What happens if you know you need social media in your marketing plan, but you just don’t feel like it?
TL;DR: There is one platform that stands out above the others when you’re starting out. I tell you which one (Spoiler alert: It’s Pinterest) and why it’s the best choice for introverts and others with limited desire to be social “influencers”. I’ll also give you a little pep talk at the end.
An aversion to posting on social media doesn’t mean you’re antisocial. There are plenty of reasons you might not want to. Do any of these apply to you?
- Being on social media platforms makes you feel anxious
- You end up comparing yourself (negatively) with others
- Sometimes the atmosphere is toxic
- You consider yourself shy or introverted
- It makes you feel either needy or conceited
- You’re naturally a private person
Those are all totally valid reasons for you as an individual to avoid the various social media platforms. And I can totally relate to all of them. But then, you have an online business (or are trying to). And like it or not, a social media presence is almost mandatory for success. You can succeed if you fight it, but it will be an uphill battle.
Benefits for your business
- Increased brand awareness
- Greater customer engagement
- Improved SEO
- Ability to leverage the loyalty of happy customer’s through their social networks
- Direct customer two-way communication
- Relatability
- Reputation management
- User-generated content
- Easier networking with complimentary businesses
- Building trust
Okay. Here’s the tricky part. As business owner how do you reconcile your personal reasons for avoiding social media with the need for your business to do so? As a sole proprietor, you are your brand. The image of your business is a reflection of you. On some level it is all one thing
I have good news for you. It can be done. And I will show you how.
Here’s how to actually use social media marketing to your advantage, whether you are introverted, shy or just don’t want to be one of those people who lays it all out there for the world to see.
In the sections ahead I reference being shy or introverted. If this is you, you’ve found a safe home. If it is not, I hope you do not find the terms off-putting.
Section 1: The Benefits of Social Media for Shy or Introverted People
The popular idea that you have to be constantly posting pictures of your so-called perfect life and putting yourself out there for all the world to see is just plain wrong. Firstly anyone who is showing how perfect their life is lying, so get over that idea right now.
But that still doesn’t mean you won’t feel the pressure to be always-on. But that’s the illusion of social media.
The truth – the beauty of it – is that it gives you the opportunity to carefully select who and when you are going to engage, and take the time to carefully craft your message. If you are introverted (as I am), this is your wheelhouse. That’s what we do.
So in a way, being on social media is the antidote for having a similar livelihood where you have to do the same type of stuff face to face or in a group.
Not to give you anxiety, but which is easier; talking to a group of 50 people, or talking to your cellphone camera and posting it?
If even that gives you agita, don’t worry. You don’t have to do that either. It comes down to picking the right platform(s) for you and creating your content in the optimal way.
Section 2: The Best Social Media Platforms for Shy or Introverted People
“The Best” is in the eye of the beholder, and the criteria on which you base your judgement.
I’m going to rate the choices based on three things, but let’s start with the list of the most common social media platforms. In no particular order, they are:
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Discord
- SnapChat
Criteria one: Does it reach your potential audience and make it easy for them to find you?
That eliminates Snapchat and Whatsapp, because their ability to target new customers is pretty limited. They are more for staying in touch with existing Customers. Same goes for Discord. Snapchat in particular is generally targeted at a younger audience too, so you’re limiting yourself by using it.
So those three are out.
Criteria two: Does it make it super simple for potential customers to find you?
Sounds the same as reason number one, but it’s a matter of magnitude.
You can technically be found on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, but those platforms TEND to be for following and paying attention to people the user is already aware of. Great for celebrities and the like. But if you’re looking to grow your audience from scratch, they are not the best choice
NOTE: I do see value in them all and think that at some point you can and probably should be using them. Just not as a first choice when you’re getting started.
Criteria three: Is it friendly to those of us who don’t like to be on stage.
That cuts out TikTok and YouTube. But just for now.
I firmly believe they should be in your overall marketing plan and can deliver a great deal of bang for your buck. And there are methods to use for making compelling content on them without needing to do silly dances, or even step in front of the camera.
But as a first step, there are better options.
That leaves us with Pinterest and Facebook, and it leads us to the final criterium.
Criteria Four: Does it give you the maximum return on investment.
Obviously that can refer to money spent, but I’m talking about the return on your investment of time and energy.
Facebook might be okay, but in my opinion Pinterest has it beaten hands down.
Pinterest is essentially a giant advertising platform that people enjoy using. From a user’s perspective it is less frustrating – and frankly infuriating – than Facebook.
For a person who wants to build an audience and promote their brand, Pinterest is the first choice for me.
The pins you create all link to something – usually a blog post or a product sales page. They are ads, plain and simple. And you can post them all for free.
And as if that’s not enough, people searching on Pinterest are almost always searching for a solution rather than a specific brand. That means you get as level a playing field as you can hope for these days.
They are as likely to click on your pin as that of a big company. Actually, probably more likely. Generally pins that feel like slick professionally produced ads are less appealing to most Pinterest users.
Section 3: How to Use Social Media to Your Advantage as a Shy or Introverted Person
An online business is generally already a good fit for shy, introverted or socially inhibited people. After all, that vast majority of time you’re working on your business will be spent working by yourself in front of a computer.
That includes the social media time too. Whether you’re doing a video, tweeting, posting images or pinning to Pinterest, a large chuck of that social media time will be spend on things other than being in front of the camera. The behind-the-scenes stuff takes up the bulk of your social media time
That starts with having something to link your content to. Ultimately you want to have viewers click through to your website or product offer. So creating informative content should come before (or at least simultaneously with) creating social media content. Not that the two are mutually exclusive.
I’ll get to video stuff in another series of articles, but here’s a tip – both for video and non-video content. Be a geek about your subject. If you are really into your subject matter it’s okay to geek out about it.
You will naturally speak passionately about it and that will come through regardless of the platform/media you choose. And the people who need your knowledge will be glad that you did. Anyone who thinks you’re dorky or otherwise judges you is not your target audience, and they will pretty much weed themselves out.
Marketing online these days is mostly about connecting – which you do by being sincere. If you’ve been taught a different way to present yourself and your writing, it may be hard to adjust. But try to be yourself and speak in your own voice.
The old-schools ways of writing and speaking for “formal” business correspondence are quickly becoming a thing of the past. It certainly has no place in social media marketing.
Speaking as an old-school old person myself, I can tell you that the old ways don’t fall away automatically. The best way to change your ways is to change your ways.
Do it. Write in your own voice. And keep on writing. And put your writing on your blog even if it’s not perfect. People are not looking for perfect style or grammar. They are looking for information – and a connection. Keep putting out content in your voice and your people will find you.
But, of course you can speed that up if you direct them to your content from where they are. And they are on social media. My suggestion is to start with Pinterest.