Social Networking Getting You Down?

Let’s be honest, no one likes to do the hard work it take to run a blog when you have to do what seems like 100 more things.

If you are a writer, then usually, in a day you need to think about how much time you have to write, how much time you have to do other personal commitments, and finally, how much time you have to go on to any of the social networking sites.

Social networking not working?

I’m not surprised.  Too many times, I’ve heard of people commenting that they go on Facebook for a moment, or Twitter for a minute or Pinterest for a while.  Then these same people wonder why they aren’t as productive as they hoped they might be.  For them they aren’t doing a lot of networking but rather time wasting.

We’ve all done this.  We could be working on our books, which can earn income, or we could be writing on our blogs, or filming YouTube videos by the dozen in the time it takes to do everything on these great sites.  They are great.  They are wonderful tools to keep traffic coming to you and to your work and products.  You have something to offer to people and you have the means to do it, and…

There is a ready made platform for you to do it.  The problem is not that it can’t be done.  It can but it takes a lot of determination and commitment to your goals to make networking work for you.  Other people have to come and spend their money for you to continue to work and write.

Other people are doing the same, and seem to offer just as much as you do.  Makes you want to scream at the universe why isn’t it being fair?

I’ve learned that this is where “burnout” happens, this is where no matter how much I want something to go well it does not.  I can cry and scream and whine I’ve done everything I can to show how great my stuff is to the world, but when it comes down to it, I’m not.

I’m not saying I’m lazy or have too much time on my hands, but there is a lot out there, and there are some days I don’t have much in the way of creative ideas, and maybe something on Facebook or another social networking sites will have something great I can write about.  A couple of hours later I am still on said site, and internally beating myself up over the fact I am still there not making any serious money.  I have published books, I’ve got webinars out, I’m on YouTube, and one would assume that I am somewhat organized.

I can be, but there are days when social networking gets me down.  I’ve got projects due or writing to do, or blogs to post.  Then I have to go and be social.  Or, sociable so people will find my site and hopefully comments.  Except that there is this headline which grabs my eye or this person retweeted my things or something, and I feel the need to continue on where ever I am and work towards, and I’m already just tired thinking about what I need to do, and the fact that I need to have social media and this needs to be done.

It can make it feel like a chore, and I don’t doubt you too feel like this can all get you down.  You might have 10,000 followers but if no one retweets or shares or re-pins your work, and this will make you feel horrible.  Then, if you’ve done your rounds of networking in the morning you have a blog to maintain.  This is going to make you more frustrated.

Don’t let it.  Social networking is a game of numbers, at some point, some magic will happen, you might gain the right follower or you might come across a great way of saying something and the magic happens.  Until it does, the best way to avoid feeling angry or frustrated about what is or isn’t working.

The best way to avoid “letting social networking get you down” is by playing the timing game.  I use a timer on my phone, 20 minutes on Twitter, two minutes are given for following people back, 10 for retweeting, and eight for doing my own links or replying to people who have commented or mentioned me.

This has helped me feel more relaxed and more willing to write, and to do what I need to do which is write and build a blog which makes people want to come back.