I often get asked the question: "how much should I share on social media?"
It can feel strange to bare your soul to strangers online. But I want you to think about something. How often have you spilled something significant about your life to someone you didn't know in line with you at a store?
I can count several times I've shared some pretty personal things because either I felt inclined to or someone shared with me and I reciprocated (I tend to get that quite a bit - even people I don't know seem to trust me with their deepest darkest secrets!).
The people who follow you online develop an emotional connection with you. If you do social media right, you'll also develop an emotional connection with them. You'll start to almost view some of these fans - especially raving ones - as an extension of your family. While this may sound weird, it's completely true. You develop a bond with people who adore you, I mean, how can you not?
This makes it feel super natural to share your personal stories even if you're private like me. Because you start to see the impact you could have on others overrides the fear of divulging who you really are. So you explore your vulnerability to let others know that they're in fact not alone.
As a personal brand, YOU are the brand. There's no limit on how personal you can get. People get attached to you - seeing your posts and videos - and they want to know everything, the same way they do with celebrities.
You evolve into public figure status online and so your life is newsworthy to those who follow you.
Keep strictly business, and you're no different than any other business out there sharing the same thing. Take it personal, and suddenly you're unique, you're authentic, and people are drawn to you - especially with the amount of unknown details online. There's a certain security with that - in knowing you're in fact a real person willing to make yourself vulnerable.
If there is a super sensitive topic you are wondering if you should share about - one that you haven't emotionally healed from in your life and that could trigger you or one that involves your personal safety - then obviously wait if you need to. But if it's simply about some discomfort then you'll find you'll grow in ways you never imagined when you step out of your comfort zone. Use your own judgment.
Your shares can and should be of your trials and tribulations - the real you not the glossy magazine spread version of you - but they should always inspire your audience with an uplifting message. The point isn't to unleash drama, it's to ignite passion.
And an added bonus is this is one of the best ways to increase engagement. People stop their scroll for selfies as it's been proven they're attracted to human faces. When you add a personal, touching story to that, it makes for a real person they want to get to know. You.
If you'd like to know what you can share as part of your personal story, I go over it in detail in my free video training series, Make An Impact, here.
Have you shared your personal story on social media?
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