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How To Grow Your Social Media Presence

Hey guys! It’s been a minute since I did my last Industry Talk post. If you’re new here this is the section of my blog where I cover all things industry related. Blogging/modeling/content creating related topics are all talked about here. I’m constantly looking for new questions and topics to cover in this series so if you have any always feel free to send them my way! 🙂

For today’s post I’m going to be diving into the topic of growing a social following, and how I personally have done it up to this point. This is a question I get a lot so I wanted to share as much knowledge as I know about it. Of course everyone has their own journey, their own tactics, and their own style but today I’ll be sharing what has worked for me. Read on for more!

Nothin’ But Time

It should come as no surprise to you that in order to grow an organic social following it’s going to take time. Unless you’ve found fame in a different way i.e. reality TV, fame by association (piggy-backing) or something along these lines you most likely won’t be able to gain a huge social following overnight. However, that’s okay. It’s nice to be able to have a solid chunk of time to develop your brand, better understand the influencer space, and learn things through trial and error.

For me personally I’ve been growing my following for about 2.5 years. There’s been times that have been quicker than others. And it’s easy to get frustrated during those slower times, but it’s also a great opportunity to re-evalute your strategies. Those slower times have been some of the most insightful and instrumental planning phases in my business. So even if you’re experiencing slow growth – it’s okay. It’s a great time to buckle down analyze, strategize, and plan out methods of taking things to the next level. For example during these slower times don’t be afraid to try a new style of content, a new color palette, or a new caption strategy. See what works for you and don’t be afraid to try new things!

Basically my point is – don’t get discouraged during these times. They are extremely common and also can be valuable if you allow them to. Other than that be patient and be willing to put in the time. Whatever you do – don’t give up! 

Take Note

When you’re in the process of growing your social following it’s really important to pay attention to what your audience likes. If you’re going to take this seriously you can treat it as a science. There is plenty of data and proof as to what your audience prefers to see.

You can learn more about your audience by gauging your most liked/commented photos, what type of stories get more views, and also implementing the poll feature on your stories. For example my audience favors fashion focused images that include my face, half up shots, and neutral colors. Beyond engagement you can open up the conversation in your captions, videos, etc. as to what your audience would like to see more of. As an influencer it’s your #1 job to give your audience value. A great way to do so is to ask exactly what they’d like to see. For example, you guys have asked me a lot how I grew my following – so here I am giving you that information. It’s a pretty simple process.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Personal

There’s a fine line between oversharing and not sharing enough. But in general if you want to become an influencer with an engaged (large) social following it’s crucial to get a little personal and be a little vulnerable form time to time.

Social media is full of beautifully curated perfect moments from our imperfect lives. However, it’s important to share some raw, organic, flawed moments of your life and your experience as well. If you’re willing to show people a less curated more relatable side of you from time to time you will find that they love it. This can be executed however you see fit. But don’t leave this part of the equation out. Otherwise you’re going to leave your audience feeling distant and frustrated because they won’t have anything genuine to relate to and engage with.

This is going to look different for everyone. Some people may feel more comfortable sharing a lot of insight into their personal lives via videos or captions. Maybe it’s by posting less curated pictures. Maybe it’s through talking to your phone and being chatty with your audience via stories etc. I personally try to talk with you guys a lot, show myself in everyday looks (no makeup crazy hair lol), and sometimes sharing when I’ve had a hard day or a tough situation. It doesn’t matter how you do it, but don’t forget to open up to your audience. Essentially that’s why they’re there – to get to know you! 🙂

These are some of the most important parts I’ve found for growing and maintaining my social following. However, it takes a lot of hard work, patience, persistence, and creativity as well. In the end just make sure to do it organically, with good intention, and honestly! Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Feel free to DM me on Instagram or write a comment below on what you’d like to see in my next Industry Talk post!

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Photography by Clayton Wenner @clayhendrx