I want to be an influencer without social media.
Is it possible?
By Grace K. Bianco
This is my passion, and whatever I have to do to make it in this world, I will do.
It seems like most jobs require some form of social media. If you work for a local shop, they probably market themselves on social media. If you have an online business, you have to promote it online. If you are like me and blog, you have to share your entire life on every platform you can think of.
The internet is booming, and if you go down a different path than “normal”, it’s expected to make social media your best friend.
My Social Media Fails
I have tried and failed so many different ways of using social media. Some wouldn’t actually be considered failure but more of a dislike.
I had a Pinterest account at one point that my sister would run. I would write a caption and send her the picture to go with it. She was in charge of scheduling the posts and keeping up with the statistics. It didn’t last longer than a few weeks.
I tried a Twitter account where I posted seasonal bucket lists, and posted myself doing all the activities. I liked the idea, but I didn’t like Twitter.
I had LinkedIn for a bit, because at the time, my publisher strongly encouraged having one. I posted on there (maybe?) twice.
I tried TikTok for awhile. I posted daily videos of encouragement, Bible verses, and life updates. I got burnt out after awhile, because I found it to be too repetitive. I still think of going back. My audience grew quickly on there (not anything crazy, almost 2k). I just need to find my niche.
I have tried YouTube two separate times. I didn’t mind the hours of filming and editing. It was about finding my niche once again.
I tried having two Instagram accounts. One for less posting and one for posting more frequently on. Newkindofliving was used for posting frequently on, but I started hating my own theme. I grew concerned that people would be too overwhelmed by all the posts, and I am hardly active on that account. Gracekbianco is my main account, and I still post and keep up with it. I will get to that soon.
I have a FaceBook to friend all of the people I know. I go back and forth with being active and inactive on there.
My Lack of Talent
I think social media is an amazing tool, and if you do it right, it really can help promote whatever it is you do.
So, what is my problem?
I can come up with a caption and something to say all day. I am blogger… I have plenty to say. It’s the posting a picture part that I struggle with.
I am not self conscious about being in a photo. I just never know what to take a picture of, and I don’t personally know a photographer. I have always said that if I knew photography or a family member that did photography, I would be set. I try to convince my husband all the time to learn photography (mostly joking but not really).
I don’t want all my pictures to just be selfies. I need someone who can take a decent photo of me out and about. One of my sisters used to help, but we hardly see each other now. My husband tries here and there, but I either don’t like it or he takes an absolutely ratchet photo and laughs for too long. As you can tell, I am impatient when it comes to photo taking haha. I don’t need ten horrific photos... I just need one good one.
That’s my dilemma with social media. I know what to say, but I don’t know what to post.
My Writing
As I mentioned up above, I do use my Instagram account, gracekbianco, as much as I can. Instagram has always been my favorite, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. I post daily on my Instagram stories. And depending on what I am doing in my life, I post on my feed regularly.
I want to be an influencer. I want to make an impact in this world, even if I never get to be “huge”. I want to encourage others. I want to write about my faith. I want to write about my always changing life. I just want to write.
I had a blog right after I dropped out of college. I made a new website for my blog about two years later (newkindofliving.com). I write about my life in a more day-to-day type way on that website. I published a book, “Party Pooper: Growing up with Anxiety”. My book is literally my entire life from the age of four through nineteen. And now, I write on my favorite platform, Medium three times a week!!!
I don’t know what it is about Medium, but I feel the most free. I write about literally any topic that comes to my head. I use pictures I have on my phone. I use pictures from Canva. I never feel like I am in box. I can post three times a week without any hesitation, and I enjoy every minute I spend on here.
I just want to write. I want to tell stories, share my opinions, and be open about my life. This is what I am happy doing.
In The End
I love that I have the ability and time to write as much as I do. I love that I have access to the internet. I love that the internet is always developing, and you just never know if a new app will come out.
I think social media is great. It’s all about figuring out what to post. One day, I will find my niche, and I will find the social media platform that makes me feel the way Medium does. I will feel free to post without overthinking every little thing. I won’t feel like every picture/post/video has to be 100% perfect. It will just have to feel right.
This is my passion, and whatever I have to do to make it in this world, I will do. Even if that means, getting over my husband taking a billion nasty photos to get a good one. (Babe, if you are reading this, you are amazing at dealing with my car and taking the trash out. You have taken a few good photos of me, but your camera roll is full of some rough ones, and you know it lol.)
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Thanks for reading!! Make sure to click that follow button for more!!
Also, check out my more personal blog newkindofliving.com ❤
My book, Party Pooper: Growing up with Anxiety, is available now on Amazon (eBook and Paperback).
