I recently created an X account. To be precise, I set it up when I began blogging to share article links, but I didn’t use because I didn’t think it was necessary.
- Why I Initially Avoided Social Media
- Differences Between Blogging and Social Media
- The Direction of My Blog
- Why I Started Using X: To Quickly Share Accurate Information About Yasuke
- The Consequences of Starting X Too Late
- Why I Avoided Social Media: To Prevent Mental Exhaustion
- Combining Blogging and Social Media: A Good Idea
Why I Initially Avoided Social Media
Because the content I wanted to write was better suited for a blog than for social media.
Differences Between Blogging and Social Media
Blogging
- Blog articles are found through searches, reaching people who are actively looking for that information.
- Even older articles can still be valuable and show up in search results if the content is relevant.
Social Media
- Great for immediacy and spreading information quickly.
- Old information tends to get buried in the timeline and becomes hard to find.
The Direction of My Blog
My blog isn’t aimed at a broad audience but at those specifically interested in Japan and the Japanese language. I didn’t need to use social media to attract more readers. Unlike news or current events, Japanese language learning isn’t subject to trends. Blogs are perfect for my style, as they remain useful for readers interested in learning Japanese even years later.
Why I Started Using X: To Quickly Share Accurate Information About Yasuke
I decided to use X because I was concerned about the spread of incorrect information about Yasuke overseas. Many people interested in the Japanese language also have an interest in Japanese history, so I thought it was worth covering Yasuke’s history on my blog. However, since I was new to blogging, my articles didn’t rank high in Google searches for Yasuke. The English search results were filled with incorrect information based on Thomas Lockley’s book. Therefore, I tweeted my blog links and translations of primary sources about Yasuke on X.
The Consequences of Starting X Too Late
Unfortunately, because my account had been inactive for so long, it was shadowbanned. My tweets didn’t appear in Yasuke searches, so no one read them. It seems that since 2024, new accounts don’t show up in search results due to spam prevention measures. I regret not starting X earlier.
Why I Avoided Social Media: To Prevent Mental Exhaustion
I’ve used social media to gather information but rarely posted myself. As seen in various comments about Yasuke, many people can’t find common ground. Debating on social media is mentally exhausting, and I prefer not to use it that way.
On such topics, as a Japanese person, I believe it’s better to convey the facts clearly and simply to international audiences. Yasuke’s character can be more accurately understood by reading his primary sources rather than through historical novels like “African Samurai.”
Combining Blogging and Social Media: A Good Idea
After linking my blog with X, I realized that combining blogging and social media could be beneficial. Social media is great for spreading information but can’t handle long texts. Blogs are perfect for long texts but lack social media’s spreadability. Using both can offset each other’s weaknesses. I believe there will be more topics like the Yasuke discussion in the future, so I plan to continue using both my blog and X to post accurate information.
