Social Media For Introverts with Tara Reid

Andréa Jones (00:00):
If you are an introvert, then showing up on social media can sometimes feel like a huge and heavy lift, but never fear you are not alone. You have some fellow introverts here and we're going to talk all about marketing your business as an introvert. Let's get into it.

Intro (00:28):
Welcome to The Savvy Social Podcast, the show that blends stories and strategies to help businesses create engaged and profitable online communities using the unique power of social media. And now, your host, Andréa Jones.

Andréa Jones (00:45):
Tara Reid, I'm so excited to have you on the show. Welcome, welcome.

Tara Reid (00:50):
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.

Andréa Jones (00:53):
Yes, I have been a low key fan of yours for a while. I literally sent your website to my team. Look at how beautiful this is. So I love everything that you do. I know we're going to dive into our questions, but I'm just curious about you and your background. How did you give us the overview of how you started your business?

Tara Reid (01:16):
Yeah, so I first started my first business in 2007. It was actually a handmade jewelry business, and through growing that business and using my previous skills of SS e o knowledge, I started to get people asking me for help with their business. And I found that I really love that more. So I ended up selling the jewelry business and moving into more service-based, helping other entrepreneurs grow their business and just found that I really love that. I feel like I've pivoted so many times too. I initially started as a virtual assistant, then I moved into just Pinterest management, then I moved into more coaching. And now I think I'm kind of more of a strategist than anything, and especially for fellow introverts, because I've definitely struggled a lot as an introvert in the online space, and especially with marketing and selling. And we need to be able to sell to grow our businesses. And the online space, especially social media, it can be a lot for introverts or highly sensitive people. So my goal now is to help other introverts where I was many years ago and how I was feeling and kind of figure out different ways to do things that are more aligned to your strengths.

Andréa Jones (02:44):
Yeah, this is exactly why I love what you do because I think there's this idea that we have in our heads as business owners. We see the celebrity entrepreneurs and their big personalities, and we feel like we have to be like that. And as soon as we try, it's really exhausting almost instantly. So I'm glad that you talk about that. I think it's super important to find ways to market your business at work for you instead of trying to mimic what you see out there in the streets. So talk to me about how that showed up for you when you first started marketing your business, or even now. What are the ways, what are the things that you find draining about social media?

Tara Reid (03:29):
So I can definitely relate to seeing the big names and thinking that that's how you have to show up. We just see that and think, okay, that's how I need to be in order to be successful, and that's not really who I am. So I have to push myself to be louder and more cheerleader kind of. And I did that. I tried that, and oh my gosh, it was so awkward. It was not just energy draining. It was very awkward and terrible. So it didn't get me any results because people can read you and see when you're uncomfortable or awkward. So it wasn't really getting my message across. It wasn't connecting with my ideal clients, and it was exhausting me. So really it was just a waste of time trying to do what I thought I needed to. And the thing is that showing up as the real you, that's really how you're going to make connections.

(04:30):
I wouldn't be able to find my place in this online space and realize that I want to connect with fellow introverts if I was trying to be somebody else, because they wouldn't connect with that. They would be like, okay, she's doing all these reels and videos as an introvert, that's amazing and inspiring. So that must mean that I have to do that, and that's not what I want to tell people or give them that impression. So for me, I'm also a multi-passionate, so I always found social media a bit overwhelming, just the content overload. I love learning. So I felt like I was over consuming content when it came to social media, and I really had to curate my feed and who I was following, and I always had it in my head. And I think a lot of us do is I feel bad if I unfollow somebody who's following me.

(05:24):
It's kind of that I have to reciprocate thing. So then I would just have thousands of people in my feed constantly and getting so much conflicting information, and it was causing me to be stuck because I was just consuming so much. So for me, I really had to curate my feed. I had to set timers, I had to limit my consumption because if I was just consuming and not creating, it was kind of a waste of time because if you're just consuming and you're not actually implementing that information that you're getting, that's not a good use of your time either. So I think figuring out how you can make social media work for you, depending on your strengths, and if that's your issue, then there's things that you can do. For me, I actually ended up leaving Instagram. So Instagram was the worst for me for content consumption.

(06:21):
I would just scroll and never actually engage. I would just, I would read, I would save. So it wasn't actually doing anything. And I realized I just need to leave this. And I find it a lot easier to actually interact and engage in Facebook groups. So shifting where you're showing up, it's okay to leave certain platforms. You don't have to be everywhere. And I think Instagram's probably the most popular one because I mean, I was scared to leave too, because I think, oh, my audience is on Instagram, so I have to be there. I have to do these things. I have to force myself to show up. But really your audience is in a lot of different places. They're not just on one platform. So you can switch and figure out which ones are going to work best for you.

Andréa Jones (07:16):
Yes. I really like what you said about curating your experience on social media because, so for me personally, it's news related content. I was finding myself feeling so overly anxious by consuming everyone's thoughts and opinions around current events and news topics. And so I feel exactly like you about unfollowing someone. So lately I've been muting people and it has been just a breath of fresh air to my experience because there are some people who I still haven't got over the hump of unfollowing them completely, but I don't want to see their posts anymore, so I just mute them and then I don't see them. And so yeah, I definitely think there's a power in protecting your own peace and making sure that your experience is curated. But I want to talk more about this Instagram shutdown, and then we'll also talk about what you do on Facebook. So talk to me about Instagram. What was your content plan? Because you talked a lot about scrolling. Were you posting as well on social media or on Instagram?

Tara Reid (08:26):
I was, yeah, I've always loved creating content. My issue was then people would comment on my content, and I struggled with actually engaging and responding in crafting what I felt like were good responses because, so I would have all these posts and lots of engagement, and then I wouldn't build that connection with people. So it wasn't really doing much other than people liking the post and all of that. So when I decided to leave, I actually looked at my data to see, because I had been spending a lot of time on Instagram a lot of time, and a lot more energy than that. So I started to look at, okay, how many people are actually coming from Instagram to my website? Because that was my goal. I wanted to get them on my email list, and that's where I really was myself. I felt like for some reason, email just allowed me to be more of myself, because these people signed up, they gave consent, they want to hear from me.

(09:39):
And whereas Instagram, I felt like I was creating all this great content, but then I was kind of like, I'm contributing to the noise for other people. So I felt differently about my email list, but I realized that Instagram was not driving results, the results that I wanted. And then I looked at Facebook where I was spending very little time and energy at the time, and it was getting 10 times the traffic to my website, and that was shocking to me. I have no Facebook strategy right now. I'm not consistent. I'm kind of active in a few groups, but there's no plan. There's no real energy behind it, and it's getting 10 times the results of all of this energy and exhaustion that I'm feeling. So that kind of solidified my thought that, okay, I can leave.

Andréa Jones (10:33):
Yes. Oh, I love a good looking at the data moment because I feel like, so first of all, there's something in your intuition that was like, Hey, let's check in on this. This is not feeling great.

Tara Reid (10:45):
I felt like the data gave me permission. I hear that a lot like, oh, oh my gosh, you left Instagram. Was that scary? And I'm like, well, it was, but looking at the data gave me that. Okay, it's fine. It's going to be okay.

Andréa Jones (11:03):
Yeah. Yes. Okay, I can do this because it's not really going to impact a lot of things. I love this. Okay, so we're going to take a quick break. I want to talk about your plan for leaving Instagram, and then we'll dive into your Facebook strategy when we get back.

(11:21):
[Podcast Ad break] I'm so excited to officially invite you to my very first in-person retreat happening in Niagara on the Lake Ontario, Canada, November 3rd through fifth. So this retreat was designed for established business owners who really need to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You're tired of sitting on Zoom for yet another meeting with your kid crying and hollering in the background, and you're ready to work on the big picture topics. We talk about this podcast episode. These topics are so important, and sometimes we do not carve out enough space to make important decisions in our business. And if that's you, this retreat is designed to help support you. So come join me November 3rd through fifth in Niagara on the Lake Ontario, Canada. This Hallmark picturesque town is perfect for hosting this retreat. It is all inclusive. Your room is included, all your food is included. We are going to have some amazing conversations, some facilitators, and it's just one of those places where you got to be in the room. So check it out at savvysocialretreat.com. I'll see you there. [Podcast Ad break]

(12:37):
And we are back. So you've decided to leave Instagram, but I'm so curious. I want to be super nosy about how you actually left. I feel like, I don't know if this is just me, but sometimes it does feel a little bit like you have a responsibility to tell people, Hey, I'm leaving. This is where I'm going. Did you end up doing something like that?

Tara Reid (12:57):
I did, yeah. I made a final post that was like, this is goodbye. And then I said, I don't know if I'm not saying forever, but for right now, I'm leaving and if you want to stay connected, the best place is going to be getting on my email list. But I decided that, and I looked at the data in January, and I didn't actually leave until June because I had so much content created that I could schedule. I was like, okay, I don't want to waste this content that I've already created and batch. So I actually scheduled all the content out from January until June, and then I was like, okay, so I'm just going to schedule this content. I'm not going to engage. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on the app. I'm just going to let the content do its thing just in case I change my mind and I decide not to leave. So that gave me a kind of six month period where I was still to everyone still active on Instagram and just I think that was another thing that I did just to give myself that permission to finally say, yeah, let's leave, make it official. So come June, I posted this is goodbye, because in those six months, I really didn't miss it at all.

Andréa Jones (14:18):
Yes. I love that you gave yourself a runway too, of like, I'm going to post this content, but I'm going to kind of step back a little bit and see how things go. And that probably just really solidified your decision to go, yep, this is what I want to do.

Tara Reid (14:31):
Yeah, it made it easier. It feels so final when you're like, I'm leaving. So I was careful to say I'm leaving, but I mean, I might be back. I might be back. Just do stories. I haven't yet. It's been 14 months, but I could get that itch to go back on Instagram again.

Andréa Jones (14:56):
Yeah, listen, Instagram will be there if you decide you want to go back. Okay. So I want to talk about refocusing on Facebook now, and I've been noticing the same thing over the past maybe year or so. Facebook has been super active for me. When I was sharing about the retreat, the Savvy Social Retreat, Facebook's actually where the social media platform where people signed up for it, the rest of the platforms, it just kind of got some likes. So this looks fine, but Facebook people were like, yeah, I'm ready. Let's go in. So I'm loving the energy over on Facebook right now. So I want to know, are you on Facebook as a page or as your personal profile?

Tara Reid (15:42):
Definitely as my personal profile. I do have a page, but I think the only things that are really posted there, I have an automation set up, so any new blog post or podcast episode automatically gets shared to the page. But otherwise, I'm definitely sharing more business related content on my personal page. And then I also have a private Facebook group for any students or clients. So anyone who's purchased anything from me can join this Facebook group. So I'm trying to get that a little bit more active too. And I think as an introvert, it's kind of similar to email, how it feels like I'm creating my own kind of community with like-minded people, so it's easier for me to show up in that capacity versus social media platform like Instagram where everyone can follow and consume and leave comments and all of that. It feels like it's more cozy and intimate, which I think is introverts sometimes we're able to show up more in those kind of spaces,

Andréa Jones (16:53):
Kind of like being on display for everybody. And I feel like we've all had experiences where social media brings out the worst in people. We've seen other people or have experiences ourselves where there are nasty comments or inappropriate comments. So I like that you have that space for yourself. So for your personal profile, what is your plan for creating content? Are you a go with the flow or do you also have batch created content for that platform?

Tara Reid (17:29):
Right now, I'm kind of in the go with the flow kind of momentum. I feel like it, when something sparks, I use Facebook as a real authentic view of my thoughts. So it's more about sharing in the moment what I'm thinking. If something sparked anything, I am of course trying to schedule the timed events or promotions. So if I'm in a bundle or a new podcast has come out, I'm definitely having that on the calendar. But when it comes to the other kind of content, it's more on the fly natural right now.

Andréa Jones (18:11):
Yeah. How do you feel about that piece as an introvert? Because, so part of the reason that I feel like I can show up on social, and I do consider myself an introvert, though. I'm on the edge. I can be extroverted if I need to be, but mostly leave me alone. But I do find that batch creating content when I do feel energetic helps me show up because most of the time I don't feel like creating content. So I'm always nervous about a go with the flow kind of strategy, because I feel like personally if I do that, there will be not a lot of going with the flow. So talk to me about how that's working out for you. Are you finding any stumbling blocks or do you find it kind of freeing?

Tara Reid (19:01):
I find it pretty freeing right now. I do batch and create a lot of content for my blog, for my emails. So I feel like I always have that, that I can kind of pull from and repurpose if I'm ever stuck in like, oh, I haven't posted anything this week. Let's have I not had any thoughts on the fly this week. So then I'll pull something from content that I've created for other channels just to make sure that I am able to stay consistent without worrying about not showing up at all when I'm doing it on the fly.

Andréa Jones (19:40):
Yeah, I love that. I love a good content repurposing too, because there's, you create a ton of content.

Tara Reid (19:46):
I do. Yeah. I love creating content. It's so fun for me. And then also making the most of it, I'm definitely big on repurposing because I mean, if you create one piece of content for email, for example, and people are loving it, you're getting lots of replies or clickthroughs, however long you spent on that email, why not make the most of that time? And I've resent emails. If I had a really good email, I will make note of it and maybe three months after I originally sent it, I will go in and I'll create a new broadcast, duplicate it, and I will send it out to anyone who's been on my email list now, just signed up from the last three months because they didn't get it. So this is a good email. I want them to get it too, or even if it's really, really good and it's evergreen content, putting it into an email sequence so that automatically every person will get this awesome email I created.

Andréa Jones (20:50):
Yes. Ooh, I love these tips, and I think as much as I love social media email still where most of my conversions happen, so social media and email marketing to me are like a power couple, which I just love. I love it. Okay. So anything else in your habits, your marketing habits today that really help bolster your business?

Tara Reid (21:16):
I think for me, it was the big thing that happened to me was when I was doing all the reels and doing all these videos and following the lead of who I saw as the bigger names and successful on social media, I kind of just sat down and had this, I call it my self-acceptance moment, because I was just so drained and exhausted, and I'm like, if this is how I need to market my business, I'm going back to a nine to five. I just can't keep this up. It's too much. And so I decided, okay, well, you have ss e o knowledge, you do love your email list, but at the time, I wasn't really consistent with it. Why not go all in on those methods and just be yourself and do things that feel good to you? You don't have to pretend, you don't have to dance on reels. You don't need to do these very scripted videos or anything. You can just be you. And I think that was the biggest transition for me, is realizing that you can do things differently. You can do things that feel good for you and you can let go the things that maybe aren't serving you anymore. And it doesn't mean that you're letting go forever. It just means right now maybe there's another marketing strategy or method that you want to focus on that's going to work for you even better.

Andréa Jones (22:50):
Yes. I love this so much, and I know that you dive into this conversation a lot in your free webinar marketing as an introvert. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

Tara Reid (23:03):
Yeah, so this free webinar, it covers what I call the four marketing methods that I recommend for introverts. So it digs into email blogging, Pinterest, and social media, but looking at social media in kind of a less socially kind of way or energy draining kind of way. And then how you can use, I usually recommend picking two of those methods out of the four, and then how you can make those two work together. And then you can always add on other things and layer them in. But just focusing on two that work together seamlessly and how you can use your strengths to really grow and drive your marketing and your business forward.

Andréa Jones (23:46):
Yes, I love this so much. I'll definitely check this out. What an amazing resource that will be in our show notes onlinedrea.com/ 2 7 2. We'll put the link with this podcast episode as well. Tara, this has been such a great conversation. Thank you so much for being on the show.

Tara Reid (24:05):
Thank you so much for having me.

Andréa Jones (24:07):
Yay. Awesome. And thank you, dear listener. We'll be back with another episode soon. But that's all for today. Bye for now.