Just the other day here at Runrex, we were debating amongst ourselves about the importance of grooming up, applying makeup and looking for the best possible backgrounds when filming social media videos. This argument evoked a number of reactions from my workmates here and I thought it wise to transfer the argument into an insightful rant on how social media perfection is ridiculous and fake.
Social media perfection
For starters, social media perfection is the act of trying to look good for the ‘gram’ as we Americans popularly put it. It is the art that very many social media influencers have mastered and they have created a notion in our minds that you have to be looking near perfect before posting your photos and videos online. What has social media turned us into?
Social media almost exerts some form of pressure on us to keep up with our more successful friends and influencers who seemingly are leading the good life. This not only makes a lot of people feel inadequate, it adds to sadness and depression levels in the world.
Instagram is full of fakes
The social media platform most hit by the social media perfection syndrome is Instagram. According to a recent study by Sanctus which is a mental health start-up, more than 65% of people on Instagram are leading a fake virtual life.
To make an impression on the gram, young people are willing to go to preposterous extents. People have confessed of having borrowed shoes, clothing and other flashy things just to make them look sassy and rich on Instagram. Young women are on the other hand being forced into sleeping with older richer women just to get the social media perfect images.
So much is the pressure to look picture perfect on Instagram that there is an online life faking service that provides users with packages they can upload and present as their own. According to the service providers, life doesn’t have to be as perfect but your profile needs to be perfect.
Does it have to be perfect though?
Do your photos have to be perfect for you to amass the thousands of likes that you are yearning for? Do you have to shoot your videos in the best backdrops and backgrounds for you to become a successful vlogger? Well, according to Tony Guo, our CEO here at Runrex, the truth couldn’t be farther.
According to Tony, people are more concerned about the content and the brand story more than they are interested in the amount of makeup that you have plastered on your face. Tony is however quick to appreciate the importance of looking decent and good when presenting yourself to the world.
“Nobody wants to associate themselves with shady-looking and disorganised people” Says Tony. “This however doesn’t mean that you should go to dangerous levels just to create an impression to your followers. You risk creating a standard which you might not be able to keep up with.”
Be as organic and natural as you can be
Ever wondered why short videos of children playing in the rain get millions of likes? It is because of the authenticity that comes with such videos. Being unique and natural will get you more followers than being sassy and perfect on social media.
Irrespective of whether you are a brand trying to make an impression to your audience or a casual social media user looking to get the most out of your social media platforms, you need to be cautious about the type of message you send out to your followers. Try to keep it as real as possible while maintaining an element of organization and order.
Instead of focussing on your aesthetic appeal, let your brand story and the content you put out, do the talking for you. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on makeup products and props, try shooting in your natural state and in your everyday environment- you will be surprised by the amount of positive reviews that you will be getting.
Don’t bow down to the online pressure
If you want to lead a stress-free life without a lot of debts and a craving for social validation, don’t be cowed into living the life that you see the so called social media ‘influencers’ leading. This will help you avert a number of social life crises associated with faking it on the social media platforms.
Talk to Runrex
Want more tips on how to maintain a good authentic image on social media? Well, talk to us here at Runrex. Runrex is a full-fledged marketing agency serving both Multinational companies and small start-ups in the Houston area at very affordable rates all year round.
We will give you insightful tips on the importance of authenticity on social media which will take your brand and business to the next level. Give Runrex a call today and we will gladly be of service to you.