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Ever heard of FOP? (Fear of Posting)
Posting on social media can be a huge source of anxiety, I have gone through multiple phases of FOP myself and have also coach many clients through it. It happens to a lot of people, organizations and businesses.
Usually the fears and thoughts sounds like this...
"What will people’s reaction be to this post?" "is this the wrong platform to post this content on?" "am I posting to much?" "am I posting inconsistently?" "did I post that at the right time?" and most importantly, "WHICH FILTER SHOULD I USE!!?!?"
…it can be mentally exhausting.
FOP also makes sense (so don't feel bad if you experience it). Social Media is filled with impressively crafted content and it's hard to keep up our heads above water in a sea of; cool travel videos, political memes, beautiful people doing... no one really knows, the most colourful food that doesn't even seem real, footage of a family reuniting, and of course..funny cats. Not to mention, it can seems that our competitors have a lot better content than we do. So how can our post about our bake sale fundraiser compete with all that?!?
I'm going to be very clear - it can't.
And you should try to compete with all that noise or you will just become part of it. Trying to compete with all the posts on social media is overwhelming and leads to a cycle of FOP. So let's explore some things that might help...
Remedies for FOP
Reframe: Mindset plays a big part in FOP. When you think about posting on social media does it get you excited? or does it make your gut twist a little? Become more aware of your feelings towards posting to get a sense of whats holding you back. You might need to do some mindset reframing.
For example; if you feel like posting about your business on social media is to "showy" or posting about a product you're selling seems"pushy" realize that no matter what your business or organization does you provide a solution that helps someone. You are helping people by making them aware of your business and proving ways to connect. Your post will reach someone that will appreciate it.
Keep in mind social media posting is just a tool, you can utilize that tool to; share, create and connect.
Always remember to be authentically YOU! or if you're posting for a brand then be consistent with the voice and values of that brand.
Know Your Why:
A little more reflecting - ask yourself, why do you want to use your social platforms? why did you start up that Facebook business page, Instagram, Pinterest or whatever apps you want to use.
Why do you share?
To connect with your audience?
Reach new costumers?
Share your resources?
Educate people?
All of the above?
Find your why and it will also help you think of what to post.
Clear Plan:
You want to have a clear plan for your social media so you know what kind of posts you should share and the reason behind them.
You can utilize a social media management tool such as: Hootsuite, Later, Buffer that will be help you organize, schedule and plan out your posts.
Further Inspiration: The company Apple doesn't look at it's competition and try to get into a race with them. They just keep consistent with their objective and stay focused on their own track, and it shows, their compete can't compete with something that is above competition. Apple very distinct, they have a clearly branded voice, consistent with their style, culture and products. All of that is reflected in their social media content.
You have a unique path and social media voice as well.
Become aware: reflect on your mindset towards posting, maybe you need to reframe your views on it.
The value of posting: posting is a way to connecting with your audience, building relationships and share your passion.
Be original: we have a lot of the same content and a lot of copies, be authentic and find that original voice.
Find your path: develop a plan and vision.
Why: Be guided by your "North Star" your objective and your Why".
Goodluck!
If you would like more guidance and brainstorming feel free to reach out for a chat.