PFIC FaCEBOOK
- Thread starter Ken Jones
- Start date
As much as I hate to push social media, it's a necessity for any public facing organization now if you want to have any hope of engaging with the majority of younger users. Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, and Snapchat are the major ones (based on a quick google search). From an outreach standpoint this is pretty much a given when considering Gen Y/Millennials and younger demographics.
It's not just required to be present on these platforms but the methodology for interaction and type of content posted is important too... although I
don't know the specifics of this as myself I am social media averse.
It's not just required to be present on these platforms but the methodology for interaction and type of content posted is important too... although I
don't know the specifics of this as myself I am social media averse.
The New Reality
It's going to take some getting used to for a lot of us older anglers. Things have changed a lot from what we would have called the good old days. Youtube, social media and the growth of local fishing clubs have added a new element to the locations where we fish. It's the "new reality" for for the older guys.
But look at it from the standpoint of younger anglers. They've grown up fishing in an era where all they've known are YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and so forth. It's just normal.
The results that social media have had on fishing are generally perceived as positive for some (usually the younger anglers) but negative for others ( usually the older angler).
Some of the positives:
1. Attract the attention of more anglers.
2. Locations known only by a handful of fishermen are now accessible to a wider angling community
3. Basic How To's on rigs, gear and technique helps new anglers to get started.
4. Easier coordination for group/club outings
Some of the negatives:
1. Overcrowding at some locations
2. Anglers that are geared up but up less knowledgeable and have very little awareness of the etiquette.
3. Fewer anglers that pre-scout a spot and seek advice from seasoned regulars that have a working knowledge of a location.
As an older angler, I try to resist the tendency to dwell in the past. But my advice for younger anglers is not to rely totally on social media. Take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the older anglers/regulars.
It's going to take some getting used to for a lot of us older anglers. Things have changed a lot from what we would have called the good old days. Youtube, social media and the growth of local fishing clubs have added a new element to the locations where we fish. It's the "new reality" for for the older guys.
But look at it from the standpoint of younger anglers. They've grown up fishing in an era where all they've known are YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and so forth. It's just normal.
The results that social media have had on fishing are generally perceived as positive for some (usually the younger anglers) but negative for others ( usually the older angler).
Some of the positives:
1. Attract the attention of more anglers.
2. Locations known only by a handful of fishermen are now accessible to a wider angling community
3. Basic How To's on rigs, gear and technique helps new anglers to get started.
4. Easier coordination for group/club outings
Some of the negatives:
1. Overcrowding at some locations
2. Anglers that are geared up but up less knowledgeable and have very little awareness of the etiquette.
3. Fewer anglers that pre-scout a spot and seek advice from seasoned regulars that have a working knowledge of a location.
As an older angler, I try to resist the tendency to dwell in the past. But my advice for younger anglers is not to rely totally on social media. Take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the older anglers/regulars.
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I think its a great idea. Today, most younger anglers use social media as a tool to learn about the sport and meet other anglers. Message boards/forums are kind of a thing of the past. I am in my early 40s and grew up in the era where computers were just starting out and the internet became a thing so message boards will always hold a special place in my heart. However, we have to understand the younger generation didn't grow up with this so they have no interest. Also the older anglers are phasing out so perhaps this is why traffic has slowed down here.
Social media and the impacts of of it (rambling post)
I've been browsing social media for a while and I've noticed a few patterns over the years. People are ALWAYS looking for results/quick hit/zero or hero.
If you have a constant feed of successful fishing trips you'll gain more traction/presence/followers/feedback.
If you are more detail oriented, you will have less of the "instant gratification" factor but more of steady following of more interactive users.
Everyone wants to be a hero and wants to be a star without putting in work and it is reflected on many boards. With the increase of -"i'm such a hot stick, i can catch fish anywhere, if you buy my stuff you can too"- a lot of users are getting burned because they fall into trap of following the crowd.
What consumers don't know is how much time/effort is needed to have consistent results and how many of the post consists of older content saved for rainy days. A lot of content creators are also causing "spot burns" meaning the locals aren't too happy due to either perceived over fishing of spots to the more realistic trashing of spots/causing usage problems that can lead to anti fishing sentiment.
There are also endless examples of people regurgitating info/posts without giving due credit while claiming it as their own creative productions. Are people aware of this? As a content creator, how do you see yourself pushing your "product"? Are you going to push education or looking to stay relevant? In my opinion relevance/popularity is a fleeting sensation that takes a lot of time and effort to maintain (as mentioned in the previous posts above). We are also late the party regarding trying to establish a "brand" on social media since everyone and their pets maintain their a media presence claiming to be the pioneers of their niche markets.
There are pages devoted to throwing off viewers to do stupid stuff like fish in reserves, keep no take species, misidentify game, etc . There is a blurry line of entertainment and outright dumbf**kery...it's almost like the wild west of social media content these days where everyone can claim they are a pro and for a few bucks they can make you one or they can have others support their claims.
What I don't see for the most part are in depth breakdowns of techniques/distribution of knowledge and if there are any sources that give such info, the consumer typically has an extremely limited attention span meaning if its too long, they stop watching/scroll past.
Users of this board tend to educate/learn all understand the harsh realities of combat fishing and fishing with "those" people ("those" meaning disrespectful folks of all walks of life). We also tend to do a lot more footwork on our own instead of asking for exact locations/methods/time/lunar phase/current/barameter etc etc etc to catch fish. We know that it's better to just go out and try instead of being deterred because we are told "you aren't doing it my way that's why it's not working".
What I do get from watching/following social media is the urge to get out and fish. The grumpy part of me wants to go out an show how its done/prove what I just saw wrong/etc etc...but another part of me just enjoys watching things so I can live vicariously through it.
Is this going to be a revenue generating endeavor or one for the love of education?
I've been browsing social media for a while and I've noticed a few patterns over the years. People are ALWAYS looking for results/quick hit/zero or hero.
If you have a constant feed of successful fishing trips you'll gain more traction/presence/followers/feedback.
If you are more detail oriented, you will have less of the "instant gratification" factor but more of steady following of more interactive users.
Everyone wants to be a hero and wants to be a star without putting in work and it is reflected on many boards. With the increase of -"i'm such a hot stick, i can catch fish anywhere, if you buy my stuff you can too"- a lot of users are getting burned because they fall into trap of following the crowd.
What consumers don't know is how much time/effort is needed to have consistent results and how many of the post consists of older content saved for rainy days. A lot of content creators are also causing "spot burns" meaning the locals aren't too happy due to either perceived over fishing of spots to the more realistic trashing of spots/causing usage problems that can lead to anti fishing sentiment.
There are also endless examples of people regurgitating info/posts without giving due credit while claiming it as their own creative productions. Are people aware of this? As a content creator, how do you see yourself pushing your "product"? Are you going to push education or looking to stay relevant? In my opinion relevance/popularity is a fleeting sensation that takes a lot of time and effort to maintain (as mentioned in the previous posts above). We are also late the party regarding trying to establish a "brand" on social media since everyone and their pets maintain their a media presence claiming to be the pioneers of their niche markets.
There are pages devoted to throwing off viewers to do stupid stuff like fish in reserves, keep no take species, misidentify game, etc . There is a blurry line of entertainment and outright dumbf**kery...it's almost like the wild west of social media content these days where everyone can claim they are a pro and for a few bucks they can make you one or they can have others support their claims.
What I don't see for the most part are in depth breakdowns of techniques/distribution of knowledge and if there are any sources that give such info, the consumer typically has an extremely limited attention span meaning if its too long, they stop watching/scroll past.
Users of this board tend to educate/learn all understand the harsh realities of combat fishing and fishing with "those" people ("those" meaning disrespectful folks of all walks of life). We also tend to do a lot more footwork on our own instead of asking for exact locations/methods/time/lunar phase/current/barameter etc etc etc to catch fish. We know that it's better to just go out and try instead of being deterred because we are told "you aren't doing it my way that's why it's not working".
What I do get from watching/following social media is the urge to get out and fish. The grumpy part of me wants to go out an show how its done/prove what I just saw wrong/etc etc...but another part of me just enjoys watching things so I can live vicariously through it.
Is this going to be a revenue generating endeavor or one for the love of education?
I absolutely agree, 100%. There are very few content creators that will admit how many unsuccessful outings they’ve had between the photos and videos of their catch.
Not doing that also creates some very unrealistic expectations. But footwork, scouting and face-to-face conversations with knowledgable regulars are what often provide the specific information that’s needed to better your chances at going home with a fish.
If you’re a content creator, my request… and I say this respectfully, is to “keep it real”. Help others to understand what to expect and what should be expected of them.
With a little forethought, you might be able to create posts that won’t contribute to the chaos at some locations, and may actually help remedy the situation.
Not doing that also creates some very unrealistic expectations. But footwork, scouting and face-to-face conversations with knowledgable regulars are what often provide the specific information that’s needed to better your chances at going home with a fish.
If you’re a content creator, my request… and I say this respectfully, is to “keep it real”. Help others to understand what to expect and what should be expected of them.
With a little forethought, you might be able to create posts that won’t contribute to the chaos at some locations, and may actually help remedy the situation.
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This! As we all know, we dont catch fish every time we go out. We might not even get a bite. These "YouTube fisherman" rarely show that part or even acknowledge it. Its always "I ran into a boil" or "A school swam through and I was able to hook up on a few." It is cool to see pics and videos but people who are new to the sport or are learning will have high expectations. I have friends who dont fish ask how often I catch when I go out, I just tell them not often and that it is harder than it looks. They see my pictures and assume I catch a limit of stripers every time I go out.
I kind of got the impression that trying to establish an effective social media presence for PFIC was more in regards to outreach than
just getting views or comments... If that's the case then the kind of content that merely focuses on which fish were caught would be
counter productive. While fishing would be a feature of most of the content it seems that the core focus of content for these purposes
would focus more on the intent and issues rather than simply how to catch what kind of fish.
just getting views or comments... If that's the case then the kind of content that merely focuses on which fish were caught would be
counter productive. While fishing would be a feature of most of the content it seems that the core focus of content for these purposes
would focus more on the intent and issues rather than simply how to catch what kind of fish.