Build Your Social Media Presence the Right Way

A lot of people approach social media the wrong way- they view it as the way to become the center of attention in the design world. They follow people for attention, comment to check out their profile, and spam like because they think that's how you get followers. And followers= success, right? No. Social media outlets like Dribbble, Behance, and Instagram are some of the best ways in the world to interact with other people who are passionate about design like you. If you're worried about keeping your follower to following ratio in the black, you've already lost this game. It doesn't matter how many people follow you or like your stuff; it matters how much fun you're having and you're making connections with other people that will fuel that passion you have for your work. Lose yourself in excitement at that cool ass thing someone posted. Share people you genuinely get passionate about and build them up. Interact with the people who are in the creative trenches with you and form solid connections. The design community is such a wonderful one; some of my best friends were found through connecting on social media. They'll give you tips, feedback, advice, and sometimes even leads. And you do the exact same for them. Post positive stuff. Encourage people to give you feedback and grow. Leave comments and build others up. If you like something, tell them. We're stronger together.

At the same time, do not get sucked into spending all your time on social media to see those interactions roll in. It's easy to get addicted to that endorphin rush of "Oh shit, someone liked my stuff!", and you have more important things to focus on. If you find yourself in a social media time suck, take time instead to check recent and explore to see if there's any small fries that need more exposure.

Honestly, posting to social media is less about attracting clients and more about contributing to the current zeitgeist of design while connecting with like minded people. So the take away from this is: As shallow as social media can be, use it in a genuine way. Clients come and go, but design buddies are forever. <3

Context: So a little bit ago, I went full time freelance. It's been a ride full of lessons learned. On my instagram, I asked people for their diehard rules of the trade, and I compiled a list that should help people run their businesses a little more smoothly. If you have some design rules you live by, feel free to comment or message me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/darumacreative/