Robert Cormack

7 years ago · 3 min. reading time · 0 ·

Blogging
>
Robert blog
>
Who's Zooming Who? (Why I Can't Reach 1.59 Billion Users)

Who's Zooming Who? (Why I Can't Reach 1.59 Billion Users)

Person of ihc Year

I had to laugh watching Charlie Rose the other night. A journalist for The New York Times was arguing with a professor over who was gatekeeping the news today. The professor remarked, “Well it sure ain’t journalists.”

As much as I hate to admit it, the professor is right. There is no “power of the press” anymore. Social media has taken over and is using its power in an oddly cavalier way. They call it “curating” only some call it selective favouritism, a type of “who’s zooming who” in the gatekeeping world. 

Facebook was recently accused of employing editors to curate what they consider newsworthy. Only it seems they’ve been suppressing certain stories, such as pieces about Facebook (which could mean you'll never see this) or news with a conservative bent.

US Senate Republicans have now ordered an inquiry, which could be a problem for Mark Zuckerberg. He’s spoken out against Donald Trump (well, to be fair, he suggested Trump is “an idiot” which is hardly profound or indictable) and the Trumpster is supposedly long on memory and quite vindictive.

Now, I’m no fan of Donald Trump, or Conservatives or Republicans—or even Zuckerberg. But you can hardly point the finger at Facebook exclusively. Apple, Twitter, Snapshot, even Google have all built up their own news divisions and all pick and choose. They claim there’s nothing censorious about it. Google even contends they still use “100 percent algorithms.”

Well, maybe they’re just “filtering,” as they call it, since it’s a big world, and you can only accept so much stuff. But contributors like Kate McKissick, creator of Beatrice the Biologist, likens it to corporate blackmail. In a recent article, she claimed “Facebook will start to roll out a new algorithm that will stifle pages’ organic reach to a mere 1 to 2 percent of its established audience unless, of course, you pay to reach the rest of them.”

McKissick had over 180,000 likes at last viewing, which is a hefty number earned one “like” at a time. I’m not in her ballpark, by any means, but I’ve seen the same thing. Facebook now charges pages which we’ve worked to build, meaning we’re being asked to pay for the popularity we’ve grown.

And it’s not just Facebook. To date, I’ve posted 110 articles on Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr and Twitter. Because I don’t advertise, my articles drop to the bottom of the page within seconds of posting. Eight selfies, ten cottage shots and five animal videos were ahead of my article last week. Some of those selfies were 16 hours old. They weren’t even good selfies.

Now, I’ll admit, none of this is particularly new. Giving someone the stage, then asking them to pay when they draw audiences is as old as the hills. At one time, it was even popular with vaudeville. But, back then, performers got a percentage. Nobody asked them for money until they were, in fact, making money.

With today’s gatekeepers, they acquire your content for free, then suggest you advertise. So you give them the content, then pay for the pleasure of having it featured on their pages. As one blogger pointed out, that can be a hell of a lot of readership. He wasn’t kidding. Facebook now has over 1.59 billion viewers.

But Kate McKissick wasn’t kidding either when she said, “If you don’t advertise, you’re lucky if 1 percent of those viewers see your posts.”

In my own case, I’m lucky if a thousand viewers respond to my stuff. You’d think, out of 1.59 billion people, a least a few million would rather read me than look at a bad selfie of an underage narcissist. Unfortunately, just the other day, a girl of that description got over 25,000 hits while the SPCA only got thirty asking people to adopt abandoned pets.

Here’s something else today's gatekeepers should consider. Those who pay aren’t always the ones providing the best content. Our work tends to be a labor of love, while many others consider social media the equivalent of vanity publishing. That’s not necessarily a good thing. Over time, it gets old.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to follow the vaudevillian example, asking people to pay when they’ve made money?

In the case of Kate McKissick, 180,000 likes is a lot of potential interest. Think what could happen if Facebook supported her up front, asking only that she advertise when she has the funds. Wouldn’t that motivate both parties? And isn’t there a greater chance of her success if she's supported instead of cutting her viewership if she doesn’t pay?

In my own case, I’m a novelist. There isn’t money for advertising. In time, with the right viewership, I could sell a lot more books (especially with Facebook having over 1.59 billion users). As my numbers increase, so will my advertising. I’d be a fool not to keep it up. If anything, I’d be spreading the word, telling other novelists to get on Facebook as fast as possible.

Surely that would put Facebook and other gatekeepers in a better light. Someone just posted on Pinterest: “Congratulations on LinkedIn making 26 billion off a website full of unemployed people.” That could easily get a few people thinking (and not in a good way). And once they start thinking, they might decide social media doesn’t have a heart. That’s not exactly the image you want portrayed to big advertisers (not that they have a heart, but they believe they're advertising to people with hearts).

Gatekeepers would do well to stop zooming and start seeing the marketing potential in helping people at the top of the funnel. We may not be the big advertisers, but word of mouth is still the most powerful advertising, and our mouths are just as big as anyone’s (especially when we’re not starving).

What do you think? Should Facebook and other gatekeepers be more supportive of the little guys (and girls)? Let me know at: rcormack@rogers.com

Robert Cormack is a freelance copywriter, blogger and novelist. His first novel “You Can Lead a Horse to Water (But You Can’t Make It Scuba Dive)” is available on line and at most major book stores. For more information, contact Skyhorse Press or Yucca Publishing (Peter Riva).

b32016b9.jpg
""
Comments

Robert Cormack

7 years ago #1

I think the decision is made, Christine, when your bank account isn't in the negative digits. If we can create algorithms, I'm sure there must be a way to determine when an author is in a paying position (I figure it's when they start posting pictures of the meals at expensive restaurant).#1

Articles from Robert Cormack

View blog
1 year ago · 3 min. reading time

The Clint Eastwood School of Writing. · “Hard writing makes easy reading. Easy writing makes hard re ...

1 year ago · 4 min. reading time

Fuck. · “I thought about reading a poem by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never r ...

1 year ago · 5 min. reading time

Without selling yourself short. · “We marry, have kids, do our jobs, provide food, education. Job do ...

You may be interested in these jobs

  • Greater Toronto Airports Authority

    Manager of Data Literacy

    Found in: Talent CA C2 - 4 days ago


    Greater Toronto Airports Authority Toronto, Canada Full time

    Position Summary: · The Manager of Data Literacy and Analytics is responsible for leading the airport's data literacy program and delivery actionable data insights through a comprehensive data analytics and business intelligence program, while championing and supporting data sel ...

  • Hallmark

    Retail Merchandiser Floater

    Found in: Talent CA C2 - 3 days ago


    Hallmark Mississauga, Canada Part time

    Retail Merchandiser Floater (Part Time) - Mississauga, ON L5B 2C9 · Join Hallmark as a Part Time Retail Merchandiser Floater This is your opportunity to represent the world's best-known greeting card brand and play a crucial role in merchandising, creating, and building displays ...

  • LOGIXX SECURITY INC.

    security guard supervisor

    Found in: Talent CA 2 C2 - 5 days ago


    LOGIXX SECURITY INC. Toronto, Canada

    Education: Secondary (high) school graduation certificate · Experience: 7 months to less than 1 year · Tasks · Arrange for maintenance and repair work · Assist clients/guests with special needs · Co-ordinate activities with other work units or departments · Ensure smooth operatio ...