Gotta say it's pretty impressive that #Forkiverse already has 1,200 members.

My advice to newcomers:

1. Follow a lot of accounts. There's no algorithm here, so it takes a little work to make sure you have a lively feed.

2. Check and follow #hashtags of interest. It's a great way to find good accounts to follow!

3. Be sure to add alt-text to your photos and videos. We take accessibility seriously here, and your blind followers will appreciate it.

4. Enjoy! We're glad you're here!

#Introduction

Gotta say it's pretty impressive that #Forkiverse already has 1,200 members. The more, the merrier. Welcome! #Mastodon

My advice to newcomers:

1. Follow a lot of accounts. There's no algorithm here, so it takes a little work to make sure you have a lively feed.

2. Check and follow #hashtags of interest. It's a great way to find good accounts to follow!

3. Be sure to add alt-text to your photos and videos. We take accessibility seriously here, and your blind followers will appreciate it.

4. Enjoy! We're glad you're here!

#Introduction

@APBBlue

Love all this! I would add if you don't want to do alt text you can add #AltTextForYou hashtag and somebody else will do it. It's a lot to get used to if you're coming from a place of never having done it before. But if you are, you made it to a safe space, reemphasising point 4, use it as you like. Don't sweat the small stuff, you'll get it.

Gotta say it's pretty impressive that #Forkiverse already has 1,200 members. The more, the merrier. Welcome! #Mastodon

My advice to newcomers:

1. Follow a lot of accounts. There's no algorithm here, so it takes a little work to make sure you have a lively feed.

2. Check and follow #hashtags of interest. It's a great way to find good accounts to follow!

3. Be sure to add alt-text to your photos and videos. We take accessibility seriously here, and your blind followers will appreciate it.

4. Enjoy! We're glad you're here!

#Introduction

@APBBlue the other advice I would give it start by following accounts that boost a lot (if what thy boost is of interest to you)

And then when they do boost something interesting - look at the account they boosted. If you like it, follow that account.

Over time this is how I’ve found a ton of great accounts to follow and engage with

@APBBlue the other advice I would give it start by following accounts that boost a lot (if what thy boost is of interest to you)

And then when they do boost something interesting - look at the account they boosted. If you like it, follow that account.

Over time this is how I’ve found a ton of great accounts to follow and engage with

@APBBlue Hashtags of (some) distinction: #weirdcarmastodon #bloomscrolling #lichenSubscribe #DogsOfFediverse #Caturday

My advice to newcomers:

1. Follow a lot of accounts. There's no algorithm here, so it takes a little work to make sure you have a lively feed.

2. Check and follow #hashtags of interest. It's a great way to find good accounts to follow!

3. Be sure to add alt-text to your photos and videos. We take accessibility seriously here, and your blind followers will appreciate it.

4. Enjoy! We're glad you're here!

#Introduction

@Rycaut @APBBlue Is a boost by someone who boosts a lot worth as much as one by someone who doesn't though?

@Rycaut @APBBlue Is a boost by someone who boosts a lot worth as much as one by someone who doesn't though?

@wendinoakland @APBBlue

Also consider: #MardiPatisserie

My advice to newcomers:

1. Follow a lot of accounts. There's no algorithm here, so it takes a little work to make sure you have a lively feed.

2. Check and follow #hashtags of interest. It's a great way to find good accounts to follow!

3. Be sure to add alt-text to your photos and videos. We take accessibility seriously here, and your blind followers will appreciate it.

4. Enjoy! We're glad you're here!

#Introduction

@woo @APBBlue it doesn’t matter. Seriously.

The point of my advice however is for newer users - finding someone who boosts a lot likely means you get exposure to a bunch of people (if the person boosts lots of people’s posts not just only from one or two sources)

A similar approach is if you find a hashtag that interests you - following accounts that you see making good posts there is a good way to find accounts to follow.

But this is t about a score or a social media strategy

@Rycaut @APBBlue I'm not saying it's bad advice. You have to start somewhere but what you are actually looking for is people with good taste, to advise you, where 'good' is highly subjective. Some people just aren't fussy and want to be liked but that's not typical of an art critic, for example.

@woo @Rycaut Worth as much? I didn't realize we were keeping score. @APBBlue

@mfennvt @Rycaut @APBBlue I follow an acquaintance on Facebook who I find extremely funny. When he 'liked' my replies, which I intended to be funny too, I was flattered. I later discovered he 'likes' anyone that says anything to him. He just means 'thanks for reading what I wrote and bothering to respond'. His 'likes' were devalued by this knowledge. If we weren't keeping count, why would we call it 'social capital'?

@woo @mfennvt @APBBlue interestingly social capital is a very bad metaphor for a bunch of reasons.

(One - because most people have a really bad understanding of economics - including most economists - standard Econ as taught in Econ 101 classes is very wrong - even the professors teaching it know it is deeply flawed)

But also social capital isn’t zero sum. Having social “capital” doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t. And often the most influential hubs in a social network aren’t the biggest

@woo @mfennvt @APBBlue (context here - I started and ran a conference on the study of Networks more than 20 years ago - where we had a very broad and interdisciplinary view of networks - speakers included pentagon logistics experts, social network analysts, mathematicians, professors of traffic studies, artists, investors, entrepreneurs and many many others.)

In social networks “influence” is often in bridging different networks - and in who those with big networks respect and listen to