These accounts DID SELF-DESTRUCT February 1, 2012
on January 28th, 2012 at 1:45 pm
It’s the scariest thing anyone can do. Most will never do or dare. How can we possibly go through our daily lives without tweeting or updating Facebook????
Especially when you know, deep down in your ‘knower’ that most social media relationships are one way. Social media gives us the opportunity to take without giving back. Most of us are content and attention hogs… the internet has made it very easy to attract the masses into believing what we want them to believe. They tell us, “nothing personal”, but sorry… it IS personal to this “engager”.
I’ve been an internet social innovator since 1991. My radio show was one of the first IN THE WORLD to have an email address. Imagine in the fall of 1991 hearing your favorite morning show say, “and you can email me at 4985749457439 @compuserve.net !!! In 1993, I had radio stations from around the world contacting me wanting to know how to build a web site for THEIR audience. I was an original AMERICA ONLINE beta tester! Yeah, me, with my 19 baud internet connection!
In 1999, I was programming and using Flash on websites before dial-ups could even handle it.
But then, I have to remember my own preaching, “it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, where you been… it’s “what are you doing now that matters in social media casting”.
And most at this point are thinking, “whatever… what’s your point!”
I’m putting my social media experiences and beliefs on the line. As amazing as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and many other outlets are, it’s not truly changing lives, just moods.
Why is changing lives important? Why the hell not? Radio shows do… or did. That’s why I knew at age 10 it would be my career. And I knew my unique wit wouldn’t fly in a court of law, operating room, or submarine.
Traditional radio used to do it so well. Back in the mid 80′s, I remember how Ron Chapman of KVIL-FM raised six figures, one dollar at a time by call-in pledge, for a spontaneous morning show cause in a matter of a few hours. One mic, one masterful communicator, many ENGAGED and CONNECTED listeners. I know a select still do and can (like the St. Judes radio-thons, etc.)
Who made the rule, “no need to change lives, change the way we perceive life ‘at this moment’?
“Dammit, dude: WHAT’S YOUR POINT!”
OK.
No more cute tweets, no more spontaneous pics, no more micro journalism for me. Anyone can do that. Seriously, it’s not that difficult. And if you can’t, find an account you like, copy/paste, post. If it weren’t for @Mashable, several thousand people would be stumped for a comeback to “good morning”.
Anyhoo….
The person I am (or product if you will) is getting watered down, too smoked-out, yawning chatter amongst all the noise. Like you, I got tricked into thinking that anything I have to say can be expressed in 140 characters are less. No more stories, no more rants, just headlines. If they want to know more, they’ll keep digging. Actually, that’s a ‘hope’ not fact: They WON”T because that next post just took their thought train on a detour.
Nearly three years on Twitter and Facebook, very little movement, very slow conversions… I had to stop and think (while my broken foot is mending):
So then, how deep will a real ‘fan’ actually dig, how much effort will he/she actually put into maintaining a social media relationship?
That’s my test over the next few days.
For the last six months, I have NOT been able to get over 151 ‘consistent’ likes on my Facebook fan page. A dozen or so ‘try me out” on a weekly basis, the loyal base is about 140. And there are several “Twitter friends” that have yet to like my page. I like theirs? Um… hmmmmm…. what am I missing….
My simple question: How difficult is it to like “Like” a page and move on?
OK, fine, it’s me. It’s my posts, pics, opinions, hang-outs. Perhaps they don’t want their REAL friends and family to know they associate with me on Twitter?
A wake up call.
On February 1st, Twitter/Facebook experiment comes to an end.
I will be shutting down my Facebook fan page, YouTube, and Twitter accounts at 12:01am. Any “true blue” fans that ‘really’ want to know what I’m up to, keep in touch, interact with me on a regular basis may do so through this blog and my daily radio broadcast (which won’t resume most likely until mid-spring 2012). Or.. dare I say… call or write!!!
Of course, everything I thought I knew and believed about social networking will now be hypocrisy. Call it ‘my evolving philosophy’!
Unless…
UNLESS……….
If, IF, by my deadline, my CRASH MASH – CRASH KELLY RADIO Facebook fan page has 251 followers, then I will be fairly convinced that a handful of people are actually willing to make an extra effort to read, stop, detour, and click.
If we can’t move 100 fans (out of 8200 followers) to “like” the page, then the fact is that Klout, Tweetgrader, and the like are just a bunch of mystic, intangible techno-babble.
Let’s be truthful: There’s only so much a human can put creative efforts into and (in my experience) if there’s not loyal interaction, then I’m only watering down my product… and I feel I need to concentrate on a single (or more intimate) media venue and present it the very best I can.
Or go sell power tools. At least, I’d be helping people build or create something tangible and measurable.
Participate. Listen. Trust. Dig deeper. THAT’S MY POINT!
UPDATE: 12:10AM February 1, 2012
If anything, I do have integrity 
We say goodbye to @AndyCrash on Twitter!
My last tweet: “It was…fun… oh my! ~ Captain James T. Kirk (his last words)
Facebook fan count increased from 150 likes to 179. A gallant attempt from a handful of Twitter pals.
I’ve been accused in DMs of “knee jerk thinking because of the loss of my recent radio job and broken foot”. However, most of my closest Twitter friends know that I have been debating this for OVER A YEAR! And most of those ‘friends’ stayed “out of it” when I went public… they knew I meant it this time, so why bother to bring their timeline followers into it as well.
According to Feedjit, hundreds were curious enough to read this post. Interesting.
Don’t do it, man. It’s just a down time. I have 10 likes on my page, 251 followers on my website. Small time, but I’m trying. I’m writing my first book and trying to build a readership – and it does get crowded out there – so I try not to ‘water’ myself down by posting too much. I try to change my approach rather then give up.
I myself have contemplated shutting it all down, but if I do that I lose anyway: nobody will miss us. No one will miss anybody! So there is no point to quitting. Just find another way. There’s always another way.
Staying present in people’s minds is very hard these days – we’re competing with a lot of noise. It’s not you. Keep that in mind.
Your friend, David. =)
I trust you’ll keep in touch and allow me to promote your book via podcast… you brought up some valid points, but I’m letting my 8200 followers decide in concert… 100 new fans is hardly unreasonable… at least to me.
Well, at least you have new visitors to your blog… especially from the Albuquerque and El Paso areas.
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Sorry to see you go brother! But I do get your point. Haven’t been active much myself the last 2 months on Twitter/Facebook. But to close-down my accounts, I haven’t reached that point (yet). Hope all is well and hell, let’s go old-school, lets write
Best, The Dutch Guy
Come back Andy! You are missed! Yes, you are. I haven’t been as active ever since I had to give up my apartment, and temporarily move in with my mom. I try tho, thru scheduled tweets. You see, I’m currently on disability due to back problems which includes Tarlov Cyst Disease (I suffer from excruciating pain to say the least). Since NY & NJ doctors (and other state doctors…) don’t know about this, I’ve been spreading awareness. It is Not easy but people from Canada, Africa, Europe, etc… has reached out to me with the same problem… and I love to help. In the meantime, just taking pain meds. Oh… I will probably not be around that much because I am also taking care of my mom (has many health issues along with back problems as well). Tomorrow (Wednesday) she is going in (H) for another spinal injection with anesthesia. So I may not be very active like most But I’ll make sure to check my blog-roll and click on your name. Yes, your blog-link is on my blog-roll list.
Hope your foot is healing quickly!
*hugs*
Isabel Cristina (@TypeRtist) aka “Is”