I want social media to be helpful. I really do. But every time I go on there to help others or learn things, I’m bombarded with distracting advertising, irrelevant content and addictive mechanisms at play. It simply isn’t the place to get any real work done. As a society, we are faced with the noise of social media.
Some entrepreneurs I’ve talked to are building businesses with social media alone. Sure, it’s definitely a tool to reach success. The question is, how long do you need to invest time-wise, to reach this success? Are there better methods? Is social media just delaying success? I’m not so sure we need it to build a business. Certainly not to the level most feel these days.
Let’s be real for a second. Social media engagement is down. Attention spans are fractured. If your post isn’t interesting, you’ve wasted time creating an irrelevant post. You could have been writing an amazing book instead. You could have been creating something meaningful. Yet the chase for a new follower is much more desirable.
Are followers that important? I don’t think so. Look at new Instagrammers who were celebrities before they started an account. Jennifer Aniston is a good example. Or Matthew McConaughey. They already have millions of followers, within weeks of setting up an account! Why is that? These actors focused on the craft first. Before hopping on social, they were people worth talking about. They did meaningful things. If you don’t have something meaningful to share, social media will become a nuisance for you.
So if not social media, then what?
I can think of a few ideas. Write something. Draw something. Video record something. Screenshot something. Voice record something. Paint something. Act out something. Truly connect with someone.
These actions are more likely to gain you the attention you seek. Focus on what you can do. Focus on your talents. Express those. Develop those.