Social Media & the Importance of Sharing Personal Stories

Social media has become a vast sea littered by so much *carefully curated* inauthenticity. As such, people have become much more inclined to follow genuine humans that share their personal stories. Viewers want to follow influencers and brands that value honest connection — because after all, isn’t that why social media was created?

So, how do you then create authentic content, and (as a result) find the people that are truly passionate about your brand, and what you stand for? Read on.

Step One: Find Your Personal Story

Why exactly did you start your business? How is your story different to dozens of others?

We recommend sharing ‘reintroduction’ posts often. A picture or carousel that includes photos of you and/or your team, with the caption focusing on the humble roots of your business. Tell your audience how you want them to feel when they walk into your cafe for example, share photos of their favourite barista, explain your motivations for wanting to turn the old corner shop into the coolest little cafe spot. And watch your engagement soar.

Step Two: Share Often, Share Messy

I love this tip because often, the messier content we create (and the less time we therefore spend on perfecting it), the more authentic it is and the more people want to engage with it. I must clarify, here, when I say “messy”, I don’t mean bad lighting / photography or posting mindless content just for the sake of it. I mean sharing photos of the cute dog that visited the cafe today, funny moments and laughs when the barista spilt milk on themselves, or your sunrise view. That’s the content people value the most.

Plus, the more often you can share this kind of content (and your viewers watch/engage with it), the more you will show up at the top of their feed or stories.

Step Three: Create Value-Centred Content

When you’re scheduling your posts, be as mindful as possible that each picture adds some kind of value. This ‘value’ could be in the fact that it is a fun or beautiful photo (and that is completely ok), as long as you know WHY you are posting the photo and what it is adding to your brand.

The more you understand the purpose of each photo and start with the WHY > the content itself, the more viewers will also recognise the value in your profile and be inclined to join your journey.

Step Four: Connect Genuinely

One of the most important parts of social media is to BE SOCIAL. It’s such a simple tip but often so easy to overlook. If someone takes the time to — leave a comment, re-share your content, DM or tag you — it’s really important to reply with a personalised message (yes, people can smell the copy-paste from a mile away). While it does take a few more minutes out of your day, it makes your customers feel genuinely valued and they will continue to engage with your content and share with their friends, because they now feel like they know you personally.

From experience, if a brand replies to my DM (even if it is not a direct inquiry), I feel as though they value my input and I genuinely want to support them. Comparatively, there are so many brands that do not monitor their comments, or DM’s, and you never feel like you are important enough to warrant a response (I tend to unfollow these accounts quickly, in all honesty).

This article was written by our in-house Pinterest co-ordinator and blog writer, Krishaa Tulsiani.