So you have a message but think everyone else is already writing it? Or maybe you’re frustrated with how long it’s taking to grow your platform. Well, I’ve been there.
And then I quit.
But before you roll your eyes and click away, let me tell you what I quit.
I quit trying so hard. I quit comparing myself to someone else’s platform. I quit telling myself it was never going to happen. I quit thinking that God couldn’t use me. I quit believing that I was just one of millions; because, let me tell you, you are one in a million! <3
Once I quit that mindset and started to relentlessly pursue JESUS, I began to intentionally share the pieces of my heart- the truths that God was whispering to my soul to share with others. That’s when I saw the change start to happen because ultimately, we are all craving more and more of Him.
Now I get asked frequently what I did to grow my platform, and while my number one response is always- “It’s not me, it’s all Jesus”, but here are seven things I’ve learned dealing with social media, that I always share with them! Ready?
I know how difficult it can seem to do something that everybody else appears to be doing, but let me just remind you that nobody can share your heart better than YOU. Which brings me to my first piece of advice:
No one else has YOUR voice.
I know it seems like everyone else is doing the same thing, but you are UNIQUE. There is no one else that can share what you want to share like you can. Okay, that was a little bit of a tongue twister, so let me say it again:
Only YOU can say what you have to say in the exact way you’re going to say it.
So, I’m urging you to please do it. The world needs your voice.
Be genuinely relatable.
Seriously. I know that everyone says this, but saying it and doing it are two completely different things. What I write is something that I would tell you in person, without hesitation. If you ask any one of my friends, they would tell you that who I am with them, is the same girl behind the words on the screen. I think that one of the things social media has trained us to do is be fake. We only post about the good things happening in our lives, the highlights. But guess what? People relate to real and real life consists of both good and bad. When you’re trying to reach someone, you should be able to relate to them and being genuine is the best way I know to be relatable.
Be consistent
I know you opened this for some strategy, and I promise I’m not going to hold back. Honestly, the number one strategy I can give you is this: consistency is key. Why? Because showing up as consistently as possible creates trust. So, create a schedule and keep to it. When I first decided to be intentional with sharing my heart, I posted every single day at the same exact time. After certain milestones, I reevaluated my schedule and changed it a bit. Life happens, and people understand that (I mean it’s definitely relatable) but I try to keep that change to a minimum. I do also just want to include that if you’re feeling the need for a social media detox- do it! Make sure to let them know when you’re signing off, and when they can expect you back!
Be responsive.
Respond to the questions and the comments and the private messages. One of my absolute favorite things about sharing my heart, is sharing it one-on-one. I LOVE responding to each person, encouraging them, praying for them because it builds a connection (always back to that genuine and relatable point!). Don’t forget that your platform consists of REAL people, (at least you should pray they are real people!) and they reached out because they want to connect with you. Even when life gets busy and it takes days for you to get back to them, try your best to respond! (Need some ideas on how to be social, read this post!)
Be committed
This is probably one I wish I could stress the most. Everything takes time and hard work. I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true. You can’t just give up halfway. What I’ve noticed is our culture wants everything to happen instantaneously- and I’m no exception- but that’s not how life works. My blog was a God-Sized Dream that started building in 2011. There were plenty of times I didn’t take it seriously, or just wanted to give up. BUT, instead of giving up, I decided to commit to it as much as my schedule allowed, and I continue to commit to it every single day. So if this is a dream God has put in your heart, commit to it and pursue it even when it gets a little tough, and you’ll see what God will do with it.
Build community.
Don’t wait for people to come to you- go to them. Reach out to those who are pursuing the same path as you, because chances are they could use some encouragement. The opportunities that have opened up because I started to genuinely reach out to get to know someone, have been amazing! For instance, I hopped on a plane to Nashville in May of 2018 to give the BIGGEST hug to my sweet friend Elle (founder of Daughter of Delight). Everyone thought I was crazy, but Jesus knew exactly who I needed in my life and Elle is seriously one of my most amazing encouragers, supporters, and best friends in the world! And honestly? Life is so much better when we’re doing it together instead of working against one another!
What is your purpose behind this?
My very first blog was a blog about Jesus. I’ve had several pivots since then, (hence how you’re here on The BTS Bestie), but when I started, my relationship with Jesus was what I was sharing (still do on the brand new site A Deeper Pursuit). All of that to say that when I started pursuing blogging and content creation, I decided that I was doing this for Him, and Him alone. I also prayed that I would be able to encourage just one person. That was all.
When it came to building out the BTS Bestie brand, I sat down and answered these three questions, and would urge you to do the same: WHO, WHAT, and WHY. This is ultimately the biggest piece of advice I can give you. Because when you figure out those three answer, everything else will start to fall into place. So spend some time today doing that!
I really hope that if you were sitting on the fence about being a blogger or a content creator, that it encourages you to just go for it. Remember, there’s only one YOU in this world and we need ya!
All the best,
j
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