Blogging in Second Life is one of the many activities one can take part of, whether it be a fashion blogger, a content creator or you spend your time like I do with a combination of many niches, if you feel like it, you can probably do it if it peels your interest.
This is the part of my MBS Blogging in SL series; where I talk about subjects like blogging, how to start, Branding yourself and representation and the social media game.
Please note that these posts first go live on my Patreon and then made available publicly.
Before we start, I have written before about the reality of blogging in Second Life and Blogging basics in previous posts, please take the time to read through them as more than once will I refer to them.
MBS | The Reality of Blogging
MBS Blogging in SL | Blogging Basics
MBS Blogging in SL | Am I a brand?
The Social Media Game for bloggers in SL is tricky. For the most part we all know and hear a lot about words like Engagement or Tracking or stuff like that that when we look into it is daunting and heavy because of all the data influx put up front to everyone involved. But please do not let this discourage you from blogging.
Most brands in SL look at the blogging pictures rather than content so depending on where their focus is and what they like to base their opinions on, you have exactly the same chances of getting a sponsor as ANYONE else on the grid.
So let’s talk Social Media
Social media for SL has been for the longest time centered around two major websites: Flickr and Facebook.
Flickr is a search engine that works based off networking and groups.
Facebook is 100% networking, group sharing and quick content and interaction/reaction.
Having both of these is usually what most brands will require you to do, or at least one of them, usually Flickr.
So why is it important that you put some effort in one of those? Is it really career changing and of great importance?
To an extent, yes. And I say to an extend because this depends a lot on your goals, your ideas and what you intend to achieve as a blogger in SL. Which is probably a subject we will discuss at a later time.
They are your portfolios and where your work can be seen the quickest. I will go one by one, but please understand this is the reader’s digest explanation of each of this platforms and how I have used them to grow, work, network and engage with my audiences.
Flickr being a photo/image driven platform allows for your portfolio to be seen in one go. Nothing about the content or writing this is 100% image based, which usually will catch the eye of whoever decides to click on your page and review your content. It is also where your branding shines in one go, that’s the uptick that Flickr has it is a PORTFOLIO.
Facebook on the other hand is a scroller, whatever is at top is what and will cause someone to engage or detach from your content, but it also plays with the networking aspect of the social media, the more you interact and connect the more people will interact and see your stuff on their timelines. So Facebook is basically a NETWORKING site.
Twitter is an ENGAGEMENT site, this is the more down to earth brother of social media (from the algorhithm POV) it depends on your content, interaction, posts, hashtags and networking, so basically it is ALL ABOUT YOU. The more you post, the less you say, the more you retweet, the more engagement comes through it. Now here be careful, for Twitter has now strict rules on what can and cannot be linked outside the platform (read their ToS) as well as what can and cannot be said (the bot is incredibly sensitive and can be triggered by specific words) and PLEASE flag your NSFW/Sensitive content.
Instagram is another PORTFOLIO site with a lot more character content and no way to link outside of it, so basically here people can see your content in one go and decide if they want to engage or not. It is now also a very light version of Tiktok. In here be careful for REELS are what the website is pushing above images and as of January 2023 they have changed their algorhitm to be less hashtag based, this follows now a text/interactive hashtags algorithm.
TikTok is the meme worth/light content ENGAGEMENT side you can and should be getting into if you are into video, it is created for everyone and everything and allows for so much from connecting with a much wider audience to growing exponentially with little effort. This site is more for you to have fun and be more genuine, as opposed as being all about business.
Special mentions
The following websites are special mentions for they are NOT social media but they help with growing your brand if you are taking your content creation seriously. Now here please copnsider that this is mostly for brands/people who wish to engage with a MUCH BROADER audience and that are intending to grow above and beyond just images, my blog being the best example of this.
Pinterest is a IMAGE SEARCH ENGINE, this is one of the most difficult for SL growth since this one is dependant on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) a lot and not everyone is versed in it. But remember this is NOT a social media, follows here are not as important since no interaction is meant to happen, this is more for growth and to extend your content. It is INCREDIBLY important that you keep in mind aspect ratio, linking and SEO. I do not recommend you attempt this much unless you read up on how to use it and spend more time researching on it.
Youtube and Vimeo are VIDEO Platforms, they are in no way made to be social but they are great for vloggers, now take into account that Youtube is much better for any vlogger since it comes loaded up with preset legal content licenses, while Vimeo does not. Using Youtube will minimize your legal risk in comparison to Vimeo.
After this whole explanation, why is social media important?
It helps you, your brand and your content to be seen and grow more. The beauty of social media is that you are not NEEDED nor is it a MUST to be in all of them, you can use just those that fit your brand and style.
If you are an the type person who is not well versed in social interactions or you just do not enjoy them, Flickr and Facebook Pages may be for you.
If you are someone extremely open willing to share your knowledge with the world knowing full well the consequences of your expressiveness, Flickr and Twitter + Facebook may be for you.
If you just like keeping your blogging and personal separated, then maybe Flickr + Blog Website for blogging and Twitter for expression/personal is your tune.
Whatever the combination it is what adapts to YOU, not to what people expect.
MiwaBunny 