HOW TO AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA FATIGUE

Social media is an important tool for the world, but there can be too much of a good thing. Whether you enjoy being on social media or are using social media platforms for your business, it’s important to avoid social media fatigue. With so much information out there in the world at your fingertips, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed like a flood, so here are some tips to avoid social media fatigue.

 

Social Media Fatigue Facts

 

As Forbes explains, about 3.03 billion people in the world are engaged in social media. 55% of business owners surveyed are looking to improve their social media as well. Yet this report also tells us that a large percentage of people polled are feeling anxiety over their social media interactions. With technology progressing so fast, many people are afraid that they’re not keeping up, or that they’re not attracting more followers.

 

While social media has opened up the world, it can also cause stress and affect our mental health. One example, as this report tells us, is that “the fast-moving stream of attention and multiple platforms means that attention spans have decreased to 8 seconds for most social media users, causing an increase in heart palpitations.”

 

And indeed, social media fatigue is a real condition where you get “a feeling of anxiety and being overwhelmed at the thought of interacting online.” This can happen whether you’re just conversing with the world or running your business.

 

Pace Yourself and Take Breaks

 

Social media constantly needs new material, it’s like a machine that constantly has to be fed, and coming up with new content can be exhausting. And it’s hard to tell if you’re having an impact or not until your business really grows.

 

Taking breaks from social media is very helpful too. Many are afraid to step away from it out of fear they’re going to fall behind, but it is not going to help your brand if you’re stressed out and delivering subpar material.

 

“Don’t think that you can’t disappear from social media,” this report tells us. “There are other ways of connecting with people who matter, your customers, and perhaps use this time to focus on the creative side of the business. People who like your work and want to connect would stay with you. People who leave weren’t that interested anyway.”

 

Don’t Compare and Despair With Your Social Media Marketing

 

There’s a mental health phenomenon with social media called “compare and despair.” It’s when you look at other people on social media and think they’re living a much better life than you are. This can also happen with businesses. You see another company’s social media, and wonder why yours isn’t as good, or why yours isn’t generating more traffic.

 

“Social media is rife with comparisons, and psychological research has shown that such comparisons can lead to anxiety and acute stress. The pressure of building a small business using social media is leading to social media fatigue amongst business owners.”

 

Realize that your social media will take time to grow, and another important key is “less is more.” As Forbes reminds us, “It is not important to post 3-4 times a day to beat the algorithm. Post when you have something to say.”

 

And ultimately you need to adopt the best social media marketing strategy for your business, without worrying about what the others are doing. “It is clear that this pressure on small businesses to use social media marketing is not a one-size-fits-all strategy…Perhaps we need to not blindly follow the crowd but find a way forward that works just right for us.”