and worry that I will hurt someone's feelings. I like Facebook and think its here to stay. I don't read any corporate type blogs, mostly just people blogs and a few on very specific topics.

I actually like Twitter, but I don't think of it as a social place, I follow mostly news sites or special interest sites about recovery, mental health, etc. and get all the latest info in just a few minutes.

gayle said...

I love reading blogs but it does stress me out because during the week I am usually a day or two behind. Then I catch up on the weekend. Just like now I should be in bed ..I need to be up at 6am to get ready for work.
No corporate blogs
Facebook ..check it out everyday
I only write blogs when I have something I want to say! Or a picture or two I want to post!

Darlene said...

This is my first time visiting your Blog. I will never get tired of Blogging. I do get a bit tired of my own Blog, and that is when I venture and see what others are blogging about. I would not be on here so often if I was working full time. It takes time and time flies when I am on here. I enjoy those that I have met and those that I am meeting. There is so much to learn. I think it will be around for a long time to come. I like Facebook, but do not like the changes they make. If they start charging I will be gone. I have never twittered or been on My Space.

Ed & Jeanne said...

After almost four years I must say that I have the same level of readership as my peak. Sure, they're are new faces to replace old but there are people that read me every day without fail...

The Vegas Flea said...

1) Of course we're all going to say blogging is here to stay, as we all blog, or at least try to...lol. I do like the whole blog thing, however, quality, well written and frequently updated blogs are hard to come by.

2) Fuck corporate blogging. Everybody keeps talking about using social media as a viable advertising avenue. Makes me wanna puke, actually. Isn't anything sacred? I get spam comments from companies at my blog, and wanna reach through the computer screen and choke someone.

3) Fuck facebook too. If you wanna know what I'm up to, call or email me. If we haven't spoken in years, there's probably a reason.