5 Things that Stop Personal Brands From Getting Results on Social Media

Hana Klokner 15 August 2019

I have spoken to several personal brands about what stops them from getting results on social media. To my surprise, most of the time we are dealing with the same stuff over and over again. Have a look at what are the key things that stop you from getting results on social media. Share in the comments if any of them they apply to you as well!

1. Not Being in the “Right Mood”

In my mini-Instagram Stories survey, almost 65% replied that they stop posting when they’re not in the right mood. I have to confess I used to be like this as well. Sometimes when I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I find it very difficult to post anything. But here’s the thing: I realised that every time I let my “bad” mood come in, I lose an opportunity to share something that has value for people. If this happens from time to time, it’s fine. If it happens every other day, it will be hard for you to grow your brand.

Personal Brands don’t happen overnight but there’s a huge reward in taking the journey and building your reputation with long-lasting relationships.
– Hana Jay Klokner

There are a few ways how you can get on track, though. Start with setting a goal that’s achievable for you but also stretches you at least slightly. So, if you post now 1-2 Stories on Instagram every day, try to do 3-4. Or if you post just once a week, try scheduling 2-3 posts. And once you get comfortable with that, set another benchmark.

Another thing that you can do is that when your mood gets too low, you can just reach back to the archive of your old pictures and re-post something. Trust me, most of the time nobody will notice anything, especially when you post a lot of similar stuff about your life, work, and habits (e.g. going to the gym). The idea is that you post at least something and keep the momentum going.

2. Staring vs. Sharing

Nothing is as tempting as to keep staring at other people’s content and scroll down the newsfeed until infinity. It’s fun but the problem is that it doesn’t leave any mark and it doesn’t help you to become more visible.

Instead of being a passive content consumer, try something else instead. Write a comment below each post that you see in your newsfeed – this is one of the best methods to be noticed! Make sure it’s meaningful and personal and you’ll see that the author of the post will notice you. You’ll start to build a relationship which is a great way of turning that person into a fan who will buy your product or service.

Another thing that you can do is send them a direct message and ask them about what they do, their interests, etc. Check out their social media profile and ask for something specific and relevant, something you can also relate to. Maybe they just went for a holiday where you went years ago and loved it. Or maybe they’re just writing a novel and you know an amazing app that can help them with the writing process. The idea is to start a conversation and engage your prospect.

These methods are also great for personal brands because you can start talking about your business without looking salesy.

3. Being a Wallflower

During my courses and consulting with clients, I always say one thing to them: You have to stop being a wallflower at a party sipping your drink alone, hoping that someone will come and admire your dress. Social media is called social for a reason. You have to stop waiting for people to come and engage with you – on social media, you have to learn to be the outgoing one.

Besides writing comments and private messages which I described above, try posting different formats and do a live-stream on Instagram or Facebook. You might be thinking now, “but there are just a few people who follow me or have Liked my Facebook Page!” True, but here’s what’s also true: sometimes you have to show up first so that other people can show up. And they will if they notice you’re a regular party-goer and that you talk about some interesting stuff!

4. Not Showing Your Professional Side

When you look at your social media profiles, what do you see? Pictures from holidays and food or something that represents what you do? (If you’re a food blogger, food stylist, or holiday planner, ignore the first part of the question and refer to the part that asks if you post about your work, obviously.) Many personal brands struggle to post about what they do, usually because they lack confidence, self-esteem, or think they’re not credible enough.

In most cases, credibility is not a problem. Even if you’re just fresh out of school, or you had just one client (who was your friend), it is enough to start. Just keep talking about your passion and show examples of what you do. Are you an actor? Recite a poem. Are you a food blogger? Post a new recipe. Nutritionist? Talk about micronutrients in a fun way.

I see so many personal brands who have lots of talent but their Instagram looks like just another lifestyle envy mashup. And while you still want to show people that you’re in love with your new shoes, you also want to show them that you kick butts in what you do. Don’t know where to start? Ask any random person what they’d like to know about that thing that you do. You’ll see they’ll give you lots of great questions you can answer and suggestions for posts.

5. Expecting Results Overnight

Social media is the source of quick gratification. Therefore, everyone expects results in a few hours, or maybe days. Those who are more patient probably in a few weeks. But anything more than that seems to people like forever. Well, if you think social media is an overnight success, you’re wrong. It takes showing up, posting, and communication to build your tribe.

Recently I’ve spoken to the team from INTO App, which is an influencer community app that connects local businesses with influencers. One of the people from their marketing told me that some of the influencers they work with had put a lot of work and effort into growing their audience. One girl took an incredible 5 hours a day to engage with other users on Instagram and she went from 10,000 followers to 90,000. Now that’s some crazy number, isn’t it?

While I probably must admit that I could never afford to make that time in the day, I know I can invest 10-30 minutes. (My stats usually show I spend 40 minutes on Instagram per day anyway.) And I’ve noticed that if I use this time wisely (see points above), I usually see an increase in the Followers count.

Let me know in the comments what challenges you’re facing as a Personal Brand right now.