-Erika Ray
I have one. Lots of people do. Do you love Oprah? She’s got one. “Like” it and get updates and words of wisdom from the Queen. Do you like the show Supernatural? I know you do. “Like” it and get ready for the new season. Facebook fanpages have quickly replaced my Google reader. I wait for an update and I check the blog. It’s like a little community and a gateway to the blog’s author. I use mine as a way to pimp my blog when I’m actually writing on it. I upload more pictures to it since I rarely visit Flickr. I type things I’d rather not on my personal Facebook page. Me face down with some bourbon? Yeah, that’s not going up on my personal page so Aunt four times removed can see it. But it goes up on my Fanpage.
But I’ll be honest, sometimes I hate Facebook Fan Pages. For a long time it felt weird. Here I am asking people to “Like” me. That’s a weird position to be in. It’s like I’m standing in front of all my friends and family screaming this:
Hey everyone!! I fancy myself as an artist, photographer, and writer. Like me. Do it! Don’t you like me?
I would never do that in real life. Never. But Facebook makes it so easy. And here’s where it gets really weird. When friends or family don’t like it. In the beginning, this was hard to stomach. And now FB makes it worse. They actually point out your friends who haven’t liked your page. It’s like Mark Zuckerberg is saying, “Hey Erika Ray Photography, isn’t it funny that your sister-in-law doesn’t like you? You should make her by asking again?” And then you start thinking:
Don’t they like me? Maybe I think I’m way funnier than I actually am (so true). Oh they’re still pissed from the time I said that uncomfortable drunk comment in 2004. Shit, I thought I took good pictures. How could they sit there at Thanksgiving dinner and not Like my page? Are they not liking it because it will make their other family members uncomfortable? Ok fine. I sometimes say “Cunt.” Maybe they don’t want that in their feed…
I’m slightly exaggerating. In the past, I would think one of these statements and move on. But I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t been hurt or offended if someone didn’t Like my page. Deep down, I realize there are reasons why people don’t like a page. It’s hard on your iPhone. You get the email and your forgot. You never use FB. You really don’t like me. But I’m over all that now. I think. My brother still hasn’t Liked it. I’m not holding a grudge…
Here’s the other thing about Facebook Fanpages that drives me insane. And this is a personal irritation. If you do this, ok. If I think you’re talented, I’ll get over it. Please remember, I have weird hang-ups: toothpaste, wet hair in the tub, gum. All that being said, I hate when people “Share the Love” only to get Likes. Don’t know about this? Let me fill you in. I run around FB liking a bunch of Photogs pages on a particular day. There’s Share the Love Tuesdays, Networking Monday, We Get Cra Cra Wednesday (I made that up, but it should be a day). So I visit the page, Like it, say some nice words, drop my FB page. Repeat a dozen times. And all the while, other photogs are doing the same thing. Driving up Page Likes. This practice drives me mental. What’s the point? I’ve seen some pages that are from towns of 500 hundred people and the photog has 2000 Likes. And the pictures are shit. Why? Look in the sidebar and read where the Likes are coming from.
Spreading the Love Sunday! Go and like XYZ Photography!
Love your work. You might like mine too. Check it out.
Like your photos. Like mine too.
All on the same day. Within minutes of each one. These aren’t people who will ever use her services because they aren’t from the same part of the country! It’s just driving up the Likes. I get being inspired. That’s the reason I Like a page. But this isn’t for inspiration, it’s for a big number that makes a person feel good.
Other things I hate about a FB fanpage:
- I hate when people hold contests to get to a particular number of Likes.
- I hate when people have a blog update on the FB fanpage and then repost from their personal FB page. Yes, I’ve done this but try to only do it with birth session or extremely personal blog post. And I hate that I’m doing it.
- I hate that your FB fanpage shows you how many people viewed a post. It’s only to get you to spend money to promote it.
- I hate when people say, “Getting to emails really soon!” Stop updating your FB page and send me the fucking email!!
- I hate when people upload the same photos to FB and then use the exact same photos on the blog post they just added. Why would I click over? Show me one great photo and make me click over to the blog for the same greatness just more of it.
Sorry if you do any of these. I’m sure you’ve only done one or two of them and probably not very often. Maybe.
A big number of Likes doesn’t really reward you with business or mean that you’re a very Likeable person. It’s just a big number. And before you say, “Erika, you’re just jealous. You want 2000 Likes too.” Yes, 2000 people who like me is flattering. But I want them to Like it because they actually enjoy me. Not because I went on a spree of Liking. I want a community of people on my Fanpage. I won’t ever ask you to Like me to win something or just because I Liked your page. Like me because you think I take a decent picture every now and then. Like me because you enjoy that fact that I say Cunt and won’t apologize for it. Like me only because you want to.
Am I insane with my Facebook fanpage gripes? What irritates you about a Facebook fanpage?
And don’t leave a comment if you haven’t Liked my page…
psst… You know what else irritates me? Blog post with no photos. And I’ve done it twice. Sorry. Take whatever I hate with a grain of salt.
But I really do hate this shit above and I’m not apologizing for it.