I keep seeing articles about Mastodon slumps, and journalists going back to Twitter. Is it fair to say, that maybe Mastodon isn't for journalists, or brands, or even people who want large accounts? Maybe Mastodon is true social media, for people who want to interact and discuss, not be influenced, sold to, or manipulated with cult style tactics and followings. There will always be groups who dislike the idea of the people controlling their own inputs, people who don't like the idea of accessible Administration, and people who don't like the idea that if we don't like a space that we can just move to another one, or even create our own. Individualism is scary to the kind of people who thrive on complacency, and not challenging the status quo.
@RickiTarr
Food for thought. The hardest part of Mastodon is finding a community. I find I don't spend much time here because I feel invisible. So I'm defeating the purpose, I know!
@RamonaGrigg This sounds a little extreme, but I found my experience was better once I followed about 500 people, but I know that's a lot for some people. But just taking time to reply and being a part of the conversation is a lot, and I really appreciate it.
@RickiTarr @RamonaGrigg I agree. I get fewer likes and reposts on my stuff, but better actual engagement with people I follow and who follow me. Folks aren’t inundated with too much info and pressure to reply to everything and can take more mental space and time to read and reply with greater intent.
@RickiTarr @RamonaGrigg my experience as well! Now that I’m just about 500 following me and 800 I follow, it’s a whole new world here for me on Mastodon. Both home and Fediverse views are always poppin’. I find I’m having better conversations here that the bird place. No more “For You” suggestions and none needed. Finding my own folks by reading comments on posts of those I follow.

@RickiTarr

@RamonaGrigg

I noticed huge improvements once I understood I could pin #hashtags, and when I paid for Fedilab, which allows me to follow instances (other apps probably do, too. Fedilab was the first I knew of). For example, I follow beige.party (and others) as an instance and also some members as individuals. Following an instance opened a whole new world of interesting guff. Winning!

@thefathippy @RamonaGrigg Oh that's really cool! I've just followed tons of people, which I don't mind because I enjoy a chaotic timeline with lots to look at, but I get not everyone is like that.
@thefathippy This is exactly the information I've been missing, thank you!
@RickiTarr @RamonaGrigg @thefathippy That's really cool, I had no idea you could follow an entire instance. Also, "interesting guff" might be my new favorite phrase.