Social Metrics: It Doesn’t Matter. You’re Worth It
Q: How have social media metrics affected your sense of self?
A: It made me more understanding, accepting, and stronger.
Over the years I feel I’ve mastered the social media science of which posts will get you the most likes while others will somehow be easily swiped over. I remember years ago I may have once succumbed to the pressure of taking down a picture because of the lack of likes it received and I did question the picture’s quality. That peer pressure feeling didn’t last long because I sat back and realized it showed more insecurity to take it down than it did to leave the photo up and only get a few likes. At the end of the day, you posted the picture for a reason. You wanted to share a moment with your snippet of the social media world and you need to be proud of your posts.
You also have to consider your audience. What kinds of friends do you have on Facebook and Instagram? Sure, I go on and scroll, like, and occasionally comment on things but there are a few things to take into consideration:
1. We may not all be online at the same time or when a picture is first posted. Some of my closest friends barely use social media and they are the type to go on every few days to see what’s happening in their loop of friends. I don’t take offense to not getting likes from them right away because I know they’re not active users. I’m confident to know that they love me just the same and I don’t need an added like to confirm that.
2. The more people you follow, the larger the feed, and the more difficult your reach is for that post. I also follow a bunch of people I’ve met throughout my journey of living in four different cities and traveling to different countries. That’s the beauty of social media is to stay in touch with people that may be far away from you. I think it’s important to not lose sight of that. I don’t always see their posts and I need to remember that they may not always see mine. It’s the filter bubble, people, but I’m thankful to still be in touch with those people. They are there when I need to reach out.
3. Is everyone on your feed really your friend? You may have people that lived on your floor in first year that you never became close with or someone in your program that you don’t particularly want to hang out with but you also don’t want to decline their friend request and stir up more problems. We all have those sorts of people on our feed and that’s okay. Just know not to expect a like from them.
The types of photos you post also have a deciding factor on whether it catches the eye and deserves a like. I did an experiment to see if my hypothesis was correct on which kind of photos got the most attention. I went back on my Instagram feed over the past year and saw a pattern.
If I posted photos of a concert taking place, a baby picture of myself, or a scenic shot where you may just see my silhouette, on average I probably received between 20–50 likes. If it was a compelling post with family or friends that is a good quality shot and has a cute message added to it, I’d get between 50–80 likes. Though being from the Dominican Republic, beach photos and bathing suit shots are quite common and part of the culture there. Do you see where I’m going with this? On average, I received between 80–160 likes. Now, isn’t that a drastic jump in attention. You know the sayings: sex sells — controversy sells. I’m not saying my pictures are purposely revealing to get attention, it’s just where I’m from and part of the lifestyle I grew up in. It’s bound to get more attention.
Q: How have social media metrics influenced your understanding of value?
A: By knowing everyone’s values are different and it’s important to tell your story (regardless of the number of likes you get).
I don’t value my beach posts more than my other posts. If one gets more likes than the other, I am completely fine with that. I don’t want to tailor my story depending on public appraisal. My feed represents me as a person, the life I live, the things I value, and the dreams I’m chasing. The message is: post because you want to post. Tell your story and do it for you. The people that matter the most will enjoy seeing what you’re doing. Those are the people that count. For your personal feed, don’t post because you want attention or because of the number of likes you get. Be genuine.
Social media, as both Hamza and Bailey said in class, can be a dark place but you really have to take a good look at yourself and be stronger than that. Don’t let the number of likes determine your value. You need to believe in yourself and believe in what you post. Be confident in who you are and what you stand for. Remember, you wanted to share that momento for a reason. Don’t let people’s reaction or feedback (or lack of thereof) tell you otherwise.
Now that I understand the science behind it, I am no longer concerned about how my posts resonate with my followers. I am more confident in my posts because they make ME happy. I don’t post to show off or for the purpose of being told how pretty I may be. I share what adds to my overall story and know that those who like and comment on my stuff are those that I know are genuinely interested in my life. Those are the kind of people I want liking and commenting — those are the real MVPs.
Takeaway:
What others think of you is none of your business
