Why aren’t you interacting online?

I created a video last month in which I urged people not to take vanity metrics (likes and comments) too seriously – they’re great but they are the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lie many more viewers, who do not interact, who rarely share or create content online themselves. Some of my best clients and leads have come from that pool – not ‘liking’ doesn’t mean ‘not liking’.

Vanity metrics are great but they are the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lie most of your viewers. Not 'liking' does not mean 'not liking'. Click To Tweet

Today I wanted to write to that pool of observers and discuss what I see as the two main reasons for their behaviour…

External Factor

If your company hasn’t explicitly encouraged you to use social media, then you are not going to risk it.

Many workplaces are still unfortunately old-fashioned, and even when they are not, they haven’t cottoned on to the power of employee advocacy. Rather than tapping into the organic reach, and the credibility of their employees, they still think marketing belongs to the marketing department.

If your company hasn’t explicitly encouraged you to use social media, then you are not going to risk it. Click To Tweet

No one has shared best practice with you, so you don’t want to get things wrong

Enough horror stories circulate to terrify many a professional into keeping away from social media. What if you accidentally say the wrong thing which, in turn, reflects badly on your organisation? What if you reveal trade secrets, or make yourself look incompetent? Fear of embarrassment is a very potent thing here.

Enough horror stories circulate to terrify many a professional into keeping away from social media. Click To Tweet

With the above, training and support from the organisation could solve this issue. Being aware of the mechanics of social media, best practice, and the expectations of your workplace, can be enough to give you the push you need to build your profile online.

Internal Factor

The more difficult factor to consider is the internal one – it’s the imposter voice that lives in your head telling you: who am I to take up space? who am I to make noise?
You might feel like sharing or writing posts on your social media makes you look ‘mememe’ and it doesn’t interest you.

Well, buddy, if that sounds like you, you’re looking at social media the wrong way!

Sure, the internet has its fair share of egomaniacs – a glance through LinkedIn will show you gurus, ninjas and evangelists aplenty — but the majority of social media profiles are nothing like that.

Instead of thinking about your social media profile as about ‘you’ think about it as a platform, curated and shaped by you, for the benefits of others.

Instead of thinking about your social media profile as about ‘you’ think about it as a platform, curated and shaped by you, for the benefits of others. Click To Tweet

Instead of thinking of it as a self-promotional tool, think about how you can use it to elevate the voices that matter, to further the conversations that are needed.

Instead of thinking of it as a self-promotional tool, think about how you can use it to elevate the voices that matter, to further the conversations that are needed. Click To Tweet

Think about it as a ‘we’ rather than an ‘I’.

Your first step

You don’t have to share or create content to your profile, but even simply liking another person’s post helps to increase their visibility on the network. With one easy tap of your mouse you can boost the things you like and shape your internet experience.

With one easy click you can boost the things you like and shape your internet experience. Click To Tweet