Here's a blog post I wrote about social media. I tried to keep it inoffensive.
I also tried to keep the accompanying video inoffensive, while conveying my observations truthfully.
Here we go.
Social media offers many benefits- an ability to stay connected with friends in a more visual way, especially if they live far away, and a chance to share about yourself, perhaps with some added distance that makes things feel safe. It’s basically a way to provide and receive information- and accessible to many individuals. There are of course cons to these components as well, but I wanted to focus on some aspects of media and how I’m making a concerted effort to change what I see as needing improvement.
- Your Time: Any business account you follow, the posts are ads. Not inherently bad, as the information could be sweet or valuable, but, still, ads.
- Too many ads, a lack of valuable information, and a tendency to scroll in a zombie like state are quite the combo for taking up a lot of your precious time.
- Zoning Out: habit to escape the world in a less healthy way, than some alternative means (like meditation, taking a walk, seeing a friend in real life or, hey, just stopping for a second and observing life around you- it’s kind of a crazy thing to do, but valuable, I find, in how it just brings me back to the present- and how to deal with it.)
- Inspiring Others: The one good aspect of social media that immediately comes to mind is, those (...rare…) accounts that promote a positive lifestyle or an aspect thereof. So long as they are able to stay consistent with the positive message (like, of compassion, empathy and thinking outside of our knee jerk or socially mandated wants) provide valuable content, I’m all for it.
The thing is, I’m bored. And I really hate scrolling and seeing what is, quite frankly, a lot of garbage and bravado. We don’t need more ads for products or services that don’t serve us or even are an outcome obtained by harming others we don’t see (think- ads for companies that notoriously award contracts to ‘sweatshop’ factories).
We don’t need a lot of what is on social media.
According to a 2018 survey by Global Web Index, the average individual is spending 2 hours and 22 minutes on social media every day. That’s a lot of time.
I know you won’t be spending that much time on Zimt stuff (... that’s for me to do! Yayyyyyyy!), but, I think that if you are spending even a second on Zimt stuff, I want it to at least be valuable. I don’t really care about simply reminding you of our product for the product’s sake. I’d like to, if anything, remind you of why we do what we do. Ultimately, very ultimately and never easily, it is to fulfill our mission statement:
The point of Zimt is to generate revenue as ethically as possible through manufacturing and sales of high quality confections, to support required operating costs, and equally importantly, to donate 1% plus of our sales to effective charities
Zimt is committing to only valuable content- it must be:
- Accurate facts + education on topics to aid you/others in a tangible way
- Spreading joy without directly advertising a product
- Informing you all about updates within the company (new products, events, etc.)
So- that’s still my goal. It’s why I haven’t posted much on social media for a long time- good content takes a lot of time. And a lot of my time is still spent being active in production and keeping our manufacturing space running. We wouldn’t have a product to give you, otherwise, and, we need to sell product to fulfill Zimt’s mission.
Another goal? (And a concrete, personal, long term one, at that...)
Adopting lots of best friends, like this cutie from Pitty Love Rescue. Go to their site you will want them all <3 <3 <3 So many babies who want a cuddle buddy!
I have been chipping away at some topics, though- and I don’t really know how to make this happen, but, I am really going to try and deliver- because I think they are valuable and I want to share that information with you.
Oh, and while we’re at it- get that screen outta your face! Time to take a minute to do something better.
Emma