There’s a common fear that people have when running a business in 2024. That is their social media perception.
I personally find this to be a very difficult aspect as it is something that is ever evolving. Recently, just when I think I’ve hit my stride in not being afraid to post more on Instagram, I’m being told things like “Instagram is dead” or “You need to be on Tiktok.”
While I will say that it is important to take this constructive feedback, I will also acknowledge that the pace at which I am able to make this adjustment may take longer than some people would like. Since I work on a lot of posters and more digital print media, I still think that posting flat photos and images will be an important part of marketing my design work.
However, I do have some ideas of how I would want to embrace this change, as I have dabbled with more video platforms and have wondered how I would present my image as an artist (see the header video for this blog lol).
Before I get deeper into this, I want to share some of my fears that I naturally have about posting on social media in general. However, these are things that I think everyone should not be scared to face, especially when we market something we believe in.
People Have Different Opinions
Pretty straight forward.
For anyone posting content as subjective as the arts, no matter which type of art industry, is always going to find that everyone has a different opinion.
Personally, I find that no matter how perfectly I might believe I initially have done a project or post, I know deep down there will always be a certain audience that will trash it.
Just like we can’t please everyone as people though, I know deep down that nobody will be pleased by everything that I do or try to market.
As long as something is ethical, we should not be afraid to take a chance on pushing something that others might perceive as unusual or different. If we believe it can be used for a higher cause, any innovation should be explored or at least considered. The digital world we live in is the perfect place to do this and it is a luxury.
I Would Rather Not Shine in the Spotlight
I don’t know if this is peculiar to me, but I personally would only rather share the work that I do with those that I trust.
The design work that I do is so hands-on with customers and other artists that I always feel like it’s a given that the final product will be acceptable to those around me.
While there is a lot of work that I am not allowed to share as this is not acceptable when it belongs to a company, I do tend to share my freelance work.
I think this definitely allows us to see how we stack up against the competition and it can allow us to receive constructive feedback.
But it is also important to compare ourselves in a healthy way, and this is one of my greatest weaknesses.
The Compare & Contrast
I’m a believer that some comparison with the right people can help us improve. But it’s important to find a balance between healthy and unhealthy.
I often compare my work to other designers in such a way that I find myself looking in hindsight to what I “should have” or “could have” done on a given project. I’ve found this has helped me improve my craft, but it can be hard not to stress about something that I wrap myself wholeheartedly into.
It’s a huge challenge to accept the reality of what other artists and designers can do while not analyzing my own work and asking myself if I’m good enough. Fortunately, I believe that every piece of work has its own story and there’s a reason as to why something looks the way it does, which is where comparison can be unfair and unwise. That doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to get better and improve, but it can also give us a sense of forgiveness for where we are currently at in our careers or creative endeavors.
No Going Back
Let’s be real. There’s likely no going back when it comes to social media. But for those running a business, there are luxuries we can embrace.
It’s important to remember that everything, including social media, is creativity and innovation. These apps that we use are constantly evolving and taking feedback from us, which is a message to even those that don’t work with the development of the apps themselves.
Posting on social media and making adjustments based on user feedback is important and it’s something we always need to consider in this ever-changing world.