Content creation is one of the most integral components of connecting with your audience and bringing visibility to your online course. It can also be a big investment of time and energy to show up on social media most days—if you find yourself sighing as you add “post on Instagram” to your to-do list every day, you’re not alone. It can feel like a fruitless task at times. Especially with the ever-changing algorithm potentially burying your posts. Without seeing a direct return of your time and energy through increased student enrollments, you might even be wondering if creating content deserves as much time as you’ve been giving it.
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These doubts are normal and warranted. It’s important to note that social media is a proven tool to boost your brand and increase sales—but that’s not a result of just posting any old content. Social media becomes a powerful tool to grow your business when you create content that is engaging and fosters authentic connections with your follower
This is how you build trust with your audience, and it’s with that foundation of trust that you can help more students achieve and grow in whatever area you’re offering valuable information for. And of course, increase your student enrollment in the process.
3 tips for making content relatable and engaging
Take a trip back in time
No matter what your niche is, you most likely offer your students a solution to a problem they have. Whether that’s making a sourdough starter or healing a broken heart, you wouldn’t be an expert in this topic if you hadn’t also had the same initial interest that your audience has now.
Before creating content, take a few moments to reflect back on that time. What kind of mindset were you in? Was there something you needed to hear most? What were your biggest pain points? Is there something you wish you had during that time to guide you? How did you feel as you embarked on this journey of learning [whatever it is you teach now]?
Tap back into that past version of yourself to remind yourself how to speak to your audience where they are right now. When you do this, they’ll think “Wow, they really understand me.” Meeting them where they’re at will enable them to feel seen, heard, and valued, and deepen their connection with you.
Plus, it’s a great way to help you inform how you make your content, and what content to make. That can be your social content or the information you put in your courses or coaching.
Share about your trial and errors
While you are an expert in your field, you’re also human. Oftentimes, we have a tendency to want to know all the answers. Or we want to seem like we have everything completely figured out before we can claim our role as an expert in our niche.
Here’s the thing though—you become harder to relate to when you promote an image of unattainable perfection. You can be confident as an expert and still showcase your inner student. Humbly sharing that you, too, are still learning won’t make people doubt your expertise…instead, it’ll give them another way to relate to you. Plus, it will give them the confidence that they’re learning from someone who puts continued effort into hiring their expertise.
Allow your mistakes to be known. You can do this by sharing some real-life stories about mistakes you’ve made along the way. Or by curating a blooper reel or posting early versions of your work. If it makes you cringe looking back on it, it would probably be the perfect material for a vulnerable share. While vulnerability can feel uncomfortable, remember that there is a deep opportunity for connection and building trust when you’re honest and vulnerable. This kind of content often gets the most engagement, as well!
Stop forcing yourself to show up
Your content isn’t going to resonate as much if you’re showing up just for the sake of it or to check it off your to-do list. What can sometimes happen when you force yourself to create and batch content is that some of the integrity and depth end up lost. Think about prioritizing quality over quantity.
While consistency is important, you’re not going to lose your audience if you don’t show up every day. Or even if you take a break from social media altogether. Be honest and transparent with your audience about needing time away to fill your cup. Or about posting less in the pursuit of creating more meaningful content. You can even position this as a “behind the scenes” share.
Not only does this humanize you, but it’s also a point of connection. Involve your audience with this by asking questions or by asking for their opinions. You can use the “poll” feature in Instagram stories to do this. Invite an open conversation about what they do to fill their own cup. Ask them how often they take breaks from social media or if they do at all. And ask how social media impacts their mental health. Considering that two-thirds of Americans say social media mostly has a negative impact on their lives, it’s likely you’ll garner understanding and connection from your audience.
Ultimately, if you’re really committed to increasing engagement and connection, it’s essential to show up authentically. Your audience is there to learn more about your niche, but they also want to know about and connect with you. But this doesn’t mean you have to spill all the tea about yourself. But the more you can lean into being vulnerable and being yourself as your share about your niche, the more you give people a standout reason to buy from you. It’s likely that most of the information they gain from your social media, they could look up somewhere. The real value comes with the fact that you’re the one presenting it and putting your unique spin on it.
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