It’s time to get with the times or get left behind. Social media usage is a bigger deal than many people want to admit. Whether your favorite platforms are TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or something else, you can leverage social media to create more success for yourself.
This applies to folks trying to rise in the ranks at their job, start their own business, publish their first novel, or become a full-time content creator. Here are five ways to lean into social media to create more success, starting today:
The Most Obvious Way… Networking
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Networking is crucial on social media. You can make profiles on any platform your heart desires, and gain instant global access to people from all different walks of life. The ability to reach out to individuals in your dream industry is much easier with the help of social media.
Before social media existed, the only way to communicate with people internationally depended on tracking down their phone numbers or addresses to mail them a letter! Now, all you have to do is send them a clearly-worded message that pops up instantly in their DM’s.
Networking is a brilliant way to open the door to job opportunities, business partnerships, and investors. It’s never been easier to start an online chat with someone who can change your life.
Having a solid number of followers on social media leads to social currency. As annoying as it might be, the more followers you have, the more seriously others will take you. Attracting massive amounts of followers doesn’t happen overnight, but if you’re willing to invest your energy into making it happen, you can accomplish it.
Why does this matter? Think of a time you were treated poorly at a restaurant, airport, or grocery store. If you don’t have social currency, you can openly complain about the way you were slighted to friends and family, but none of them will be actually able to do anything to help.
Having followers on social media (and social currency) means hundreds to thousands of people will go to bat on your behalf to help resolve the problems you’re complaining about. If you ask us, that’s a true sign of success.
Having a voice on social media is better than staying silent — especially when something goes wrong. Take the travel influencer with 10,000 TikTok followers who almost got scammed by a hotel. Speaking up made all the difference.
They overcharged her card by $500 when she only owed $220. She called multiple times requesting them to fix the issue. The hotel continually ignored her calls… until she posted a video on TikTok breaking down the scandal. It wasn’t until her video went viral that the hotel rectified the situation.
The hotel eventually reached out with a personal apology, plus a food voucher and complimentary day spa pass for her next visit. None of that would have happened if she didn’t have a strong online presence to give her leverage.
Someone else in that position with only 100 followers wouldn’t have the same influence, visibility, or ability to spark change. Building a strong following is key—it opens doors and makes your voice harder to ignore.
Monetization, Sponsored Posts, UGC, and Affiliate Marketing
Another clear way to grow on social media is by monetizing your content — whether that’s through sponsored posts, user-generated content (UGC), or earning commissions via affiliate marketing.
Consider monetizing your TikTok page, YouTube channel, Twitch streaming profile, or other social media platforms. When you reach a specific threshold of views and subscribers, many of these platforms will pay you a percentage of their income based on how much traffic you receive.
Companies may ask you to post about their products as part of a brand deal or paid sponsorship. You often need a large number of followers before companies will invite you for brand deals, but some companies are willing to work with “micro-influencers” who have less than 10,000 followers.
As far as UGC goes, you can film advertisements for your favorite products in the comfort of your own home, sell those home-made video ads directly to brands, and get paid for your services.
With affiliate marketing, simply post about your favorite products and brands on your platforms while encouraging others to buy those products. Consumers can buy products through your unique link, allowing you to earn a percentage of each sale..
Many social media users start out monetizing their content as a side hustle, earning a little extra through sponsored posts or affiliate links. But for others, these platforms have evolved into full-time careers, with brand deals, product promotions, and content creation becoming their primary sources of income. What begins as a hobby can quickly grow into a profitable business with the right strategy and consistency.
Curate Your Profile Based on How You Want to be Perceived
A lovely sign of success is having control over the way you’re received in the world. Thanks to social media, it’s possible to flawlessly curate your profile based on the way you want other people to perceive you.
If you want to be known for your dedication to fitness and nutrition, create social media profiles that reflect your time in the gym and when you’re in the kitchen rustling up delicious, healthy meals. If you want to be known for your artistic talent as a painter, create social media profiles that feature your beautiful artwork.
If you want to be known for offering insightful advice on dating and relationships, your social media should reflect that. Share helpful tips, relatable experiences, and thoughtful takes that show you know your stuff when it comes to love. Online, perception is everything—and the content you post shapes how others see you. The beauty of social media is that you have full control over your personal brand, so decide how you want to represent yourself and post with purpose.
The way you present yourself to the world can lead to more success when others see you as a reliable source of knowledge or a trusted content creator who brings value.
Creating more success in your life often starts with accountability. How much personal accountability do you actually take on? No one’s going to show up and make us exercise, stay focused at work, or tackle the things that don’t come naturally — it’s on us to show up for ourselves.
One of the best things about social media is that it gives you a global platform to share your progress and show you’re holding yourself accountable. It’s a space to track your growth and let others follow along. Friends and family might not care much about those pics of you hitting the gym every day for seven days straight. But if you snap a photo that proves you were there each morning, then you’re proving it to yourself. And sometimes that’s all that matters.
The good old phrase, “pics or it didn’t happen,” is certainly relevant here. Documenting your wins as you work toward your goals is a powerful way to stay on track. It’s especially effective when no one else is watching—just you, your progress, and the quiet motivation that comes from seeing how far you’ve come.
These are just a few creative ways to use social media as a tool for growth and opportunity in today’s digital world.
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It’s time to get with the times or get left behind. Social media usage is a bigger deal than many people want to admit. Whether your favorite platforms are TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or something else, you can leverage social media to create more success for yourself.
This applies to folks trying to rise in the ranks at their job, start their own business, publish their first novel, or become a full-time content creator. Here are five ways to lean into social media to create more success, starting today:
The Most Obvious Way… Networking
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Networking is crucial on social media. You can make profiles on any platform your heart desires, and gain instant global access to people from all different walks of life. The ability to reach out to individuals in your dream industry is much easier with the help of social media.
Before social media existed, the only way to communicate with people internationally depended on tracking down their phone numbers or addresses to mail them a letter! Now, all you have to do is send them a clearly-worded message that pops up instantly in their DM’s.
Networking is a brilliant way to open the door to job opportunities, business partnerships, and investors. It’s never been easier to start an online chat with someone who can change your life.
Having a solid number of followers on social media leads to social currency. As annoying as it might be, the more followers you have, the more seriously others will take you. Attracting massive amounts of followers doesn’t happen overnight, but if you’re willing to invest your energy into making it happen, you can accomplish it.
Why does this matter? Think of a time you were treated poorly at a restaurant, airport, or grocery store. If you don’t have social currency, you can openly complain about the way you were slighted to friends and family, but none of them will be actually able to do anything to help.
Having followers on social media (and social currency) means hundreds to thousands of people will go to bat on your behalf to help resolve the problems you’re complaining about. If you ask us, that’s a true sign of success.
Having a voice on social media is better than staying silent — especially when something goes wrong. Take the travel influencer with 10,000 TikTok followers who almost got scammed by a hotel. Speaking up made all the difference.
They overcharged her card by $500 when she only owed $220. She called multiple times requesting them to fix the issue. The hotel continually ignored her calls… until she posted a video on TikTok breaking down the scandal. It wasn't until her video went viral that the hotel rectified the situation.
The hotel eventually reached out with a personal apology, plus a food voucher and complimentary day spa pass for her next visit. None of that would have happened if she didn’t have a strong online presence to give her leverage.
Someone else in that position with only 100 followers wouldn’t have the same influence, visibility, or ability to spark change. Building a strong following is key—it opens doors and makes your voice harder to ignore.
Monetization, Sponsored Posts, UGC, and Affiliate Marketing
Another clear way to grow on social media is by monetizing your content — whether that’s through sponsored posts, user-generated content (UGC), or earning commissions via affiliate marketing.
Consider monetizing your TikTok page, YouTube channel, Twitch streaming profile, or other social media platforms. When you reach a specific threshold of views and subscribers, many of these platforms will pay you a percentage of their income based on how much traffic you receive.
Companies may ask you to post about their products as part of a brand deal or paid sponsorship. You often need a large number of followers before companies will invite you for brand deals, but some companies are willing to work with “micro-influencers” who have less than 10,000 followers.
As far as UGC goes, you can film advertisements for your favorite products in the comfort of your own home, sell those home-made video ads directly to brands, and get paid for your services.
With affiliate marketing, simply post about your favorite products and brands on your platforms while encouraging others to buy those products. Consumers can buy products through your unique link, allowing you to earn a percentage of each sale..
Many social media users start out monetizing their content as a side hustle, earning a little extra through sponsored posts or affiliate links. But for others, these platforms have evolved into full-time careers, with brand deals, product promotions, and content creation becoming their primary sources of income. What begins as a hobby can quickly grow into a profitable business with the right strategy and consistency.
Curate Your Profile Based on How You Want to be Perceived
A lovely sign of success is having control over the way you’re received in the world. Thanks to social media, it’s possible to flawlessly curate your profile based on the way you want other people to perceive you.
If you want to be known for your dedication to fitness and nutrition, create social media profiles that reflect your time in the gym and when you’re in the kitchen rustling up delicious, healthy meals. If you want to be known for your artistic talent as a painter, create social media profiles that feature your beautiful artwork.
If you want to be known for offering insightful advice on dating and relationships, your social media should reflect that. Share helpful tips, relatable experiences, and thoughtful takes that show you know your stuff when it comes to love. Online, perception is everything—and the content you post shapes how others see you. The beauty of social media is that you have full control over your personal brand, so decide how you want to represent yourself and post with purpose.
The way you present yourself to the world can lead to more success when others see you as a reliable source of knowledge or a trusted content creator who brings value.
Creating more success in your life often starts with accountability. How much personal accountability do you actually take on? No one’s going to show up and make us exercise, stay focused at work, or tackle the things that don’t come naturally — it’s on us to show up for ourselves.
One of the best things about social media is that it gives you a global platform to share your progress and show you're holding yourself accountable. It's a space to track your growth and let others follow along. Friends and family might not care much about those pics of you hitting the gym every day for seven days straight. But if you snap a photo that proves you were there each morning, then you’re proving it to yourself. And sometimes that’s all that matters.
The good old phrase, “pics or it didn’t happen,” is certainly relevant here. Documenting your wins as you work toward your goals is a powerful way to stay on track. It’s especially effective when no one else is watching—just you, your progress, and the quiet motivation that comes from seeing how far you’ve come.
These are just a few creative ways to use social media as a tool for growth and opportunity in today’s digital world.
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