I asked around so-called influencers why they were not on #Mastodon . Here are the most common replies:
1) We can't go viral on Mastodon (read as we can't game the system because humans only boost good stuff)
2) They want a algo driven system (why do you want to see angry posts all day & night?)
3) You can't make money on Mastodon (WTF that even mean?)
4) It is way too technical & confusing. Which server to join? WTF is the server?
Only the last one is valid. The rest are all lazy reasons.
The disdain for anyone that makes money through content online, is palpable. I'm not trying to change your opinion on that. I'm just pointing it out.
Going viral doesn't mean gaming the system. Most content goes viral because it is novel, entertaining, and fun.
And as I've said on here many, many times, the most viewed content on social media by far isn't angry content. It's happy/funny content. Twitter and 4chan are miserable places. TikTok and Instagram are happier places.
I see a lot of replies of the form:
"You can make money on Mastodon! You just have to do A, B, and C! It works!"
And:
"We don't want influencers on Mastodon."
The thing I find funny about the "You can make money on Mastodon!" claim, is that it's almost always proclaimed by Mastodon dudes that don't make any money through their social media content, talking about people that do make money on their social media content. 0% experience, 100% confidence.🙂🙃
2/N
The thing I like about the other replies, ("We don't want influencers on Mastodon!") is that at least it's honest? 🤷🏿♂️
People sit around and imagine what influencers are like, decide that they don't like these people as a group, and then say that they're happy those people are not here. In all sincerity, I respect that.
I feel the same way about "prank content" creators. I find the pranks annoying, dangerous, disrespectful, and unfunny.
3/N
I don't think the good influencers are bad.
MKBHD is an influencer. He influences the tech and automotive industries. Back in the day, you used to have to see what Walt Mossberg thought of a new piece of tech. As a child, MKBHD changed the industry with just a camera, his voice, and his opinions.
A recent smartphone camera shootout:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VRoTOE3FqT0
His first video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9gk_rl3y_SU
His videos go viral.
He's not gaming the algorithm.
He's not selling hate.
4/N
@molly0xfff is an influencer. Through sharp criticism, deep technical expertise, and a better understanding of the nature of humor and satire than most professional comedians, she influences US securities policy, the venture capital industry, large tech companies, and fintech consumers.
https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com
She did a better job than tech journalism or the FTC/SEC at mitigating the financial damage of crypto.
She doesn't game the system to go viral.
She doesn't sell hate.
5/N
Molly White and MKBHD deserve to be paid for their labor. The world is a better place because their criticisms and influence exist.
They should be able to earn a living on Mastodon.
If they can't, then it makes sense for them to exist online in other places too.
Confusion about the distinction between paying for labor, real commerce, and capitalism, leads many on Mastodon to reflexively hate anything or anyone that makes money. I think this is a self-defeating view.
@mekkaokereke @nixCraft @molly0xfff
I dropped Twitter. FB is useless. I have no network on threads or bsky.
My Kickstarter for my last book was promoted only here, and was insanely successful.
You CAN make money on the fedi, through building a network built on sincerity and humor and self-awareness and generally not being a jerk.
Tradesmen like me existed for centuries before capitalism, and we will exist after it (hopefully) dies.
@mwl @mekkaokereke @nixCraft @molly0xfff
Thank you for sharing this! And YEA for your success!
I think some of my own struggles might be from not organizing my accounts well. I use this account for my personal posts (which are few) and my photography account only for the photo postings.
But maybe I need to interact far more with the photo account?
I =REALLY= like what you said about being self-aware. That resonates.
@mancavgeek @mwl @mekkaokereke @nixCraft @molly0xfff @kemonine I think nobody really thought on how Mastodon does work. They just switched over and used it like Twitter ignoring all the benefits of Mastodon and the Fediverse itself.
Many German Creators created an account, posted 1 or 2 toot's and never interacted with anyone again. Now the account are dead.
Most of them got back to Twitter complaining how bad it is, while using it.
It's such a shame IMO.
@mekkaokereke @nixCraft Very good points!
People getting paid for creating good content is fine, and can co-exist with people just vibing online.
When people say «open social media, not controlled by ad-tech, is great», but then also say people shouldn’t earn money here, they’re saying those creators, and people who want to see their stuff, don’t deserve those good things. So I like initiatives like @subclub, trying to make things better.
@mekkaokereke @nixCraft @molly0xfff I’m not a famous YouTuber (yet LOL) but for fun I set up a Peertube account to see what would happen. For my last four videos I posted on Twitter linking to YouTube and also on Mastodon linking to Peertube. Here’s the view numbers:
Peertube 4, 4, 6, 8
YouTube 122, 638, 615, 148
I do have more followers on Twitter, so that may affect the numbers of course. I’m thinking of linking my next video to just the Peertube account just to see what happens. But those view numbers are why I’m still on Twitter and YouTube. I’d love to just be here, but at least for now I need to be in both places.
@selgart @mekkaokereke @nixCraft @molly0xfff I have...some doubt that the YouTube numbers are entirely because of linking from Twitter, versus engagement local to YouTube (algorithm, subscribers, whatever).
Flipping the script should maybe give a better fix on what that impact looks like; linking both to the same, somewhat less so.
@mekkaokereke @nixCraft @molly0xfff I think the issue of making money here is a bit more nuanced than that though. I would never say such creators shouldn't get paid, but I would certainly question if Mastodon itself -- or any social media -- should be the revenue source.
You don't make money sending emails; you don't make money off the post office; but most businesses still rely on those every single day. The issue isn't about whether they should be paid for their work, but about whether every single social space and every piece of communication really has to be monetized.
Social media used to be a place to keep up with your friends. Now it's mostly a shopping mall -- except for Mastodon. And I don't want to go back to being a 90s suburbia kid where the shopping mall is the only place to hang out! (:
"The issue isn't about whether they should be paid for their work, but about whether every single social space and every piece of communication really has to be monetized."
It is about whether they should be paid for their work. and nowhere in my thread did I suggest that Mastodon the platform should be paying them for that, or that every surface should be monetized. Most influencers don't rely on the platform to set up their sponsored deals.
1/N
I'm specifically addressing the dismissive framing of "Why aren't the influencers here? They just love arguments and hate and quote tweeting and surveillance advertising! They suck anyway! They're too lazy to figure out Mastodon, even though it's not that hard! I'm glad they're not here! Only us true Scotsmen really know how to social media! Everyone else is beneath us!"
When the answer is closer to:
"Social is my job. I can't pay my bills if I do that job here."
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