What’s the big deal with separate social media accounts?

The decision to create separate social media accounts is a pretty popular topic that, as a business owner, you’re going to have to deal with sooner rather than later. There are several reasons why you may consider separate social media accounts. If you’ve listened to me #PREACH for a while now, you know that I often say this is, “a way” but not “the way” to get XYZ done. However, in this debate, I’m going to be bold and tell you THIS. IS. THE. WAY.

Here’s the big debate on separate social media accounts.

Does everything we do personally and professionally go into a big Facebook account? Do we cram it all in one Instagram? Or, do we separate business and personal? Social media has taken a huge plunge into “celebrity accounts” lately. No, this doesn’t mean you’re competing for with Kim K. for likes. It means you are your brand. Your audience wants to know the WHO behind your logo. You need infuse your personal side into your business. However, so many people have been misguided on this topic and have a combo account {combo acct: a little bit of personal; a little bit of business and… a lot of confusion}. Let’s talk about why you want to separate your social media accounts.

Reasons to separate social media accounts:  

1. Social accounts are your digital resume….

Is it obvious what you do? If someone has to puzzle-piece you and your brand together, no one will be following. Your social media presence needs to be clear-cut and obvious to anyone who stops by your pages.

2. Mind your followers…

If you aren’t painting an amazing brandscape, your followers will follow somewhere else. Clients want to know when your books are open; see samples of your work; learn your niches. Not everyone cares about your kids’ soccer goals… and that’s just reality.

3. Curated personal posts…

Pick personal posts very carefully and make sure they relate back to your brand. My followers know that I get Starbucks with my dogs and that I love everything glitter and unicorns. I use *occasional* posts related to those things, into my professional feed. Moderation is key.

4. Spam is bad…

If you post eight photos from the fall fest you were just at, you can count on losing eight followers. Make sure ALL content has value and does not waste your followers’ time.

5. Does your business attract segmented audiences?… 

Decide what your followers need and want to see. I separate Immerse Photography and Sparkle Society because my Immerse audience = mamas, seniors, and dancers. My Sparkle Society audience = emerging photographers who need to learn sales, marketing, and social media. I really don’t want to mix these two audiences, nor does it make sense to do so.

6. Privacy and safety for you and your family… 

This reason is enough. I conceal personal info about my family. The internet is a great and powerful place, but it can also be a disaster when used incorrectly. Protect yourself, and your family. Separate social media accounts for the safety of yourself and your family.

*Special note for my boudoir ‘togs in the house:

Boudoir photography can be gorgeous and empowering. If you have a boudoir business, keep all of your photos in one place. If you are a family or senior photog, but also do boudoir… you should consider separating those genres on social media. Clients who are looking for a “family” or “senior” photographer may get an icky taste in their mouth if they don’t understand {or want friends/family to associate their finished galleries} with boudoir. Sorry friends, it just comes with the territory.

Consider this when creating separate social media accounts:

1. Split followers…

If you don’t have a lot of followers and then you split genres, you will cut way down on you followers. So, while you do need to separate social media accounts {business and personal} carefully consider how far you want to split hairs with genres.  If you only have 53 following your new macro photography account and 141 following your family photography account… is it really worth separating?

2. Social exhaustion…

I know as well as anyone, you can suffer from social media burnout if you try to do too much. When you consider where, when and how often you’ll post – consider your available time and resources.

3. Lack of resources…

This point links back to #2, above. If you are spread too thin, you won’t serve anyone well {including yourself!}. This may have a negative impact on all of your accounts. Be very careful about the timing and value of all of your posts in order to make the biggest impact possible.

 

Don’t forget to ask yourself these important questions when you separate social media accounts:

1. What does my audience want from me? How can I provide this to them?

2. How much time do I have for social media? Do I have time to manage three or four accounts or just personal and professional?

3. Do I have audience support for multiple accounts?

 

If you loved this post, I have more where that came from! Be sure to pick up a social media related freebie {from me to you!} that you can use to help make your business shine online!

PS. If you’re looking for amazing ways to infuse your personality into your professional social accounts, read this post! And those Friday introductions? Let’s pinky-promise to stop that madness.