how to get people to OBSESSIVELY ENGAGE with your content online
Finding the perfect balance between polished professionalism and genuine human connection can be tricky in the online space – and getting people to obsessively engage with your content online depends on striking the right balance between these two extremes.
With all the noise of the online world, people have a limited amount of energy or time to consume content, so you have to figure out how to avoid getting lost in the sea of ordinary.
On one hand, if your content is too “corporate,” it may feel sterile and unapproachable to your target audience, making it hard for them to engage with you.
On the other hand, if you’re not polished at all… people won’t respond to you because they’ll have limited trust for you or perceive you as “uncool.”
Think of it this way… in high school, did you notice the cool kids always seemed to get cooler while the uncool remained unnoticed? I know this from personal experience. I wasn’t considered cool back then! No one would have thought I’d be a popular YouTuber some day.
We’re naturally drawn to authentic interactions, so when we see a video where someone seems real and relatable, it feels like they’re speaking directly to us. But, if that content is too rough around the edges, it won’t give off the “cool” vibes you need for people to take you seriously online.
So, how do you strike the right balance? Let’s dive into that sweet spot where authenticity meets professionalism so that you can get on the cool list and build obsessive engagement.
find the right balance between authentic and polished
Maybe you’re curious about me saying I was “uncool” in high school and thinking, “But, Gillian, you’re cool!”
Well, first of all, thank you. :) But here’s what you should know: it’s a lot easier to overcome the cool kid effect online because you get to paint your own world and can decide how you want people to perceive you.
Also, in high school, you’re limited to your surrounding community, so there are naturally fewer people around with common interests. But online, the entire world is at your fingertips and you’ll more freely find the right connections.
That’s really how I moved into the “cool kid club.”
And you can do this too.
Start by shifting away from one of the two extremes – business and casual.
Instead, let’s think of this as an axis on which you have “professional” on the left side, casual on the right side, cool on the top, and “uncool” on the bottom.
Your first goal is to find your sweet spot somewhere between the two extremes of business and casual:
not too put together or corporate that people see you as an entity rather than a person, allowing them to engage more emotionally with you
but also put together enough so that they not only know and like you, but they also trust you and see you as an authority or influencer
find the right persona
To understand this next part, which has to do with personality types, let’s talk about body types for a moment.
Have you ever heard of Kibbe Body Typing? It’s a system that was introduced by David Kibbe in the 1980s with 13 different style types based on physical characteristics and personality essence.
The theory is that depending on your body type, different styles of clothes will look better or worse on you.
Soft, flowy cuts for curvier bodies, long lines for slimmer bodies, more angular cuts for people with boxier frames, etc.
Well, finding your persona online is a little like that.
You want to lean into your own strengths and your natural personality, which is basically a more instructive way of saying…
Be yourself!
For example…
If you want people to take health advice from you… you’ll need to look healthy.
If you want people to take financial advice from you… you’ll need to look financially successful.
If you want people to trust you… you’ll need to look and sound honest.
Makes sense, right?
So ask yourself: What topic do you want to cover in your content? Do you look the part? If not, what angle could you take on the topic to look the part?
For example, if you want to talk about nutrition, but are overweight, instead of trying to portray yourself as an expert, you could take the angle of a “regular person who’s on a health journey.”
When you look the part, you’ll come across more naturally and speak conversationally.
stand for something
Let’s be honest… controversial issues usually get more engagement.
Why is this?
Because people are passionate beings, and if you stand for something, you’ll have both sides following and engaging.
A lot of people will love you for saying the truth about something they strongly agree with that not many are willing to talk about. So they’ll engage with you.
On the flip side, a segment of people will strongly disagree with what you’re saying… and they’ll engage too!
Both are powerful and important. You don’t need to be scared of those who disagree with you, as their comments actually lead to even more engagement.
When you include your opinions and stances into your content, you’ll find that creating it will feel good, you’ll enjoy it more, and it will build a ton of engagement.
So say what you really think. Tell the honest truth.
When you find the right balance, find the right persona, and stand for something, you’ll not only move into the cool kid club, but you’ll also get people to obsessively engage, which is ultimately what you’re working to do as you grow your business!
And if you don’t have an audience yet… here’s your next step: how to listen to your audience when you don’t have one.
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