Like it or not, social media is now woven into our lives. It’s a platform that connects us, allows us to share our thoughts, and provides a space for self-expression. It’s also an essential tool for building your brand. Yet being a regular on social media can be stressful. Whether you’re sweating over sounding too “me, me, me,” drowning in the sea of posts, or just feeling like you need Hermione’s time-turner to keep up, fear not.
It’s time for a mindset shift so you can discover how to actually enjoy using social media as a brand builder and turn it into a productive habit that delivers great returns on the time you invest in it. These 10 attitudes, ideas and quick tricks will help you push past obstacles and maximize your social media presence.
1. Give The Gift Of Value
If you cringe at the thought of “selling” yourself or your ideas on social media, or if posting things on social media feels like the digital equivalent of wearing a cheap suit, shift your perspective. Instead of thinking of it as self-promotion, consider it a way to give and receive gifts. Share content that adds value to your target audience’s lives. Ask yourself, “Will this be valuable to my audience?” If the answer is a resounding yes, you’re offering something meaningful and valuable.
2. Find Your Selective Fame
One of the most pervasive roadblocks is the fear of getting lost in the noise of social media, attracting only a handful of followers. Remember, you don’t need to reach Beyoncé-level fame to have an impact. Focus on building a community of individuals who find deep resonance with your message. It’s not about quantity; it’s about quality connections that can genuinely benefit from what you have to share. When you focus on the needs of your target audience, you become selectively famous.
3. Act Like A Time Management Expert
Time is a precious resource, and we can’t make more of it, so the fear of wasting it on endless social media scrolling is real. Instead of creating an individual article or video or post, create a series. Performing a focused task keeps you from being aimless, saving you time and letting you create a lot of content in one sitting. And as a bonus, when you create a series, you can link back to previous posts and provide foreshadowing to tease upcoming posts, which creates higher engagement.
4. Tap Into Your Everyday Activities
Feeling like you have nothing to say is a common hurdle. If you look closely, you’ll realize that you have a wealth of content right at your fingertips. Every interaction, experience, and thought is a potential topic. Personal stories create a stronger emotional connection with your audience and make your content relatable.
5. Be Lazy
Creating entirely new content can be draining. Instead, adopt a “be lazy” approach by repurposing existing content. Transform your written posts into videos, infographics, or podcasts. This not only saves time but also caters to different audience preferences across various platforms while reinforcing a uniform brand message.
6. Outsource
Limited resources or expertise can hold you back, but outsourcing is a viable solution. Many tasks, like graphic design or content scheduling, can be outsourced inexpensively. This not only frees up your time but also ensures a consistent online presence. Tim Ferris’ bestselling book, The Four-Hour Work Week, gave all professionals permission to outsource the uninspiring tasks that can realistically be done by others.
7. Plan For Serendipity
What? Isn’t that an oxymoron? You can’t predict the opportunities that might arise from being active on social media, but they certainly won’t arise if you’re not actively participating. The serendipity effect means that unexpected connections or collaborations might come your way simply because you put yourself out there. Being out there opens doors you never even knew existed.
8. Become A Broken Record
Worried about repeating yourself? Don’t be. The “Broken Record” technique acknowledges that only a fraction of your audience sees each post. What seems repetitive to you might be fresh and enlightening to someone who hasn’t come across your content before. Only 2-5% of your LinkedIn connections/followers ever see what you post.
9. Master The Time Warp
Can’t time-travel to fit in daily posts? Use scheduling tools to be in two places at once. Plan your posts in advance so you have a regular cadence and consistent visibility. Then, when you have relevant new content to share, you can easily augment your posting schedule, mixing it up with fresh, timely posts.
10. Use ChatGPT
When you use AI to create your thought leadership, you’re making yourself a conformist robot instead of demonstrating your unique and compelling brand. But using tools like ChatGPT to proof your content or give you new ideas is a valuable way to boost your personal brand while saving time.
Shifting your social media mindset is like learning a new dance move (for your TikTok ): it takes practice, but it can be fun. By embracing these ideas, you’ll be reaping the rewards of social media before you know it. Remember, it’s not about creating mountains of content; it’s about being your authentic self and creating a meaningful impact on your audience through your unique personal brand.
William Arruda is a keynote speaker, co-founder of CareerBlast.TV and creator of the 360Reach Personal Brand Survey that helps you get candid, meaningful feedback from people who know you.
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