It’s all bout the likes no be so?
No matter how hard we try, even for someone like me who likes to think I have more control over my use of social media, I still like to wake up to huge reactions to my posts. In my defense, I sell content marketing services so any of my posts drawing eyeballs is good for my resume. That said, I believe we are paying too much mind to the attention forgetting what it is we needed the attention for in the first place or what we want or need out of social media.
We hear of things like:- like for like, follow for follow etc. I begin to wonder if we follow people because we like what they do and want to be inspired, entertained or educate ourselves with the content they produce or we follow them so they can give us some of their attention. I am sure there is a little boy in all of us that wants some attention but is social media attention always a positive thing?
I am not on the like for like and follow for follow bandwagon. I follow the people that produce the kind of content I like to consume. When you visit my instagram, you will find that I follow many creative people because their works keeps me current. Now if you follow me and I happen to check your account and what you post is not entertaining, educative, or informative to me, I don’t care to follow you back - that way, I leave my timeline to my interests. Now this behavior of mine would be different with a business account.
The issue is most people can’t make the difference. They have not defined why they are on social media and what they hope to get out of it. So they desperately chase the attention without ever thinking of how to convert it to some tangible asset. Given that just about anybody with a internet connection can become an influencer, it is becoming harder to become a TRUE influencer.
People want equal respect and attention but do not want to put in the same amount of effort in creating great content. Some people come here, create organized platforms with a clear mission and vision. They dedicate their time to creating content and building a following by sharing their ideas or contributing some other from of value to the community - they become true influencers. Others want to become influencers by climbing on the heads of true influencers- usually something you get from people who have some reach but little or no influence.
Reach without influence is a matter of having no defined mission or objective behind the content your produce. Without a defined mission, all we are out for is attention and when we chase attention, we would be surprised by the things its can make us do.
Reach without influence is a real vulnerable position for many people. People reach differently to it. Most tend to overestimate their influence. Some realize they have no real influence and begin to project their insecurities onto others. Exchanges become less professional and more personal. It stops being about great ideas and content and starts being about how to share the attention.
I guess I am trying to say here that most influencers and wannabe influencers need to take their social media activity sheet and give it a real editorial direction. It helps you define purpose and helps you produce more meaningful work that will earn you influence and not reach.
- Tino Foy