February 6, 2009

Is Facebook killing my blog?

I love this blog.  I’m one of the least sentimental people you’ll ever meet, but I have an attachment to it and readers past and present that I probably won’t shake.  Much of what I’ve done professionally started, in one form or fashion, here.  Been doing this almost five years ago.  If I had the blog four years earlier, I’d probably be farther along.  If I started it today, I’d be blogging from the parents’ basement.  It’s that serious.

With that in mind, I apologize for not blogging much lately.

That said, it ain’t my fault.  It’s Facebook’s fault.

I haven’t blogged in more than a week, but I flip up my Facebook page like I don’t want the cops to catch onto what I’m doing.  Writing notes and all that stuff.  Changing pictures.  

I’ll say this for the folks that made FB — they hit the mother lode.  Their genius is in figuring out countless mechanisms to keep you on the page, which drives up the average time spent viewing, which drives the ad revenue.  And in a time where broadcast ads are a tough sell, being able to stay on an Internet page is huge.  It’s like getting someone to park in front of a billboard for 15-20 minutes at a time.

And they’ve had a way of getting me.

I was actually sort of ashamed of how much I had done over there, relative to here.  Blogging is way more fun, and I’m way more likely to say something worth thinking about here.  It’s funny, but I’m more open and prone to things like profanity on my blog, as if this isn’t easier to get to than my Facebook page.  I never purported to be that bright, btw.

So yeah, it’s Facebook’s fault.  The dirty tricks they use to keep you logged on ’bout all day and all of that.  And, the immediate feedback from people you know, which evokes a slightly different feeling than getting hit back on the blog.  It’s hard to explain, but I think you know what I’m saying.

So yeah, my bad.  I’m back, though.  I think…if for no other reason than I’ll be on TV soon and have to get back on that good SSP.  You know how it is.

8 Comments »

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1. Okay, I forgive you, if only because I know exactly what you’re talking about. I’m on FB checking it every few minutes just to find out about the minutiae of everyone’s lives.

   And I can now say everyone who’s ever been in my life damn near has either caught up with me or me with them.

   Facebook is the devil. That said, I gotta go change my status on my page. :)

   Comment by Miss Behave — February 6, 2009 #

2. Actually, contrary to the majority of beliefs, Facebook is having a myriad of difficulties using their Frankenstein of the web to successfully advertise for those who are interested in doing so. Peep this knowledge.

   http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/business/media/14digi.html?_r=1&ref=business

   Comment by Shot Clock — February 6, 2009 #

3. what the hell is facebook.

   Comment by DAVID WOOD — February 6, 2009 #

4. Facebook killed my blog….or at least put it in ICU….

   Comment by Calvin — February 7, 2009 #

5. rage against the monster that is fb!!! yes, i wanna be on fb, updating my statuses and lookin’ at pics of my friends bbq’s and baby showers, but i also wanna be able to come to bomanijones.com and see commentary on kate winslet’s noassatall.

   Comment by asha hagood — February 8, 2009 #

6. Hey is your Bomani Jones “Watch this man” post (2005) gone?

   Comment by Yongho Kim — February 18, 2009 #

7. bo, the solution is simple. integrate facebook with your blog!

   http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/02/facebook-invades-your-blog-rest-of-web-with-new-comment-box.ars

   Comment by david hodges — February 21, 2009 #

8. Bo,

   I just went back and added you on Facebook … check out this blog on Facebook Friend Purgatory, if you haven’t already, when you get a sec …

   http://thismayconcernyou.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/facebook-friend-purgatory/

   Comment by thismayconcernyou — February 25, 2009 #

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