Quick welcome thread on #Mastodon for #SexBloggers in case it's helpful.
Loads of new people have joined here lately, so first thing I'll say is if you're a sex blogger/writer/podcaster/journalist I know, feel free reply to this post with a link to your blog/podcast/work. I'm babysitting this evening, so I will go through the replies and boost at Peak Attention Time (8-10 UK time-ish).
Everyone else, dip into the replies to follow ppl.
Tip 1. Follow LOTS of people. This is early stage social network so there's tonnes of following back.
BUT CRUCIALLY! Before you go on a following spree, write a short bio and an intro post!
Like online dating, first impressions count. Make sure that when you pop up in people's 'X followed you' notifications, you have enough info posted that they can decide you look cool.
Don't be blank: an intro that says who you are, maybe one post that shows off your blog/images/podcast.
Tip2 : Don't be disheartened if you don't have lots of follows just yet. Keep posting.
Follower count matters WAY less than on Twitter.
The Mastodon home feed shows posts of people you follow in the order they posted them (or boosted them).
This means that even if you only have 3 followers, if one of yours has 5k and they boost you? You get seen by their 5k followers, and so on.
It's like how Twitter used to be, and it's MUCH more egalitarian.
Keep posting.
Tip3: Use hashtags! See at the top of this thread where I threw 3 random tags in? That's to try and nudge this thread into tag feeds to make it easier for the target users to find.
People genuinely use those here, like they used to back on Old Twitter.
You can even follow a specific hashtag in the same way you'd follow a person. Click #SexBlog and look at the top of the timeline, you should get the 'follow' icon.
Tip4: Don't be disheartened by the fact that some people have tonnes of followers. If you joined recently you missed out on a really nifty tool called Fedifinder which helped us (and definitely helped me) grab as many of my follows/followers as possible from Twitter and find them here.
Fedifinder doesn't work any more, because Musk shut down API access. But don't be fooled by numbers or led by them. They matter less here.
On that note...
Tip5: If you want to gain new followers, set aside some fun chill time to spend sharing your top 5 fave posts/pieces of content.
Post them, add CNs/images/hashtags, and try to include a spread of pieces. Like a little 'you' showcase! While you're doing it, boost/follow/chat to others - they'll see you and might like your stuff.
There's nowt sadder than someone lamenting how quiet a social network is when they're only following 5 people and haven't posted anything except the lament.
REMEMBER: having few followers is NOT the barrier that it was on Twitter! On Twitter, even if you were *literally following someone* you often wouldn't see their posts in your timeline. If the algorithm decided they weren't important enough for you, then you didn't see them.
Here, you see the posts of everyone you follow*, in the order they posted them.
*unless your server has defederated theirs, please ignore all talk of federation/instances for now tho it's very boring.
Tip6: Ask yourself if you're having fun. I mean it.
I feel like the Twitter exodus has everyone going 'where we off to?!' in a panic, like all the cool kids are going to the Ritz for a party and we're worried we will end up in the wrong place, having a pint with three nobodies at the Dog and Duck in Romford.
But social stuff isn't fun if we're just doing it to try and stay 'in' with cool kids. Be playful, be sexy, be you, and if you're not having fun don't force yourself.
Tip7: This is a boring practical one, but super important: ALT text (description you can add when you upload an image) and CWs (see the icon at the bottom of the post box - sometimes expressed as an exclamation mark in a speech bubble) are super important here.
I've CW'd this thread 'sex people' so I can boost your replies without needing to add new warnings. Try to use both of them when necessary - lots of people here won't boost you if you don't. They're super useful tools!
Tip8: There are dickheads here, just like there are on Twitter. My fave moment on Masto so far was when I expressed a boundary with a gentleman and he replied “methinks you need to get a sense of humour.” then blocked me. 🥰
Felt like Twitter, felt like home.
Use the mute/block functions - that's what they're there for.
I have to KEEP reminding myself - you're not here to please *all* the people, you're here to find *your* people.
END THREAD (for now).
Thanks to all the lovely sex people who are replying with their links, I shall be back this evening at Peak Attention Time to dip back in and boost your toots harder than your toots have ever been boosted before.
[Tip9: the word 'toot' is fun]
@girlonthenet We created a directory page on #Eroticon too so you can basically make a profile that shows everyone the various plaes they can find you.
@girlonthenet Thank you for this thread!
I'm an aging curmudgeon who is currently celebrating his 20th year of sex blogging at ErosBlog: http://www.erosblog.com
I am also a data hoarder and porn curator. My favorite thing to do is to hunt down sources and origins for erotic imagery that is floating around unattributed.
@girlonthenet Thank you!
How did I never do an intro post for Mastodon? I could swear I had. Huh. I'll fix that.
@girlonthenet I don't think this was mentioned in your thread or the replies so apologies if I missed it, but there's also the custom of writing an introduction post that you can pin (you can have multiple pinned posts) and using the hashtag # introduction on it.
Folks tend to boost the hell out of intros.
@girlonthenet I love the idea of being a sex person 🤣💜
Hopping on this in case I missed following any of the others
Duct Tape and Daddy Issues knows that as we get older or disabled we don't become sexless. Here, we talk about sex in a positive way without shame or stigma. All gender identities and sexualities are welcome here and we encourage community, education and sexual creativity.
@girlonthenet LOVE this thread!
Hi Mastodon! 👋 I'm a sex person, in that I have sex and then write about it #sexblogger. I blog about sex, relationships, and bodies over at https://robyneatseverything.wordpress.com and have the privilege of being part of the @girlonthenet #audioporn project
@girlonthenet thank you so much for this!
I am an erotica writer specialising SF, F, & the weird.
I have a Medium blog where you can read some of my shorts for free: https://medium.com/@QueenRubyJones/story-index-31e34f15094
My erotic fantasy novella (two angsty men trapped in an ancient enchanted sex dungeon) #RuinousAttraction came out last week: https://www.amazon.com/Ruinous-Attraction-Sussuran-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B0C96ZCP6F
My SF android erotic novella is currently 50% off on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1285124?ref=
And I also make erotic art, including the cover for RA.
@girlonthenet Definitely a sex person...oh sweet glorious sex, come to me!
I am a #sexblogger and also on OF. Basically you find everything about me on my blog that comes with all the NSFW warnings!
https://mollysdailykiss.com
@girlonthenet I think #Eroticon classes as a sex/adult account too. Exciting things are coming and we also now have a directory you can sign up to so other people can find your sexy content at whatever platform you have
@girlonthenet Hi all!
Can I call myself a sex person?
I write erotica and occasionally share sexting tips.
You can find my stuff here: https://fyhowrites.wordpress.com/
I also have an erotica book out titled 'Building Together':
https://books2read.com/u/baBx62
Happy to be a part of this lovely community 😊
Girl on the Net
mollysdailykiss
Carolyna Luna
ErosBlog Bacchus has moved!
robyneatseverything
Ruby Jones
Mx. Alex
Goddessdeeva
Eroticon
mywildlens
Miss Rosalie
Madam Mayhem
Nephilim ⛓
fyho
Minski