2018 Hurdles and Challenges RANT

It seems I am not the only one making changes and cut backs for the new year. Social media seems to be taking a turn and it leaves me questioning what I really want from the year. Read below for my rant, questions, and ideas to overcome these challenges.

Instagram

I'm sure you've seen all the spam of panicked social influencers across Instagram regarding the new algorithms. I've never followed closely the changing trends with Facebook or Instagram. I just keep on trucking what I'm doing. I'm not about to ask my followers to put more effort into my content than they already do.

Sure, about 85% of my followers don't actually see my content. That sucks. But I can't prove that it's the same 85%. Maybe it rotates between followers, maybe I have spam accounts following me that never look through their feed. It doesn't bother me. No matter how the algorithm changes, or how my page grows, I know that people can see me if they want to.

I don't want to take the fun away from Instagram. It's my favorite social media site. All of my content for Twitter and Facebook is directly shared from Instagram. I rarely post exclusive content to these sites because I just don't have the interest in them right now.

I like Instagram because I can just scroll for days and stare at pretty pictures. I don't like every photo of every person I follow. I like a photo if I like it. I comment on a photo if I'm genuinely amazed or have a question, or want to interact with the poster. I will never ask my followers to put more effort into my followers than I'm willing to put in to mine.

And if this means less people see my posts, well then that's okay I guess. I really want to focus on fun this year. No strict rules or goals or guidelines. (Keyword is strict - of course I still have goals and guidelines for the year!)

​YouTube

The other big curve ball right out of the gate is YouTube. They rolled out some new rules for monetization and that kinda sucks. YouTube has been really hard to grow, and to lose the monetization takes the fun right out of it. This was the email they sent:

I currently have just over 150 subscribers, and only 271 hours of watch time within the past 12 months. Now it's harder to say "I'm all about the fun and don't care about the numbers" for videos since it takes a tonne more effort. I can't just scroll through my phone and post something. Videos take planning, effort, and worst of all, a bra.

I still will post videos, but rather than the 2 per month structure I was originally planning, it will go back to every once in a while. They will be patreon exclusive and/or early access as that will be my main income! So in other words, so much for being more active on YouTube. xD

I think I will also be cutting back on the unboxing giveaway videos. I still like doing them, but they will not be monthly. They will be as they become available, either through personal interest or sponsorship.

Blog

The blog definitely lost it's structure over the past year. This year, I still plan to include a bulk of content flowing here, but I will be less strict on my posting.

I can't seem to get off my Tuesday schedule, so I will still post main blog posts, or tutorials, or reviews, or rants, or other content on Tuesdays, and #FeatureFridays will always be on Friday. BUT - the big change will be only one blog type per week. This should space out my content and give me some breathing room!

Conclusion

Wherever you came from, however you found me on this journey, thank you for being here. You've made my life pretty awesome and I cannot imagine how my life would be different if I hadn't found this hobby. And if you find yourself in the same troubled spot as me, find yourself being pushed out by social media, just remember that this started as a hobby. Let's get back to fun!

So, 23 days into the new year, I'm revising my goals to be looser with my goals, and to focus on fun. I will challenge myself and create more costumes and looks than before. I will help to empower and encourage others in the community. Let's focus less on followers, and more on creation and friendship! Success doesn't need to be measured with numbers, a successful year can just mean you smiled a lot and had fun. Let's make 2018 the most FUN year yet!