Why Social Media Authenticity Is Critical With Building Trust With Your Audience

Social media can be a goldmine for businesses if you position your business in the right way to your audience so learn why social media authenticity is critical in building trust.

Hi Trish Davies, here and my focus today is on how to position your business on social media. I thin it is safe to say that social media has taken over people’s lives over the last 10 – 15 years. The concept of social media was to allow people to connect socially with family and friends.

As we all know now that concept has evolved over the last few years into a massive business opportunity. Facebook’s monthly user statistics are staggering. There are 2.7 Billion monthly users which equates to around 1/3 of the worlds population.

They are the biggest social media platform, but other platforms also attract huge numbers of users. Your potential audience is on all of these platforms, you just need to know how to connect with them!

Unfortunately, social media does get some bad press because users can post toxic content. After all these are self publishing platforms where people can air their opinions and somewhat hide behind their computer screens.

The platform administrators are getting much better at policing what is published which is long time overdue. Now there are two sides to social media. Obviously the first is to socially connect, sharing funny videos, personal status updates and holiday photo’s

The other is a playground for business owners to connect with their potential customers. This is the side that I want to focus on today and help you positions your business in an authentic way.

Social Media Authenticity Is The Magic Sauce 

social media authenticity

Because of the toxicity of social media that I have previously mentioned people are naturally sceptical. They may have a been a victim of nasty comments or been scammed by a business in the past.

Therefore they are reluctant to trust people again. Unfortunately, you still see many business owners publish a load of dross, valueless content that promises so much but fails to deliver. There is still a sense of faking it until you make it with content and ads on social media.

For some reason some business owners still think this is what potential consumers want to read. The truth is that people on social media have become much savvier over the years. Sensationalised headlines and promises now go in one ear and out of the other.

Basically, they are now blind to it because they have seen it so many times in the past. So, what is the answer? Well that can be summed up in just one word, authenticity!

Social media authenticity is the magic sauce to help you create brand awareness. Think of it like this for a moment. It is a lot easier being who you are than trying to be someone you are not!

It takes a lot of effort to build a false persona and it is a bit like trying to cut corners if you are doing something practically. It takes time to work out how you can save time which rather defeats the object.

Therefore, you must just lay it all out for people to see when it comes to who you are. This is what people on social media want to see. Real people sharing real stories and showing all frailties, vulnerabilities, failures, and successes.

What Is Your Story? 

your origin story

I talk a lot about stories and storytelling and why it is important in business. You are unique and special. Also, you have a unique perspective on life which is what people want to hear about when they first come across you.

The principle of social media for you business is to make people aware of who you are. Until they come across you then you are a ghost to them. The same can be said in relation of them to you as well.

Your audience is on social media along with platforms such as YouTube. People just like you are experiencing problems that you have also experienced. The difference between you and them is that you have found the solutions to those problems.

Those solutions are the foundation to your business and ultimately what you will profit from. Transactions will take place after true connections are made with you audience. So how can you start to make that connection?

Making That Social Media Connection Through Your Authentic Self 

Well you do that by sharing content about yourself on your social media platforms. Create content around your story, who you are, what you have done, what obstacles you have overcome.

Content can be blog posts, videos or podcasts or just social updates. The purpose of this is to create awareness and engagement with your audience. When people get to know who you are then they will start to interact with you.

Likes, comments and shares should be your objective as this is the seed that eventually blossoms. The whole point is to start a conversation with people who you don’t as yet know.

As time goes by the conversation then evolves to a point where people will get to know, like and trust you. Then you will start to see money flow, but this is a biproduct of the value you provide. Initially that value is the insights to your story, this shows your authenticity.

I talk all the time about the significance of your story to my Build Your AU members. It is the first pillar I help them establish when they are creating their personal brands. I set them many exercises to help extract their inner self, what makes them who they are.

The Questions To Your Life 

social media authenticity questions

The latest exercise I have set for my members is to answer 5 questions which relate to their lives. Then I have asked them to create content around that and publish it on open forums such as social media.

I feel that this is a very valuable exercise that you could do to help create your authenticity. Authenticity that will help you attract people to you and your business. Here are the five questions.

  1. What is the hardest thing you have ever been through in your life?
  2. What is a problem you had to resolve for your-self?
  3. What's the most painful thing you have been through?
  4. What makes me different, unique?
  5. What's the one thing people ask you for help with?

These are very powerful questions and you will do a lot of soul searching and they will strike emotional chords. This is pure gold when it comes to creating a connection with your audience.

I have already heard some amazing stories which relate to these specific questions. The hairs on my neck have stood up and they have sent a shiver down my spine. This is the feeling you want your audience to feel and when you do you will have them hooked. They will want to know more about you and how you can help them.

To give you more context on the points I am making today, and these specific questions watch the video below. It will give you more clarity on the importance of social media authenticity.

How To Be Authentic On Social Media 

You are now aware why social media authenticity is critical when it come to creating brand awareness. If you would like to know more about how my Build Your AU programs can help you establish your authentic self, please click the button below. Register your details and I will start to send you a video series of my Build Your AU mastermind.

build your au mastermind video series

Helping you build your authenticity, authority and audience.

Trish Davies

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Build Your AU