How to Share about Yourself on Social Media in an Authentic and True Way | By Colorado Wedding Photographer Molly Margaret Photography

I recently met with a fellow photographer who asked one of the most common questions I get from both new creatives and seasoned pros alike - HOW do I share about myself and WHAT do I share about myself?

It’s fairly common knowledge that in todays social media crazy world, online presence is fairly crucial to an successful business. However, it’s also not always the easiest thing to share yourself to your clients, potential clients and random followers online. Because of this, people just don’t share much about themselves and from personal experience as well as from other pros - this is such a missed opportunity! I can tell you first hand that 99% of my couples mention something they saw about me on my instagram stories or facebook page - ok it’s not about me it’s about my kiddo, he’s a fan favorite. I love that I can connect with my couples are a more personal level through social media before their big day and sometimes even before they inquire with me! Also fun fact if you’re one of my couples we follow each other online, I respond to an interact with your posts a ton because I too want to get to know you! #clingy #sorrynotsorry

Ok, so we agree, sharing yourself online is daunting but necessary. Now - what are some easy ways to start sharing and continue sharing on social media?

1 | Make a list of 10-20 facts about yourself.

When you have a moment, write down a list of fun facts or information pieces of your life. If you are having a hard time coming up with things, some easy topics to start things off include: where you went to school, where you grew up, how you met your spouse, why you started the business you did, what your first year in business looked like, your favorite things (flowers - foods - colors etc). Another good way to get information is to just ask your closest friends and family for 2-3 things they know about you or want to know about you. Then using this list, you can write those ever popular personal posts on social media by sprinkling a few into them!

Here’s an example:

2 | Show up on your social media - as in show your face!

Experts agree, showing just your product/artwork/work on instagram or social media is not the best way to approach social media engagement. While yes, your clients are there to see your work and compare your portfolio to others but they’re also looking to find out the who behind the what - what being the product and the who being the creator and professional. Sharing your face, your loved ones and other personal posts bring people closer to you as a professional and to your brand.

On average, I post photos of myself or my family to my instagram or facebook every 9-12 posts. As well as daily instagram and facebook stories. An easy way to get quality photos as a photographer is to trade with another photographer and participate in a headshot swap. If you’re not a photographer or don’t have equipment another great plan is to bring a friend out to a park/downtown area and take a couple photos there as well! I have about 7 photos I regularly rotate through in these posts and try to take new photos once a year.

The statistics behind personal posting and engaging people to generate more followers:

78% of people following a brand say they’ll recommend that brand to a friend or family member, 77% will purchase from a brand they follow on social media.

3 | Stumped on ideas to write about for your blog or social media posts? Look through blog idea lists.

There are many existing lists of blog post ideas, all of which can be used for short social media posts, video inspiration or for actual blogs. Here are some to get you started:

- Why did you start your business? What drives you to continue it to this day?

- What are your business goals for the year?

- What is a favorite vacation you’ve gone on?

- Introduce them to someone in your life, and explain how you met.

Need more prompts? You can easily google blog prompts or check out my list here.

4 | Combine your personal and business accounts, and select which platforms are the best for you.

As I stated above, consumers love to follow brands not just as something to purchase but for information, connection and inspiration. While you can keep a private personal social media account, putting personal things into your work social media can help create a cohesive brand.

In regards to where you should be posting can vary brand to brand. There are multiple social media platforms out there now from TikTok to Facebook. If you feel drawn more to one versus the other, great, or you can test the waters on many and narrow it down to 2 or 3. For example, I have little to no twitter presence but my facebook, instagram and Pinterest bring in around 50-60% of my web traffic and business. You’re not limited to just apps or visual social media too, there are video platforms, podcasts and written publications.

5 | Update or add an About Me section to your website.

With all of these prompts and ideas, you can fairly easily put together an about me which is a good opportunity to boost SEO on your site using keywords related to your business as well as give visiting potential clients a better idea of who they may be working with.

Your about me should include the following:

- A brief description of you and your interests

- A history of your involvement in the industry

- Personal and Professional accomplishments

Consumers can usually tell if someone is being entirely scripted and/or trying too hard so be sure to sit down and really brainstorm to be sure you’re portraying your best authentic self. All of the above steps are easy ways to boost engagement and share more about yourself to draw in a more involved following but remember to not stress too much about it! Enjoy opening up and you may even learn a thing or two about yourself!