You may be surprised to hear this but I’m really not a fan of social media. I often find myself feeling frustrated by the whole “gaming” aspect of it all and how every social media expert contradicts other self-proclaimed experts. Does it really need to be so complicated?
Things like…
- Add 30 hashtags to your IG posts
- Don’t add more than 5 hashtags to your IG posts, (I just heard this a week ago and completely contradicts what I’ve been told for years)
- Only add an outgoing link once to your stories, (rather than on each individual story), or you’ll be penalized with less views because of too many links
- And the list goes on, (do you feel me 🤷♀️)
What I know to be true, and what contributes to my own social media success, is to do what works best for me so I’m consistent, rather than chasing trends that have no verifiable source.
I believe if it works for me, and it is growing my following, then it must be working.
BREAKING NEWS!!! You don’t need to dance, lip sync, or follow the latest social media trends to grow a loyal following.
WHY YOU DON’T NEED TO FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS
Here are 3 reasons why you don’t have to follow social media trends to be successful on social media:
- You’ll actually stand out more. If you’re true to yourself and your brand, people can sense it and you’ll come across as being more genuine which people are naturally drawn to.
- Trends come and go quickly. By the time you jump on a trend, it may have already peaked, and you’ll be left chasing the next one. Instead, focus on creating content that’s timeless and evergreen. This doesn’t mean you CAN’T use any trends, but you don’t want to do it all the time.
- Following trends can stifle creativity. By focusing on what’s already popular, you may miss out on the opportunity come up with something unique. By being true to yourself, you’ll have the freedom to explore your creativity and do something truly original if you want.
HOW TO BE AUTHENTIC ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
So, what does it mean to be authentic and how does it work? Here are 3 examples:
- Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Embrace your uniqueness and share your true personality with your audience. People will appreciate your authenticity and relate to you more easily. One mindset shift that helped me with this in the beginning was asking myself “How would I show up if I were talking to a couple of my good friends or a couple of my favorite customers?” When I record a video or do a livestream, that’s who I imagine I’m talking to and it comes across more natural and I feel at ease.
- Show your vulnerable side by sharing personal stories. Share your experiences, struggles, and imperfections along with your successes. People love this and it will help your audience get to know you on a more personal level and it shows them that you’re not perfect either.
- Share behind-the-scenes moments. Let your followers see what goes on behind the scenes of your work or personal life. This will give them a glimpse into your daily routine and help them connect with you on a more personal level. Only share what you are comfortable sharing for privacy reasons of course, but people also love seeing behind the scenes of other people’s lives. I do this more in my stories than I do on my reels, so you can do what works for you.
GROW YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING WITHOUT FOLLOWING TRENDS
If you’ve been avoiding showing up on social media through video or other content formats because you don’t feel comfortable doing the same thing other people are doing, (or you’re fed up with trying to figure out what trends actually work), you’re going to love episode 307 of The Wellness Business Podcast.
- What it means to be authentic on social media and examples of how to do it without feeling like you need to put on a performance to be successful
- How trends can actually backfire when it comes to growing your following and why remaining true to your personality gets the win every single time
- Why your videos don’t need to go viral to build your brand and why chasing that metric can actually sabotage your results
- How to come across as real and relatable (authentic) before you do a video, (Kathleen shares what helps her with this)
Your followers are looking for valuable content that will educate, entertain, or inspire them. Figure out what fits your personality the best, knowing that it’s okay to test and experiment to find what works best for you, and then go all in.
Links/Resources mentioned on the show:
Links to resources:
