How I started my blog

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Writing was always an interest of mine.

I’ll never forget the time I wrote a 20 page story for my 8th grade teacher when she only asked for 1.

To be fair, I was already 12 pages in when I realized there was a page limit. Might as well go all out right?

Fast forward a few years later, I found myself writing as a means of self growth and reflection.

Eventually I posted some of these onto Instagram, which didn’t do too well because Instagram isn’t necessarily a text-based platform.

Still, I needed a place to put my words so I bought a domain and published my daily posts on WordPress. 

However, the downside of WordPress is that it isn’t an awareness tool. If you want more attention for your stuff, you have to go to where the people are. 

That’s where social media comes in.

Fortunately for me, LinkedIn is a flexible professional platform that allows long+short text posts, photos, and videos on the feed. 

Now I publish all my posts onto LinkedIn (+ more).

I treat it as part of my blog, and I get to talk and meet with some cool people.

Frequency helps with improvement

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The other day I found myself making jelly for the first time with agar agar. 

The results were a little different from what I expected. 

It was too soft for a jelly, and broke down into tiny pieces that made up a jelly-like slush.

Eventually I found out that I didn’t add enough agar agar. 

But the point of this post isn’t about jelly desserts.

Instead, it’s this.

The trick with frequency is that the more times you try something, the better you’ll get at recognizing patterns.

You’ll learn to see what works, and what doesn’t. 

Alternatively, whatever you don’t try you’ll never learn from.

Something about me is that I used to be a fashion illustrator

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I’d draw late into the night and dream about dresses all day.

Suddenly, my life changed.

No longer was I able to draw pretty girls in pretty dresses.

Instead, I now serve Hong Kong fast food to people in my city.

When I get off work, I pour the rest of my energy into helping creators understand how they can use social media for their business.

You’re allowed to change and explore your interests and passions.

How to take your brand game seriously

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How most people approach social media:

  1. Post only when you feel like it
  2. Write whatever you want
  3. It’s a likes and followers game

How professionals approach social media:

  1. Show up to your platforms every day, because it’s your job
  2. Write in service to your audience, because it’s for them
  3. It’s a brand and community game

Human error

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When we work in teams run by real human beings, it’s inevitable that somewhere down the line someone is going to make a mistake.

Today, that was me when I slept one hour in on a morning meeting before realizing what I had done.

(Glen if you’re reading this, thank you for being so patient).

Things happen, and most people are more willing and flexible to understand that than a computer would.

When they say trust the process, here’s what they really mean

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When you’re feeling doubt, don’t stop.

If you’re feeling stuck, don’t give up.

If you’re feeling like you’re at your wit’s end but you’re adamant about your goals, try one more time.

Keep going.

And as you go through with it, you’ll find what lives on the other side. 

The process is vague. 

It’s kind of supposed to be.

My biggest lesson in social media marketing

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In my room, I was sitting in front of my laptop trying to come up with my next post.

It felt like I already posted just about everything I ever needed to post about. I ask myself, why post anything more after this point?

It was then when I realized something important. 

I am not my audience.

And vice versa, my audience is not me. 

That means the market I want to connect with does not hold the exact same thought process as I do as the content creator.

For example, I had a fear of reposting the same content twice in a month, because I didn’t want to come off as spammy.

To put it to the test, I reposted anyway.

The results shocked me.

Not only did the market not seem to care about my reposted content (heck, they didn’t even notice).

The reposted content got equally if not more attention than the original post.

Lesson learned. 

You are not your audience.

If you’re looking to create content for your own business, read this.

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99% of new content creators will burn out and stop entirely within the first few months.

It’s easy to say, “Oh, just don’t burn out!” 

Unfortunately things don’t work that way.

Most people will get caught up in likes and follows.

What they don’t understand is that content creation is simply a tool for brands to build trust. 

Content creation is a positioning tool.

The ultimate key is the conversion rate. 

How many people discovered your brand through social media, and how many have followed through to generate a sale?

This is what most businesses on social want.

If you’re making content for your own business, stay focused on the true goal.

It’s not likes and followers.

Instead, it’s the trust your audience has in you (which will eventually lead to sales down the line)