5 Secrets To Showing Up on Social Media (consistently) EVEN as an Introvert

Written by: Joy Bufalini • March 27, 2023

Image Source: https://unsplash.com/@austindistel

Have you ever noticed that just about every online business expert says you NEED to consistently show up on social media, no matter what!

That it’s the only way to get your message out there…

That it is the only way to attract new clients…

Whether this is completely true or not is debatable, but it’s clear showing up on social media is important in today’s fast-paced world. For some, this is easy. But for others… not so much!

As an introvert, social media can feel like being in a crowded room all day every day. 

An introvert's worst nightmare!

And I’m assuming you’re a fellow introvert, because why else would you read this?!?

Yep. That’s me. An introvert. Most people wouldn’t guess I am one.

I can lead masterclasses and workshops online with lots of energy and engagement. I post and engage on social media regularly, and I can do this without getting burnt out.

How? Because I’ve learned how to integrate these five secrets into my life (and business). 

as an aside, we introverts generally aren’t shy… we just need to be intentional about how we spend our energy and we need to recharge in a different way.

The Difference Between Introverts & Extroverts

The simplest distinction between extroverts and introverts is that extroverts recharge WITH people, whereas introverts best recharge whilst ALONE.

Yet this isn’t always easy in today’s “always connected” online world.

To an introvert, it’s easy to get “peopled out” just by engaging online! 

So to them, leading a training via zoom or engaging in comments on social media is pretty much the same as “being in person” with real people energetically.

However… when introverts honor what they need to recharge, they can be at their best. 

We are fabulous at connecting, listening, and building relationships when we’ve taken care of ourselves. But if we don’t… it can be the hardest task there is!

And the reality is that many of those online experts sharing social media advice (and the rest of it) do so without catering it to introverts. They assume everyone can do it the same way.

This is not true.

And what I’ve found is that if you ignore your needs as an introvert, you’ll end up experiencing symptoms of burnout and then not show up at all on social media. 

That won’t feel good, either… because you know you’re missing out on great opportunities!

And if any of this sounds familiar, don’t think that you’re alone.

I’ve had periods of time where I wanted to avoid social media completely. The thought of getting on Facebook stirred anxiety and made me want to grab a novel and go hide in my room…

It’s not that I didn’t have important things to share. It’s that I didn’t recognize that even though I was technically in my office alone (and not in a roomful of people) that I wasn’t creating enough “offline” time for me to recharge. 

So what I’m about to share is what I have discovered works for me.

It’s helped other people I work with, mentor, and coach, too…

So make sure you study these five secrets because they could be what you need to better show up on social media, share your best self, and engage with those you need to!

Over time I’ve discovered a few secrets to help me as an introvert show up at my best and post and engage on social media and I think these will help you too! 

#1 Pay close attention to “alerts” and “notifications”

Email, Facebook, and even Amazon delivery notifications…. we get WAY more than we realize. 

It’s not healthy for our brains and creates a level of overwhelm that we often don’t recognize. 

In fact, there’s a term for it: alert fatigue. 

With all of the pings and dings, even if we see the alert and move on with our day, we momentarily DO mentally attend to it (even the Amazon delivery) all day long! 

This is especially challenging for us as introverts who, researchers say, tend to be more empathic and sensitive to their environments—meaning our brains have a higher state of “background overwhelm” than the average person. 

This means we’re more likely to avoid social media because our brain feels overwhelmed. 

So eliminating alert fatigue is crucial!

You can avoid alert fatigue by:

• Turning off all pop-up notifications on the lock screen of your phone

• Turning off all sound notifications 

• Putting your phone in “Do Not Disturb” whenever possible when you’re working so you don’t get text alerts (“your prescription is ready for pickup!”)

Because you’re an introvert who knows you “should” get online and engage on social media, fewer alerts will help you do this more easily! 

#2 Have a clear “online” and “offline”

Being an online entrepreneur has its advantages!

You don’t have to leave the house every day. … You can remain in lounge clothes on your couch with your cozy kitty writing content like I am right now. 

But you’re kind of “always at work”. 

You don’t really ever leave the office when your home is your office. 

And your laptop or your phone–basically the two places where your business resides–are pretty much always at arm's length!

This makes it much harder for introverts to disconnect and recharge. 

Because just one click and you’re “in the room full of thousands”.

…whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

So when I’m done with work for the day, I do two important things that help me disconnect. 

1. I leave my laptop in my home office and close the door. This gives me the feeling of being done for the day—if you don’t have a dedicated space where you can close the door on your laptop, put it somewhere out of sight and mind… and commit to staying offline during certain hours so you can recharge.

2. I delete my social media apps from my phone so there’s no “just checking what’s going on” or accidental mindless scrolling.

#3 Schedule alone time 

At the end of your work day–especially if you’ve engaged online a lot that day–make sure you set aside some alone time to recharge. 

Even just 30 minutes or an hour to do a quiet activity like a walk, reading a book, watching a favorite show, or doing a puzzle… such activities allow you to disconnect.

Keep an eye on your social calendar as well and make sure that doing things with other people is spaced out and includes some alone time to recharge in between. 

For example, if you’re going to a two-day event, schedule some alone time before and after…

When you keep your introvert battery recharged, you can show up on social media with fresh content that energizes you. More so, it ensures you enjoy the content you create and the engagement with your audience afterward.

#4 Create content while offline 

Something that’s helped keep my brain from getting overwhelmed when writing social media content is to NOT write it while on social media. 

Instead, I pull up a Word/Google document or use my ‘note app’ to write…

AND make sure I’ve closed out the social media tabs on my computer!

Doing so makes sure your thoughts don’t get interrupted by direct messages and notifications while allowing you to be in your own head and have the focus needed to create great content. 

Once it’s created, copy and paste it into a post!

Your content is now out there and you don’t have to go check all those messages and notifications right now. 

This leads to my final secret…

#5 Get in, get out, get going 

A local convenience store had a commercial running for years that I thought was brilliant and applies to what we introverts need when engaging on social media... 

“Get in, get out, get going!” 

Here’s what I mean…

You get in the store, get what you need easily, and then get out quickly and get on with your day without it taking half the morning (or stressing you out). 

Yep. That's the experience we want when we stop to get a pack of gum…

It’s also a great way to think of social media! 

Instead of logging in and mindlessly scrolling through your feed and seeing everyone’s updates, be intentional about WHY you’re logging in:

• “I’m going to respond to comments on yesterday’s Facebook post”

• “I’m going to respond to LinkedIn messages”

• “I’m going to post this new piece of content on Instagram”

• “I’m going to go send this person a follow-up message”

• ”I’m going to upload a new Reel”

Do that thing and then close the tab/app and go about your day. 

Done! No mess. No extra steps.

Once you commit to this, social media becomes a lot less overwhelming.

Conclusions & Next Steps

If you’re an introvert, you might have felt like you need to just “grin and bear” social media. 

But if you’re strategic about applying these secrets, you’ll find your mind feels lighter and that you’ll no longer avoid logging on and creating, posting, engaging, and so on…

The people who follow you on social media want to hear your important message and your unique insights. This is a great thing and something you need to treasure.

There are also potential clients out there, so you do not want to miss out on this…

BUT you have to make it work for you.

As an introvert, the standard advice likely won’t cut it. Yet you do not have to miss out on all these opportunities. All you need to do is commit to the right strategies, tactics, and approach.

And sure, I get it… you may feel like extroverts have an unfair advantage.

But the truth is that you have gifts extroverts don't! 

… such as higher levels of empathy and intuition. 

These gifts of yours deserve to be seen and used. 

They can create massive changes in the lives of others when you can show up fully as your best and recharged self. 

This is what happens when you honor yourself as an introvert. Before long, you sign on more clients, hit your income goals, and have more fun doing so… so make today the day you place a new perspective on your social media strategy and approach.

I hope this article has inspired you, and if you’d like help implementing what we’ve discussed, you may want to download and use my free Daily Needle Movers Cheat Sheet that reveals what you need to focus on (each day) to build connections and connect with new clients online.

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