How to Make Social Media Not All About You
Whether the time you spend on social media is done on behalf of yourself (or your ridiculously cute kid/dog) or a brand, you’re promoting something by giving an inside view of that person or product. And while that inside info is what your friends, followers, and fans are mostly there for, sometimes they want to feel like you’re having a conversation with them, not at them.
It’s hard to take the first person out of the equation, but switching up tone and perspective on occasion may create a resonance that inspires your followers to loyalty and action. And it doesn’t have to be hard. Here are a few ways to make your social media about someone besides you.
1. Ask a Question
Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms have poll features that allow followers to answer a question with basic choices. These can be a lot of fun to do while remaining on brand. Asking for a recommendation on Facebook can also create engagement, but be sure to not lose face by asking about something that followers have built trust in you for knowing. Just remember to leave the first person language out of the request with generic, third person wording.
2. Share a Meme
No matter your brand, there’s a meme (or 100) that your followers will be able to identify with. That “it me” moment resonates with people and gives them a way to identify with you or your brand by showing them something that is about both of you (ideally) at the same time.
3. Give a tip or tutorial
The boundaries of social media are waiting to be pushed, and creative how-to content doesn’t need to be limited to just recipes and crafts. Take advantage of IGTV, live videos, and more to teach viewers how to use your products or services.
4. Repost something from a client or follower
This one can be a little trickier, because the easy route would be to repost content that they’ve tagged you in. That post is typically going to be about you, a shoutout for your brand or something similar, but it can be done! Scroll through your feeds and get creative — spending a little time getting to know your customers a little better is always a good thing.
5. Celebrate your hometown
For many brands, their location is at the core of their being, for others it’s just background. If you don’t already, share something great about your/your business’ hometown or headquarter location. Once you’ve shared a little about this place that is special to you, ask where your customers are from and what that place is known for to increase engagement.
6. Reward your followers
This one is simple and should be done on a regular basis. Give away a product, set them up with some exclusive content, etc. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, but giving something away, whether through a contest, a drawing, an opt-in to your newsletter, always makes people happy.
7. Thank your followers
A simple, genuine thank you can speak volumes if done right. Businesses that see their customers face to face say “thank you” many times throughout the day — how often do cyber customers get thanked for “stopping by” or window shopping? Find or make a thank you graphic that reflects your tone and get busy being grateful!
8. Share a bit of industry info
Is there some insider info about your industry that isn’t quite a secret, but also not well known? These little tidbits can be very exciting to people who have an investment in the industry that you represent. Just be sure that anything you share won’t get you in trouble with others!
9. Post in support of a national month
Pride Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month — there are ample opportunities in the year to show that you or your brand are inclusive and welcoming. This is another one that can be tricky to keep from turning to being about you, but it can be done. Celebrate a group of people besides yourself, even if they aren’t your customer — caring about other people is never a bad thing, even in business.