Why I Quit Instagram Last Week
Loved all your feedback on the new newsletter format.
OK then…we shall give this a proper and consistent go. What’s the worst that can happen?! (this is a CONSTANT phrase by the way in my house and it serves as a much-needed reminder to myself to take the plunge even if I am scared. Try it!)
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MOVING ON…
In My World
This past week I took an unplanned break from Instagram.
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My No.1 app for creativity, connection and community has been failing me a lot recently.
Last week, every time I went to post on stories I would get sucked down by the incredibly depressing algorithm that my feed was spitting back at me → a whole lot of suffering.
My feed left me broken on the best of days, unable to work, parent, remain present or hopeful on the worst of them.
To remain blissfully ignorant is not in my make up.
Being a journalist & producer at the TODAY show, CNN and Bloomberg TV (to name a few) is stained in the fabric of my identity.
And to be committed -even once at another point in time- to the craft of journalism is to remain loyal to the pursuit of giving the voiceless a voice.
Children of war are the most vulnerable population on earth.
They have no say in anything.
And our world is currently failing so many children it’s hard to process.
Even more than seeing children of war content, I am equally unable to process the content & comments that don’t rage against the killing of children.
Any child.
From anywhere.
Any religion.
Any background.
Any race.
Any situation.
ANY CHILD.
They deserve all of our outrage when the adults in power are failing to keep them safe.
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My work in the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015 and 2016 changed my world view permanently.
For several weeks I worked with highly traumatized families escaping war (90% women and children) and their stories still haunt my thoughts. Hurt my soul.
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On the shores of Lesvos, Greece, I watched as rafts made the perilous journey from Turkey to Greece, choked to the brim with women and children.
Mothers (like so many of us) doing the exact same thing we all would if bombs, terror & unhinged power-hungry men were part of our children’s daily routine.
But right now we are witnessing all over the world, parents who are unable to even escape.
Parents who are playing daily Russian roulette with their children.
And we watch this horror unfold on our phones.
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I am choosing to follow people on the ground who are actually committed to a more peaceful and loving world and who see no sides when it comes to children.
People who bridge humanity. Not bludgeon it with facts and figures and excuses.
I am donating on a weekly basis to these people and groups who are in full line with my values as not only a business owner, but as a human.
I’m happy to share who and what those organizations are if you reply to this email.
We’re not meant to witness all of this suffering on these squares, just as children are not meant to experience all of this suffering on these squares.
Forgive us innocent children.
The adults have failed you.
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YOUR STORY AUDIT
Wow! So many of you bravely submitted pieces of your content for an audit through my storytelling lens. Here it is again if you’d like to be featured:
So without further adieu. Let’s kick off this new initiative.
Meet Claire. Therapy Claire to be exact (needed you last week girl!!🙃)
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She wanted this reel & caption to be analyzed
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7kbJLwPBfk/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
My Insights (From a storytelling lens)
- This is a storytelling trend right now on social media so it’s awesome that she’s leaning into it and bringing her personality and also bringing levity to her industry!
- I would have replaced some of the photos as they don’t support the story of the reel in the most impactful way and as such, the reel/story loses overall steam and impact.
- The cats, the selfie of her and her husband, the workout clip and the photo of her in a swing doesn’t hit the message like the aerial acrobats, the pole dancing and the drinks and pool.
- Less is often more when it comes to powerful storytelling.
- I like how her caption gives herself credentials immediately because in this predatory coaching world where everyone is a “a therapist and a coach” Claire is like “Erm…NO. I REALLY am a therapist WAZ UP.”
- It immediately brings her storytelling up a notch.
- Great job on using the power of relatability early on “I have done a ton of therapy myself..” Relatability is the name of the game in effective storytelling & she gave a bit of her vulnerable self to you so you are more likely to continue reading her post now.
- Too much “resume listing”. I want to hear more about pole dancing but I get lost in the somatic, massage therapist.
- The goal of storytelling in a short caption is to grab attention and make someone feel.
- The Pole dancing bit…THAT has my attention but I don’t care that your path was not linear. It’s too much too soon.
- This caption is too much. I would have hung this up on ONE insight and story.
- The pole dancing or give an example of a life moment from the reel that has shaped her philosophy as a therapist and tell me WHY I should care about that….”because do I want a therapist that has these varied experiences? How does that affect ME?”
- Or she could have made the “Favorite non-therapy things I do” and just made that list but then bring the takeaway of the story back to ME. Less. Is. More
WHY THIS WORKS
Lilian -a long time storytelling student of mine – is in a HIGHLY saturated industry with little to no rules: real estate.
Most real estate people I follow do not understand the marketing game.
They think it’s either BRAVO style social posts or BORING as hell “this property sold for $$$” house listings and formulaic newsletters that no one ever reads.
But Lilian. She knows what’s up.
That there is another avenue.
And I don’t understand why more realtors don’t take a page from her book.
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I’ve watched her transform into a powerful storyteller and as such, magnetic attractor (she now has her own business group where she helps other agents in her town) to create the real estate career of her dreams.
Oh and a giant billboard Phil Dumphy style (“Modern Family” anyone?)
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One day she will make a curriculum or run a paid membership to help other agents. But she understands you need to lay bricks FIRST.
So day by day, she builds her personal brand on these squares and off through showing up, connecting to her audience and telling stories about her life that will allow people to connect to her on another level aside from just “can you help me sell a house.”
It’s no wonder, Lilian is a superstar realtor in her MI town.
REAL RESOURCES
In the spirit of this newsletter (putting your values behind people you support) I want to tell you about MY Go-To Social Media Strategist, humanitarian & now friend….
Kar.
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She’s taught my Storytelling Masterminds, given me tough love about my feed, “Patrice, your feed is a bit vomit-y. Can you at least clean up your reel covers?” and I’m a member of her “Social Department.”, a membership FULL of support around your Instagram and a guarantee to help you grow your following and make more sales on Instagram in your first 90 days or less.
I love Kar because she actually DID SOCIAL media for the UN before she launched her own business.
She is not an influencer who is “good at social”. She is a primary source social media person in that…her skill set has been recognized by legit companies and entities.
You can join her community for the next week (she only opens this up a few times a year).
She gives you trending audio to your inbox, coaches you and has built a really amazing, smart community of business owners who all want to use Instagram specifically to grow their businesses.
I cannot recommend her enough if you want to get serious about upping your Instagram to bring in revenue.
INSPIRE THAT FOUNDER’S FIRE
Visitors spend an average of 5 times longer on websites that incorporate storytelling. (Source: Content Marketing Institute)
Have you ever checked out my “About” page?
I have a “Storytelling timeline” and I receive so many compliments on it.
Have fun with storytelling. It doesn’t need to be so serious!
