This is one of those blog posts I feel some hesitation to write.
There are thoughts that have been swirling in my brain for a while now, but honestly, I’m nervous to say them out loud. Nervous because I think “will this make me enemies? Is it too controversial?”
Nevertheless… here I go.
In September, I attended The Art of Marketing Conference. Arianna Huffington was the last speaker of the day, and, in fact, the only speaker in a day full of men. I’m not putting the men down, I loved what they had to say, and learned tons.
But Huffington was different… she started talking about what success looks like, and how women are starting to create new definitions of success. “We need to change our language around business,” was one thing that really stuck with me.
I have noticed this trend lately in social media in general. The trend is, that generally, the louder someone is, the more noise they make, the more successful they appear to be.
I get it–I fall into this trap, too. I see my friends posting photos from fabulous events they’re at, and I get a bit jealous. This is the world that social media has created for us: we now have this conduit, this megaphone, and we can shout about how fabulous our lives are.
I’m not innocent in this equation. I do it, too. But I think there is a very fine line between building a personal brand through social media (which is what I’m trying to do), and tooting your own horn waaaaay too much. For example, whenever I get invited to an event, I try to pump up the business that is hosting the event as much as possible through my social media.
I feel like this “bigger + better = success” equation is slowly changing. For me, I feel like I have been successful if two things happen: first off, I want to create some value for my followers. So if I get invited to a new restaurant, I’ll want to tell my followers what I think the best dishes are, or if they have vegetarian or vegan or gluten-free options. Second, I want to create some value for the business–if I can send some new business their way, that means I’ve done something right.
It’s not all about me. It shouldn’t be all about me. It should be about creating a community, and creating success for all of us, not just the one who shouts with the loudest voice.
My favourite people to follow right now are people who are trying to make a difference. And I think, for me, that’s the real definition of success. People who are experiencing their 15 minutes of fame only have that to leave behind. I want to make a greater impression. I want to leave a legacy, and I don’t feel like I need to burn hot and heavy in a short time in order to do it. I’d rather smoulder over the long run…
What do you think? What should the definition of “social media success” be?