If you are not creating value for others then you are wasting your time

Someone recently asked me for my best social media tip. They seemed dismayed at what I told them. I have major issues with almost every single social media strategy article I read, but somehow I am what many would consider successful with social media. Much of what people are doing with social media is a complete waste of time. You can spend your days and nights liking, clicking and commenting until your fingers bleed, and then what are you going to have? There is much more to life than reposting an endless torrent of cutsie bullshit. It is sad to see people hyping up a bunch of — nothing — just for likes and clicks from Farmville zombies, who without the internet would be back to watching The Price is Right. Social media is the new TV, and just as it was with the the old TV, there are viewers and doers.

It is my strenuous advice to be cautious about following all of the click-whores who produce nothing of value, except a dust storm of unoriginality that swallows them into a social cloud of nothingness. These people are eager to teach you how to besuccessful, like them, by emulating their vapid strategies. But, how many social mediaexperts have done anything with social media, other than talking about social media itself? That sounds like running in circles to me.

Forget about so-called social media. Most of what happens in social media is utterly useless. Social media is a never-ending hurricane of fleeting trends. Much of social media is a tempest of mediocrity; a maelstrom of rubbish. Imagine social media as a hurricane of people, connections, views and information. This hurricane is cutting through the social landscape like a buzzsaw leaving a swath of confusion and distractions. Don’t get swept away by the torrent of social media nonsense. While the world is in chaos around you, stay in the eye of the storm; steady and true to yourself and your mission. If you are centered, grounded, calm and wait-it-out patiently, you will still be there when everyone else has long been blown-away.

People want to trust you, but not before they observe you for a while. It may take a few years, or even a decade of people watching you before they decide to believe you are serious and trustworthy. Consistency and creativity will almost always produce positive results. The world belongs to the minority of true creative producers. Huge success is so easy because there is literally almost no competition at the top. However, there is endless competition amongst re-posters, repeaters and regurgitators; original content always was and always will be — king. Original content dominates because people want to touch, and be touched by others. People thirst to taste the authentic and grow in the expansiveness of unique creative expression. Trend chasing can get you some results in the short-term, but it is tacky; like a sidewalk hustle. Empty pandering for social traction is an insult to the viewer which turns a friendly mouse pointer into a raised middle-finger. If you are going to pander, could you at least provide some value and at the very least, not mislead people? Brand lasting power comes from the relentless production of value through integrity and passion. If you are not creating value for others then you are wasting your time.

If you are looking for quick, superficial and transient results, then follow the crowd. If you want profound and lasting results you are going to have to be authentic, longsuffering and truthful. It can be scary on the edge, but the view is great and the competition is practically nonexistent. Just showing up almost guarantees success, that is if you don’t get impatient and then leave.

My best social media strategy tip is to ignore all of the trends, stay true to your vision and attempt to produce something of your own and of real value — even if you are the only one who values it.