Feature: Is a social media presence necessary?

Different people think of social media differently. You have people who think about pictures of cats, cute babies and people showing off their material possessions and achievements on social media; on the other hand, you have people who are constantly thinking of algorithms, engagement, personal brand, and community building.

There is no right or wrong way to use social media, but as professionals, should we consider it? And if we do, where do we start?

With my social media presence reaching over 30 000 followers across different platforms and with more than 100 000 views on YouTube, I have repeatedly thought about the necessity of my presence online and whether the rewards exceed the effort placed into building a social media brand. I can echo Russell Brunson’s sentiments upon observing Arsenio Hall’s response. I do believe that even in 2021, it is becoming increasingly important to have a social media presence.

There are always two sides to each coin, so let’s explore them.

Three arguments refuted
Three arguments are advanced by professionals who still don’t consider social media to be of any importance. I hope I can convince you otherwise.

• If you are good at what you do, people will find you − The real question is, how many people will find you? People in your neighbourhood can find you, people at your office, and maybe some people from your kid’s school, but have you considered the three billion online people? Why are you only providing value to a handful of people?
• Face-to-face networking and word-of-mouth are more powerful − At the core of social media, networking is the ability to interact with other users and find people with similar interests. Having a social media presence and building a loyal audience allows you to multiply that impact.
• I am an introvert and social media is filled with negative people − The beauty of social media is that various social media platforms can be used in different ways, and you get to choose the environment you create and the type of people it will attract. You can lean on your strengths to showcase your expertise: it can be a video, an article or a blog; you can even turn off comments if you are not ready for feedback.

Ways you can start using social media

• To create a personal brand − Whether you know it or not, you already have a personal brand. Take your power back and define your brand online.
• To find work − Be intentional in building your online resume and document your journey. Building a relationship with employers and customers does not start when your current contract ends.
• To plan and prepare for the future − Whether you want to be a thought leader or branch out into entrepreneurship in the future, social media is the best place to start demonstrating your expertise.

Author
Zanele Maduna CA(SA), Founder, Head Coach and Content Creator at No Valo Learning Centre