Category: WebsitesCategory: Websites

Using comfortable tools is important if we want to make the work we’re destined to make.

Note I didn’t say the “right tools.”

There’s lots of opinions and made up rules about the right tools to use, especially in the marketing of our creative work. The Social Media Escape Club is based upon dismissing the idea that social media is the right way to get our work out into the world.

For many, social media is uncomfortable. Dashboard metrics are uncomfortable. The idea of “creating content” to talk about work is uncomfortable. Using certain software tools, or computer programs – they’re uncomfortable.

We’re allowed to not use social media platforms, or perform at noisy bars.

We’re allowed to turn down opportunities that don’t align with our values.

We’re allowed comfort and ease in how we work, and how we make our art.

Says Kening Zhu in “the joy of missing out on platforms:”

“The more I’m nourished by my work, the more that others have the possibility of being nourished by it too.”

This is why I moved my paid members from Substack to Memberful. I don’t like what I’m seeing on that platform, and right now I wanted to ensure I could protect my member and data by moving somewhere else.

Was their discomfort in the move? Of course. But that’s what platforms do – they make it easy to stay. Untangling ourselves from these platforms is difficult work, but if there is comfort on the other side of that, then it’s worth it.

Photographer Marcel Borgstijn is another photographer leaving Instagram:

“A nipple in a fine art photograph violates community standards, but watching someone’s final moments apparently doesn’t. These aren’t community standards; they’re corporate calculations designed to appease advertisers and political actors while maximizing engagement through shock content.”

That’s been happening, but now there’s a new straw that broke the camels back: “Meta found a new way to violate your privacy.”

While we can wait for congress to enact laws to protect consumers (hah!), or wait for a new centralized kingdom of power to rise up and take their place, Marcel has a much better idea, which is “building our own spaces and inviting people to visit on our terms.”

Yes, he admits “it requires more work,” but goes on to say “when you control the platform, you control the experience.”

It all comes down to control. If you build your brand, your business, your entire livlihood on a platform you don’t control, you risk losing everything for almost any reason.

If you pay your web hosting bill, and keep your domain name current, your website will outlast all of the creepy social media platforms.

Taylor Swift controls all her music, and she even controlled the news, driving zillions of people away from social media to her website with a post saying “Letter on my site.”

No, you’re probably not as big as Taylor Swift. But will you get to her level faster playing the same social media lottery with everyone else?

What if you spent hours every day practicing? Honing your skills? Connecting not with legions of people but a few good ones?

Sure, social media can help you find an audience. But a website with a newsletter sign up form can help you keep one.

Lex Roman talks about wanting to write more, and how you can’t exactly always do that with a newsletter. Something written generally… gets sent out, and you don’t want to send multiple emails per day (or per week, maybe) to your readers.

Plus, it gives your work a home. Your newsletter generally isn’t your permanent address, it’s the delivery truck that transports your readers to the places you want to take them.

(link via Alex Dobrenko)

From Dan Blank, in “10 things I wish every writer knew about marketing.”

“What if instead of redesigning your website, you reached out to one person each day for three months? Where your goal was a meaningful conversation, a generous act, or a thoughtful reply.

I have seen writers not only learn so much in this process, but create wonderful connections and opportunities. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to spend your days talking with people who love to read?”

I say do a little of both, but with a twist.

Let’s stop redesigning our websites, or rather, let’s just strip them to the bones and get back to the writing. I’ve had enough of the Squarespacification of what a website should be.

The blog format has endured because it works. One of the most popular websites in the world uses the blog format. Just a photo, followed by a block of text. Then another photo, with a block of text.

It’s called Instagram. Look it up.

Magazines, newspaper articles… photo, then text. Photo, then text.

THEN… then share some of those posts with people from time to time. That doesn’t mean blast it to “everyone” on social media. Instead, send one link to a person from time to time.

“Here, I wrote this is a bit ago and was thinking of you…”
“Hey, remember that time we did this thing?”
“I know you’ve been struggling with X, and I just wrote something about that.”

Our website is the library in our cozy cottage in the woods – not everyone visits, but for the right people it’ll feel like home.