Making social media manageable
I still haven't figure out what works for me regarding social media, but here's what I learned so far…
A while back it became apparent to me that I'm overwhelmed by the amount of social media accounts that I have, it seems to be more that I can handle.
Instagram, threads, tiktok, bluesky, substack, LinkedIn and a YouTube channel.
And the problem is, that I feel like I need more, to get my work seen by more people, like a page on behance (which is not bad idea… or maybe I’m getting FOMO).
Social media is stressful, sometimes I truly loathe it, but other times is great tool to share your work and find people with similar interests. And relation with it has been difficult, I still don't know what schedule works best for me or how to approach it better.
Here's what I learned and ideas I want to implement.
I don't post daily
I used to get excited about every new social media app, now, it really takes me a while to decide if I want to be a part of it. I posted every artwork that I could, making connections and finding new artists, the problem with this, is that there was a point where I didn't have more to share, I don't work fast, so I can’t keep up with the demand of posting daily, I started to feel the burnout sipping in, so I stopped posting, took a break and made a new strategy, post a couple of times a week, whenever I wanted, reused old work and taking breaks whenever social media started to feel daunting.
Reuse old work... I don't mean only reposting old work
Years past and you have a better understanding on some subjects, make a post about that! use old work as examples for analysis and maybe do a redraw. If you're an animator like me, you probably have animations exercises, make an analysis about them, what works, what doesn't (regardless if you decided to post the analysis, do them, is important to be self critical about one's work). Repost old work that you still find appealing, let others see your work multiple times and explain why you love that artwork, what inspired you to make it.
Crossposting is great idea, but it’s okay if you want to make differents types of post for multiple platforms, for example you have a newsletter, but want to share some of your thoughts on threads or instagram, make a slide show with the info you want to share.
Take breaks
Don't overestimate how important it is to take breaks, especially if you feel overwhelmed, overworking won't make you feel better, if you need to take a moment to collect your thoughts and rest, do it. Social media makes us put an immense amount of pressure and stress, especially if you used to promote our work. One month I was doing fine, making progress with some work, the next I could feel my body tell me to take a moment, I was overworking and not sleeping properly because I wanted to maintain a schedule, the problem rely on the unrealistic schedule I created.
I'm not gonna tell you what posting schedule works best (for example, posting once a week or two times, stuff like that) because I don't know! Try stuff out, also ask yourself, what do I feel comfortable sharing? Maybe you want to share your process, but don't want make videos (and I get it, is not always a choice, instagram demands a specific type of content) maybe take a few photos of the process, in between breaks for example.
To be completely honest with you, that's I why I made this newsletter, to be able to share the type of work I want (and figuring out what how to share it), without pressure and as I told you before, I repurpose my drawings and animations.
Keep making the art you like
You want to get clients, so do I! Nevertheless, don't lose your personal touch, adapt to the circumstances, but keep working on your style and the subjects you like to work on. Maintain personal projects, even if sometimes it feels like you can move forwards with that story you have in mind, don't let it die, even if it just sketches or little stories, don't stop working on them. It's a cliche but is so true "do you want you love" create the type of art you want to see, that you feel passionate about. Try to find a happy middle point, keep in mind for some projects, how to make them appealing for clients (what problems are you solving, are you communicating ideas properly), but never give up on artistic voice.
Be careful with FOMO
No, you don't have to be everywhere (especially in beginning). Yes, you can choose a couple of platforms, and maybe expand later on or close some accounts. It's simple, is it easy to do? Nope, FOMO can be a very strong sensation, but don't compromise the quality of your work, because you want to post everywhere. Also, be mindful with your mental health, if you can only manage a few platforms or maybe even one, that's okay. You have time to learn, go at your own pace.
And that's it! How do you handle social media? Do you have any tips to make it easier? Asking for a friend👀
Thank you so much if you read all the way through, have a lovely day!
