WordPress is social media, truly, and a blog can be a helpful online hub and home.

Shocking. When asked if blogs were social media, the audience’s show-of-hands was non-committal and leaning toward no. This audience was made up of bloggers attending Press Publish Phoenix. While I can’t speculate as to why there was a lack of certainty, perhaps not enough coffee had been enjoyed that fine morning, but I can share my experience. WordPress blogs are by definition and design, social.

Social Media: websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

Social Networking: the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to oneself.

I’m a social gal. Take for example, my home-life. When I’m at my sweet little house in sunny Arizona, I’m busy. I work, teach my children, hug my husband, pet my dog and cat (and feed my fish), take care of myself, and play at home. I also invite people to my home, help strangers there, feed people, and throw parties. I want my home to be a welcoming place where others feel welcome and comfortable. My home is my hub.

Hub: the effective center of an activity, region, or network.

Happily home-based, I’m not home-bound. I privileged to go out for a run in the neighborhood and wave at passers-by. I chat with my UPS guy, the kids up the street, and Daisy the sweet pup who walks by my home each day. From there I’ll go shopping, to a meeting or baseball game or restaurant, on a trip, or wherever. The people I meet will be (mostly) terrific. My day will be brightened by their smiles, jokes, and opinions.

As a woman who loves home, I consider Family Love Does More to be my online home and hub. I enjoy being here all by myself and creating a welcoming space, as well as sharing content worth a reader’s time. I love having guests. Some guests need to leave early while others linger for another cup of coffee or glass of beer. Those who linger become friends. And I very much appreciate being welcomed to other blogs, especially when it is courteous, generous, thoughtful, helpful, and real.

Do you consider WordPress social media? Which social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Instagram, is your favorite? How many social media outlets do you enjoy? Do you connect all of your social media to one online home or hub?

Socially Yours ~~~~~~~~ Angie Mc

47 thoughts on “WordPress is social media, truly, and a blog can be a helpful online hub and home.”

  1. WordPress is indeed social media in my opinion, but appeals to a different niche of individual (just as each one also has their own specific appeal). I personally choose to minimize my online footprint. My WordPress blog is anonymous and I have a LinkedIn page for professional networking…and that is it. I prefer to have more focus on the physical world around me, but yet WordPress offers the mental & emotional release that is important to me.

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    • The combination of a personal blog plus LinkedIn makes great sense to me, Vic. Choosing which social media is the best fit at any given time and different circumstances is half the battle. The other half is figuring out how to use each well, I think. Keeps social media interestingly!

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      • I agree, it had to fit in and make sense for each person’s lifestyle.

        I personally don’t have any interest in having thousands of “friends” which is why I choose not to be a power blogger. I’d rather have a smaller but more interactive group of followers.

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      • I agree that to enjoy social media it helps to know what you want and why. While I would love power numbers on my blog, I don’t want to do the work involved. But I did have a blast Power tweeting a few years back and am happy I did. In the numbers came steadfast friends! I stopped actively tweeting a year ago to learn how to blog, and just returned while at Press Publish. I missed Twitter and was welcomed back warmly. I’m figuring out, like you mentioned, the strengths of different social media and going with it’s strengths. At least, that’s the plan 😀

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    • Partay at Emily’s place! Right? You could hear the crickets at that point of Press Publish. Yet, I was energized to increase my social media engagement, seeing it as valuable. And fun 😀

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  5. I had an active FB page, but was looking for something with more substance. I wanted to share some of my life stories in a new format, preserving them for my children. I was so pleasantly surprised when folks started reading, and even better, commenting. I love what it has become for me, and I cherish the blog friendships that have formed. So yes, it is for sure a social media. And so glad to have connected with such lovely people as you, Miss Angie. ☺ Van

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    • Substance. Yes, no social media does substance as well as blogging. Content, content, content 😀 I, too, can just pinch myself to have met you, Van! I linger at your place, you linger at mine, and I couldn’t be happier ❤ As for FB, I joined it years ago when it was first released beyond college reach. At the time I was active on message boards and just didn’t take to the FB interface and/or the emphasis (at the time) on past relationships. Then my daughter (a young teen) hopped on to FB and I felt it was a good idea to give her that space. Now, though, I’m considering getting on it just for it’s far reach. Maybe this summer?

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      • The trouble with far reach, or “wide net” (both of which can seem appealing and desirable) is that all sorts of characters are bound to hop in. You see this all the time with anything that gets big (be it on WordPress, Facebook, etc.). Things can get uglier and/or lose that personal/intimate touch. *Unwieldy.*

        Again, I’m with you and Van, here. I want substance, depth, content, reflection. Blogs are that platform. The other outlets are geared to short statements, banter, glancing over topics and quickly bouncing to the next. That’s how it seems to me anyway.

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      • Unwieldy is the word, Colette. What I’m looking at Facebook for is a page for a small business that my husband and I will kick off soon. Being a business page will hopefully set clear expectations for why I’m there.

        What’s great about blogging as social media is that it lends itself nicely to substance, depth, content, and reflection which are great ways to connect and build relationships, if that’s what a blogger wants. Which I do. And there are all different levels of relationship available on different media. I was surprised to find that over time I did build sweet friendships on Twitter, of all places! I guess even tiny doses of kindness over time can add up to something lovely.

        Glad to see you today and I’ll see you at your place soon ❤

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      • Thanks to Colette, I just saw this reply from you Angie. Thanks for that. I avoided FB for a long time when it went public, got on to connect with the kids as they left the nest.

        Of course, they got bored with it and pretty much abandoned ship, and I stayed for a while. What is has become for me is very frustrating, and I’ve gone inactive, but did not close it out. There are still family and distant friends whose connections I don’t want to lose; FB makes it easier.

        I am always thinking about how many followers I have/want on WP. I can see where it would become unmanageable. If I follow you, I am reading all of your stuff, for the most part. But if there’s little back and forth in the comments, I probably won’t follow for long. For me, that’s where the community lies. That’s where the joy lives. And I have seen those unwelcome guests…it’s a shame that some have to abandon their blog and come back in another name. WTH. Have a great weekend, Angie. ❤ Van

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      • On a dare from my daughter I got on Twitter and we competed to get the most followers. Don’t hate me, lol! It was fun (I won haha) and I know what it takes to get followers on any media. I choose not to do that on WordPress. The way I follow, which is not going to get me big numbers, is through organic connection. If someone reaches out to me with a follow, I will follow back (unless it is spam). I will follow blogs that like me in any way. I will also follow based on content. That’s it. Few of these will connect with me via comments or likes, as is the case with most bloggers. For those who do, that’s where I do my best to reach out and stay connected. I put these bloggers into my Feedly. This approach may not grow numbers, because I don’t actively follow, but it is happy-making for me. If the day comes when my blog gets to the point of being unmanageable, that would be awesome! Like a giant party at my house! But, I don’t see that happening any time soon 😉 Happy weekend to you, too, Van ❤

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  6. WordPress is definitely social media. Through blogging, I have met an amazing group of people around the world that I converse with daily, more so than through Twitter, FB, or any other platform.

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    • Oh, Rich, you made my day! Thank you for the reblog and more importantly, thank you for connecting with me with such kindness and trust. I enjoy visiting your blog because of your transparency and well-written words which ring true. I love being in this family love thing together with you 😀

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  8. Wait, what? Blogging isn’t social media? That is … astounding! And wrong! LOL It was one of the ways for people to connect and find others who felt the same, or perhaps didn’t but wanted to engage in spirited debate. If it wasn’t social, I wouldn’t have met you, dear Angie. And boy I’m glad I did! You’ve been such a blessing to me and I thank you. 🙂 *hugs*

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  9. I have my accounts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, Angie McFly, and indeed use them all … to promote my WordPress blog. You bet BloggyVille is social media, and markbialczak.com is my center, with my friends’ blogs the spokes shooting off from there. The time I spent writing, posting, reading and commenting is educational, entertaining, rewarding and a major component in my life. Thanks for being you, Angie McFly, and you are a big part of what I’m talking about here.

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  10. Yes, I definitely think blogging is a form of social media. I have my WordPress blog and am also really enjoying Instagram right now. I also use Twitter and FB. I am just in the process of developing a social media strategy to tie it all together personally and professionally. I Have a long way to go, but I’m getting there!

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    • “Developing a social media strategy” <- This! Personally and professionally here, too, Alex. It's a challenge that I'm finding very interesting. I would really appreciate you staying in touch about what works for you and I'll do the same. And, I'm headed to Instagram next. I'm going to tie it with my desire to take better photos. Hopefully this summer.

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      • Yes, Instagram is such a lovely visual medium and it can be quite uplifting looking through everyone’s pics. I recommended it. I’ve just added the widget to my blog. I really want to take better photos too. There’s professional instagrammers out there who have something like 400 thousand followers and they get paid to market tourist destinations, restaurants etc. I am trying to build on my copywriting/editing business so need social media platforms professionally and personally. Once I’ve worked out a system, I will let you know what I’m doing!

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  11. Alright Sista McFly…I’m in! You have never steered me wrong, in wanting my good, and I am buying into a blog being good. That being said, I may not have the most well wtitten, prettiest blog out there, but thats ok. What it will be is…enough. I’m doing it….just have to figure out my platform, a cool name…and away I go…this is where you come in girlfriend! Thank you…for your wisdom and love.

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    • YAY! Jump on in, the water is fine 😀 Half the fun is finding a template you like. As for the topic, the name, etc. I know a lot of bloggers who start with one thing and morph into another, me included. Russ Crandall at http://thedomesticman.com/ shared how he started with a gaming blog then moved into his “domestic” blog, making light of the fact that he wasn’t domestic! Emily Austin started with “The Waiting” as she prepared for childbirth. Now that her daughter is 3, she calls her blog, http://notthehardestpart.com/ . So just jump in and get started! You have a great voice and a tenacity to enjoy blogging.

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  12. I started my blog about a month ago. I did it for 2 reasons. 1) I have thought off and on about starting a blog for about 10 years. 2) My FB got hacked and I secretly (at first) was sublimely happy that it did! So, I decided now was the time to start my blog. I felt (and still do) I’d be able to more sincerely keep in touch with friends and family. More than just the quick press of a “Like” or “Share” button, ya know? I’d be able to not only stay connected to those whom I already know but to new people as well! If that isn’t within the scope of social media, I don’t know what is! I did give in though and get back my FB. It was just too easy to keep in touch with people far away. But I definitely slimmed down my friends list and I post not a lot. I made a FB page for my blog as well to hopefully direct more traffic to it in that way. (Uh, social media again there, too huh?!) As a new blogger, who definitely needs more commitment and organization lol, I definitely do enjoy finding blogs like yours where you and your followers are truly involved and like each other. Thanks for liking my infused water post so that I was able to find you!

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    • Thanks so much for the infused water post and for this wonderful comment, Jenny! I’m very fortunate to have made some dear friends and have surrounded myself with smart, truthful, funny, generous, and encouraging people. It took quite a bit of time, much longer than I thought it would! This blogging this isn’t easy for me (is it for anyone?)…at least not to do it in a way that brings happiness and produces a decent product. I’m not a writer by talent or desire, so that limited me at first. But I knew I wanted to engage in this big discourse called life. You might find some blogging encouragement here https://familylovedoesmore.com/2015/04/20/press-publish-crushes-event-with-ingenious-speakers-community-building-and-the-personal-touch/ . Glad to connect!

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      • When I was in my early teens, trying to figure things out for myself, I used to write quite a lot. I loved personal writing as well as writing poems, stories, essays, and even, the most dreaded, research papers for schoolwork! As I’ve aged though, my love of writing has diminished quite a lot. I am hoping blogging will help my love of writing return, if only a little. It’s good to read from you that forming relationships with other bloggers and people (and even the blog itself) does take time. Logically, I know these things take time, but the anxious new blogger in me wants to have even 50 followers already! In person, I am a mostly introverted person who picks and chooses who I talk to, especially strangers. Online though, those things are much easier to manage. Anyway…thank you for the comments and also the link!

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  13. Angie – I completely agree that blogging is a form of social media. When I think of the diverse topics each of us present, and the differences in opinions, how can we not be considered a social gathering of communicators. WordPress also allows us the opportunity to present our facts and then back them up with scientific findings and real life experiences. I know of no other resource wherein the exchange of information can be shared so completely. For myself, I spend my time on WordPress and all other forms of social media simply have to wait. Sheri

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  14. Pingback: July Roll Call: How invested are you in social media and how do you manage breaks from networking? | Family Love Does More

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