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Poor Return on Investment

Raggamuffin

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I'm going to reduce the amount of posts on my Facebook art page. Over the past 2 months I've been increasing the amount of updates to the point where I've been posting every day.

Unfortunately, whilst the number of followers slowly increased, the post reach and conversion rates dropped off steeply in recent weeks. Posting daily was an attempt to feel more productive, and inspire me to create more. If anything; it has left me feeling disaffected and unsettled.

I realise many people have made a huge success from social media, and yet, popular culture and trends don't appeal to me - I simply can't relate to them. I could adapt my style and themes to fit in and be more popular, but I'd rather stay true to myself. I know my work is niche, and sharing it online with hundreds of strangers fills me with doubts and worry. In a stark contrast: when I show people my artwork in real life I feel energised and confident.

Posting art from the comfort of home, and uploading listings to a website required little effort or maintenance. A sign of the modern age - it's laziness; and I expected it to bring success. Whilst I know with time and effort I could gain a much bigger online presence – deep down, it doesn't appeal to me. The internet has a way of making the insignificant seem worthy of our time. I need something tangible - beyond digital gimmicks.

For months now I’ve been stuck in a cycle of spending money on adverts and incessantly checking my social media account throughout the day. All for the cheap thrills of seeing new likes and comments. It feels like an addiction; and it’s an ugly, and debasing feeling.

Next month I'm going to start visiting as many local galleries as possible to get my work recognised and exhibited. Whilst I can be extrovert, I'm predominantly introvert. As such, I want to challenge myself and go beyond my comfort zone. A couple of hours tending to my social media account each week feels lacklustre at best. To succeed in this I have to cast aside doubts and delay. I must invest real time and effort into a more practical approach. I need to redirect my focus away from all the free time I squander being stuck behind a screen.

I want to see new places, meet new people and get my work exhibited in more galleries. To succeed I need people seeing and appreciating what I create – and holding it in their hands. Seeing my work in a photo online is very different to having a framed original in your hand and being able to view it in detail.
I know in my gut that I can make it - if I push hard enough. Whilst anxiety and depression have brought about a lot of doubt and resistance - I'll be damned if I let them continue to hold me back.

Onwards and upwards,

Ed
 
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Good luck with the galleries, sounds a better idea than social media: from what I’m aware to make that truly work you have to put a lot of effort into advertising the advert as it were... a further distraction from the real work itself.

Hope you have a display and some sales before too long. :)
 
I think you have a great idea Ed, even if it means your're out of your comfort zone. Sometimes we have to venture there to get what we want/need.
 
I do drawing and what-not, and joined Instagram a few years ago. I felt pressured to start creating things that weren't true to myself, to appeal to trends and what is 'popular'... but that killed my enjoyment of art. I took a break of nearly a year and have returned recently and am creating things that are true to what I want to draw. The break also made me stop caring about 'Likes' and 'Followers'. I create because I want to, and if someone enjoys it, then great. I'm happy. But I draw for ME and me alone.

So my advice to you is, be yourself. It doesn't matter what you think people expect to see. If you create in accordance to what your voice is, you will find an audience who is loyal to you because they like your unique vision.
 
A lot of people told me to join Instagram too. In all honesty I'm not a fan of social media. I go on a few forums and I use Facebook for Messenger. If MSN had never died I probably would've just stuck to that to be honest.

It's strange how you can get hooked on obtaining likes and followers. I've seen a few friends fall into that trap. Seeing what the post and how they comment to get attention feels very different to how they carry themselves when talking to me.

Ed
 
I am largely reluctant to use social media too, I found Facebook too invasive, but Instagram can be much more anonymous and I don't have to respond to things if I don't want to.

I used to use DeviantArt back in the early 2000's, but that website has really gone downhill since 2005 or so. I'm not sure how one would use MSN for displaying art stuff though? It was just a chat tool, wasn't it? I think you and I are roughly the same age, so if anything MySpace would have been better xD
 
I just meant I used it most in terms of communicating with people online - MSN was my preferred format. I had an art page on FB before and deleted it. I don't really want to do that again - but the appeal is dwindling.

I remember being a fan of Myspace. Back when I first heard about Facebook I wasn't sure it'd take off..

Ed
 
I just meant I used it most in terms of communicating with people online - MSN was my preferred format. I had an art page on FB before and deleted it. I don't really want to do that again - but the appeal is dwindling.

I remember being a fan of Myspace. Back when I first heard about Facebook I wasn't sure it'd take off..

Ed

Ah, yes, totally. I lived on MSN back when I was a teenager. Was the only way I could talk to people at all. :)
 
I don't do FB, Twitter, Instagram or any of those things and I'm fine with it. I find it interesting that few if any of the friends I had in my teen and young adult years do social media that I can see either. We're all Gen X and maybe that has something to do with it.
 

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