#183 – My Number One Rule for Social Media Storytelling
And why follows aren't worth as much as you think they are
This is Adventures in Storytelling your weekly note with resources, insights, and actionable tools for better communication through storytelling. I took a long holiday break, but I am BACK back and excited to share with you ✨
I’ve had this post on my to-do list for some time, but given the drama of the weekend and the seeming conversion of Tiktok into a US government propaganda tool, it feels relevant to share it now.
But first a story. I opened Instagram a few days ago while having my morning coffee to repost a post made by my Re-Work account on my personal account. I looked up 10 minutes later deep into someone’s story and no repost in sight. It happens to me all the time. Which is why I generally don’t open the apps for anything outside of work–I have no self control and can’t resist the easy dopamine hit. It’s too delicious.
I also spent more of my weekend than I’d like to admit scrolling through tiktok for the drama of it all and the goodbye posts that stayed relevant for just an evening. So I will admit before sharing my rule that I understand intimately the power of social media when it comes to attention. But I always close the apps wondering how much I may have missed because the algorithm chose not to share it with me–I still mourn the shift of the instagram feed from chronological to algorithmic whim.
So my social media storytelling rule is simple: understand the limits of the channel. Every channel is good for something and bad for others, this is especially true of social channels.
Social media is a great tool for marketers. I recommend certain channels to my clients often because of this. But, at the whim of the algorithm, or Mark Zuckerberg and his ilk, what you share disappears into the ether with little to no human contact.
In the same way I teach folks in my storytelling workshops that your story is yours to share and not everyone deserves it, I would say for social media, your story is yours and not every platform will honour it.
Social media is a great tool to connect with your audience, play with your creativity, and share your story. But like all things, it is imperfect and it’s important to remember that.
I’m not here to tell you whether or not to use social media as part of your marketing mix (that really depends on your audience and where they like to spend time). I am here to share with you a few things to be aware of if you choose to invest your time into social media.
Things to Consider When Choosing Social Media for Sharing Your Story
The audience you build on social media is not yours. You do not own your followers. The platform does and you just get access to them. The millions of American content creators who saw their following and livelihoods put on pause for about 14 hours this past weekend is the perfect example. But it is true across all social platforms.
These platforms profit off of your creativity–your stories–so understand the upside for you in sharing on them and make sure you’re getting something out of it too (like growth in awareness).
Creating social content can be a total time suck. So just be sure to remember that, unless you are a content creator, your job and calling exist off of the platforms–don’t waste your energy there. I usually advise people to set aside a certain amount of time for it each week and do not go over that time.
Social media is a great place to be useful to your audience, to build a connection with them, and share valuable free resources with them. But if you don’t convert them to a platform you own (like your email list) it becomes time poorly wasted.
Follows are not engagement. Follows are not commitment. Follows are not a declaration of anything except mild interest. Follows are mostly passive. So push beyond follows on these platform–aim for engagement and buy in (by converting them to your email list or newsletter or whatever).
Social media demands discernment. If you are going to spend time there creating content (or consuming) try to ensure you’re doing it with clear purpose and intention and understand that as a tool it can only take you so far.
“Social media demands discernment”
As I continue to grow Ramsay & Co and Re-Work I spend a lot of energy trying to grow my email lists NOT my social media presence. Because one of those things leads to long-term audience connection and engagement and one does not. Follows are nice, but (again, unless you are a content creator) they don’t convert into money.
So my number one rule for social media storytelling? Understand its limits and use with discernment. And please try not to waste your time on them.
A Story Well Told
We’re doing something special over at Re-Work and I just wanted to share it with you. As the community grows and I feel its impact in the lives of folks who have changed their entire career because of it, I feel a special kind of pride that comes with the privilege of getting to do soul-aligned work that truly feels like it’s helping folks. Getting notes like the one below reinforce that feeling.
So when I share Re-Work here, it’s not so I can expand our reach, but so that anyone who needs it–whether they’re into storytelling, marketing, or just like a good weekly read–has access to it. As marketers it’s our jobs to ensure that the magic of what we’ve made to share reach the people it can help (I’ll write a post about this one day). So if you’re at all struggling with burnout or looking to make a shift in your career this year, consider joining Re-Work (Connect)--our three month digital coaching program to help you heal burnout and start crafting the career of your dreams. Reply to this note if you have questions.
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