Hello, again, hello...

No reason for this photo except it's pretty, I took it and it makes me happy :)

Well, I know it might sound weird but I have not blogged, Facebook-ed, tweeted or any of that "social media" stuff for a couple of months now* and I can't tell you how good it feels. Probably not the best way to start a blog post, I know, but it's the truth and I need your help.

I like blogging, and plan to do it again with more frequency, but other social media is a mystery to me. They (whoever "they" are) say if you are an artist, maker, entrepreneur you need to be on it, promoting yourself and others, sharing content, "liking" and consuming, forming virtual bonds with your fellows everyplace you possibly can.

Having checked out nearly every book on social media marketing from the local library and having read too many blog posts that give advice on how to handle the varied outlets, I still can't get my head around it.
"Create a game plan and stick to it!", they say
I say, "Give me a flowchart! Can I have a flowchart, please?"
"Share meaningful and informative content!" they say
I ask, "What IS that, exactly!?"

More than once I have found sites that list the number of hours per week that should be spent on social media (for promotional purposes, anyway) to be 20.... TWENTY HOURS SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA?? A WEEK?? Who are "they" kidding? I don't have a marketing department or a social media specialist on my staff. I am my staff! *sheesh* Note that this total doesn't include blogging, which is time-consuming in and of itself but more rewarding, IMO.

Anyway... I'm simply befuddled by it all and it stresses me out. Even as a "social" user of social media, it stresses me out. While it's nice when a beloved but long-lost friend finds you and you can re-connect, it's also a bit creepy when some stalker ex-boyfriend finds you, too, which is why I keep my privacy settings pretty high on my personal Facebook profile. I like living in the real world, having interactions with real people over a nice (cheap, but nice) bottle of wine or cup of coffee but we also still have a phone that is connected to the wall at our house. It's all SO last century...

So, I'm not sure what I want to come from this little tirade except that maybe some of you who are one-person makers and/or entrepreneurs can offer me some advice. How do you utilize social media in a way that's meaningful? How do you budget your time and what outlets have worked best for you? Anyone out there have a social media flowchart? I'd love to see it! :)


*DISCLAIMER: I have been on Facebook during this short hiatus, but only in a truly social way - keeping up with close friends and local events.