Darsh DavisJul 24, 2023
Tim Mak

Are you finding Mastodon to be less vibrant/active?

I’m worried that we are not getting as much engagement on our Ukraine war reporting as we used to.

We’re trying to decide which social media platforms to continue posting on, given how much effort it takes to replicate across all of them.

If you want to send a signal to us that we should keep posting here, will you sign up for our newsletter? http://Counteroffensive.substack.com

I’m only asking Mastodon users today so we can gauge impact.

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak | Substack

A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Compelling human stories that illustrate what’s happening during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Click to read The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

Jul 22, 2023 at 1:22pmWeb
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
Have some of you tried Threads? What do you think is the advantage or disadvantage of that over mastodon?
Show threadBill, organizer of stuffJul 22, 2023
@timkmak It's owned by Mark Zuckerberg. That alone means I will never use it.
Show threadannie grayJul 22, 2023
@wcbdata @timkmak
Ditto.
Show threadBlaster1360Jul 22, 2023

@wcbdata @timkmak

After learning how much Facebook personally screwed me over by selling off my data to third parties, which resulting in me and my partner getting harassed on Twitter and such by some low-life scumbag, I'm never touching anything Fuckerberg owns either.

I've always known Meta has always been scummy in that regard, but now it's personal.

Show threadRufus J. CooterJul 22, 2023

@wcbdata @timkmak I like to think that I'm relatively open-minded, but if a social media site's MO is, "Nazis can say and do whatever they please, and we'll ban you if you object to that"...

Well, that's a hard no from me, dawg

Show threadHoldfastJul 22, 2023
@timkmak One of the things that has kept me away from it is hearing, early on, that it is brilliant for influencers!
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@wscottwatson it hasn’t exactly blown me away
Show threadHoldfastJul 22, 2023
@timkmak I am keen to be informed (preferably by people I trust) but I do not feel the need to be "influenced. If what I learn changes my opinions, that is an effect of being an adult. I
Show threadEl FotografoJul 22, 2023
@timkmak I thought Meta said they wanted to discourage news on Threeads?
Show threadP StewartJul 22, 2023
@ejrfoto @timkmak Or prohibit it entirely in some places, e.g., Meta's plan to not allow Canadians to see or share *any* news content on their platforms.
Show threadMike (no not that one)Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak If your a celebrity the algorithm will get you engagement. It's harder otherwise from what I can tell. It's banned in the EU for privacy reasons, and you can see why from the pile of data it collects in the app.
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@mikey sadly I’ve always had a face for radio ;)
Show threadBrendan KinneyJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Based on comments from @mosseri and Zuck, I think Threads will minimize news content and you'll be drowned out by brands sharing cat memes.
Show threadrobJul 22, 2023
@timkmak threads seems to be instagram but a lot worse. I won't open a personal account there. (Debating whether and how to open an account for the organisation I'm in.)
Show threadJesseJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Tried it and barely log in now. Find it extremely boring. Lack of chronological timeline makes it feel like this vague nowhere space. Nothing connects. I don’t know how else to put it.
Show threadBrendan KinneyJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Love your work, Tim. Fully appreciate how hard it is to maintain content on multiple social networks!
Show threadÉric FreyssinetJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Tim... if I am using Mastodon to follow news, I don't want to receive emails that is for sure... mailbox is not my preferred media to receive news.
Show threadDerek BlackJul 22, 2023
@ericfreyss @timkmak Same for me.
Show threadTed GarrisonJul 22, 2023
@ericfreyss @timkmak Same. I hate having newsletters in my email.
Show threadZii0Jul 22, 2023
@Tedgarrison3 @ericfreyss @timkmak it was said in another comment that you might be able to disable the email option and simply only use the RSS feed.
Show threadÉric FreyssinetJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Maybe you could add a Patreon or similar to support your work ?
Show thread🦣丁斯特DingsterJul 22, 2023
@timkmak It’s probably still content though. I don’t find the engagement any different. Or maybe it’s #Threads ? #Fediverse #Mastodon BTW, use more tags so that it would be found across the fediverse
Show threadJock Rutherford 🌻🥥🌴Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak Already signed up. 👍
Show threadJesseJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Oh, the hard sell ;) ok I signed up
Show threadReiner Jung 🇬🇱 🇺🇦 🇪🇺Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak I would appreciate to see content from you here on Mastodon.
Show threadAlonJul 22, 2023
@timkmak Yeah, it looks less active than right when Twitter was doing rate-limiting, but more active then before the rate-limiting. It's how Fedi operates - every time there's a Twitter meltdown there's a wave of new users, some of whom stay and some of whom don't.
Show threadMichael StancliftJul 22, 2023
@timkmak
Show threadDr. Brad Rosenheim has moved!Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak I note that you only follow 52 people. I've heard lots of reports that the more you follow the more interaction you get in the fediverse. Seems to be my experience as well.
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@Brad_Rosenheim this is a good point. I’ve been using mastodon more to speak, less to listen
Show threadChloe Tse Jul 22, 2023

@timkmak

@Brad_Rosenheim

I think people who mostly only broadcast on Twitter can struggle to get around the idea that Mastodon is more of a two way street when it comes to engagement. Without algorithms, you get more interactions the more you engage.

And hashtags. Hashtags are very important.

Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@chloetse @Brad_Rosenheim I definitely find mastodon a better place to chat with people than Twitter
Show threadlord pthenq1Jul 23, 2023
@timkmak @Brad_Rosenheim
Follow people of several instances. That will seed the fediverse flow with your posts and they will be visible in that instance for followers and not followers.
Show threadfsnk Jul 24, 2023

@Brad_Rosenheim
using lists and mute on home are a good way to keep your home timeline manageable

@timkmak @downey

Show threadThe Lady (La Donna)Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak Love the work at Counteroffensive!
The story on Black Ukrainians was warm, respectful, and educational.
The paid subscription is worth evey penny!
Show threadScott Tribe - Proud Ketchup Chip NationalistJul 22, 2023
@timkmak If it hasn't been mentioned already, Mastodon is much more tag-dependent on finding topics or posts.. so if you're writing on Ukraine, putting a #Ukraine tag on at the end or in the post somewhere will help matters.
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023

@stribeprogblog it can take twenty minutes just to copy and paste a long thread into each social media platform. An hour to write the thread.

Adding tags would substantially increase our daily effort. And would the juice be worth the squeeze?

Show threadScott Tribe - Proud Ketchup Chip NationalistJul 22, 2023

@timkmak
typing in a #Ukraine tag in your posts takes what, 10 seconds, if that?

Edit: If you start typing in the Ukraine tag, you'll see how often it gets used. on my particular mastodon server, it gets used or seen 6K/week, if I take what that means. On other higher used Mastodon servers. it may be higher then that.

Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@stribeprogblog times 26 posts times every day? #Ukraine
Show threadScott Tribe - Proud Ketchup Chip NationalistJul 22, 2023
@timkmak you asked for suggestions to help increase engagement; that was my suggestion (and an easy one to do at that) to increase your engagement on Mastodon for #Ukraine posts. If its too much work to do an extra 5-10 seconds of typing on your posts, then there's not much more I or others can say :) )
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@stribeprogblog not discounting your advice just thinking about our poor social media guy
Show threadBorisJul 22, 2023
@timkmak
I always have often used tags pinned in my clipboard, no typing involved.
Show threadCromernJul 22, 2023
@timkmak @stribeprogblog I find it weird that you worry about engagments, but can't even tag a post. Following everyone that posts about #ukraine takes a lot more then following that simple hashtag. Make a doc with all the hastags, then copy paste one more time. 🙂
Show threadSamir Al-BattranJul 22, 2023
@cromern @timkmak @stribeprogblog
And there are tools that add the hashtags on your behalf, you just need to classify the post and the hashtags are added automatically
Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@samir @cromern @stribeprogblog what are they called? Will look
Show threadSamir Al-BattranJul 22, 2023

@timkmak @cromern @stribeprogblog
I built one of them
https://fedica.com/twitter/schedule-twitter-threads

You write your thread once, you add hashtags with a click (hashtag groups, or automatically by category)
It works for Twitter, Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and even Bluesky

Threads work for Twitter, Mastodon and Bluesky. The rest, it makes one post out of the thread

Scheduling Twitter Threads

Supercharge your twitter posts with scheduled twitter threads!

Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@samir @cromern @stribeprogblog I will definitely check it out.
Show threadSamir Al-BattranJul 22, 2023
@timkmak @cromern @stribeprogblog
Great, if you have any questions feel free to reach out at any time!
Show threadDave MangotJul 22, 2023

@timkmak @samir @cromern @stribeprogblog +1 for using a tool to do all the "copying and pasting" for you. Computers are really good at this stuff. Worth many times the cost.

I teach my clients "Don't have people do the work that computers can do." People are intelligent, creative, and insightful. Have them do that all day instead.

Show threadShanie MyrsTearJul 22, 2023
@samir @timkmak @cromern @stribeprogblog Yep, #WorkSmarterNotHarder is the name of the game! Even some #Mastodon apps can add tags for you automatically. #IceCubes on #iOS is simply “push the icon that looks like a printer -> add tags”. The tags here were automatically added; I defined nothing.
Show threadMastodon MigrationJul 22, 2023
@timkmak @samir @cromern @stribeprogblog
Samir's tool also facilitates composing once and posting to multiple apps, threading, and time scheduling of your post.
Show threadSamir Al-BattranJul 22, 2023
@mastodonmigration @timkmak @cromern @stribeprogblog
Thank you!
And it's the only tool that supports Mastodon threads, and now the only one that supports Bluesky!
Show threadAnders ChristensenJul 22, 2023

@cromern
That is quite true.

YouTube is about 'like and subscribe'. Twitter is about getting retweets and followers. Mastodon is about adding the right hashtags and getting boosted.

@timkmak @stribeprogblog

Show threadDr. ExmaahalJul 22, 2023
@stribeprogblog @timkmak
You can use the same tags on the first post in all your threads, they don't necessarily have to be customised every day.
Show threadSamir Al-BattranJul 22, 2023

@timkmak @stribeprogblog
Tim,
I think I have the solution for this, you can write your threads once here
https://fedica.com/twitter/schedule-twitter-threads
And have them published on up to 7 platforms
(Becomes one post if the platform doesn't support threads) and yes, Mastodon threads are supported

I must add a disclaimer: I am the one who built this tool

Scheduling Twitter Threads

Supercharge your twitter posts with scheduled twitter threads!

Show threadRichard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴‍♂️📷 🗺️Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak @stribeprogblog
I use the same tags in Twitter and Mastodon.
Show threadireadalotJul 22, 2023

@timkmak

I've read that adding hashtags at the end of a post is better than putting them in the middle of sentences, for the visually impaired. And I prefer it that way too as a reader. So, it's mostly a cut a paste thing to add hashtags to a post I think. But I understand everything takes up your team's valuable time.

I follow a lot of people on Mastodon, I value their work, but I rarely reply or boost or favourite. I read all your posts on Mastodon. I don't know if you can see how many people read your posts.

Do I have time to read all the really great in-depth articles from the many sources I follow? No. I subscribe to some writers, but can't afford to subscribe to every excellent one. Your substack looks well-worth it though, and I might just become a paid subscriber soon.

Show threadTim MakJul 22, 2023
@ireadalot I hope we can convince you!
Show threadmartin lentink 🇪🇺 🇺🇦📎Jul 22, 2023
@stribeprogblog @timkmak take a look at @SocraticEthics they use those tags pretty effectively. It's how I found them.
Show threadKarl MagnaccaJul 22, 2023
@stribeprogblog @timkmak People keep saying this, but every time I've tried I've found it useless. Tags are flooded with worthless, disinfo, or irrelevant posts.
Show threadMike (no not that one)Jul 22, 2023
@timkmak Already signed up.