The Power of Being "You" on Social Media & How to Develop Your Brand Voice
Are you having trouble putting yourself out there on social media? I will be the first to admit, it’s not easy. But the most important things we do are rarely the easiest. Being vulnerable and sharing your unique thoughts and opinions can be scary, but it will make every interaction you have on social media much more meaningful.
But why exactly is it so important to share your voice? I believe you have been given unique gifts and the world needs those gifts. In today’s world, there's no better way to share your gifts than through social media. Secondly, I think as a culture, we are craving authenticity. It's easy to be vanilla on social media and simply say what everyone else is saying. It's harder, but so much more rewarding, to really be you, to talk about the things that you're fired up about- especially if those are things that no one else is talking about.
Putting yourself out there takes courage and vulnerability. As a culture, we're really disconnected and isolated, and we're craving someone to connect with. The great thing is that you have the power to make those connections. But how do you do that, right? It's not easy. So here are four ways that you can really be "you" on social media, lean into who you are and develop your voice.
Know who you are. In order to share your voice, you have to know exactly who you are. Know your brand values and what you stand for. If you don't know your values, what you represent and what you want to be known for, it's pretty hard to develop your voice and know what to talk about-and how to talk about it. So go back to the drawing board. What are your values? What do you want to be known for? The way you answer those questions will drive everything moving forward. Really get clear on your values, and the rest will be much easier.
Brainstorm topics that you're passionate about. While brainstorming your passions, also keep in mind things that your audience is asking for. What really fires you up? What are the things that no one else is talking about? Or what are the things that everyone's talking about, but you would say a little bit differently? Start talking about those things on social media andyour voice will start to develop naturally.
Create content with your voice. Now that you know the topics you want to cover, you have to decide how you’re going to talk about them. Here is the thing, you have to create content in your own voice. If you like to write, you should blog. Start blogging and really let your own ideas and opinions come out through your writing. If you're okay being on camera, then create videos. Or better yet, go Live. If you don't necessarily want to be seen on camera, but you would rather talk, then create a podcast.The important thing is to create original content with your ideas, your own words and your own opinions. Don't just share the same things that everyone else is talking about. Put your ideas out there– people are waiting for them!
Use stories. Stories are a great tool to develop your voice and let people know who you are on social media. Whether it's Instagram, Facebook or both, use Stories to let people know who you are. They’re a good way to share a behind-the-scenes look into what your life is really like. Let people know what it's like to work with you, the things that you enjoy doingand what you’re passionate about. Don't miss out on all the opportunities that Stories provide.
Brian Chesky, the founder of Airbnb said, "Build something that 100 people love, not something that one million people kind of like." This is the perfect way to sum up this topic. When you start to be you, you’ll attract the right people. Maybe you won’t attract everybody, but you’ll attract your people. And that is the true power of social media - those real relationships and those authentic connections.
Need some exmples of what I am talking about? A few people that are doing this really well right now are Rachel Hollis, Brene Brown and Gary Vaynerchuck. They're really being true to who they are. They successfully broke through the noise and are connecting with their audiences in meaningful ways. If you follow them as well, let me know in the comments! Or share who you think is being truly authentic on social media. I’d love to check them out!