3 How many social networks are you on? Why?

I’ve been wondering (reading Hamlet’s Blackberry, as my recent updates may tell you) how to simplify life online, and I don’t think it’s about giving up devices because devices have their use and that’s undeniable, however I think it’s about better managing the devices that we have.

Going past devices, I think the easiest place to start would be to manage our social networks. How many social networks are you on? Why? Do you really need to be on all of them? Do they all offer you something unique that none of the others does? I’m on Google+, I’m on Twitter, I’m on Ello, I’m on Flickr, I’m on Instagram, and I’m on LinkedIn and possible a few other places I’m sure I can’t remember. I judiciously use Twitter and I can justify being on Twitter, but I cannot justify being on Google+. I just joined G+ because I left Facebook and this was an alternative. After Google+ got boring I joined Ello. Ello has a great community, but do I have time for that community? I don’t think so. Once again I can justify Flickr because I love making photographs. The same goes for Instagram. LinkedIn is just a professional network that everyone is supposed to have.

As an attempt towards putting words into action, I’m going to begin by cutting myself off one network right now right, right this moment. Having thought about this, I’ve chosen to leave Ello. I’ll miss it, but I have invested the least in it and it’s only logical. Google+ is tied to my websites etc. and possibly weighs in on Google rankings. (I haven’t kept up with the details of Google’s search algorithm updates this year.) Once that is drawn out of Google+, I’ll consider dramatically reducing my activities there as well. Twitter is convenient, time-effective and has proven to be the most informative of the lot for me. Flickr and Instagram and a whole other thing for my photography and I’ll be leaving neither.

It’s a start.