Posting Without Performing: Where I’m at with Social Media Now

Alright, I know I said I’d be more consistent. Technically, I have been…just not on here. (YouTube is where I stay.) My issue is that just don’t know what to write about anymore. I have ideas…or concepts of ideas, but I feel like they’d fall flat. And that’s really my problem. I’m worried about a post performing well rather than doing something I like doing just for funsies.

I think that’s the thing about social media these days. We focus so heavily on performing well and not what we’re actually putting out there. I’d even go as far to say that a video/photo could be the highest quality but it still lacks substance. Right now, everyone is screaming “storytelling!!” And people think that means actually telling a story of something that happened to them. Which yes, that is the simplified definition of telling a story but ‘why’ is the story being told.

I spent 2020 – 2023 trying to figure out how to gain a large following on Instagram. I tried following all the trends, sounds, post 3x a day, do following groups, etc. It became tiresome and I truly didn’t even know why I was doing that. I kept telling myself it was “to build a community.” But for what? At the time, my favorite posts around 2022 were the ones where my captions were just musings and random thoughts. Those actually did well. I wasn’t performing relatability or trying to be someone I’m not. I was just being.

I find that most people on social media will do whatever is popular/trendy. If the next big thing is super cinematic videos with quirky music that make the algorithm happy, people will do it. People want followers and likes, and views. Even when you say you don’t care about that, you really do. Nobody wants to post something to 1,000 followers and only get 10 likes. Especially when you put quite a bit of time into filming and editing.

But once you stop chasing numbers and focus on what you’re making and why, slower growth starts to feel like the better route. Slow growth is often very rewarding in the long term. I can’t express how platforms like YouTube, blogging sites, and subscription-based sites are great for slow growth. Getting a like or two on YouTube somehow feels better than getting 90 likes on Instagram and TikTok. Don’t get me started on comments. I believe that when you put a lot more time into something and work on the quality, the finished product is truly the reward, and the engagement is a bonus.

I’m not anti-trend or even anti-social media, but I am all about knowing why you’re participating in something online (and offline, but that’s another story.) Social media can be fun, and honestly, it should be. Unless you’re on payroll, there’s no reason to burn yourself out trying to keep up with the algorithm.

I don’t care about the numbers anymore. Hell, I barely care if brands reach out to me anymore. I’m truly doing things for the love of it now. While everyone is following a content strategy and posting 3 to 4 times a week, I’ll be around posting more intuitively.

-Chelsi