I resisted social media for years. I started using Facebook later than many, though I did have Myspace and Xanga. (My pages probably still exist. No one should be held responsible for things said before the age of eighteen. Or their current age. Imagine how different life would be for for politicians and celebrities.)
I resisted for three reasons: 1) the self absorption that seems inherent in documenting and publicizing your thoughts and moments, 2) the addictive quality of being glued to social channels during all hours and types of experiences, and 3) the voyeurism and lack of privacy that comes with following peoples’ lives and displaying your own.
I deactivated my Facebook numerous times, recently for several years. I noticed a tendency in myself towards competitiveness and insecurity in comparison to Facebook friends. I would lose time scrolling people’s walls and pictures, silently judging them for seeming self-obsessed and myself for caring and wishing I had their clothes and vacations. It felt toxic and gross, so I quit.
I loved not using Facebook. Getting online felt less like falling down a judgmental rabbit hole without the temptation of my newsfeed. My cousin once remarked that she didn’t feel insecure compared to her Facebook friends because she was secure in herself. That wasn’t my experience. Facebook led to compare and despair, regardless of how I felt before logging on.
But when I started my business, I knew things had to change. I knew that sharing my brand and services through social media was important because it’s all about connections. It’s about relationships with people, working together and supporting each other.
Although social media channels can be self-aggrandizing and voyeuristic, people have those tendencies already. Humans love to compare. Social media may enhance these qualities, but it doesn’t create them. You can use social media without feeling like a creep or failure.
Use social media without hating it
Social media allows you to share your content, but more importantly to share others’ content. It’s about relationships (sometimes it’s even about job hunting!). You can exchange resources, images, or funny content to connect with your followers, mentors, and community.
Use a tool: social media can be addictive, but it doesn’t have to be. Tools like Hootsuite let you schedule content weeks in advance, so you can connect with your followers without being in front of a screen 24/7.
Treat your social media channels like everything else: Set limits for your usage. Organize your time and schedule social media like you would email or a project for a client. The strategies you use to segment your workday, complete tasks at home, prioritize your to do’s, all these can be applied to social media. If you’re socializing and it’s a bad time to Instagram, excuse yourself to do so or wait. Set boundaries.
Curate: this year I unsubscribed to almost every individual on Facebook. My newsfeed now consists of businesses and organizations I want to hear from. If your social media channels lead to comparison, remove the temptation. Unfollow people.
Connect with influencers: if you want to invest in your field or community, or network in a new one, social media is a place to start. Find and follow influencers on Twitter. Engage with them. If you want to make a name for yourself or share your brand in the field, start by making connections on social.
You can share information with unprecedented speed and ease using social media. You can build community, rapport, and humor through images, quirky observations, and suggestions. It’s about connecting with people, supporting them, learning from them, and having conversations. This was the part I didn’t get when I fell down the competitive rabbit hole. Now using social media as a brand, I feel focused on information, ideas, and learning rather than myself.
Are you considering social media for your personal brand or business? Feeling overwhelmed? Let’s talk. Also, consider Your Social Media Strategy, the 5-3-2 Rule, and Small Businesses that Instagram Well.
(photo source here)
