Commitment of Pressing 'Post'
it's deep, and at times, very draining
Every single day, my to do list starts the same: post.
And most days, we arrive at approximately 3 PM and I panic because the only photos in my camera roll are Lira in strange places (I send one to Rob while he’s working lol, Weird Lira of the Day) and screenshots of inspiration for work. Nothing on brand, nothing aesthetic, nothing post-worthy.
Before I continue here I must say that I am incredibly active on Instagram. My DMs have become a top communication and networking space for me, and I love the comments sections of my (friends, family) clients, partners and potentials’ profiles.
The ironic thing is that I’m fully aware of how important it is to press post on my own account — not just for me, but for my community. And yet, I still cannot bring myself to do it sometimes.
Potential clients and partners don’t know my value if I’m not consistently showcasing it.
My current clients and those I inspire cannot learn by example if I’m not practicing what I preach, and experimenting with new ways of connecting.
Friends, family and supporters have no idea what I’m up to, which leads to the missed opportunities of both conversation and future collaborations.
Here’s the list of what I came up with, for the reasons why I’m struggling:
I have a day job that I value and want to respect, but it’s under embargo until mid-September. I can’t tell you what I do all day yet, or who I work for, but I can say that I’m busy with it right now (and it’s so cool).
My Jessica Sorentino company is undergoing a rebrand, which also won’t be ready until the fall. Website is down, new photos aren’t being taken until late August, podcast is on hold, it’s all in the works. Might as well be embargoed too!
My personal brand is all about time spent, right? Connecting on- and offline over shared interests and alignment. How can I connect intentionally with like-minded peers and potentials if I can’t share how I’m spending my time?
Posting takes so. much. time. Creativity ebbs and flows.
Stories: strategize the storyline, create the content, add text and stickers. Ensure colors and aesthetics line up. Be available to respond to DMs that come after the post, and host those conversations.
Posts: strategize the storyline, create the content, optimize for reach. Be available to respond to comments and DMs that come after the post, and host those conversations.
Stories: I like mine to actually tell a story, and my favorite thing to share and talk about is morning time spent. Tricky, because I try to stay off my phone in the morning! By the time I’m physically on my phone and available to post, I’ve mentally moved on from the moment and no longer feel interested in sharing it.
The longer the break you take on social, the harder the comeback feels. The imposter syndrome of pressing post after staying relatively silent for so long is WILD.
None of these are excuses, they are my genuine truths. When I first started working with Instagram, I absolutely loved crafting creative stories, and posting on my feed daily. It came so easily to me, even though it took time for people to notice.
I’d get one or two DMs and I’d be over the moon, so excited to engage with the people who took the time to respond to what I was sharing. I still feel that way. Now, the (good) problem is that there aren’t just two people in my DMs these days, and shifting my mind from both jobs-in-secret-progress to respond to numerous Fourth Wing-related stories is exactly what I want to do, but is truthfully, difficult.
So is taking the photos, to be honest. We moved into a new apartment and I haven’t found my ‘content space’ within our home yet. Another reality for me!
My business manager and I are working through this, along with a side of healthy tough love and accountability from my sister. So far, we’ve come up with a few ways to break the silent streak:
I’m going to start working with a content photographer once or twice a month in the city when I’m there for work (efficiency). I’ll be able to take a bunch of photos with her on those days, and use them throughout the weeks in between our sessions.
I have a list of ways I can share what I’m working on without giving away details or becoming the ‘coming soon’ ‘I've been keeping a secret from you guys’ girl. I am not her.
It’s okay if my morning posts are not posted in the morning, they can be posted at a time of day that makes sense to me, since the Internet is non-linear with time, and my messages maintain relevancy throughout.
I used to implement what I called ‘show up time’ which were 30-minute time blocks where all I did was engage. No scrolling, just conversation. I’ll bring that back to tackle my DMs and comments as my posting ramps up.
No calling attention to the break. Not a fan of when people do this.
Share these Substack newsletters as content too! Engage my community and share my writing with them there. Maybe they’ll be interested in subscribing!
And the biggest one: have fun with it! Even though it’s my account, it’s meant to bring you something, whether that’s enjoyment, connectivity, inspiration or expertise.
I wrote this with the intention of pulling back the curtain on what goes into a branded social media presence. If you’re trying to overcome your own ‘press post’ hurdles, let me know! I would love to talk it through with you. Showing up isn’t easy, and everyone’s why will always be their own (and valid!).
And as an added bonus, maybe you’ll view some of your favorite content creators through new lens—one that is empathetic towards the extent of their commitment to providing you with a consistent stream of content :)
Is this post helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts.