Over the past 13 years, social media has altered the way we communicate and interact.
It’s safe to say that what’s being shared on these platforms has little to do with our real lives and more to do with our “perceived” real lives.
In other words, most brands and individuals post a glorified version of their day-to-day lives.
Perfection sells, right?
Not anymore.
Just take a look at the current marketing landscape.
Video is everywhere…
…Facebook Live, Periscope, Snapchat, Instagram Live and Instagram Stories.
What these platforms are doing is instilling a resurrection of the human touch.
What they understand is that people desire authenticity and crave connection more than ever before.
We’re desensitized and turned off by polished perfection and are hungry for rawness.
So these companies have started to confine the way we use these channels….
…You show up on Facebook Live and you can’t repost a video you’ve already produced.
…You show up on Snapchat and you can’t upload a photo you’ve already taken.
These platforms have found a way to discourage us from automating what should be human.
And your clients want the same from you…
…Real, authentic, and tangible connection.
How do you get your followers to know the real you? Make this your social media strategy:
1) Document your life, don’t create it.
There are components of your business that should remain polished – books, trainings, blogs and even podcasts. But do your best to balance this with raw accounts of your everyday insights and lessons learned.
More often than not, the rawness of your message can be felt by your audience and enables a more solid connection.
2) Build a Community
The internet, as great as it is, has turned the world into one big cocktail party. You’ll see people once or twice, recognize their face, but never be able to recall their name.
Creating a community, tribe or circle allows us to sift through all the noise and connect to the people that resonate with your message.
3) Go live!
Your followers want to interact with you… live.
Not through a static photo or a promotional video. They want to see you in real-time and ask you real questions that illicit a real response.
As scary as it is to put yourself in front of the camera, the payoff is greater.
But if you’re worried that no one will tune in, here’s a few pointers to ensure you attract (and maintain) a captive audience.
- Write a good headline that grabs their attention and let’s them know what they’re tuning in for
- Welcome your audience (use their names, if possible)
- Make it brief and structured
- Recap your main points
- Encourage your viewers to ask questions
- Have a call to action that encourages viewers to share the broadcast
- Point them to your page or site for more information about you or the topic
- Add captions to your live videos (This can be done by hitting the “edit video” button on Facebook)
How have you used social media platforms to engage and connect with your following? Share what works in the comments below and join the conversation in my FREE Facebook community.