I liked it, but I didn't *like* it

Last week, when the facebook page was at about 300,000 LIKES, I clicked the button. I like my friend who liked it first. I like recipes. I like momtrepreneurs. I like Texas. LIKE!

But, since then, Crock Pot Girls page has earned an unlike from me. Ok, technically, I am on the roster of likes, but I'm only there so I can read the commentary- I can't help myself it's all so entertaining!

I'm a total LIKE poser.

Here is why:

First I read this piece from Someone who can explain the techie parts WAY better than I ever could.

hmmmm.

Then I watched the number of LIKES increase at a freaky fast pace- they hit a million in two weeks. I've watched our podcast page LIKES go up veeery gradually.We work on content. Where is the content on this crock pot page? Where is the website? It appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again mid week two?

hmmmmm.

One day, when I was obsessing  reading the CPGs page, I jotted down a recipe for Bacon Ranch Chicken. When I went back to make a screenshot to print off because my handwriting sucks, I couldn't find it.

Why not?

No organization! Because I obsess felt that anyone should be able to find a freaking recipe, I went in on a mission.

I don't care if you are  ProCPG--finding a recipe you are looking for on there is like finding a Degas at a garage sale. Lots of hunting through crap and lots of luck.

This is where a lot of the recipes are, jumbled around in 3000+ discussions.

The other place for recipes is in the PHOTOS file.
 Click on one of those albums and you get...

..this. Oh, that makes sense. I can see clearly now...not. So drag your mouse over those ( not on here, silly, on the CPGpage) and you get recipe titles.

Click on those titles and you MIGHT find the recipe you are looking for. Maybe. And a buncha chatter including questions like, "how much water?" Water? Is that on the ingredients list?

I hate garage sales. And I don't like looking for recipes on this page either.


But part of me was thinking, "if I was one of them, and just wanted to start a simple recipe exchange, how would I react to the influx of techno-learning this type of exposure creates?"

I think I would have been commenting all over the place, and aligning myself with someone who could get me out of this mess.


And did you notice? One of the "girls" is gone. She left, if you read this the same link I thought you should read before. and read down in the comments not only will you get an education in social media and internet marketing, but you might see a post from "girl" number three. (Hard to know on the internet who you are talking to, ya know?)

I thought maybe going to the Crock Pot Girls actual website would be better. Nope. Don't go. I'm not even going to give you screenshots. Not a lot of recipes, and they aren't even alphabetized.

Come on, people... DEMAND GOOD  CONTENT!

I get rooting for the underdog, and encouraging other moms, and even wanting to be in on something from the beginning...but at some point you should put on your thinking caps and look at it objectively. Maybe you come to a different conclusion than me, but it's YOUR conclusion. Own it.

Anyway, I wrote this for my column in The Kansas City Star that appears today. I do really think watching this story play out is not only entertaining, but I am getting quite an education and meeting some very interesting people.

Like your crock pot recipes organized in an organized manner? Here are some of my favorites, and only a tip of the list...go find one YOU like!

On facebook:
Crock Pot Recipe Exchange
Crock Pot Guys
Crock-PotTM Slow Cooker

 On the web:
http://www.thecrockpotblog.com/
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/