Social Media is Vanity. Here is the Perfect Way to Reach Your Target Audience

Social Media has become such vanity with all the underwear-swapping speed of algorithm upgrading. It strips off any chance of that prized post about your peerless product popping up in my timeline. Chances are not slim, they are pitiful. So take my advice, when I do not have anything impactful to say in my Social Media status, I shut up.

Yeah, that last phrase sounds rude coming from someone who was once a Social Media fanatic. One chasing the likes, claps and follows to become an influencer. But hey, that is the stand of the not-so-new me.

But before you start cursing me for concluding that Social Media is vainglory, I pray hear me.

You see, when I was about 7 years old, I composed a one-stanza song that went like this, (loosely translated from my mother tongue)

“Oh and this song doesn’t come to an end.
Oh it doesn’t come to an end.
No, it doesn’t come to an end.”

Eventually I would grow weary of singing and stop. Hmm.

Now I look back and realize that I only sang the song because my cat Peter, who by chance was female, could not speak back to me. And since I did not like keeping my mouth shut, I did what my blank brain demanded, sing!

I can still see my young dusty self petting my feline friend while singing the song.

Fast forward to today, Peter has long joined her ancestors and Social Media has dared taking her place. Well, it is the next best place to post my thoughts. Maybe yours too. The problem is, I often catch myself thinking about what to think and post. Then I generate ‘nothing’.

Imagine posting the ‘nothing’. Ouch! My brain hurts already!

Reckless Posting on Social Media

A scroll through your favourite Social Media sites carries the evidence. Fellows posting every other hour. I feel them. I have been there thinking of myself as a hero. Now I feel victimized. It took putting my foot down with ‘I don’t care any more‘ on my forehead to give up the obsession. My heart faced my brain demanding answers.

“Why do you post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and WhatsApp status so often?”

Say, one hour apart. With the same image done over and over on Canva to fit different Social Media platforms. What important gospel do I want the world to know?

Then my heart suggested, and not with kind words.

Could it be, your habit of posting frequent broadcasts originates from the fear of Social Media channels snitching about your 'last seen', so you cave into the frenzy? Share on X

Then came the admonishing.

“That is not being active on Social Media. It is seeking hollow fame. Slavery of the mind even. You have been held hostage by Social Media algorithms!”

Exiting Social Media Vanity

So instead of spiting clouds of nonsense on Social Media, I shut up. After all, I do not want to waste my time typing empty broadcasts. Such would neither amuse you nor capture your attention.

So let’s just say I am tired of pleasing some code while in the real sense you, yes you fellow human, are my target.

Instead of wasting time scrolling for stimulation to construct the ‘nothing‘ to post, I am better off fusing about Preacher Bell’s murder in John Grisham’s The Reckoning.

Then again, I have fallen in love with speaking to people face to face. It is more arousing than trying to impress them on Social Media.

Or is it begging the algorithm to fascinate my target audience?

So here is the perfect way to reach your target audience.

It turns out that humans connect humans to other humans better than Social Media. So instead of typing yet another vain post, you like me could situate yourself where you can meet your target audience. Share on X

Common sense, right?

I am living the evidence of that. And reaping great business out of it!

Old School Works. Wonders!

So in my not-so-humble opinion, chasing algorithm in the name of getting Social Media attention is all vanity. Some beggarly. No offense to the geeks sweating code behind screens. I am done testing Social Media feelings.

But there is a perfect place to find my target audience. And it costs being nice!

Sounds weird?

Good bye Social Media vanity. I have returned to the old methods of marketing where we formed genuine connections over a cup of tea or coffee after a seminar. All we needed was the guts to ask the person out for coffee soon as they dared show some interest in our product. And a pint of being nice to them.

And it worked. It still does.

This process has won me a thousand deals over.

The Wonders

And when the deal is done and we have something to show off to the world, that is when we head online. My new friend and I sit and pen down the escapades for you. A short story describing the intimate details of pains, sufferings, joys and jubilations birthed from the coffee affair.

We also describe how each one of us benefitted from the fireworks; burns and marshmallows alike (roasted sweet potatoes if you are African 😉). Then we post the story in a blog and share it on the same Social Media without worrying whether you will see it or not.

At this time we are past pleasing people and algorithms. We simply preach results.

In actual sense, it does not matter whether the masses see it or not. We are not usually seeking hearts, likes or follows. We just put it up there for the other real friends who missed the fun and fireworks to see. Or the few who love success stories to suck on it. Soon we know Social Media in the pretence of safe-keeping the post will sink it into the abyss. Fast!

Such are the ills I keep away from.

Fingers Burned. Lesson Learned

I choose not to let the vanity of Social Media eat my time or give me a headache. And so should you. But I will not push you, especially if the vainglory fuels you to get out of bed each morning.

You do you.

At the end of each one of my old school trials, I get a new and real friend who in turn introduces me to yet another new friend. And by the time December comes, I have at least 50 new and genuine friends I know in person and have broken bread with.

Such are people I can count on whenever I am launching a new book, article or product. People who can turn their homes to Airbnb for me when I visit their hometowns. Those I have a true relationship with. Not the Social Media kind that follows, friends and likes but neither meets nor clicks to buy my product.

Now you know

I am quiet because I do not have anything to say on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and the likes. If you must hear from me, find it in your heart to swallow that blue chill pill and let me pen my next story. Better still, let us do coffee and post the boast.

I promise you it will be worth more than that colourful quickie posted every few minutes begging for your attention. Because I value your time. And I would rather serve you the stimulating experience I have had with my new set of friends. Or share a narrative about the child born from my coffee affair for that matter. Than waste your time.

Having said those seemingly hateful words, don’t let me stop you. If posting emptiness on Social Media every few minutes does not count to you as vain, and is bearing you worthwhile fruits, ignore this post. You do you.