Your social media isn’t just for cat memes and vacation humblebrags anymore. Whether you like it or not, people are judging you by your Instagram feed and LinkedIn posts. But before you start panicking and deleting your entire Twitter history, here’s how to make social media work for you without turning into another boring “personal brand” clone.
1. Your Profile Pic Matters More Than You Think
That blurry cropped photo from your cousin’s wedding? Yeah, that’s not cutting it.
Do this instead:
- Get one good headshot with natural light (no, your bathroom selfie doesn’t count)
- Wear what you’d wear to meet your most important client
- Smile like you mean it (resting bitch face doesn’t play well online)
Pro tip: Photographer Peter Hurley’s “squinch” technique (slight squint + chin down) makes anyone look 10x more confident.
2. Stop Being Inconsistent
Your LinkedIn shouldn’t look like it belongs to a different person than your Instagram.
Good examples:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s no-BS style carries across all platforms
- Marie Forleo’s upbeat energy shines everywhere
- Elon Musk’s… well okay, maybe don’t be like Elon
Simple fix: Pick 2-3 colors and 1-2 fonts that feel like “you” and use them everywhere.
3. Fill Out Your Damn Profiles
Nothing says “I don’t care” like a Twitter bio that just says “Digital nomad. Dream chaser.”
What works:
- “I help [specific people] do [specific thing]”
- One surprising personal detail (“Former competitive pie eater”)
- A link to your latest project
Bonus: Use Linktree if you’ve got multiple things to promote.
4. Post Like You Know Where You Are
Copy-pasting the same crap everywhere makes you look lazy.
Platform cheat sheet:
- LinkedIn: Industry insights with actual value
- Twitter: Hot takes and quick thoughts
- Instagram: Behind-the-scenes and personality
- TikTok: Either trends or skip it
Real talk: If you’re over 35, maybe don’t try to force TikTok.
5. Be Yourself (Within Reason)
You want to be authentic, but your drunk political rants? Maybe keep those offline.
Good balance:
- Designer Jessica Walsh shares her creative process AND personal struggles
- Chef David Chang shows both kitchen perfection and his epic fails
- Writer Anne Lamott mixes wisdom with hilarious self-deprecation
Rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t say it to your boss at happy hour, don’t post it.
6. Engage Like a Human
“Great post!” comments are worse than saying nothing.
Actually helpful engagement:
- Ask thoughtful questions
- Share why something resonated with you
- Tag people who would find it valuable
Secret weapon: Set aside 10 minutes daily to comment on 3 posts meaningfully.
7. Quality Over Quantity
Nobody cares if you post every day if all your posts suck.
Better approach:
- 1 killer LinkedIn post/week > 7 mediocre ones
- 3 great Instagram stories/day > 20 boring ones
- 1 thoughtful Twitter thread/month > daily hot takes
Truth bomb: Algorithms reward engagement, not just posting.
Remember This
Your social media isn’t your resume. It’s not your highlight reel. It’s a living, breathing representation of who you are professionally.
The goal isn’t to be perfect – it’s to be interesting enough that people want to work with you, hire you, or at least not immediately forget you.