Stop Selling Shit On Social Media
A Seemingly Hypocritical Rant
I know exactly what you’re thinking after reading the above title.
You may have landed here after seeing my post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and you probably think I’m a hypocrite who’s full of shit.
In some ways, you may even be right.
At this very moment, I am selling you something. I’m selling you on the idea that you need to stop letting others sell you shit you don’t need.
They’re not worried about you. In fact, they couldn’t care less about what you want or need.
The only thing they care about is advancing their own agendas and careers using social media.
In theory, social media is supposed to be amazing.
It allows us to connect with people all over the world over shared ideas and interests without having to meet in-person.
Like most things, this has become a blessing and a curse.
Unfortunately, people like Gary Vaynerchuck are 100% right when they say:
“Marketers ruin everything.”
Instead of making genuine connections one-on-one, most social media marketers are constantly peddling bullshit that won’t help you at all.
As a marketer myself, I am fully aware we each have an agenda.
Some of us use social media to sell shit in order to keep a job; others want to make a living off selling their own shit.
Personally, I use social media for two reasons:
- To share insight through writing as I gather it; and
- To connect with others over shared ideas
As altruistic as this sounds, I’ve made mistakes in the past. In the early days of sharing my writing, I was accused of spamming and sharing clickbait. I was even banned from a subreddit or two.
I’m not saying social media has to be virgin and clean, untouched by the evil hands of marketers; we simply need to stop selling ourselves and our products and start selling solutions to problems.
This involves patience, consideration, and empathy.
I know. I have never ever heard anyone describe marketers using any of the above three words. Instead, you typically hear four-letter words that aren’t usually suitable for work.
In order to start sharing solutions, it takes one thing about all else:
Time.
In the fast-paced world of social media marketing, everyone is looking to “growth hack” their way to the top, using automation and other time-saving techniques. As effective as these methods may be in the short-term, they leave users and followers feeling used and even exploited.
No matter where you work or what you’re trying to accomplish, we all need to slow the fuck down and consider the people we’re talking to on social media.
Only then will we start to form genuine connections with people.
Once you have these people in your corner, they will become your biggest fans and loyalists. They will share your content not because you tricked them into it, but because they truly believe in you and your brand.
This is where every marketer wants to be.
Unfortunately, not enough of them are willing to put in the work, forging one-on-one relationships.
Instead, they continue to sell shit on social media.
Are you using social media to sell something? Have you tried actually listening to the people you’re talking to? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter at @williamfrazr.
If you found value in this article, please clap 👏 below and share with your friends so others can enjoy!
