I recently talked with a friend who was afraid to show up online. Although she takes beautiful photos and videos and can create fantastic content, she's still nervous about fully expressing herself and marketing her business to her followers.

She's not the only one who feels that way. Although we're constantly told that showing up online is necessary to bring attention to our business, it can be challenging. We get camera shy, lose our words, and overthink things, making it feel like a chore.

I felt the same way until I discovered it doesn't HAVE to feel like a chore. Once I got out of my head and allowed myself to have fun, I learned it could be pretty fun.

So, for those of you, like my friend, who are still struggling to show up online, I'm here to share with you seven easy ways to show up online (and have fun while doing it):

1. Be imperfect.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when first establishing my social presence for my business was always wanting to be perfect. I didn't want to take photos or create reels if I didn't do my hair and makeup, if I didn't wear the perfect outfit, or if my background wasn't spotless.

But then I found that on the days I posted the raw and honest content without much planning or preparation, I would get the most "likes" and engagement. The days that I focused less on being perfect and allowed myself to be vulnerable about my ups and downs were when my followers related to me the most.

When you show up online as you are, you not only show your followers the real side of you on the other side of your business, but you take the pressure off of yourself to be something you are not! 

Scroll through platforms such as TikTok. You will see that some of the most successful videos feature people casually talking to the camera as they are in that moment: no camera tripod, no fancy background, no fancy hair or makeup. They show up 100% as they are. Authenticity beats perfection any day!

2. Get silly.

Just because you are posting for business doesn't mean all your posts must be serious! Your business is an extension of you, so if you feel like showing the silly side of your personality, by all means, do so!

Take note of those silly dance and voiceover trends you see everyone doing on TikTok and Instagram. Sure, they may seem a little cringe-worthy at first, but once you try a few of them, you'll find that they actually give you an outlet to let loose, be goofy, and have fun without being judged.

Feel free to experiment with different trends to see which ones feel right to you and which get the most engagement from your audience. However, remember that if a trend doesn't make sense for your business, you don't have to use it!

3. Go faceless.

While showing your face as part of your brand is helpful when building a deep connection with your audience, it isn't always necessary. Now more than ever, faceless accounts are growing huge followings and still resonating with their followers. 

As long as your content is creative, impactful, relatable, and shares useful information, you can fully show up online without stepping a foot in front of the camera.

One of my favorite ways to go faceless in my content is to use B-roll or video clips that are secondary to the main action or story I'm trying to tell. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll see that my favorite B-roll footage includes:

• Views of the beautiful Colorado mountains and surrounding scenery

• Toby playing in the grass or snow

• Me typing on my computer

• Me making coffee or enjoying a beverage

None of the above shows my face, but they serve as aesthetic backgrounds that represent me and the audience I serve while still sharing essential information. The best part is they are completely effortless! Many times, I use fun, everyday videos and photos that I casually took while out and about. No overthinking necessary!

4. Take the attention off of you.

Sure, part of showing up online is to promote and bring visibility to your business and make a few new sales. However, it helps to occasionally remove yourself from the spotlight and focus solely on your audience.

Take your content as an opportunity to ask about them: You can ask how they are doing, what kinds of things they like, their opinions on current industry topics, or what they want to see in your content. You can also use it as an opportunity to post positive content that motivates, inspires, and boosts the mental health of your audience.

Not only will they appreciate you publicly making them a priority, but it will also give you feedback about the things they may be going through, need help with, and want to see when they log in each day so you can create better content in the future.

5. Partner with others.

Instead of showing up alone, why not take the pressure off yourself and invite family members or partners to contribute to your content? Whether you feature only them in your posts or appear alongside them, taking photos and filming videos is much more fun when my loved ones are next to me.

And don't forget about the other small business owners! Asking for collaboration with others in your space is a fun way to market your business while building meaningful business relationships with others in your industry or supporting your products and services.

6. Embrace the negativity.

As your business starts to gain visibility and popularity, you will inevitably have to deal with some negative comments here and there. However, what you do with the negativity matters the most. 

Developing a thick skin and strengthening your mindset so that you do not take things personally and turn the negativity into positivity is one of the best skills you can develop as a small business.

Take, for example, the above well-known online photo from a coffee shop that said, "Come in and try the worst coffee one woman on TripAdvisor had in her life." Instead of taking the negative opinion to heart, the coffee shop turned it into a funny marketing opportunity.

7. Make the most of your energy.

We all have those days when we aren't feeling up to creating content to market our business. It's normal. However, we also have those days when we feel motivated, energized, and full of new ideas. Those days, I find it best to show up online and have fun while doing it. So, I take full advantage of this and batch-create multiple pieces of photo and video content that I can repurpose and use over several days. I then schedule them all in advance so I don't have to worry about them or scramble to put something together later.

Creating an online presence for your business doesn't have to be painful or time-consuming. As long as you stay authentic, focus on your audience, use your circle to your advantage, and maximize the negative and positive energy that comes your way.

For more tips on effectively showing up online in your small business, see my small business social media guide or contact me for a free 30-minute consultation!

Are you in need of some marketing help in your small business? 

Let's chat to see if LMR Consulting is a good fit!