Are you posting content that you are excited about?

When it comes to social media, especially today, it feels like you don’t know the best way to approach maximizing your time with your content. Gurus all over TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram tell you how you should post, what time to post, and how many posts a day.

I’m going to share with you things that have worked out for me, REAL things. My content is quite actually versatile. I don’t really stick to one thing, and I’ll explain further down this newsletter.

The modern-day guru will tell you to stick to one thing, and my whole perspective on it is to do more of what gets you EXCITED and want to create. Social media, in some cases, feels like an entirely new job on top of what you’re already doing. So, how do we alleviate some stress about it that feels more realistic to our lives?

Ease Into Social Media: Documenting vs. Creating

The pressure to constantly create fresh, innovative content can be daunting, especially for newcomers. However, Gary Vaynerchuk, a titan in the digital marketing world, offers a refreshing perspective that could change the game for you: Document, don't create.

The Documenting Philosophy

Gary Vee suggests a shift from creating to documenting. Instead of constantly brainstorming new ideas, documenting involves sharing your journey, experiences, and daily life with your audience. It's about letting people in on your process, your learning curve, and the real you.

The Pressure of Creation

Many aspiring content creators face the daunting task of coming up with novel, engaging content regularly. This pressure can lead to stress and burnout, making social media feel like a chore rather than a platform for expression and connection.

What does this mean?

Creating involves crafting content from scratch, aiming for perfection, and often, innovation. It's about presenting polished ideas, which requires time, effort, and a constant stream of creativity. This approach, while rewarding, can be incredibly stressful and unsustainable for many.

Documenting, on the other hand, is about capturing and sharing your journey as it unfolds. It's real, it's raw, and it's relatable. Documenting takes the pressure off having to constantly "create" something new and instead focuses on sharing your existing experiences, thoughts, and processes.

How to Start Documenting

Behind the Scenes: Share the process behind your work, whether it’s a day at the barbershop/salon, a photoshoot, or the development of a new product or gig.

Thoughts and Reflections: Talk about what’s on your mind, your industry insights, or reflections on recent experiences. Share what you’re doing rather than telling people what to do.

Daily Routines: Let people into your world by showing them your daily routines, work habits, or how you unwind. Even though we may think it’s not interesting, it actually is. The common things we do allow people to feel a connection with us. When activities are shared, people enjoy seeing how someone else does them with their own flair.

Challenges and Solutions: Discuss the challenges you face and how you’re working to overcome them. It’s both relatable and inspiring for people. For example, when I share my early journey, people LOVE that so much. It makes me realize that I need to share not only my successes but also the fact that I’m still learning as an artist/creator.

Switching from a mindset of having to create to one of documenting your journey can alleviate the stress associated with social media. It makes content creation more manageable and enjoyable, allowing you to grow your presence authentically and sustainably.

Things I thought about when I started on social media

When I first started documenting my journey, it was purely for portfolio work and also to share my love for barbering with the world. I struggled badly to get better at my work and realizing this, I thought, well, shit, I wish people knew how awesome this actually is and how much harder it is than people think. With that mindset, I wanted to show my day-to-day, talk about things I'm learning, and give an insight into the lifestyle. Barbering isn’t a dead-end job, which is what made me feel that when I was first telling people I wanted to be a barber. I documented my life in ways I felt comfortable.

Why Documenting Works:

1. Authenticity Resonates: Documenting your life and work brings a level of authenticity that audiences crave. People connect with real stories and genuine emotions. Sharing your experiences, challenges, and successes creates a bond with your audience that scripted content often can't.

2. Ease and Accessibility: Documenting is inherently less stressful than creating. Capturing moments as they happen, without the need for elaborate setups or perfect timing. This approach is more manageable and sustainable, especially for those just starting on social media.

3. The Mirror Effect: As you share your passion, learning, and excitement, your audience sees a reflection of their own aspirations and challenges. This mirroring effect fosters a deeper connection and engagement, making your content more impactful and memorable.

4. Repetition and Consistency: Documenting your journey encourages regular posting and engagement with your audience. Over time, this consistency not only builds a loyal following but also enhances your content creation skills. You learn what resonates with your audience, refine your storytelling, and become more comfortable and confident on camera.

5. Learning in Public: By documenting your process, you're learning in public. This openness not only accelerates your growth but also positions you as relatable and approachable. Your audience grows with you, and together, you create a community of learning and support.

6. Relatability: Your audience is more likely to engage with content that feels real and relatable. Documenting your process, struggles, and successes makes you more approachable.

7. Educational Value: Sharing your learning process can be incredibly educational and inspiring for your audience. It shows that growth and success are journeys, not instant achievements.

Implementing the Documenting Approach:

Start Small: Begin by sharing small moments or thoughts each day. It could be a quick tip, a challenge you're facing, or something you've learned.

Be Consistent: Choose a frequency that's manageable for you, whether it's daily, every other day, or weekly. Consistency is key to building trust and engagement.

Focus on Value: Always consider the value your content brings to your audience. Whether it's entertainment, education, or inspiration, ensure your content enriches their lives in some way.

Reflect and Adjust: Pay attention to the feedback and engagement from your audience. Use this as a guide to refine your approach and content focus over time.

If you think about it and you're a barber, you and all your co-workers have a similar schedule, but what makes your content different is YOU. How YOU do things. How YOU care differently about things. How YOU take what you do and paint a specific perspective. Those are the parts that make your content INTERESTING. I follow a ton of barbers and hairstylists, and there are plenty more out there, but what makes me want to follow someone is the way they see and showcase their art. What their process is or how they like to talk about it. Many times we are doing the same things, but the way each person DOES IT is their ART, and that’s what makes it so different from mine and what captivates me to follow their journey. I love the rawness, I love it when it’s authentic and real. Think about why you follow certain creators.

My current posting schedule is this:

Depending on my workflow and demand (if I’m traveling or not), with the way the algorithm is, it values creativity and original content. Trends are a 50/50 from what I see. The ones who truly make a difference are making more meaningful posts. Maybe a year or two ago, you could do a 7-10 second reel that would perform, but chasing those types of metrics is extremely stressful. With social being different this time around, you don’t have to post 3 times a day anymore. It just wants good content that people enjoy, and you really can’t find out what your audience enjoys until you’ve put in the work by posting over time to see what people are into that you do every day.

My current schedule for content on my personal pages is this:

• 3-4 Instagram reels/feed a week (things I’m learning or excited about)

• Roughly 3-8 daily stories on Instagram (I don’t go overboard; it's so casual)

• 3-4 TikToks a week (this is where I can be free. I think of TikTok as more a testing platform where there aren’t as many boundaries. Test your theories and be even more organic and raw), and I aim for 1+ minute videos. Giving people more depth with what I want to share.

• 1-2 YouTube Long Form (I’m starting my new schedule this week! Yes, it’s normal to take breaks because life and other jobs that come up first), and with these long-form videos, I can cut up into shorts later. But the hack is to do more long form because it’s way easier to cut those down so you have more to post. For example, in the past, one solid long-form video I could cut into 10-15 pieces. Also, don’t be afraid to recycle content. Just go at a different angle about it. There’s always new things to discover and share and learn about.

• Newsletter - as y’all know. This is my way to build deeper into my content and share things that are meaningful to me that I know will help others. I can’t write all this out on Instagram and TikTok, so I enjoy sending out these weekly newsletters to y’all. For me, these topics are usually inspired weekly by what I’m dealing or thinking about as it comes.

Final thoughts… this is my chosen flow of content that works for ME. It’s what I’m comfortable with without it feeling too heavy or a burden to get through. It’s a place that’s still challenging because I want each piece to be meaningful in my message, but totally doable.

We overthink it, and it’s normal, and we DEF all go through it at some point. Going into a fresh week, don’t forget this thought process when you go to document and create from the documentation. Think of the things you get excited about; that's what people will enjoy too!

Have a great week!

Sof!

PS!! Sorry that this newsletter was late. I was having technical difficulties, but i definitely didn’t want to miss this week!! Hope you guys enjoy this one! :)