How To Use Social Media So It Doesn’t Use You

I had a lot to think about after I recently watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix. It’s a very well done documentary about the perils of social media, both from its commercial core and the fact it’s growing faster than we can keep up with. Former highly-ranked employees of major tech companies like Facebook and Google ring the alarm in no uncertain terms about how careful we need to be about how we use social media.

Social media is a double-edged sword. It’s designed to keep you coming back for more, and it can trigger intense emotions very quickly. On the other hand, it allows you to get your message out to large numbers of people who resonate with you in a way that’s never been possible before. Using social media is a lot like handling a fire.

Bring focus and intention to your digital life so you can create the impact you want without getting swept into addiction. Get to know the “why” behind the platform or platforms you choose so you can see where your agendas align. Putting social media to work for you requires a plan, and here’s how to get started putting your pieces together.

Understand What Social Media Really Is

I remember coming home from our family vacations as a kid with a bag of film rolls to be developed. I snapped so many photos and couldn’t wait to show them to all my friends. Several days later I’d open the envelope, only to discover my favorite moments had a bad flash or my finger was on the lens. I was so excited to share that moment with my friends two weeks ago, and now I just learned that wasn’t possible.

This situation doesn’t happen any longer. We can instantly share perfect images from around the world to millions of others. Social media arose from our desire for deeper connection with more people around the planet. Facebook, Instagram and other platforms serve our need to connect.

In serving our need for connection, these platforms are commercial enterprises. They need to make money somewhere, and you are not paying to have a Facebook or Instagram account. They make money by serving you advertisements you’re likely to engage with and keeping you on the platform long enough to do that. If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.

I chuckle when I see petitions circulate on Facebook demanding they not use photographs people have uploaded to their profiles. Make no mistake – Facebook and Instagram own every pixel and character you’ve ever added to the site. These companies might be huge and a major part of our every day lives, but they are still large companies. At the moment, social media is a few very effective communication platforms which regulate their own standards.

When you understand the commercial nature at the core of social media, it makes it easier to create a strategy that puts it to work for you.

Know What You Want To Accomplish

When you post content online, the algorithms that run the platform work to get your post in front of as many people as they think will be interested in it. This works the same whether you post pictures of your food, quotes from famous people, or “that moment” from last night. Social media amplifies everything you say, so have something to say.

Online platforms all operate essentially on relevance to keywords. Google wants to show you pages which will most accurately answer your question, and Facebook wants to show you content in line with your interests. When you focus your message on social media, you “point your laser” and create relevance around the interests and keywords you use. This is like candy for the algorithms, which will work overtime on your behalf to spread your message.

Look out for your subconscious intentions when you’re focusing your message. If you’re sending a message of peace and love but deep down you have an axe to grind, your stuff will start to show up. Social media is a powerful tool so pay extra attention to clearly setting the intention you want when putting it to work for you.

Use Social Media The Way It Wants You To Use It

Since social media platforms are commercial interests who who want you to have the most enjoyable experience, they work very hard to maintain that experience for you. It takes a lot of work to police a community of more than one billion people posting every day. When you take actions on social media that help support this end, like posting content that encourages more people to engage, social media platforms reward you. When you take actions against these ends, that’s when you run into trouble.

Russell Brunson talks in his book Traffic Secrets about the importance of aligning your social media efforts with the goals of the platforms. Frequent algorithm changes often require new strategies as old tricks won’t get as many impressions any longer. Each of these algorithm updates happens to keep the experience fresh and prevent “spammy” behaviors that don’t help grow engagement. The one thing that never changes is each platform’s desire for more eyeballs that stay on the screen longer.

The one thing you want to avoid at all costs is engaging with tricks or “spam” activities to boost your followings or engagement. I know from personal experience a platform will shut you down with no warning if it believes you are not fostering the type of community it wants for its users. Avoid shortcuts and focus on building quality content that creates engagements and makes your social media platform happy.

Use Social Media Responsibly

Social media is essentially a reflection of society, and a reflection of you! There isn’t one central publisher making the content, it’s coming from users all over the world. If you create positivity, that’s what will come back. If you make chaos, that’s what you’ll have. Use care and intention to not only make social media hard to get your message out, but that you’ve got a message that will help other people and improve their lives.

If you want to learn more about crafting your message and creating influence on social media, visit abundancehackers.life.