{"id":159,"date":"2013-08-27T22:50:34","date_gmt":"2013-08-28T03:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seth-swanson.com\/?p=159"},"modified":"2013-08-27T22:50:34","modified_gmt":"2013-08-28T03:50:34","slug":"social-media-what-ive-learned-so-far-part-2-the-donts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sswanson-001-site2.gtempurl.com\/index.php\/2013\/08\/27\/social-media-what-ive-learned-so-far-part-2-the-donts\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media: What I’ve Learned So Far (Part 2 – The “Don’ts”)"},"content":{"rendered":"

*WARNING<\/span>* STRONG LANGUAGE FOLLOWS *WARNING<\/span>*<\/strong><\/p>\n

In my last post I started talking about the “Do’s and Don’ts” of using Twitter, trying to focus on building an audience or just enjoying yourself. What I probably didn’t really get into is that those two things are one and the same. Yeah, if you’re going to be a self-published author, developing your audience and social media in general are going to be part of your “job”, but that doesn’t mean it should be dull drudgery. Twitter is something you can, and should have fun with. It’s full of delightful people, crazy drunken authors, and random (possibly smelly) vagabonds. Become one of them! One of us! (One of us! One of us! One of us!)<\/p>\n

Really though. If you’re a pleasant individual with interesting things to say, you will get followers. It may be slow at first, but like anything else, if its worth doing it isn’t going to be easy. Sure, there are a so many “pay us for followers” things in any social media platform that it will destroy any hope you have for the world, but, like the Dark Side, this is the quick and easy path. Plus you won’t actually be able to choke those who displease you or fling them across the room with abandon.<\/p>\n

If you go in for “purchasing” your followers, you won’t actually have an audience. They won’t give fuck one about what you have to say. Sure, you’ll have a nice big number next to “Followers” in your profile, but it won’t mean anything. In this case, 100 people who actually read what you write is better than 10000 who will scan over it on their way to better, more interesting content. Which, bring us straight into the “Don’ts” of using Twitter. Hang on, its going to be a bumpy ride.<\/p>\n