Social Media Dilemma

Free music download at the end of this post.

Social media – so necessary for connections today, so tricky the algorithm. I really do have a love-hate relationship with social media. However, recently I have become even more dissatisfied with social media. First of all, I really don’t have time to post all the time, and the real benefit goes to the owners of the platforms. The onset of the algorithm to each platform changes everything and serious creators who are also entrepreneurs have to promote their posts to get engagement.

I can understand that somewhat, but it’s a very unfair advantage for creators. Sure, I’ve made a few connections and sales on social media but I find that creating posts frequently is really a time thief. Yes, I have tried scheduling posts. It’s still a time killer. Scheduling itself is a time thief. We have to be careful we’re not spending more time on social media than with God and loved ones. What’s even worse is that my Facebook page got hacked and Facebook has been non-respondent, totally unreachable.

I tend to stay away from businesses that don’t offer human customer service and Facebook is one such business. Why do we even bother when Meta can’t even hire an accessible team to take care of such situations that arise? Do they really care about the users of their platform?

Here is where the dilemma comes in. As a creator in the 21st century, the way to reach an audience and share one’s work is definitely through social media. Otherwise, one tends to exist in a vacuum. Even if a creator’s email list is impressively long, the way to attract more subscribers is to share on social media. The same goes for creators with short email lists. In order to grow that email list, one has to share on social media. Where else are people going to find out about a creator’s work? Sure, in-person events matter and that’s real connection, but how many creators are constantly at in-person events?

Social Media Dilemma: A Love-Hate Relationship

Therefore, social media is necessary to build an audience. I am so caught up in this dilemma and I have chosen to remain on social media but as of right now, I think only two platforms are worth my time because they serve the needs of their users. Those two platforms are Pinterest and YouTube. Ever since YouTube started offering shorts, creators have seen increased engagement and subscribers, including me. For me, it doesn’t feel like I’m in an ocean desperately seeking attention. Instead, I get an engaged audience looking for what I offer.

Of course, this situation led to a poem of the same title as this post, Social Media Dilemma. At first, I had titled it Social Media Blues but after setting it to music and recording it, I decided a dilemma is really what the poem is all about. It’s seasoned with some Jamaican patois. You may listen to the music or acapella version below, as well as enjoy a free download of the music version of the poem here.

SOCIAL MEDIA DILEMMA

I'm quitting social media
It's a time stealer like no other
It controls your mind like no other
Robs you of your time
with loved ones and God
so why bother?
Oh! For marketing and networking!
You asking to see my follower count?
My worth is in my follower count?

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Paul, mi want back mi thousand dollar
Dem ya a fake follower
Dem nah like mi post
Dem just a mek up number!
Paul ignore mi so mi block him
And post three, four times a day
Like HootSuite say.

How many people like my post?
Did it perform as good as the last one?
No, is like nobody nuh see it.
It's 2am and I just woke up
Let me see how many
likes and comments I got
Dat more important than sleep it seems.
I spent all day making that video 
and Instagram not showing that reel!!!
Boost this reel.
Oh no! Show it for free
Over six thousand saw the last one for free 
Why do I need to boost this reel?
The video I wanted to run at four
Tiktok decided it nah show it 
'til de next mawning
So mi miss mi peak time fi post
And now my follower dem gone a work
Dem nah look pon Tiktok in a de mawning
Dem deh a work!

I write poems
and Facebook only want fi see mi face
A poem without mi face
is a poem nobody press like for
And the men compliment mi looks
and not de style o' mi poem
De man dem tek social media fi dating site
No more DMs please.
Who is in for a #writerslift?
It's shameless self-promotion day on Twitter
#followforfollow and #likeforlike
hashtag dis and hashtag dat
But after dem get me likes and mi follow 
is like dem can't see nutt'n mi post after.
Now you know why only one person like mi tweet
As long as there's a like button I'll press it 
even if is my own post or my own reel or my own tweet.
And I try Clapper 
but don't even get me started 'bout Clapper
Let's just say it's a very different world 
over there
And that's all I'll say
Perhaps you'll figure it out
but now that I've stopped posting on Clapper
I'm getting likes and followers
So, go figure.

Social media strategy is not fi everybody
So you see why I have to quit
It really nuh wuk fi me
So mi can't bother!
Now mi will get more sleep
And nuh have fi worry 'bout creating content 
fi keep current
Social media is a time thief
And follower count really don't matter
in de grand scheme of things
So Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter and Clapper
I quit!
But probably dis poem will go viral
so mek mi stick 'round fi it.
Tiktok you see it? 
More than two hundred views please. 
Well, hello Threads!

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