Let’s face it, social media is a crazy, strange, unique, and fun world. People expect you to be your whole, authentic self on social media, but doing so can mean having to overcome quite the emotional and mental hurdle at times.
Getting started was a tough journey for me. I was basically on my own for a while, trying to figure out what I wanted to make of it, how I wanted to portray myself, what I wanted to share, and a whole laundry list of other things. I learned A LOT on this ride that I willingly put myself on and I have the mental breakdowns, tears, and moments of feeling lost to prove it. But, those are the moments that pushed me to dig deep into my soul to find a reason to create and to show up for nobody else but myself.
Social media doesn’t have to be this huge mystery or full of uncharted waters, but I think it’s important to highlight the other side of the coin that most people don’t tell you about. Here are 7 of those things from my personal experience:
It’s SCARY being you on the internet
What is privacy anymore? As someone who is on social media, doing a quick Google Search on your name shows you all the breadcrumbs that you’ve dropped along the way. Your name, images, and whatever else are easy to find. It’s important that you set your boundaries and figure out what you do or don’t want to share with the rest of the world.
It requires WORK
What most people don’t see are the countless hours put into content creation, engaging with your following, or negotiating with brands. All you see is a pretty picture or video, but what you don’t see is how long it took me to research the product, create a mood board on Pinterest, find the location, figure out what outfit I want to wear, plan the shoot, take the photos, edit the photos, draft the caption, draft the Instagram story, and research relevant hashtags before I post the final photo. Don’t even get me started on blog posts because that’s a completely different beast.
It’s EXPENSIVE (at times)
I’m a firm believer that you don’t need the most top-of-line system or gear, but cameras, editing programs, and props are not cheap. You can definitely cut costs and I highly encourage thrifting, borrowing, or negotiating when it makes sense. Check out my gear here. There are definitely other costs that come with the social media lifestyle. If you’re a food blogger, going out to eat can be a huge expense on your monthly credit card statement. Product reviewers spend money on multiple products to get a full 360-view of the pros and cons. Clothes for photoshoots aren’t cheap either, but you can definitely cut your costs by going thrifting or borrowing from friends. Regardless of your niche, be expected to spend some money, but it’s just part of doing what you love to do. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it can be at times.
See also: What’s in my bag? Beginner Content Creator Essentials
You need THICK skin and a great SUPPORT system
Internet trolls do NOT give a f*ck. Be prepared to deal with people who have nothing better to do in their day rather than take out their frustrations on you for no good reason (Instagram’s report and block feature have become my good friends). You also need a really great support system. Starting out, I was so nervous about what people would think. But I surrounded myself with the right friends and my family who saw my potential and even to this day still encourage me and root me on. They also keep me grounded, which is very important to me.
It’s CONSTANTLY changing
Blessing and a curse. Apps are always adding new features to keep users engaged, so as someone who is on Social Media, it’s important to be aware of these updates. Sometimes keeping up with the pace of social media can also be exhausting. New social media apps can take off. Look at TikTok. They saw a HUGE spike earlier this year as more people chose to stay home because of coronavirus. Then people all across social media decided to flock over to TikTok to try it out, myself included (check out my TikTok). If you want to be successful on social media, don’t be afraid to try something new. This is also a reminder to diversify your platforms and to not put all of your eggs in one basket.
It TESTS your mental and emotional well-being
I’ve definitely experienced burn-out, creative blocks, and just no motivation to continue creating content for myself. Let’s not also forget the comparison trap that can sometimes be too easy to fall into, especially when you’re not feeling confident. I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t experienced a freak out session here and there when I felt like I wanted to quit. My advice? Don’t sell yourself short and always remember WHY you started out in the first place. Social media is a tough world, but you can always ride the current in a tough wave and find your flow.
See also: Why I Started Taking Self Portraits During Quarantine
It’s NEVER too late to get started
Yes, niches get saturated. But there is only ONE of you. That was one of my major blockers getting started: “who would actually care about my stuff?” As long as you know what you want to put out into the world, as long as you feel confident in yourself, as long as you aren’t afraid to put your best foot forward starting today, then it’s never too late. I promise you that someone out there is going to want to listen to what you have to say or see what you create.
I hope this helped you get a better understanding of the extra baggage that comes along with being on social media. It isn’t all fun and games like it seems. It comes with its own set of unique challenges, but it’s totally worth it in my opinion. The fun and the overall benefits oftentimes do outweigh the costs but be mindful of your decisions on social media. Have fun, get creative, and don’t be afraid to be yourself!