Have you ever considered whether you’re sharing too little or too much on social media? There is truly a fine line as a business owner when it comes to sharing all aspects of your life for your followers to see, and the sooner you realize this the better!

I am very particular and strategic with everything I post on my social media platforms in order to continue to connect with my audience and grow my business. I would say the most important thing for young entrepreneurs to learn quickly about social media is to treat it like a job and protect your professional image. The last thing you want is for a potential client (or brand sponsor) to come to your social media and see images or videos that are not professional or could be viewed in the wrong way.

You are a BRAND, and the face of your business, so if you want to be taken seriously and be treated professionally it’s important to maintain that image on social media. I see a lot of crazy things in the fitness space of people posting provocative or certain types of content just to get more followers or likes; however, I will tell you that more followers or likes doesn’t necessarily mean more money or growing your business.

Personally, over the last few years I have changed my mindset with social media and how/when I post as well as consume content. A few years ago I would just post random fitness tips, videos, motivation, and nutrition tips for my followers to help them out and just hope that one of them would maybe want to pay to work with me. This actually worked in the early years of social media as being open about my life and sharing a lot of what I do day to day really helped clients connect with me; however, as my following began to grow as well as my business I had to rethink how I used my social media platforms.

I began to find it overwhelming and like I needed to post every single day on my social media, even if I didn’t have anything quality to post. This is a lot of work when you are also running both an in-person and online fitness business. I also now have two young children, and although my followers love to see them on my social, I still try to keep some things private and only share content with my kids that relates to my fitness/health niche. I also don’t want to spend all my time on social media (posting/consuming) and I want to live more in the moment with my kiddos. I often take pics and videos for stories and then post at 2-3 different times throughout the day instead of posting live all the time.

Here are a few ways I have adjusted my social media strategy over the last few years to really make the most out of social media, grow my business, maintain privacy, and reduce stress/screen time:

1. Create a second account for my studio

This helped me separate my two businesses and further market my studio specifically to those in the nearby area and post content specific to that audience/demographic that I was trying to reach. I keep this account very professional and don’t include any personal posts. My personal fitness account is where I share my personal fitness tips, fit mom life tips, and just my day to day life as a fit mom and business owner. I still maintain a very professional image on my personal account, but also show off a lot of my personality in order to connect with potential clients. Running two social media accounts is a lot of work, but scheduling posts to my studio account and being very strategic has helped a lot.

2. Be strategic: think quality over quantity

I now post to my social with a strategy in mind, whether it’s to promote a new YouTube video, get subs to my email list or offer a tip or information related to a client question. I no longer feel obligated to post all the time on my social, and it’s such a relief! My business is continuing to grow and I don’t have to post every day.

3. Share because I choose to, not because I feel I need to

I have also been able to land quite a few brand sponsorships and affiliate programs to not only help build my online presence, but also make some extra money from my social accounts.

I hope these tips help you a little if you are struggling to know what to post on your social to grow your audience. The most important thing is really to be your authentic self and don’t feel the need to “do what the cool kids are doing”! If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram—@MichelleRootsFit.