Social Media for Business or for Fun

Time for an update? It's not that nothing occurred to me since the previous post but life changed during and after lockdown. Please accept our apologies for diverting our attentions elsewhere.

On 30th August 2016 (yes, almost 7 years ago) I wrote a post about Google+ and Tumblr which predicted that Google+ was doomed. It died in 2019, R.I.P..

I also made observations about Tumblr which noted... 

Tumblr is a popular blog tool, supposedly, but in my opinion it is rarely used for business. I have struggled to find interesting posts, despite trying a variety of search terms. It seems mainly full of images and these are mostly from photographers and the leisure crowd. I dip back in now and then but find no significant improvement.

So, here is an update of what's changed, in my opinion, since then. I would now state that... 

Tumblr is a popular blog tool, supposedly, but in my opinion it is unsuitable for business-to-business. I have struggled to find interesting posts, despite trying a variety of search terms. It seems mainly full of images and self-indulgence - lost people who are trying too hard to be seen to be different. I dip back in now and then but find no significant improvement. 

Not a lot different, really. And guess what... 100 posts but no more followers. In fact, I think I may have lost one! 

It's probably not a bad thing that there is a non-business element to Tumblr as there are other options for businesses: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok are largely leisure posts. 

Twitter has a foot in both camps, despite all the negative publicity over recent months. 

If you want to advertise your business online, the three listed above in purple text are worth considering in addition to or as an alternative to Google ads. Depending on your niche market, Amazon can also be used for paid promotion. 

Is blogging worthwhile?

As previously stated, Tumblr is essentially a blogging tool. Its reach via search engines does not compare favourably with WordPress or Google Blogger (in the UK, anyway). WordPress is the most interesting, at present, as it offers a free blog (with ads) or a paid option (ad-free). They can both be made to look and function as websites and no other software comes close to the popularity of a professional WordPress-based website.

Personally, I love blogs. To be able to read at my own pace, rather than sit through a webinar or YouTube output, is the best use of my time. 

Keep on blogging! 

FYI, here's some more about blogging and alternatives. 

Google+ and Tumblr Users

Having spent considerable time and effort trying to use Google+ and Tumblr, I'm wondering who else uses them.

I'll deal with Tumblr first as it's the least complex. Tumblr is a popular blog tool, supposedly, but in my opinion it is rarely used for business. I have struggled to find interesting posts, despite trying a variety of search terms. It seems mainly full of images and these are mostly from photographers and the leisure crowd. I dip back in now and then but find no significant improvement. If anyone can guide me on this from a business perspective, please do!

Now, Google+ seems to be an untidy sock drawer, with it's links to Circles, Reviews and Business Pages. I blunder through it as best I can because it's part of Google and may have an effect on clients' website rankings - but I just don't get it. Secretly, I don't think Google does either.

For example, this is The BPc's Google+ page. It has 5 followers. FIVE, compared with our three figure following on Twitter. We have a number of people/businesses in our Circles (i.e. we follow them) but, with three exceptions, they rarely post, the exceptions being: Hitchin Town FC, Novelties Direct and Blogging Tips. None of these have me in their circles (i.e. follow me back), I just have 4 overseas followers and an unknown - not especially useful for business promotion in the UK!

Do I conclude that nobody uses Google+? Pretty much.