If you’re new to social media, it can be terrifying. So many questions swirl around in your head.
Where do I begin? How can I keep up? Will I have any new friends (or followers)?
Remember on your first day of school when you overanalyzed every detail, from your hair, to your outfit, to what you would say, to your facial expressions? Joining social media is sort of like that. You go back and forth on how you will present yourself.
Should I focus on my business, or should I display my personality? How much should I share?
You realize you aren’t ready for this, and wonder why you signed up in the first place.
I will be the first to admit that three years ago, I was antisocial toward social media. I didn’t even have as much as a Facebook page. I created one, disliked it, and took it down a few weeks later.
Then the time came that every business owner, artist, or entrepreneur faces: the day you realize that social media is unavoidable—a necessary evil, if you will—for what you hope to achieve. Social media has become one of the top marketing tools. If you plan to operate a successful business, hopping on the social media bandwagon sooner rather than later is a wise move.
Here are five tips that will help ease your joining-social-media-anxiety:
Start slow. Begin with one or two social media pages that you know will work best for your schedule and company. The big four social platforms for starters are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Choose which one (or two) you can actively be present on two to three times a week in order to organically grow your audience. As you build your audience on one platform, you can move on to the others.
Make friends. Just as you were polite (maybe even a little shy) on your first day of school, the same goes for being social on social media. It’s okay that you’re shy. Engage with people who share your same interests and mission. Pay attention to what’s trending and join the conversation about the topic just the way you did when you were at the lunch table waiting to share your perspective on a subject that sparked your interest.
Be human. Who are you? Your audience wants to see and get to know your personality. Don’t just share posts about your business—that’s boring. Share visuals of your office, what you’re working on, and your product. Indirectly incorporate your business message into the visual. Ask a question or two. Take a selfie. Never be afraid to show the person behind the company. A human presence leads to authentic conversations with other people.
Give back. This is important. Not only does it apply to life rules, but also to #livingsocial rules as well. No one wants to be friends with someone who takes, takes, takes. Connect and engage with your audience. Retweet and share posts and content from others. There is enough to go around. You want to build meaningful and honest relationships. The best way is to give back and show your genuine connection.
Reach out and say thanks. The great thing about social media is everything is done from behind a computer screen. So when something doesn’t work the first time, you have the chance to tweak it and make it right. Your first impression may not be the best, but you live and learn.
Reach out to someone you admire and follow on your social media pages. Tell them how much you appreciate and enjoy their posts. Tell them thanks for their efforts and that you look forward to their future posts. For people who are following and engaging in your conversations and posts, never be afraid to say “thanks for supporting and following me.” A simple “thank you” goes a long way.
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