A lot has been written about the negative effects of social media on people. Some would argue you just need to drop out completely, while others suggest you might be surrounding yourself with the wrong people.
I want to take a look at the success side of social media. What happens when you appear do be doing very well. You have followers and people are liking your stuff. Life is great.
For many of you, this is the promised land. You have surrounded yourself with people you like and who like you. Your message is getting out to the world and you are reaching your goals.
But are you?
For some, and not all of you, social media is a sweet trap. It become a mindless treadmill of seeking more and more likes and shares, with the likes and share becoming the goal.
The problem is, it is hard to tell when this is happening to you. The seeming adulation of your adoring social media public can blind you to reality. So what you need to constantly keep asking yourself is, what were my goals when I started this social media account. Am I making progress.
For example, if you are interested in podcasting and want to connect people to your show. Then check out your audience growth and compare it to the success you are having on your social media accounts. Do you see a correlation?
If not, is this the best use of your time? Maybe you need a new platform , a new strategy, or to connect with different people.
Another thing you can ask yourself is, should I be changing my goals to match the audience I was lucky enough to connect with? Perhaps experimenting with a new type of writing or a different format would engage them in new ways.
If your podcast is not being fed by your social media account, maybe the social media account is where you should be putting your content instead.
The TLDR of it is simple. Don’t get comfortable. Pay attention and assess your failures and your successes. Make sure that you are focused on what you are trying to accomplish and always keep trying to make it better.