so hey besties embosses happy Friday we've got Instagram life as well with us
so I want to jump right in so we talked all about Facebook and some of I think
the Facebook freak outs maybe a few of us are having and just offer some
different perspectives that I'm having and some lessons and reminders that
these changes have given me so hopefully this will be helpful for you
so back story for those of you who aren't exactly sure what's going on show
first personally what happened with me about three months ago my facebook ad
got my facebook account got shut down yes true story so I very blindly hit the
boost button on one of my actual Instagram posts thinking and I'd test
this out see what the boost was all about I this is a topic for another time
that is not the way I think any of us should really be running ads but I was
tempted by the boost button spend a few bucks to boost a post and because I was
a following the guidelines because I wasn't playing by the rules and it
really didn't do it properly something in my post flagged my account and my
facebook ads account got key activated so 20-plus emails to Facebook only
resulted in about the same amount of responses bought responses coming back
from Facebook so my account Facebook account is dead
no I don't currently invest a whole lot in Facebook ad spent to grow my business
but it is something I definitely want to be able to in the future
I think ads in any capacity are a really smart and great way for all of us to be
able to grow and scale our businesses so needless to say I wasn't super thrilled
about this I pitched a little bit of a fit and I had to check myself because
some of you may know a few months ago I shared a post all around our attitude
towards social media and I am a big believer that social media is a tool and
it's a really helpful beautiful tool that allows many of us to connect and
reach people we would have never had the opportunity to 20 years ago but I
believe it's a tool and it's all in how we use it and how we look at it like so
many things in life that make it good or bad and so here I was
pitching a fit about something that really had nothing to do with the
platform and everything to do with me my actions and really how I was using the
platform so they take a little bit of my own medicine and I had to check myself
fast-forward to very recently and hey everyone who's just joined fast-forward
to recently a Mark Zuckerberg put out announcement with some of the changes
that he's going to be making or has already implemented in facebook now if
you don't know what I'm talking about there's a link and I linked to his post
in my blog but essentially Zuckerberg said that he's making changes to
Facebook studies have shown it's not great for us
to be on social media the way it is and he wants to increase the real human
connection we have and so he is going to be decreasing the amount of time we see
businesses and brands and he's going to be increasing the amount of posts we see
from friends and family I'm say a couple other things and holy moly did that
freak a whole bunch of people out and I get it I do not discount anyone's
emotions especially if you are using Facebook primarily for your business and
to grow your business so I'm not discounting the freak out but since I
had already had my own freak out and had to check myself a little bit I was able
to take a step back and look at the situation I think maybe not as
emotionally attached and since I've had a little time to sit with it I've pulled
a few actual blessings and reminders and maybe ways that we can all look at this
a little bit differently that I want to share with you because the truth is like
it or not however we feel about it we can't control this these changes are
happening Facebook is rolling out these changes we can bitch and complain and
moan and be pissy about it and that's not gonna do anything or we can take a
look at it see what we can learn from this see how we can adapt see how we can
embrace this and we can go with the flow and see how we can actually maybe use us
to help us out in some way so let's side and I've got six things
for you here today and if you have any questions if you have any thoughts
please share them with me don't agree with me and share that with
me because I'd love to hear around I try to expand sizes
you're so excited AMG first thing never really jumped out as me as a huge just
like neon flashing reminder was to double down on our email list and to
double down on that list building and I know this is something we have all heard
a thousand times I know if you are an entrepreneur a business owner if you're
in the marketing space this is something I'm sure you're almost sick of hearing
about and yet I think many of us need a maybe a gentle reminder that this is
something that we could all focus a little bit more attention on so and
again this is something I'm sure most of you have heard but I think it is worth
repeating we don't own our social media accounts
we don't own our Facebook account we don't own our Instagram account Twitter
et cetera et cetera we don't own them we are borrowing the space it's like going
into a coffee shop to meet some people we are borrowing the space to be on
which is mostly free and lovely very lovely but we don't control we don't own
this so we can't control what happens with the platform we can't control if
there's a change made and it's really not up to us versus our email list and
our website those are two things that we own and we can control so with our email
lists this is something we have a direct control over I can write an email to my
list to the people I want to connect with and I can decide that they're all
going to get the email versus I can post something on social media and it's not
up to me how many people it's going to be shown to it can be shown to one
person that's not up to me so I think this is just a great reminder to just
revisit that email list growth and building not to be crazy about it not to
burn ourselves out with this but just to remember that our email lists are
important and it's such a beautiful way for all of us to build those connections
and relationships with our people and I think sometimes some of us are being
maybe not the greatest friends through our email list will grow grow grow and
then we kind of forget about it and we neglect it and we don't put a whole lot
of attention or or thought into it so I think it's just a great reminder for all
of us to double down melis and same with our website I mean I
know for me it was a great reminder to take a look at my website and make sure
that my website was optimized see what changes I want to make I'm making a few
changes I'm in the process of right now because it forced me to take a look at
the other platform I own which is my website and to make those changes there
so I think this is just an invitation for all of us to take a look at that
online real estate we all own and to see how we can maximize those platforms
versus platforms someone else owns hey Amelie and who also we have their hates
feel for anyone who has any questions anyone who has any thoughts agreements
disagreements let me know alright let's jump down to my next takeaway from the
Facebook freak out so number two here is to build relationships not likes I think
this is an important one I think it's really tempting for all of us to get
caught up in wanting to get as many likes as possible I get it feels really
good if you feel really great but I think what some of these Facebook
changes are helping me to remember is that it's really so much more about
those relationships we're building those connections were making we take an
actual look at what Zuckerberg says in his message if we take a look at the
post he made he's actually talking about the importance of relationship and
importance of connection so I think in a way if we really want to boil it down
Zuckerberg is kind of schooling all of us with a business tip that's saying hey
y'all like step it up figure out how to connect and to build those relationships
that's why I'm choosing to look at this so I think this is just a great reminder
that it really is about those relationships so much more than it is
about getting those likes and I know there are people out there who want to
game the system and they want to buy likes and there are box that will give
you likes and I will tell you I am NOT a social media expert but I don't even
know how much that's gonna help anyone anymore I don't think that's so much
what is giving being given preference in the feed right now but just from a
business standpoint when we build true relationships that is what is going to
grow our this in such a more not just an
authentic way and not just with integrity but it's also going to grow it
faster than having a whole bunch of likes having a like is a very passive
action versus taking the time to one person a time to get to know them and to
engage with them and I know I've said this before but there are so many people
who have massive followings who are struggling and to say that there aren't
people with great businesses as well but just as an example and there are plenty
of people who have a much smaller following we're getting less likes and
they have really successful really well-thought-out businesses that are
thriving and continuing to grow so just a reminder there I think this is just on
a human level but just also from a business perspective let's focus on the
relationships and not on the likes for me this is a core business belief in
value of mine anyway but I think this is I think Facebook is giving us a nice
reminder of that I think this will also help just help with our Facebook and our
Instagram feeds alright let's jump into the next one all right y'all might not
like this one my thing this one is important and that is that it's not
personal its business so Facebook Instagram Twitter all of these are
businesses I think because they're social and they're fun to be on it is
easy to forget that they are businesses and their business is run by really
smart intelligent hard-working individuals business owners who in order
to keep their business afloat and in order to grow their business have to
generate revenue that is just the way it is and I think a lot of us forget that I
think when we can look to these changes and look to these platforms from this
perspective it can help us flick the way maybe we're feeling about certain
changes and I think it can also help us to understand what might help us use the
platform's better so I think essentially right now many of us or what's happened
is if we think about Facebook or Instagram it's sort of like someone
opened up a coffee shop that was free and like thousands of people flooded
this little tiny coffee shop because all of their favorite people were there and
they never bought a cup of coffee they never bought a pastry and they all just
camped out at the tables but the tables have like three chair
there's like 20 person to a table it got really crowded and the coffee shop
owners like I'm not making any money and my store is really full that were our
business what we do we want to make some changes so that we could generate some
revenue and not have people overcrowding our space and that's kind of what
happens with is what has happened with Facebook a bunch of people have come in
crowded out the space not purchase anything and it's it's watering down the
experience it's watering down the customer experience because just think
if you walk into a crowded coffee shop like that I really get me out of here
and the company isn't making the revenue they want to and Facebook very much
generates their revenue from from from ads and not just perhaps from people
like you and me who are running small businesses but from really big companies
like coca-cola and if the people who are using Facebook are unhappy and they're
hopping off and they're not engaging the people who are spending a whole lot of
money on ads are not gonna get the results they want they're not gonna be
happy they're gonna pull back on their ad spend and that's going to affect
Facebook or anywhere else is any other platforms bottom line it's kind of like
that coffee shop no one's fine if no one's sticking around no one's happy and
if one starting to leave no one's buying coffee the place is gonna go out of
business bit of an analogy there I think just a
way to think about Facebook with some of these changes its business owners
thinking about the user experience and thinking about their business in their
bottom line and so for them to continue to offer this as a mostly free platform
and for them to continue to get ad revenue they have to have people use the
platform engage with the platform stay on the platform and enjoy using the
platform and I think this just for me at least it helps me to get a little less
annoyed when I see these changes because I realize it's just a business decision
that some smart business owners have made and Who am I to get pissy about it
because the truth is I don't love when people want my services for free I'm
sure you don't either and so it's the same for Facebook we're not paying to
play not that you have to but if we're not paying to play it's really not on us
to get to get pissy or upset about it so a bit of a perspective flip
but also just maybe another lens to look through it because I think when we look
at it this way we can also think okay so this is the case in order for Facebook
or Instagram or whatever it is to do well in to generate revenue they need to
do certain things that essentially make them look good to their investors how
can I help them look good because if I do that it's gonna be a symbiotic
relationship and that's gonna help me use the platform better is this making
sense to everyone I'm see do we have any questions here
no questions any questions it's making sense all right I don't see any
questions I'm gonna hop on to my next thought here and this was one that I had
to give myself a little bit of an ass-kicking on and that is to embrace
the platform to brace the platform we're on so I think this just again goes what
we're just speaking about thinking about this from the perspective of these are
businesses that own these platforms versus this is social or this is just a
way to connect with people or versus thinking about like hey this isn't fair
until look at these platforms each platform is meant to use in a specific
way and I think when we can take ourselves out of that this isn't fair
mindset and use platforms the way they're meant to use we can benefit most
from them I think a lot of us want to use them just the way that feels good to
us or we want to ignore some of these things that are being ruled out and then
it ends up kind of hitting us back in the face and then we get frustrated
about it so I think when we can look at the platforms and get curious about how
they're meant you use it can you find some really great clues and those clues
can help us to utilize and use the platform's better so what I mean by this
for example on Instagram those of you on Instagram when you scroll through your
feed you'll notice that something new just rolled out that if you hover over a
picture for a couple seconds the comment bar will pop up now this is something
new if you are paying attention and you're thinking about embracing the
platform this is a clue and this is a clue to me that says oh Instagram wants
me to comment more Instagram wants people to comment more this makes
business sense because when we comment were engaging we've strained on the
platform longer we're not acting passively or engage
this makes complete sense from a business perspective if they're trying
to show people are on line to get those ads and it helps me then to think okay
so not trying to game the system anything weird like that but maybe this
is something that's important this is something this is a clue this is what
Instagram wants me to do it wants me to get some more comments
I think another clue that we might see is that on Facebook and on Instagram we
keep seeing the lives pop up on the top of our screen we get notified when
someone goes live like I'm going live right now and we're seeing this on both
of the platforms so that might be a clue that this is the way that the platform
is meant to be used this is something this is the way that they want the
platform to be used just another clue they're saying with Instagram stories
just these new things if we pay attention to some of the new things that
are being rolled out that can help us figure out how the platform is really
meant to be used if we take a look even as Zuckerberg message she's talking
about the engagement and having more friends and family in front of each
other versus business and brands so that might give us the clue that creating
content that's a little more engaging that's a little more real that's a
little more human to human might be a way to use the platform better I know
for me personally I've noticed on Instagram when I share a post to share a
post of me and my guy the other day not business-related at all that got you can
see on your stats if you have a business account you can see how many people your
post has been put out to that got put out to like double the amount of people
then a really heartfelt post I wrote there was more business-related more
related to my work and I think that's because it was a picture of me and my
guy and Facebook algorithm computer bots are super smart they can tell what it is
it was a picture of me it was more about relationship was more about human
interaction it was more of that connection and it generated more
comments because it was a more person to person conversation versus here are some
thoughts that are related to my business so just I think if we just take a look
at those clues we can actually get some really great insights and again not
about gaming the system but just some insights into how to use these platforms
so they work for us a little bit better all
right let's pull up the next one if you have a question let me know all right so
cut two more for you so the next one is not based on any fancy stats or anything
like that but this is based purely on what I know the scene with my own feed
and that is it seems that Facebook groups are getting an eighth bump and I
say this because if you notice when you go on Facebook now at least for me when
I go into my feed Facebook groups and I'm a part of our started suddenly
popping up everywhere and my own Facebook group it just seems like
there's a little more engagement like things are babies a little bit more of a
boost so what this means for all of us is maybe this is something to think
about now I would never say that a Facebook group is something anyone needs
to do for their business I think every business is so so different Facebook
groups are definitely not right for everyone they are an investment of time
and energy I think you need to have be ready to hold this space and have the
time to invest in to put it into a group this is not like a silver bullet quick
fix type of solution I am on screen but I do this is something that I'm noticing
so I do think if you've been playing with the idea of starting a Facebook
group if you've been thinking about maybe starting a Facebook group this
might be an opportune time to dip your toes into that water it does seem like
they're getting a little bit of a boost and it makes sense we take a look at
Zuckerberg message he's talking in there even about Facebook groups and he's
talking about he mentioned sports and help people on sports and television
shows and groups will create conversation so it makes sense he's
mentioned it and if we think about a group a group as a community a group as
a place that we hang out online we spend more time so from a business perspective
for Facebook it makes sense if we hang out in a group or hanging out online
Facebook and show their investors people are hanging out online longer so again
this is not based on any sort of stat that I've seen I didn't I can't say this
is absolutely the truth but this is what I'm noticing so just something to think
about if you already have a Facebook group maybe it's an opportunity to put a
little more TLC into that group because it does seem like that is getting
preference online again not about gaming the system here but just some things I'm
noticing and maybe some ways to look at all of this and see how we can move with
it instead of fight against the changes and the last thought I have for you here
and let me know y'all let me know if this is making sense and hey I see a
couple more people over on Instagram with us like Hulu so let me know if this
is making sense let me know if you have any questions agree on the group melody
says yes thank you yeah interesting let me know if you're seeing that in your
feed as well because I I know it's definitely the case for for me so if any
of you anyone else is noticing this be kind of interesting to see I think that
would give us just a little more insight into what's happening not just for me
personally but for all of us as a user experience so the last thought I have
for you as a way maybe to embrace some of these changes is to consider going
live so what I'm doing right now and melody says yes definitely awesome very
awesome and very good to know just good to know that it's not just me and let's
see we've got another thought here get them in the coffee shop Oh a track
benefit keep them entertained give them value count how many are real customers
connect make it personal why they should buy hell yes absolutely I couldn't agree
with that more talking about the coffee shop metaphor I just used and I
absolutely agree and I think and I think that goes a little bit to what I want to
close with and I'll jump ahead I think what you're saying is yes it's about yes
attracting them getting them into the coffee shop absolutely and then I think
so much of it is what you're saying it's about keeping them entertained which is
building that real connection and that relationship which i think is just
something a lot of us forget about but that is the basis I think of so much
business is building those relationships offering some of the hello you off being
of service and connect yes you say make it personal why they should buy apps
like abso-freakin'-lutely yes I love that awesome awesome
anyone else has any comments let me know and I'm gonna jump into the last thought
I have for you the last thing that I haven't cleaned from some of these
changes in just my experience on Facebook with the face
freak out and maybe just a way to adapt and roll with it and that is to go alive
so I know I think we've probably all heard this quite a bit but what I am
noticing again is and this might just be me so I'd be really interested to hear
from all of you what I noticed is that live video seems to be giving us a bit
of a boost and again it's not about gaming the system but what were we
talking about earlier was embracing the platforms and using them the way that it
seems like the platform wants to be used and live is getting all sorts of
preferential treatment as far as where it's placed on our platform screens and
when I go live I noticed that it seems to give a boost and if you take a look
at what Zuckerberg had to say and his message he also talks in there about
again live video and just the connection that creates and if we think about this
from a business perspective for Zuckerberg when we're alive we're having
a conversation we are interacting as humans this is an engagement versus
passively scrolling through the platform passively like just scrolling while
we're walking to the bathroom were engaged you we're having a conversation
we're talking back and forth and so for for a business perspective for Facebook
that for them keeps people on the platform longer it keeps people engaged
it makes people happier it's building those relationships that's great for
Facebook and for them being able to generate that ad revenue for us because
I don't want this to be just about gaming a system or anything like that
for us I happen to think live video yes it's freaking scary I'm sweating a
little bit here it makes me nervous but I think it is one of the greatest new
pieces of technology that we have because it gives us such a great way to
authentically connect with people and to share our work and to share our thoughts
and we're able to cut through that know like trust factor so much faster we're
able to build those relationships in such a more authentic way because when
we're live we can't hide I can't hide anything you often see me right now
you can you can see my apartment you can see that I'm in New York City and
there's a weird building behind me you can see my books there's there's nothing
a high I can't hit stop and rerecord and edit anything out I know that freaks
some of us out but it's such a more real connection if such a more real
experience and yes it'd be awesome if we could talk back and forth not just a
messaging outside of being able to invite someone in but it's the closest
thing we have to it so I think it's actually outside of what it does for
Facebook or Instagram and how it can help us utilize the platform I think
it's a really beautiful way for all of us to connect a little bit more with our
audience with our people with our ideal customers with whatever you want to call
it with your tribe I think it's just really wonderful and I can't speak
enough to it but I do think that is a way that we can embrace some of these
changes is to break through those nerves and go live and I'll say for those of
you who are in my facebook group I'd offer this to you before if you want to
go live for the first time maybe not on your page when you know on an Instagram
where it's less scary you are welcome to hop on live in my group until the group
gets too big and until it gets too cluttered you're welcome to hop on live
say hello introduce yourself okay to do that the other day introduce yourself
tell us what you do give us your give us your elevator pitch I'd love for you to
have the group as a safe space to practice that and go live for the first
time I had the luxury to do that in Michele Lewis's group is one of my
mentors and it made such a big difference so absolutely have at that
but I do think that's just another lesson and reminder that I'm taking away
from some of these changes is to embrace the live-video scary as it may be to
embrace having to go live well let me see a few comments here oh thank you
melody says I'm doing great thank you I appreciate that very much because oh my
gosh I can get nervy she is doing well authenticity all thank you she is
showing us that she knows her stuff her credibility is super high you guys
you're gonna make me cry thank you so much
I appreciate that authenticity is very important to me so is integrity so I I
can't tell you how much that means to me I love watching my video so makes sense
why would she do more of them yes I I will say I enjoy them a lot more now
they still make me very nervous but I enjoy watching them I think this is I
mean this is a conversation we're having so I would love to invite all of you
instead of freaking out about the Facebook changes instead of getting
stuck in the annoyance or the frustration or the complaining or the
it's not fairness of maybe what's happening on Facebook because I'll say
most of the time when we're saying something's not fair it's a really great
reminder that we need to check ourselves and I had to check myself but I would
love to invite you to use this as a great kick in the butt to go live a
little bit more - to jump into the live pool because it's it's really a great
way for all of us to build that low know like and trust factor and that's what
it's all about building those relationships one person at a time so
that those are my my six lessons there for you all and I'm just gonna say as a
reminder let's not try to game the system I don't think any of this is
about trying to game the system I don't think it's about trying to by likes or
figure out what we can do to boost things but instead I think all of these
changes in Facebook and what Zuckerberg has put out I honestly think this is an
opportunity for all of us to again just take a step back and look at some of
those business basics some of those foundational pieces of our business and
remember the importance of connection remember the importance of serving
remember the importance of building relationships because the truth is these
platforms might change the way in which we use them might change but the one
thing that isn't going to change is all of our human need to connect that is
something we're wired to have humans want to connect and that's not going to
go away and the other thing it's not going to go away is people
having problems that need to be solved that's not going away so if we can find
ways to connect and if we can find ways to help people and solve their problems
it's gonna be just fine whatever platform we roll and whatever algorithm
changes or things that get rolled out and I think if we can look at these
changes through that lens it can help us all maybe cool down and step back from
the freak out a little bit so those are my thoughts do we have any other
questions or comments here I'll uh let's see no more any other oh we got trenton
really sweet presentation Kamala thank you so much trends and that means that
means the world to me I super appreciate that and I appreciate all of you
listening today I know that you know I'm not a social-media expert that I'm
mindset in business coach so social media is just one of the tools I use but
I probably have a slightly different perspective on this than someone who who
is an expert but I hope all of you found this valuable I hope this will offer you
a slightly different perspective and to some things to think about and ways to
use all of these platforms and I'm so grateful to have all of you here today
it's been lovely and wonderful you all are amazing you make it possible for me
to do my work so thank you I'm wishing you all a lovely lovely Friday and
weekend and wishing your version of success and I will be back next Friday
with another topic for all of you and if you're watching this on the replay
please feel free to leave me a message just make sure you tag me so I might not
see it otherwise and that is oh we've got one more comment that is a great
foundation because we care about others really great Kim thank you so much it's
true though I mean I think I think if you're watching me and if you're in my
world most of us are we are yes we're entrepreneurs yes we're business owners
yes we in order to have a business need to generate revenue but I don't think
any of us got into the business of being in business because we don't care and I
think most of us care deeply about our work and we care deeply about helping
other people and that's why we do what we do otherwise let's be honest y'all
there are a lot of easier ways to make money so whether you're an artist or a
coach or an entrepreneur who has a heart centered business if we're doing this
it's because we care and so thank you for saying that because I
think that is absolutely the truth and I think that's a foundational piece for
all of us to remember because it's so easy to lose sight of that when we get
sometimes into the pan and key pieces of trying to build our business or trying
to get our art work out there and trying to get notice and visible I think it's
really easy to lose sight of that so thank you for making that comics I think
that's for me too that's a great reminder all right so any other comments
and if not I'm gonna hop off I'm gonna prep for my next coaching client and I
hope you all have the most beautiful weekend wishing you all so much love
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