The Realities of Building a Large Social Media Following

Introduction

• People often discuss growing a platform but not the consequences.
• Speaker: Creator with 1 million followers across Instagram & YouTube.
• Realization: Following size comparable to city populations.
  • Instagram: More than Cincinnati, Orlando, Pittsburgh.
  • YouTube: More than Seattle, Boston, San Francisco.

Challenges of a Large Following

Exposure to Hate

• More followers = increased exposure, including negativity.
• Perception: 90% like, 10% dislike – numbers grow with following.
• Larger reach can mean more hate comments when content becomes viral.
• Human nature: Focus on negatives over positives.
• Impact: Self-censoring and withdrawn behavior.

The Pressure of Identity and Authenticity

• Struggle with maintaining authenticity vs. building a "character."
• Growth leads to identity crisis and cognitive dissonance.
• Example: Early 20s identity vs. approaching 30s values.
• Pressure to declare identity online, yet personal growth takes time.

Fear of Irrelevance

• Increased viewership levels raise personal expectations.
• Pressure to meet viewership standards affects content joy and authenticity.
• The cycle of chasing viral content and brand sponsorships.
• "Three Buckets" strategy:
  • For You: Content to attract views/sponsors.
  • For Me: Creative content without view pressure.
  • For Life: Content contributing positively to society.

Safety Concerns

Physical and Online Safety

• Being a public figure increases personal safety risk.
• Examples of influencers robbed due to oversharing.
• Precaution: Share travel details post-trip.

Cybersecurity

• Importance of strong cybersecurity measures.
• Risks: Hacking can disrupt income and online presence.
• Recommendation: Use platforms like Keeper for password management.

Exploitation of Likeness

• Risk of others exploiting your name for business gain.
• Importance of verifying claims of association with trusted figures.
• Suggestion: NDAs to protect likeness and reputation.

Understanding Relationships

Transactional vs. Genuine Relationships

• Increased platform leads to more interaction requests.
• Importance of distinguishing between real and transactional relationships.
• Personal experience: Realizing the superficial nature of some connections.

Parasocial Relationships

• Challenges with followers who perceive creators as personal friends.
• Responsibility felt by creators due to these perceptions.
• Outsourcing email management to handle heavy or demanding messages.

Conclusion

• Purpose: Not to discourage but to provide insight into the less-discussed aspects of platform growth.
• Encouragement for viewers to share their experiences.
• Appreciation for the audience and engagement.