On social media platforms there’s currently a big push to “build engagement.”
The idea is, the more you “comment” and engage on a post, the more awareness you can build for your own profile, and the better you can do on that platform.
It’s not uncommon for people to spend 1, 2, or even 5 hours per day generously “engaging” on other people’s posts.
Be part of the conversation.
For the creator, of course, this feels great.
It puffs up the ego, and gives little rush of dopamine.
And for the “commenter,” this seems to work out well – it builds awareness, and can help you “grow an account.”
A merry-go-round is formed.
Alas, every decision has a cost. If we say “yes” to following this path, what else are we saying “no” to?
Rather than allocating 4-5 hours to writing rushed words of encouragement to others to keep using one account and prop up another, what if we went deeper somewhere else?
What if we took that time, and built a true resource that could actually help create change?
Organised a remarkable event?
Recorded a new podcast?
Created a course?
If you’re in a small business, on a small timeframe, cultivating energy to then throw at the engagement game does seem like it’s being supportive. It can even feel like we’re being of service.
But when we zoom out, kind of like when people get hung up on mainstream TV, we see that being part of all of this can sometimes lead to a house built on sand, and little getting done.
It may be more generous to ease back, ignore some of the small metrics and take that time to create something useful.
(PS, I’m not saying to not engage at all, and yes, I understand you can build “true” relationships via these interactions. Great. This is typically an exception, not the rule.)
