Social Proof: A Gen X-er Explores Social Media

I was in a coaching session last week with an industry leader who specializes in social media and the idea of “social proof” came up. According to Sproutsocial.com, “Social proof is a term that was coined back in 1984 by author Robert Cialdini in his book Influence.” In relation to social media, social proof means that people will observe online profiles to understand people’s basic natures, what motivates them, and what they value. During the coaching session, we talked about the importance of social proof when it comes to creating and maintaining a strong online presence. It may seem obvious, but what people read about you online greatly affects their opinions of you. 

I left the coaching meeting excited but daunted. Before starting my job as a recruiter 7 weeks ago, I had no interest in posting on social media or having an “online presence.” I felt that people should get to know me by our interactions with each other, either on the phone, Zoom or in person. Surely, nobody can get to know me by merely viewing my Linkedin page, right? I now see that it is vital, especially as a remote employee, that I embrace social media to show the world who I am and what I value.

I just started this journey of social media exploration. Here are some lessons I have learned along the way:

Take it slow/have a plan

I started posting on Instagram last week and saw people with thousands of followers. I wanted to find a way to get as many followers as quickly as possible (I even went so far as to research paying for a service that promised to “boost” my followers). I soon realized that I was missing the point. While it is impressive to have thousands of followers, I want to use social media to build meaningful relationships with true connections, which will take time. So, I schedule about 15 minutes a day to post and respond on various platforms with the understanding that I am slowly building a network of people with whom I can truly engage on a consistent basis.

You already have connections/followers

You just need to go find them online. Over the past week, I have connected on social media with old high school/college friends, family, and past colleagues. It has been so much fun to see what everyone is up to and re-establish lines of communication with people I haven’t seen in years. Plus, because I actually know these people and we have a shared history, we can engage on social media about real things, which makes for a richer experience.

Have fun!

You may feel dragged into the social media world because you have been told it is essential to building a lasting brand (true), but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. For the most part, the people you will connect with are using social media to celebrate life, and you can be a part of that celebration. So, post a smile emoji or a goofy “Fun Friday” pic and have some fun!

I hope this article brought some value to you today. I would love to hear from you about what you’re up to.

Please post in the comments section any other ideas that you have found useful in your social media journey or struggles you have faced.

Be well!