What Happens When People Notice You?

Parts of the blogosphere are up in arms because a “mommy blogger” wrote a piece in which she went after other “mommy bloggers.”

Some cheered and some booed her for her actions.

I read the post and the one that followed and shook my head because it is the same commentary and criticism that has surrounded it all since I jumped into this game more than a decade ago.

People always cry and complain about whether posts are authentic and claim that blogging/social media are dead or dying.

The answers to me are simple, some bloggers are authentic and some aren’t and no, blogging/social media is not dying.

What Happens When People Notice You

A short while ago I went to see if comments had been opened up on the original post and the one that followed because I was curious and discovered the website was down.

It made me wonder whether the hosting company had taken it down because of overwhelming amounts of traffic or if the writer had chosen to suspend it.

Either one of those are possibilities but the latter one is what got me thinking about what happens when people notice you.

You don’t write one of those posts unless you want to be noticed and the same is probably true about bloggers in general.

Most of us publish our work online because we want to be seen and to be heard. The reasons may vary and our interest in the scope of notice may vary too.

What I Tell My Children About Social Media

The kids have been told/lectured/reminded and talked to about posting things online on multiple occasions.

Every one of those discussions involves me telling them to think before they post. Think about what might happen after the words/picture/video they post goes up.

Is it something that might embarrass or offend themselves or others?

Are they willing to live with the consequences of posting it?

The majority of the time the likelihood of something bad happening is quite limited but it is still there so they need to think about what happens if they are noticed.

I remind them I think about these things too and that I am not sharing my concern because I don’t trust them but because…people.

Sometimes people say/do things with the best of intentions and others respond in a way you didn’t expect or predict.

I can stand against the world in support of what I feel is right and I am teaching them to do this too, but I am also working on teaching themselves not to paint themselves into corners.

The majority isn’t always right, honorable or noble, but then again that might be true for the minority too.

You have to be willing to think and to ask yourself the hard questions about who you are, what you want and why you do as you do.

And you have to understand when and how to compromise and that is one of the truly hard choices in life.

Our Next President- 2016 Election

We’re talking about the coming election and how to make the right choice for president.

I tell the kids some of my friends will never post who they are voting for online because they are afraid of it hurting their chance to get a job or to retain/obtain clients.

They tell me they are sure it must be because they are voting for “Clinton/Sanders/Trump” and I shake my head no.

“They are worried about potential consequences coming from saying they support any of the candidates. There is always someone who will think you are smart and always someone who will be angry about your choice.”

The kids say that’s not right and that you should be allowed to vote for you want to vote for without consequences.

I nod my head and say I agree and then remind them that people are not always tolerant of the choices we make.

“Most people are good and there might not be any consequences but you don’t always know. So you need to think about what you are doing. I don’t want you to be afraid of the world but I don’t want you walking around thinking everyone is your friend either.”

They nod their heads and I continue.

“Part of life is figuring these things out as you go.”

I don’t mention how many times recently I have seen people post things on Facebook that read “If you are voting for XZY you can unfriend me now.”

Another Word About Influencer Blogging

We can end this with a comment about influencer blogging. It is not going to die or go away.

Some people will always look sideways at reviews that are written by brand ambassadors or anyone who has received items for free.

But brands will always being willing to pay/work with people who can get their product/service in front of prospective customers.

You don’t need millions of followers or readers. You just need to show them you can them in front of the right eyeballs.

The industry as a whole will continue to evolve, but it is not going to die. It is just going to change a bit, like it always has and will.

What do you think?