My phone is a job. I have a hate and love relationship with it.

It’s like carrying a pocket TV with my favorite channels in my pocket. Except that these channels are social media and the shows are my friends.

I love them, but it’s not worth being bombarded with drama and news all the time. With 24 hours of attention at my leisure, I’ll always feel like crap when I spend it going down the YouTube rabbit hole or liking puppy photos on Facebook.

So, let’s use social media to my advantage:

Your brand on social media is your lifeline

Every single status, post, picture, video and audio adds to your brand.

A brand is an impression: it conveys an image to the consumer of who you are as a person. This could be what you share, the pictures you take, or the things that you praise and complain about.

This is what the world sees when I post something on the internet. But here’s the thing:

My brand creates my reputation.

Rather than spending time liking memes, I make podcast episodes and write posts like this one.

Instead of watching videos on YouTube (I still do, don’t get me wrong), I spend more time creating them instead.

Instead of consuming, I’m creating. Because that is the impression I want people to have of me:

I am a creator.

Since social media is built to capture the attention of others, I want to let people know who I am and what I think of the world.

It won’t matter if it’s philosophy, money, politics, or books. Maybe even comedy, or even dumb random things.

I create. I narrate. I share wisdoms.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Your social media is the best megaphone for business

Social media, when used in the right way, creates opportunity.

Say that I’m a freelance (which I am, wink wink). I want to let people know I’m available for my services.

Social media is the right tool for the job!

I can get more opportunities to give value to the right people if they can hear me through social media. I can become a guest on various podcasts because of my efforts through social media.

The more that I shout and share on various social media, the greater the value returned to me.

Really, the idea is to entertain instead of being entertained.

In essence: my brand is my business, my business is my brand.

What should we do then?

Take up the first page

What comes up if I search your name on Google?

The first page says it all. It could be Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, your website, YouTube, Quora, Medium, etc.

It could also include third-party areas where you’ve had some form of involvement. Maybe it’s an article that’s published somewhere, or a podcast episode.

Take up the entire first page. Don’t let anyone else rank in front of you.

We can do the above by:

• Writing about what you want, so people will associate you with it
• Create content centered around your ideal impression, with the best keywords
• Create regularly

Doing this consistently will land you the chance you’re looking for:

• A job opportunity, because people can see what we are capable of
• A collaboration, because the content we make is relevant to someone else’s brand
• A powerful reputation, because people recognise effort.

People won’t know who I am and what I do unless I show them. If I could show them I create in different mediums, regardless if it’s video, audio, or writing, my impression becomes a ‘multi-content creator’ of sorts.

What’s your ideal impression? Do you want people to know that you’re a writer? Do you want people to know that you make great videos?

Take up the first page.

Choose a few, stick with it

I tend to be quite anti-niche, and I tend to advocate it but.

Searches take into account multiple platforms. It’s best that you have starter accounts for each one.

When you’re ready, focus on 1 or 2 and build on there.

The writers could stick to Medium, Quora and their own website for posts.

The videographers can post on YouTube.

The podcasters can stick to a hosting platform like Spreaker, Libsync and Anchor.

All can be shared via Facebook through a page, Twitter via business account, or Instagram via business account.

My advice? Choose a medium, and stick to Facebook + Instagram for easy accessibility. You can market to both at the same time, so it cuts down time spent scheduling social media posts.

We’re better off creating right?

Your social media is NOT your life

We weren’t born to scroll down newsfeeds.

We didn’t spend our time studying until graduation just so that we can waste it looking through Instagram.

Your social media is NOT your life.

Don’t fall for other gossip. Their stories are theirs to write, not yours. You have a choice in reading them.

It’s not a hobby either. It’s a job you’re paying for with time. If you have to be on there, make it the best possible, valuable use of your time.

Share something happy, or great. Find a memorable quote. Ask meaningful questions, get meaningful answers. Put yourself in a place where others will respect you better.

Get on Facebook with intention: are you sharing something you’ve made? Are you in an accountability group and you want to get productive? Is there a video that I should know about?

Weaponise your social media for good, valuable time.

When you turn on your phone you’re spending attention and time externally, and it’s not always a good thing. When you turn off your phone, you’re spending it internally.

That way, we can all get time to ourselves. In a world of noise, that’s how we move forward.

N.T.C.