How to bring intention to your social media use

Using your knowledge and skills to build an online course can be an incredibly exciting endeavor. While so much focus and attention goes into creating the actual content of your course, that’s really only half of the process. Being visible and sharing about what you have to offer is the integral other half of the process if you really want to make an impact in your field. Using different social media platforms is a potent way to do this.

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The “need” for using social media and all that it entails when it comes to publishing a course can be enough to stop some people in their tracks. Being uncomfortable posting videos of yourself speaking, feeling unsure of what to post, or losing momentum due to lack of engagement are some big mental hurdles that course creators face. It can also just feel like a huge, endless task to keep up with the ever-shifting trends of different social media platforms. As well as the constant creative output required to make enough content to post regularly.

Consistency is incredibly important, and is probably the number one piece of advice you’ll hear creators with large social media platforms talk about as it relates to growing your audience and expanding your reach. But what do you do when you feel like you just don’t have the energy to keep up with posting on various social media platforms every day, or you have tried it and didn’t see results?

If this sounds familiar, read on to find out how you can be more intentional in making these platforms work for you instead of being in the time suck of having the never-ending “post on Instagram” on your to-do list.

Strategies for bringing intention to your social media use

Quality over quantity

The last thing you want to do is to post just for the sake of posting. In a world where there is endless content to consume, you don’t want to just be another feed post that your audience scrolls past without second thought. Ideally, you’re sharing content that is valuable, educational, inspirational, and/or humorous. It’s better to share that once or twice a week rather than fluff posts every day! You’ll have higher engagement as a result and won’t have to produce as much content.

Reframe what it means to be consistent

Oftentimes, there’s a misconception that you need to post daily or even twice a day to see results. “Consistent” in this case just means more often than not. Decide what an achievable consistent cadence looks like for you, and stick with it. That might mean only twice a week for you! There’s no correct schedule for this, only you can decide that.

Check-in with yourself before posting

Be intentional with what you’re posting. Ask yourself, “does my audience need to hear this right now?” If you’re having trouble answering that question, refer back to who your ideal client is. Oftentimes, your ideal client has elements of a past version of you. Before you gained all the skills and knowledge you had in your field, would this content have been relevant to you? Use this as a quick check-in before you post!  

Reuse content

Find ways to repackage your content so your creative output is less. Take the message you shared on your stories and make it into a carousel, or take shorter clips from a Live video that you did and add captions to turn it into a reel. You can do this with your email list content as well, and even repost content you’ve already posted (although make sure it’s at least a year old before doing that!)

Don’t get sucked into the scroll

Have you ever opened up the app to post, and then find yourself reading about a life update from an old college friend that you barely even talk to anymore? Don’t sweat it—these apps are literally designed to vie for your attention. If you’ve experienced this before, then make sure you set your intention and get present before opening the app. What are you doing here, and for how long?

Set a timer for audience engagement

Responding to comments and chatting with your audience is a potent way to make connections and build trust. Even if you’re not posting every day, make it a point to hop on and meaningfully engage for ten minutes. This can sometimes go a longer way than posting daily, because you’re nurturing the relationships that could later turn into students (and/or return students) instead of constantly trying to draw new people in. And, it takes less time and effort than creating a post!

Your best gets to be enough

Not every single piece of content you make is going to go viral or be valuable to every single person in your audience. And that’s okay! If all you have to give today is 80%, then that’s enough. It’s better to show up with the knowledge that not every post is going to top the charts rather than let perfectionism stop you from posting at all. (Or taking way too much time in the pursuit of crafting the “perfect” post!)

Let it be easy

Sometimes the best content is something as simple as a quote on a plain background. Don’t get too caught up in the visuals of it or become attached to how this post will alter the look of your page or grid. Remember that it’s the actual message of the content that people are going to feel pulled too—it doesn’t have to look like it was professionally designed for it to leave a lasting impression with your audience. If you find yourself get caught up in every detail, ask yourself “how can I get this message across in the easiest way possible?”

Get into a creative space and batch

Batching content is one of the oldest tricks in the books, and there’s a reason for that. Instead of feeling the pressure to create content fresh everyday, planning time to create all your content at once is more time efficient and can ensure that you’re creating from a more intentional space. Light a candle, do a short meditation, and put away distractions so you can really dive in.

Take intentional breaks as needed

Whether you’re consuming or creating, taking time away from social media is helpful for your creative flow and can make your audience excited for what’s to come. Make sure you communicate when you’re going to take a few days or weeks away—it keeps your people in the loop and also makes you relatable. (Everyone needs a break sometimes!)

Emphasizing intention

Overall, it’s important to create content from a heart-centered place and to know that no one is paying as close of attention as you are. If you don’t post for a period of time or feel like your content isn’t always quality, give yourself grace and release the guilt as you navigate more consistent posting. Whatever you do, refrain from comparing yourself to other “big” creators. Most of those people have teams of people who are creating and posting for them. People want to see the authentic you, and that can come naturally for all of us over time.