Facebook?

<p>I've been using Facebook for some time now, and I'm enjoying it. I own and belong to several groups that pertain to my other hobbies and get a lot out of sharing my photos and seeing those of others. Also our family members extend from one coast to another, and FB makes it so easy to share news and info with all. They can respond or not, but the info is there for them to see if they want to.</p>

<p>I did similar activities on Yahoo Groups for several years. A while ago they decided they wanted to be more like FB and royally screwed up their efforts. I migrated my interests to FB and it worked out great. One Yahoo Group I started was for area railway enthusiasts, had around 150 members. When I announced I was going to discontinue the group and start a similar one on FB, most members came with me. One was particularly insistent that he would have nothing to do with FB, saying all of the "faults" of FB, etc. When I asked specifically what it was that he didn't like, I did not get an answer. When the new FB group was going for a while and was gaining new members, who should apply to join but this same guy?</p>

<p>He now participates semi regularly, has posed questions and gotten some great answers from the members and now appears to have accepted Facebook. The group now has around 750 members and is going strong, with regular postings of local rail related events and news.</p>

<p>So often I've had people say they didn't want to do FB, but couldn't supply reasons why. Many seem to think it's about teens posting what they had to eat, etc. Well maybe they do, but not in any groups I belong to. Give it a try, if you don't like it you can always close your account.</p>

 

<p>Thanks everyone for the useful and helpful responses. More than I expected and why P/N is still the place for me to get answers.</p>

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<p>Social media is great. So is slide film. But if you don't know how to use it, you're wasting your time.</p>

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<p>Where does one learn how to use social media, Karim? And from what quantifiable level of experience and authority does the person teaching it draw from since this is all fairly new and untested technology?</p>

<p>I was hoping for something more in depth and meaningful in your comment considering you're a social media director. Or are you one that's setting the trend of providing light conversation posing as useful information just enough to grab attention while keeping everyone in the dark wanting more?</p>

<p>Now that's a waste of time.</p>

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<p>The group now has around 750 members and is going strong, with regular postings of local rail related events and news.</p>

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<p>That's great for those who are interested in local rail related events and news, but I'ld like to see a good example of that dynamic happening in photography on Facebook.</p>

<p>It appears the only way to do this is to have an alternate hobby or interest where the person takes photos of activities related to that interest and posts them on FB. But that's not photography conducted from the pure creative sense of the word.</p>

<p>I mean I haven't found Facebook's interface design options that allows a photographer's front FB Time Line page be the actual gallery when folks click on a link to it.</p>

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<p>That's great for those who are interested in local rail related events and news, but I'ld like to see a good example of that dynamic happening in photography on Facebook.</p>

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<p> <br>

I'm in a number of photography groups on FB. Unfortunately, the most useful one is not something you can see unless you qualify to be in it, Concert Photographers, but it has tons of information, photo posts, discussion of how to deal with common and uncommon photography issues at concerts, etc. It has around 5000 members including many people I shoot alongside. It's both useful and enjoyable as someone who does that type of photography.<br>

<br>

I also belong to several groups about "abandoned places" photography and get a lot of ideas for where to shoot.</p>

<p>There are pluses and minuses to it. But I think the main point is what someone said earlier.. it's really up to you how engaged you choose to be on there. Some people spend every waking moment refreshing their news feed and interacting and posting, etc, etc. Other people just jump on once in a while to keep in contact with some people they no longer see often or catch up on what's going on. <br>

I definitely think it has its uses for not just kids but also adults. It's really what you make of it and what you want to use it for. There are a lot of good groups out there. You just always have to be careful with what you put out there and you have to familiarize yourself with the privacy settings so that you don't leave yourself vulnerable in any way. </p>

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<p>" new and untested technology?"</p>

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<p>??????</p>

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<p>And from what quantifiable level of experience and authority does the person teaching it draw from<br>

</p>

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<p>Good question. It's sort of like photography: there are no 'authorities' or 'qualifications' in the traditional sense. However, there are people who share their knowledge, and there are things which often work and often don't. Cecil Beaton was not an 'authority' but he's worth learning from. Your 'qualification' is your output.<br>

</p>

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<p>I was hoping for something more in depth and meaningful</p>

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<p>There are lots of useful tips to making your social media usage more fun and more useful. Let's start with this tweet from Sree Sreenivasan, Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC:</p>

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<p >What's common sense in real life is common sense in social media.</p>

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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/sree/status/581589840984174593">https://twitter.com/sree/status/581589840984174593</a></p>

<p>Read all the sub-tweets for more.</p>

<p>You can be cute. But not pompous, smarmy, insulting or arrogant. You can be helpful, but don't signal virtue.</p>

<p>Some tips are photography related - photography is a big part of social media. I don't really have to talk about that here. But I've seen people post underexposed photos, photos with awkward compositions, clipped highlights, unnecessary filtration/processing, cluttered scenes, etc.</p>

<p>Spelling, grammar and clear language are essential.</p>

<p>Leica's <a href="https://www.instagram.com/leica_camera/">Instagram account</a> is more about photography than cameras.</p>

<p>Shorter sentences are better. Shorter paragraphs are better, and they should be double-spaced.</p>

<p>If you use Instagram, avoid those stupid f****** filters. By not using them, you'll not only demonstrate taste and restraint, but you'll stand out as well.</p>

<p>Avoid using too many hashtags. Use them in context where possible, as opposed to at the end of a sentence.</p>

<p>Facebook videos get more views if they're embedded and short.</p>

<p>Be clear and don't use unnecessary adjectives. For example, "#Rolleiflex TLR, 1980s, VGC" with good photos and a price is better than "Awesome Rolleiflex film camera, a real retro analog head-turner!! DM me for the best price! #filmisnotdead #filmrevival #lomography #film #filmphotography #filmcamera #analog #retro #rolleiflex #rollei #filmoninstagram #instagramfilmshooter #analogfilm #photography #camera #cameras". Then again, do what works for you.</p>

<p>Some of Steve Jobs' emails were precisely one word long.</p>

<p>The more you tell, the more you sell.</p>

<p>Social media posts are not scientific papers or academic essays.</p>

<p>Your audience's religion, sociology and politics are none of your business.</p>

<p>Difficult customers are actually not that difficult IRL. Do you know one of Jehovah's Witnesses? Buy him coffee and ask him how he deals with threats and hostility.</p>

<p>You can tweet a lot if you want.</p>

<p>There are specific strategies for different social networks if you have a specific need. Are you a film maker who uses Twitter and Instagram? Look for advice specific to that. Some courses cost money, but not very much. There's room for both <a href="http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/">Steve Huff</a> and <a href="http://www.reidreviews.com/">Sean Reid</a> and many others when it comes to camera reviews. It's similar with social media strategies.</p>

<p>What has been shown to be highly effective in advertising can work in social media. Two of my favourite books ever written are <em>Confessions of an Advertising Man</em> and <em>Ogilvy on Advertising</em>. Not only will you learn a lot but they make excellent reading. Treat them as if they were text books, to some degree. You'll know more about advertising by reading them than at least 50% of copywriters on Madison Avenue.</p>

<p>Apple's media and communication material is instructive. Copy it - in spirit, at least.</p>

<p>Branding is important. It's a long game, so measure twice, cut once. (Mind you, we're getting into marketing/avertising territory here).</p>

<p>It's better to be right than to be first. (Oops, now we're getting into self-help. Help!)</p>

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<p>Your 'qualification' is your output.</p>

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<p>How will one know they didn't waste their time if all they go by is their output? How does one know they know what they are doing? Are there provable results in that output and how do they measure it?</p>

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<p>??????</p>

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<p>Gordon, here's a question for ya'...can you get anyone in social media technology to explain how they accomplish their work on a daily basis and tie that to provable results that make a real difference other than getting numbers of "Likes" or short sentence comments? </p>

<p>Kickstarter is a pretty good metric for seeing how effective social media accomplishes something since it centers around people talking with their pocket book instead of their need for attention. You would not believe how many go bust on that site on both sides of the investment aisle. </p>

 

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<p>I'm in a number of photography groups on FB. Unfortunately, the most useful one is not something you can see unless you qualify to be in it, Concert Photographers, but it has tons of information, photo posts, discussion of how to deal with common and uncommon photography issues at concerts, etc. It has around 5000 members including many people I shoot alongside. It's both useful and enjoyable as someone who does that type of photography.</p>

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<p>Jeff, that's a good example. I'm guessing those 5000 members are are a mix of hobbyists and those who make a living selling concert photos. I'm surprised there would be that many members for a specific and limited photographic subject.</p>

<p>But I'm having a hard time believing it's enjoyable using Facebook's interface especially with posting photos in that narrow Time Line column. And having to view photos in FB Photo Gallery pop-up black surround with a comment section on the right is even more irritating. </p>

<p>I take it the administrator of that Concert Photography FB site doesn't move poster's text and photos around to where you have to hunt for them upon returning several days later in order to catch up.</p>

<p>I use both Facebook and Instagram (in addition to maintaining my PN account). Not all kids have abandoned Facebook (the popular cry is that "adults have taken it over" but that is not the case based upon my 17-year-old daughter and her friends). As others have said, you can make of it what you want. I agree with Damon that you would be better served listening to those who actually use it than listening to those who dismiss it out of hand. It has provided me a way to stay in touch (or regain touch) with family, friends, former classmates.</p>

<p>I have found the oft despised Instagram to be very useful in learning about many fellow Chicago photographers. Two of whom I have ended up meeting personally. There's a lot of talent and inspiration out there if you want to look for it. If you have a particular photographic interest you can often find like-minded groups on Facebook, and via "Hubs" and tags on Instagram. As with almost anything, FB is what you make of it. </p>

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<p>can you get anyone in social media technology to explain how they accomplish their work on a daily basis and tie that to provable results that make a real difference other than getting numbers of "Likes" or short sentence comments?</p>

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<p> <br>

This is actually quite simple if the goal is to impel people to go to somewhere on the web, be it a blog, website, purchase page, etc. Virtually all web analytics programs have a "Referrer" measurement that allows tracking where users originate. It allows me to see how many people come directly through the site (as opposed to a link), how many come through Facebook, how many come through Twitter, how many come through other sites. Facebook offers statistics also, in particular a measure called "Engagement," which includes a number of actions users can take including Likes, clicks, and Shares. Since I can track Likes and Shares, I can also figure out clicks. Also, Facebook provides me with a "reach" statistic on each post that is very different than "Likes." <br>

<br>

There's an explanation of Facebook metrics <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/336143376466063/">here</a>. There's an explanation of referral statistics <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/referral-paths-in-google-analytics/">here</a>.</p>

<p>I created a phony facebook account for just that purpose, but every time I post a comment to something like a newspaper article I wonder, why did I do that? It seems like such a waste of time. Why do I care what strangers I will never meet think, and why do I want to tell them what I think? It's just ridiculous, stupid, egotistic, and arrogance really. I seldom do it anymore, and like all things unhealthy, I regret doing it as soon as I revert back to this habitual, unthinking behavior.</p>

<p>The good news is that I do it only rarely now, so it's moving in the right direction. A journey of a thousand miles and all that. That's so true. The time I have left on this earth is important to me, and I should stop wasting it w/ silly, non constructive, unhealthy acting out. That pretty much sums up most of our internet activities. Probably better to just jot things down in my journal. That feels OK. Something like this is OK too, as it's a direct response to something. But reading an article and hopping on the keyboard to tell someone that they are wrong and here's why I'm right is foolish and not OK. Western society is an aggressive, ego driven culture, and nothing good ever comes from aggression and ego. Look at the world we live in! Cause and effect personified.</p>

<p>The internet has it's uses, but 90% of the time we spend on it is a poor use of our time and energy. It's also very addictive. I would be happier w/o it for sure. Most of it is just information, and information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and even wisdom is not truth.</p>

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<p>This is actually quite simple if the goal is to impel people to go to somewhere on the web, be it a blog, website, purchase page, etc. Virtually all web analytics programs have a "Referrer" measurement that allows tracking where users originate. It allows me to see how many people come directly through the site (as opposed to a link), how many come through Facebook, how many come through Twitter, how many come through other sites. Facebook offers statistics also, in particular a measure called "Engagement," which includes a number of actions users can take including Likes, clicks, and Shares. Since I can track Likes and Shares, I can also figure out clicks. Also, Facebook provides me with a "reach" statistic on each post that is very different than "Likes." <br /> <br /> There's an explanation of Facebook metrics <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/336143376466063/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. There's an explanation of referral statistics <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/referral-paths-in-google-analytics/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>

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<p>Jeff, how does all that ultimately make a substantial difference to socializing and improving the human condition outside of convincing a vendor to place ads and paying pennies per click? Or better yet make a large group of folks take note of one's photography that leads to numerous sales.</p>

<p>I still don't see discussions over people buying photographs online. It's almost as if they'ld feel embarrassed to admit it. Photography online seems to be only a support service driven by the ad business.</p>

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<p>Jeff, how does all that ultimately make a substantial difference to socializing and improving the human condition outside of convincing a vendor to place ads and paying pennies per click? Or better yet make a large group of folks take note of one's photography that leads to numerous sales.</p>

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<p> <br>

It tells me how well I'm driving traffic to my site. Although I don't run advertising, traffic is very important to me, it increases access to events. Without access, no photographs, no reviews. It may not "improve the human condition," not much online does, photo.net is mostly a chat room that doesn't improve anything either. However, the site does give people enjoyment and I can't continue to do that without traffic.</p>

<p>After reading Ayesha Curry's remarks on the social media during last night's NBA playoff game, it is clear you should never take your device to am emotionally charged event. Even though erased immediately they are out there forever.</p>

<p>As with any social media platform, there are two sides to facebook, and as many posters before me have said, it is what you make it. On the one hand, it's a good way to keep in touch with friends and even post photos of your lunch if that's what you really want to use it for. On the other hand, it can be a really useful marketing tool - as <a href="https://www.1and1.com/digitalguide/online-marketing/social-media/tips-for-successful-facebook-marketing/">this article</a> points out, the fact that it covers such a wide variety of different demographics makes it an extremely powerful tool. It's pretty easy to adjust the privacy settings so that only selected people can see certain things, and you can choose to accept or ignore any "friend requests" - even better, if there are too many mundane posts flooding your feed, you can simply hide posts from that person (and they will never know!) :D I guess my point is that Facebook can be an extremely positive experience if you use it wisely :)</p>