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It’s a tough game.
Posting content to social media can leave you feeling discouraged. Personally, I think it’s the damn ‘like’ button’s fault.
Under each post is the like button; the idea is that when people see your content, and they find it appealing, they hit that button. Invariably if they do not click the like button, it suggests your content is not liked – a real blow to self-esteem.
But here are 5 Things to do if you’re feeling discouraged by social media.
Some people make a conscious choice, whether good or bad, that they don’t want to hit the like button. But it is their choice, so don’t let it get you down. You make that choice too. You choose which content to like and which content to scroll up. We all have that choice.
The reasons can differ. Some people don’t like your post. Some people are jealous, others are mean, and a few like your content but want to remain incognito. The last set of people don’t click the like button because they don’t want anyone to know they are on socials. It’s their right.
The thing to remember is that the goal is to get your work seen.
If you let the like button get you down, it could affect your desire to post consistently. As long as you keep producing great content, the algorithm assesses this and rewards consistency.
Better than checking the like button, keep your eyes on the overall analytics. You may notice over time, with consistency, that your reach and engagement are steadily climbing. So don’t give up now.
If you have been watching the analytics, you’ll notice that some content does better than others. Post a picture of your kids, pets, relationship or night out in a great outfit, and the audience gives you a tonne of lives. Post about your business and the engagement drops. It’s the name of the game.
Unfortunately, it’s a game that leaves you feeling discouraged by social media. You may think no one cares about your business. But this isn’t entirely true.
On the whole, human beings, hence your audiences, love entertaining content, fashion, relationships and lifestyle content much more than they like business content. And the algorithms know this. So they push more of the content described above to your audience.
It’s good news, though. We can use this information to enhance the content about our products and services. So, for example, a video that shows a day in your business life combines business and lifestyle content. Or you could share an image of what you wore to the office today. This adds the fashion category to your content. So now your business content becomes more appealing.
Having said that, any content you create has an intended audience. And if some of your followers aren’t liking that content, it’s okay. It’s not for them, and you need to keep creating and utilising hashtags and SEO to increase your reach to more of your target audiences.
Admittedly, the words ‘community is more important than likes’ are ones I recently heard Christelle Nganhou, the previous owner of the fashion brand Grassfields, say in a TikTok. The words are fresh in my mind, but the concept is one I have expressed many times.
It’s not about the likes. It’s about serving a group of people with similar values, desires and goals with great content. It’s about making connections with your audience through storytelling and discussions. This is where your focus should be. Not how many likes you got.
Concentrate on building community, and the growth of your page will come.
You know what? In my next post, I will share a few content ideas to help build your community. Watch out for it.
They may only be a handful, but a few people show up because they like you and the content you post. It is these people that you should think about and not the people that aren’t clicking like.
Thinking about the haters will only get you down. And if you’re thinking about them, you are not concentrating on what and who truly matters, which is sharing your work with people who value you.
Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you. Keep creating for those who do. I promise if you stay consistent, posting content for current fans, the algorithm will push your content to more people like them.
Now for one of the most important points on this list. If you are feeling discouraged by social media, take a break. And don’t take any old break; take a break and get back to enjoying life for yourself. Put your phone away, forget about the online world and rejuvenate yourself by living life.
When you take a break from social media, meet with friends and family whose company you enjoy. You can even go out on your own doing the things you love without telling the world about it. Get back to loving on you and loving the gift of life.
Looking after you and your mental health are much more important than how many likes you have. When you feel good about yourself and how life is going, return to socials when you’re good and ready. But when you do return, come back bigger and better.
You may decide never to return. And that’s okay. Life isn’t always about being on socials. So many people live full and successful lives without having to get online attention. It’s up to you. Either way, whatever you choose to do, be intentional about enjoying it.
You’ve come to the end of the post. Thanks for reading.
I hope the five points I have shared will motivate you if you feel discouraged by social media. If they have, please share which part resonated with you most in the comments.
Also, like and share with your friends who need it.
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