Value of Facebook?
 

I joined Facebook a while back. So far, I'm still wondering what value it has for my business. So far, I find it to just be a time and energy drain for the most part. I'm curious of the experience of others. I suppose for those who want to share their latest portrait, it's a good way to keep in touch.

Also, do you feel Facebook partially replaces what you might be otherwise sharing over here on the Forum?

The greatest value for me has been in finding relatives, not for my business.

Cynthia, I'm on Facebook also.
I find it's a fast, somewhat superficial forum. I have sometimes tried to comment on someones paintings, but find that the response is not really wanted if the critic is critical. People are not seriously inn for building skill's in the spirit of this forum.

The reason I decided to join was to try to get more web traffic to my writing. I have a few blogs, one of which is not related to art.

I try not to waste too much time on it. I don't think it replaces this forum at all as the focus, even with art as the subject, is not on portraiture.

Since the advent of Facebook, I've noted a marked decrease in traffic on the fora I subscribe to. I suspect it may be in part due to the immediacy Facebook offers.

For my part, I "don't get it" . . . I don't know how to use it, but I signed on, partly because it doesn't feel right to snub all those messages telling me a wide circle of folks I know "want me for a friend" . . . dunno what kind of friend on Facebook I'm being, as I don't really know how to use it.

I use Facebook quite a bit and know of people who promote their businesses on it. I can see how that could be quite effective if done well. There are plenty of websites with tips on how to promote your business on Facebook

I agree that the depth of conversation/critique doesn't nearly approach what there used to be on SOG and that is unfortunate. I do find FB a great way to stay in touch with a lot of artists, and "meet" new ones, though. That's been a valuable thing for me since being a full time painter can be very isolated.

Hmm, I will have to "friend" you Michele. I use FB mostly to help keep track of relatives and a few friends from art school.

Facebook could be a great application for artists but since you are obligated to 'friend' many relative's and friend's requests who may not have an aptitude for art criticism, I would avoid it unless you have a separate account just for your business/artist friends. I personally avoid posting artwork other than using my self portrait for my profile pic. It's not because I can't handle the criticism it is more because they don't really know what to say and I am not really an exhibitionist anyway.

I must say I have personally reduced my use of this forum out of concern for the fact that anyone doing a general search of my name can read excerpts of our discussions. I am content with the thought that what I discuss can be a good teaching aid to others but concerned that to a potential client it may look inexperienced. I am wondering if anyone else out there has this concern as well.

-Amanda

Amanda, I think your concerns about how discussions among painters might present one's work to a potential client in a questionable light . . . in any case, in crits, the knowledgeable can discuss aspects that are often beyond the ken of one's patrons, and hence are inadvisable for "open to the public" reading.

I am, however, laboring under the illusion that this is a closed forum, open only to members who, as practising painters/portraitists, have been "screened" through a jury process . . . ? I believe this to be the case, and so discussions on this forum are not open to one's random clients, however they search . . . Ms Daniels ?

I believe that one has to be a member to participate in the discussion but anyone can read it. What the viewer can read is not the typical format. I will post this discussion I had initiated maybe a year ago as just an example of what will pop up when someone does a simple google search of your name. It is not as high in the search list as it was months ago but I would hate to think that a potential client would read something I wrote and see it as inexperienced. (http://65.127.237.190/printthread.php?t=8904)

Again, it is appropriate for other artists to read as a means of collaboration but not clients. Admittedly, I always do a google search of potential clients.
Any advice Cynthia?

Facebook is more intimate. I have promoted local shows and events and kept in touch with clients through it. I see a lot of artists getting Fan pages and a lot of users getting tired of becoming fans. The fan pages are more for news reports. I do see blogging and Facebook alerts as a way to generate interest. My blog makes me look reliable and can inspire people to buy that particular product. People on Facebook are adept at cross marketing.

The fun of a forum and the random input it generates from the community is what I miss. My old favorite fora are either too big or too exclusive to have that same intimacy I used to have. Facebook allows me to pop into someones life and say "Hi" randomly, but it is very hard to stay up on them. I still don't get it. The format also tend to change just when I figure out how it works.

I just want to announce that I really don't have over 100 friends. That is the part of Facebook that bothers me. I love that people are finding me through people who know me and their friends find me interesting... it is when those friends's friends start getting in line that I feel a bit out of control. I DO like that I can block interlopers, and UNfriend problem folks. But it could be my own control issues.

Twitter for me is completely useless. TOO much chaff. It might be interesting to watch a celebrity but it takes a lot to become one. Even people I am interested in are pretty boring in repetitive unsolicited small bursts.

So. That is my opinion on how it is working for me.
dj*