Managing Online Presence

We can’t be on all platforms, all the time.

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok… The list of online platforms goes on. Family, friends, acquaintances and connections push or pull us to one social media platform or another, and we remain on them when the content we see and the value they deliver are worth our time.

But not always. Sometimes we linger on a platform; We start out using it, and later disengage for some reason. Our connections might be keeping us there even when we’re no longer active. I noticed that’s what happened with me on Facebook. Despite having wonderful connections there, I’m just not making use of it or engaging much with my Facebook friends. I launched a business page there and it got almost no engagement, even with paid ads. Yet I’ve been hesitant to leave Facebook. So I asked my wife: Would she miss Facebook if we weren’t on there? The answer was: No.

This is not a knock on Facebook, nor on anyone using it. I will definitely miss some of the groups I’m part of, posts from family and friends, and some of the other content. The fact is, if I remain on Facebook I just won’t be using it much – other platforms deliver more value to me and are more suitable for meeting my goals. So after much hand-wringing I have decided to leave Facebook to help me focus.

Surprisingly, some of the nicest people I know on Facebook applauded my decision. And I’m remaining a Facebook ‘customer’ as I plan to stay on Instagram. I felt huge sense of relief after making this decision. Now I’ll be able to devote more time to the platforms I prefer. We simply cannot be on all platforms all the time, yet the pressure to do just that can be overwhelming. I’m taking a stand to better manage my online presence, and take back control of some of my time.

You’ve taken time to read this – thanks you! Prefer a platform? Find me on LinkedIn and Instagram. ◼︎