Ever wondered why some people just seem to always have the right thing to say on social media. Some brands just know how to get their people engaged around what they’re posting on Facebook, Twitter & Co.
What’s that magic sauce that they’re using? Is there a way to “get what they’re having”? And how do they come up with all this cool content all the time? They most certainly must have some tiny social media robot working for them in the basement brainstorming, strategizing, and cranking out one irresistible tweet after another. Not to mention their killer photos on Instagram.
Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s no social media robot. Well, not entirely. There are (more or less) handy tools like Tweetdeck and Hootsuite that help you manage your social media activities. But no Tweetdeck can replace a human brain when it comes to awesome things to say and valuable content to share. That part’s on you, rebel!
Truth is, the most “successful” brands and people on social media are those that are not afraid to just be themselves. The more natural you come across, the more relatable you and your brand will be.
In order to get a step closer to that social engagement of your dreams, you want to be true to yourself. A social media robot that does all the work for you might be a great dream, but a robot doesn’t have a soul, a heart and simply isn’t real. And trust me, your audience will pick up on that.
Speak like a human being
Instead of trying to talk with a rehearsed corporate voice, tap into your human nature and speak like a human being on social media. People connect with people, not with products or corporations.
If you are helpful and answer people’s questions on social media, share content that’s valuable to them or just let your personality shine through, your tribe will be listening and most likely responding in one way or the other. Creating relationships should be your number one goal on social media. It’s not called social media for nothing, right?!
Here are just a few examples of awesome people and brands that let their true selves guide their conversations on social media:
Hey, Sweet Pea on Instagram
Gala Darling on Facebook
Mars Dorian on Twitter
Lunapads.de on Facebook
Paul Jarvis on Twitter
SoleRebels on Facebook
Danielle Dowling on Facebook
Be of service
How else can you be true to yourself on social media? Be very conscious about how you sell and promote your services or products on social media. You don’t want to scare people away with annoying sales pitches. Again, you want to be of service.
If you have a new product or service out, think about how it can benefit your audience. How can your product or service help others and what problems does it solve? Focus on communicating that particular benefit, instead of the price or the shiny new object.
Know and share your purpose
If you’re reading my posts regularly, you probably know by now that I’m a huge fan of Simon Sinek’s philosophy for running an authentic business: Sinek strongly encourages companies and entrepreneurs to “start with why”.
What does that mean? Your “why’” is the reason why your started your business in the first place (and no, it’s not to make money). It’s your purpose, your mission, your life goal if you will.
Once you’re crystal clear about why you’re doing what you’re doing, your messaging on social media and other online homes should evolve around your “why”. (Tip: Some serious soul searching action is in order if you haven’t figured out your ‘why’ yet.)
That doesn’t mean that every single piece of content you’re sharing with the world needs to have a profound, philosophical meaning. It just means that you want to keep in mind your “why” as you’re creating content and sharing it with people.
Some questions to ask yourself before you post or hit publish are:
- Does this piece of content reflect my purpose, or is it way off?
- Is this message something that I’d stand up for even if someone questioned it or criticized me?
- Am I not just posting this to please XYZ [insert mother, teacher, guru, audience etc. here]?
- Why am I sharing this? Why does it matter?
There are many ways to share your “why”. As long as you keep your eye on the “why” you’ll have a high chance that your true self and brand will shine through and inspire people to action. And wouldn’t you love waking up to meaningful Facebook comments and @reply’s from your tribe?
Here’s to your true self, rebel! Let me know how it goes.
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