I’ve said yes to a lot of things in my life, but none of my friends would describe me as a “risk taker.” I don’t want to go fast on a tube ride at the lake, I don’t love downhill skiing, and I’m definitely not one for heights. However, when it comes to saying yes to learning something new, helping someone, developing an idea, or organizing people to finish a task… well, I’ll almost always say yes to that. And I’ll also say yes to being vulnerable and wearing my heart on my sleeve. I guess we all take risks in different ways.
When I was asked to manage some Social Media accounts last year, I was very hesitant. This was another risk: I had to take on accounts that were not personally mine (which I had never done before) but that represented a group I was part of, then use it to deliver the message of that group to its followers, and accurately communicate information. Here was the other part that made me feel hesitant: the group wanted more visibility, and more engagement from its members. This is where my right-brained mind met my left brain. To me, the answer to this need was content with connection and feeling; more highlight reels; and more focus on all the good that was happening rather than just the straightforward sharing of information. I knew I had to work in an organized way, use my writing skills, and think creatively — but along the way I found myself learning a lot about the big thing we all crave: connection.
Let’s face it, Social Media is in the garbage tank.
We hear all about the dangers of Social Media being a place where people act in completely different ways to their in-person persona. It is clearly incredibly addictive, and can be a very negative, horrible place for our kids to be spending their time. Many of us, including me, are waiting until our kids are at an appropriate age to understand that absolutely nothing is truly private to allow them to use it. So much in our lives, and in this media-driven environment, is hard; connection and celebration are missing. The last 10 years have witnessed major world changes in politics, finance, and history. Ultimately I decided to say “yes” to being a social media manager and marketing consultant — despite knowing nothing about how to manage a professional account — because I was open to learning how to make it something both useful and relevant to our lives.
I went with my gut and my intuition: here is what I learned from building a following on social media, and using it to make a positive impact.
1. Kindness and Empathy First
Our kids are watching us. As an organization, a social media presence has the ability to connect and build community by tapping into small real life experiences and celebrating them in unique ways. Think: how would you share news with someone if they were sitting down right next to you? Your content should be used to promote, encourage, and empathize with your audience and community. What you post should serve that purpose, and how you interact with other users and handles should reflect that — 100% of the time. When you share something on social media, you should start by thinking that you are sitting down with your audience at a kitchen table together. You are face to face. How would you word it? What does it reflect in you? Share it that way.
2. Quality Not Quantity
You don’t need to share content everyday. If you want to connect with your audience, it’s not about sharing everyday — it’s about connection. As a writer, I want others to feel what I feel. Mix it up. Post a series of pictures, or just one. Create a reel or a video, but use it to tell a story. Tell the whole story and make it be the best story you have ever told! Gather as much information as you can and share it with your audience in the same way you would want it to be shared with you.
3. Celebrate!
Why do we hold back? Social Media is your highlight reel — so use it that way. I read something recently about not waiting till they are gone to give someone their flowers. Give them their flowers now! As much as social media can do harm, it is also a fast, easy, and free way to celebrate and honor people and places publicly. Give that shoutout, and brag about your achievements and accomplishments. Highlight the people in all aspects of your organizations and celebrate them. Humans are the real deal! They work, they parent, they create, and live real lives of loss and suffering and joy. Don’t be afraid to make it known that you appreciate other humans for who they are as well as what they do. We can say the loving thing and be vulnerable: that is connection, and that is always valuable and worth doing.
4. Be a Lifelong Learner
Get to know the basics of social media personally, and make it a point to learn from others. Follow accounts that make you feel good about following. What do they do that you appreciate? Did you know there are algorithms? Understand that the social media we view and consume can be for better or for worse. I learned what didn’t feel good by following pages that didn’t feel authentic or interesting. I had to dig in and learn about hashtags, linking websites, developing bios, using apps like Canva, and how to share across multiple platforms and profiles. Social media management is a rapidly-growing field. You must be open to forging a path into the new, and creating content that resonates with your audience. You have to create the brand that best suits you, and then show up consistently in that way. The better we become at social media, and the more educated we are about it, the better teachers we can be for future users.
5. Social Media Marketing is Organized and Creative
This is an especially important point for all those right-brained individuals like me. Sometimes sharing something like a quick update, or scheduling posts for strictly information purpose, or just getting something out there is what is needed. But for marketing purposes, the use of social media is an art. It’s a curated right-brain process that combines visual resources like images — either created graphics or photographs — with the writing process to draft a coherent message. The left-brain needs to organize that art in a way that is both consistent and logical, so it’s a delicate balance of skills and aptitude.
Over the last year I’ve learned a lot about Social Media Management, and what I know to be true is that it is a tool that is sticking around. We all use it, and yes, we all complain about it. I know that kids are watching — because they’ve told me they are! So the next time you are on Facebook, Instagram, X, or TikTok, think about how you would want your media “footprint” to be seen by your children and those you know and love. They will see and access it someday, because absolutely nothing is private out there on the Internet. Your own use of social media will influence theirs. So it’s time for us to use and make the most of this tool, and act like grown-ups while we do so.
I’m ready to do that. Are you?
