Do you want to know the key to success on social media? Authenticity. And man, would I be lying if I said authenticity is easy. Even for the most extroverted business owner, showing your face and opening yourself up to judgment in a world as “judge-y” as social media is downright scary. Sometimes, the buildup is much more terrifying than the actual task at hand. But, there’s just no way around it. Being authentic, and showing your true self on social media, separates the good social media accounts from the great. Even large “faceless” brands are showing up by sharing stories about their employees, doing social media takeovers, and highlighting what it truly means to be part of that brand.

You must show up and show off to gain true social traction, and I’m here to pump you up about it. Here are some of my best tricks to be confident (and strategic) when showing up on social media.

Let’s Get Confident! Six Tricks to Strategically Show Your Face on Social Media

1. Be relatable.

Speak like a person, not like a brand. Skip the fancy verbiage and quest for perfection. You will quickly find yourself on the road to a freak-out. Of course, we all want to showcase the best versions of ourselves, but authenticity resonates so much more than perfection. Just because you want others to like you doesn’t mean you need to sound corporate, professional, or robotic. In fact, it is just the opposite. People relate to people, so stay true to your brand voice and language while also being genuine in your approach. You can be confident when you know just being you is enough.

2. Showcase your expertise.

If you’re passionate about your brand, look at showing up as a natural extension of sharing what you do with others. When you eat, sleep, and breathe your business, showing up as an expert in your field should feel like a walk in the park. Sharing value will be second-nature. Just think of it this way; all you need to talk about is what you already know! Plus, rest easy knowing there is always a delete button if you really don’t like what you see.

3. Build connections.

If you could get 50 people in a room to listen to what you have to say about your business, you would be happy! So why do we let the pressure of our follower count get to us? You have a massive opportunity in front of you to really get to know your audience. Find out what they like about your brand and what they’d like to see more of. Ask them genuine questions! Instagram Stories is a great place to do this. If you’re not already leveraging the interactive stickers like polls, question boxes, and quizzes, you are missing out. Knowing what they want to hear makes it easier to be confident when you show your face on your feed. You don’t have to worry about what others will think – you already know!

4. Engage in Conversation.

Please don’t just talk at your followers; talk with them! Approaching social media engagement from this perspective feels a lot more natural and low-pressure. Speak to them in your brand voice, ask them questions, and show them how much you appreciate their support. Showing up doesn’t always have to mean physically showing your face. You can have powerful, personalized conversations with your audience through direct messages, voice notes, Instagram Story replies, and post comments.

5. Change It Up.

Another way to build up your confidence on social media is to continuously change the way you show up on your channels. There are several amazing options, from static feed posts and Instagram stories to lives and audio rooms. The more avenues you try, the more confident you will become. Rotating formats also keeps things interesting for your audience.

6. Practice Makes Perfect.

Ok, let’s be honest. Who puts the most pressure on you? It’s probably yourself. Please, give yourself a break! Virtually no one comes right out of the gate exuding confidence when they show their face on social media. In fact, it feels much more authentic to see someone mess up than someone who’s always “on.” The more you put yourself out there, the more confident and comfortable you will feel. “Practice makes perfect” has never been more relevant. Allow yourself the grace to make mistakes. It is NORMAL.

Does showing up and showing off to your audience with confidence seem like an impossibility? It’s not! Use these tips, and I know you’ll be showing up as that confident boss babe who can do it all.

If you are still on edge every time you hit that Live button, it’s time we connect. Download my services guide, and set up a strategy call. I know you have it in you, girl!