Time for a social media shakeup at Parent Hacks? Talk amongst yourselves.

I just discovered that the majority of "likers" -- people who get Parent Hacks updates via the Facebook Page -- haven't been receiving notifications.

I'm still reading up on this, but from what I can tell, Facebook has changed the interface so that, if I want to reach more people who have already liked the page (not even all of them!), I have to pay to promote each post.

This is...troubling, to say the least. I get that I'm not in charge of Facebook, and they can mess with their interface however they like. But I'm frustrated for those of my readers who prefer to get their updates there haven't seen anything new from Parent Hacks for weeks despite my posting there several times per week.

For devoted Facebook users, this tutorial about Interest Lists may help -- from what I can tell, adding a page to an interest list makes updates appear more consistently.

But this is also a good moment for me to check in with you about your update- and social media preferences. I keep my social media usage pretty limited (that is, I stick to Twitter and Facebook) so I don't fall into the vortex never to return. (I've resisted Pinterest despite many people I respect telling me it's foolish to do so.)

BUT, this Facebook situation is so frustrating that I'm open to something new.

• How do you feel about Google+ and Pinterest? Do you use them regularly?
• How about the good, old RSS feed? Do you still read your feeds? Or do you keep an eye on social media for updates?

Anything else I should know?

Comments

[Jill]

I have a Google+ account, but don't really use it. I'm utterly addicted to Pinterest, but I just can't see how Parent Hacks would work in that format, since it's primarily visual.

I get my Parent Hacks updates through an RSS feed on my Netvibes page, along with many other feeds. Facebook screws around with stuff so much, it would never be my first choice for updates that I actually want to see. RSS works great.

[Rebecca]

I've just made my personal Facebook profile public so people can subscribe and started linking to my posts there. (You can still keep some things private for only friends to see.) I'll see how it goes.

[Observacious]

I don't have tons of followers on my Facebook site, so I haven't been worried about how it pushes content. I spend most of my social media time on Twitter, and most of my blog hits come from direct links, people sharing on Facebook (not originating with my page) and Google searches. I do post my content to Google+, and get the occasional +1 over there, but I don't look at that stream much unless someone sends something directly to me. The funny thing is that I like the Google+ interface a lot, but there just not much over there that I haven't seen already on Twitter.

[Tom]

It's a good question. I manage social media for a business, and I spoke to them earlier this week about Facebook changing its algorithm. Fortunately, most of our social media interaction comes through other channels - LinkedIn and Twitter - so de-emphasizing Facebook won't cost us many followers. In my personal life, I've started using Google Plus again on a daily basis, and I'm cross-posting anything I put on Facebook to my G+ account. I think G+ would be a great fit for ParentHacks - it's a very visual medium and very easy to share photos and videos.

I don't use RSS feeds, but I do follow you faithfully on Twitter.

If Facebook wants us to start paying for the privilege of sharing with the people who already follow us, they're forcing the choice.

[Marisa]

I'm not on Google +, but use Pinterest regularly. Facebook is getting annoying with these feed changes. It hoses blogs/businesses like you and I've also missed some updates from friends. However, it's not annoying enough for me to give up :)

I still rely on my RSS feeds that I read in Google Reader. That perhaps makes me a dinosaur, but I love it!

[Liz Broomfield]

Thanks for this - it's annoying, isn't it. I've just told my Likers about it and offered them the Like button thing or subscribing via RSS or email. I have you on an RSS feed, I mainly Like other people's fb pages to support them. Thanks for highlighting what's going on, meanies, aren't they!

[kirsten]

i'm a minimalist. ;)
i use google reader for my feeds, and i do pinterest. but i do NOT do pinterest for social networking/promoting anything. i just do it for personal visual bookmarking, because that so WORKS for me!

i hate facebook, have never joined, and am even letting my flickr account expire this month. I technically have a twitter account because I had to have that or facebook to join pinterest (stupidest thing ever, but i knew i wanted pinterest) but have never tweeted.

[Erin]

I read via RSS. I'm also on Pinterest. I don't follow you on FB at all!

[james@pacehouse.com]

RSS! With RSS, I can see the articles when I want to, not when Facebook happens to show them. On twitter, they'd scroll by in the stream and I wouldn't see most of them.

[Julia (@3bed2bath1baby)]

I only have you on my RSS feed. I find that blogs that I also have on facebook are just re-posting rather than adding anything new.

[chad swanzy]

I subscribe in rss to updates.

I do not follow the fanpage.

Adding Pinterest would increase your site visits tremendously.
You already know that you would need a compelling image and one sentence summary of the blog post. It will be well worth the investment.

Setup boards for your regularly published categories and pin appropriately.

Inform the readers and encourage Pinterest followers.

Setup a collaboration board for more hacks. You will experience a gold mine of site visits and new interaction.

Pinterest pushes more traffic to my site than facebook and twitter for youthleaderstash(dot)com

[BKC]

Another vote here for RSS on google reader. I got accounts for all the other toys, but whatever. I don't actually use any of them except Facebook, which is for far-flung family.

[Nicole]

I see Parent Hacks through my reader but it seems to me that the content/posts have been few and far between for a while now.

[Ghanimatrix]

I always read PH on RSS. It actually annoys me to see duplicates from my RSS on FB, and I would rather use my Google Reader than get links through my FB feed.

[Jen G]

I have abandoned RSS feeds because I can follow most everything on Twitter. I do have a Google+ profile and check the feed a few times a week, but I don't post much - I feel like I just haven't found my tribe there - know what I mean?

I could that space working well for Parenthacks. as someone above mentioned, it is very easy to share posts and photos, their mobile apps are great and their iPad app is gorgeous.

I am also on Pinterest and love the visual-ness of it. You could use it to link back to your site, but you will need a lot of photos. For example - if you wanted to link this post, you couldn't just use the FB logo, you would need some visual representaion of a shake up (maybe all the logos in a cocktail shaker). this could be a bigger time commitment than you really want to take on. That said, with the book release coming soon, this might be a good time to get the hang of Pinterest so you can figure out if you can use it in your marketing plan.

[Meg W]

I read Parent Hacks through google reader as I don't care for facebook. I do lightly use pinterest and really enjoy springpad though I'm not sure how they would work out for you. I'm just not into social media and realize I am in the minority.

[courtney]

I honestly don't really know what an RSS feed does and what it looks like and not sure I want to set anything else up! So, I get updates via FB and twitter but agree with another poster that with twitter's scroll if you don't read it fast enough you miss it. I also check the site but only when on my laptop. I find the twitter links slow to load (not just your site) so can get a bit frustrated. FB works/ed best for me.

[Janice]

I catch you via Twitter, where I use Tweetdeck to keep from missing things. I wish I had time to really follow my rss feeds, but I can't recall the last time I used it. I have Pintrest and Google+, but don't make good use of either.

[Asha Dornfest]

So! All of this feedback is extremely helpful, thank you. I'm heartened to know that RSS is alive and well. I have heard from many that Pinterest would be a smart place to spend time, so I will open my mind to that. Honestly, I'm less interested in marketing and more interested in the real conversations that happen here. I just want to make those possible for people in ways that work for them and for me.

[Anna]

RSS via Google Reader. I do "Like" you on FB, but my primary way of reading any blog or news content is via Reader.

[Heather]

I follow everything through google reader (rss).

[Kym]

I'm an RSS user....it's just so simple and reliable. :).

[Gwyn]

I follow on FB only. Too busy chasing twins to read blogs individually or add any more social networks. I'll try to follow the instructions above to make sure I see the maximum posts.

[My Kids Mom]

I keep you in an RSS feed with iGoogle, which is scheduled to die in a year. I can't keep up with social media much. I use FB some, but don't use Twitter, Pinterest or anything else.

[Ashli M]

I read via RSS as well...Google Reader. I prefer my facebook feed to be about people I actually know and what's going on with them/pictures.

[carrie hare]

I use my reader.

[Emma]

RSS, Google Reader. Have FB account but use it only for being in contact with people I know in real life.

[KtCallista]

I can't remember the last Parent Hack I saw on Facebook. Honestly the only reason I still have an account there is because my whole family and my husbands techno-limited family finally got on there. I'd leave for Google+ in a heartbeat. I've been avoiding Twitter and Pintrest. I see Pintrest as a time sink. Twitter was a personal choice, and I've seriously been second guessing it this year.

I do get Parent Hacks on my Google Reader feed, that is how I've been keeping up. I love the hacks!

[bethany delgado]

RSS Feeds *only*. I'm distracted enough, thank you. ;-)

[Tracy Friend]

I have been wondering about how your trip went, and why I hadn't seen you on Fb. This is good to know, as I've just started a Fb page for my new app. Uggh! Thank you for the directions. I'll look at those now, and read up on your trip!

I've also avoided Pinterest. So much to do, so little time! RSS feeds, I'm ignorant of those. Same for Google+. And to think, I used to be so tech savvy!

Would you please post on Fb if you decide to change?

[Stacy]

Another RSS + Google Reader vote.

[Malva]

RSS!I don't do social media so Google Reader it is for me!

[Julie C]

I got a Google + account back when it was new & shiny, but I never use it. Right now, I follow you on FB and RSS via Google Reader. I do use Pinterest and if you set up boards there, I would most likely follow them.

[Liz]

I also have you on my Google Reader.

I am on Twitter but really prefer to follow my favorites via RSS. Some days I can't get to Twitter and I feel that if I don't check it constantly, I miss important updates and it can take me hours to catch up on a 3 day old Twitter stream.

I am not on Pinterest--I have three kids who are 4,2 and 3 months and I don't have any time for it at all. I hear it is cool but a major time suck. I recently deleted my FB account too. I decided it wasn't really adding anything to my life at all and I'd rather have the time I was spending on FB to do something else. I don't miss it at all.

In conclusion, RSS all the way!

[k8]

I am currently using RSS to follow parent hacks. I got off of Facebook about 6 mo ago. If you were on Google+ I would follow you there as well.

[Jeri Dansky]

I'm another one who checks my RSS feed daily, using Google Reader, or Reeder on my iPad. My RSS feed is invaluable to me! PH is one of about 200 sites in my feed. I can quickly scan the 500 or so posts that come in daily, and read the ones of interest to me - which is a much smaller number than 500.

I also love Twitter, and use it throughout the day. But if the PRIMARY thing in someone's Twitter feed is a series of links to his/her blog, Facebook page, etc. I won't follow the person in Twitter; I don't need to see things twice. But Twitter is great for sharing quick personal updates, links to cool stuff, etc.

I don't like Facebook at all, and only go there because some family members and friends use it extensively. I can go a week or two without checking Facebook.

I have a Google+ account but haven't used it in a long time.

I've also got a Pinterest account, but the copyright issues make me reluctant to use it much; have you read the terms of service? (And I want photographers and illustrators to get credited for their work - and have their copyrights respected - and all too often that doesn't happen on Pinterest.)

[Nicole K]

I suspect I am in the minority on this but I'll weigh in just the same. Our household does not use Facebook. Our friends think we're crazy since my husband is a software developer and tech savvy but we decided it just wasn't for us many years ago. We have our own website we maintain with photos and prefer genuine social interaction with friends over blips of information posted for all the world to see. Anyway - no Facebook and no Twitter here. I use Google Reader to read all my blogs each day. It works and it's organized. I can unsubscribe from anything that no longer meets our needs and my inbox remains clean. I can email blog posts easily to others when I see something shareworthy. Reading my blogs takes more time than I'd like as it is - I hate to think about how much of my life other social media would suck up.

[Asha Dornfest]

BLESS YOU FOR ALL THESE COMMENTS. It also makes me VERY happy to see so many names I recognize! To answer a few questions:

- Tracy Friend: Yes, I will continue posting on Facebook, and I encourage FB users to share links to hacks they like (by clicking the LIKE button on a post, or by sharing the link directly).

- I'm going to write up some directions for using Google Reader to subscribe to the Parent Hacks RSS feed (and any other blogs' feeds). That REALLY is the best way to read blogs.

- I am honestly concerned about the time sink aspect of Pinterest. It looks beautiful, but I'm still on the fence.

- Let's keep talking!

[Boston Mamas]

Really, the best way I've been able to keep up with my favorite blogs (like yours!) is Google Reader. Twitter and FB and Pinterest are all too fleeting, especially since sometimes I can only sit down and properly absorb blogs 1-2 times per week!

[LO]

Google Reader is the best way for me to read content. When I look at Twitter I just want the quick content on the go. I rarely click on a link to read something longer, if I do I send it to my email for future reference when I might have time. When I'm on Google Reader I'm prepared to sit and read a while since all my favorite blogs are set up there. I don't use facebook. If I ever do I would keep it only for personal contacts anyway or get on to Google + since I use alot of Google things already.

[Jen]

RSS only for me.

[Tet]

I get you through an RSS feed into Google Reader. I like Reader.

I do not use FB. I could use G+, and I do follow others on Twitter.

[DS]

I vote for RSS, as that's how I view your updates. FB is for 20 year olds to share cat pics. Never used pinterest.

[freeadboard review]

LinkedIn and Tweets - so de-emphasizing Facebook or myspace won't price us many supporters. In my individual lifestyle, I've began using Search engines Plus again on a regular foundation, and I'm cross-posting anything I put on Facebook or myspace to my G+ consideration. I think G+ would be an excellent fit for ParentHacks - it's a very graphic method and very simple to discuss pics and vids.

I don't use RSS for, but I do adhere to you consistently on Tweets.

[freeadboard review]

Facebook or myspace is getting frustrating with these supply changes. It lines blogs/businesses like you and I've also skipped some up-dates from buddies.

[Bev]

Google reader here too. I don't want or need blogs on my Facebook. For me the serve different purposes. What blogs I read is persona ( not that is anything to hide) but i hate that everything you ever do online now seems to be linked back to Facebook.

[adrienne]

I loathe Facebook, and left years ago. The privacy policies always seem to be under siege.

Twitter and my feed reader are where I spend my online time.

I periodically use Google+ and Pinterest, but visit less than weekly (partially because there's not much on Google+ yet).

[Emily]

Apparently I'm old school- I follow you on an RSS reader! I like to keep my Facebook just for interacting with friends and family so I don't have any "likes" or "interests" etc. for companies or blogs. And I've never tried Twitter or Pinterest. I need to keep some balance in my life and not be totally sucked in!!

[jason]

RSS via google reader