Platforms

Captive audience

Ya’ know, I’m trying to establish the ‘platform’ modern writers are required to have in order to entice publishers.  I revised my website using Dreamweaver; phiddled with photos in Photoshop; linked internal and external URL’s; and always use the http://www., just in case.

I have this blog, hosted through Google, which is able to automatically add social media buttons, something I seem incapable of doing to my own site.  There might be more readers if I loaded up with advertising, but ads annoy me while browsing so I don’t.  Most of my links are either ego-boosting photos of my own work, or reference material, primarily from Wikipedia.  I figure inquiring minds wanna know.

 

A stranger with her own business once advised that in order to succeed I must possess the Holy Trinity:  website, blog and Facebook page. I already had two out of three, so I opened a page for my little dog treat business, Woofers and Tweeters, but somehow a personal page was created automatically, invitations sent, and I dutifully began collecting little colored pictures of my pals. 

Qui quaerit, invenit
(S)he who seeks, finds

I rarely post; I’m too scared.  Usually it’s when I have a published story I’d like to share, but it only took me two years to understand that Facebook posters are today’s Life magazine subscribers, preferring to read one or two sentences at most accompanied by photos, and I tend to be more wordy like Time.

I’m LinkedIn, too, but I don’t know why.  As I select my button styles, I turn down the optional counters, choosing to rely on Faith the number of folks who Like me.  Besides, it seems just a tad too narcissistic.  Google automatically assigns counters, as does Vistaprint, who hosts my doggie website, so thank goodness I learned long ago that it’s not the number of friends but the quality.

My main dilemma in signing up for anything has always been that most of the Andrea Jansen’s have already been snatched by some German chick who is a celebrity of sorts, so I’m Andrea dot Jansen dot-5 or 10-something.   I’m convinced she’s helped drive up my website traffic; to soothe my ego, I tell myself that’s the reason most visitors don’t spend more than a few seconds on my Index page.  I read their thoughts:

“What?  Who?  Naaah…”

I’ve decided to tackle all this social electronic work poco á poco, so the other day, while trying to find my Facebook Pokes and Prods, I saw Create a Page.  Assuming it’s adding something to my already established, two-page silly-name account, I once again tried to use my first and last names but nope, not available.  How am I going to resolve this problem?  What the heck do I call myself without infringing on those other Andrea’s copyrights?

So I tried adding my middle name, and BLINK!  All of a sudden it began asking me all the personal questions I didn’t answer for my other pages.  They’re trying to wear me down, but I’m still resisting.

I figured I’d close the page and borrow some kid to tie (or untie) everything for me, but as I scrolled it must have read MY thoughts, because it asked what movies and TV shows I’ve watched.  Always on the lookout for used DVDs, I assumed it would open to a more in-depth description like Amazon.  Now everybody knows about Wagon Train.

Good thing I didn’t notice Danger Island and the Banana Splits.