Instagram and Youtube
I wanted to share some thing about growing your social platforms like Youtube, Instagram, Facebook your blog and many other’s that I use or don’t use that often.
BE REAL!!!!!! – she drops the mic and walks off the stage…..
No really, people can tell if something is genuine.
They want to connect and learn from people that are just like them living in this real world not a insta-world.
Being yourself should be easy right? You do it everyday but, put a camera in front of you and you freeze up.
Practice being yourself in front of a camera, then watch it and analyze it and ask yourself:
Is this really who I am , is this who I want to portray? I am being honest? I am likable ( well not everyone is going to like you and some might just hate on you because of jealousy, so get ready for those mean comments, dislikes and trolls).
Learn as you watch your mannerisms and see if your hands are distracting or something in the background is not looking right or is messy. ( how I hate a messy room or trash in the background)
Like anything in life, be your best critic cause you know, someone else will point out to you what you already know but did not change. Confide in someone you trust and who loves you and is willing to give solicited corrective criticism and do not get offended but see if you can learn and change something that would make you more confident on camera. Find a mentor that has been successful even if you need to pay for their expertise, that is money well spent.
I have had a Instagram and blog for years now and I post on Instagram everyday even multiple times a day and write a blog as often as I get inspired to, like today. My followers on my Instagram loved my short motivational messages so that was a great encouragement to start my youtube channel.
I had a dream to start a Youtube channel a few years ago but had no idea what to do. I watched others and thought I can do this until you actually get going and then you get thoughts like “What was I thinking, I am over 50 and a women, who will watch me?”
I am blessed to have a Husband who is actually a Video producer but he is so busy with work and travel and many other volunteer positions he does and he also Co Worship Pastor with me. So I decided one day to just get my laptop out in October of 2015 and went to youtube and watched videos on how to upload a video on youtube…..really thats what I did. I thought if I got my feet wet and put a few videos up and see the response then I would tell the hubby about it.
So that’s exactly what I did and then told the Husband. I knew once he got involved he would take it to extreme higher levels of excellence and my laptop days and fuzzy picture quality, sounds of dogs barking, AC, and doors being slammed by my dad who lives with me would be over.
Then came my birthday and Christmas and of course if my husband was gonna do this right then I got as gifts all this new equipment that I had no idea how to use….lol.
Learning and growing in anything you do will take you out of your comfort zone and make you feel inferior, uncomfortable and ill prepared. But without that uncomfortable stretching we can’t grow and become more excellent at anything new we are trying to accomplish in life.
Today I reached over 500 subscribers at 10 months in which to me is a good growth and I am pleased and grateful but like you I have a certain number in mind that I am believing for by the end of the year with hopes to reach it and in the process reach more people with my message and content.
Be mindful of what you are called to do, speak it out and write it down and make a vision board and keep focused, stay up to date on research and don’t be swayed by what someone else is doing, stay in your lane and learn and grow your own gifting and talents. There will always be people that have more likes, followers or subscribers that you but don’t allow that to parazly you and stop you from your own race.
People will come and go ( your followers or subscribers) so don’t be discouraged just know that the right people will stay and thats the only thing that matters.
Don’t just through up links to your pages make sure you share who you are and that you are human and care for people and not just on a soap box. make sure you take the time to connect with your audience and respond to comments and answer questions.
Use the correct hashtags but don’t over do it #dontbethatgirl.
Have a call to action- a question or a suggestion for your followers to answer or create a dialogue going.
Be consistent in your posting and make them want to see what your posting and if you haven’t posted in awhile be honest and share why? People are nosey they will want to know, I know I am ..lol.
Don’t be long winded people have a short attention span and they will move on.
Listen to what your audience is saying through their comments, that is your future content.
Share relevant messages and allow other’s to share it by asking them to share it. You have not cause you asked not!
Whatever platform or platforms you use, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, linkedin, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube etc…Use them responsibly and stay within your area and mission statement of why you are using them.
Never stop learning and growing. Read books, read articles and watch videos and soak up as much knowledge in the area that you feel you are called to be a spoke person for and apply it. Knowledge is never any good just laying dormant in your head, you must put it into action.
So take that step and jump into the social media ocean, someone needs to hear what you have to say.
You can follow me:
@mydolcesoul – Instagram
StacyAngel on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/MyDolceSoul
Dolcesoul – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DolceSoul/?fref=ts
StacyAngel – Snap chat
StacyAngel –https://www.pinterest.com/Stacy_Angel/
What are ways that you have found that will grow your audience on your social platforms, I would love to know?
You are born to be a blessing,
Stacy