A lot has been made over the past year about how transparency – and radical transparency – is the way to go if you want to build up a loyal, active following (sorry, community) on your blog, Twitter or anywhere else you interact.
You need to let people see the real you, you ought to share tidbits and secrets about yourself so we get to know you, you really need to do more video and audio so we see even more of you. Or so goes the maxim of the moment.
Some bloggers share their income, some like to list out all the stuff they own and some share their deepest, darkest feelings. But I don’t know…sometimes it feels like just another strategy to be “authentic”. You need a strategy to be authentic now? Doesn’t that go somewhat against the whole purpose?
It’s worked very well for some bloggers, especially the bit about income – people always like to know how much money someone else is making and it was no surprise to me that Odyssey newsletter revealing how much money the Location Independent project made last year drew the biggest response from subscribers.
But think about some of the people who’ve built up a massive following. How much do you really know about them? How much about their actual lives and businesses are you privy to? Not that much.
I’m a private person. And yet I’m not. Give me a glass of wine, a comfy sofa and a willing ear and I’ll tell you everything about myself and more, if you ask! But for me that just doesn’t translate online…sharing “10 things about me that you never knew” feels self-serving, a hidden way to tell you how cool I am or why you should like me even more under the guise of being transparent. Of sharing. Of being more “me”, more authentic.
I may not have the most compelling, unique blogging style and writing voice but I can sure as hell tell you that it’s me writing this. With only a very minor bit of editing. But that’s me – I am not the most exciting, fabulous, awe inspiring, entertaining, fascinating person you’ll ever meet and so I’m not going to try to be.
I’m going to be me – I’m going to share what I want to share, what I believe you’ll enjoy, find useful or informative but am I going to tell you the ins & outs of my life? Nope. For that, you’ll have to buy me a glass of wine (bubbly, if you really want to know stuff) and just ask me about the best, worst, funniest, most embarrassing moments of my life.