I like writing. I don’t only write here. It is part of my work. I keep a diary although my handwriting is so bad it can be difficult to read. I used to write stories when I was younger. Just for fun. The last couple of posts here have been less fun, though. I really enjoyed writing them and I am enjoying writing this. But there is, for me, a strange contradiction. I am doing this for fun. Why am I messing around with all the social media cr*p? Trying to get an audience. And then torturing myself, watching to see if an audience comes! Getting a little unhealthy. Time for an invisible post?
Publicity
First things first. It is actually not that much effort. When I post, it is automatically shared on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky and to subscribers. I can switch that off. I also share to Instagram but that is manual as I refuse to give Meta any money. Only ‘professional’ accounts can do that. Professional costs money. Normally I just write a short intro post. Then I need to place a story so the link can be shared as you cannot embed a link in the Instagram post.
It is not that much work. So why does it annoy me?
Algorithms and Sh*t
It annoys me because I cannot figure it out. My most popular post on Instagram last year? Quite possibly the most depressing. An important post as it talked about MS and depression. Important personally but also perspective is needed. It was one post. I write a few posts that are a good deal more cheerful, optimistic.
But the depressing ones do best.
So I did some digging. A lot of over-complex stuff around a lot of people liking the Instagram post quickly or looking at the link behind the story means it gets pushed out to more people. Apparently there is something about how relatable the post is. Depression is, unfortunately, pretty relatable with or without MS. Algorithms and sh*t. Nothing too shocking.
Confusion
Does it actually matter? No, not really. I am not going to suddenly write only depressing posts because Instagram tells me to. Indeed, I am not going to write what I think people want to read. I will write what I want to write. A bit of an aimless wander, that has always been the plan. Cycling will also be more in evidence as a start to prepare for Mont Ventoux. Maybe with an e-road bike but still need to be fit, of course. I will have fun writing it and it feels nice to share it.
There lies the (Meta induced) confusion. I share on the various social medias with perhaps a bit more attention for Instagram purely because it is a fair bit of manual work. Pictures, words. I find myself watching the stats, seeing if the effort is worth it. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. There are the roots of confusion. I would try to explain how it works but… I can’t.
Old F*rt
In the end it is perhaps age. Social media is confusing, disorientating. Dylan Moran puts it quite well, although more around contact than social media. I don’t want to care but ‘the just another’ look takes over. It doesn’t matter. But it does! And then I get annoyed with myself. Which does not help anyone. Then I read up and it says that young people have a different dynamic with these things. They can look later or, heavens above, like something without liking it. I should be more like them! Of course!
What? Why should I be more like them? I HAVE BEEN HERE LONGER!
Then I realise that I sound like an old f*rt. I remember as a teenager trying to explain to my parents that The Smiths are actually quite good. How infuriating it was that they didn’t understand! It felt so important to the teenager. To the fifty plus year old… it does not matter.
The Invisible Post
So this will not matter. I have written posts and not shared them before and this will be another one of these. An Invisible Post. I will not mess around with key words, with SEO Focus Keyphrases. I will just write it, have fun doing it, and paste it and then walk away.
Why bother, then? Well, already explained that in this post and I won’t do it again because it is my choice. If no-one reads it, no issue. If I choose not to plaster it all over various Meta streams and services, I do not think Mark Zuckerberg will lose any sleep. I wish he would, but he won’t.
This will just be a little part of the internet. Maybe you have stumbled across it and are reading. Possibly after seeing one of the posts I did publicise on InstaFaceTok or whatever. Probably thinking ‘hypocrite! No worries if you are. Just a harmless post that, like all, should not matter that much!
The ultimate hypocrisy. Not all my posts are invisble… feel free to subscribe below!