In my last post, one thing kind of surprised me from the comments.
No one mentioned that the images had nothing to do with the words.
I always use my own images (or snips) and I can usually find something suitable, but I decided to do something a little bit different. The entry image of a plastic key is related, but the rest, are pictures from the assembly of a battery-powered snow blower, a thoughtful gift from my in-laws to help with the snow work. I figured someone would ask about what or why the images are there, but not one. There is no issue with this, I just found it interesting.
And on a separate note.
While it is a very thoughtful and appreciated gift, especially considering the price, I am not sure if it is an appropriate gift. They say "never look a gift horse in the mouth", but when it comes to tools and these kinds of machines, I think it is worth consulting the would-be owner, as they are quite personal things and especially with battery-powered products, the brand is important, as there can be interchangeable batteries and other overlaps. If I was buying it for myself (I couldn't warrant spending the money right now), I wouldn't have bought this particular one, as it doesn't overlap at all with anything else I own and, as a cheaper brand, replacement parts and things like extra batteries, are going to be very, very difficult to find.
Still, I am grateful that for at least the next two years (warranty period), I should be covered for the snow work and it does make the job much, much easier.
After that interlude, back to the original discussion.
The reason I use my own images is because I see it as a value-adding mechanism in a couple ways, as well as covers my ass in others, as I can't be called out for plagiarism or image theft. The value however is that firstly, I am able to give a perspective of my own life to the audience through the images I use, as while not all things that show what I have or do, they do show what is around my life. But, it also gives a reason to take pictures too, rather than just have the habit of taking images that will never be looked at again.
But, because the images are my own and while I do have a lot of pictures over the many years I have been taking them, it is common that I don't find the "perfect" accompanying image, nor the best version of it. A simple Google search and a source link would provide far better results, but then, it wouldn't be mine and that is something that I find important in terms of content creation.
I see it a bit like those Instagram influencers who present their luxury, jet-setting lives to their audience, without telling the truth, where their parents are paying for the flights and accommodation, and that Lamborghini they are leaning on is one they were walking past, not their own. I understand why it is done of course, because people are attracted by the imagery far more than the content, because looks matter, but still, there is something "dishonest" in the process in some way.
It is far better than selfies though.
Like everyone with working eyes, I am attracted by the visuals too and a good image is going to draw me in. But, if I am drawn in and then the content doesn't support the quality of the image, I am disappointed, especially if the image isn't the poster's. Sure, there are good artists and photographers using their own images here that might not be the greatest writers, but what about poor writers who use other people's images? Where is the value in the post if there is little value in the writing and the image is not even personal? Perhaps I think about this stuff too much and therefore place excessive importance on these things, but that is my prerogative as a consumer.
I know for certain that people have issues with the way I post too, with many over the years giving it the "too long, didn't read" stamp of disapproval, yet over the years, it has also been among the most engaged content on the platform. Part of this comes through the consistency, part of it comes through me spending a lot of time engaging with those who comment on my posts too. I enjoy it, otherwise I wouldn't be able to keep it up, and I think it is one of the great things on Hive that content creators actually spend time getting to know their audience.
If Hive were to ever have millions of creators and consumers, this aspect would be largely lost. Not only that, someone like me who has built a current following, would also likely be driven into obscurity, as more famous and active creators with teams around them come onto the platform. For example, I have about 8000 followers, but under certain conditions on the "other" platforms, this is not only nothing, but can be gained in minutes. It is no wonder that they can't engage with their audience directly, because there is far too many people commenting, even if most of the comments are mundane and ubiquitous like;
"nice pic!" or "you look hot!"
But, it is because of this lack of direct engagement that those platforms are marketing mechanisms, not social platforms. They aren't designed to connect people at depth, they are made to get click-throughs to various other platforms, or draw in clicks for data collection and sale, and to push advertisements. People tend to forget that all of them are business models, with the users and creators being the product being sold on the surface, and all the data collected being the product being sold underneath the surface to the highest bidder.
There is very little "personal" in it.
And as you can see, a post like this that starts in one place, segues roughly off-topic, returns to the starting point and then rambles into a completely different discussion, isn't focused enough for those kinds of platforms that look to gain the attention of people who have very little attention span left, or patience. It wouldn't do well on most "social" media, even though it is the way we talk with each other in the real world and, what people tend to engage with consistently on Hive, because it is personal.
Funny, eh?
There are many different layers to content creation, because consumers themselves are multilayered too, so there are preferences and opinions involved, as well as experience and expectation. I am glad that Hive isn't like Instagram or Twitter, TikTok or OnlyFans, but it is a place that could house all of those experiences and more, so that people would be able to connect with what they want, but not be limited to an individual platform, and still maintain their value across all of the connected layer two applications, games and medias.
At some point, people will catch onto the value of Hive and start to use it as intended - for almost everything. Currently, there are various challenges and of course, there might be a bit of an image problem, because most people don't have an image of what Hive really is at all, let alone what it could be.
Search all you want - this is something different.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]