So there was an interesting question in a Clubhouse room last week…
Is community DEAD?
As in: social media community.
Well of course, sometimes it can FEEL that way…
And there are a few reasons WHY that might be…
Which is what we’ll talk about today.
So, in my opinion, social media community is NOT dead…
But if you’re still trying to apply the same strategies and tactics from a year ago…
Or you’re just jumping into social media now and not getting the results you’re hoping for…
Your approach could be killing your community.
Let me explain.
Ok, so you’ve heard of “The Algorithm”, right?
LOL, I even wrote it down with a capital T and a capital A… THE ALLLGORITHMMMMM. LOL
Yes, my friends, it truly is that important…
Because the algorithm affects your community big time.
And guess what… it changes allll the freaking time.
So if you don’t adapt with it… learn what it likes… it can come back to bite ya.
Long story short… your community is probably still there…
But they may not be SEEING you the way they used to.
Let me give you an example.
Even as little as a year ago, most social media platforms valued Likes.
Meaning it rewarded you if you got tons of Likes on a post.
So knowing this, marketers wrote captions…
...designed their strategies…
...created months worth of content…
...all to get their community to hit that LIKE button.
But now, likes don’t really matter.
They’re more like a vanity metric… which just means it LOOKS and FEELS good to have a ton of likes on your post.
But the algorithm doesn’t care about it.
Now, it’s all about Shares and Saves.
So let me ask…
Have you pivoted your strategy to create content designed to get people to SHARE and SAVE?
If the answer is no, then your community may not be seeing all that amazeballs content you’re putting out.
Because -- news flash -- just because you post something…
...it does NOT mean your entire community is seeing it… let alone seeing it in REAL TIME.
So if it feels like your social media community is dead because you aren’t seeing the same responses anymore…
...the content you’re putting out -- and the algorithm -- are likely to blame.
Now, since we’re on the topic of why your posts may not be getting the same traction anymore…
It’s possible you’re being shadowbanned.
Have you heard of this term before?
It basically means that the platform is hiding or restricting your content… and most of the time?
YOU HAVE NO FREAKING IDEA.
All you see is your engagement numbers TANK.
With no apparent reason why.
This can happen on any social platform but in the case of the Clubhouse-r who wondered if community was dead…
It was likely due to shadowbanning.
Now, there are several reasons why shadowbans happen…
One is… if you violate the community rules.
You know those checkboxes you blindly click to accept in your excitement to start an account?
Turns out… there are actually things you’re supposed to read in there!
Who knew?! LOL
Or maybe you’re one of those people who thinks it’s a good idea to use bots to quickly grow your follower list on social media…
Spoiler alert, it’s not.
Don’t ever buy followers or fake your way to the top, ok?
There are other funky unofficial rules that may cause shadowbans…
Like, what hashtags you use.
There are MANY abused or broken hashtags that you don’t know about.
I heard a story recently about the hashtag #beautyblogger was getting innocent people shadowbanned because other dumb-dumbs were using it alongside inappropriate content.
Like nudity or spam.
And obviously, it’s not like a human is sitting there doing the shadowbanning on specific accounts…
It’s software that does it.
So yes, you could be getting shadowbanned without ever realizing you were stepping into dangerous territory.
Instagram, in particular, keeps an eye on HOW you use their platform too.
For example, if you copy and paste a bunch of hashtags over and over again… it actually kinda thinks you’re a bot.
So you trying to be ALLLLL efficient in your posting actually hurts your community-building efforts.
Now, let’s talk a bit more about growing your community.
Let’s say you have an expectation in your mind that social media is going to be what drives your biz.
And you get in there and realize… wait a second… I posted something. Where are all my people?
How have millions of people not followed me for more brilliance??? LOL
Well, unfortunately that’s more of a mindset problem than a social media platform.
See, you should never put all of your vegan eggs in one basket.
And you definitely shouldn’t be all “Field of Dreams” about it.
You know…
Build it and they will come?
Man, that was a classic movie.
Him playing catch with this dad at the end?
Uncontrollable sobbing… so good.
Anyway…
The point is, social media should be just one part of your overall strategy.
But you totally can’t rely on it for EVERYTHING.
So if your mindset is the reason you feel like community is dead… the good news is… this is an easy fix.
Diversify your approach… put less pressure on social media to perform for you… and step into email as your primary driver of moving people down a pipeline with you and your biz.
Ahhhhhh… shoot.
I just gave away one of the talking points inside of my Instagram Tutorial Workshop.
It’s an online training I’m offering on August 10th and 11th…
It’s a super deep dive into all things Instagram.
Everything from how to create a truly effective strategy using Instagram as a channel…
To step by step instructions on HOW to use all the features inside IG.
I literally pull up my phone and show you what to do on screen.
You really gotta check it out.
NOW… this class goes for $97….
BUT.
If you join me LIVE on August 10th or 11th… you can attend for free.
But, there are no replays of it.
You gotta be there live if you want to see it… or wait for me to put out a recorded version of the class, which is $97.
Instagram has become a super popular platform for many businesses.
Entrepreneurs and creative professionals like you and me LOVE it.
Which is why I’m going to give you one more sneak peek into what’s inside the IG Workshop…
Instagram has announced they’re planning on moving away from being a photo sharing app.
They want to be a video-based platform…
So… let me ask.
How comfortable are you with Instagram Reels?
What about IGTV?
How about Stories?
If you are suddenly filled with dread and anxiety… don’t worry. I got you.
In the Instagram Tutorial Workshop, I show you how to use the video features inside the app…
AND there’s a simple formula to ensure you NEVER run out of content.
The key to using the video features inside Instagram is… CONFIDENCE.
And the way you gain confidence is to PRACTICE.
Trust me when I tell ya… your community? They’re cool with it if ya mess up.
But if you don’t even TRY?
Soon, when Instagram switches to prioritizing videos over posts… your community is gonna struggle to find you.
So you gotta step into learning how to do this stuff now… IF you wanna use IG as part of your biz.
Trust me when I tell ya… the fear about video?
It’s literally all in your head.
By the end of the IG workshop, you will feel inspired to TRY.
And once you try… coming at it from a mindset of experimentation…
You’ll be looking back at this point in your life wondering why waited so long.
So go ahead and grab your spot in my upcoming online workshop…
I’ll post it up in the show notes for you… as well as in this week’s newsletter.
Definitely join the guest list early… and add it to your calendar.
This is a SUPER popular workshop.
The dates are August 10th or 11th.
Because what I know for sure is that community is NOT dead.
You just gotta change things up now and again…
Approach social media like an experiment…
And pay attention to what’s happening on the platforms you’re using.
Alright friends, have a great week… hope to see ya inside my workshop…
And I’ll see ya online.