Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more. These sites are everywhere, and they come with a million different ways to get your message out there. Believe it or not, you can use social media to advance your career in more than one way. When connecting on social media you can directly connect with others, send messages, share, use hashtags, and say what is on your mind. With the use of social media our world is becoming more and more connected, but not without a cost. Some feel that with the rise of social media we are making fewer human connections. This problem can be avoided if we use social media in a manner that is connected, mannered, and engaging.
Making Clear Connections with Intention
When connecting with others on social media it is good to start on the right path. Each social media platform is different. For example, on Instagram and Twitter, you can simply follow other people because you like their content. On LinkedIn the connection that you are engaging with typically will want to know more about you and why you are connecting with them. Facebook typically follows the same pattern.
So, what can you do when connecting with to show intention? Send a message. Make the message short and clear. Mention something about what drew you to their profile, and then ask you questions or state your reason for connecting. The key is to be engaging, warm, and allow a purposeful conversation to begin. One thing to note is that not everyone you connect with will respond and there are many reasons for this. However, do not get discouraged if you do not get a response to every message you send. The same goes for Twitter and Instagram, if you connect with someone and you are interested in their work send them a private message on the platform. You never know what opportunities will come from this interaction! The key is to connect with intention by telling the other person what interested you in them.
Content Distribution
Creating content to share online and sharing content will get you noticed. The use of hash (#) tags is also important when sharing content. When sharing other people’s content always give credit where credit is due, or if it is a simple share on a social media feed write a line about why you are sharing the contact. Using hash (#) tags in the sentence to highlight keywords is also another way to get content you are sharing noticed.
When creating your content ensure that it is always original, and if you are using other points from other writings to prove your point, proper citation and recognition are necessary. For platforms like Instagram and Twitter, you can share a link to your work and for sites like LinkedIn, you can post an article and have it noticed by others. Also, be sure to share your written articles with relevant groups on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Blogging and writing articles on websites like WordPress and Blogger is a great way to advance your knowledge as well.
Human Connections
Overall, connecting on social media should be made with intention and engagement, and should not be a race to get the most followers. There is no point in having 10,000 followers if no one is engaged with your content. Be sure to respond to comments and direct messages or at least acknowledge them in your content. This as mentioned earlier can increase interactions with others. And these increased interactions can lead to increased opportunities. Being genuine and following proper manners while online is important. So, always think before you post and ensure that your content is useful to your audience and will not be offensive. While it is social media, the way you type your messages is also important, always use proper punctuation and grammar! While this does sound basic, improper use of sentence structure is often something that can be missed and can make a world of difference in how people perceive you. Social Media is only growing and is not going anywhere in the future, so make meaningful connections, follow people who inspire you to be better.
Bliss + You 