For a long time now, I’ve watched my Facebook stats fall. Even though I seldom check my blog stats (a deliberate choice), I can’t seem to turn off my weekly Facebook notification without turning off all Facebook notifications. My latest stats made me a sad panda.
The way the Facebook algorithm works, it prioritises those already popular, those who receive lots of likes and comments, those who invest significant time in engagement, those who are clever, creative, interesting, those who have a clear social media plan.
I’ve little hope to change my lonely status….for now. The fact is, at the start of 2012, I choose to re-direct the time I was investing in social media back on other priorities. I had to. My wake up call was feeling I had missed too much of my youngest daughter’s first 9 months because I was too distracted. I know this because I could recall how much I engaged with my oldest daughter’s first 9 months prior to discovering social media.
I was also going back to work four days a week which meant even less time for social media but also less time for my daughters, amplifying my guilt at those early wasted months.
I dropped Twitter first. I could not justify the return on my time investment. Engaging meant putting in the time. The “pop-in-and-out” isn’t usually seen as “playing the game” (or am I wrong?). And if I did just throw a status update out here and there, I didn’t want to just be talking to myself. I do enough of that at work to keep sane! (However, funnily enough, I keep accumulating Twitter followers. Spammers, I hear you say. Probably.)
Regular “facebooking” was next to slide for similar reasons to those above.
So whilst my Facebook stats are depressing, I’ve chosen my path so my head says I’ve no grounds to complain or compare. My heart, however, still needs some convincing.
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What do you think about the Facebook algorithm? Has it affected your strategy for engagement?
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P.S: I’ve kept up my regular Instagram habit/addiction though and love engaging there. Come join me!
P.P.S: If you are really struggling with the Social Media Blues and want some practical tips, you might like this article – “10 Ways to Beat the Social Media Blues“.
P.P.P.S: Anyone know how to just turn off weekly page notifications?
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Ramblings of a Mojo-less Blogger
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Mixed Gems 
Hi, I had the same problem but my hubby had been talking about the Buffer or Hootsuite for awhile. I didn’t do anything about it until Redcliffe Style did a blog post in it that I signed up. 4-5 or more scheduled tweets/facebook posts over the day. I also have always re-tweeted articles or other blogposts rather than twitter chat to stay in the game.especially as a newbie blogger and a 6 month old baby. I have no ideas how to turn off notifications. X
Since FB introduced its new way of selecting posts that are seen, lots of fan pages have seen significant drops in fan engagement. Its been a huge wake-up call to many! Mine has fluctuated up and down over the past 6 weeks, though I try not to focus on any stats too much – I have to remind myself why I started the sites and it wasn’t so I could crunch numbers!!
A handy site to read about Social Media and strategies/ideas/suggestions is:
socialmediaexaminer.com
Some of their ideas have helped me utilise FB better….maybe you can find something that works for you at the site?
Yes, some things are more important than social media. My excuse now is that it’s part of my job! 😉
*Shyly raises hand* I check my blog stats, but I do little on twitter and facebook. After the new edgerank system came in for pages, I decided spending so much time trying to be witty was wasted if only a few (facebook chosen) people got to see it. Good on you for disengaging – I spend way too much time achieving not much! #FYBF
Interesting post. I don’t promote my blog via facebook as I keep facebook for connecting with family and friends. But even for this use I have been thinking about deleting my account for months now. I don’t get much positive out of it. As for twitter, I would struggle without it. Living in such an isolated location, twitter makes me feel connected to the rest of the world. It provides contact with real people and I’d be incredibly lonely without it, that’s sad huh?
I wouldn’t sweat the stats. If you do feel good about facebook just get rid of it. If the numbers are causing stress then it’s probably more trouble than it’s worth.
I don’t get FB updates actually.. somehow I guess I switched them off haha. I think it’s really not possible to keep up with all the social media platforms with work and family commitments. Something has to give and for us, it definitely will not be the family. I don’t really have a “strategy” on FB but I do link up my IG and network blogs there for easy posting. Sometimes if you share too often it’s like “spamming” and I’d rather not be so extreme either ;p
Ai @ Sakura Haruka
Don’t let it get to you. If people are visiting your blog & interacting with you on the platforms you value, then as a blogger with other priorities, you are probably getting out exactly what you need! I don’t do twitter apart from automatic updates via FB but I’m a FB junkie & use it to microblog more than I actually blog!! x
Hey Veronica yr stats are positively brilliant compared with mine. You are on the A list … Me? I’m on no list Sista. I’ve got a full time job and a poppet to love, I can only devote limited time to this but my heart is where it’s needed most so it’s all good. I’ll pop over and say today to you on fb soon xx
I’m still yet to ever read my Weekly Facebook Page Update. I’m too scared.
Stats / schmatts I say!
If it becomes too much work, it’s not worth it.
Gabs x
I know what you mean, I feel like keeping up with social media is a bit time suck and it’s hard to get off the hamster wheel. The only “good” thing about your FB stats is that with FB’s new procedures, no one is really getting much exposure through it anymore. I would say my FB views have been cut to 50%-75% of what it use to be. The theory is that FB wants you to pay to promote your posts on your fan page in order to get people to see them. As such, FB is not as relevant as it use to be.
I’ve given up on trying to figure out the FB algorithm stuff. I just keep using it to connecting with the other bloggers but give it minimal time.
Instagram is still for me the best way to connect with others and I make the most of being able to push my content out onto FB and Twitter. But even the past week or so, I’ve been so busy with life that IG has been neglected. And I figure, too bad. So many important things going on right now.
FB stats doesn’t read the longevity of the friendships that you’ve already made xxx
I completely suck at Twitter – I feed it from instagram and Facebook but I totally forget to go on and check it and respond to people. It is hard to spread yourself so thin. I think you choose what works for you and play there. for me it is Facebook and a bit of Instagram. But Facebook is soo temperamental. One day you can have over 200 likes on a picture or a status and the next day – crickets. I try not to get too caught up on the numbers, same as comments. I can have a post on the blog that has 1900 views in a day and 1 or 2 comments which if I let it, it would totally deflate my ego and my moral. Its a juggling act though isnt it. That said – it is lovely to see you pop up in my reader 🙂 xx
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