How To Do Social Media the Introverted Way
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I’m kind of on and off - sometimes I like to be on it and active in it, sometimes I don’t. I’m REALLY good at lurking, but not so great at engaging.
Why? I’m an introvert, and that means I get drained by social interactions. That INCLUDES social interactions on social media.
As an entrepreneur, there’s this constant pressure to be posting every day, to be always engaging with other people and other posts, and to be “consistent” (meaning, “always show up and be visible daily”, meaning, *cringe*).
But we introverts don’t work like that. Introverts like to be quiet, to observe in silence. And in social situations, introverts can feel awkward because they don’t know what to say.
Have you ever considered this? Extroverts feel awkward because they don’t like the silence. Therefore, they create the noise to fill it.
This means when an introvert speaks, they’ve got something important to say. This means our strength is harnessed by going deeper, faster, and not needing so much noise to make a connection.
So, my introverts, let’s stop putting pressure on ourselves to do social media the extroverted way, and instead do it OUR way.
Here’s how to do social media the INTROVERTED way:
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
Instead of trying to post every day, try posting 2-3 quality posts per week (hell, even ONE if that makes you feel better at first). Make these posts heavy hitters, where you’re sharing your expertise or sharing more about who you are to start making those deep connections faster.
STOP OVERTHINKING IT.
Repeat after me: “Shitty content is better than no content.” I’m reeeaaally bad about putting a lot of pressure on myself to create the perfect post. To overcome this, I’ve started saying to myself: “shoot for an F”. This removes the pressure to make it perfect, and guess what? It always comes out to be “A” or “B” tier work. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to write once you make this mindset shift. (This applies to writing and video.)
PRACTICE MAKES...IT BETTER THAN NOTHING.
I hate how effective video is at connecting and building trust with your audience, because I would much prefer to just NOT. Ya know? I know this is stepping outside of your comfort zone, but do try to put your face on video once a week, even if it’s for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, a minute. It’s worth it in the end, and trust me, it gets WAY easier the more you do it.
And, let’s just say it, I’m not the most eloquent speaker, which leads me to my next point…
CAPTION YOUR VIDEOS.
It sometimes takes me 3-4 takes when I’m videoing an IG story. And even then, I’m not getting my point across in the exact manner that I want to. So to make my IG stories better, I caption each slide and write exactly what I was trying to say with each clip. This not only ensures you get your point across, but it’s just a good practice to have because not all people watch stories with the sound on. It guarantees that everyone who sees your story will hear/read what you had to say, AND your stories are FAR more likely to be engaged with when you caption them!
SET A DESIGNATED TIME TO ENGAGE.
And then reward yourself. Set aside an hour to search for your ideal clients on Instagram, and leave meaningful comments on their posts or reply to their IG stories. Or, if you have a lot of DMs, use that hour to reply to those. Whatever you can fit into that hour, DO IT.
And then, promptly plop your booty on the couch and watch an episode of “insert your current binge here”. Reward yourself be doing whatever it is you do to recharge your introvert battery! You could do this a couple of times a week, or more if you’re actively trying to grow your following in this season of your business.
IT’S OKAY TO TAKE A BREAK.
The world will indeed remain on its axis if you disappear from social media for a week. Or two. Have you ever heard an influencer say, “Sorry I’ve been MIA!”, and you’re like, “Oh. I didn’t really notice.”? Yeah, me too. Don’t worry, people’s lives are very full and they likely won’t notice if you take a break. If you’re creating a strong brand, your followers are going to eat up whatever you post, whenever you post it!
Instagram (and your other social media platforms) is like a portfolio anyways, a place where people can scroll and connect with your pre-existing content. I know that whenever you return from your break, you’re going to have something important to say that we’ll DEFINITELY want to pay attention to.
So for all you professional lurkers, for all of my fellow introverts who are constantly beating themselves up wondering, “WHY is this social media thing so hard for me??”, just know that you’re not alone. Stop listening to the extroverts who are trying to get you to run your business their way, and start giving yourself permission to market your business the INTROVERTED way.
If you know you need to create a strong brand, and want help with your messaging, content, website copy, or visual design, hit me (Amelia) up at https://www.ameliawarrener.com/contact !