Saigon, Vietnam
Estimates for social media users top out at 4.9 billion in 2023.
Some bloggers completely write off social media for a range of genuinely valid reasons.
I get it.
Facebook organic growth died with the dinosaur.
Twitter showed promise but seems unstable as a long term traffic source based on its lightning-rod owner and a fickle user base.
God knows what Tik Tok is up to these days.
But turning your back on all social media sites is a mistake.
Nearly 5 billion human beings signed up for accounts on social media sites.
If well over 1/2 of the world’s population runs an account through a few websites it makes little sense to ignore this large chunk of humanity for any reason.
Social media runs based on specific narrative. Like any egoic endeavor, social media owners project their fears onto the world by trying to dishonestly mine personal information, sway elections and hold the fear-system together, in general.
But 5 billion humans have user accounts on those websites. Does it make sense to ignore 5 billion human beings on those websites because you cling to a different opinion on political issues? Nope. Does it make sense to ignore 5 billion human beings because social media owners engaged in shady practices? Nope.
Case in point; Tik Tok is a highly invasive social media site. I know; almost immediately after uploading a video I see a Tik Tok version downloaded to my phone. As the amusing US government attempts to ban Tik Tok across wide channels the same US government uses far more invasive, sinister methods to track most of what you do. What Tik Tok does is child’s play compared to the US government; I do hope you are not wet behind the ears enough to see the ban is a classic:
“Hey we’re watching virtually EVERYTHING you do whenever we please but this evil social media company from abroad is spying on you left and right! Pay attention to them not us! Ban ’em!”
Anyway, my point is this: for the spying going on at Tik Tok – which goes on all the time in more ridiculous ways from your government – I access millions of bloggers, some of whom want blogging tips, by uploading videos to Tik Tok. Why turn my back on millions of bloggers to help because a foreign government may be doing what your government is already doing? Isn’t that foolish? Who am I hurting? Tik Tok? Tik Tok has billions of users. Does having one less user hurt them? Or does accessing millions of bloggers help me and help those bloggers?
Social Media Is Not the Enemy
Social media itself is not the enemy.
How you use the platform depends on what the site yields as far as benefits or drawbacks.
Social media sites appear to be easy scapegoats for the glaring, negative downsides experienced at a level of scale. Yet the billions of human beings staring at their phones now have free will. None of those billions are victims. Everyone possesses the freedom of choice.
Adopt this frame of mind to see why social media is not the enemy but a channel for reaching 5 billion human beings.
Think of the 5 Billion People (Especially if You Have No Blog Traffic)
If you have no blog traffic I have good news for you.
5 billion people use sites like:
Target your marketing campaign on these platforms.
For example, a blogging tips blogger can:
- publish detailed updates to profiles, pages and groups related to their niche
- publish short form and long form videos to social media sites
- engage ideal readers in communities and groups related to their niche
Remember that you potentially access 5 billion people anytime you dive into helping folks and chatting people up on social media. If over half of the world’s population uses social media I am sure a hefty chunk express some keen interest in your niche.
Target a small group from 5 billion human beings to access:
- targeted traffic
- blogging income
- referral blogging business
But before I wrap things up I do want to make an important point.
Give Most Attention and Energy to Your Blog
Work on your blog most of the time because you:
- own your blog
- customize it how you wish
- set the rules on your blog
- monetize your blog how you wish
- brand your blog how you wish
Work social media sites a little bit of the time to target your readers from 5 billion people because you do not own social media sites, cannot customize, brand or monetize these sites effectively and do not set the rules on these sites.
Do not reverse that ratio.
Some bloggers spend hours on social sites daily and 5 minutes on their blog daily.
Bad idea.
First, give most attention and energy to building online real estate that you own. Slowly and steadily work Facebook and Twitter for a little bit daily to target your readers on those platforms.
As a practical example, consider spending 4 hours daily working on your blog and 20 minutes to 30 minutes working social media sites, if that.
This post is a reminder not to write off the potential of targeting your readership from 5 billion people, not an advertisement for building your blogging campaign solely on Facebook, Twitter and Tik Tok.
The trick is to steadily draw people to your blog from social media sites.
Learn how to do that and you are golden.
This post may help:
10 Tips to Move Comments from Social Media to Your Blog
Conclusion
Never write off over half of humanity.
Spend a few moments daily targeting traffic through social media sites.
Never let your personal grievances delay your blogging success.
